7-day private journey

Jiuzhaigou & Ruoergai Plateau

Chengdu → Jiuzhaigou → Ruoergai → Chengdu

A northern circuit for the exceptionally local Rufous-headed Robin, conifer-forest endemics and the open wetlands and grasslands of the Tibetan Plateau.

mawnehui33@gmail.com WhatsApp +86 13992284405

Rufous-headed RobinLarvivora ruficeps

Duration7 days

Best seasonMid-May to July

Field rhythmTwo long road transfers, park transport and open plateau walks above 3,400 m

Likely & priority birds84 species

Private price from$1,650 pp

Route strengths

Why choose this journey

Jiuzhaigou’s rare Rufous-headed Robin
Black-necked Crane on the Ruoergai wetlands
Forest, reedbed, grassland and plateau birds in one week

Indicative private-tour pricing

Price per person, by group size

USD land-only estimates, based on shared twin rooms. Final pricing is confirmed for your dates, rooming, permits and route changes.

1 guest$3,300per person

2 guests$2,400per person

3 guests$2,050per person

4 guests$1,850per person

5–6 guests$1,650per person

Includes private ground transport, English-speaking bird guide, accommodation, meals, route permits and standard entrance fees. International flights, visa, travel insurance, drinks, personal spending and gratuities are not included.

Day by day

The complete itinerary

Each day includes both headline specialties and the more regular warblers, laughingthrushes, flycatchers, tits, finches and other likely additions for an international birder’s life list.

Day01

Northern Sichuan

Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou

A full transfer day into northern Sichuan. Short roadside stops are used only when timing and traffic permit, preserving an early start for the park.

Bird highlights for this day

Rufous-headed Robin

Sichuan Treecreeper

Snowy-cheeked Laughingthrush

Sichuan Tit

Przevalski’s Nuthatch

Père David’s Tit

Day02

Jiuzhaigou National Park

Jiuzhaigou forest

Enter with the first public transport and focus on the lower and middle forest where the robin sings. Dense vegetation demands patient listening and repeated quiet watches.

Bird highlights for this day

Rufous-headed Robin

Sichuan Treecreeper

Snowy-cheeked Laughingthrush

Sichuan Tit

Przevalski’s Nuthatch

Père David’s Tit

Day03

Jiuzhaigou National Park

Reed Lake to primeval forest

Use a second park day to cover waterside vegetation and higher conifers, revisiting the robin area when song activity is strongest.

Bird highlights for this day

Rufous-headed Robin

Sichuan Treecreeper

Snowy-cheeked Laughingthrush

Sichuan Tit

Przevalski’s Nuthatch

Père David’s Tit

Day04

Gonggangling, Baxi and plateau edge

Jiuzhaigou to Ruoergai

Cross towards the plateau with birding stops in conifer forest and scrub. The day marks the ecological transition from steep forest valleys to open high country.

Bird highlights for this day

Sichuan Jay

Chinese Grouse

Snowy-cheeked Laughingthrush

Sichuan Tit

Przevalski’s Nuthatch

Blue Eared Pheasant

Day05

Flower Lake and wet grassland

Ruoergai wetlands

Spend the calm morning scanning marshes and wet meadows, then work drier grasslands and pika colonies for plateau passerines and raptors.

Bird highlights for this day

Przevalski’s Finch

Bearded Vulture

Himalayan Vulture

Black-necked Crane

Horned Grebe

Common Pochard

Day06

Ruoergai and Baxi

Baxi forest and plateau scrub

Alternate forest-edge searches with open plateau birding, choosing sites according to the previous day’s results and current road and weather conditions.

Bird highlights for this day

Sichuan Jay

Chinese Grouse

Snowy-cheeked Laughingthrush

Sichuan Tit

Przevalski’s Nuthatch

Blue Eared Pheasant

Day07

Ruoergai to Chengdu

Return to Chengdu

Leave early for the long return. A short dawn stop can target a missed plateau species before committing to the drive south.

Bird highlights for this day

Przevalski’s Finch

Bearded Vulture

Himalayan Vulture

Black-necked Crane

Saker Falcon

Ground Tit

Illustrated route list

84 birds to watch for on this route

This is a realistic planning list rather than a sighting guarantee. Season, weather, access and recent bird activity determine the final daily priorities.

Chinese endemic

Sichuan Tit

Poecile weigoldicus

A Chinese endemic of cool conifer forest at the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau.

Balangshan, Mengbishan and Ruoergai forests

Chinese endemic

Przevalski’s Nuthatch

Sitta przewalskii

A western Chinese conifer specialist with a long bill and clear white face.

