Wild China - Sichuan's Birds & Mammals

Tour Code: CHN05

A 16-day tour to China's Sichuan Province in search of a fabulous array of birds and mammals, including Red Panda, Chinese Mountain and Pallas's Cat, Tibetan Wolf and Sichuan Takin

16 days from
£5,995 (Inc flights)
Land only price from
£5,195
book now

Highlights

Summary

Summary

We begin with a flight to Chengdu from where we journey south to Labahe Forest Reserve in search of one of China’s most endearing animals, the Red Panda as well as Tibetan Macaque and Sambar Deer. We travel next through the centre of Wolong, China’s largest Giant Panda reserve where we hope to see species such as Grandala and Himalayan Blue Sheep. Next we climb onto the Ruoergai Grasslands on the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau where we will search for Pallas’s and Chinese Mountain Cat, Tibetan Wolf and Tibetan Fox as well as rare and unusual birds such as Hume's Ground Tit and Black-necked Crane. We conclude our tour in Tangjiahe, a world-renowned mammal-watching hotspot, where Sichuan Takin, Chinese Serow, Chinese Goral, Golden Snub-nosed Monkey and Tufted Deer will be among our hoped-for finds!

  • Excellent chance of Red Panda in the forests of Labahe
  • Search for Chinese Mountain, Pallas’s & Leopard Cat, plus Tibetan Fox, Chinese Serow & Sichuan Takin
  • Spectacular mountain scenery
  • Early morning & evening spotlighting walks & drives
  • Over 40 species of mammal recorded on past tours, plus over 200 species of bird
  • Birds including Black-necked Crane, White-browed Tit Warbler, Godlewski’s Bunting & Golden Pheasant
  • Led by expert naturalist guides

Grading

Grade A/B. Slow paced walks, sometimes over rough ground. Lots of spotlighting at night and some long travel days.

With its spectacular mountain forests and high alpine meadows, Sichuan is the very essence of wild China. The mammals and birds of this diverse province are a rare mix of the temperate and subtropical, for Sichuan sits in a biological transition zone where the wildlife of the vast Palearctic realm merges with the Indomalayan fauna and flora to the south. Indeed, this is one the most diverse regions on Earth and is home to a superb variety of exciting and endemic birds, mammals and other wildlife. This action-packed tour will take us from the beautiful forests of Labahe to the high grasslands on the edge of the vast Tibetan Plateau, past Wolong – the largest Giant Panda reserve – and into the lush forests of Tangjiahe, one of the region’s premier mammal-watching hotspots! It not only offers the chance to look for such iconic mammals as Red Panda, Pallas’s Cat, Tibetan Fox, Tibetan Wolf and Golden Takin, but an array of exciting birds that should include Golden Pheasant, White-browed Tit-warbler, Pink-rumped Rosefinch and the beautiful Grandala.

Our tour begins with a flight to Chengdu, via Hong Kong, from where we journey south to Labahe Nature Reserve, stopping for a night at Dujiangyan en route. We will be based at Labahe for three nights while we search for one of China’s most endearing animals, the attractive Red Panda. Here, amongst the alpine conifers and bamboo understorey, we have an excellent chance of finding this iconic species gorging on berries before the onset of winter. Like their larger namesake, for much of the year Red Pandas feed primarily on bamboo, but during the autumn and early winter, they will often climb to the top of broad-leaved trees to feed on berries. Other mammals of note here include Red-and-White Giant Flying Squirrel (the largest in the world), Tibetan Macaque and Sambar Deer, alongside such beautiful birds as Red-billed Blue Magpie and, for the fortunate, perhaps even the elusive Temminck’s Tragopan! We will explore Labahe Nature Reserve on a series of daytime walks and after-dinner spotlighting drives.

