The Biggest Year – The official first half year itinerary…
All right…. Many people asked me to give an update regarding my Biggest Year Itinerary, especially on Bird Forum…
So here is my first half year itinerary!
I’ll keep my Australia/Papua/NZ itinerary and my second half year a secret for now… However I can give a hint: I have included 21 countries in my second half year… 17 of these countries are in the Americas and 4 countries in 5 days time will be spend in Europe!
For your info my good friend and fanatic birder Max van Waasdijk will be traveling with me until my final day in Papua.
| 1-Jan-16 | Netherlands | Big Day Delta (Rinse vd Vliet and Vincent vd Spek) |
| 2-Jan-16 | Emirates | Birding around Dubai/Abu Dhabi (Mike Barth/Tommy Pedersen) |
| 3-Jan-16 | Emirates | Birding around Dubai/Abu Dhabi (Mike Barth/Tommy Pedersen) |
| 4-Jan-16 | Sri Lanka | Full on endemic/specialties/migrant round trip with Jetwing travels |
| 5-Jan-16 | Sri Lanka | Full on endemic/specialties/migrant round trip with Jetwing travels |
| 6-Jan-16 | Sri Lanka | Full on endemic/specialties/migrant round trip with Jetwing travels |
| 7-Jan-16 | Sri Lanka | Full on endemic/specialties/migrant round trip with Jetwing travels |
| 8-Jan-16 | Sri Lanka | Full on endemic/specialties/migrant round trip with Jetwing travels |
| 9-Jan-16 | India-Delhi | Sultanpur (with Vikram Singh) and Sander Smit |
| 10-Jan-16 | India-Delhi | Pangot (with Vikram Singh) |
| 11-Jan-16 | India-Delhi | Corbett (with Vikram Singh) |
| 12-Jan-16 | India-Delhi | Corbett (with Vikram Singh) |
| 13-Jan-16 | India-Delhi | Chambal (with Vikram Singh) |
| 14-Jan-16 | India-Delhi | Keoladeo (with Vikram Singh) |
| 15-Jan-16 | India-Delhi | Arrive Guwahati and Drive to Nameri Eco Camp |
| 16-Jan-16 | India-Northeast | AM birding at Nameri National Park and drive to Lama Camp Eaglesnest (with Peter Lobo) and Sander Smit/Arnoud Postema) |
| 17-Jan-16 | India-Northeast | Am and PM birding at Lama Camp and drive to Bonpu camp for overnight stay |
| 18-Jan-16 | India-Northeast | Bonpu Camp and surrounding |
| 19-Jan-16 | India-Northeast | Bonpu Camp and surrounding |
| 20-Jan-16 | India-Northeast | Bonpu Camp to Dirang |
| 21-Jan-16 | India-Northeast | Dirang Sela Pass- Dirang |
| 22-Jan-16 | India-Northeast | Dirang to kaziranga |
| 23-Jan-16 | India-Northeast | kaziranga |
| 24-Jan-16 | India-Northeast | Morning safari Kaziranga and drive to Upper Assam- Tinsukhia |
| 25-Jan-16 | India-Northeast | Mishmin hills |
| 26-Jan-16 | India-Northeast | Mishmin |
| 27-Jan-16 | India-Northeast | Mishmin |
| 28-Jan-16 | India-Northeast | Mishmi Hills to Tinsukhia |
| 29-Jan-16 | India-Northeast | Dibru- Saikhowa National Park |
| 30-Jan-16 | India-Northeast | Digboi oilfields and Depart to Dibrugarh Airport for onwards flight |
| 31-Jan-16 | Thailand | Laem Bak/Pak Thale – Kaeng Krachan (organized by Brian Hewitt www.thaibirdspot.com) |
| 1-Feb-16 | Thailand | Kaeng Krachan -> flight Chiang Mai |
| 2-Feb-16 | Thailand | Doi Lang |
| 3-Feb-16 | Thailand | Doi Lang |
| 4-Feb-16 | Thailand | Doi Lang–> morning fields -> flight Bangkok |
| 5-Feb-16 | Thailand | Kao Yai |
| 6-Feb-16 | Thailand | Kao Yai |
| 7-Feb-16 | Thailand | Morning Kao Yai–>Bankok–>Malaysia |
