Cambodia 2008 Itinerary

Virtually closed to western tourists for 25 years because of civil war, poor security and political instability, Cambodia is now emerging as a prime birding destination. The severe poverty of the country, combined with its political turbulence, prevented the rampant development seen over most of eastern Asia. This has left Cambodia in a kind of time warp, allowing us a look at its more natural past, with fine forested areas and some of the most prolific wetland areas in SE Asia. Recent improvements in roads, infrastructure and public safety now allow us to offer the most comprehensive birding tour of Cambodia ever offered.

The centerpiece of our tour is the likelihood of being able to see two of the world’s most critically endangered birds, the Giant Ibis and the White-shouldered Ibis. A breeding site for both species in north central Cambodia has been found, and a protection project by the Wildlife Conservation Society there is working to ensure the continued existence of these fascinating birds. Ecotourism is part of this program and our stay will benefit the villagers in whose hands the future of the ibises lies. Among the other special species the tour offers are: Spot-billed Pelican, Milky Stork, Greater Adjutant, White-rumped and Slender-billed Vultures, Rufous-winged Buzzard, White-rumped Falcon, Orange-necked and Chestnut-headed Partridges, Germain’s Peacock-Pheasant, Bengal Florican, Pale-capped Pigeon (with luck), Black-headed Woodpecker, Mekong Wagtail, Brown-rumped Minivet, and Manchurian Reed-Warbler.

Other exciting possible birds are Indian Cormorant, Black-necked Stork, Lesser Adjutant, Comb Duck, Black Baza, Grey-headed Fish-Eagle, Red-headed Vulture, Chinese Francolin, Scaly-breasted Partridge, Sarus Crane, Grey-headed and Blossom-headed Parakeets, Pale-rumped Swiftlet, Red-vented Barbet, Rufous-bellied, Laced, Streak-throated, Black-and-buff, and Heart-spotted Woodpeckers, Blue-winged Pitta, Burmese Shrike, Streaked Wren-Babbler, Grey-faced Tit-Babbler, Vinous-breasted Starling and Golden-crested Myna.

While our tour is operating during the coolest time of the year in Cambodia, there will be some hot days afield. Our walks to find the ibises will be on sun-baked plains between forest patches and the pools where they feed. These walks could be long and lots of water and oral rehydration salts will be helpful. Our visit to Prek Toal is also likely to be hot. The other areas will not be quite so hot and the walks shorter. Food will be mostly basic. Transportation will be by 4-wheel drive vehicles as many of the roads are poor to miserable. Accommodation is first class in Bangkok, comfortable in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, and basic to rustic elsewhere. At Thmatboey and Chhep, we’ll be sleeping on mattresses on the floor of village huts under mosquito nets. While the areas we visit are deemed safe by the local folks, we will be exercising caution as there are still unexploded mines and other munitions throughout the country.

Our tour is operated by a Cambodian non-governmental organization dedicated to conservation under the guidance of the Wildlife Conservation Society. Our visits to several important conservation areas are structured to assist the local folks upon whom the future of the birds rests.

BEN KING, president of KingBird Tours, has led 139 birding tours to different parts of Asia and is one of the most experienced tour leaders on the continent. His A Field Guide to the Birds of South-East Asia covers Cambodia's birds and he has made 2 exploratory trips there. He has spent over 6 years birding in various parts of SE Asia: Thailand, Malaya, Burma, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, resulting in his seeing all but about 7 or 8 of SE Asia's 1,230+ bird species, and all but 1 or 2 of the species that are known to occur in Cambodia. He has also written Checklist of the Birds of Eurasia. His vast experience and knowledge of Asian birds and their habits will make your trip an enjoyable one.

ANGKOR (6 January): We’ll spend our first afternoon in Cambodia amid one of the most impressive sets of ruins of ancient civilization on earth. Building here started before 1,000 A.D., and the area was occupied until abandoned to the jungle 500 years ago. There are lots of trees here and as we visit some of the ruins we’ll have an opportunity to see a few of the more common birds: Black Baza, Shikra, Red-breasted Parakeet, Plaintive Cuckoo, White-throated Kingfisher, Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Indian Roller, Lineated and Coppersmith Barbets, Asian Palm-Swift, Common Iora, Streak-eared Bulbul, Blue Rockthrush, Black Drongo, Common Tailorbird, Oriental Magpie-Robin, and Brown Shrike. Accommodation comfortable hotel in Siem Reap.

