THE BEST OF BURMA BIRDING ( 14 DAYS / 13 NIGHTS )

Yangon - Hlawgar Park - Moeyingyi wetland - Phokyar Elephant Camp - Kalaw - Inle Lake - Bagan - Mt.Victoria - Bagan - Yangon

Day 1 . Yangon – Hlawgar – Moeyingyi by car

On your arrival at Yangon International Airport, one of our company representatives will meet you to pick you up to Hlawgar National Park for about 40 minutes. We will make half day morning birding at Hlawgar park to watch Myanmar's endemic White- throated Babbler & Ayeyawaddy Bulbul (Streak-eared Bulbul), Davison's Bulbul ( Striped-throated Bulbul), Pale-capped Pigeon, Racket-tailed Treepie, Rosy Minivet, Puff-throated Babbler, Yellow-eyed Babbler, Chestnut-capped Babbler, White- crested Laughingtrush, Lesser Necklaced Laughingtrush, Dollarbird, Red-breasted Parakeed, Alexandrine Parakeed and Grey-headed Parakeed, Plaintive Cucko, Forest Wagtail, Greater and Lesser Coucals, Ruby-cheeked Sunbirds, Olive-backed Sunbird, Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker, Black-capped Kingfisher, White-throated Kingfisher, Common Kingfisher, Brown Crake, Lesser Whistling- duck, Common Moorhen, Red-wattled Lapwing, Oriental Darter, Little Grebe, Little Cormorant, Great Cormorant, Asia Openbill, Coppersmith Barbet, Lineated Barbet, Green-billed Malkoha, Greater and Lesser Racket-tailed Drongon, White-rumped Shama, Black-crested, Red-whiskered, Red-vented and Black-headed Bulbuls, Dark-necked Tailorbird, Common Tailorbird, White-rumped and Scaly-breasted Munias. There are about 100 species in the park.
After lunch at a local restaurant, we will continue drive to Moeyingyi wetland for about one and half hours. On your arrival at Moeyingyi Boat house, check in first for a short rest and make afternoon birding in the wetland by a boat. We will see some migration bird and Yellow-bellied Prinia, Asian Golden Weaver, Glossy Ibis, Asian Openbill, Oriental Darter, Black-crowned Night-heron, Little Tern, Yellow Bittern, Cinnamon Bittern, Lesser whistling Duck, Cotton Pygmy Goose, Northern Pintail, Ferruginous Pochard, Black-capped and Common Kingfisher, Blue-eared Kingfisher, Green Sandpiper and Common Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Pheasant-tailed and Bronze-winged Jacanas, Black-winged Stilt, Little Ringed Plover, Pintail Snipe, Common Snipe, White-breasted Waterhen, Watercock, Purple Swamphen and Common Moorhen, Black-shouldered Kite, Black Kite, Black-eared Kite, Western Marsh-harrier and Eastern Marsh-harrier, Hen Harrier, Pied Harrier. Over 135 species are recorded at Moeyingyi Wetland. Dinner and overnight will be at the boat house.

Day 2. Moeyingyi – Phokyar Elephant Camp by car

In the morning, we will make morning birding again by boat on the lake. After birding in the lake, proceed to Phokyar Elephant Camp by a private car for about 3 and half hours. We will have lunch at a restaurant be on the way. On our arrive at Elephant camp, check in first and take a short rest. After that, we will make birding around the camp. We will see Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker, Yellow-crowned Woodpecker, Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, Green Pigeon, Yellow-footed Green Pigeon, Green Imperial Pigeon, Golden-fronted Leaf bird, White-rumped Shama, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch and other species .Dinner and night stop will be at the Phokyar Elephant Camp.

Day 3. Phokyar Elephant Camp – Kalaw by car

After short birding around the camp in the early morning, start drive to Kalaw for about 6 hours. On the way, you can make some stops for birding. Lunch will be on the way. In the late afternoon, check in hotel in Kalaw and make birding around kalaw if time permit. Overnight stay will be at a hotel in Kalaw.

