8 Days Sichuan Winter Birding Tour - Itinerary

8 Days Sichuan Winter Birding Tour

Located in southwestern China along the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, Sichuan Province spans 486,000 square kilometers and is home to over 90 million people. Geographically, the province is divided into three main regions: the Sichuan Basin in the central and eastern areas, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in the west and north, and the southern hilly regions. The western part of Sichuan features dramatic landscapes shaped by the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the Hengduan Mountain Ranges, while the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau lies to the south and the Qinling-Daba Mountain Ranges to the north.

Sichuan’s diverse topography and climate support an exceptional variety of flora and fauna, including numerous rare and endemic species. Over 750 bird species have been recorded in the province.

This journey highlights China’s endemic and range-restricted species, offering opportunities to observe rare and localized birds.

Tour Info Sheet

Highlight Birds	Sichuan Leaf Warbler, Golden-breasted Fulvetta, Golden-fronted Fulvetta, Sichuan Treecreeper, Rufous-vented Tit, White-browed Bush Robin, Stripe-throated Yuhina, Red-tailed Minla, Crimson-browed Finch, Slaty Bunting, White-browed Tit-warbler, Grandala, etc.
Species to Expected	about 55
Ease of Birding	Including some tricky species
Highlight Mammals	Sambar, Red-and-white Giant Flying Squirrels, Serows, Chinese Gorals
Photography opportunities	Birding focused but with some good photography chances
Habitats Covered	subtropical forests, woodlands, snow mountains
Expected Climate	mostly comfortable, windy and cold on snow mountains, rain is possible
Physical Requirements	mostly easy, demanding but optional on certain parts
Accommodation	comfortable
Transportation	vehicle

Gallery

Dates & Prices

Dates	Booking State	Price	Single Supplement	Group Size	Guide
November/December, 2026	Open for Booking	TBA USD/pax	TBA USD/pax	8	Local Guide

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The cost includes the following:

1. Service of an English-speaking bird guide throughout the whole trip.

2. Private transportation throughout the trip, including airport pickup and drop-off at the airports.

3. Hotel stays from the first night to the last night, two people occupy one twin-bed room on a sharing basis at nice 3 or 4-star hotels in cities and local best guesthouses in remote areas.

4. Meals at local popular restaurants from dinner on the first day through breakfast on the last day. Picnic lunches when needed.

5. Simple western breakfast whenever possible.

6. All the entrance tickets for places listed in the itinerary include birding hides and shuttle buses.

7. Bottled water and snacks throughout the trip.

8. China domestic travel insurance.

9. Service of all logistic supports.

The cost does not include the following:

1. Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages during meals.

2. Extra charges are due to changes in the itinerary from the client side or factors beyond the control of AlpineBirding, such as natural disasters and governmental policy changes.

3. Discretionary tips to local guides and drivers.

4. All personal expenses, such as laundry service.

5. Airfare to the place where our trip starts and from the place where our trip ends.

6. Service fees and commission fees that are charged by banks and other third-party companies while making the trip payment to AlpineBirding’s banking and financial accounts.

7. Any program not listed in the itinerary.

Itinerary

Tour Map

Day 1: Arrival in Chengdu, Sichuan

Upon arrival at Chengdu Airport, your private guide or driver meets you and transfers you to your hotel for check-in. The rest of the day is at leisure to relax and prepare for the birding journey ahead.

Day 2: Chengdu to Wawu Mountain

In the early morning, we drive to Wawu Mountain. We take a cable car to check in at our hotel and start birding right after that.

Day 3:Wawu Mountain

Wawu Mountain is not just a popular tourist site, it is by far an unmissable birding spot to look for parrotbills, fulvettas, laughingthrushes, and warbler in China. We will spend two full days here at different elevations searching for the highlight birds like Sichuan Leaf Warbler, Golden-breasted Fulvetta, Three-toed Parrotbill, Grey-headed Parrotbill, White-collared Yuhina, Black-faced Laughingthrush, Elliot's Laughingthrush, Sichuan Treecreeper, Hodgson's Treecreeper, Eurasian Wren，White-browed Bush Robin,Rufous-vented Tit, Grey-crested Tit, Grey-headed Bullfinch, etc.

