Day.1 |
Morning arrive Yangon
and have a tour briefing. After lunch
drive to Moeyungyi sanctuary (a vast area of wetland) situated
approximately 110 km north to Yangon. Spend the late afternoon
birding along the shores of the wetland, looking for birds such as the Blue
throat, Thick - billed Warbler, Wagtails, Pipits, Golden Plovers, Harriers
and Kites. Dinner and overnight at the resort in the
sanctuary. |
Day.2 |
Take
an early boat ride in the sanctuary looking for Greater Spotted
Eagle, Woolly-necked Stork, Asian Openbill, Sarus Crane, Spot-billed
Pelican, Painted Stork, among thousands of waders and shorebirds. This
sanctuary is approximately 40 square miles in area with about 80
species of birds. Spend the whole morning birding in the sanctuary
and after a late lunch, drive back to Yangon. Visit Shwedagon Pagoda in the evening. |
Day.3 |
Morning fly to Putao, the northern most district town of Myanmar,
formerly known as Fort Hertz. Arrive to Putao in late afternoon and check into hotel.
Look out for birds like
Grey-backed Shrike, Long-tailed Shrike, Green-backed Tit, Common Kestrel,
Grey Bushchat, Daurian Redstart, Striated Grassbird and Yellow-bellied
Fantail around the hotel. |
Day.4 |
After breakfast drive to Sangaung. Sangaung is a Rawan
village about 30 km North of Putao and the drive will take about 90
minutes. Since the drive is through paddy fields and scrubs we look
out for Raptors like Hen Harrier, Crested Goshawk, Changeable Hawk-Eagle. This is the last village to where a car can drive and the
beginning of a long walk to the thrills of the extreme North Myanmar. Overnight in a
timber house and start using sleeping
bags. Afternoon birding around the village to
look out for birds like Ashy Bulbul, Oranged-bellied Leafbird, Long-tailed
Broadbill, Scarlet Sunbird, Brown Dipper, Plumbeous Redstart,
Grey-throated Babbler, Buff-breasted Babblers and others. Starting from
today daily meals, refreshment and laundry will be taken care of by our crews and porters. |
Day.5 |
Start trekking early in the morning, birding along the way. Our supplies
and gear are carried by porters, some from Putao and some from Sangaung and nearby villages. The first part of the track is through some
secondary forest along a small river but the second part is through a
pristine forest, both of which are rich in special birds like Pale-headed Woodpecker, Blyth’s Kingfisher, Little Forktail, Coral-billed
Scimitar-Babbler, Black-eared Shrike-Babbler, Blue-spectacled Parrotbill
(Greater Rufous-headed) and Snowy-throated Babbler. Today’s trekking
requires some hard work, climbing steep hills and crossing steep gulleys.
Overnight in Camp 1 situated on a mountain range about
1400 meters in elevation. |
Day.6 |
Today’s trekking is through a primary
forest mostly walking downhill to Warsardum village situated in a valley about 800 meters in elevation. Along the
way look out for birds like Beautiful Nuthatch, Pin-tailed
Pigeon, Collared Treepie, Grey -bellied Tesia, Slaty-bellied Tesia,
Long-tailed Sibia, Golden Babbler, Rufous-faced Warbler, White-gorgetted Flycatcher, White-naped Yuhina and many more. Overnight
in a bamboo village house. |
Day.7 |
Walk from Warsardum to
another village called Khalardum which is about 12 Kilometers away.
It is an easy walk through relatively flat terrain with lots of time for
birding along the way. Today’s specials are Common Merganser, Ibisbill,Wreathed Hornbill, Crested Kingfisher, Rufous-necked
Laughingthrussh, Red-billed Leothrix and Lesser Rufus-headed Parrotbill.
Upon reaching Khalardum the night will be spent in a roomy school building
built with timber. There are river crossings today which are about
waist deep but temporary bridges are built across the rivers by our advance crews
who arrive about one month earlier.