Day 4. Kalaw Full day birding by trekking

It will be full day birding around Kalaw with lunch box. After breakfast, we will make short drive to the birding sport nearby Yeaye lake and start our full day birding by trekking in the forest mountain. Today is one of the main highlights of the tour and we will see Dark-backed Sibia, Burmese Yuhina, Indochinese Black-winged Cuckooshrikes, Speckled Piculet, White-browed and Rusty-cheeked Scimitar-babblers, White-browed and Green Shrike-babblers, Hume's Treecreeper, Lesser Necklaced , Black-throated , White-browed Laughingthrushs, White-crowned and Black-backed Forktails, Wedge-tailed, Yellow-footed and Pin-tailed Green-pigeons, Mrs Gould's, Black-throated and Green-tailed Sunbirds, Little Pied, Hill-blued and Tickell’s Blue , Pale Blue, Brown-breasted, Taiga, Ultramarine and Grey-headed Canary-flycatchers, Blue-winded and Golden-fronted Leafbirds. Red-billed Blue Magpies, Himalayan, Rufous-winged and Long-legged Buzzards, Spectacled Barwing, Chestnut Bunting and Black-headed Greenfinch, White-tailed Robin, Silver-eared Mesias, White-capped Water-redstart, Black-tailed Crakes, Grey-cheeked Fulvetta. Himalayan Black, Red-vented, Ashy, Brown-breasted, Black-headed and Flavescent Bulbuls and Crested Finchbill could be seen. Slender-billed, Black-hooded and Maroon Orioles, Black-collared, Asian Pied, Chestnut-tailed Starlings, Black-throated, Japanese [Great], Yellow-cheeked Tits, Long-tailed Broadbill, Slaty-bellied and Chestnut-headed Tesias, Black-breasted, Orange-headed, Blue Rock and other Thrushes, Warblers and winter visitors will be seen today also. If you are lucky, you will see Giant Nuthatch but it is very rare to see. There will be over 250 species in total in Kalaw. In the late evening, drive back to hotel for your dinner and night stop.
 

Day 5. Kalaw – Inle Lake by car and boat

After breakfast at the hotel, start drive to Inle lake. On the way, we will make one or two time stop for shot birding. After about 2 hours driving time, you will be in Inle Lake and take a boat to start birding around the lake for key species - Jerdon’s Bushchat, Collared Myna and Chinese/Rufous-rumped Grassbird. After lucn at a restaurant on the lake, continue our birding for White-vented, Crested, Common and Jungle Mynas, Blue-throated, Clamorous and Oriental Reed-warblers, Plain Prinia ,Yellow-bellied Prinia, Striated Grassbird, Easten Stonechats, Purple Swamphen, Common Coot, Common Moorhen, Ruddy-breasted and Black-tailed Crakes, Pheasant-tailed and Bronze-winged Jacanas, Cinnamon and Yellow Bitterns, Sport-billed Ducks, Gulls, Egrets and Pond-herons, Swamphen, Glossy Ibis, Northern Pintail, Gray-headed Lapwing, Marsh Sandpiper, Common and Pintail Snipe, Red Avadavat, Scaly-breasted Munia, Yellow Wagtail, Citrine Wagtail, White Wagtail and other species could be seen by boat within a day. There will be morethan 100 species on the lake. Sarus Crane is recorded and it very rare to see on the lake. In the late evening, drive back to your hotel for your dinner and overnight stay.

