THAILAND BIRD AND WILDLIFE PHOTO TOUR
- Photo Tour
- March 1-14, 2024
- March 15-28, 2024
- March 1-14, 2025
- North Thailand Pre Tour
- February 24- March 1, 2024
- February 24- March 1, 2025
This tour focuses on photographing the birds of Thailand as well as elephants, primates and other wildlife. We will spend one week at the premier bird photography lodge in Thailand which is near Keang Krachan National Park. There are blinds on the property and several other sets of blinds outside the property which attract a large variety of birds which can be photographed at close range. We will also have two days of bird photography at Beung Borapet, the largest weltand in Thailand as well as 2 afternoons of elephant and large mammal safari at Kuiburi National Park. During the 2024 photo tour, there will be a concerted effort to photograph Spoon-billed Sandpiper and other waders which will replace the two days at Beung Borapet.
Number of Participants: Maximum of 6 photographers with a maximum of 10 total participants (including nonphotographer spouses and companions).
Cost and Logistics
$5,300 per photographer, $4,500 per nonphotographer spouse/companion, $600 single supplement includes all meals, lodging, drinking water, transportation within Thailand, guiding, instruction, park fees. It does not include airfare to get to Thailand, drinks other than water, tips and items of a personal nature such as phone calls or laundry. Cost 2025: $5,600 per photographer, $4,800 per nonphotographer spouse/companion.
Itinerary
March 1st – Arrive to Bangkok International Airport. Transfer to a nice hotel in downtown Bangkok.
March 2nd – Transfer from Bangkok to Beung Borapet. This large freshwater lake provides habitat for a great variety of waterbirds, kingfishers and other bird species. We will have an afternoon boat trip on the lake. Accommodation: A nice hotel in Nakhon Sawan.
March 3th – We will have morning and afternoon boat trips on the lake. One of the highlights should be the amazing Pheasant-tailed Jacanas in full breeding plumage. It’s also a great spot to photograph a variety of herons and bitterns. Accommodation: A nice hotel in Nakhon Sawan.
March 4th – Morning boat trip on Beung Borapet followed by transfer to our lodge near Keang Krachan National Park. The lodge has wetlands and gardens which attract a large variety of birds. There are numerous Pied Hornbills on the property and there are a couple of photography hides as well as feeders. Lodge: The premier birding lodge in Thailand, it’s very comfortable and well run.
March 5th to March 10th – Based out of our lodge we will spend each of these 6 days either in Keang Krachan National Park or photographing from hides which are near the park. This time of year the Pittas, Broadbills and Bee-eaters are calling and/or nesting making it fairly easy to photograph these spectcular species. The hides attract a huge variety of birds including Kalij Pheasant, Red Junglefowl, Green Mapgie, Crakes, Laughingthrushes, Flycatchers and many others. In addition they attract quite a few small mammals including Lesser Mouse Deer and several species of squirrel. Lodge: The premier birding lodge in Thailand, it’s very comfortable and well run.
March 11th – We check out of our lodge and head to a local reserve that is excellent for a couple of species of diurnal owls. In the afternoon we check into our next hotel and head to Kuiburi National Park. Here we will have an afternoon safari in an open vehicle. We have an excellent chance of photographing Asian Elephants and a reasonable chance at other scare mammals such as Gaur. The open woodland is good for raptors and hornbills. Hotel: A nice hotel in the area.
March 12th – This morning we will visit a local reserve that is excellent for Bee eaters, Rollers and other open country birds. In the afternoon we will have another elephant safari at Kuiburi National Park. Hotel: A nice hotel in the area.
March 13th – We visit the open country reserve again this morning, stop by the owl location and then head back to Bangkok in the afternoon. Hotel: A nice hotel close to the Bangkok International Airport
March 14th – Fly home with great images and memories.
North Thailand Pre Tour
Cost: $2,750 including internal flights, $200 single supplement $2,300 nonphotographer/spouse.Cost 2025: $2,950 per photographer, $2,500 per nonphotographer spouse/companion.
February 24th – Arrival to Bangkok, Thailand, pickup at airport and transfer to a nice hotel.
February 25th – Morning flight to Chiang Mai, Thailand. Transfer to a nice hotel in Fang. Afternoon photography of Pond Herons, Kingfishers, Harriers (hopefully Pied), Bee-eaters and other birds in the rice paddies nearby.
February 26th-29th – We will have four full days of photography in the Doi Lang area. Some rare and fantastic birds can be reliably photographed here including Mrs. Hume’s Pheasant, Giant Nuthatch, Mountain Bamboo and Rufous-throated Partridges. There are feeding stations which attract a large number of species including Scarlet-faced Lichocichla, Himalayan Bluetail, Dark-backed Sibia, Rusty-naped Pitta, Red-tailed Laughingthrush, White-bellied Redstart, Rufous-bellied and Large Niltavas, Ultramarine Flycatcher and many others.
March 1st – One more morning of bird photography then we will fly back to Bangkok to prepare for the main tour. A nice hotel in Bangkok.
Jure Novak
Jure is a well published photographer and birder from Slovenia, who has photographed widely in Europe and leads or co-leads all of our European based tours. He has constructed many of the hides we use in Slovenia.
