Sample Itinerary - Bird Watching

Day 1

Arrive in Yangxian at midday (from Xian City) and enjoy a lunch at our Bureau and visit our wildlife information centre. In the afternoon we will drive to the village of Huayang deep in the Qinling Mountains. Huayang Village is located next to Changqing National Nature Reserve and is a beautiful rural village. This afternoon we will go on a tour of the Village, visiting the ancient old street, the lookout overlooking the Village and finish up watching the Crested Ibis fly into roost. Dinner will consist of local delicious produce. After dinner we will watch a DVD about Changqing Reserve and give you a complete bird species list for Changqing Reserve.

Day 2

Today we will spend the day in the Reserve bird watching. We will visit the middle mountain habitat. This area is a good place to see the Golden Pheasant; numerous thrushes; Red Billed Blue Magpie and the Crested Kingfisher just to name a few. We will also visit beautiful rivers and waterfalls and many areas frequented by the Giant Panda and other wildlife. At all times on this tour we will not only be looking for bird species but also the other amazing wildlife found here in Changqing Nature Reserve such as the Giant Panda, Golden Takin and Golden Monkey. In the evening we will again enjoy the delicious local food and have a relaxing evening.

Day 3

Today we will have an early start to visit Da Ping the highest area of the reserve. We will visit a primitive forest and 100m high waterfall and enjoy the stunning views across the Qinling Mountains. At this higher altitude we have a good chance of seeing the Blood Pheasant and Upland Buzzard. This evening your expert birding guide will hold a discussion on the birds in Changqing reserve and we will discuss the last few days’ bird watching experience and share sighting highlights!

Day 4

Today we will have an early start and visit the Crested Ibis roosting area to watch these rare and fascinating birds depart for a day’s feeding in the rice fields. We will then follow them to get a closer look at them feeding in the surrounding area. We will have lunch back in Huayang Village and depart for Yangxian in the afternoon. We will arrive in Yangxian town and drop you at the bus station for you departure to Xian (or if you choose we can organise other onward destinations such as Chengdu).

Notes on Itinerary

**Depending on your arrival and departure times we will organise an itinerary for you based on the one above**

**You can add a extra days to the itinerary if you would like to look for the Giant Panda for longer or add days from one of our other tours such as the Culture Tour**

**A reasonable level of fitness is required for this tour. We can of course change the itinerary to suit your needs**

**We recommend spring for the best bird watching opportunities – April – June. However we are happy to take you bird watching year round. The Crested Ibis can be sighted all year**

**Accommodation is in our Hotel in Huayang Village**

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