Located in southwestern China, Yunnan Province boasts remarkable bird diversity, with over 1,000 recorded species—the highest of any province in China. With its varied landscapes—ranging from mountains and lakes to plateaus, wetlands, and plains—Yunnan offers a wide range of habitats and climate conditions that support this rich avifauna. Its strategic location and favorable climate also make it a critical wintering ground for many migratory birds.
This itinerary takes you through Yunnan’s most renowned birding sites, including the Gaoligong Mountains (Baihualing), Lijiang, Yingjiang, Ruili, and Nabang—all known for their exceptional biodiversity. These areas are home to an impressive variety of pheasants, laughingthrushes, babblers, parrotbills, and hornbills. Target species may include White-cheeked Partridge, Rufous-throated Partridge, Red Junglefowl, Kalij Pheasant, Silver Pheasant, Mrs. Hume's Pheasant, Lady Amherst's Pheasant, Grey Peacock-Pheasant, Biet’s Laughingthrush, Eye-ringed Parrotbill, Yunnan Nuthatch, Grey-headed Swamphen, Great Hornbill, Oriental Pied Hornbill, Golden-throated Barbet, Blue-throated Barbet, and Long-tailed Broadbill, among many others.
Tour Info Sheet
| Highlight Birds | Great Hornbill, Oriental Pied-Hornbill, Wreathed Hornbill, Grey Peacock Pheasant, Red Junglefowl, Kalij Pheasant, White-cheeked Partridge, Green-billed Malkoha, Crested Serpent Eagle, Jerdon's Baza, Brown Boobook, Red-headed Trogon, Blue-bearded Bee-eater, Blue-eared Barbet, Greater Flameback, Lesser Yellownape, Great Slaty Woodpecker, Collared Falconet, Oriental Hobby, Long-tailed Broadbill, Blue-naped Pitta, Black-hooded Oriole, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Collared Treepie, Sultan Tit, Striated Swallow, Black-crested Bulbul, Grey-eyed Bulbul, Pin-striped Tit Babbler, Red-billed Scimitar Babbler, Coral-billed Scimitar Babbler, Large Scimitar Babbler, Spot-throated Babbler, Rufous-chinned Laughingthrush, Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush, Streaked Wren Babbler, Brown-cheeked Fulvetta, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, White-rumped Shama, Blue-winged Leafbird |
|---|---|
| Numbers of Species to Expect | 100-120 |
| Ease of Birding | Mostly easy with a few tricky species |
| Photography Opportunities | Birding focused but with very good photography chances |
| Habitats Covered | Subtropical forests, woodlands |
| Expected Climate | Mostly comfortable |
| Physical Requirements | Mostly easy, and demanding but optional in certain parts |
| Accommodation | Comfortable |
| Transportation | vehicle |
Gallery
Dates & Prices
| Dates | Booking State | Price for ABF | Single Supplement | Group Size | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
November/December, 2026 | Open for Booking | 1,700 USD/pax 1,400 USD/pax | 80 USD/pax | 8-12 | Local Guide |
Itinerary
Tour Map
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.
