India: Corbett National Park : Jan 30—Feb 05, 2010

A superb opportunity to see the Bengal tiger, THE most magnificent of all cats, in addition to large numbers of other big mammals including herds of Asian elephants. Many exciting, mega-charismatic birds; a delightful blend of wildlife safaris, moderate walks, and great photographic opportunities.
 
From Agra we will travel northwards across the Indo-Gangetic plain to the great Corbett National Park. Cradled in the foothills of the Himalayas, Corbett National Park, India's first, is also widely considered one of the finest reserves in the entire Indian subcontinent. Its vast area encompasses huge tracts of grassland and forest centered on the Ramganga River. Here we will spend three nights at Dikkala, in the center of the park, and located on a bluff that looks out over hundreds of elephants, herds of hog deer, graceful spotted deer, wild boar, and tigers.

We will also stay at the delightful Quality Inn, also superbly located on a bluff overlooking the charismatic Khosi River Valley. Here, outside the park, we can safely walk and explore to our hearts' content, including elevations up to 3,000 feet, thus giving us an unparalleled opportunity to encounter a rich suite of Himalayan birds. Bugling cries of the globally-threatened Pallas's Fish-Eagle echo across the landscape while Wallcreepers, Forktails, and Crested Kingfishers compete for the river's product. This is one of the birdiest areas in Asia and it is also tiger country; although finding this magnificent cat is never easy, our chances here are good.

But Corbett is so much more, however, with over 50 species of mammals, 530 birds, and 25 reptiles recorded within the reserve. These include such gems as Asian elephant, leopard, sloth bear, the most peculiar and endangered gharial (a snub-nosed croc), Kalij Pheasant, dapper Collared Falconet, Slaty-headed Parakeet, Brown Fish-Owl, the larger and rarer Tawny Fish-Owl, Stork-billed Kingfisher, gigantic Great Hornbills, the electric Red-billed Blue Magpie, and a wonderful array of babblers (Real Birds!).

Good accommodations at the Quality Inn, somewhat rustic at Dikkala in the heart of the national park; travel by coach and jeep; climate generally very pleasant tending to warm in the middle of the day, and cool in the early morning and at night.