Day 6. Inle Lake – Bagan by flight

In the morning, transfer to Heho airport for our flight to Bagan. Birding along the way to Heho airport will be done if time permit. On your arrival at Bagan, start biding in Bagan for Myanmar endemic species such as White-throated Babbler, Burmese Bushlark, Jerdon’s Minivet and Hooded Treepie, Burmese Collared-dove, Ayeyarwaddy Bulbul (Streak-eared Bulbul). After luch at a restaurant, check in hotel for a short rest to see other key birds are Laggar Falcon, Yellow-eyed Babbler, Long-billed Pipit, Vinous-breasted Myna, Brown Prinia, Burmese Shrike, Rain Quail, Barred Button Quail, Chinese Francolin, Plain-backed, Russet and house Sparrows, Sported Owlet and Barn Owl and Indian Nightjar, Common and Jungle Mynas, Green and Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Common Hoopoe and Indian Roller. Over 135 species are recorded in Bagan. In the evening, dinner will be served at a restaurant and overnight will be the hotel in Bagan.

Day 7. Birding around Bagan & Ayeyarwaddy River by boat

We will do morning biding among the temple around Bagan for some important rest species. In the afternoon, we will take a private boat for birding along the river Ayeyarwaddy for half day birding. On the river, we can see Ayeyawaddy Bulbul (Streak-eared Bulbul), White-tailed Stonechat, Striated Babbler, Sand Lark, Plovers, Wood Sandpiper, Temminck's Stint, White, Yellow and Citrine Wagtails, River Lapwing, Grey-headed Lapwing, Red-wattled Lapwing. Pied, Common and White-throated Kingfishers, Pied Harrier, Eastern and Western Marsh-harriers and other Raptors, Small and Oriental Pratincoles, Great Cormorants, Indian Spot-billed Ducks, Ruddy and Common Shelducks, Oriental Skylark. Black-bellied Tern and River Tern are recorded in Ayeyarwaddy. In the evening, enjoy the sunset on boat and drive back to Bagan. Dinner will be a restaurant and overnight stay will be at the same hotel.

Day 8 . Bagan – Kanpalat, Mt. Victoria by car

After breakfast at hotel, start drive for our birding trip to Mt.Victoira. After about one and half hour driving, we will be on the other site of the Ayeyarwaddy river and start birding. Before lunch, we will make some birding stops for Long-billed Pipit, White-rumped Falcon, Hooded Treepie, Rufous Treepies and Chestnut-bellied and Burmese Nuthatch and others on the way to Mt.Victoria.
Lunch stop will be at a small local restaurant at Aigyi village. After lunch, continue to Kanpalat and make en route stops at Nagapwat and Swa for Great Slaty Woodpeckers, White-bellied Woodpeckers, Pale-headed Woodpeckers, Black-headed Woodpeckers, Greater and Lesser Yellownape, Common and Himalayan Flameback, Greater Flameback, Grey-headed, Sported-breasted and Bamboo Woodpeckers. Alexandrine, Grey-headed, Blossom-headed and Red-breasted Parakeets, Red-headed Trogon, Grey-throated Babbler, Pin-Striped Tit-babbler, Blue-throated, Asian Brown, Dark-sided, Asian Paradise, Little pied and Verditer Flycatchers, Streaked Spiderhunter, Scarlet-backed and Yellow-vented Flowerpeckers, Brown-cheeked Fulvettas, Lineated Barbet, , Swinhoe’s, Scarlet, Rosy, Ashy and Small Minivets. Blue-winged and Golden-fronted Leafbirds, Blue Rock Thrush will be found on the half day.
In the evening, arrive at Kanpalat and check in hotel which lines among the pine forest for your night stop. Dinner and overnight will be at the resort.

Day 9. Birding around Mt.Victoria National Park by car and trekking

Today, we will start our birding in the early by driving to reach above 7000ft for two endemic species and most important key species of Mt. Victoria. After driving about 45 minutes for about 8 miles, we will start our birding for target species – White-browed Nuthatch (Endemic), Burmese Tit (Endemic), Black-bibbed Tit, Black-headed Shrike-babbler, Green Shrike-babbler, Yellow-billed Blue Magpie, Grey Sibia, White-browed Fulvetta and Brown-capped Laughingthrush.