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Day.8 |
The tract from Khalardum to Zeyardum
is about 6 Kilometers and relatively flat with some river crossings. The forest between these two villages is very rich in birds
like Rufous-necked Hornbill, Black-eared Shirke Babbler, Striated
Laughingthrush, Rufous-chinned Laughingthrush, Rufous-throated Fulvetta,
Eyebrowed Thrush, Wedge-billed Wren Babbler. Zeyardum is a Rawan village
situated on the bank of Zeyar river. The Zeyar river is a significantly
important place in our track because it is the place we found the White -bellied Heron for the first time in more than 60 years, on our first
expedition in January 1998. Zeyar is also the last village along the tract.
Beyond this there is nothing but primeval forest. Overnight
in a house in Zeyardum. |
Day.9 |
After early breakfast
try to find the White-bellied Heron along Zeyar river. We
also look out for some Rufous-necked and Wreathed Hornbills.
Later, walk along the river to the last camp situated on the bank
of Namlam river. The camp is about 1150 meters in elevation and is
carefully chosen to be in a place where White-bellied Herons fly across
every morning and evening, sometimes in pairs and sometimes single. On the
way from Zeyar to the camp see birds like Yuhinas,
Wren Babblers, Tesias, Laughingthrushes, Flycatchers, Robins, Babblers,
Pigeons, Forktails and Scimitar - Babblers. Overnight at the camp.
|
Day.10 |
Today after awaiting the White - bellied Heron
fly by early in the morning, explore the forest around the camp.
Those who wish to see higher elevation birds can walk up the nearby
ridge for 3 to 4 hours to look for birds like Rufous-bellied Woodpecker,
Crimson-breasted Woodpacker, Darjeeling Woodpecker, Rufous-throated
Partrige, Striped-throated Yuhina and Black-Faced Warbler. Those who wish
to spend birding only around the camp have an easy and relaxed day.
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Day.11 to
16 |
Walk back the same way we
came up camping at the same sites and trying to find birds we may have missed on the
way up. Spend one extra day at Zeyardum village because its
surrounding is rich in birds and could not be thoroughly explored in one
day. |
Day.17 |
Leave Sangaung village late in the morning after a few hours of birding around the village.
Arrive Putao before lunch and take the flight to Yangon later
in the afternoon. Overnight Yangon.
|
Day.18 |
Morning visit Hlawga wildlife park
on the outskirts of Yangon where the species to see are Pale capped Pigeon,
Racket-tailed Treepie, Ruby-cheeked Sunbird, Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker, Striped-throated Bulbul with white eye and Olive-backed
Sunbird. Evening international departures |
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Snow Line Extension
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Day.1 to Day.9 -Same as above itinerary
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Day.10 |
Start walking up to
higher altitudes. The first part of the tract is steep which
requires some hard work, but from the time one gets up on the ridge the
tract is relatively easy until camp 3 is reached. Camp 3 is situated on the
ridge about 2200 meters in elevation and about 8 Kilometers away from camp
2. |
Day.11 |
The track from camp 3 to camp 4 is along the
same ridge with some ups and downs. Camp 4 is situated at 2500 meters and
is about 6 Kilometers from camp 3. Starting from Mid December till
February the snow line is at the same elevation as camp 4 but sometimes extends
down to camp 3. The habitat around camp 4 is broad leaf evergreen forest
with some bamboo patches. The camp site is on the ridge with a relatively
wide and flat area. |
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Day.12 to
13 |
Birding above and around camp 4.
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Day.14 |
Walk back from camp 4 to camp 2.
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Day.15 |
Same as day 11 onwards in above
itinerary. Arrive Sangaung village on day 20 and fly back to
Yangon on day 21. Day 22 international departures. |
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The purpose of coming to camp 4 is to find
great birds like Blyth’s Tragopan, Temminck’s Tragopan, Sclater’s Monal,
Fire-Tailed Myzornis, Black-faced Laughingthrush, White-browed Fulvetta,
Stripe-throated Yuhina, Rufous-vented Tit, Coal Tit, Red Crossbill,
Gold-billed Magpie, Spotted Nutcracker and a new species for Myanmar, the
Brown -headed Fulvetta. |
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This part of the track is relatively quiet in
comparison with the lowland but occasional big and small waves of birds
ca be seen although with low diversity. Overnight is in tents and sleeping
bags |