Red Panda Tracking Tour - 14 Days

Red Panda Tracking Tour - 14 Days

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Our 14-Day Red Panda Tracking tour will show you a wild and authentic Nepal off-the-beaten-track. With the help of our red panda trackers and forest guards, we have carefully designed this tour to give you as good a chance as possible to get up close with the red pandas.

HIGHLIGHTS:

Off-the-beaten-track holiday.
Hiking in the foothills of the Himalayas in search of one of the most elusive creatures in the world, the Red Panda.
Bird watching paradise with 900 bird species identified in the country.
Escape the crowds and explore the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve.
Immerse yourself in the Nepalese culture and be amongst the few to track the red pandas with expert naturalist guides, local trackers and forest guards. Our team has created strategic itineraries to give you as good a chance as possible to get up close with the red pandas.
Experience the life of a tea producer in Nepal and learn about the tea making process (harvesting methods, withering, bruising, oxidizing, heating and drying).
Homestay experience in Ilam and Dobato.
We only offer private and small group red panda tracking tours (maximum 8 people) to limit the pressure on the habitats and the wildlife.

Overview

Price: $0

Code: dUS-218

Country: Nepal

Booking Status:

Location

Departure: Kathmandu.
Arrival: Kathmandu.
Travel Route:Kathmandu - Biratnagar - Koshi Tappu - Barbote - Mai Majuwa or Dobato - Mai Pokhari - Barbote - Bhadrapur - Kathmandu.

Season

March – April – May – October - November – December.

Duration

14 days / 13 nights.

Itinerary

Packing List

What is Included/Excluded

Accommodation / Meals

Requirements

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DAY 01. WELCOME TO NEPAL | PRE-DEPARTURE BRIEFING

Upon arrival in Kathmandu, our friendly representative will be waiting for you at the airport with a sign displaying your name. He will then drive you to your hotel. At the hotel, you will receive a detailed pre-departure briefing.

Depending on your time of arrival, you are free to relax or explore the city.

Overnight in Kathmandu.

DAY 02. KOSHI TAPPU WILDLIFE RESERVE

After breakfast, we will embark on a scenic flight to Biratnagar.

We will drive to the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, home to the endangered wild water buffalo and a bird watching paradise.

Village walk and cultural programs in the afternoon.

Overnight in Koshi Tappu.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.

DAY 03. KOSHI TAPPU WILDLIFE RESERVE

Early in the morning, you will go on a full-day birdwatching tour with an experienced bird guide inside the Koshi Tappu Wildlife reserve. Enjoy a boat excursion and be on the lookout for the Ganges River dolphins.

Overnight in Koshi Tappu.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.

DAY 04. DRIVE TO ILAM

After breakfast, we will drive to Ilam. The hills of Ilam are draped with lush green tea gardens. Ilam, land of tea, is also home to the endangered Red Panda and a birdwatching paradise.

Overnight in Barbote.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.

DAY 05. MAI MAJUWA / DOBATO

Drive to Mai Majuwa (or Dobato)*. Meet your host family.

*Dobato and Mai Majuwa are amongst the best places to stay for spotting red pandas. Please do not hesitate to inquire about these 2 places before booking your trip.

Overnight in Mai Majuwa / Dobato.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.

DAY 06. RED PANDA TRACKING

First day of tracking red pandas. The group will be divided into small groups. Early in the morning, we will hike in the woods and track red pandas with our experienced wildlife tracker and forest guardians.

Overnight in Mai Majuwa / Dobato.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.

DAY 07. RED PANDA TRACKING

Second day of tracking red pandas. Early in the morning, we will hike in the woods (taking a different itinerary) and track red pandas with our experienced wildlife tracker and forest guardians.

Overnight in Mai Majuwa / Dobato.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.

DAY 08. RED PANDA TRACKING

Third day of tracking red pandas. Early in the morning, we will hike in the woods (taking a different itinerary) and track red pandas with our experienced wildlife tracker and forest guardians.

Overnight in Mai Majuwa / Dobato.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.

DAY 09. BARBOTE

Drive back to Barbote.

Overnight in Barbote.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.

DAY 10. TEA TOUR – TEA PLUCKING LESSON

Morning: Visit the tea gardens and witness tea plucking.

Afternoon: Learn how to pluck the tea leaves. Introduction to the teas produced in Ilam.

Overnight in Barbote.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.

