5 nights 6 days of Wildlife Photography Masterclass Expedition exploring the natural haven of Singalila being one of the last remaining refuges of this incredible animal, Red Panda.
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SINGALILA AND EASTERN HIMALAYAN LANDSCAPE:
Situated at the northernmost reaches of Darjeeling district of West Bengal, Singalila and the neighbouring forests of Ilam, Nepal is home to many a rare and endangered wildlife species. Thanks to the unique mix of cool climate, generous precipitation and the right mix of warmth and humidity throughout the year, the ecosystem here is shaped to house some of the most amazing flora and fauna. With vegetation classified as subtropical forests and temperate coniferous forests which exists at an altitude range of 2000 to 3500 meters has made Singalila National Park a prominent biodiversity hotspot. This sub-temperate Himalayan broadleaf ecosystem is home to a wide array of elusive Himalayan wildlife such as Red Panda, Asiatic Black Bear, Clouded leopard, Common Leopard, Melanistic Leopard, Leopard Cat, Himalayan serow, Himalayan Musk deer, Melanistic Barking deer, Himalayan Brown Goral, Yellow-throated Marten, Himalayan Palm Civet, Bhutan Giant Flying Squirrel etc.
It is also home to more than 200 species of avian beauties. Satyr Tragopan, Blood Pheasant, Fire-tailed myzornis, Red Crossbill, Rose finches, Bullfinches, Grosbeaks, Parrotbills, Yuhinas, Laughing thrushes are among the most notable ones.
The highest peak of the park is Sandakphu, situated at a height of 3636m which is the highest peak of West Bengal as well. Sandakphu is the only place in the world which offers the breathtaking panoramic view of the majestic Himalayan mountain range. There is no other place in the world where one can witness Mt. Everest and Mt. Khangchendzonga in a single frame on a clear day, Which makes this a one of a kind location. With a sprawling forest around it, Sandakphu also happens to be a very popular destination for high altitude birding.
The incredibly rare Red Panda is the crown jewel of this natural haven with Singalila being one of the last remaining refuges of this incredible animal which we all have come to adore as master Shifu from the movie Kung-fu Panda.
Bagdogra - Singalila - Bagdogra
Bagdogra
5 nights 6 days
Bagdogra
Soumabrata Moulick is a passionate wildlife photographer and nature enthusiast. Primarily interested in behavioral and conservation photography, he believes that knowledge should be shared with no holds barred and has a flair for teaching. An engineer by profession, he left his high paying full time job to devote all his time and devotion to the observation, study and documentation of nature and wildlife. His work has been published and acknowledged in various national and some of the most renowned international platforms. He is today a successful conservation photographer and contributes enormously towards the conservation of fast vanishing natural wonders. Som (as we call him lovingly) is a full time Masterclass Mentor with team DCP, taking Wildlife Photography to its next orbit.
Read moreArrival & reception at Bagdogra airport by early morning and departure for Maneybhanjyang (Vehicle : Toyota Innova), which is the nearest town to Singalila National Park.
Please coordinate with our team if you are reaching NJP railway station. Fixed departure for Maneybhanjyang (Vehicle : Toyota Innova), which is the nearest town to Singalila National Park.
Please coordinate with our team if you are traveling by road. Fixed departure for Maneybhanjyang (Vehicle : Toyota Innova), which is the nearest town to Singalila National Park.
Things to carry:
Clothing:
As we are visiting the Himalayan landscape in the month of November the weather is expected to be pleasant during days and cold at night with temperatures dropping down to -2 degree Celsius during our stay.
It is advisable to carry good winter clothing, including warm jackets/pull-overs/wind-cheaters, caps/balaclavas/mufflers, woollen socks, gloves, good quality hiking shoes. We would recommend keeping a layered attire as you would feel a little warm once the sun is up during the day and while trekking.
Camera gear:
Arrival & reception at Bagdogra airport by early morning and departure for Maneybhanjyang (Vehicle : Toyota Innova), which is the nearest town to Singalila National Park. The town is located at the Indo-Nepal border. Vehicle change for off-road route (Mahindra Bolero, 4x4) and one hour drive to Tumling, a Himalayan hamlet located in Nepal and nearest to the Indian border. Tumling camp will be our stay for the next few days. Evening bird watching activity in the Tumling area.
Morning bird watching activity in and around Tumling area. Breakfast followed by a hike into the forest for Red Panda in Nepal. Meanwhile our expert trackers will be out searching for Red Panda and they will inform our team once it has been sighted. Our team has 12 experienced trackers, 5 support staff and professional guides.
Morning bird watching activity , breakfast followed by departure for Gairibas, at the heart of Singalila National Park, a paradise for birds, 6 km from Tumling. The road from Tumling to Gairibas is inside Singalila forest and is a very good trail for wildlife activities. Everyday specialised Red Panda trackers will be out looking for Red panda from early morning till afternoon in forests of Nepal and they promptly notify us if there's a sighting. We will reach the sighting spot by vehicle or on foot, depending on the nature of the terrain. This activity will be repeated for the next couple of days. Our guests can participate in Red Panda tracking as well. Our trained naturalist will be accompanying guests on marked trails of forest to look for Red Panda and other wildlife.
Early morning departure for Sandakphu, 20 kms from Tumling, around 2 hours drive. Sandakphu is the best place to witness the Sleeping Buddha( Mt. Khangchendzonga range) from a very close distance and is the only place to witness Mt. Everest and Mt. Khangchendzonga together. Sandakphu is also very popular for birding, especially for Red Crossbills. Meanwhile the trackers will keep searching for Red Panda and promptly notify us if there's a sighting. We will reach the area as early as possible by vehicle.
It is the last day of our expedition and we will round it off with an early morning birding session followed by check-out formalities and departure for Bagdogra Airport.
The sole purpose of the trip will be to create images while exploring one of the least photographed wilderness regions of India, the climate here is harsh and therefore it is breathtakingly beautiful. We will concentrate completely on utilising light to our advantage and creating atmospheric and storytelling images from the place which stand the test of time.
Apart from covering the basic techniques like exposure control, auto-focussing, lighting aspects and utilising various shutter speeds to our advantage we will also emphasise on the creative aspect of photography which is painstaking but an extremely satisfying process.
We will also be post-processing our images after shooting everyday and black & white image processing will also be covered during the trip.
Rs 67,000 per head inclusive of all taxes (stay on twin sharing basis)
*To know charges for foreign nationals please write to info@dcpexpeditions.com
Inclusions
Exclusions
Singalila National Park
27.933335673371847 88.25233262563067Cancellation policy
There are very limited twin sharing accommodation available. Please mail us to know availability
Yes certainly. However, the cost will remain the same
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