The Thar Desert is home to the last surviving population of Great Indian Bustards. With fewer than 115 birds left in the wild, your visit is especially designed to give you good sightings of these birds, and instead of disturbing their habitat you will come to understand it. You will be working with expert, trained local guides who dedicate their lives to conserving the birds, animals and flora of this extreme yet rich habitat.

Our trip takes in the Desert National Park, with its wide mix of habitats from water bodies, grasslands, rocky terrain and desert scrub. The Park has recorded over 250 species. Our own tour takes place October to March, outside of the desert’s extreme heat and the July-September breeding period for the Great Indian Bustard when photography is banned. The winter and early spring is a good time for migratory species including raptors, larks, wheatear, MacQueen’s Bustard, and Sandgrouse (flocks of the Chestnut-bellied but also hopefully the Black-bellied and Spotted). Expect to see vast flocks of larks: Greater short-toed, Bimacilated and Black-crowned Sparrow Larks.

Your days in the desert will take in various species of birds, mammals and terrain, at select times and locations from dawn to dusk, so you take in something of the sheer space and scale of this remarkable land. You will meet the people who care to conserve it: the teams of scientists working to save the GIB from extinction, and the locals who do the same.

The GIB look for their food in land shared with humans. Your local guide, armed with a spotting scope, has shared his whole life with these birds. Your days with him ensure you achieve more than a glimpse of some of the largest birds of flight in the world – you will experience the stark beauty and the challenges of their life and habitat. It is easy-paced using a vehicle throughout, a 4×4 jeep while in the Desert National Park. Expect about 80 species of birds to be observed.

Our tour includes options to tour the fabled city of Jaisalmer, a medieval wonder including the alleyways and minarets of its hilltop fort. We can include excursions by camel into the desert dunes, and extend the trip to leopard safaris and overwintering crowds of Demoiselle Cranes.

Day 1: Fly New Delhi to Jaisalmer airport. A new airport set in the desert near the fabled city of Jaisalmer; you will already gain a sense of the desert on the short transfer to your heritage hotel, the Himmatgarh Hotel. In case New Delhi/Jaisalmer flight is non-operative, mid day flight from New Delhi to Jodhpur will be offered, then drive in a driver driven car (4 hrs) to reach Jaisalmer and overnight same hotel.

Day 2: Jaisalmer. We will have early morning and afternoon jeep safaris in Desert National Park to target the Great Indian Bustards. Other birds around will include Houbara, Black-winged Kite, Black Kite, Short-toed Eagle, Indian Spotted Eagle, Tawny Eagle, Greater Spotted Eagle, Bonelli’s Eagle, Booted Eagle, Pied Harrier, Shikra, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Long-legged Buzzard, Barn Owl, Spotted Owlet, Long-eared Owl, Eurasian Eagle Owl, Eurasian Kestrel, Red-necked Falcon, Peregrine Falcon, Laggar Falcon, Black-rumped Woodpecker, Yellow-crowned Woodpecker, Bee-eaters, Rollers, Shrikes, Drongos, Pipits, Larks, Wagtails, Buntings, Warblers, Flycatchers, Chats, Robins, Mynas, Egyptian Vulture, Common Quail, Black Francolin, Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Red-naped Ibis, Indian Courser, Cream-coloured Courser, Eurasian Wryneck, Desert Wheatear, Pied Wheatear among others. A Naturalist will escort. Walk across grassland habitat to explore more. Return.

Day 3: Jaisalmer. With packed lunch, we will have day long extensive bird and mammal watching in semi arid countryside (same car-driver), assisted by a village community Naturalist. We will walk around and target birds will be Vultures: Egyptian, Red-headed, Himalayan, White-rumped, Indian, Griffon, Cinereous; Eagles: Steppe, Short-toed, Indian Spotted, Greater Spotted, Tawny, Eastern Imperial, Bonelli’s, Booted; Harriers: Hen, Pallid, Pied; Buzzards: White-eyed, Eurasian, Long-legged; Eurasian Kestrel, Merlin, Eurasian Hobby, Parakeets, Doves, Larks, Pipits, White-browed Bushchat, among others. Indian Gazelle will be around. We will drive to a watershed to be surprised by a large congregation of Spiny-tailed Lizards, the favourite food of Great Indian Bustard, Falcons and Eagles. It is the only herbivorous lizard species in India. We will visit a village dominated by Bishnois, the renowned conservation practising community of the Thar Desert. A tea-session with Bishnois to understand how stake-holders lead sustainable lives. Towards sunset we will explore the desert for sightings of Hare Jackal, Desert Cat, Desert Fox, etc. Return.

Day 4: Jaisalmer. Escorted by a Naturalist, we will visit Mokla village to walk across Dungari Pir Oran (a sacred grove spread over 6,500 hectares), Jelipa Nadi (water body), and ‘Khadeens’ (moisture conservation area for agriculture) in the desert. Uses of such highly productive habitats are fast disappearing in this region. A walking experience across parched land. We meet local people to know their living conditions, and have the chance to sit with them at their dwelling to talk about life over a cup of tea. Some new birds may be around like Ashy-crowned Sparrow Lark, Rufous-tailed lark, Crested Lark, Dusky Crag Martin, Barn Swallow, Large-billed Crow among others. On return, stop at Bara Bagh (big garden) to observe some new birds like Lesser Whitethroat, Red-throated Flycatcher among others. Return.

Day 5: Jaisalmer. A dawn visit to a pond to be face to face with birds like Common Coot, Pied Avocet, Black-winged Stilt, Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit, House Sparrow, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Rock Pigeon, Tailor Bird, Laughing Dove, Greater Coucal, Common Hoopoe, Indian Roller, among others. Indian Grey Mongoose may be a surprise with Five-striped Squirrels being all around. Stay quietly for such a morning visit and photo opportunities. Return for breakfast. Then we like to walk over a sand dune. Spend the afternoon at the Akal Wood Fossil Park. Fossils and footprints of pterosaurs were found in the nearby area. They date back to 180 million years. The terrain is barren and rocky. Twenty five striped tree trunks are lying there as stones. The fossils are of petrophyllum, phyllophyllum and equisetitis species belonging to the early Jurassic period. Desert Wheatear, Ashy-crowned Sparrow lark are likely birds there. Spend sun-set by side of a sand dune. An expert from Wildlife Institute of India can join for drinks and dinner to share his experiences with the desert birds especially ex situ breeding of Great Indian Bustard started in 2019. Return.

Day 06. Jaisalmer – Jodhpur – New Delhi. Board flight mid-day and reach New Delhi. Transfer to international airport to board flight back home. Farewell.
Note: If Jaisalmer – Delhi flight is inoperative, then drive in morning (4 hours, with packed lunch) and reach Jodhpur to board mid-day flight to Delhi and proceed to airport. Stop along the way at a motel for tea-coffee and observe birds like Jungle Babblers, Grey Partridge, Ashy-crowned Sparrow Lark, Common Myna, Green Bee-eater, House Sparrow; Black Kite, Shikra, to be flying in sky while a Steppe Eagle may be perched over top of a tree.

Price: GB Pounds 1,220 per person, at minimum 2 paying.

Price includes: All accommodation, all meals (B,L,D), all transfers/transport, flights (Delhi/Jaisalmer/Delhi), Naturalist (4 days), jeep safaris, entry fees, and assistance throughout. The itinerary can be changed as per suggestions. No fixed departure and start on own dates. Welcome to extend the Tour and let us know what other species you will like to observe. Single or couple or more in a group will be welcome.

Price valid till June 2023.