After lunch stop with lunch box, continue our birding trip for other species such as - Bar-tailed Treecreeper, Chestnut-vented Nuthatch, Bar-throated and Red-tailed Minla, Blue-winged Siva, Rufous-bellied and Stripe-breasted Woodpecker, Maroon Oriole, Black Eagle, Himalayan Buzzard, Fire-tailed Sunbird and other birds. In the evening, we will drive back to our hotel to take a rest again.

Day 10. Birding around Mt.Victoria National Park by car and trekking

In the early morning, start drive to 8000ft elevation for other key species. After one hour driving, we will start our birding for other important target species – Mount Victoria Babax, Himalayan Cutia, Crimson-breasted and Darjeeling Woodpecker, Streak-breasted Scimitar-babbler, Spot-breasted Parrotbill, Rufous-winged Fulvetta, Indian Blue Robin, Yellow-bellied Flowerpecker. We will be around Mt. Victoria based camp which lies about 8000ft from the sea level. We will make a lunch stop at good place and take a short rest by having lunch.
After lunch stop, we will start our birding again for rest species – Chestnut-headed Tesia, Long-tailed, Short-billed, Grey-chinned Minivet, Chestnut-bellied Rock Thursh, Blue-fronted Redstart, Large Niltava, Rufous-gorgetted Flycatcher, Himalayan Bluetail, Yellow-bellied Fantail, Stripe-throated and Whiskered Yuhina, Golden-throated and Great Barbet and others. In the evening, we will drive back to the hotel for your dinner and overnight stay.
 

Day 11. Birding around Mt. Victoria National Park by car and trekking

Today we will be between 5000ft and 6000ft. After making a short drive from our hotel, we will start our birding for our target Species – Chin Hills Wern-babbler, Black-throated Prinia, Hume’s Treecreeper, Striped Laughingthrush, Crimson-faced Liocichla, Yellow-breasted Greenfinch, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker, Rusty-fronted Barwing, Streak-throated Barwing and White-browed Shrike-babbler, Slender-billed Oriole, Hill Blue Flycatcher, Golden Babbler, Green-backed Tit, Black-throated Tit, Eurasian Jay, Grey Treepie, Flavescent Bulbul, Sliver-eared Mesia, Green-tailed and Mrs Gould’s Sunbird, and other birds.
 

Day 12. Birding around Mt. Victoria National Park

Today we will do flexible birding for rest important species which we didn't see on the previous day. Our professional birding guide will suggest today birding program on tour. In our experiences, all birding site at this national park will start from 5000ft and most habitats are not very different. All species can be found anywhere in the park. Only a few species will see above 7000ft like White-browed Nuthatch. So, it is better to decide for birding sites for today on the field. And also all birding spots in the park are not more than one and half hours driving from your hotel. On this birding tour, following birds could be found within four days. Dinner and night stop will be at the same hotel.