Those who would like a longer look at Angkor could arrive in Siem Reap a few days before the tour group. We can easily arrange this.

PREK TOAL (7 January) is a village at the northern end of Tonle Sap. We’ll travel by boat to visit the forested edges of the lake near the village, where there are huge colonies of nesting waterbirds. The stars here are Milky Stork and Greater Adjutant, and with a little luck, we may see both species. Other more numerous species are: Great, Indian and Little Cormorants, Spot-billed Pelican, lots of herons and egrets, Painted Stork, Asian Openbill, Lesser Adjutant, Black-headed Ibis, Osprey, Brahminy Kite, Grey-headed Fish-Eagle, Brown-headed Gull, Whiskered Tern, and Black-capped and Common Kingfishers.

ANG TROPEANG THMOR (8 January) is a large reservoir surrounded by wet grasslands. Sarus Cranes are found here at one of the few remaining sites in SE Asia. Birdlife is prolific here with: Little Grebe, Asian Cattle Egret (Bubulcus coromandus), lots of herons and egrets, Lesser Whistlingduck, Comb Duck, Cotton Pygmy Goose, Black Kite, Eastern Marsh-Harrier, Pied Harrier, Purple Swamphen, Pheasant-tailed and Bronze-winged Jacanas, Greater Paintedsnipe, Red-wattled Lapwing, Asian Golden Plover, Little Plover, Spotted Redshank, Green Sandpiper, Pintail Snipe, Black-winged Stilt, Oriental Pratincole, Greater Coucal, Pied Kingfisher, Indochinese Bushlark (Mirafra marionae), Yellow Wagtail, Plain Prinia and Black-collared Starling.

TMATBOEY (9-13 January) lies in Preah Vihear Province in north central Cambodia just south of the border with both Thailand and Laos. The area, much of which is flooded in the summer monsoon season, is plains interspersed with fine patches of open deciduous forest. It is accessible by motor vehicle for only a few months of the year, during the dry season. As the flood waters recede, the remaining water is confined to a series of pools, called trapeangs, where the critically endangered White-shouldered and Giant Ibises feed by probing for their prey in the mud. Both the ibises nest here and we have an excellent chance to see them.

Other possible species are: Woolly-necked Stork, Lesser and Greater Adjutants, Black Baza, Oriental Honey-Kite, Grey-headed Fish-Eagle, Crested Serpent-Eagle, Rufous-winged Buzzard, Changeable Hawk-Eagle, White-rumped Falcon, Collared Falconet, Chinese Francolin, Red Junglefowl, Green Peafowl, Barred Buttonquail, Pale-capped Pigeon (with a lot of luck), Pink-necked, Orange-breasted, Thick-billed, and Yellow-footed Pigeons, Vernal Hanging-Parrot, Alexandrine, Grey-headed and Blossom-headed Parakeets, Violet Cuckoo, Oriental and Collared Scops-Owls, Collared Owlet, Asian Barred-Owlet, Brown Boobook, Large-tailed, Indian and Savanna Nightjars, Crested Treeswift, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Blue-bearded Bee-eater, Oriental Pied Hornbill, Blue-eared Barbet, Yellow-crowned, Rufous-bellied, White-bellied, Streak-throated, Black-headed, Grey-headed, and Great Slaty Woodpeckers, Blue-winged Pitta, Large and Indochinese Cuckooshrikes, Large and Common Wood-shrikes, Brown-rumped and Ashy Minivets, Burmese Shrike, White-rumped Shama, Puff-throated and Chestnut-capped Babblers, White-crested Laughingthrush, Brown Prinia, Radde’s Warbler, Red-throated and Tickell’s Blue Flycatchers, White-browed Fantail, Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch, Plain-backed Sparrow, Vinous-breasted Starling, Hill Myna, Black-hooded Oriole, Blue Magpie and Racket-tailed Treepie, Accommodation is quite rustic in village huts.

