SIKKIM BIRDING & WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY TOUR 15th to 19th of September, 2018 LINGTAM | ZULUK | GNATHANG | KUPUP 4 NIGHTS & 5 DAYS | EX: Zuluk (formerly known as ) is a small village on the centuries old Silk Trading Route. Traders used to stay here at night to cross the bordering pass (between and ) the very next day. Today the route is no more used for Silk trading. Zuluk has become a popular tourist destination in East . Even the ‘Sarai’ or motel, where traders used to stay a few decades ago, has become a tourist interest.

The road connecting Nathu La and Rongpo cuts through the Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary. Pangolakha Range lies between Sikkim and Bhutan. A nearby place named Hathichirey is the tri-junction between Bhutan, Sikkim and . Further down, the forest meets Neora Valley National Park. Typical alpine-temperate-subtropical vegetation with high altitude lakes like Kupup, Memencho etc. make Pangolakha a real treasure.

Floral diversity includes Rhododendron, Silver Fir, Juniper forest and associated ground ora and moss-lled oak forests with dense bamboo thickets. Mammals like , Mask Deer, Brown Goral, Himalayan Tahr are sighted quite frequently in this area. Pangolakha WLS is famous among the birders for the Himalayan Monal, Satyr Tragopan, Blood Pheasant, Brown Parrotbill, Great Parrotbill, Fulvus Parrotbill, Firetailed Sunbird, Firetailed Myzonis and hundreds of other birds.

Zuluk is not only popular among wildlife enthusiasts and bird watchers but also among leisure tourists for the wonderful view of the sunrise over Mt. Khangchendzonga, visible from the Tambi View Point, which is an 11 km. drive from Zuluk.

Accommodation at Zuluk is basic. Despite the lack of luxurious arrangements, the guests are well received by the villagers and looked after with Zuluk Village from Tambi View Point utmost care and heartiest cooperation ROUTE MAP & SATELLITE VIEW

CLICK HERE FOR GOOGLE MAP LINK Day 01 | 15 September, 2018 | Saturday: Pick up at Siliguri (NJP / ) by 9:00 AM and transfer to via Rongpo (4 hrs. 30m). Have your lunch here and obtain the required ILP to visit the restricted border areas of Sikkim. Post lunch, drive uphills and reach Lingtam. Birding en route. A short birding session in and around Lingtam, if time permits. Stay overnight at Lingtam.

Accommodation: Basic Hotel or Homestay.

Day 02 | 16 September, 2018 | Sunday: Pre breakfast birding at Lingtam. Post breakfast, birding and photography en route to Phadamchen and Zuluk. Reach Zuluk before lunch. Post lunch, birding and photography in and around Zuluk.

Stay overnight at Zuluk.

Day 03 | 17 September, 2018 | Monday: Start early in the morning and reach Tambi View Point. Enjoy and photograph the view of the sunrise over Mt. Khangchendzonga. Birding in Lungthu - Tambi - Zuluk stretch in the morning. Return to Zuluk before lunch. Post lunch, birding in Zuluk - Padamchen stretch. Stay overnight at Zuluk.

Day 04 | 18 September, 2018 | Tuesday: Early in the morning, start for Kupup Lake. Do birding and photography in Zuluk - Tambi - Lungthu - Kupup stretch. Return to Zuluk by evening. Stay overnight at Zuluk.

Day 05 | 19 September, 2018 | Wednesday: Start early in the morning from Zuluk and do birding and photography in Zuluk - Phadamchen Lingtam stretch. Have your lunch at Rongli. Post lunch, transfer to Siliguri.

End of Tour! Satyr Tragopan Ÿ Bird Photography in Pangolakha WLS and its outskirts.

Ÿ Mammal Photography (Brown Goral, Large-eared Pika, Mountain Weasel, Yellow Throated Marten etc.)

Ÿ Landscape Photography.

Ÿ Macro Photography of Moths by light-trap.

Ÿ Warm Clothes.

Ÿ High-ankle walking shoes.

Ÿ Photography equipment with Tele lens (500mm or above), Wide angle lens, Macro Lens and a steady tripod.

Ÿ Birding Field Guide.

Ÿ Binoculars

Ÿ Rain Coat

Ÿ Camera Rain Cover

Ÿ Leech Guard INR 16,500/- + 5% GST (Per Person)

Cost Includes: Ÿ All accommodations as mentioned in the program. Ÿ Food (B/L/D) during the tour; starts with the Lunch from Day 1 and ends with the lunch on Day 5. Ÿ Bottled Water: 2 bottles (1 litres each) per person per day. Ÿ Forest entry fee and cost involved in obtaining the permits Ÿ All transfers and sight seeing in basic SUVs. Ÿ Tour skipper Ÿ Arrangement of Light-trap to study and photograph moths.

Cost Excludes: Ÿ Any food other than mentioned above Ÿ Extra bottles of water, if needed Ÿ Camera entry fees Ÿ Cost involved in change of program due to natural calamity or political unrest or medical emergency or any other unintentional and unforeseen situation Ÿ Anything that is not mentioned above WANDERVOGEL ADVENTURES

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