Iran Birdwatching Tour

Best travel time: based on key birds , we recommend Late April to May

Type of the tour: Birdwatching and wildlife

Destinations:

First part of Iran birdwatching:

Ahvaz – Shushtar – Bandar Abbas- Minab- Geno – Bahram-e-Goor National park

Cultural section (Optional) Cultural/Monument tourist places:

Shiraz – Isfahan- Kashan

Second part of Iran birdwatching:

Kelardasht – Babolsar – Khar Turan – Parvar area –Tehran –International airport

Tour description: So far, Iran traveling Center has been the host of many birdwatchers from different countries especially from England, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. The professional birdwatchers know that some especial key birds can be just found in this area, no matter Iran may seem arid or semi-arid country. This tour can be revisable completely based on your key birds, travel dates and lengths. Also due to many city to city transfers and movements, there is a possibility to mix it with some historical and cultural and even eco interests. In this tour, you will journey through the biggest and most important preserved national parks as well as marshes and forests. We plan the tour in a way to maximize the chance of visiting all the key birds.

Suggestion: This can be a good option to enter and depart from two different Airport/Border/cities, so it may save time and money.

Note:

The order of visits can be changed, and the package can be shortened or extended based on your travel dates.

It is supposed that most of outbound flights land in early morning in Iran. The final itinerary will be booked based on your starting and ending travel dates.

This tour is subject to domestic flight connections which can be finalized based on your travel dates.

At least one month is needed to apply for the official permissions to visit the protected areas.

The list of key birds is announced on request.

Due to special type of tour, you will be accommodated in some rural houses and places in some nights.

List of key birds in Iran:

Hormozgan province:

search in woodlands for birds, especially Sind Woodpecker, sandgrouse

Khar-Touran National Park:

Pleske’s Ground Jay, penduline tit, White-throated Robin (Irania), Plain Leaf-Warbler, Hume’s Whitethroat, Caspian Tit.

Khuzestan:

Basra Reed Warbler and Iraq Babbler, Mesopotamian Crow, Egyptian Nightjar, Hypocolius, Mentetries Warbler and Dead Sea Sparrow.

North Of Iran (Kelardasht ):

Caspian Snowcock, Caspian Tit, Caspian race of Great Spotted Woodpecker, Semicollared Flycatcher, Radde’s Accentor, Plain Leaf-Warbler, Hume’s Whitethroat, Irania, Crinson-winged Finch and Mongolian Finch, White-winged Grosbeak and Red-fronted Serin, black-headed Penduline Tit, Caspian Snowcock, Radde’s Accentor, Crimson-winged Finch, Plain Leaf-Warbler, Caspian Tit , Semi collared Flycatcher

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_birds_of_Iran

Travel itinerary of Iran Birdwatching :

 Ahvaz:

Arrival to Ahvaz Int. Airport or fly to Ahvaz from Tehran , transfer to nearby hotel for a few hours of rest. Then we would like to visit (by boat) the part of the Shadegan Lagoon which is best for Basra Reed Warbler and Iraq Babbler (Birdquest does this, so it must be feasible…) and afterwards look for all kinds of water-birds in the area.

In the afternoon, we drive north to the Shustar Traditional Hotel Hotel in Shustar and check in for three nights (preferably second floor rooms).

Shushtar:

Sunday and Monday will be spent exploring marshes like Mianab, Mazrae Seh and Ali Zoghayeh to the west of Shustar (more chances for Basra Reed Warbler and Iraq Babbler) as well as woodland and scrubland along the Kharke River (Helveh, Dez and especially Kharkeh Protected Area) to search for Mesopotamian Crow, Egyptian Nightjar and Hypocolius (as well as Mentetries Warbler and Dead Sea SparrowI. During these two days, we would also like to visit archaelogical sites like those mentioned above (feel free to suggest further interesting sites).

Hormozgan:

In the Bandar Abbass / Minab area, our focus will be on birds only. Sind Woodpecker is our main reason for going to Hormozgan.

Hormozgan /Bandar Abbas:

We will take the Tuesday early morning direct flight from Ahvaz to Bandar Abbass. Two nights in hotel in Minab. Upon arrival Tuesday morning, we would like to explore the Bandar Abbass waterfront to look for shorebirds, gulls and terns, with luck including the rare White-cheeked Tern. Later transfer to Minab and start exploring nearby woodlands for birds, especially Sind Woodpecker.

