The mighty peaks of the Himalaya, thegreatest mountain range on Earth,provide an awesome backdrop duringthis holiday which combines the very bestof Nepal's 'terai'(lowland forests andwetlands) with the scenic splendours ofDarjeeling - with its surrounding hills andtemperate forests - and KazirangaNational Park in Assam, home of theendangered Indian One-horned Rhinoceros. Our tour begins in Kathmandu, capital ofthe magical mountain kingdom of Nepal,where we overnight before journeying byroad through the delightful terracedfoothills above the Trisuli River to the RoyalChitwan National Park. This magnificentreserve is one of the few remainingundisturbed vestiges of the terai, a regionof riverine jungle, Sal forest and swampswhich once extended throughout thelowlands of Nepal and northern India. Thiswonderful habitat, formerly mosquito-riddenand inhabited only by the indigenous andmalaria-tolerant Tharu people, has aparticularly rich flora and fauna, includinglarge populations of both Indian One-horned Rhinoceros and Bengal Tiger, aswell as many other mammals and astunning variety of birdlife. Chitwan'sdiversity of riverine and forest habitats,interspersed with open grasslands, ensuresthat there are always new areas to exploreduring our stay and ever present in thedistance are the snowy summits of theHimalayan giants which stretch acrossNepal in an unbroken line from east towest.After spending three nights in Chitwan, wedrive east to Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reservewhich lies close to the border with India,on the floodplain of the Sapta-Koshi, oneof the three main tributaries of theGanges. The reserve comprises endlessriverside and wetland habitats, togetherwith tall grassland with patches of scrubforest and deciduous mixed riverinewoodland, set against the backdrop of theeastern Himalaya, which includes MountMakalu (8,475 metres), the world's fifthhighest mountain. Koshi Tappu offersprime habitat for a variety of wildlife, andin particular supports the last survivingpopulation of wild Water Buffalo in Nepal.Nilgai (Blue Bull), Wild Boar, Jungle Catand both Spotted and Hog Deer areamongst other mammal species findingsanctuary in the reserve, whilst nearly 400species of birds have been recorded,including the endangered SwampPartridge, Red-necked Falcon and StriatedMarsh Warbler. Koshi is also an importantstaging ground and resting place formigratory birds and many new species forNepal have been found here. Theendangered Gharial and the MarshMugger crocodile may be observed in (orbeside) the Koshi River, and the fortunatemay even encounter the rare Ganges RiverDolphin. Our next destination is Darjeeling, wellknown as a popular hill-station during thedays of the British Raj and centre of arenowned tea-growing region. Situated at1,980 metres, the town is charming, ifrather ramshackle, but a fine base fromwhich to soak in the magnificent views ofMount Kanchenjunga and the Himalaya,and from which to enjoy the birds of theregion's temperate oak and rhododendronforests, amongst which are many easternHimalayan specialities. There may also bean opportunity to sample the world famousnarrow-gauge railway which loops its wayuphill to the town from the plains, affordingviews from many vantage points of themagical Himalaya on clear days. A short flight from Bagdogra will take usinto Assam for the final phase of our tour.Kaziranga National Park is one of the mostpicturesque wildlife parks in India and lieson the southern banks of the BrahmaputraRiver, to the north of the Mikir Hills whichrise to an elevation of over 1,000 metres.The predominant vegetation is a mixture of tall grassland and riverine forestintersected by marshes, streams and ox-bow lakes known locally as 'jheels' or'jils'. Kaziranga is famous for itspopulation of Indian One-hornedRhinoceros, estimated to be in the regionof 1,500 animals, and the park is by far thebest place in India to see them. Otherspecial large mammals to be found hereinclude wild Water Buffalo, Swamp Deerand Indian Elephant whilst, in the nearbyPanbari Reserve