| 8-Feb-16 | West-Malaysia | To Fraser’s Hill (With Sander Bot and Jelmer Poelstra) |
| 9-Feb-16 | West-Malaysia | Fraser’s Hill to the Gap to Taman Negara (Merapoh) |
| 10-Feb-16 | West-Malaysia | Taman Negara (Merapoh) |
| 11-Feb-16 | West-Malaysia | Taman Negara (Kuala Tahan) |
| 12-Feb-16 | West-Malaysia | Taman Negara (Kuala Tahan) |
| 13-Feb-16 | East-Malaysia | Rafflesia Centre – Mt. Kinabalu (with Sander Bot and Jelmer Poelstra) |
| 14-Feb-16 | East-Malaysia | Mt. Kinabalu |
| 15-Feb-16 | East-Malaysia | Mt. Kinabalu to Kinabantangan |
| 16-Feb-16 | East-Malaysia | Kinabatangan |
| 17-Feb-16 | East-Malaysia | Kinabatangan – Comantong-Danum |
| 18-Feb-16 | East-Malaysia | Danum |
| 19-Feb-16 | East-Malaysia | Danum |
| 20-Feb-16 | East-Malaysia | Danum – Sandakan – Davao |
| 21-Feb-16 | Mindanao | Eden/Compostella valey (itinerary by Peter Simpson) |
| 22-Feb-16 | Mindanao | Eden/Compostella valey (itinerary by Peter Simpson) |
| 23-Feb-16 | Mindanao | PICOP with Zardo Goring |
| 24-Feb-16 | Mindanao | Picop |
| 25-Feb-16 | Luzon | Subic Bay with Bram Demeulemeester |
| 26-Feb-16 | Luzon | Subic Bay |
| 27-Feb-16 | Luzion | La mesa |
| 28-Feb-16 | Palawan | With Rommel Cruz |
| 29-Feb-16 | Palawan | With Rommel Cruz |
| 1-Mar-16 | Palawan | With Rommel Cruz |
| 2-Mar-16 | Java | Jakarta Bay – Mt. Gede (with Khaleb Jordan) |
| 3-Mar-16 | Java | Mt. Gede |
| 4-Mar-16 | Java | Mt. Gede |
| 5-Mar-16 | Sulawesi | Paneki forest – Lore Lindu (with Nurlin Djuni of Malia Tours) |
| 6-Mar-16 | Sulawesi | Lore Lindu |
| 7-Mar-16 | Sulawesi | Lore Lindu – Paneki -Makassar |
| 8-Mar-16 | Sulawesi | Makassar |
| 9-Mar-16 | Sulawesi | Makassar-Jakarta –Port Moresby |
| 10-Mar-16 | Papua | |
| 11-Mar-16 | Papua | |
| 12-Mar-16 | Papua | |
| 13-Mar-16 | Papua | |
| 14-Mar-16 | Papua | |
| 15-Mar-16 | Papua | |
| 16-Mar-16 | Papua | |
| 17-Mar-16 | Papua | |
| 18-Mar-16 | Papua | |
| 19-Mar-16 | Papua | |
| 20-Mar-16 | Australia | |
| 21-Mar-16 | Australia | |
| 22-Mar-16 | Australia | |
| 23-Mar-16 | Australia | |
| 24-Mar-16 | Australia | |
| 25-Mar-16 | Australia | |
| 26-Mar-16 | Australia | |
| 27-Mar-16 | Australia | |
| 28-Mar-16 | New Zealand | |
| 29-Mar-16 | New Zealand | |
| 30-Mar-16 | Australia | |
| 31-Mar-16 | Australia | |
| 1-Apr-16 | Netherlands | Birding The Hague dunes |
| 2-Apr-16 | Netherlands | Ardennen big day à Paris à ovda |
| 3-Apr-16 | Israel | Eilat big day with Gert Ottens |
| 4-Apr-16 | Israel | Eilat big day with Gert Ottens |
| 5-Apr-16 | Ethiopia | Eilat-Tel aviv -flight to Ethiopia |
| 6-Apr-16 | Ethiopia | Sululta Plain, Portuguese Bridge and Debre Libanos (with birding Abyssinia, Merid N. Gabremichael) |
| 7-Apr-16 | Ethiopia | Portuguese Bridge to Jemmu Valley |
| 8-Apr-16 | Ethiopia | Jemmu Valley to Addis |
| 9-Apr-16 | Ethiopia | Addis to Lake Awassa |
| 10-Apr-16 | Ethiopia | Lake Awassa to Wondo Genet |
| 11-Apr-16 | Ethiopia | Wondo Gent to Bale |
| 12-Apr-16 | Ethiopia | Bale |
| 13-Apr-16 | Ethiopia | Full day drive back to Addis and flight to Kenya |
| 14-Apr-16 | Kenya | Drive to Mt Kenya and Mt. Kenya NP (with Jseph Aengwo, Zareck Cockar and Ethan Kistler) |
| 15-Apr-16 | Kenya | Drive to Shaba and Shaba/Smaburu NR |
