Book direct on 01962 733051or see page 280 for Booking Information231Beyond the rich tapestries of colour,noise and confusion thatcharacterise the cities andcountryside of the Gangetic plain lies adesolate wilderness of breathtakingbeauty. Scattered amongst the TharDesert's 700,000 square kilometres are avariety of habitats that form a laststronghold for some of India's mostthreatened wildlife. Among the shiftingdunes are rocky outcrops, scrub forestsand, in places, some of the savannahgrasslands that provide the vestige of avanished landscape. Quiet and peaceful,but always colourful, this desert holdsmany surprises. Resplendent Rajputpeoples in their gaudy turbans andscarves; desert citadels, eerie forts andMaharajahs' retreats provide the backdropto our tour.We begin in New Delhi, and enjoy thebirdlife and sights of Old Delhi beforetravelling by overnight train to Bikaner,situated on the edge of the Thar Desert.Here we have time to explore this old royalcity before proceeding to Gajner WildlifeSanctuary, where we will stay in the oldpalace of the Maharajah of Bikaner. Thislittle-known, private reserve is the formerhunting ground of the Maharajahs, thequiet seclusion of its lake and acaciawoodlands today offering us finebirdwatching opportunities. In particular,we may hope to observe largecongregations of sandgrouse as theycome to drink at the lake each morningand evening.Our exploration of the Thar, or GreatIndian, Desert now begins in earnest aswe travel next to the magnificent citadel ofJaisalmer. With its intricate stonework,minarets, palaces and proud and colourfulpeople, Jaisalmer is a reminder of theRajput past of the Thar. It is from here thatwe embark on our camel cart safari,travelling between three and four hourseach day, either in a camel cart, or onfoot. In all probability, you will enjoy bothforms of transport, and our camels willenable us to travel far into the desert toobserve its wildlife. Outstanding amongstthe birds we will search for are the GreatIndian Bustard and the Houbara Bustard,the latter a winter visitor to the Thar. Sadly,both species are now very rare due tohabitat loss and hunting, but we will beunlucky to miss the former species. Otherdesert birdlife we may encounter includesChestnut-bellied and Spotted Sandgrouse,Cream-coloured Courser and theenigmatic Stoliczka's Bushchat. Amongstthe desert mammals we may see are theelegant and shy Chinkara (or IndianGazelle) and Indian Fox, and perhapseven the increasingly uncommonBlackbuck, Wolf or Striped Hyena. On completion of our camel cart safari, wewill enjoy the spectacle of the thousands ofDemoiselle Cranes attracted to the villageof Khichan through generations of feedingby the locals, then spend two nights in thebeautiful village of Rohetgarh. Nearby livethe Bishnoi, a unique tribe of practisingnaturalists . and the world's firstenvironmentalists. Continuing on toJodhpur, we visit the Mehrangarh Fort, oneof the largest forts in India, and JaswantThada, a 19th century royal cenotaph built in white marble, before taking the train to Ranthambore. RanthamboreTiger Reserve offers a magnificent settingin which to search for Tigers and otherwildlife. Set in the Aravali Hills, the drydeciduous jungles of the reserve aredominated by the impressive ruins of amassive 11th century fortress, and byMoghul monuments that nestle discreetlyon the shores of small lakes. Until recently,this famous Tiger reserve held up to 40Tigers. Today, poaching has considerablyreduced this number, but we still have agood chance of encountering thismagnificent animal, plus such othercreatures as Marsh Mugger Crocodile,Spotted and Sambar Deer, Nilgai,Chinkara, Common Langur and perhapseven a Sloth Bear or Leopard. From Ranthambore we return to Delhi bytrain to complete our tour of the magicaland exotic state of Rajasthan. However, forthose of you wishing to extend your stay,our extension to Agra (to see the Taj Mahaland other fabulous Moghul monuments)and the famous Bharatpur Bird Sanctuaryis thoroughly recommended.RajasthanA 15-day wildlife