Bird Watching Tour in Pokhara: Birding Tour with Expert Guide

Overview

Nepal's geographical and climatic diversity provides a habitat for 915 bird species belonging to residential and migratory categories. Birds are useful indicators of global biodiversity because they have dispersed and are diverse in almost all terrestrial regions, altitudes, and habitats. For Nepal, birds are also an important natural resource with high economic value, as many eco-tourists visiting Nepal love bird watching, which also has a significant role in biodiversity conservation. Spiny Babbler is the only endemic bird of Nepal. There are nine protected species in Nepal: they are Danphen (National bird of Nepal), Cheer Pheasant, Satyr Tragopan, Bengal Florican, Lesser Florican, Great Hornbill, Sarus Crane, Black Stork, and White Stork.

Pokhara Valley is full of many lakes, thus giving the name "A City of Lakes" in Nepal. Gandaki province of the western part of Nepal hosts Pokhara with a steep gradient in landform with an elevation rise of 600 to 2500 meters. Pokhara is headquartered in the Gandaki province of Nepal. The name Pokhara itself is derived from the word 'Pokhari', which means pond. The valley is considered the tourism capital of Nepal; It is the gateway for trekkers undertaking the Annapurna circuit and is famous for short treks within the Annapurna Conservation Area.

Pokhara Valley is highly rich in bird diversity; it significantly holds more than half of the total bird species found in Nepal. A total of 487 bird species have been reliably recorded from the valley so far. The valley is a popular route for raptors during migration season. It is also the only place to find Nepal's nine species of vultures. Some important hotspots in Pokhara Valley are Phewa Lake, Begnas Lake, Rupa Lake, Khaste and Neurani Lake, Gundhe Lake, Banpale Danda, Sarangkot, Dumping Site, Ghachowk Vulture Safe Feeding Site, etc.

Bird-watching hotspots in Pokhara Valley:

Phewa Lake

Phewa Lake, situated in the southern part of the Pokhara Valley, is a freshwater lake and the largest lake in the Gandaki province of Nepal. It covers a surface area of 4.43 square kilometers and has a maximum depth of 12.3 meters, making it the second-largest lake in Nepal. The lake is well-known for the Taal-Barahi temple and is one of the popular spots for bird watching, particularly water birds. As the main lake of the Lake cluster of Pokhara Valley, Phewa Lake boasts a diverse range of winter migratory waterfowl that can be observed in and around the lake.

Raniban and World Peace Pagoda (Shanti Stupa)

The forest of Raniban, situated in the southern hills of Phewa Lake, is renowned for its diverse flora and fauna. The Nepalese government has proposed this forest as a site for the Biodiversity Zoological Park. Additionally, the World Peace Pagoda, a famous religious tourist destination in Pokhara, is located at the top of Raniban and boasts a rich variety of plant and animal life. These sites are well-known for their diverse flora and fauna.

Seven lakes of Lekhnath (Begnas, Rupa, Khaste, Depang, Maidi, Neureni and Gunde)

Lekhnath is situated in the southeastern part of the Pokhara valley, approximately 10 km from Pokhara. Due to the presence of seven lakes, it is also referred to as the "garden city of 7 lakes," all known for their water birds. These lakes are popular tourist attractions surrounded by forests, making observing a diverse range of forest birds possible.

Ghachowk Vulture Restaurant (Vulture Safe Feeding Site)

The restaurant, established in 2010 and is situated on the banks of the Seti River and the scenic view of the Annapurna range in the background can be seen from here. This community-managed vulture restaurant provides safe food (carcasses) to vultures in their natural habitat, and visitors can also observe the feeding behavior of vultures here. Ghachowk is an excellent site for vulture exploration and research, with eight of the nine species in Nepal visible in this area. Furthermore, visitors can explore the local Gurung culture in addition to birdwatching.

Dobhilla:

Dobhilla, situated just 4 km west of Phewa Lake, is conveniently accessible via local transportation. This area boasts a thriving community of vultures, with several species utilizing it as a roosting site. Additionally, Dobhilla is a crucial nesting ground for White-rumped, Slender-billed, and Egyptian vultures.

Bird Tour in Pokhara Itinerary:

1. day 1

   Phewa Lake, and Raniban(Queen Forest) and hike to World Peace Pagoda (Shanti Stupa):

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   Trek Duration	6 - 7 hrs

   We begin our first day of the bird-watching tour in Pokhara at about 6:00 from the hotel and walk to Damside. We hike along the suspension bridge of Fewa Lake, where we can see the Phewa Hydro, and hike further inside the Rani Ban, also known as Queen Forest. This forest is the main highlight of today, as here are the birds: Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker, Spiny Babbler, Nepal Cup wing, Brown Fish Owl, Rey-billed Tesia, Chestnut-headed Tesia, Long-tailed Minivet, Common Green Magpie, Long-tailed Broadbill, Greater Flameback are some of the special birds found here in Fewa Lake vicinity. Moreover, you can also catch a glimpse of wild animals like leopards and deer during your hike up to Santhi Stupa. 