Forest, we may encounterHoolock Gibbons. We have three full daysto explore Kaziranga by both jeep and,perhaps, on elephant back, and to enjoythe profusion of its wildlife. There is alwaysplenty to see here and, if we are verylucky, we may even encounter one or twoof the more secretive residents such asGaur, Leopard Cat, Sloth Bear or even theever-elusive Tiger! Returning to Guwahati, we fly to Delhiwhere hotel rooms have been reservedprior to an early morning transfer to theairport to catch the international flight backto London. Back in the city, there will betime to reflect on the many wonderfulwildlife encounters of the precedingfortnight or perhaps to investigate the cityshops in search of a few bargains!The Best of India & NepalA 17-day holiday exploring the finest wildlife sites amongst the floodplains and foothills of the great Himalaya, including the jungles of Chitwan and vast wetlands of Koshi Tappu in Nepal, plus the forests of Darjeeling and the best reserve in India, Kaziranga. Friday 18th November - Sunday 4th December 2011 Cost: £3,495 Friday 10th February - Sunday 26th February 2012 Cost: £3,495 Friday 16th November - Sunday 2nd December 2012 Cost: £3,495Book direct on 01962 733051or see page 280 for Booking InformationINDIANEPAL BHUTAN BANGLADESH PAKISTAN TIBET BAY OF BENGAL MUMBAI KOLKATAKOSHI TAPPUWILDLIFE RESERVECHITWANNATIONAL PARKNEW DELHIKATHMANDU DARJEELING BAGDOGRA KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK GUWAHATIOutline itineraryDay 1Depart London.Day 2Kathmandu.Day 3/5Chitwan National Park.Day 6/8Koshi Tappu WildlifeReserve.Day 9/11Darjeeling.Day 12/15Kaziranga National Park.Day 16Delhi.Day 17Fly London.AccommodationComfortable tourist hotels inKathmandu, Darjeeling and Delhi;simple but comfortable lodges ortented camps elsewhere. Allrooms/tents have private facilities,except at Koshi. FoodAll included in the price, except formain meals in Kathmandu andDelhi. Allow £20.Grading Grade A. This is a wildlife tour thatincludes no strenuous walking.Focus Birds and mammals.LeaderTika Ram Giri or Suchit Basnet,plus local guides.Single room supplement£495.Extensions Pre- or post-tour extensions withinIndia or Nepal gladly arranged onrequest.Web quick search: IND33233NilgaiSal forest, ChitwanSunrise over Mount Kanchenjunga

On this exciting tour we will visitAssam, Arunachal Pradesh andNagaland, three of India's least-known, most remote and beautiful states.Famous for their lush and breathtakingscenery as well as their isolated andfascinating tribes, these regions also boastIndia's richest fauna and flora, about whichmuch awaits discovery! We begin our holiday by crossing themighty Brahmaputra River in Assam, beforeheading to the beautiful Mishmi Hills ofArunachal Pradesh, a southward extensionof the great Himalaya, thrown up by asharp twist of this famous range as it turnssouth and descends rapidly to the forestsof China and Myanmar. One of the world'sbiodiversity hotspots, the region's verdant,well-watered hills and evergreen subtropicalforests are home to myriad plant andanimal forms. About 680 bird species arefound here, yet this is one of the least-explored birding areas in Asia; indeed it islikely that some new species still awaitdiscovery in these hills. Among the avianspecialties here are Sclater's Monal, Blyth's and Temminck's Tragopan, Chestnut-breasted Partridge, Rufous-necked Hornbill,Pale-capped Pigeon and Ward's Trogon,and when you consider that the region alsosupports over 100 species of mammal and6,000 plant species, including a mouth-watering variety of orchids, it becomesapparent why we are so excited aboutoffering this new tour! Our focus in the Mishmi Hills will be on thesuperb birding areas both at Roing and onthe Mayodia Pass. At Roing we will explorethe floodplains and foothills lying ataltitudes of between 250 and 600 metres.Here such Himalayan foothill species asPin-tailed Green Pigeon, Red-headedTrogon and Long-tailed Broadbill are found,as well as numerous scimitar-babblers,laughing-thrushes, shrike-babblers,fulvettas and yuhinas! By