Balangshan, Jiuzhaigou, Mengbishan and Baxi

Rufous-vented Tit

Periparus rubidiventris

A regular high-elevation tit in mixed feeding flocks.

Wawushan, Balangshan and Mengbishan

Grey-crested Tit

Lophophanes dichrous

A crested tit of cool conifer and mixed mountain forest.

Wawushan, Balangshan and Jiuzhaigou

Green-backed Tit

Parus monticolus

A common and colourful member of mixed forest flocks.

Forest throughout the Sichuan mountains

White-collared Yuhina

Yuhina diademata

A frequent member of fast-moving mixed flocks in upper forest.

Wawushan, Balangshan and Labahe

White-browed Fulvetta

Fulvetta vinipectus

A lively high-altitude fulvetta found in scrub and open conifer forest.

Balangshan, Mengbishan and Baxi

Chestnut Thrush

Turdus rubrocanus

A common upper-forest thrush, especially visible around open feeding areas.

Balangshan, Jiuzhaigou and Mengbishan

Dark-sided Flycatcher

Muscicapa sibirica

A regular summer flycatcher of mature mountain forest.

Wawushan, Jiuzhaigou and Mengbishan

Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher

Ficedula strophiata

A small forest flycatcher frequently seen at shaded edges and clearings.

Wawushan, Labahe and Jiuzhaigou

Vinaceous Rosefinch

Carpodacus vinaceus

A deep wine-red rosefinch of bamboo, scrub and forest edge.

Wawushan, Balangshan and Mengbishan

Grey-headed Bullfinch

Pyrrhula erythaca

A quiet bird of montane conifer forest, often travelling in small groups.

Wawushan, Jiuzhaigou and Mengbishan

White-throated Redstart

Phoenicurus schisticeps

A high-altitude redstart of rhododendron scrub and open conifers.

Balangshan, Mengbishan and Baxi

Blue-fronted Redstart

Phoenicurus frontalis

A colourful redstart that perches openly along mountain roads and forest edge.

Balangshan and Mengbishan

Chinese endemicEndangered

Rufous-headed Robin

Larvivora ruficeps

A globally threatened Chinese breeding endemic and Jiuzhaigou’s signature summer target.

Jiuzhaigou

Chinese endemic

Père David’s Tit

Poecile davidi

A Chinese endemic of mature montane forest.

Jiuzhaigou forest

Chinese endemic

Yellow-bellied Tit

Pardaliparus venustulus

A bright Chinese endemic that is common in open woodland and conifers.

Jiuzhaigou and northern Sichuan

Chinese Nuthatch

Sitta villosa

A small conifer specialist with a crisp white eyebrow.

Jiuzhaigou and Ruoergai conifers

Chinese endemicNear Threatened

Sichuan Treecreeper

Certhia tianquanensis

An old-conifer specialist with a small global range centred on Sichuan.

Wawushan, Erlangshan and Labahe

Chinese endemic

Spectacled Parrotbill

Sinosuthora conspicillata

A Chinese endemic often sought around Reed Lake and dense waterside vegetation.

Jiuzhaigou reedbeds

Chinese endemicVulnerable

Snowy-cheeked Laughingthrush

Ianthocincla sukatschewi

A threatened Chinese endemic with a very restricted range in northern Sichuan and Gansu.

Jiuzhaigou and Ruoergai forests

Chinese endemic

Blue Eared Pheasant

Crossoptilon auritum

A large blue-grey Chinese endemic of open conifer forest and alpine scrub.

Ruoergai and Baxi forest

Blood Pheasant

Ithaginis cruentus

A high-elevation pheasant often feeding quietly along the edge of snow and scrub.

Labahe, Balangshan and Mengbishan

Chinese endemic

Elliot’s Laughingthrush

Trochalopteron elliotii

A widespread western Chinese mountain bird that is often among the first laughingthrushes encountered.

Wawushan, Balangshan and northern Sichuan

Chinese endemic

Chinese Leaf Warbler

Phylloscopus yunnanensis

A Chinese breeding endemic of open conifer and mixed forest.

Jiuzhaigou, Baxi and Mengbishan

Sichuan Leaf Warbler

Phylloscopus forresti

A widespread western Sichuan conifer specialist best identified by voice.

Wawushan, Balangshan, Jiuzhaigou and Baxi

Yellow-streaked Warbler

Phylloscopus armandii

A frequent warbler of montane scrub and open conifer forest.

