Birding Tours in the
Western Palearctic
ALGERIA
For years Algeria has been a dream to anyone interested in Western Palearctic birding, mainly for the localised Algerian Nuthatch. It is one of the Holy Grail birds for WP listers and an immense blocker of an almost unparalleled magnitude!
AND NOW WE CAN GET A VISA ON ARRIVAL..!!
ALGERIA
We can now obtain a Tourist Visa on arrival in Algiers as not only are we birding in the northern areas for the nuthatch and others, but we also fly south to the remote Tamanrasset for some other Western Palearctic megas - Sudan Golden Sparrow, African Silverbill and Red-billed Firefinch. There's a fine supporting cast including Barbary Partridge, Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse, Maghreb (Tawny) Owl, Levaillant's Woodpecker, Fulvous Babbler, African Blue Tit, African Chaffinch, Desert Sparrow and more! It's a short trip packed full of quality birds, led by one of Algeria's foremost bird guides, with excellent logistics, great food and it's bound to be great fun!
EGYPT
For the avid Western Palearctic lister, Egypt is a must-visit destination as it can provide nearly 20 species that are impossible anywhere else in the region, and the Nile Valley tour brings the possibilities of seeing around 16 of them! Add to this some fantastic migrants, plenty of other great birds and even a drop of culture and you've got a heady mix towards a classic birding destination. if you fancy a longer tour then in Spetember 2026 the same tour also visits the Red Sea for a further 10 or so Western Palearctic megas!
The Nile Valley
Starting in Cairo we will visit some excellent sites around the city in search of Greater Painted Snipe, Kittlitz's Plover, Senegal Coucal, Nile Valley Sunbird & Red Avadavat. Along the Nile will pick up African Green Bee-eater along with African Swamphen (recently lumped in Purple Gallinule), Senegal Thick-knee, Pied & White-throated Kingfishers amongst others. At Aswan we will make a boat trip out onto Lake Nasser and explore the surrounding area for the mega Three-banded Plover & Streaked Weaver, as well as having our first chance of Yellow-billed Stork & African Pied Wagtail. In the far south of the country and a stone's throw from the border with Sudan we will spend 3 night's at Abu Simbel - THE hotspot for rare African species wandering across the border of the Western Palearctic boundary and here we will look for Reed Cormorant, Yellow-billed Stork, Kittlitz's Plover, Plain Martin & Village Weaver.
Cairo - Nile Valley - Red Sea
As well as birding the Nile Valley sites of Cairo, Aswan & Abu Simber (as above), we will swing eastwards to a superb all-inclusive resort on the Red Sea where we will target Lappet-faced Vulture, Crab-Plover, White-eyed & Sooty Gulls, and take a boat ride out to the Hamata Islands for Sooty Falcon, White-cheeked, Bridled & Great Crested Terns and Brown Booby. In the mangroves along the cast Goliath Heron occasionally appears, and we also have a slim chance of Yellow Bittern as well. Following a relaxing 3 nights along the coast we will head back inland to the Nile valley once again.
JORDAN
Spring Migration & Western Palearctic Specialities
There are a number of key Western Palearctic species that make a visit to this wonderful country essential, none more so than Syrian Serin and Sinai Rosefinch, both of which we should hopefully find. As well as those WP mega's, there is a strong supporting cast of other important species to our region including Sand Partridge, White-eyed Gull, Desert Owl, Nubian Nightjar, Arabian Green Bee-eater, Namaqua Dove, Long-billed Pipit, Arabian Babbler, Blackstart, Basalt Wheatear (now lumped into Mourning Wheatear), Fan-tailed Raven, Graceful Prinia, Clamorous Reed Warbler, Arabian Warbler, Palestine Sunbird, Dead Sea Sparrow, Tristram's Starling and Striolated Bunting amongst others.
KAZAKHSTAN (West)
Birding the Limits of the Western Palearctic
This is an unforgettable birdwatching adventure to the far west of Kazakhstan, where Europe meets Asia along the banks of the Ural River. This remote and rarely visited corner of the Western Palearctic is a hidden gem for birders, offering a unique opportunity to encounter some of the region’s rarest and most range-restricted species including Demoiselle Crane, Caspian Plover, Long-tailed Shrike, both Black and White-winged Larks, Sykes's Warbler, Black-headed Penduline-Tit and Red-headed Bunting.
TURKEY
Western Palearctic Birding at its Best!
There are many imporant birds in Turkey, with the Taurus Mountains being home to Caspian Snowcock, Red-fronted Serin, Radde's Accentor, Finsch's Wheatear, Wallcreeper and Western Rock Nuthatch. The lower elevations around Gaziantep hold Eastern Rock Nuthatch, White-throated Robin, Upcher's Warbler, Pale Rockfinch & Cinereous Bunting. And then there's famous Birecik with See-See Partridge, Red-wattled Lapwing, Pallid Scops Owl, Iraq Babbler, Menetries's Warbler, and both Dead Sea & Yellow-throated Sparrows. Finally Nemrut Dagi is THE place to see Kurdish Wheatears. What a destination!