India – Goa at Leisure

Birds, Beaches & Bhajees

5 February to 16 February 2011

Leaders: Roger Lawrence and local guides

Maximum of 12 clients.

Cost: £1,999 single room supplement £250

The State of Goa is situated on the west coast of India, bordered by Maharashtra to the north and Karnakata to the south and east. It is a former Portuguese colony, but has the style of a Mediterranean enclave in an Indian setting. Goa has long been popular as a beach holiday destination but it is only comparatively recently that the birding potential of this small area has come to the attention of European birdwatchers. We visit at the best times of year for birding, as many Palearctic visitors are wintering and the forests will produce many mixed feeding flocks for us to sort through. This twelve-day itinerary will be taken at a leisurely pace, which befits the times of year and the temperatures. The distance travelled is never great, but as in most of India, the road system is quite slow and in need of repair! The birds to be encountered include many new species for those who have previously visited Northern India, and we also have many interesting waders and gulls to sort through on each high tide. We have also included a twonight stay at the Backwoods Camp, where we can experience two whole days of birding in a new setting, with the chance of some local specialities. We have now visited Goa over 20 times and we thoroughly recommend our choice of hotel and the local birding guides we use. All of our groups have found that the locals are friendly and the beaches and birding are superb. The cuisine is a mixture of western and eastern, but the seafood is amongst the best available anywhere in the world. Travel with us to this delightful area and see why this destination is becoming increasingly popular with the well travelled birdwatcher.