8 Days Sichuan Winter Birding Tour - Itinerary

Interested in this tour? Email us at abf2026@alpinebirding.com to learn more.

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	70-90
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 for ABF	Single Supplement	Group Size	Guide
Nov 18–25, 2026	Open for Booking	2,350 USD/pax 2,050 USD/pax	280 USD/pax	8-12	Local Guide

Dates

Booking State

Price for ABF

Single Supplement

Group Size

Guide

Nov 18–25, 2026

Open for Booking

2,350 USD/pax

2,050 USD/pax

280 USD/pax

8-12

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. Located on the western edge of the Sichuan Basin, Wawu Moutain 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. As we gain elevation, the habitat transitions into montane broadleaf and mixed forests. Upon arrival at our hotel at the entrance of the park, we begin birding at low elevations, focusing on forest edges and interior trails.

Day 3:Wawu Mountain

Wawu Mountain is not only a popular scenic destination but also one of the most important birding hotspots in China, renowned for its diversity of parrotbills, fulvettas, and laughingthrushes. It is also one of the best places to search for the red panda in the wild.

We spend a full day exploring different elevations of the mountain in search of target species such as Red-billed Blue Magpie, Emei Shan Liocichla, Yellow-browed Tit, Rufous-vented Tit, Coal Tit, Gray Crested Tit, Green-backed Tit, Gray-hooded Fulvetta, Great Parrotbill, Three-toed Parrotbill, Brown Parrotbill, Grey-hooded Parrotbill, Fulvous Parrotbill, Black-faced Laughingthrush, Elliot`s Laughingthrush, Red-winged Laughingthrush, Red-billed Leiothrix, Hodgson`s Treecreeper, Daurian Redstart, Blue-fronted Redstart, Plumbeous Redstart, White-capped Redstart, Three-toed Woodpecker, Darjeeling Woodpecker, Olive-backed Pipit, Plain Mountain Finch, and many more. Mixed-species flocks are a key feature here, especially in mossy forest zones.

Day 4: Wawushan to Longcanggou

After a morning of birding in Wawu Mountain, we continue our journey toward Longcanggou. Birding at low elevation looking for birds. Possible species include White-backed Woodpecker, Green Shrike-babbler, White-browed Shrike-babbler, 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

Nestled deep within the Hengduan Mountain range, Labahe is a vital wild panda habitat and one of the best places in China to search for the elusive Lady Amherst's Pheasant and Red Panda. Its mixed alpine forest and dense bamboo understory provide ideal conditions for this species, though spotting one still requires patience and persistence. We 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, Masked Deers, 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 Labahe Nature Reserve, 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, Chinese White-browed Rosefinch, Dark-breasted Rosefinch, White-browed Tit-warbler, Sichuan Tit, Alpine Accentor, White Eared Pheasant, Blood Pheasant, Plumbeous Redstart, White-capped Redstart, and Brown Dipper, etc. After that, we drive back to Chengdu. We can send you to either your hotel or the airport in Chengdu. The AlpineBirding Service concludes.

Guide(s)

We will arrange one of our best local guides for this trip who has rich experience of guiding tours in this region. The following are some of our best local guides in and around this area.

Shay Xie

Shay is among the first group of professional bird guides with the academic background of ornithology. He spent his childhood in a small county of Chongqing municipality where is the eastern edge of Daba mountains. Being brought up in a beautiful natural environment and surrounded by beautiful nature creatures, Shay has developed a strong interest in nature and birds since he was a small kid. Following the call from his inner heart, he chose to study ecology as his major when he was admitted to Sichuan University. The campus of Sichuan University itself is one of the most famous birding sites in Sichuan and he spent most of his afterschool time birding there. Since that time he started working as a part-time bird guide. After four years of academic study in the university and birding on the campus, he recorded many rare bird species including Blackthroat and Firethroat in Chengdu. Before he joined AlpineBirding, he worked as a professional freelancer bird guide and often participated in some special surveys on birds and mammals in southwestern China. These experiences form fields that have greatly enriched his knowledge of birds and nature. By now, he has successfully guided many avid birders from different countries including Norway, Britain, US, Russia, Sweden, Thailand, Israel, etc. Now working as a full-time bird guide in AlpineBirding, Shay will do his best to create your best birding experiences in China with his experiences, knowledge and passion.

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.

Philip He

As a half Kangba Tibetan, Philip is the main founder of AlpineBirding and is a native of Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. He has a deep love for his Kangba Tibetan heritage and the land where he was born and raised. Philip's career has gone from mining technician to a teacher, then a translator, and finally to a guide and tour operator. As a professional working in this field for more than 20 years, Philip believes travel is an art and a process of sharing and discovery. Each trip is a unique artistic work created with knowledge and expertise based on the resources available and the interests and tastes of travelers. To help more people to gain a lifetime birding and traveling experience, he established AlpineBirding with the aim to bring his professional, fun-filled tours to more people who are eager to explore birds and other beautiful attractions in China.

Alice Liu

Alice is an experienced bird and wildlife guide specializing in Southwestern China, particularly Yunnan Province. Her passion for nature began at a young age, sparked by a deep interest in mammals and mushrooms. In 2008, she expanded her fascination to the world of birds and has been an avid birdwatcher ever since.After graduating with a BSc in wildlife conservation from Southwest Forestry University, Alice worked for six years in a nature reserve in Yunnan. Her extensive fieldwork experience greatly enriched her knowledge of Yunnan’s avifauna.Beyond guiding, Alice is also the founder of a local nature education organization dedicated to connecting children with the natural world through immersive outdoor experiences.

Trip Details, Dates, Prices, etc.