DAY 11. MAI POKHARI – TEA LEAF GRADING LESSON

Morning: Travel to Mai Pokhari. Explore the wetland.

Afternoon: Experience and learn tea leaf grading.

Overnight in Barbote.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.

DAY 12. TEA TOUR – TEA MAKING PROCESS

Morning: Tea tasting. Breakfast. Witness the tea making process (withering, bruising, oxidizing, heating and drying).

Afternoon: Experience and learn tea making process.

Overnight in Barbote.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.

DAY 13. KATHMANDU

After breakfast, transfer to Bhadrapur Airport. Flight from Bhadrapur to Kathmandu.

Free time in the afternoon. You can enjoy a massage, or you can go for a last minute souvenir shopping; if you require, our guides will recommend the places where you can buy those souvenirs.

In the evening, in Kathmandu, we will have our farewell dinner at a local restaurant, where you will also enjoy a Nepali cultural dance show.

Overnight in Kathmandu.

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner.

DAY 14. DEPARTURE

After a fun-filled trip, our journey ends. We hope you thoroughly enjoyed your trip. We will take you to the Tribhuvan International Airport. If you have time and would like to extend your stay in Nepal, we would be happy to offer our recommendations.

Meals: Breakfast.

Please, contact us for more details.

Outdoor clothing: Natural colors or camouflage patterns will give you a better chance of spotting wildlife.
Walking boots & sport sandals are ideal.
Daypack with water bottle for the hikes.
Flashlight.
Binoculars.
Hat, sunscreen and sunglasses.
Camera.
Notebook and pen.
Medicine (in particular, diarrhea medication): Water Purification Tablets/ Isotonic Powder/ Basic First Aid Kit/ Diamox/ Oximeter / Ibuprofen for general aches and pains/ Imodium or Pepto Bismol capsules for upset stomach or diarrhea.
Copies of important documents (passport, vaccination certificates, travel insurance) & extra passport photos.
Padlocks.
Power adapter.
Little trash bags to carry your waste during your red panda hikes.

*This list is not exhaustive.

What’s included

Pre-departure support.
Airport Pick-up & Drop-off.
Experienced and government licensed English speaking guide.
Tracking expert and forest guards during red panda tracking.
Accommodation (13 nights): 2 nights in Kathmandu, 2 nights in Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, 5 nights in Barbote and 4 nights in Mai Majuwa / Dobato.
Meals (refer to itinerary for meal plan).
All ground transportation during the tour (comfortable car/ van).
Domestic flights: Kathmandu to Biratnagar / Bhadrapur to Kathmandu.
Sightseeing tours and activities with professional experts as mentioned in the itinerary.
Community forest, Conservation area & Wildlife reserve entrance fees.
First aid kit/s.
Little trash bags to carry your waste during your red panda hikes.
Farewell dinner in Kathmandu.
All government taxes, VAT and service charges.

What’s NOT included

International flights.
Excess baggage fees (domestic flights).
Tips for guides, drivers & others.
Personal expenditures, all bar bills, laundry, telephone calls.
Visa fees.
Travel insurance.
Anything else not specified in the ‘what’s included’ section above.

Accommodation:

Kathmandu (2 nights): Carefully selected 3-Star hotel.
Koshi Tappu (2 nights): Carefully selected Wildlife Camp.
Barbote (5 nights): Carefully selected home stay.
Mai Majuwa / Dobato (4 nights): Carefully selected home stay.

Meals:

Day 1: N/A.
Day 2: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 3: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 4: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 5: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 6: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 7: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 8: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 9: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 10: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 11: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 12: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 13: Breakfast & Farewell Dinner.
Day 14: Breakfast.

Red panda tracking guidelines:

Do not wear perfume or deodorant as the smells will draw animals away from you (plus it will attract mosquitoes).
Avoid talking during the red panda tracking. Be silent and observe. Try to communicate with signs as much as you can.
Turn the flash off on your camera.
Do not wear bright colors. Natural colors or camouflage patterns will give you a better chance of spotting wildlife.
Do not litter. Bring little trash bags to carry your waste during your hikes.
Keep your phone in silent mode.
Always listen to your guide.
Bring good binoculars with you.
Do never get too close to wild animals. Keep your distance.
Do not try to feed animals.
Bring extra batteries/ memory cards for your camera.
Smoking is strictly prohibited inside the Community forest, Conservation area & Wildlife reserve.

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