At the present time EcoQuest Travel does not have a trip to China scheduled, but it is a destination that we offer frequently. Please keep in mind that China is a vast country and EcoQuest Travel offers several different itineraries to this remote part of the world – the trip listed below is just one example. If you are interested in China as a destination, or for a more detailed itinerary, please contact EcoQuest Travel by email at: info@ecoquesttravel.net.
CHINA BIRD WATCHING
Wintering Cranes, Waterfowl and Wildlife
“When we hear his call we hear no mere bird. We hear the trumpet in the orchestra of evolution. He is the symbol of our untamable past, of that incredible sweep of millennia which underlies and conditions the daily affairs of birds and men.”
Aldo Leopold, “Marshland Elegy,” 1937
EcoQuest Travel is proud to offer a fantastic bird watching journey to the extraordinary country of China. From the sheer magnitude of the Great Wall and the ancient splendor of the Forbidden City to the shimmering marshes of Poyang Lake and the bamboo forests of Emeifeng, China offers a plethora of cultural and natural wonders. China is most often visited for its cultural riches, but the wildlife, especially the birdlife, is diverse and unique. We have chosen to travel in February to take advantage of the abundance and diversity of cranes, waterfowl and pheasants in particular. After a brief stint in Beijing we will begin our explorations in southeast China searching for some of the rarest and most enigmatic birds in the world. This area is home to the critically endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper wintering along the coast and a host of fantastic pheasants including Cabot’s Tragopan and Silver, Koklass and Elliott’s Pheasants. From the southeast will travel to east-central China and the massive complex of lakes and marshes around Poyang Hu. Poyang Hu is an incredibly important wintering ground for thousands of birds including most of the world’s Siberian Cranes. Surrounding the great white Siberian Cranes are Hooded, Eurasian and White-naped cranes making Poyang Lake one of the world’s largest gatherings of these breathtakingly beautiful birds. No less spectacular is the huge gatherings of Swan, Bean and Lesser White-fronted Geese. From Poyang we journey west to the shadow of Tibet in the foothills of the Himalayas and extensive wetlands of Cao Hai Reserve. The marshes of Cao Hai are famous for supporting one of the world’s largest flocks of wintering Black-necked Cranes. Bar-headed Geese, Ruddy Shelducks, Baer’s Pochard and Falcated Ducks also grace the waterways of Cao Hai.
We will also offer an optional extension to explore the mountain forests of Shaanxi and Sichuan Provinces. This snow-draped landscape is home to a dizzying array of birds and mammals including some of the most sought after species in the world. Our first stop is the city of Chengdu and its famous Giant Panda breeding Center. From Chengdu we will travel to the mountain forests of Tangjiahe which shelter Golden Pheasants, Temminck’s Tragopan and some incredible mammals including Takin, Reeve’s Muntjac, Chinese Serow, Tibetan Macaque, Leopard Cat and even the phantom of the bamboo – the Giant Panda. Leaving Tangjiahe we will visit Yangxian Reserve which is home to one of the rarest birds in the world, the Crested Ibis, and we should great views of this elusive bird. From Yangxian we will explore Foping Nature Reserve. Foping is tucked away in the mountains of Shaanxi and, like Tangjiahe, its slopes and forested valleys hide similar treasures. It is easier to see Golden Snub-nosed Monkey at Foping and we will concentrate our efforts on finding this charismatic primate. Finally we will end up in the city of Xian to see the famous terracotta warriors. We invite you to join us as we explore the fantastic birdlife, natural wonders, cultural sites and magic that is China.
19 – DAY ITINERARY WITH OPTIONAL 7 – DAY EXTENSION
Days 1 & 2 Home Cities to Our US Gateway City and on to Beijing, China
Day 3 – Beijing – The Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square and birding the Summer Palace
Day 4 – Beijing – The Great Wall and Wild Duck Lake
Day 5 – Beijing to Fuzhou and Fuzhou Forest Park
Day 6 – Minjiang Estuary and Fuzhou Forest Park
Day 7 – Fuzhou Forest Park and on to Emeifeng Nature Reserve
Days 8 & 9 – Emeifeng Nature Reserve
Day 10 – Emeifeng to Wuyuan
Day 11 – Birding Wuyuan
Day 12 – Wuyuan and on to Wu Cheng
Day 13 – The Wintering Cranes and Waterfowl of Poyang Lake
Day 14 – Poyang Lake
Day 15 – Nanchang to Guiyang and on to Weining
Day 16 – The Black-necked Cranes of Cao Hai Nature Reserve
Day 17 – Cao Hai NR and Weining to Guiyang
Day 18 – Departure for Beijing or the Tangjiahe/Xian Extension
Day 19 – Departure for the US
* Please note that EcoQuest Travel, Inc. will make every effort to adhere to this itinerary, but dates, times, activities and prices are subject to change depending on scheduling and availability.
EXTENSION TO THE LAND OF THE PANDA AND PHEASANT
Day 18 – Fly to Chengdu
Day 19 – Panda Breeding Center and on to Tangjiahe
Days 1, 2 & 3 – Tangjiahe Nature Reserve
Day 4 – Yangxian Nature Reserve, on to Foping Nature Reserve
Day 5 – Foping Nature Reserve, Golden Monkeys and on to Xian
Day 6 – Xian’s Terracotta Warriors and on to Beijing
Day 7 – Departure for the US
* Please note that EcoQuest Travel, Inc. will make every effort to adhere to this itinerary, but dates, times, activities and prices are subject to change depending on scheduling and availability.