Balangshan, Jiuzhaigou and Ruoergai

Chinese endemic

Three-banded Rosefinch

Carpodacus trifasciatus

A handsome Chinese endemic of high forest edge and alpine scrub.

Jiuzhaigou, Balangshan and Mengbishan

Common Crossbill

Loxia curvirostra

Flocks move through cone-rich spruce and pine forest.

Jiuzhaigou, Mengbishan and Baxi

Rufous-bellied Woodpecker

Dendrocopos hyperythrus

A handsome montane woodpecker of mature broad-leaved and mixed forest.

Wawushan, Labahe and Jiuzhaigou

Chinese endemicVulnerable

Sichuan Jay

Perisoreus internigrans

An elusive Chinese endemic and one of the most prized birds of western Sichuan.

Mengbishan conifer forest

Chinese endemicNear Threatened

Chinese Grouse

Tetrastes sewerzowi

A range-restricted Chinese endemic of willow scrub and conifer forest.

Baxi and Ruoergai forest

Koklass Pheasant

Pucrasia macrolopha

A shy forest pheasant most often detected by its dawn calls before it crosses a quiet mountain road.

Balangshan and northern conifer forest

Chinese endemic

Plain Laughingthrush

Pterorhinus davidi

A Chinese endemic of dense high-elevation scrub and forest edge.

Baxi and Ruoergai scrub

Chinese endemic

Giant Laughingthrush

Ianthocincla maxima

A robust high-elevation Chinese endemic with loud, far-carrying calls.

Balangshan and Ruoergai

Chinese endemic

White-browed Tit

Poecile superciliosus

A Tibetan Plateau edge endemic of willow scrub and open conifer forest.

Baxi and Ruoergai

White-browed Tit-warbler

Leptopoecile sophiae

A jewel-like bird of high juniper and willow scrub.

Balangshan and Ruoergai scrub

Chinese endemic

Crested Tit-warbler

Leptopoecile elegans

A tiny, intensely coloured high-altitude specialist of conifers and scrub.

Balangshan and Mengbishan

Chinese endemic

Gansu Leaf Warbler

Phylloscopus kansuensis

A local Chinese endemic whose song is essential for identification.

Baxi and northern Sichuan conifers

Black Woodpecker

Dryocopus martius

A huge, vocal woodpecker of mature northern conifer forest.

Baxi conifer forest

Kessler’s Thrush

Turdus kessleri

A bold high-altitude thrush of open conifers, scrub and plateau settlements.

Ruoergai and northern Sichuan

Ground Tit

Pseudopodoces humilis

An unusual ground-dwelling Tibetan Plateau endemic that nests in burrows.

Ruoergai plateau

Tibetan Lark

Melanocorypha maxima

A very large lark of open, windswept plateau grassland.

Ruoergai grasslands

White-rumped Snowfinch

Onychostruthus taczanowskii

A plateau specialist often associated with pika colonies.

Ruoergai plateau

Rufous-necked Snowfinch

Pyrgilauda ruficollis

A high-plateau snowfinch regularly associated with pika burrows.

Ruoergai Plateau

Brandt’s Mountain Finch

Leucosticte brandti

A social high-altitude finch that feeds on open stony ground.

Balangshan and Ruoergai

Plain Mountain Finch

Leucosticte nemoricola

A flocking finch of exposed high-altitude ground.

Balangshan and Ruoergai

Chinese endemic

Przevalski’s Finch

Urocynchramus pylzowi

The sole member of its family and a major Tibetan Plateau target.

Ruoergai plateau scrub

Streaked Rosefinch

Carpodacus rubicilloides

A large rosefinch of alpine scrub, meadows and plateau edge.

Balangshan, Mengbishan and Ruoergai

Common Rosefinch

Carpodacus erythrinus

A regular summer breeder in willow, scrub and open high valleys.

Balangshan, Jiuzhaigou and Ruoergai

Rosy Pipit

Anthus roseatus

A breeding pipit of wet alpine meadow and plateau grassland.

Balangshan and Ruoergai

Grey-backed Shrike

Lanius tephronotus

A common open-country hunter along high roads and plateau scrub.

Balangshan, Mengbishan and Ruoergai

Chinese Grey Shrike

Lanius sphenocercus

A powerful open-country shrike found on wires, bushes and scattered plateau trees.

Ruoergai Plateau

Godlewski’s Bunting

Emberiza godlewskii

A regular bunting of rocky scrub, roadsides and open forest edge.