holiday to Rajasthan's Great Thar Desert, the Rajput cities of Jaisalmerand Jodhpur, and Ranthambore Tiger Reserve; plus an optional extension to Bharatpur, Agra and the Taj Mahal.Sunday 6th November - Sunday 20th November 2011 Cost: £2,595Sunday 5th February - Sunday 19th February 2012 Cost: £2,850Sunday 4th November - Sunday 18th November 2012 Cost: £2,850Bharatpur and Agra extension available on all tours Cost: £795TIBETPAKISTANNEW DELHIAGRABHARATPUR BIRDSANCTUARY(EXTENSION)INDIARANTHAMBORETIGER RESERVEJODHPURROHETGARHJAISALMERBIKANERGAJNERWILDLIFERESERVETHARDESERTOutline itineraryDay 1Depart London. Day 2Delhi; overnight train toBikaner.Day 3/4Gajner Wildlife Reserve.Day 5Jaisalmer.Day 6/7Camel safari throughThar Desert.Day 8/9Rohetgarh (andKhichan). Day 10Jodhpur.Day 11/13Ranthambore TigerReserve. Day 14Delhi.Day 15Fly London.Agra/BharatpurextensionDay 14/17Bharatpur BirdSanctuary.Day 18Agra and Taj Mahal.Day 19Delhi.Day 20Fly London.AccommodationA combination of formerMaharajahs' palaces and forestlodges, all with private facilities,plus two nights of fully servicedcamping in the Thar Desert.FoodAll included in the price, except formain meals in Delhi. Allow £30.Grading During the camel cart safari, thosewho prefer to walk may do so.Otherwise no serious walking!Grade A/B.Focus Birds and mammals.LeaderDilip Saini, Manoj Kulshreshtha orDhanya Venkatesh, plus localguides.Single room supplement£495 (extension: £175).Web quick search: IND31BlackbuckDemoiselle CranesGreat Indian Bustard

There is nowhere in the world quite likethe Indian subcontinent! So rich is theregion in flavour and variety, whether itis the scenery, culture, history or wildlifewhich most appeals to your taste, thatevery visit is packed with unique andunforgettable memories. City life in modernIndia may outwardly sport all the trappingsof the 21st century, but underlying this is aunique culture which has developed overthousands of years and permeates everyaspect of society. Delhi has had manyrulers during a long and turbulent history,whereas the machinations of life in thefabled city of Kathmandu were virtuallyunknown to the rest of the world untilcomparatively recent times and it has beendescribed as a city with more temples thanhouses and more gods than people. Totravel through the Himalayan foothillsbetween these two diverse cities is one ofthe most beautiful and fascinating journeysin Asia - a journey that encapsulates thesheer variety of this magnificentsubcontinent.We begin our tour in India's capital, NewDelhi, then board an overnight train to visit Corbett National Park. A mouthwateringmenu of sub-Himalayan birding is on offerat Corbett, but the park also holds a wealthof mammal species, amongst them IndianElephant and that most supreme of Asianpredators, the Bengal Tiger. Arguably oneof the most picturesque of India's nationalparks, Corbett was named in honour of thelate Jim Corbett, a legendary hunter-turned-conservationist who played an importantrole in helping to create the reserve. Manyof the birds we are likely to see in Corbettare characteristic of the Himalayan regionand include a number of Palearctic raritiesto set pulses racing! After spending four nights in Corbett, wetravel next to Bardia National Park, situatedin the lowlands of western Nepal.Comprising magnificent Sal and riverineforests, and extensive grasslands, Bardia's936 square kilometres are home to Tiger,Leopard, Elephant, Rhino, a few Blackbuck,Spotted Deer, Sambar, Barking and HogDeer, Nilgai, Wild Boar and Sloth Bear, aswell as Marsh Mugger Crocodile and theendangered fish-eating Gharial. Nearly 400species of birds occur in the park andduring our 3-night stay here we will hope tofind such species as Great Slaty andStreak-throated Woodpecker, CrestedKingfisher, Wallcreeper, Large-billed LeafWarbler and Greater Racquet-tailedDrongo. Bardia is bordered to the west bythe Karnali River, one of the largest inNepal, and this enables us to explore thepark by raft, as well as by jeep and on foot.An inflatable raft trip down to the southernboundary