Hormozgan /Minab :

All day Wednesday in the Minab area, exploring palm groves, scrub, mangroves and wetlands south and west of town. In the afternoon, we can pay a visit to the gorge behind the dam (if Sind Woodpecker has already been seen) to look for sandgrouse and other interesting bird species.

Hormozgan /Geno:

Early Thursday morning, we would like to visit the Kuh-e Geno mountain reserve for spectacular views and exciting birds, including Hume’s Wheatear, Eastern Rock Nuthatch and See-see Partridge. Thursday afternoon is reserved for the long drive to the most convenient place to spend the night to be able to visit Bahram-e-Goor early the next morning. We do realize that this is a remote area, meaning accommodations may be basic. If there is a suitable hotel in Sirjan, and if that is not too much of a drive from next morning’s meeting place with the park rangers, that is the preferred option. If not, tent or private housing (if available) near the ranger station could be considered.

Fars/ Bahram-e-Goor National park:

Early start to spend most of the day in Bahram-e-Goor National Park to search for Pleske’s Ground Jay, although we will of course also look for other birds and mammals (Onager, not least).

It is our understanding that Bahram-e-Goor is just as good as Touran for Pleske’s Ground Jay – and better for Onager. However, we will need the assistance (and vehicle) of the local rangers to get onto the long gravel tracks off road 86 to search for the ground jay and trust you can arrange for this.

In the late afternoon, we will continue to Shiraz and check into a nice hotel for three nights.

Additional cultural package to Iran Birdwatching:

Central Iran from Shiraz to Tehran

On this part of the trip, archaeological and cultural sites will be our focus.

Day 1:

One day, we would like to spend sightseeing in Persepolis and Nagshe Rustam.

The other day, we would like to explore Shiraz itself, especially Eram Garden, Pink Mosque, Nasir-ol-Molk and the burial sites (and parks) of Sadi and Hafiz.

Day 2:

On Monday, we continue to Esfahan, with longer stops at Passergad and Izadhkast on the way. Nice hotel in Esfahan for two nights.

Day 3:

All day sightseeing in Esfahan, especially the Naqsh-e-Jahan area and the famous bridges.

Day 4:

Esfahan to Kelardasht

We will most likely have to break the long drive from Esfahan to Kelardasht along the way, maybe on the outskirts of Tehran? Places to visit along the way: Bāgh-e Fin, Hazrat-e Masumeh? Please suggest…

Iran Birdwatching: Northern mountains / Caspian lowlands / Hyrcanian mixed forests

We should reach the Kelardasht area in the afternoon , check into a hotel and start explorations in the area for birds immediately.

As soon as we enter the mountains north of Tehran, birdwatching takes priority again. Our main target species are Caspian Snowcock, Caspian Tit, Caspian race of Great Spotted Woodpecker, Semi collared Flycatcher, Radde’s Accentor, Plain Leaf-Warbler, Hume’s Whitethroat, Irania, Crinson-winged Finch and Mongolian Finch. Secondary target birds are, e.g., White-winged Grosbeak and Red-fronted Serin among others.

The main target bird in the Caspian lowlands is Black-headed Penduline Tit.

Kelardasht:

All day in the mountains around Kelardasht – starting very early to get into snowcock territory early enough for the birds to be calling.

Priority birds at high altitude: Caspian Snowcock, Radde’s Accentor, Crimson-winged Finch, Plain Leaf-Warbler.

Priority birds at a bit lower altitude: Caspian Tit (near Roodbarak), Semi collared Flycatcher

Babolsar:

We have the early morning to search for any species missed during the previous two days before driving east to Babolsar.Once in Babolsar, the main target is Black-headed Penduline Tit.

Late in the afternoon, we will continue to Sari for the night.

Parvar area, Last part of Iran Birdwatching 

Early morning for the penduline tit (wetlands along the road to Joybar) unless already seen the day before, in which case we proceed to Parvar as early as possible. We will not hurry, though, but take our time for birdwatching along the road.

In the Parvar area, we have the following main target species: White-throated Robin (Irania), Plain Leaf-Warbler, Hume’s Whitethroat and a second chance for the high-altitude species mentioned for Kelardasht. We will look for Caspian Tit at Molladeh, should we have missed it before.

We would like to spend the two nights at a nice hotel as close to the Parvar area as possible – perhaps the Darband motel near Mahdi Shahr north of Semnan which other birders have used?

we head back towards Tehran (or rather, the international airport south of Tehran from where our late-night flight homewards leaves after midnight).

If a site for Mongolian Finch is known along the way, that would be great. Should we have missed Semi collared Flycatcher so far, we will give it a try in Polour along the way.