The Rann of Kutch is located mostly in the Indian state of Gujarat. The word Rann means “brackish desert”. The Rann covers around 26,000 square kilometres area. Both the Ranns are independent entities though joined by a road bridge over an estuary like habitat.

The Rann of Kutch enables various ecosystems. Its grasslands are home to forms of wildlife that have adapted to its often harsh conditions. These include endemic and endangered species of fauna and flora. The non-native tree Prosopis juliflora has become established on the ‘bets’, and its seed pods provide year-round food for the Wild Ass. Your days in the Rann will take in various species of birds, mammals and terrain, so you take in something of the sheer space and scale of this remarkable land.

About 300 bird species and 40 mammals have been recorded in the Little Rann. The habitat remains partly inundated during winter, which helps maintain a rich and varied diet -insects, planktons, molluscs, fish – for a great variety of bird species. It is the largest breeding ground for Lesser Flamingos in India. Our target species will be: Short-eared Owl, Courser (Cream-coloured and Indian), Hoopoe Lark, McQueen’s Bustard, Sociable Lapwing, Collared Pratincole, Red-necked Phalarope, Spotted Sandgrouse, Harriers (March, Pallid and Montagu’s), Peregrine Falcon, Greater Spotted Eagle, Vultures, and Wheatears among others. It is an easy paced tour using a 4×4 jeep during morning and afternoon in Little Rann and walking around to add to you bird list.

The Greater Rann is accessible from Moti Virani, where we will stay at a B&B, the only accommodation in that area. It is vast brackish and semi-arid habitat noted for globally threatened species like Stoliczka’s Bush Chat and White-naped Tit. Black Francolin, Syke’s Crested Lark, Grey-necked Tit, Common Iora, Painted Sandgrouse, Small Minivet, among others will receive our attention. Tawny and Bonelli’s Eagles breed there. We will drive and then walk around water bodies and hilly areas to better spot birds. The naturalist will guide us and answer our questions. We will wait at burrows to have a glimpse of some nocturnal mammals like Indian and White-footed Fox, Jackal, Wolf, etc. We will target the most elusive Gray Hypocolis. We will log in sea birds on the last day when we will drive to Mandvi prior to taking an overnight train to Ahmedabad.

Day 01. Ahmedabad – Little Rann of Kutch (four nights). Welcome on arrival at airport. Transfer (20 min) to Hotel Holiday Inn/similar. At ease. Drive (2.5 hrs) to Dasada and overnight in Rann Riders Resort.

Days 02–03 – 04. Little Rann. Early morning and afternoonjeep safaris and walking expeditions across Little Rann of Kutch on all days to explore an amazing diversity of birds, mammals, reptiles, etc.: Common Quail, Greater and Lesser Flamingo, Laughing Dove, Red- Collared Dove,Spotted Dove, Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Rock Pigeon, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Greater Coucal, Asian Koel, Indian Nightjar, Savanna Nightjar, Slaty-breasted Rail, White-breasted Waterhen, Purple Swamphen, Common Moorhen, Cranes (Saras, Demoiselle and Common), Houbara, Great White Pelican, Dalmatian Pelican,Great Crested Grebe, Painted Stork, Asian Open-bill Stork, Woolly-necked Stork, Black Stork, Eurasian Spoonbill, Black Ibis, Red-naped Ibis, Glossy Ibis, Sociable Lapwing, Greater Painted Snipe, Bronze-winged jacana, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Indian Coursers, Egyptian Vulture, Indian Thick-knee, Great Thick-knee, Small Pratincole, Yellow-wattled Lapwing, Red-wattled Lapwing, Oriental Honey Buzzard, Black-shouldered Kite, Brahminy Kite, Shikra, Long-legged Buzzard, White-eyed Buzzard, Bonelli’s Eagle, Booted Eagle, Tawny Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Short-toed Snake Eagle, Laggar Falcon, Peregrine Falcon, Eurasian Eagle Owl, Buntings, Larks, Pipits, Prinias, Swallows, etc. We shall target Wild Ass, Indian Gazelle, Bluebull, Jackal, Wolf, Hyena, Jungle Cat, Desert Cat, Indian Fox, Rodents, Hedgehog, etc.Bajana water body will receive our attention. No restriction for walking. Overnight.

Day 05. Little Rann – Greater Rann Grasslands (three nights). Drive (with packed lunch) via Dhrangadhra and like to stop at a few places to check grass land birds (between Halvad and Ranjitgadh), near Juna Devaliya and at Suraj Bari bridge over a seasonal river. Eurasian Collared Dove, Greater Coucal, Pied Avocet, Little Ringed Plover, Little Stint, Eurasian Curlew, Lesser and Greater Flamingos, Common Crane among others may be spotted. Reach Moti Virani B&B, the most ideal for wildlife experiences. Overnight.

Days 06 – 07. Greater Rann Grasslands. We will haveday-long drives (packed lunch) as well aswalking experiences in this brackishgrassland habitat. First we will explore Chhari-Dhand water spread and Banni grassland habitat. We will especially look for Grey Hypocolis and White-naped Tit, the two most elusive species found only here. White-bellied Minivet, Painted and Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Common Iora, Golden Oriole, Greater and Lesser Flamingos, Stoliczka’s Bushchat, Rufous-tailed lark, Greater Short-toed Lark, Crested Lark, Black Francolin, Indian Nightjar, Savanna Nightjar, Houbara, Indian Coursers etc., will be around. Bonelli’s and Tawny Eagles breed here.

Next day we will visit rocky and riverside habitats to observe Laggar Falcon, Peregrine Falcon, Short-toed Snake eagle, Crested Serpent Eagle, Pallid Harrier, Montagu’s Harrier, Indian Vulture, Griffon, Red-headed Vulture, Egyptian Vulture, McQueen’s Bustard, Rufous-backed Shrike among others. After sun-set, we will have a walk across grassy patches to explore nocturnal specieslike Wolf, Hyena, Desert Cat, Indian and White-footed Desert Fox, Jackal, etc. This vast area is part of Greater Rann of Kutch. Overnight.

08 Day. Greater Rann Grasslands/Mandvi/Bhuj/Train. After a leisurely breakfast, we will check out (with packed lunch) to explore southern habitats of the Rann to reach the Mandvi coast. Here we will add shore birds like Pallas’s Gull, Brown-headed Gull, Black-headed Gull, slender-billed Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Heuglin’s Gull, Gull-billed Tern, Caspian Tern, River Tern, Common Tern, Black-bellied Tern, Little Tern, Whiskered Tern, Cormorants, Great Crested Grebe, Great White Pelican, Dalmatian Pelican, Western Reef Egret, and Purple Heron among others. Lunch at shore side. Continue exploring birds by walking all around. Mandvi is a notable port and has a ship building yard. We like to visit a nearby village to understand how people manage sustainable lives in harsh geographic conditions. Drive (1 hr) and reach Bhuj and dinner. Board a/c train at 2225 hrs. Overnight in train (sleeping on berths, mattress, pillow and blanket are provided).

Day 09. Ahmedabad. Reach Ahmedabad at 0600 hrs. Transfer (20 min.) to Hotel Holiday Inn/similar. Transfer to airport. Farewell.

Price: GB Pounds 1,795 per person at minimum 2 paying

Price includes: All accommodation, all meals (B,L,D), all transfers/transport, Naturalist (6 days),
jeep safaris, entry fees, train ticket (a/c) and assistance throughout. The itinerary can be changed as per suggestions. No fixed departure and start on your own dates. You are welcome to extend the tour and please let us know what other species will you like to observe. Single guests, couples or more in a group are all welcome.

Price is valid till 30 May 2023.