of the park is a tranquil way ofviewing the birdlife and water-oriented animals such as Smooth Otters and bothMugger and Gharial Crocodiles. TheKarnali River is also one of the best areasin Nepal to view the highly endangeredGanges River Dolphin.In order to break the long journey toChitwan, we will spend one night in Lumbiniand explore the fascinating complex ofancient temples and modern stupas whichmark the birthplace of Buddha. We will thencontinue to Chitwan National Park. Thismagnificent reserve is one of the fewremaining undisturbed vestiges of the 'terai'region, which formerly extended over thefoothills of India and Nepal. It has aparticularly rich flora and fauna, protectingpopulations of both One-hornedRhinoceros and Bengal Tiger as well asmany other mammals and a stunningvariety of birdlife. A diversity of riverine andforest habitats, interspersed with opengrassland, ensures that there are alwaysnew areas to explore during our stay andever present in the distance are the snowysummits of the Himalayan giants whichstretch across Nepal in an unbroken linefrom east to west. We will spend two nightsinside the park, and two outside, in order toexplore a full range of habitats. We head finally to the capital of Nepal,Kathmandu, pausing along the way to scanfor Ibisbills, White-capped Riverchats andother waterside birds that frequent the fast-flowing Trisuli River, the course of which theroad follows. After a sightseeing tour ofKathmandu, we conclude a memorabletour with a birdwatching trip to the forestedslopes of Phulchowki which, at 2,740metres, is the highest mountain in thevalley. Many species typical of the highHimalaya occur here and, with accessfacilitated by a road, we can enjoysearching for these without recourse tomountaineering or trekking!For those wishing to extend their holiday,we offer an extension east from Chitwan toKoshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, one of Asia'sfinest wetlands. Here, a remnant populationof wild Water Buffalo may be seen, as wellas other mammals such as Ganges RiverDolphin, Jungle Cat and Golden Jackal.From the delightful Koshi Camp up to 160bird species may be seen in a single day,amongst them such local specialities asRed-necked Falcon, Striated Marsh Warblerand the endangered Swamp Partridge andBengal Florican. It is a restful andrewarding spot to conclude a holiday!India & Nepal - Corbett to KathmanduThis 17-day holiday, in search of birds and mammals, offers a mouthwatering combination of the best national parks in the Himalayan foothills - Corbett in India, and the Sal and riverine forests of Bardia and subtropical jungles of Chitwan in Nepal, plus birdwatching and sightseeing in the Kathmandu Valley. Friday 18th November - Sunday 4th December 2011 Cost: £3,695Friday 10th February - Sunday 26th February 2012 Cost: £3,795 Friday 16th November - Sunday 2nd December 2012 Cost: £3,795Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve extension available on all tours Cost: £795Outline itineraryDay 1Depart London.Day 2Delhi; overnight train toCorbett.Day 3/6Corbett National Park.Day 7/9 Bardia National Park.Day 10 Lumbini.Day 11/14Chitwan National Park.Day 15/16Kathmandu.Day 17Return London.Koshi Tappu WildlifeReserve extensionDay 15/18Koshi Tappu WildlifeReserve.Day 19/20Kathmandu.Day 21Fly London.AccommodationComfortable tourist hotels in Delhiand Kathmandu; simple butcomfortable lodges and tentedcamps elsewhere. Most have privatefacilities. FoodAll included in the price, except for main meals in Delhi andKathmandu. Allow £20.Grading A. This is a wildlife tour thatincludes no strenuous walking.Focus Birds and mammals.LeaderTika Ram Giri or Suchit Basnet, pluslocal guides. Single room supplement£650 (extension: £95).Web quick search: IND23232Call now or visit www.naturetrek.co.uk for your free Trip ItineraryINDIANEPAL TIBET KOSHI TAPPUWILDLIFE RESERVE(EXTENSION)BIRATNAGAR CHITWAN NATIONAL PARK LUMBININEW DELHI KATHMANDU CORBETT NATIONAL PARK Mt EVEREST BARDIANATIONAL PARKRed-flanked BluetailHimalayanFlamebackTiger