Sichuan is the centre of pheasant diversity and we will spend time searching for the Temminck’s Tragopan, Golden Pheasant, Lady Amherst’s Pheasant, Koklass and Blood pheasants, White Eared and Blue Eared pheasants. Patient scoping of mountain faces may reveal one of the rarest birds in China, the incredibly hued Chinese Monal. Other elusive skulkers we will search for include Verreaux’s Monal Partridge, Snow Partridge, Chinese Bamboo Partridge, Severtzov’s Grouse and on the high passes, the robust Tibetan Snowcock.

As we explore hidden valleys, rhododendron strewn hillsides and rocky crags we may find flocks of brilliant blue Grandalas feeding amongst patches of snow or the brilliant Firethroat; there will be rosefinches, tesias, laughingthrushes, warblers, fulvettas, parrotbills, bush robins, redstarts, woodpeckers, vultures, falcons, buzzards, eagles, accentors, dippers, tits, cuckoos, grosbeaks and buntings to name a few. And all in the midst of some of the most awe-inspiring landscapes on our planet.

Sichuan is most famous as the home of the enigmatic Giant Panda. Although it is unlikely we will find this amazing creature in the dense bamboo forests, there are other mammals to be on the lookout for, including the Red Panda, Yellow-throated Marten, Chinese Ferret Badger, Lesser Indian Civet or even a Golden Takin, Golden Monkey, Tufted or Musk Deer. The drive to the Sichuan border allows to see some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. Furthermore, the birding is excellent and along the way we lookout for Przewalski’s Partridge, Little Owl, Mongolian Lark, Pere David’s Snowfinch, Cinereous Vulture, Lammergeier, Daurian Jackdaw, Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush, Kessler’s Thrush and much, much more.

Moving up on to the Tibetan Plateau in we will continue birding around Koko Nor and among the birds found here are the globally endangered Black-necked Crane; breeding colonies of Bar-headed Geese, Great Black-headed and Brown-headed gulls and the unusual  Hume's Ground-Jay, as well as rosefinches and an incredible five snowfinches.

On the Tibetan plateau the yak-grazed grassland harbour Rufous-necked, White-rumped and Tibetan snowfinches, Citrine Wagtails and the highly sought-after Hume’s Groundpecker. Very cute pikas provide food for Saker Falcons as they hunt overhead. As we journey across the plateau we will traverse the forbidding Er La Pass where Tibetan Sandgrouse occur as well as Roborovski’s Rosefinch.

This is a very special trip for those who like adventure, truly grand scenery and some very little known and special birds.

Day 1: Fly Beijing/Chengdu

Day 2: Leave Chengdu for Wolong.

Day 3: Wolong: birding the Shawan Mountain behind our hotel for Golden Pheasant，Tibetan Snowcock, Snow Pigeon, Alpine Accentor, Grandala and other birds.

Day 4: Birding Wuyipeng Areas.

Day 5: Birding Balangshan .

Day 6: Drive back to Chengdu and in the afternoon fly to Chengdu/Xining. Birding Beishan Daduling in the afternoon.

Day 7: Birding the Eastern End Marsh areas of Qinghai Lake. We then drive to Gonghe; birding in the afternoon for Black-necked Crane, Isabelline Wheatear, Lesser Sand Plover, Red Crested Pochard, Mute Swan, Tufted Duck, Ferruginous Duck, Short Toed Lark and Little Owl.

Day 8: From Gonghe we travel to Maduo, birding on the way. Himalayan Griffon, Lammergyer, Saker Falcon, Upland Buzzard, Golden Eagle, Bar-headed Goose, Ruddy Shelduck, Brown-headed Gull, Sand Plover, Blandford's Snowfinch, Rufous-collared Snowfinch, White-rumped Snowfinch, Tibetan Rosefinch, Rufous-breasted Rosefinch, Eastern Great Rosefinch, Great Rosefinch, Azure-winged Magpie, Hoopoe, Gould's Redstart, White-winged Redstart, Black Redstart, Tibet Lark, White Wagtail, Hume's Ground Jay, Eurasian Kestrel, Mongolian Trumpet Finch, Citrine Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Earasian Swift, Blue Hill Pigeon, Rock Sparrow, Brown Accentor,I sabelline Wheatear, Desert Wheatear, Mongolian Lark, Brandt's Mountain Finch, Tibeten Lark, Horned Lark, Rufous-necked Snowfinch and White-winged Snowfinch.

Day 9: Maduo Xiewu, Tibeten Gazelle, Robin Accentor, Alpine Accentor, Blue Sheep, Pallas' Cat, Brown-head Gull, Ruddy Shelduck,

Day 10: Early birding to Leiba Valley, then drive to Yushu in the afternoon. Great Crested Grebe, Bar-headed Goose, Black-necked Crane, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Ruddy Shelduck, Goosander, Whiskered Tern, Arctic Tern, Brown-headed Gull, Ibisbill, Upland Buzzard, Long-legged Buzzard, Raven, Kessler's Thrush, Brown Shrike, Hoopoe, White-rumped Snowfinch, Citrine Wagtail, Lammergeier, Hoopoe, Lesser Kestrel, Hill Pigeon, Daurian Red Start, Red-billed Chough, Chinese Grey Shrike, Common Stone Chat, White-throated Dipper, Elliott’s Laughingthrush, Grey-backed Shrike, Tibeten Partridge.

