Best Himalayan birding treks? (2 Viewers)

[Winterdune]

I visited the Indian Himalayas many years ago - Himachal Pradesh, Kashmir and Ladakh. I loved the high mountains and the birds, and would like to return before I get too old! I don't mind if I go to India or Nepal but would want it to be somewhere with the greatest avian diversity. I've been thinking about further east than last time, maybe Nepal, Arunachal Pradesh or Sikkim. I'd like to spend time in a range of altitudinal habitats, get above 3000m, and not encounter many gap year trekkers! Any recommendations?
Thanks,
Sean

 

[Antik]

Nepal recently introduced a mandatory guide requirement for the national parks and other major nature reserves so if you had planned going solo then that's likely out of your list. Arunachal Pradesh also has fairly strict rules for visitors though I have not been there myself. Sikkim is beautiful but I found the bird diversity of Nepal superior as you can fairly easily access lowland parks, which might not be on your list though.

Looking forward to reading comments from others!

 

[temmie]

I know it's not East enough, but the GHNP was brilliant.
I read on here some time ago about the classic trekking to the Everest base camp, but all the way from the lowlands, so you have plenty of birds in all elevations, and you don't necessarily need to go to the base camp itself if birding is your primary goal (but ofcourse the views in the general area of the base camp are probably worth all the birds).

 

[MiddleRiver]

I know it's not East enough, but the GHNP was brilliant.
I read on here some time ago about the classic trekking to the Everest base camp, but all the way from the lowlands, so you have plenty of birds in all elevations, and you don't necessarily need to go to the base camp itself if birding is your primary goal (but ofcourse the views in the general area of the base camp are probably worth all the birds).

Actually I recommend avoiding craziness of base camp and humping up Kala Patthar instead. THAT’S the iconic view of the icefall.

 

[Arbu]

Go to Nepal, hire a guide ($30 a day maybe), hand him a pair of binoculars and a field guide, and tell him he's going to help you birdwatch. I'd find it annoying if he was hanging around behind me all the time with nothing to do while I watched birds.

I've hiked both Annapurna Sanctuary and Kala Patthar. The former was better for birding, the latter much better for scenery.