The birdwatching in Uzbekistan (EUB -1)

Arrival in Tashkent. PM. City tour.

Transfer to Samarkand (5 hours). PM City tour.

Transfer to Bukhara (4 hours). PM City tour.

Watching birds in Kyzylkum desert near Bukhara. In Bukhara the watching of birds usually takes place in Kyzylkum desert, where there are many peculiar kinds of birds: Panders ground jay, rufous lark, isabelline wheater, rufous bush robin, hippolais rama, desert warbler, streaked scrub warbler, great grey shrike, long-legged bustard, black-bellied sandgrouse, blue-cheeked bee-eater and other.

Watching birds in the region of Tudakul lake and Amu-Bukharsky canal. In the south of Bukhara there is a huge water reservoir "Tudakul" and the huge shallow water flood of Amu-Bukharsky canal. On water reservoir you can watch a thousand of birds, among which there are many kimany kinds of birds (migrants). Besides this the following kinds of birds are breeding here: Great cormorant, pygmy cormorant, grey heron, purple heron, great egret, little egret, little bittern, spoonbill, glossy ibis, marbled teal, white-eyed pochard, red-cristed pochard, paddy-field warbler, southern great reed warbler, great-bill reed bunting, savi"s warbler, black yellow-headed wagtail, small sky lark, menetries warbler, bearded reedling, pied stonchet and other.

Transfer to Shahrisabz (5hours). PM. Watching birds in Guissar range. In the northern slopes of Guissar range accessible through the ancient Shahrisabz, the watchings are made both in the zone of mountain meadows and in sparse growth of trees in the region of Hisarak water reservoir, and also in the valley of Kyzylsu river, in the zone of mountain deciduous and juniper forests. Here you can see the following kinds of birds: Black stork, bearded vulture, Himalayan griffon, Egyptian vulture, shikra, barbary falcon, eversmans stok dove, eastern pied wheater, blue rock thrush, olivaceous willow warbler, humes yellow-browed warbler, plain willow warbler, large crowned willow warbler, isabelin shrike, lesser grey shrike and others.

Transfer to Samarkand (90km.). Watching birds on the way to Tahta-Karacha pass. On Tahta-Karacha pass (2100m. above sea level) especially interest to watch: Hume s short-toed lark, white-throated robin, red-headed bunting, humes whitethroat, orphean warbler, red-rumper swallow and many species birds of prey.

Watching birds in the region of Zerafshan river. In Tugay forests in the valley of Zeravshan river on the territory of Zeravshan reserve you can watch peculiar group of birds: Night heron, schikra, hohltaube, white-winged woodpecker, turkestan tit, pendulin tit (remiz coronatus), olivaceous warbler, biyth sreed warbler.

Watching birds in the region of Zerafshan foothills. In mountain valley zones and precipice usually: Pied wheatear, gray necked bunting, roller, common bee-eater. SS in the region of Samarkand is held in different weather conditions.

Transfer from Samarkand through Tashkent to Chimgan (7-8 hours), mountains of the Western Tien-Shan.

Chimgan. Watching birds in subalpine zone and in mountain forests. In Western Tien-Shan mountains watching is organised in different high-altitude zones. In Chimgan mountain region, in subalpine zones and along the upper side of forest zone (1,500 - 2,200m. above sea level) you can watch: Griffon vulture, himalayan griffon, bearded vulture, black vulture, sacker falcon, rock bunting, white-capped bunting, yellow-breast tit, Siberian stonechat and others. Lower, in the zone of mountain forests you can watch: Short-toed eagle, booted eagle, crested honey buzzard, hobby, ruforus turtle dove, paradise flycatcher, blue whistling thrush, brown dipper, golden oriole.

Till noon watching birds, PM. Transfer from Chimgan to Tashkent. Farewell dinner.

Departure from Tashkent.