Jim Corbett Park

Itinerary for Extension form Agra to Corbett National Park

Day 1: Dhikala, Corbett Tiger Reserve/National Park Forest Rest House

We will be de board the overnight train (Kumaon Express 2130:0830 Daily; Second Air-Conditioned; Agra Fort - Lalkuan).

We will be met on arrival at Lalkuan, and we will drive to Dhikala via Ramnagar; a small town, on the western bank of River Kosi.
On arrival check in to your resort for two nights. Overnight at the resort. We will arrive at the Dhikala area/range of Corbett National Park, which lies at the base of the Himalayan foothills, and was named after the legendry hunter and naturalist of the Raj, Jim Corbett.

His wonderful books about the hunting of man-eating Tigers and Leopards in these Kumaon hills still provide an accurate picture of the wildlife and peoples of this region, if much of the impenetrable tract of forest that once covered all the foothills of the Great Himalaya has now gone, at least outside the National Parks. In fact, a sanctuary was declared here as early as 1935, the very first national park in India. Only in 1958 was it re-named the Corbett National Park, following the death of Jim Corbett in Kenya in 1955.Dhikala is a wonderful place to see all this in while relaxing in an old forest Rest House with basic facilities and rustic charm.
Later in the day we will go for a safari to the Corbett National Park. Overnight will be at the Rest house.

Day 2: Dhikala, Corbett Tiger Reserve/National Park Forest Rest House
This morning you will go for morning and afternoon safaris to the core areas of the Park.
Wildlife viewing is by open-topped jeep and elephant. On all occasions you will be accompanied by both a driver and guide assigned by the National Park authorities.

The park extends for over 270 square kilometres, and protects an undulating land of dry foothills clothed in fire-resistant Sal forest and dense riverine jungle predominantly comprised of Shisham and Khair trees laden with creepers and ferns. Large areas of riverside grassland provide a third rich habitat. Created a Tiger Reserve in the 1970s by Project Tiger, the national park now enjoys extended protection.

Corbett's rich variety of habitats, and position in the foothills, are the reason for its good population of mammals. Rhesus Macaque, Common Langur, Golden Jackal, Wild Boar, Chital (Spotted Deer), Sambar, Muntjac (Barking Deer) and Hog Deer are all common and regularly seen, whilst a good population of Indian Elephant is discreet, and Tigers also elusive.

The birdlife here is exceptional with more than 620 species. By April the forests are alive with the calls of a wide variety of summering cuckoo species, including Indian, Himalayan, Small, Eurasian, and Red-winged Crested Cuckoos. Just above the canopy of the Sal forest fly Crested Tree Swifts, White-rumped Needletails, and Himalayan Swiftlets, whilst a wide range of raptors, parakeets, owls, bee-eaters, hornbills, barbets, woodpeckers, babblers, flycatchers and warblers form a most impressive bird list. Of course the National Bird of India, the peacock, may also be spotted.
Major birding attractions at Dhikala are Black Francolin, Kalij Pheasant, Great Slaty Woodpecker, Blue-throated Barbet, Great Hornbill, Dollarbird, Large-tailed Nightjar, Pallas's Gull, Lesser Fish Eagle, Himalayan Griffon, Eurasian Griffon, Cinereous Vulture, Short-toed Snake Eagle, Tawny Eagle, Rufous-bellied Eagle, Changeable Hawk Eagle, Collared Falconet, Verditer Flycatcher, Small Niltava, White-tailed Rubythroat, Desert Wheatear, Bar-tailed Treecreeper, Aberrant Bush Warbler, Red-billed Leiothrix, Indian Bushlark, Crimson Sunbird, Yellow Wagtail, Long-billed Pipit.
Overnight at the Forest Rest House.
Day 3: Corbett National Park Resort at Corbett

A tour to Corbett is incomplete without a visit to Kumerian. This morning proceed for full day birding in Kumerian. Birding in the Kosi riverbed and the nearby streams can be very exciting as there are possibilities of finding Speckled Piculet, Lesser Yellownape, Greater Yellownape, Streak-throated Woodpecker, Himalayan Flameback, Great Barbet, Lineated Barbet, Oriental Pied Hornbill, Slaty-Headed Parakeet, Tawny Fishing Owl, Brown Hawk Owl, Pallas's Fish Eagle, Crested Serpent Eagle, Mountain Hawk Eagle, Gold-Fronted Leaf bird, Orange-Bellied Leaf bird, Red-Billed Blue Magpie, Grey Tree pie, Black-hooded Oriole, Small Minivet, Spangled Drongo, Large Wood shrike, Blue Whistling Thrush, Grey-winged Blackbird, Slaty-backed Flycatcher, Rufous-Gorgeted Flycatcher, Snowy-Browed Flycatcher, Slaty Blue Flycatcher, Rufous-bellied Niltava, Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher, Little Forktail, Spotted Forktail, Velvet-Fronted Nuthatch, Black Bulbul, Grey-breasted Prinia, Tickell's Leaf Warbler, Hume's Warbler, Greenish Warbler, Golden-Spectacled Warbler, White-throated Laughing thrush, White-crested Laughing thrush, Black-Chinned Babbler, Blue-Winged Minla, White-Bellied Yuhina and Green-Tailed Sunbird. Some of the very special birds to look for in this area are Brown Dipper, Slaty-backed Forktail and Black-throated Sunbird. We will return late in the afternoon to our resort for a relaxed evening.
Overnight at the comfortable Infinity Resort next to the Kosi River in Ramnagar.

Day 4: Corbett National Park Resort at Corbett

This morning we will be frequenting the Bijrani-Malani area to see some more animals and wildlife and then in the afternoon we will be cool our heels and visit the fringe areas of Corbett where the Corbett Foundation run by the owners of the Infinity Resort hand in hand with the locals are trying to get the people to the conservation side. Alternatively we might also drive to the nearby Durgadevi - Loharchaur area for birding or going for gentle hike.

Day 5: Corbett National Park - New Delhi W&C New Delhi

This morning you will go for a final morning safari inside the park. Post Lunch we depart to Delhi. On arrival we will transfer to our hotel for freshening up. Later in the evening we will transfer to the International Airport in time to fly away home.