CHHEP (13-15 January) is a good place to see the critically endangered White-rumped and Slender-billed Vultures (Gyps tenuirostris), as well as the uncommon Red-headed Vulture. Otherwise the area and the birds are similar to Tmatboey. Accommodation quite rustic in village huts.

KOMPONG THOM (15/16 January) is situated in the low plains at the eastern end of Cambodia’s large lake, Tonle Sap. Near here, in a seasonally flooded area which is rich in waterbirds, is a scattered colony of Bengal Floricans. We’ll spend a morning here looking for the florican and other birds such as: Painted and Black-necked (maybe) Storks, Spot-billed Duck, Pied Harrier, Eastern Marsh-Harrier, Greater Spotted Eagle, Blue-breasted Quail, Lesser Coucal, Richard’s Pipit, Bluethroat, Striated Grassbird, Black-browed and Manchurian Reed-Warblers, and Dusky Warbler. Accommodation basic hotel.

KRATIE (17/18 January) is a town on the Mekong River northwest of Phnom Penh. About 20 km. north of Kratie, along the Mekong River, is a rapids where the newly described (2001) Mekong Wagtail (Motacilla samveasnae) can be found. We’ll visit the rapids by boat to try for the wagtail. Below the rapids is a good site to see the Mekong Dolphin. Asian Golden and Striated Weavers are sometimes seen near Kratie. Accommodation basic hotel.

SEIMA BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AREA (18-22 January) is in southern Mondulkiri Province in southeastern Cambodia. There are some excellent forest areas there that share some of Indochina’s endemic species with Vietnam. Prime among these special birds are: Orange-necked Partridge, Siamese Fireback, Germain’s Peacock-Pheasant, Red-vented Barbet, Blue-rumped and Bar-bellied Pittas, and Grey-faced Tit-Babbler. Other possible species are: Jerdon’s Baza, Scaly-breasted Partridge, Green Peafowl, Orange-breasted and Red-headed Trogons, Banded Kingfisher, Wreathed and Great Hornbills, Green-eared Barbet, Rufous, Laced, Black-and-buff, and Heart-spotted Woodpeckers, Dusky and Banded Broadbills, Forest Wagtail, Stripe-throated, Puff-throated, and Grey-eyed Bulbuls, Great Iora, Asian Fairy-bluebird, White-throated Rockthrush, Buff-breasted and Scaly-crowned Babblers, Large Scimitar-Babbler, Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush, Black-browed Fulvetta, Asian Paradise-Flycatcher, Thick-billed and Yellow-vented Flowerpeckers, Ruby-cheeked, Purple-naped and Purple-throated Sunbirds, and Golden-crested Myna. Accommodation basic hotel.

BOKOR NATIONAL PARK (23-25 January) lies in SW Cambodia in the Damrei (Elephant) Mountains a short distance from Kampot. We’ll look for birds in forested areas up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft) in elevation, especially the Chestnut–headed Partridge, which is very difficult to see. Other possible species are: Grey-faced Buzzard, Rufous-bellied Eagle, Barred Cuckoo-Dove, Wedge-tailed Pigeon, Mountain Imperial Pigeon, Green-billed Malkoha, Brown-backed Needletail, Fork-tailed Swift, Moustached Barbet, Long-tailed Broadbill, Black-winged Cuckooshrike, Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike, Ochraceous Bulbul, Siberian Blue Robin, White-tailed Robin, White-browed Scimitar-Babbler, Streaked Wren-Babbler, White-browed Shrike-Babbler, White-bellied Erpornis (Yuhina), Asian Stubtail, Hainan Blue Flyctacher, and Black-throated and Crimson Sunbirds.

KAMPOT (25/26 January) offers some coastal shorebirding. Likely birds are: Little Heron, Asian Golden and Kentish Plovers, Greater Sand-Plover, Marsh, Curlew and Broad-billed Sandpipers, Pale-rumped Swiftlet, and Collared Kingfisher. Accommodation basic hotel.