Day 11: Drive to Nangqian. Birding Kanda Shan on the way. Overnight at Nangqian Traffic Guesthouse (simple conditions, public toilet and difficult to have shower.) Goosander, Ibisbill, Himalayan Griffon, Lammergeier, Golden Eagle, Great Spotted Eagle, Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Saker Falcon, Tibetan Snowcock, Tibetan Partridge, Chough, Ground Jay, Tibetan Magpie, Giant Laughingthrush, Pier David's Laughingthrush, Elliott’s Laughingthrush, Koslow's Babax, Hoopoe, Common Cuckoo, White-throated Dipper, Horned Lark, Wallcreeper, Brown Shrike, Red Shrike, Grey-backed Shrike, Robin Accentor, Rock Sparrow, Dusky Crag Martin, Asian House Martin, Red-rumped Swallow, Common Rosefinch, Pink-rumped Rosefinch, White-browed Tit, Servertsov's Tit-Warbler, Black Redstart, Koslow's Bunting, Godlewski's Bunting, Citrine Wagtail, Black Redstart, Large-billed Crow, Upland Buzzard, Koslow’s Bunting, Oriental Skylark, Horned Lark, Tibeten Lark, Streaked Rosefinch, Robin Accentor, Blandford’s Rosefinch.

Day 12: Full day birding in the Beizha Forest Farm area. Overnight at Baizha Monastery. White-eared Pheasant, Booted Eagle, Large-billed Crow, Daurian Jackdaw, Tibetan Magpie, Koslow's Bunting, Snow Pigeon, Black-throated Thrush, Giant Laughingthrush, Elliott’s Laughingthrush, Tibetan Babax, Red Crossbill, Wren, White-browed Tit, White-browed Tit-Warbler, Crested Tit-Warbler, Godlewski's Bunting, Citrine Wagtail, Dark-sided Flycatcher, Slaty-backed Flycatcher, Arctic Warbler, Large-billed Leaf Warbler, White-capped Redstart, White-browed Rosefinch, Red-billed Chough, Kessler’s Thrush, Beautiful Rosefinch, White-throated Redstart, Blue Sheep, Koslow’s Babax, Blood Pheasant, Willow Warbler.

Day 13: Birding Baizha Forest areas in the morning. Drive back to Nangqian in the afternoon. Overnight at Nangqian Jiaotong Guesthouse. Elliott’s Laughingthrush, Black Woodpecker, Red Crossbill, Three-banded Rosefinch, Grey-faced Woodpecker, Tibetan Babax, Giant Laughingthrush.

Day 14: Nangqian/Rioche. Overnight at a Guesthouse. Oriental Skylark, Hume’s Short-toed Lark, Black Redstart, White-browed Tit-Warbler, Robin Accentor, Godlewski’s Bunting, White-eared Pheasant, Lammergeier, Snow Pigeon, Wallcreeper, Plain Laughingthrush, Hume’s Leaf Warbler, Black-crested Tit, White-capped River Redstart, Elliott’s Laughingthrush, Tibetan Partridge, Pink-rumped Bunting, Golden Eagle, Ruddy Shelduck.

Day 15: From Rioche to Bache. Overnight at County Town Guesthouse. Plain-backed Snowfinch, Rufous-necked Snowfinch, White-browed Tit-Warbler, Brown Accentor, Robin Accentor, Pallas’s Fish-Eagle.

Day 16: A long drive from Bachen to Damshung. Overnight at Damshung Heaven Lake Hotel. A local guide and driver from Tibet will be waiting for the group in Damxung Heaven Lake Hotel.

Day 17: Early transfer via Lunzhub to Reting Gompa for overnight stay at the Monastery guesthouse. Lammergieer, Giant Babax, Tibetan Partridge, Prince Hennry's Laughingthrush, Hume's Short-toed Lark, Olive-backed Pipit, Tibetan Lark, Black-necked Crane, Godlewski's Bunting, Eastern Great Rosefinch, Wallcreeper,, Asian House Martin, Hume’s Groundpecker.

Day 18: Birding at Reting Monastery area in the morning (Tibetan-eared Pheasant, Giant Babax, Prince Hennry's Laughingthrush); drive to Damxung in the afternoon. Overnight at Damxung Heaven Lake Hotel. Tibet-eared Pheasant, Prince Henry’s Laughingthrush, Black-necked Crane, Ruddy Shelduck, Asian Short-toed Lark, Citrine Wagtail, Robin Accentor, White-winged Grosbeak, White-throated Redstart, Hodgson's Redstart, Russet Sparrow, White-browed Tit-Warbler, White-browed Rosefinch, Great Black-headed Gull, Wallcreeper.

Day 19: Transfer via Lunzhub to Lhasa for overnight at newly built New Century Hotel. Returning to Yangbajin, we may see Ibisbill, or Great Rosefinch.

Day 20: Fly to Chengdu. Overnight in Chengdu.