Namdapha National Park is situated at the easternmost extremity of Arunachal Pradesh in Changlang District. It shares a border with Myanmar through the Dapha Bum Range. On the northern side of the Dapha Bum range is Walong. Walong is almost at the trijunction of China, Myanmar, and India, situated in the Anjaw district of Arunachal Pradesh.
The plan should be to cover the lower ridges of the Dapha Bum range of Namdapha for 8 days and later join the Walong part for another 5 days. While you are covering Namdapha, you start from Dibrugarh Airport, which is the nearest Airport in eastern Assam. From Dibrugarh, you drive via Tinsukia, Ledo, Jagun, and finally arrive at the entrance of Namdapha NP at Miao.
Miao is the entrance of Namdapha National Park, and it has a marketplace as well, from where you have to get all the logistics and supplies during your stay in Namdapha. A few kilometers ahead, as you cross the human habitat, the forest starts, and as you further drive inside for 18 kilometers, you arrive at Deban Forest Resthouse, after crossing the Mpen village. Birds like Brown Hornbill, Rufous-vented Laughingthrush, Wreathed Hornbill, Collared Treepie, Spot-breasted Scimitar Babbler, Rusty-bellied Shortwing, etc., are abundantly found in Mpen. Also, some of the vagrant species that arrive from Myanmar are the White-cheeked Starling, Golden-headed Myna, Burmese Myna, etc., to name a few.
Deban is the place, just adjacent to the Noa-Dihing River. Situated at a fantastic location, the place offers the sighting of the most sought-after species in Namdapha - Snowy-throated Babbler. This babbler species is a terrible skulker and moves in a mixed flock of smaller species like White-hooded Babbler, Pale-billed Parrotbill, Rufous-headed Parrotbill, Red-billed Scimitar Babbler, White-tailed Flycatcher, etc. While the above-mentioned species are found in dense bamboo thickets, some species of birds prefers the tree canopy and Lianas - Beautiful Nuthatch, Sultan Tit, Gray-headed Parrotbill, Blyth’s Paradise Flycacher, Silver-eared Mesia, Rusty-fronted Barwing, Rufous-backed Sibia, Himalayan Cutia, Black-headed Shrike Babbler, forage in this fashion. Sometimes in a single flock, you will encounter 20 or more different species of birds.
There are some small, steady-flowing streams around Mpen, where we go for some waterbirds. A very shy Kingfisher - Blyth’s Kingfisher, and White-crowned Forktail both share the same territory near the Mpen bridge. The walk through the riverine track is a little tough as you have to step on boulders and round pebbles, but it is fun. All the tiredness disappears after the successful sighting of Blyth’s Kingfisher. Also, in the same spot, Black-backed Forktail and Slaty-backed Forktail are regularly sighted.
The Noa-Dihing River is known for White-bellied Heron (an endangered species) sightings in Namdapha National Park. There are some specific locations where regular sightings happen. The Namdapha road is very muddy and slushy, thus sometimes you have to bring a 4-wheel drive vehicle to continue birding. In all our birding tours, we keep a 4-wheel drive vehicle with us. It takes an entire day to drive to Gandhigram and Vijaynagar villages.
On the way, we might take stops for Oriental Hobby as well. This small falcon shows up in winter here. Pied Falconet is another target species from this area, near 20 Mile.
There won’t be much of an altitude fluctuation here, as the entire stretch is between 2,000 ft to 4,000 ft. On the way, Hill Prinia, Mountain Tailorbird, Sichuan Leaf Warbler, Wreathed Hornbill, and Eyebrowed Wren Babbler will be tried from the previously recorded sites.
The stretch of Namdapha is the Gandhigram & Vijaynagar areas. From Vijaynagar, it takes 2 hours to reach Mugaphi Top. Near the gullies and secondary thicket, we will try for the newly described bird species - Lisu Wren Babbler. Recently, there have been some easier spots also for this bird, which requires negligible hiking. However, we will take a call on this, as we, the guides, check the area first and take you there.
Now, as we finish the Nadapha leg, we will go to Walong after this. The road through Namsai, Tezu. This route is forested, and after Parsuramkund, there is a small mountain pass - Udayak Pass, which is known as a birding hotspot. Different kinds of Parrotbills and Scimitar Babblers are highly expected here. We will stay at a nearby village, Tezu, where we can do repeated birding sessions for two days.
Because of slash-and-burn agricultural practice and military settlement, the primary forest areas in Walong are almost nil. However, some birds still thrive in the aforested landscape of the non-native pine plantation.
Helmet Top, Tilam Top, Namti Plains, Chequenty Bridge, and Kaho-Kibithu are the major birding hotspots here in Walong. When the top ridges are good for Yunnan Nuthatch, Chestnut-vented Nuthatch, Sichuan Leaf Warbler, Koklass Pheasant, European Siskin, Derbian Parakeet, the grassland patches of Namti are a great location for Siberian Pipit, Black-headed Greenfinch, Spot-breasted Parrotbill, and Chestnut-eared Bunting. Sometimes, in the same flock, we find Godlewski’s Bunting as well.
Day 1: Pick up from Dibrugarh Airport as your flight arrives (mostly by noon, 11 AM-1 PM). We would have lunch on the way and further drive to Arunachal to do the Namdapha part. On the way, we will go birding till Miao, and after getting the forest permit processed, we will drive inside Namdapha and rest for the night there.
Day 2: We will start very early at 5 AM and will continue birding for the whole morning session in Deban. We will drive to and fro between Mpen and Deban, which will be our regular activity.
Day 3, Day 4 & Day 5: For three full days, we will explore different axes along the Namdapha WLS between Deban and Miao. Overnight stay at Deban - Namdapha Forest Lodge.
Day 6: After the morning birding in Deban, we will check out, and later, post breakfast, we will drive to Vijaynagar. This is going to be a full day drive, and we will engage a 4-wheel drive vehicle for this leg of Namdapha. In the afternoon, we will explore the Mugaphi area.
Day 7 & Day 8: For two consecutive days, we will go to Mugaphi Peak and return to the homestay by sundown.
Day 9: Today, we will drive back to Miao, which will again be a full day drive and birding on the way. In the afternoon, we will explore the riverside of Namdapha. Overnight, we are staying at the resort close to the river.
Day 10: After morning birding around the Nao-Dihing river for three hours, we will have breakfast and check out from Miao. We would do birding on the way and arrive at Tezu in the afternoon. We would go for a short birding session at nearby places.
Day 11: For the entire day, we will explore the Udayak Pass areas and return to the resort by evening at Tezu. Here we are staying in a community-run birding resort.
Day 12: After the morning birding in the Tezu-Udayak pass area, we will check out and drive to Walong. The 3-hour drive won’t take long. In the afternoon, we will explore the Namti Plains in Walong.
Day 13 & Day 14: For two consecutive days, we will do full-day birding at Walong, covering Helmet Top and Tilam Top till Kaho-Kibhithu at the Indo-China Border. During our birding days in Walong, we will arrange for a stay in the riverside resort.
Day 15: After the early morning birding at Walong, we will drive to Dibrugarh Airport (DIB), from here you have to arrange for your return flight to your hometown.
November to March is considered the best time for Namdapha and Walong. However, in some years, due to early monsoon, it disrupts the roads in Namdapha. Thus, to be on the safer side, you plan for this trip in February.
From Tibetan Plateau birds to Terai foothills Hornbills; mixed montane forests coppice - this tiny state has little bit of everything squeezed in it!
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