4 January , Friday	Depart USA
5 January, Saturday	Arrive Bangkok. Overnight Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel.
6 January, Sunday	Fly Bangkok/Siem Reap via Bangkok Airways PG901 (0730/0845).Afternoon Angkor Wat. Overnight La Noria Hotel.
7-25 January	On tour.
26 January, Saturday	Fly Phnom Penh/Bangkok via PG699 (2040/2145). Overnight Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel.
27 January, Sunday	Fly Bangkok/USA, arriving the same day because of crossing the International Dateline.

COSTS & CONDITIONS

	Land	*Air	Total	Single Supplement
From Bangkok	$6,863	$270	$7,133	$301
From West Coast	$6,863	$1,543	$8,406	$301

LAND PRICE BASED ON NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: Land price is based on 5 people. If there are fewer than 5, a small-party supplement will be charged. This method of pricing allows us to operate with any size group up to the maximum of 10.

LAND PRICE INCLUDES: Land price includes all ground transportation, double occupancy hotel rooms, all meals, bottled water at meals, guides, tips, fees, and foreign airport taxes when accompanied by the leader. NOT INCLUDED are airport taxes when not accompanied by the leader, passports, visas, service charges for obtaining visas, excess baggage charges, laundry, personal tips, alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, fruit juices (except at breakfast), mineral waters, room service charges, items not on menu of included meals, personal items, souvenirs, sightseeing not included in the itinerary, insurance of any kind, and telephone calls.

LAND AND AIR RATES: All prices are based on tariff and exchange rates in effect on 1 December 2006. Airfares and land costs may rise somewhat. Price changes, due either to alteration in tariffs or exchange rates, will be reflected in the prices charged for the tour.

KingBird's planning, promotional and operating costs are included in all tour rates.

ACCOMMODATIONS: Based on two persons sharing a twin-bedded room. Single rooms will be available at the supplement charge quoted. In some of the more remote areas, however, single rooms are unavailable. We'll supply roommates where possible, but cannot guarantee to find roommates for all desiring them. If no roommate is available, the single supplement will be charged for any person utilizing single accommodation. First class hotel with private bath and air conditioning is provided in Bangkok. Our Siem Reap and Phnom Penh hotels are pleasant ones. The other accommodations are rustic to basic.

MEALS: All meals are included in the tour price. A la carte meals will be provided on some days. Box lunches will be utilized on some days. For those joining only a segment of the tour, meals are normally not included when you are not with the main tour group (prior to joining or after leaving).

TOUR ESCORT: The leader of your tour, Ben King, will be with you during the entire tour from the time you reach Bangkok until you depart from Bangkok. There will also be a representative of the local tour company with the group at all times to assist wherever he may.

TAXES AND GRATUITIES: All necessary gratuities to hotel staff, waiters, local guides, drivers, etc. are included in the tour price. Your tour leader is paid a salary and does not expect tips. Thus all necessary tips are included in the tour price and you are not expected to tip anyone. However, if you do wish to tip anyone for special services or because you like them, it is quite all right. All local government taxes are included in the tour price.

LOCAL FEES: All park and entry and local fees are included in the tour price.

BAGGAGE: International flight baggage allowance from USA to Bangkok and return is two pieces with a maximum total dimension (length, width, height of both pieces added up) of 107 inches. Note that most USA-based airlines now allow only 23 kg. (50 lbs.)/bag—there will be a surcharge for any excess up to 70 lbs. (32 kg.). On many foreign airlines, each bag may weigh up to 32 kilograms (70 pounds). However, on all internal flights in Asia, you are allowed a maximum of 20 kg. (44 lbs.). They are likely to weigh your luggage carefully at least once or twice and perhaps each time. You will be responsible for any excess baggage charges. You are allowed one carry-on bag on all flights. Air carrier's liability for baggage loss is limited and therefore baggage insurance is recommended and available at nominal rates. Baggage insurance forms will be included along with your interim invoice.