Wild Himalaya

This is the ultimate Himalayan wildlife trip for photographers and naturalists. Our goal is a quiet exploration of some of the premier natural areas of Nepal, Bhutan and northeast India. Much of your journey will be by elephant, as these majestic creatures are uniquely suited for pursuit of large animals in the tall grass and dense forests of South Asia.

In Nepal, your main destination will be Chitwan National Park,where we expect you to encounter rhinos, possibly tigers, and numerous other large animal species, in addition to many birds, reptiles and other species of this rich riverine and subtropical forest ecosystem. By the time of your visit, thousands of waterfowl will also have arrived from northern Asia. In Bhutan, you will not miss the famous scenic sites, but your unique destination will be the rich forests of Manas in south central Bhutan, where golden langurs, rufous necked hornbills and tigers still roam. This is an area of Bhutan which was only opened to foreigners in the past year, so your group will have the incredible opportunity to be among the first nature expeditions on some of the trails. While in Bumthang, you will witness a very colorful temple festival, and your visit also coincides with the King’s birthday, which will be a day of spectacular pageants throughout the country. Continuing out of Bhutan by road, you will enter Assam in northeast India for a visit to Kaziranga National Park, where you may find wild elephants, Asiatic buffalo, rhinos and tigers. You will finish your stay in India with a stop in Calcutta, where we intend to surprise you with an extraordinary encounter with the India of myth and legend.

Your Tour Leader
Your tour leader, Will Weber, Ph.D., has traveled throughout Asia since his first trip to Nepal as a Peace Corps volunteer in 1970, where he served as a high school math and science teacher and helped organize the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Department. He speaks Nepali fluently, and he has made five visits to Bhutan and numerous trips to India. In each country, you will also be joined by local expert English-speaking guides with specialized knowledge of the areas we will visit. Evening activities will include wildlife tales from their long careers as trekking and wildlife guides.