Day 4: Wawushan to Longcanggou

After a morning of birding in Wawu Mountain, we continue our journey toward Longcanggou. Located on the western edge of the Sichuan Basin, Longcanggou is in the core area of the transition zone between the basin and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The high mountains in this area block the moisture-rich fogs from drifting further onto the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The accumulation of this fog eventually turns into rain, nurturing lush vegetation and the dense subtropical evergreen broadleaf forest on the mountain slopes and making it home to a lot of range-restricted and endemic species. Possible species include White-backed Woodpecker, Green Shrike-babbler, White-browed Shrike-babbler, Scaly-breasted Cupwing, Golden-fronted Fulvetta, Stripe-throated Yuhina, Red-tailed Minla, Streaked Barwing, Little Forktail, Slaty Bunting, etc.

Day 5: Longcanggouo to Labahe Nature Reserve

This morning, we have another chance to search for our targets again. After birding, we drive to Labahe Nature Reserve, a mountainous sanctuary known for its rich biodiversity and pristine forests.

Day 6: Labahe

Lying deep in the Hengduan mountain range, Labahe is a good birding site. We will walk on the paved road and search both sides and the rugged mountains carefully. We likely encounter species including Green Shrike-babbler, Sichuan Treecreeper, Streaked Barwing, Crimson-browed Finch, Darjeeling Woodpecker, Necklaced Woodpecker, etc.

As night falls, we set out on an exciting nocturnal excursion, hoping to encounter some of the reserve`s elusive wildlife, such as Sambar, Red-and-white Giant Flying Squirrels, Serows, and Chinese Gorals, before settling in for the night surrounded by the sights and sounds of the wild.

Day 7: Labahe to Kangding

After a morning of birding in Wawu Mountain, we drive to Kangding.

Day 8: Kangding to Chengdu (alt. up to 4,100 m)

We spend one morning visiting this area in search of birds, including the endemic Chinese Monal, Long-tailed Rosefinch, and Streaked Rosefinch, Grandala, White-browed Tit-warbler, Sichuan Tit, Maroon-backed Accentor, Alpine Accentor, White Eared Pheasant, and Blood Pheasant , etc. Then we will drive back to Chengdu. The AlpineBirding Service concludes.

Guide(s)

Bella Zhang

Bella, the director of AlpineBirding, graduated from Sichuan Agricultural University with a Bachelor's Degree. She joined AlpineBirding in early 2016 and became the director of AlpineBirding in 2018. She was born and grew up in a Bai ethnic family in Yunnan Province which boasts of the largest number of bird species in China. Her interests toward birds started with her observation of a Long-tailed Minivet in her mom's garden at a very young age. As she grows up, the interests and love toward birds become stronger and stronger. Because of that, she found AlpineBirding before graduation and joined the company for further learning of birds. Bella has guided a number of birding trips in cooperation with AlpineBirding guide in the past years, her passion, readiness to help and detail-oriented attitude have won her lots of praise from our clients.

Wang

Wang, born in 1998, is a passionate wildlife guide with strong field experience across Sichuan and Qinghai. As a professional English-speaking mammal guide and a junior-level birding guide, he has assisted and led trips focused on some of China’s most iconic and elusive species. Wang has developed a deep understanding of the region’s habitats, wildlife behavior, and seasonal patterns through years of hands-on work in the field. He is particularly enthusiastic about sharing his knowledge with international travelers and helping them spot rare species in the wild. Among all the animals he has encountered, the Blue Eared Pheasant remains his personal favorite for its striking appearance and captivating presence. Wang is dedicated, friendly, and always eager to help guests enjoy a rich and memorable nature experience in western China.

Trip Details, Dates, Prices, etc.