Dear Friends,

Welcome to the March edition of our e-newsletter.

This Month's Newsletter Features

Trip Reports

Just Tigers: 14th – 29th February 2004 by Hathan Chaudhary

This was another successful trip. We had excellent sightings at Kanha and Ranthambhore. At Kanha we had very good views of 10 different Tigers (13 sightings), 4 Leopards, 2 Sloth Bears, 9 Wild Dogs and 2 Wolves and at Ranthambhore 2 male Tigers, 3 Sloth Bears, four species of deer, three species of antelope, two species of monkey, Jackal, Wolf and the largest cattle species Gaur (Indian Bison). There were a good selection of birds including Indian Roller, Changeable Hawk Eagle, Brown Fish Owl (rare in Kanha) Great Racket-tailed Drongo, Malabar Pied Hornbill, a good selection of wildfowl, Purple Sunbird and others. Less tangible then lists of species was the quality of so many of the sightings and the panoramic views of the forests, meadows and other landscapes of the Kanha and Ranthambhore National Parks . In addition there was the incomparable Taj Mahal and other monuments, scenery and different life style of people.

Sri Lanka : February 2004

The wonderful tropical island of Sri Lanka is the most dependable of tour locations which has become a great favourite with Naturetrek clients. We have two different birdwatching tours in our programme, the first a 10-day 'Bargain' departure focusing very narrowly on finding the 27 species of birds endemic to Sri Lanka and the second, a longer 17 day tour, with a broader theme incorporating elements of sightseeing in the 'cultural triangle' around Anuradhapura as well as opportunities to observe mammals in Yala and Uda Walawe National Parks. The most recent of these tours took place during February 2004 and was once again a great success as evidenced by Chris Kehoe's entertaining tour report which may be found by clicking here.

Next Departures:
Christmas Tour 18th December 2004 – 3rd January 2005.
5th – 21st February 2005

Ecuador – Cock of the Rock tour, February 2004

We are always delighted when clients send us trip reports of their adventures. Steve Holmes and Marion Barlow travelled on our 14th February bargain birding departure to Ecuador and had a wonderful time.

Their excellent trip report, complete with systematic bird list, can be seen here.

Additional overflow dates

We are delighted to announce the confirmation of the following overflow groups. The brochured dates for all these tours are now full, but we are pleased to offer the additional departures as outlined below:

1. NEW FOREST WEEKEND: Friday, 4th June - Sunday, 6th June 2004

2. ZAMBIA MAMMALS: Saturday, 6th November - Monday, 15th November 2004

3. MADAGASCAR 'S LEMURS: Sunday, 14th November - Monday, 29th November 2004

All the dossiers are now available from our website at www.naturetrek.co.uk but if you have any additional questions please do not hesitate to give us a call on 01962 733051.

New Tours

INDIA – A BIRDWATCHING TOUR TO BHARATPUR (NEW)

Keoladeo Ghana National Park at Bharatpur in Rajasthan is acknowledged as one of the most outstanding wetland reserves in Asia and during the winter months the network of shallow marshes within the National Park, replenished by monsoon rains during the summer, provide refuge for thousands of waterfowl, herons, storks, cranes and waders. This compact oasis of water in the midst of a mostly agricultural landscape is a magnet for birds and it is possible to see over a hundred species in a stay of just a few days. Only a few hours drive from Agra , the reserve has long been a favourite with Naturetrek clients but surprisingly our programme has never included a holiday based exclusively at Bharatpur, a deficiency we have now rectified with a new 9 day tour which allows participants the luxury of 5 full days to savour the ornithological treasures of this remarkable place. With Agra so close we could not overlook the unique cultural attractions of the Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri so the tour concludes by visiting these man-made wonders which ideally complement the natural history riches of Bharatpur.

COST: £990 (London/London) £590 (Delhi/Delhi)

DEPARTURE DATES
Saturday, 23rd October – Sunday, 31st October 2004
Saturday, 12th February – Sunday, 20th February 2005
Saturday, 22nd October – Sunday, 30th October 2005

INDIA - THE VALLEY OF FLOWERS

High in the Garhwal hills of the Western Himalaya lies an enchanting valley. Here flower pastures with clear running streams are set against silver birches and shining snow peaks. The valley was introduced to the world as the Valley of Flowers by Frank S. Smythe – mountaineer and explorer who camped here for several weeks in1937 and did valuable exploratory work. He subsequently described his adventures in a book called "The Valley of Flowers ", which unveiled the beauty and floral splendours of this verdant valley to the outside world and invited further exploration by those with a love of wild places and the natural history of the mighty Himalaya.

The Valley of Flowers is flanked on either side by majestic peaks, many capped with snow. The Pushpawati River , emerging from the glacial deposits around the Rataban and Nilgiri ranges, cuts through the Valley and divides it into two sectors. The major portion of the Valley is on its right bank and is a paradise for trekkers. Many streams flowing from glacial deposits in and around the Valley irrigate it and merge finally into the Pushpawati River.

The geography of the area, and its remoteness, were the reasons the Valley remained a secret for so long and these same factors limit access today so that it is still an enigmatic place visited by relatively few botanists. We have now designed a tour, which will provide a rare opportunity to admire the stunning flora of this newly designated National Park. The approach to the Valley necessitates two days of fairly strenuous trekking but this lack of easy access serves only to add to its appeal and to give even greater impact to the moment that one first gazes at the botanical diversity, which so inspired Smythe all those years ago. Click here for a dossier…

COST: £1,695 (London/London); £1,295 (Delhi/Delhi).

DEPARTURE DATES: Wednesday, 28th July – Sunday, 8th August 2004 (Only a few places left) and Wednesday, 27th July – Sunday, 7th August 2005.

Kazakstan savings

SAVE UP TO £300!...ON TOURS TO KAZAKHSTAN!

Group holidays are seldom discounted as they have to be planned too far in advance to benefit from the advantage of any bargain, ‘last minute' hotel or airline prices. However, with the weak dollar and irrational avoidance of all countries suffixed with ‘Stan' since 9/11, we have chosen to offer substantial discounts on two of our longer tours to the very stable Kazakhstan , as follows:

The Tien Shan Mountains & Deserts of Kazakhstan - previously £1,995, now £1,795! (Saturday 15th May – Sunday 30th May 2004)

Alpine Flowers of the Tien Shan - previously £1,995, now £1,695! (Saturday 26th June – Thursday 8th July 2004)

Naturetrek Open Day this Friday!

FREE ON FRIDAY?

Join us on our Office Open Day.

This Friday, 19th March, we will be holding our fourth ‘Naturetrek Open Day' at our Cheriton Mill offices. Operations staff will be available to discuss your holiday plans with you – over tea and cakes! – throughout the day. Those bringing their binoculars have a chance of Red Kites, Little Egrets, Green Sandpiper and Brambling from the office garden, and perhaps the overwintering Great White Egret in nearby Alresford! Please give us a call if you are able to come, to ensure we can make an appointment for you to meet the staff member best suited to answer your questions.

Late availability can be found below. As usual, do not hesitate to contact us if we can help with any questions or queries.

Kind regards,

The Naturetrek Team

Late Availability

If you would prefer not to hear from us in this way, please email remove@naturetrek.co.uk

For more information on any of our holidays please call us on 01962 733051