Balangshan, Mengbishan and Ruoergai

Upland Buzzard

Buteo hemilasius

A characteristic large raptor of open plateau grassland and pika country.

Ruoergai Plateau

Near Threatened

Bearded Vulture

Gypaetus barbatus

A huge mountain raptor often seen cruising high ridges and plateau cliffs.

Balangshan, Mengbishan and Ruoergai

Near Threatened

Himalayan Vulture

Gyps himalayensis

A huge plateau scavenger frequently seen circling mountain ridges and open grassland.

Balangshan, Mengbishan and Ruoergai

Golden Eagle

Aquila chrysaetos

A major alpine raptor regularly scanned for above ridges and open plateau.

Balangshan, Mengbishan and Ruoergai

Red-billed Chough

Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax

Acrobatic flocks patrol cliffs, passes and open plateau country.

Balangshan and Ruoergai

Near Threatened

Black-necked Crane

Grus nigricollis

The emblematic bird of the eastern Tibetan Plateau’s marshes and wet grasslands.

Ruoergai wetlands

Bar-headed Goose

Anser indicus

An iconic high-altitude waterbird breeding around Tibetan Plateau lakes and marshes.

Ruoergai wetlands

Ruddy Shelduck

Tadorna ferruginea

A conspicuous orange waterbird of plateau lakes, pools and marshy grassland.

Ruoergai wetlands

Greylag Goose

Anser anser

A regular breeding and passage goose of open plateau lakes and marshes.

Ruoergai wetlands

Great Crested Grebe

Podiceps cristatus

A conspicuous breeding waterbird on larger plateau lakes.

Ruoergai wetlands

Vulnerable

Horned Grebe

Podiceps auritus

A striking breeding-plumaged grebe on plateau pools and lakes.

Ruoergai wetlands

Black-necked Grebe

Podiceps nigricollis

A compact colonial grebe of shallow plateau lakes.

Ruoergai wetlands

Tufted Duck

Aythya fuligula

A common diving duck on Flower Lake and nearby pools.

Ruoergai wetlands

Red-crested Pochard

Netta rufina

A colourful diving duck of open plateau water.

Ruoergai wetlands

Vulnerable

Common Pochard

Aythya ferina

A regular diving duck in mixed flocks on plateau lakes.

Ruoergai wetlands

Near Threatened

Ferruginous Duck

Aythya nyroca

A scarcer warm-brown diving duck worth checking for among pochards.

Ruoergai wetlands

Gadwall

Mareca strepera

A regular dabbling duck of shallow lakes and marsh pools.

Ruoergai wetlands

Mallard

Anas platyrhynchos

A widespread duck that breeds on the plateau’s open waters.

Ruoergai wetlands

Brown-headed Gull

Chroicocephalus brunnicephalus

The characteristic gull of high Tibetan Plateau lakes.

Ruoergai wetlands

White-winged Tern

Chlidonias leucopterus

A graceful marsh tern that feeds over shallow plateau water.

Ruoergai wetlands

Whiskered Tern

Chlidonias hybrida

A summer marsh tern of reed-fringed pools and wet meadow.

Ruoergai wetlands

Black Stork

Ciconia nigra

A large, wary wetland bird that patrols rivers and open marsh.

Ruoergai wetlands

Great Bittern

Botaurus stellaris

A secretive reedbed heron more often heard booming than seen.

Ruoergai reedbeds

Grey Heron

Ardea cinerea

A common large heron of open marshes and lake margins.

Ruoergai wetlands

Chinese Pond Heron

Ardeola bacchus

A widespread wetland bird of rice fields, ponds and marsh margins.

Chengdu Basin and Ruoergai in summer

Common Redshank

Tringa totanus

A characteristic breeding wader of wet plateau grassland.

Ruoergai wetlands

Wood Sandpiper

Tringa glareola

A frequent migrant and summer visitor on muddy pools and marsh edges.

Ruoergai wetlands

Citrine Wagtail

Motacilla citreola

A bright yellow wagtail of wet grassland and marsh channels.

Ruoergai wet meadows

Tibetan Partridge

Perdix hodgsoniae

A well-camouflaged gamebird of open plateau slopes and low scrub.

Ruoergai grassland and scrub

Endangered

Saker Falcon

Falco cherrug

A scarce but important plateau raptor of open grassland.

Ruoergai Plateau

Customise the route

Prioritise the birds that matter to you.

Send your dates, group size and most-wanted species. The final version can add rest time, photography hides or extra weather reserve days.

mawnehui33@gmail.com WhatsApp +86 13992284405