   We have our lunch at Santi Stupa and enjoy the beautiful Peace Pagoda. The view of Mount Machhapuchre and Annapurna range from here is also an event to look forward to. 

   After some rest, we hike back to the fewa lake and take a boat back to Lakeside. The first day of the Pokhara bird watching tour lasts 8 hours. We can stay overnight at Begnas Lake or Lakeside, Phewa Lake, as you wish.

2. day 2

   Birding on Begnas Lake and Rupa Lake:

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   Trek Duration	6 - 7 hrs

   For the second day of the Pokhara bird watching tour, we leave for Begnas at 6 if you stayed at Lakeside or start our bird watching tour at 6 if you stayed overnight on Begnas Lake.

   Begnas Lake and Rupa Lake are situated in the northeastern part of Pokhara Valley within Gandaki province. The various species of bird-like Tufted Duck, Great-crested Grebe, Osprey, and passage migrants, such as Greater Necklaced Laughing Thrush and Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo, can also be found here.

   After a bird bird-watching tour in Begnas Lake, we head toward Rupa Lake. It takes a 30-minute or 2 hours of hiking, and you can choose whether to drive or hike. Rupa Lake is famous for birds like for bird species like the Mallard, White-tailed Sea Eagle, Asian Woolly neck, and Greater Painted Snipe. Moreover, the unique bird species like the Crested Kingfisher, Indian Spot-billed Duck, Black-crowned Night Heron, etc. Overnight stay at Rupa Lake or Begnas Lake.

3. day 3

   Birding on Khaste, Neurani, and Gunde Lakes:

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   Trek Duration	5 - 6 hrs

   
   We start our drive towards Khaste, Neurani, and Gunde Lake early morning. The lake lies within the same area, so we can witness them individually. The bird species found here are Ferruginous Pochard, Mallard, Cinnamon Bittern, and Yellow Bittern; however, critically endangered bird species like Yellow-breasted Bunting and White-rumped Vulture can also be found here. Overnight stay at Begnas Lake. 
    

4. day 4

   Birding at Dipang Lake and then drive to Ghachowk Vulture Restaurant:

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   Trek Duration	6 - 7 hrs

   After early breakfast, we drive to Dipan Lake on the fourth day of the Pokhara bird watching tour; it is a drive of about 1 hour from Begnas Lake. Although the lake is small, we can witness common bird species like the Crested Serpent Eagle, Egyptian Vulture, Bonelli’s Eagle, and Mountain Hawk Eagle. However, this lake also offers rare species like the Cinnamon Bittern, Lesser Whistling Duck, Little Grebe, and the critically endangered White-rumped Vulture.

   After here, we drive to Ghachowk, where we have lunch at the Ghachowk Vulture Restaurant. This restaurant was established in 2010 and hosts retired and disabled cattle, which are collected and reared, providing proper food and shelter until their death. After death, they are fed to vultures, conserving the birds and the ecosystem. The bird species found here in Ghachowk Vulture Restaurant are Bonelli’s Eagle, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Sparrow hawk, Red-billed Blue Magpie, etc., and the eight eagle species of Nepal (Red-headed, Slender-billed, White-rumped, Egyptian, Eurasian, Himalayan, Bearded, and Cinereous) can also be witnessed during the fourth day of Pokhara bird watching tour. Overnight stay at Ghachowk.

5. day 5

   Dobhilla, Landfilled Site, and drive to Sarangkot and Banpale Danda.

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   Trek Duration	6 - 7 hrs

   Early morning, we drive towards Dobhilla, where you can witness the Gandaki River in its pristine form. Dobhilla is famous for its vultures, and the species of birds found there are white-rumped, Slender-billed Paddyfield Pipit, etc.; also, the Spiny Babbler, the bird found only in Nepal, is frequently seen there.

   The landfill is just on the opposite side of Dobhilla. It was used as the dumping side until 2022, but bird species like Egyptian vultures can now be seen more frequently there. Landfill and Dobhilla almost offer same variety of bird species but bird species like the Common Kestrel, Paddyfield Pipit, Common Stonechat, Long-tailed Shrike, Black Kite, Eurasian Sparrow hawk, Steppe Eagle, etc., can be witnessed near the Landfill area.

   After that, we drive towards Sarangkot and have lunch here and rest. Sarangkot is also popular as it offers out-of-the-world sunrise and sunset views. Thousand of domestic and international tourist visits Sarangkot for sunrise and sunset. Another thousand visits for Paragliding, a popular adventure sport you can engage in here in Pokhara. 

   The bird species found here are Spiny Babblers and Black Eagle, including Sunbirds, Laughing Thrushed, Upland Pipit, Warbler, and owls.

   After we finish our Sarangkot tour, we still have Banpale left as our last destination of our five days bird watching tour in Pokhara. We drive from Sarangkot to Kaskikot, which takes about 30 minutes, and then hike for about 30 - 45 minutes. You can choose to hike from Sarangkot to BanPale, and during this route, you can also witness the Palace where the King of Kaski resided during the 16th century. The bird species in Banpale are the Kalij Pheasant, Shikra woodpecker, and warbler family. 

   We drive back to Lakeside and drop you off at your hotel.