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News in Brief: Norway, Madagascar, India, Portugal, Sri Lanka & Oman
December 2025
‘What a way to spend a week in early winter – exploring Norway’s Arctic fjords, in search of its spectacular wildlife, scenery, and Northern Lights!’ writes tour leader George Nicholson.
Our group landed in Tromsø in -10 degrees during an intense blizzard, so we enjoyed a warm transfer to our hotel in the city centre. We then had a “free day” to explore Tromsø, with some guests partaking in a spot of Christmas shopping, whilst others explored Tromsø’s polar museum, as well as keeping an eye out for the occasional raft of eider ducks moving through the harbour!
Once on board our exclusively chartered expedition vessel, MS Virgo, we were welcomed by our expedition leaders before setting sail for Lyngenfjord, where our ship was based for the next six nights. Here we spent each day searching for Orcas and Humpback Whales as they followed the mass schools of herring around the fjord system. As our holiday took place during the Arctic “polar night”, the sun never rose fully above the horizon, bathing the snow-covered mountains in a spectacular pink glow, whilst long nights gave us excellent opportunities to search for the Northern Lights, with one evening providing an excellent display.
Over the week-long holiday, we enjoyed daily sightings of both Orca and Humpback Whales, often at extremely close range, with a few brave guests even having the opportunity to snorkel with these ocean giants! The Orcas spotted were of various ages and sizes, from fully grown bull males with towering dorsal fins to inquisitive young calves, still with an orange tint on their skin. The highlight for many, however, was watching Orcas herd herring into huge bait balls, with Humpback Whales suddenly lunging from underneath the surface to swallow as many fish as possible – all just metres from our zodiac craft! Coupled with cosy cabins, expert talks from our onboard expedition leaders, and warm, hearty food from our vessel’s kitchen crew, it was certainly a holiday to remember.’
November 2025
‘Madagascar is a land teeming with astonishing natural history, from its lush eastern jungles to the bizarre, sparse spiny forest of the south-west. However, our recently returned “Northern Madagascar” tour offers perhaps the most varied and impressive wildlife experience of all!’ writes tour leader Ben Chapple. ‘On the ancient rainforest-clad slopes of Amber Mountain, we were amazed by Arnhold’s Mouse Lemur, Pitta-like Ground Roller and Amber Mountain Leaf Chameleon, one of the tiniest vertebrates on Earth.
The semi-deciduous woodlands of Andrafiamena held elegant, ebony-black Perrier’s Sifakas, of which no more than a few hundred remain in the wild. Most breathtaking of all was the landscape of Ankarana National Park, home to the razor-sharp, rain-carved limestone pinnacles of the Tsingy, whose name is derived from a Malagasy word meaning “walking on tiptoes”. In these otherworldly surrounds, we marvelled at curious Crowned Lemurs, flocks of Blue Vanga, and the impossible camouflage of the Bright-eyed Leaf-tailed Gecko.
Our outstanding tour ended on the sun-kissed shores of Nosy Komba, where Whale Shark and Omura’s Whale swam in azure seas, and White-tailed Tropicbird floated over dazzling sands. Throughout the trip, we enjoyed a level of comfort and ease that cannot be taken for granted in Madagascar; the accommodation was superb, the roads smooth, the drives short, and the parks entirely uncrowded. For an overall wildlife experience, there’s nowhere like northern Madagascar.’
December 2025
‘The “Tiger Direct” tour delivered an absolutely spectacular wildlife experience across Pench and Kanha National Parks, with the group enjoying approximately 10 different Tiger sightings, each remarkable and unique in behaviour, habitat use, and presence — a true celebration of India’s apex predator’ writes tour leader Anurag Yadav. ‘We also recorded five Leopard sightings, highlighted by the unforgettable moment when a Tiger attempted to chase a Leopard up a tree, creating a heart‑racing wildlife encounter for all.
In Kanha, we were especially fortunate to see Asian Wild Dogs (Dholes), a pack‑forming and highly skilled predator rarely observed on safari, adding an extraordinary element to our sightings. One of the most dramatic moments of the tour was witnessing a Jackal successfully hunting a Chital deer, offering an incredible insight into predator–prey dynamics. Beyond these thrilling carnivore encounters, we saw abundant classic central Indian wildlife including Gaur, Chital, Sambar, and the iconic Barasingha, alongside diverse landscapes of teak and bamboo forests woven with streams and grasslands that support rich biodiversity — all combining to make this a deeply rewarding and unforgettable journey into the heart of India’s wilderness.’