Continuing our journey yet deeper into the Hengduan Mountains, we travel through the centre of Wolong National Nature Reserve, China’s largest Giant Panda reserve which covers over 2,000 square kilometres. Whilst this enigmatic species is largely confined to the inaccessible upper slopes of the mountains and very unlikely to be seen, we hope to find an exciting variety of other mammals and birds including White-eared Pheasant, Güldenstädt’s Redstart and Himalayan Blue Sheep. Moving on, we will climb further onto the Ruoergai Grasslands on the eastern edge of the great Tibetan Plateau and part of the ancient kingdom of Kham. Here, amongst this spectacular landscape, we spend three nights whilst searching for Tibetan Wolf, Tibetan Fox and Tibetan Gazelle. Attracted by the abundance of Plateau Pika that inhabit the high alpine grasslands at 3,500 metres, Ruoergai now has a reputation for being one of the best places in the world for seeing both Pallas’s and Chinese Mountain Cats! This vast montane grassland and marshland here are home to an equally exciting variety of birds including such Tibetan specialties as Black-necked Crane, Hume’s Ground Tit, White-rumped and Rufous-necked Snowfinches and Przevalski’s Finch. Other birds to look out for include Lammergeier, Godlewski’s Bunting and the iridescent blue Grandala.

At nearby Baxi we will visit an area of upland forest to look for a range of ungulates that could include Chinese (White-maned) Serow, Siberian Roe Deer, Tufted Deer and Thomas’s Pika. Spotlighting here at first light and after dinner may yield Asian Badger and Woolly Hare.

After one night in Pingwu – from where we explore the nearby forests in search of such birds as Spot-breasted Parrotbill, Spectacled Fulvetta and Slaty Bunting – we conclude our Sichuan tour in Tangjiahe Nature Reserve, a world-renowned mammal-watching hotspot covering over 400 square kilometres of mountains, forest and high meadows. Here we will spend three nights whilst we search for such mammals as Golden Takin, Chinese Serow, Chinese Goral, Hog-nosed Badger, Chinese Leopard Cat, Himalayan Palm Civet and Malayan Porcupine. If luck is on our side, there is even a chance of other more elusive rarities including Asian Black Bear, Forest Musk Deer, Chinese Ferret Badger and the bizarre Golden Snub-nosed Monkey. The birdlife is equally diverse and includes Tawny Fish Owl, White-crowned Forktail, Elliot’s Laughingthrush, Red-billed Leothrix, Himalayan Bluetail and Golden Pheasant.

Finally, and having come full circle, we return to the city of Chengdu for our final night in China before flying back home the following day.

DETAILED INFORMATION
Itinerary

Outline Itinerary

Day 1
Depart London
Day 2
Arrive Chengdu and transfer to Dujiangyan
Day 3/5
Labahe Nature Reserve
Day 6/7
Wolong Reserve and Balang Mountain
Day 8/10
Ruoergai / Baxi
Day 11
Drive to Pingwu
Day 12/14
Tangjihae Nature Reserve
Day 15
Afternoon drive to Chengdu
Day 16
Fly London
cloud_downloadDownload Full Itinerary
What's Included

What's Included?

  • Flights
  • Accommodation:

    We stay in comfortable, but simple, hotels with private facilities throughout.

  • Food:

    All meals are included in the price

Reviews
Dates & Prices

Dates & Prices

2025

Departures Availability Cost
Sat 25th Oct – Sun 9th Nov FULL £5,995
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£5,195
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£695
Sat 15th Nov – Sun 30th Nov FULL £5,995
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£5,195
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£695 
  Array
(
    [180] => stdClass Object
        (
            [id] => 180
            [parent_id] => 165
            [level] => 2
            [path] => tour-focus/birds
            [title] => Birdwatching
            [alias] => birds
            [description] => 
Birding Tours Led by Expert Naturalists


The majority of our wildlife tours focus primarily on birds, allowing us to offer a huge choice of bird holidays. On most of our birdwatching tours we aim to see a wide variety of species, while taking time to enjoy other wildlife as well as cultural highlights and architecture.


Naturetrek Birdwatching Tours


We have one of the largest selections of professionally organised, small group birdwatching holidays around the world and all of our birdwatching tours are accompanied by at least one professional ornithologist leader with detailed knowledge of the area.


The majority of our bird tours have a relaxed, flexible approach which allows more time for photography, detailed wildlife exploration, leisure time and the region’s people, culture, history and architecture, while allowing the group to see a wide range of bird species.

