Hemis Birding

Hemis birding is high altitude desert birding in eastern Ladakh, in the valleys of Hemis National Park, south of the Indus River. This is not forest birding. The landscape is barren mountains, alpine meadows, juniper scrub and river valleys, with very little rainfall and strong light. Birds here are adapted to cold, thin air and open ground, and a good day is spent scanning ridges, cliffs and valley bottoms slowly, rather than walking dense forest trails.

The star birds are raptors and high altitude specialists. Lammergeier, golden eagle and Himalayan griffon ride thermals over the valleys, Himalayan snowcock calls from high slopes, chukar partridge works rocky ground, and Tibetan sandgrouse, red billed chough, yellow billed chough and alpine accentor are regular on open ground. Summer brings breeding birds to the valleys, winter brings a different, quieter birding experience with hardy residents and the chance to combine birds with snow leopard tracking in Rumbak Valley.

Hemis birding suits birders who want a completely different Indian birding landscape, photographers who want raptors in clean mountain light, and travellers already in Ladakh for monasteries and high passes. It pairs with Leh town birding, with Tso Moriri and Pangong for wetland birds, and with a winter snow leopard trip. Two to three days in Hemis valleys, with acclimatisation in Leh first, give a much better list than a single rushed valley walk.