Bird and Red Panda Expedition — Eastern Nepal
A 16-day expedition through four eastern-Nepal habitats — Phulchowki above Kathmandu, Sindhuli Gadi, the Koshi Tappu wetland, and the Ilam hills — tracking red panda (Ailurus fulgens, IUCN Endangered) alongside resident and migratory birds including Sultan Tit (Melanochlora sultanea). Naturalist-led, small group, starts and ends in Kathmandu. Red panda sightings are not guaranteed.
About this trek
Sixteen days across four eastern-Nepal habitats: Phulchowki's mid-hill broadleaf forest above Kathmandu, the riverine scrub at Sindhuli Gadi, the terai wetland of Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, and the temperate broadleaf-and-bamboo hills of Ilam district. The headline target is red panda (Ailurus fulgens, IUCN Endangered) in Ilam's bamboo understory; the secondary track is birdlife across all four ecosystems, including Sultan Tit (Melanochlora sultanea) and the wintering waders, raptors, and waterfowl of Koshi Tappu.
Red panda sightings are not guaranteed. We will publish the count from our own past expeditions before booking opens (TBC); until then we quote no probability. Come for the four-habitat naturalist arc — Kathmandu valley to terai wetland to eastern temperate forest — and treat the panda as a bonus.
Tracking in Ilam happens on foot with a local tracking partner (community-based forest guardians work this landscape; partner name TBC). Porter ratio and daily altitudes are not on the current catalog and remain TBC; this page will publish them once confirmed.
Trip Facts
- Best season
- Mid-March–May and October–December (estimated — operator to confirm)
- Group size
- 2–8 trekkers
- Total distance
- ~50 km
- Avg walking
- 3–5 hours of birding and tracking walks (estimated — operator to confirm)
- Start / end
- Kathmandu → Kathmandu
- Accommodation
- Hotels, lodges, and home-stays across the four habitats, twin-share (estimated — operator to confirm)
- Guides & porters
- Naturalist guide plus local tracking partner; porter max load 25 kg (IPPG)
- Minimum age
- 12+
Trek Highlights
- Phulchowki birding above Kathmandu valley — mid-hill broadleaf forest
- Sindhuli Gadi riverine birding
- Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve — Nepal's largest wetland, wintering waders and waterfowl
- Ilam temperate broadleaf and bamboo understory — red panda (Ailurus fulgens) habitat
- Sultan Tit (Melanochlora sultanea) among the eastern-hills target species
- A four-habitat naturalist arc, Kathmandu valley to terai to eastern temperate forest
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Arrival and trip briefing with your naturalist leader.
Book a Departure
No published departures right now — get in touch and we'll set up a private date.
Upcoming Departures
Year-round
1 departureCustom and private departures available year-round on request.
What's Included
- TBC — the source does not publish an inclusions list
Not Included
- TBC — the source does not publish an exclusions list
Frequently Asked Questions
Are red panda sightings guaranteed?
No. Red panda (Ailurus fulgens, IUCN Endangered) sightings are not guaranteed. We will publish our own past-expedition record before booking opens (TBC); until then we quote no number. Come for the four-habitat arc and treat the panda as a bonus.
What habitats does the expedition cover?
Four: Kathmandu valley mid-hill broadleaf (Phulchowki), Sindhuli Gadi riverine, Koshi Tappu terai wetland, and Ilam temperate broadleaf and bamboo understory (red panda habitat, 2,200–3,600 m, estimated to confirm).
Who tracks the red panda with us?
A local tracking partner — community-based forest guardians in the Ilam landscape. The named partner is to be confirmed before publication (TBC).
Are there any captive-wildlife stops?
No. This is naturalist-led, small-group tracking on foot — no captive-wildlife stops and no breeding-centre visits.
How fit do I need to be?
Graded easy to moderate. The trip is birding days and slow-paced tracking walks (3–5 hours) rather than a high-altitude trek, but base hill-walking fitness helps for the Ilam forest days.
What birds might we see?
Sultan Tit (Melanochlora sultanea) among the eastern-hills target species, plus the wintering waders, waterfowl, and raptors of Koshi Tappu. A full target-species list with scientific names is TBC.
When is the best time to go?
Mid-March to May and October to December (estimated — operator to confirm); red panda tracking in the eastern hills typically favours the mid-spring and autumn windows.
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