December 2025
‘This was an exhilarating wildlife tour through the Bhadra Tiger Reserve, Karnataka, spanning nine nights and 10 days’ writes tour leader Jesan T Das. ‘From start to finish, the journey was filled with remarkable wildlife encounters – most memorably a female Leopard gliding swiftly through dense undergrowth, repeated sightings of Elephant herds engaged in diverse behaviours, and the magical light of dawn and dusk reflecting off the forests and the expansive Bhadra Reservoir.
Throughout the tour, guests enjoyed rewarding sightings of a Leopard, Smooth-coated Otters, and several majestic tuskers. The reserve’s rich avifauna added constant excitement, with notable bird sightings including the Lesser Adjutant, Blyth’s Starling, and an unforgettable moment of an Osprey carrying a large fish, bringing vivid colour and drama to each safari.
Daily checklist sessions fostered a strong sense of camaraderie among the group, while hearty meals, well-planned logistics, and seamless coordination ensured a comfortable and enriching experience throughout. The journey left guests with lasting memories of Bhadra’s extraordinary wildlife, tranquil landscapes, and raw natural beauty.’
November 2025
The journey began in Delhi with a warm welcome from tour leader Rajveer Singh, followed by a visit to Sultanpur National Park. Wildlife sightings included Nilgai, Jackal, Jungle Cat, and a lively heronry of Painted Storks, Black-headed Ibises, Egrets, and Cormorants, along with Lesser Goldenback and Ashy Prinia.
The group then flew to Khajuraho and continued to Panna Tiger Reserve, where an exceptional highlight was the sighting of 10 different Tigers. Cultural exploration followed with visits to the beautifully carved Khajuraho Temples and the historic Orchha Palaces, before boarding a train to Agra.
A sunrise visit to the Taj Mahal was a memorable experience, followed by exploration of Fatehpur Sikri and onward travel to Bharatpur. The tour concluded with rewarding days at Keoladeo National Park, enjoying its rich diversity of birdlife and wildlife, perfectly blending nature and heritage.
November 2025
‘The group was welcomed in Ahmedabad and travelled to Dasada, checking in at Rann Riders Resort’ writes tour leader Rajveer Singh. ‘En route and during the first safari, sightings included Sarus Cranes, Black-headed Ibis, Open-billed Storks, Indian Wild Ass, Common Cranes, and Short-eared Owls.
The journey continued to the Great Rann of Kutch, where three nights were spent exploring the desert on morning and evening safaris. Key sightings included Grey Hypocolius, Desert Wheatear, Rock Bunting, Long-billed Pipit, Greater Spotted Eagle, and Golden Jackal.
From there, the tour moved to Sasan Gir, offering excellent encounters with the Asiatic Lion, Marsh Crocodile, Nilgai, and birds such as Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher, Indian Nightjar, and Crested Tree Swift.
The final wildlife destination was Velavadar National Park, famous for harriers and Blackbucks, where Pallid and Montagu’s Harriers, Short-eared Owl, Indian Wolf, Blackbucks, and Jungle Cats were observed.
Each day was enjoyed with rich wildlife experiences, good food, and evening checklist sessions. The tour concluded in Ahmedabad, leaving the group with lasting memories of the special nature and wildlife of Gujarat.’
December 2025
'This ever-popular tour stayed first at a delightful hotel in the hills near Tavira and then latterly at a 4-star hotel in Sagres in the far south-west’ writes tour leader Neil McMahon. ‘On arrival in Faro we were quickly into the birds around the coastal reserve near the airport and following a meal, we visited the superb lagoon and surrounds of Quinta do Lago. We enjoyed super views of wintering Little Bitterns, Western Swamphens, a variety of waterfowl, Crag Martins, Swallows, House Martins and ridiculous numbers of fly-catching Chiffchaffs. We enjoyed our first views of Hoopoe, Iberian Magpie, Black-headed Weaver and Booted Eagle before heading off to check in at our hotel.
A highlight for many, our first full day was spent exploring the plains around Castro Verde, a stunning landscape with plenty of birds on view. Three roosting Long-eared Owls were very special and we went on to see Iberian Grey Shrikes, several adult male Hen Harriers, Calandra Larks and even a couple of gorgeous Black-winged Kites before our phenomenal lunch at Helena's. This is supposed to be a wildlife holiday but in reality it is an 8-day gastronomic delight with wildlife in-between! Our afternoon was pretty special with Iberian Imperial Eagles, Little Bustards, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Merlin, more Hen Harriers, distant Great Bustards and a wonderful bugling fly-past from a flock of Common Cranes.
