About 9000 species of birds in the world, and more than 1223 species in China, but about 410 species of birds have been recorded at Beidaihe, and in Spring about more than 200 species could be seen, some of them are rarest species. Beidaihe, won the world recognition as a bird watching heaven during the 1999 Sky & Ocean International Bird Watching Race, is the best place for bird watching in East Asia, and is one of the 4 best holy paradises all over the world.
Every year, Birding Race will be held in May in Beidaihe, attracts many Chinese and foreign birding fans to watch birds.
Day 1/Arrive in Beijing
Arrive in Beijing, and pick up from the airport. Pay a visit to Tian'anmen Square, Forbidden City which is the imperial palace of Ming & Qing dynasties. (D)
Day 2/Beijing
Visit the enchanting Summer Palace. (B,L,D)
You can see more than 20 kinds of birds in Summer Palace, such as Tits, Woodpeckers, Nuthatch, Blue Magpies, Smew, Goosander, Goldeneye, included the woodland species and waterbird species. Summer Palace is home to more birds than any other park in Beijing, which is an expansive park consisting of the extensive Kunming Lake and a few attached smaller ponds, surrounding the lake are patches of woodland and open grassland.
Day 3/Beijing-Beidaihe
Ride a train to Beidaihe, pick up from the railway station. Bird watching on the beach and Xinkai River port. (B,L, D)
With the Clamping of Bohai Sea Bay Yanshan Mountain, Beidaihe and surrounding coastal plain take shape of a narrow channel. The migratory birds arrive here along the coastline with a large numbers flocks. Xinkaihe River, Daihe River, Yanghe River, Luanhe Rivers and others form beach, lagoon and the rivers flowing slowing at the estuary, which provide the habitat and food for the birds.
Places for birding: River mouth (such as Daihe river, Yanghe river, Dapuhe river), Chitushan hill, Geziwo (Pigeon nest), Lianfengshan hill, Qilihai, Happy Island, Shanhaiguan pass, Laoling (old summit).
Day 4/Beidaihe
Bird watching in Lianfeng Mountain and Yanghe River Mouth. (B,L,D)
Day 5/Beidaihe
Bird watching in Beidaihe. (B,L,D)
Day 6/ Beidaihe
Bird watching in Beidaihe. (B,L,D)
Day 7/Shanhaiguan
Bird watching on the Jiaoshan Great Wall of Shanhaiguan Pass. (B,L,D)
Jiaoshan Great Wall: About three kilometers north to Shanhaiguan Pass, locates the 519-meters peak of Jiaoshan which is flat and wide. Though relatively diminutive size, this is the first actual mountain where the Great Wall passes heading west, so it is known as "the First Mountain of the Great Wall".
Day 8/Beidaihe-Laoting
Drive to Laoting, and watch birds on the way. (B,L,D)
Day 9/Laoting
Bird watching in Xiangyundao Forest. Take 9:00 ferry to Happy Island for birding. 17:00 ferry back to the hotel. (B,L,D)
Xiangyundao Forest is located along the southeast coast of Laoting, covering an area of 36,000 mu. This ecological forest was entitled as National Forest Park in 1993. Besides the historic relics of Xiangyun Temple, Bandao Well, and watching tower, here, there are lush forest and many birds. Xiangyundao Forest is one of the international birding bases.
Happy Island, original named "Shijiu Tuo Island" or "Bodhi Island" by local people, but named "Happy Island" by Martin Williams who almost the founder of China birding, "Kuaile Dao" in Chinese, it is almost a pure paradise solely for birds and with title disturbance from tourists, only about 5 minutes ride on a small speedboat, although a tiny island, about 2kms long and 1kms wide, but it play important role that host to numerous migrating birds, mainly shuttling between Siberia and South China. The number species of birds in Happy Island almost the same as in Beidaihe due to its proximity to Beidaihe and their similar geographical conditions.
There are about 408 species of birds. 29 of them are resident, 379 of them are migrant birds.
Day10/Laoting
Bird watching in Xiangyundao Forest. (B,L,D)
Day11/Laoting
Bird watching in Xiangyundao Forest in the morning. Take 9:00 ferry to Happy Island for birding. 17:00 ferry back to the hotel. (B,L,D)
Day12/Laoting-Beidaihe
Bird watching in Xiangyundao Forest in the morning. Drive back to Beidaihe in the afternoon. (B,L,D)
Day13/Beidaihe
Bird watching in Beidaihe. (B,L,D)
Day14/Beidaihe
Bird watching in Beidaihe. (B,L,D)
Day15/Beidaihe-Beijing
Bird watching in Beidaihe in the morning. Take an afternoon train back to Beijing. Transfer to the hotel on arrival. (B,L,D)
Day16/Depart from Beijing
Transfer to the airport. TOUR ENDS! (B)
Note: B-Breakfast L-Lunch D-Dinner