Mt. Victoria Bird list

Myanmar's endemic White-browed Nuthatch and Burmese Tit are must see species in Mt. Victoria. Key birds are Mount Victoria Babax ( split from Chinese Babax), Black-headed Shrike-babbler, Chin Hills Wren-babbler, Himalayan Cutia, Spot-breasted Scimitar-babblers, Sickle-billed Scimitar-babblers and Large Scimitar-babbler, White-browed Shrike-babbler, Green Shrike-babbler, Sported Wren-babbler, Brown-capped Laughingthrush, Black-bibbed Tit, Fire-capped Tit, Crested Finchbill, Yellow-billed Blue Magpie, Yellow-bellied Flowerpecker, Black-throated Prinia, Brown Bush-warbler, Black-throated Prinia ( Hill Prinia ).Himalayan, Long lagged, Common and Oriental Honey-buzzard, Black Eagle and Mountain Hawk-eagles, Oriental Hobby, Collared Falconet, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Crested Goshawk and any other Raptors, Ashy Woodpigeon, Mountain Imperial-pigeon, Yellow- footed, Wedge-tailed and any other Green-pigeons, Large Hawk, Hodgson’s Hawk, Eurasian and other Cuckoos, Great, Golden-throated, Lineated and Blue-throated Barbets, Rufous-bellied, Stripe-breasted, Crimson-breasted, Darjeeling and Bay Woodpeckers, White-browed, Black-eared, Chestnut-fronted and Green Shrike-babblers, Small, Grey-chinned, Short-billed, Long-tailed and Scarlet Minivets, Slender-billed and Maroon Orioles, Yellow-bellied and White-throated Fantails, Eurasian Jay, Red-billed Blue Magpie, Gray Treepie, Crimson, Mrs Gould’s, Fire-tailed and Green-tailed Sunbirds, Yellow-breasted Greenfinch, Scarlet Finch, Common-rose Finch, Brown-bullfinch, Spot-winged Grosbeak, Chestnut and Little Bunting.

Bar-tailed and Hume’s Treecreepers, White-tailed and Chestnut-vented Nuthatches, Scaly, Eyebrowed Thrush, Grey-sided Thrush and Blue Whistling-thrush, Indian-blue Robin, Himalayan Bluetail, Grey Bushchat, Black Redstart, Blue-fronted Redstart, White-tailed, Ultramarine, Little Pied, Rufous-gorgeted, Dark-sided, Slaty-blue and Taiga Flycatchers, Large and Rufous-bellied Niltava, Japanese Tit, Green-backed Tit and Yellow-cheeked Tit, Striated, Sooty-headed, Mountain, Flavescent, Himalayan Black Bulbuls, Aberrant, Brown, Brownish-flanked Bush-warblers, Mountain Tailorbird, Grey-billed, Slaty-bellied, Chestnut-headed Tesias, Black-faced, Whistler’s, Grey-crowned, Chestnut-crowned, Buff-barred and other Warblers, Buff-breasted (Blacked Throated), Sport-breasted and Grey-headed Parrotbills, White-browed, Rusty-capped, Nepal and Streak-throated Fulvettas, Whiskered, Striated and Stripe-throated Yuhinas, Streak-breasted and White-browned Babblers, Blue-winged, Assam (slit from Chestnut-crowned), Striated, Striped, Lesser and Greater Necklaced Laughingthrushs and Crimson-faced Liocichlas, Blue-winged Siva, Bar-throated (Chestnut-tailed), Red-tailed Minlas, Silver-eared Mesia, Grey and Dark-backed Sibias, Streak-throated and Resty-fronted Barwings are must see species there.
If you are lucky, Blyth’s Tragopan, Kalij Pheasant, Mrs Hume’s Pheasant, and any other Partridges, Hodgson’s Frogmouth, Grey Nightjar and owls will be seen. Over 350 species are already recorded.
 

Day 13. Kanpalat – Bagan by car

After breakfast, we will check out from the hotel and drive back to Bagan. On the way, your guide will suggest to make some birding stops for rest species. Lunch on the way and you will arrive at the hotel at sunset time in Bagan. Night stop will be at the hotel in Bagan.

Day 14. Bgan – Yangon by flight

After leisure breakfast, transfer to Nyaung U airport for your flight to Yangon. On your arrival time at Yangon, you can continue for your city sightseeing for half day cultural tour which inclusive of Shwedagon pagoda, it is the most popular land mark of Myanmar and beautifully majestic pagoda all over the world. Lunch will be at a restaurant in Yangon. Walking among the beautiful colonial style buildings and visit 2000 year old Sule pagoda will be highlight of sightseeing. In the evening, check in hotel and take a rest at your hotel. Dinner will be at a restaurant and overnight will be at a hotel in Yangon. It will be at the end of your unforgettable wonderful birding holiday days with Travel Expert's birding team.