Our next couple of days were gentler affairs but 20 species of waders at Tavira saltpans showing closely were wonderful and we also encountered Greater Flamingo, Glossy Ibis, Spoonbill, Osprey, Bluethroat, Audouin's and Slender-billed Gulls. Penduline Tits were a surprise and three Hoopoes feeding at the side of the road provided sustained viewing with a flock of Common Waxbills on the same verge.
Our adventure around Sagres yielded a flock of 25 Stone Curlews, Red-billed Choughs and Peregrines with night-time viewings of Red Fox and Iberian Hare. We explored the summit of Monchique, the Alvor Estuary and the spectacular west coast near Aljezur, finding Rock Bunting, Goshawk, Crested Tit and even a pair of Eurasian Eagle Owls at dusk.
We may not have seen Father Christmas but our forays and comfortable stay in the south of Portugal provided fine warm weather, peace, great company and plenty of wildlife.'
October 2025
‘The tour began in Kitulgala, introducing the group to the island’s lowland rainforest and its early highlights, including Orange-billed Babbler, Orange Minivet, Sri Lanka Green Pigeon, and later, key endemics such as Green-billed Coucal, Chestnut-backed Owlet, and Indian Pitta’ writes tour leader Dhanushka Perera. ‘Birding sessions across Kitulgala village, Makandawa Forest Reserve, and river-edge habitats produced a strong list of species, with memorable sightings of Three-toed Kingfisher, Layard’s Parakeet, and Brown-capped Babbler. By the time we left Kitulgala, we had already enjoyed a wide range of lowland specialities and rainforest wildlife, including the Sri Lanka Kangaroo Lizard.
As the journey moved into the highlands, we added characteristic montane species during stops in Nuwara Eliya and Horton Plains. Sightings included Dull-blue Flycatcher, Yellow-eared Bulbul, Sri Lanka White-eye, Sri Lanka Scaly Thrush, and Kashmir Flycatcher, along with Sri Lanka Junglefowl encountered inside Horton Plains. Surrey Estate added Brown Wood Owl, while the descent into the dry zone brought species like Little Green Bee-eater, White-bellied Sea Eagle, and sightings of wild Asian Elephants. Udawalawe National Park contributed a strong mix of birds and wildlife, including Malabar Pied Hornbill, Yellow-wattled Lapwing, Orange-headed Fish Eagle, and several Elephant herds.
The final stretch of the tour centred on Sinharaja Rainforest, where we completed the full suite of key endemics. Highlights included Red-faced Malkoha, Sri Lanka Myna, Sri Lanka Spurfowl, Sri Lanka Wood Pigeon, and rare species such as Sri Lanka Frogmouth, Serendib Scops Owl, and Sri Lanka Bay Owl. The tour closed with relaxed buffer-zone birding in Ketalapattala, adding Woolly-necked Stork and Eurasian Openbill on the final transfer. With all target species seen and several exceptional wildlife encounters along the way, the trip concluded as a highly successful and comprehensive endemic birding experience.’
November 2025
‘This was a fabulous trip to Oman!’ writes tour leader Andy Smith. ‘With our trusted and efficient local team we traversed the country from Muscat in the north to Salalah in the south via the vastness of the Empty Quarter. Exploring deserts, mountains, wetlands and the wooded slopes of the Dhofar escarpment we enjoyed a range of spectacular scenery and encountered an excellent variety of birds and other wildlife.
We saw around 210 species of birds in all, including such sought-after regional specialties as Sooty Falcon, Crab Plover, Grey Hypocolius, Arabian Grosbeak, Arabian Wheatear, Yemen Serin and Socotra Cormorant. In the desert we enjoyed sightings of Spotted and Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Cream-coloured Courser, Hoopoe Lark, Desert Warbler and Desert Wheatear, whilst at the various wetlands we encountered a wealth of waders, gulls and terns and an impressive range of herons and egrets.
In the woodlands of Dhofar we found Arabian Sunbirds, Arabian Warblers, Paradise Flycatchers and Blackstarts, whilst raptors along the way included Pallid Harrier, Oriental Honey Buzzard, Barbary Falcon and six species of Eagle. A couple of pelagic trips brought further variety with Persian and Flesh-footed Shearwaters, Jouanin’s Petrel and Masked Booby, and unexpected finds (in a land renowned for turning up rarities) included a Streak-throated Swallow (sadly but dramatically caught by a Sooty Falcon!), a Little Swift and a Cotton Pygmy Goose.
Beyond the birds there were colourful butterflies too, including Blue Pansies and lots of African Monarchs, an interesting range of reptiles topped by a wonderful Arabian Chameleon, and a few mammals including Rock Hyrax and an Arabian Gazelle.
All this plus good food and accommodation, constant sunshine and the rich Omani culture made for a memorable and enjoyable trip!’
