Arrival Day:

Pickup from Kolkata at dawn on preferred choice of vehicle and drop at Godkhali (65 kms). Day long search for birds and other wildlife on private boat, exploring the various channels and creeks and rivers with the help of expert wildlife guide, trip leader and forest guide.  Visit Sajnekhali and Sudhanyakhali watch towers to get a good look of life’s movements wthin the forest. Overnight halt at Bali Island or our private boat according to preference.

Birding, Wildlife Search and Photography: 1 to 2 days.

With our main focus on the various birds and other wildlife, we will explore the region further through the network of water bodies, trying to stay as close to the waters edge as possible with the tidal variations in mind. The various islands/watch towers we will visit within this period are Pirkhali, Sajnekhali, Sudhanyakhali and the Canopy walk at Dobanki. Depending on the number of trip days, optimization of route with respect to target species to be done in referral with you and our field experts.

The 2 separate routes are

Bali Island -> Sajnekhali-Sudhanyakhali -> Bali Island 

OR

Bali Island -> Pirkhali-Dobanki -> Bali Island

Overnight halt at Bali Island or our private boat according to preference.

Departure Day:
We will revisit from Bali Island to either of Sajnekhali-Sudhanyakhali or Pirkhali-Dobanki depending on spots visited in the previous 1-2 days and wildlife expectations. Drop off in Godkhali at sundown and back to Kolkata in aforementioned vehicle. We bid goodbye here.

Area and Topography:

FLORA:

The Sundarbans feature two ecoregions;

• Sundarbans freshwater swamp forests – characterized by tropical moist broadleaf forest, this region sits behind the Sundarbans mangroves and represents brackish swamp forest with less pronounced salinity.
• Sundarbans mangroves – characterized by 35 of the 50 types of mangroves in the world, this region is home to the Sundari tree (Heritiera fomes)which is believed to give the region its name. Apart from the Sundari, the other prominent mangroves are Goran (Ceriops decandra), Keora (Sonneratia apetala), Kankra (Bruguiera gymnorhiza), Hetal (Phoenix peludosa), Dhundhul (Xylocarpus granatum) etc.

FAUNA:

• Mammals (50 species)– Apart from the endangered Royal Bengal Tigers, this is home to leopards and small cats viz. fishing cat and jungle cats. Spotted deer are the only species of deer here. Rhesus Macaques, Wild Boars, Grey Mongooses and Great Indian Fruit Bats are found in abundance.
• Birds (more than 356 species) – At least nine species of Kingfishers are found over here which is the most anywhere in the world. They are Black-throated KF, Stork-billed KF, Common KF, Pied KF, Collared KF, Black-capped KF, Brown-winged KF (endemic to Sundarbans), Ruddy KF and Blue-eared KF. Grey-headed Fish eagles, Ospreys and Brahminy Kites are the main raptors on the lookout for fishes, much like the kingfishers.The Mangrove Whistler is a bird typical to the region and so is the Mangrove Pitta. The globally threatened Lesser Adjutant Storks in flight are a common sight and there are healthy chances of seeing it trudging along the mud banks during low tide. The water bodies are important wintering grounds for many ducks.
• Reptiles & Amphibians – There are 61 species of Reptiles and Amphibians. Saltwater/Estuarine Crocodile is the largest of its kind in the world. They can be seen basking under the morning sun during low tides. Their nemesis are the Water Monitor, who, though much smaller are great stealers of crocodile eggs and try to do their best in winning this fair battle of survival before the crocs can hatch. Sundarbans are home to many species of snakes including the Python, King Cobra, Russel’s Viper and Red-tailed Pit Viper with the waters having many species of sea snakes. The region hosts a fair few species of turtles, toads and frogs.
• Others – The Sundarbans are home to 350 species of commercially important fishes among others. This is one of the last resorts of the Gangetic River Dolphin. The most common sights in the area are the various species of crabs who graze the mudflats along with the Gobioid Mudskippers, a variety of fish who can breathe with their skin from the moist soil while out of water and even climb trees with the help of their fins.