Yunnan's Forests and Mountains (Photography)

The Chinese province of Yunnan lies in the far south-west of the country and borders Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Tibet. This vast and varied land is not only blessed with breathtaking scenery and a fascinating culture (over half of all China’s minority groups live here), but it is also home to the ‘People's Republic's’ largest provincial birdlist with over 800 species recorded to date. From the snowy 6,000-metre peaks in the north, to the lush tropical jungles of the south, this region is one Asia's most exciting and popular birdwatching destinations. Yet, surprisingly, Yunnan’'s spectacular forests, mountains and valleys are rarely visited by those of us in 'The West’ and their ornithological treasures are largely ignored. This new tour seeks to redress this anomaly and offers an exciting wildlife journey from the provincial capital of Kunming to the tropical forests bordering Myanmar and the rugged mountains to the north of Lijiang. Here we will search for such soughtafter birds as Giant Nuthatch, Temminck’s Tragopan, Assam Laughing-thrush and Red-headed Trogon. There will also be the opportunity to extend your holiday to visit a troop of habituated, but wild, Black Snub-nosed Monkeys, one of the rarest, and most bizarre-looking, primates on Earth!

We begin this holiday with a flight to Kunming, from where we will drive west to Chuxiong for one night, home to Mrs Hume’s Pheasant and the endemic Yunnan Nuthatch. Moving on, we will spend three nights at Baihauling, close to the Gaoligong Mountain Nature Reserve which straddles China’s border with Myanmar. Baihauling specialises in ‘bird tourism’. Over 50 hides have been erected in the surrounding forests which offer photographers and birdwatchers unrivalled views of the region’s key species. Red-tailed, Blue-winged and Assam Laughing-thrushes are all likely, along with Beautiful Sibia and Rusty-fronted Barwing. Passing through Tenchong, we will travel next to Yingjiang for a 4-night stay, in order to explore the varied habitats around Gongbanghe and Nabang, another area dotted with photo hides. Ibisbill, Grey Peacock-pheasant, Blue-bearded Beeeater and the huge Great Slaty Woodpecker are all possible. We complete our journey with a night in Dali – a reliable site for Lady Amherst’s Pheasant – before ending our tour in the mountainbacked city of Lijiang from where we will catch our flight home.