Compare Kenya & Tanzania - Birds & Big Game III 2021 by Rockjumper Birding vs Bhutan City Tours with Bumdra Trek and Homestay by Himalayan Glacier Adventure
Compare details and see what other travelers are saying.
| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 18 days | 7 days |
| Price From | $ 8,950 | $ 2,870 |
| Price Per Day | $ 497 | $ 410 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Small group tour | Small group tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Standard |
| Physical Level |
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| Travel Themes |
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| Countries Visited | N/A | |
| Cities and Attractions | N/A |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Ground transport included |
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| Meals Included | N/A |
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| Description |
Our Kenya & Tanzania Birds & Big Game safaris are designed to maximize both the big game experience and birding by selecting the very best and most accessible destinations in these two vast lands. In Tanzania, we visit the legendary Ngorongoro Crater and endless plains of the Serengeti. Our excursion to these, the most famous game reserves in the world, is timed for the annual wildebeest migration. We can expect to find tens of thousands of these and other animals in the parks. The Crater itself teems with big game and supports the highest density of large predators on the planet. We will also visit Tarangire, home to a huge diversity and volume of animals attracted to its perennial rivers. In Kenya, we explore key reserves offering a variety of habitats from the game-filled Amboseli lying in the shadows of Kilimanjaro, the montane forests of Mt Kenya, fantastic Shaba in the dry Samburu region and Lake Nakuru that glows pink with millions of flamingos. With a maximum size of six expertly-guided participants, our small groups score up to 500 bird species, enjoy unparalleled African mammal and cultural experiences and spend time at some truly incredible lodges. It’s no wonder that this is one of our most popular tours, and for private groups of family or friends, we cannot give it a higher recommendation. Some of the special birds we expect to see include the beautiful Golden-winged Sunbird, the gaudy Vulturine Guineafowl, fabulous Golden-breasted Starling, Bar-tailed Trogon and Fischer’s Lovebird. If this is your first visit to Africa, you will be delighted by a plethora of typical African birds; Ostrich, Hamerkop, Secretarybird, Bateleur, hornbills, woodhoopoes, weavers and waxbills. |
Bhutan City Tours with Bumdra Trek and Homestay is a trip which combines sightseeing tours in Paro, Punakha and Thimphu with one-day homestay experience and a short Bumdra Trek. The 7-day trip begins with sightseeing of popular landmarks in Paro and Punakha. In Punakha we experience the rich Bhutanese culture first-hand through a homestay. This will open us up to a different lifestyle. Then we travel to Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan and tour several beautiful landmarks including various dzongs (fortresses), traditional painting school and others. The final portion of the trip is the Bumdra trek which will familiarize us with the beautiful Bhutanese landscape. During the trek we also visit the Taktsang Monastery (Tiger’s Nest) which is probably the most popular landmark in Bhutan. |
Day 1: Arrival and sightseeing in Paro
Meals: Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel (Hotel Tashi Namgay Resort)
Maximum Altitude: 2,250m/7,382ft
After we land at the international airport in Paro, a Himalayan Glacier representative will pick us up from the airport and drop us off at our hotel. We then freshen up at the hotel and have lunch. Afterwards, we visit Rinpung Dzong followed by Kichu Lhakhang, the oldest temple in the country. From here we will go to the Drugyal Dzong (Bhutan Victory Fort), which was built in 1646 to commemorate Bhutan’s victory over Tibetan invaders during the 1600s. On a clear day we can see Mount Chomolhari, Bhutan’s second-highest mountain, at 7,314 meters. Overnight in Paro.
Day 2: Paro to Punakha
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Driving: 4 hrs
Maximum Altitude: 3,100m/10,171ft
We drive to Punakha via Dochu La Pass. From the pass, we see amazing views of the Himalayas on a clear day. Next, we drive downhill through rhododendron, fir and hemlock forests. On the way, we visit Chimi Lhakhang, a fertility temple dedicated to the Divine Madman or Lama Drukpa Kuenley. After reaching Punakha, we visit the Punakha Dzong built in the local architectural style. While here we also enjoy a collection of Buddhist items. After the tour, we also visit the suspension bridge nearby which is in fact the longest bridge in Bhutan. Today we stay at a home of a local resident. This will let us experience the everyday lives of the Bhutanese people. Overnight homestay in Punakha.
Day 3: Punakha to Thimphu
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Driving: 3 hrs
Maximum Altitude: 2,320m/7,612ft
We begin our scenic drive to Thimphu after breakfast and pass through Dochu La pass and forests. After reaching Thimphu, we visit the ‘Bhutan Post Office Headquarters’ which showcases Bhutan’s postal history and houses a museum. We can even make our own personalized stamp! Next, we tour the Kuensel Phodrang (Buddha Point) which has the tallest Buddha statue in the world at 51 m. The sheer beauty of the statue and the location is magnificent. We can spend some time here in quiet solitude before returning to our hotel. Overnight in Thimphu.
Day 4: Sightseeing in Thimphu
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel (Hotel Migmar)
Maximum Altitude: 2,320m/7,612ft
We tour a lot of Thimphu’s landmarks today beginning with the Memorial Chorten. Today we also visit the nunnery temple for Buddhist monks, the mini-zoo to see Takin, the national animal of Bhutan. We also tour the Changangkha Monastery and the Thimphu Dzong. After lunch, we visit the National Institute of Traditional Medicine, a Bhutanese traditional painting school, a folk-heritage museum, Tashichho Dzong and the traditional paper factory. However, some of the landmarks are closed on the weekends (Saturdays and Sundays). Therefore, if we are in Thimphu during the weekends, we explore the Weekend Market instead. Overnight in Thimphu.
Day 5: Drive to Sang Choekor Buddhist University then hike to Bumdra
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Camping
Hiking: 4 hrs
Maximum Altitude: 3,500m/11,484ft
We drive to Sang Choekor Buddhist University via Paro. We meet our ponies here before ascending for around two hours on a forested ridge which will bring us to a clearing. From here, we get good views of both Paro and Do Chhu valleys below. We continue on our trail and reach Chhoe Tse Lhakhang (temple) which boasts commanding views of the snow-capped Himalayas. Next, we climb through ruins, prayer flags and a forest before reaching a meadow dotted with sacred chortens and prayer flags. We set our camp on a location just under the Bumdra Monastery (Cave of a Thousand Prayers) and enjoy unhindered views of the Himalayan range. Overnight camp in Bumdra.
Day 6: Hike Bumdra to Paro via Tigers Nest Monastery
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel (Hotel Tashi Namgay Resort)
Hiking: 6 hrs
Maximum Altitude: 3,180m/10,434ft
After breakfast we start our trek on a winding trail that takes us to an ancient pine and rhododendron forest. As we are descending for some time, we see begin to see the golden roofs of the monasteries below. Our path snakes across the mountainside between these monasteries before reaching the gardens of Zangto Pelri (Heaven on Earth). From here we can peer over the edge, straight down onto the ornate rooftops of Taktsang Monastery perched against the cliff-face far below. We descend on a steep trail to a waterfall then ascend to the most venerated Bhutanese monastery, the Taktsang Monastery (Tiger’s Nest). After touring the monastery, we descend to Paro Valley floor. Overnight hotel in Paro.
Day 7: Final departure
Meals: Breakfast
Our ‘Bhutan City Tours with Bumdra Trek and Homestay’ ends today. A Himalayan Glacier representative will drop us off at the airport after breakfast for our early morning flight out of Bhutan as Druk Air generally departs in the early morning to avoid adverse weather conditions.