Here is a small selection of our many bird holidays:



Our Bargain Birdwatching Selection


Our Bargain Bird Tours are intensive birdwatching holidays suitable for the serious birder. They are led by expert English-speaking local guides (and not accompanied from the UK by a tour leader). You can expect a higher-paced tour and to spend long hours in the field.


 




Our specialist recommends...






"Try Coto Doñana & Extremadura for an excellent introduction to Europe's wetland and steppe birds. I would recommend our bargain holiday, 'Nepal – A Birdwatching Tour' for those interested in Siberian rarities and Ibisbill, while Costa Rica offers a chance to search for arguably the world's most beautiful bird, the Resplendent Quetzal."

Byron Palacios - Tour Leader




  


 


All Birdwatching Tours

            [params] => stdClass Object
                (
                    [category_layout] => 
                    [image_az] => https://i.assetzen.net/i/6wx9O1cRFQUm/w:500/h:500/q:70.jpg
                    [image_alt] => 
                )

            [metakey] => Birds
            [note] => 02
            [parent] => stdClass Object
                (
                    [id] => 165
                    [parent_id] => 1
                    [level] => 1
                    [path] => tour-focus
                    [title] => Tour Focus
                    [alias] => tour-focus
                    [description] => 
                    [params] => stdClass Object
                        (
                            [category_layout] => 
                            [image_az] => 
                            [image_alt] => 
                        )

                    [metakey] => 
                    [note] => 
                )

        )

    [186] => stdClass Object
        (
            [id] => 186
            [parent_id] => 165
            [level] => 2
            [path] => tour-focus/mammals
            [title] => Mammal Watching
            [alias] => mammals
            [description] => 
Mammal Watching Holidays


Many of the world’s mammals are instantly recognisable to us. Animals such as Lions, Tigers, elephants and bears capture our imaginations from an early age. At Naturetrek, we take great pleasure and pride in helping people to fulfil their lifelong dreams of seeing these iconic species in the wild. We also enjoy introducing our clients to some of the world’s more unusual mammals, many of which are just as fascinating.


Naturetrek Mammal Watching Tours


Many of our tours have a primary focus on mammals and we offer the widest choices of mammal-watching holidays across the globe, from the poles to the tropics. Our holidays are guided by at least one professional naturalist tour leader and usually benefit from additional guiding by expert local naturalist guides. We have holidays to see an incredible range of the world’s most sought-after mammals, such as orangutans, lemurs, bats, polar mammals, big cats, and mammals of the African savannah. A significant number of tours also targets some of the planet’s more unusual and elusive species, from pottos and pangolins to slender lorises and obscure cetaceans.


Here’s a selection of our mammal tours:



Bargain mammal selection


We offer a range of action-packed bargain holidays for the dedicated mammal enthusiast, which are exceptional value for money, from Belize to Zambia.




Our specialist recommends...







"Africa is perhaps the greatest continent for mammal-watching. I would recommend 'Botswana’s Desert & Delta (Mammals)' for combining stunning scenery and wildlife. We also offer a tour to Uganda which includes a chance to see Mountain Gorillas. And India, along with Tigers, has a superb variety of mammals. Closer to home, short breaks to Spain in search of Wolves and Iberian Lynx are hard to beat.”

Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager




  


All Mammal Watching Tours

            [params] => stdClass Object
                (
                    [category_layout] => 
                    [image_az] => https://i.assetzen.net/i/6wx9O1cRFQUm/w:500/h:500/q:70.jpg
                    [image_alt] => 
                )

            [metakey] => Mammals
            [note] => 08
            [parent] => stdClass Object
                (
                    [id] => 165
                    [parent_id] => 1
                    [level] => 1
                    [path] => tour-focus
                    [title] => Tour Focus
                    [alias] => tour-focus
                    [description] => 
                    [params] => stdClass Object
                        (
                            [category_layout] => 
                            [image_az] => 
                            [image_alt] => 
                        )

                    [metakey] => 
                    [note] => 
                )

        )

)
Register Interest for Future Dates

Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?

For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.

Enquire
Why Naturetrek?

Why Naturetrek?

At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:

  • The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
  • Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
  • Outstanding value and exceptional customer service

Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!