Overview

Hundred colors of bird’s feathers around the densest cosmopolitan town

The verdant hills surrounding Kathmandu valley serve as nesting sites for many birds. Phulchowki Hill, situated 20 km south- east of Kathmandu, with some 288 species recorded to date is the most popular bird watching spot in the valley. Over here you can sight the babblers, warblers, tits, thrushes, minivets, woodpeckers, eagles and many migrant birds. Godavari Botanical Garden, lying at the foot of Phulchowki Hill, records over 100 species of birds including the lesser racket-tailed drongo, Tibetan siskin and the spotted forktail. The wetlands and open fields inside the valley make up a diverse habitat for many species of birds. Taudaha, a lake on the way to Dakshinkali Temple, south of Kathmandu, also attracts flocks of migrant birds.

You begin your Kathmandu Valley bird watching tour with a hike to Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park which lies a few kilometers north from Kathmandu’s main hub. The park has a good population of Spiny Babbler and Hoary-throated Barwing. A full two days has been set aside for you to explore the most popular birding site in the valley, Phulchowki (meaning ‘Hill of Flowers’ in Nepali). Before you head home you get to visit some of Kathmandu’s iconic UNESCO World Heritage Sites.