THAILAND BIRD AND WILDLIFE PHOTO TOUR
- Photo Tour
- March 1-14, 2025
- March 15-28, 2025
- March 1-14, 2026
- North Thailand Pre Tour
- February 23- March 1, 2025
- February 23- March 1, 2026
This tour focuses on photographing the birds of Thailand as well as 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 Khao Yai National Park which has a large variety of birds and mammals. We also spend two days photographing shorebirds on the Gulf of Thailand including the endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper.
Number of Participants: Maximum of 6 photographers with a maximum of 10 total participants (including nonphotographer spouses and companions).
Cost and Logistics
$5,600 per photographer, $4,800 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. 2026 costs: $5,900 photographer, $5,300 nonphotographer, $700 single supplement.
Itinerary
March 1st – Arrive to Bangkok International Airport. Transfer to a nice hotel in downtown Bangkok.
March 2nd – Transfer from Bangkok to the Gulf of Thailand. We stop for a morning shoot on the way near Bangkok then head to the Chao Sam Ran area on the Gulf of Thailand. The salt pans and mudflats here support a large variety of shorebirds and waterbirds including Greater and Lesser Sand Plovers, Painted Storks, Terek Sandpipers and of course the Spoon-billed Sandpiper. Hotel: A nice hotel on the Gulf of Thailand
March 3rd – We will have a boat trip on the Gulf of Thailand and visit a spit which has large numbers of shorebirds and terns. We also spend more time on the salt flats photographing shorebirds. Brahminy Kites and Kingfishers are often photographed in this area. Hotel: A nice hotel on the Gulf of Thailand.
March 4th – Morning photography on the coast 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 Broadbills, Kingfishers and Bee-eaters are calling and/or nesting making it fairly easy to photograph these spectacular species. The hides attract a large variety of birds including Kalij Pheasant, Red Junglefowl, Green Magpie, 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 after a morning session and head to a Khao Yai National Park. This is the oldest national park in Thailand and it’s mix of hill forest and savannah support a large number of bird and mammals species. In the afternoon we will visit a roost of the Red-breasted Parakeet. Lodge: A nice lodge outside the park.
March 12th – We will spend the full day in Khao Yai National Park. We have a good chance for large hornbills such as the Wreathed and Great Hornbill, as well as spectacular species such as Red-headed Trogon and many others. There are good numbers of Sambar and Muntjac Deer as well as Gibbons. Hotel: A nice lodge outside the park.
March 13th – We spend the morning photographing in Khao Yai National Park, 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.
Note: The March 15-28 Itinerary is identical to the March 1-14 Itinerary
North Thailand Pre Tour
Cost: $2,950 per photographer, $2,500 per nonphotographer spouse/companion. 2026 costs: $3,150 photographer, $2,700 nonphotographer $300 single.
February 23rd – Arrival to Bangkok, Thailand, pickup at airport and transfer to a nice hotel.
February 24th – 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 25th – 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.
March 28-April 2 Beung Borapet Extension
March 28th – We will do a bit of bird photography near the hotel in Bangkok and then head to Nakhon Sawan. In the afternoon we will go to Beung Borapet, the largest freshwater lake in Thailand. We will have an afternoon boat trip to photograph the wide variety of birds. Hotel: Nakhon Sawan
March 29th – Full day of bird photography boat trips at Beung Borapet, the lake is full of waterbirds including Pond Herons, Bitterns, Jacanas, Darters, Kingfishers and more water birds and in the skies Marsh Harriers and Black Kites are often around. Hotel: Nakhon Sawan
March 30th – One more morning on the lake and then we will transfer to the Huai Kha Kheang area. Hotel: a lodge outside the wildlife sanctuary.
March 31st – We will have a full day inside Huai Kha Kheang Wildlife Sanctuary. One of the star birds here is the beautiful Black-headed Woodpecker. White-crowned and Necklaced Laughingthrushes are common. There is now a blind here where sometimes the beautiful Blue Pitta is seen.
April 1st – Morning at Huai Kha Kheang. The beautiful Butterfly Lizards are often seen here near headquarters here. Then we will check out and head back to Bangkok. Hotel: A nice hotel near the airport.
April 2nd – Fly home
Jure Novak
Jure Novak is a full time nature photographer, tour leader and filmmaker from Slovenia. His work is widely published in Slovenia and he is one of the filmmakers of “Wild Slovenia”, a motion picture. Jure is an excellent birder and bird guide in addition to being a very talented photographer. He uses Sony gear.