contrast, theMayodia Pass (at 2,666 metres) is thehighest point on the road from Roing toAnini. Here we will explore magnificenttemperate forests, extensive bamboobrakes and the rocky hillsides above them,in search of such sought-after pheasantsas Sclater's Monal and Blyth's Tragopan,as well as a plethora of other gemsincluding Gould's and Rusty-belliedShortwing, Slender-billed Scimitar-babbler,Ward's Trogon, Grey-sided Laughing-thrushand the exquisite Fire-tailed Myzornis.Our next destination is Dibru SaikhowaNational Park, a biosphere reserveprotecting 340 square kilometres ofwetlands, grasslands and semi-evergreenswamp forest that lie on the alluvialfloodplain bordered by the BrahmaputraRiver to the north and the Dibru River to thesouth. Here such grassland specialities asBengal Florican, Black-breasted Parrotbill,Jerdon's Bushchat, Swamp Prinia and bothJerdon's and Marsh Babblers occur, as wellas the endangered White-winged WoodDuck, plus a wide variety of largemammals. A stay in Jorhat will then allowus to visit the Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary, anarea of excellent forest where suchprimates as Hoolock Gibbon and CappedLangur may be seen. Finally we head to the remote north-easternIndian state of Nagaland, home to 16 majortribes who, until relatively recently, had areputation for head-hunting! Each tribe hasits own distinct character, customs andintricately designed dress, and a villagehomestay is an unforgettable highlight ofthis trip. We'll be based in the village ofKhonoma for three nights - an opportunityto combine our birding activities with timespent meeting the local tribe and samplinga little of their culture. The village sitsamong terraced fields sculpted from thelush green hills, and birdlife is everywhere,in no small part thanks to the conservationefforts of the villagers who have banned all hunting - an extraordinary move,considering how fundamental hunting hadtraditionally been to their culture. Further, inthe 1990s, the villagers physicallyprevented timber merchants from carryingout logging activities, and over the lastdecade the Khonoma Village Council hasestablished systems of natural resourcemanagement, village administration andappropriate development, all coupled witha resolution to conserve biodiversity andwildlife. In 1998 they even set aside 70square kilometres to establish theKhonoma Nature Conservation andTragopan Sanctuary - a special place to end a special tour!India - Nagaland & Mishmi Hills A pioneering 18-day tour into the little-known rainforests and mountains of Assam,Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, three remote and breathtakingly beautiful Indianstates, in search of their rich birdlife, mammals and tribal cultures.Thursday 10th November - Sunday 27th November 2011 Cost: £3,395Thursday 16th February - Sunday 4th March 2012 Cost: £3,395Thursday 8th November - Sunday 25th November 2012 Cost: £3,395Kaziranga extension available on all tours Cost: £595 Outline itineraryDay 1Depart London.Day 2Kolkata.Day 3/8Mishmi Hills.Day 9Dibru Saikhowa NationalPark.Day10/11Jorhat and GibbonWildlife Sanctuary.Day 12/14Nagaland.Day 15Dibrugarh.Day 16Kolkata.Day 17Depart Kolkata.Day 18Arrive London.Kaziranga extensionDay 15/17Kaziranga National Park.Day 18Kolkata.Day 19Depart Kolkata.Day 20Arrive London.AccommodationSimple hotels and lodges, plus atribal homestay. All rooms haveprivate facilities, except thehomestay.FoodAll included in the price, except formain meals required in Kolkata.Allow £40.Grading A/B. Mostly gentle birdwatchingwalks but a couple of longer walksare included.Focus Birds, mammals and the culture oflocal tribes.LeaderSujan Chatterjee or Manoj Sharma,plus local guides.Single room supplement£595 (extension: £195).Web quick search: IND39234Call now or visit www.naturetrek.co.uk for your free Trip ItineraryBURMATIBETBANGLADESHKOLKATABHUTANASSAMDIBRUGARHJORHATDIBRU SAIKHOWA WILDLIFE SANCTUARYNAGALANDKAZIRANGANATIONALPARKARUN ACHALPRADESHKOHIMAMISHMI HILLSBlack EagleCoelogyne corymbosaAngami Villagechildren, KhonomaMyodia Pass