| 16-Apr-16 | Kenya | Shaba/Samburu NR |
| 17-Apr-16 | Kenya | Drive to Lake Nakuru NP |
| 18-Apr-16 | Kenya | Lake Nakuru NP |
| 19-Apr-16 | Kenya | Drive to Lake Baringo an Lake Baringo |
| 20-Apr-16 | Kenya | Lake Baringo to Kakamega |
| 21-Apr-16 | Kenya | Drive to the Maasai Mara |
| 22-Apr-16 | Kenya | Maasai Mara |
| 23-Apr-16 | Kenya | Drive to Nairobi, Gatamaiyu and Kinangop |
| 24-Apr-16 | Kenya | Drive to Tsavo West |
| 25-Apr-16 | Kenya | Tsavo West and Taita Hills |
| 26-Apr-16 | Kenya | Tsavo East and Drive to Arabuko Sokoke Forest |
| 27-Apr-16 | Kenya | Arabuko Sokoke Forest |
| 28-Apr-16 | Kenya | Arabuko Sokoke Forest |
| 29-Apr-16 | Kenya | Drive to Nairobi for flight to Uganda |
| 30-Apr-16 | Uganda | Arrival in Uganda/Mabamba Swamp (with Rob Gordijn, Helen Rijkes and Wouter van Pelt) |
| 1-May-16 | Uganda | Entebee to Budongo |
| 2-May-16 | Uganda | Budongo/Royal Mile |
| 3-May-16 | Uganda | Murchision |
| 4-May-16 | Uganda | Drive to Kibale |
| 5-May-16 | Uganda | Kibale |
| 6-May-16 | Uganda | Drive to Bwindi |
| 7-May-16 | Tanzania | Bhuhoma |
| 8-May-16 | Tanzania | Ruhija |
| 9-May-16 | Tanzania | Drive to Entebbe for flight to Nairobi |
| 10-May-16 | Tanzania | Drive to Arusha (with Stratton Hatfield) |
| 11-May-16 | Tanzania | Arusha to Eastern Usambarus |
| 12-May-16 | Tanzania | Usambarus |
| 13-May-16 | Tanzania | Usambarus |
| 14-May-16 | Tanzania | kilombero |
| 15-May-16 | Tanzania | kilombero |
| 16-May-16 | Tanzania | Drive to Arusha for flight to Nairobi/Lilongwe |
| 17-May-16 | Madagascar | Flight to Antanarivo |
| 18-May-16 | Madagascar | Perinet |
| 19-May-16 | Madagascar | Perinet |
| 20-May-16 | Madagascar | ? |
| 21-May-16 | Madagascar | ? |
| 22-May-16 | Malawi | Arrival in Lilongwe/Drive to Dzalanyama |
| 23-May-16 | Malawi | Dzalanyama (with Rogier Karskens) |
| 24-May-16 | Malawi | Drive to Liwonde |
| 25-May-16 | Malawi | Liwonde National Park |
| 26-May-16 | Malawi | Drive to Zomba |
| 27-May-16 | Malawi | Zomba Plateau |
| 28-May-16 | Malawi | Zomba to Blantyre for flight to Joburg |
| 29-May-16 | South Africa | Nielsvlei and Polokwane (with Ethan Kistler and Camilla Dreef) |
| 30-May-16 | South Africa | Polokwane, Magoeboskloof and Hoedspruit |
| 31-May-16 | South Africa | Hoedspruit, Satara, and Skukuza |
| 1-Jun-16 | South Africa | Skukuza and Wakkerstroom |
| 2-Jun-16 | South Africa | Wakkerstroom |
| 3-Jun-16 | South Africa | Wakkerstroom and Mkhuze |
| 4-Jun-16 | South Africa | Mkhuze and drive in the evening to St Lucia |
| 5-Jun-16 | South Africa | St Lucia and drive in the evening to Dlinza |
| 6-Jun-16 | South Africa | Dlinza and Drive to Creighton |
| 7-Jun-16 | South Africa | Sani Pass |
| 8-Jun-16 | South Africa | Creighton |
| 9-Jun-16 | South Africa | Creighton,Durban and flight to Cape Town |
| 10-Jun-16 | South Africa | Cape Town Specials and drive to Tankwa Karoo |
| 11-Jun-16 | South Africa | Tankwa Karoo |
| 12-Jun-16 | South Africa | Tankwa Karoo, Gyto Pass, Bainskloof Pass and Cape Town |
| 13-Jun-16 | South Africa | Pelagic Trip |
| 14-Jun-16 | South Africa | West Coast NP |
| 15-Jun-16 | South Africa | Cape Town Specials and Agulhas/De Hoop Loop |
| 16-Jun-16 | South Africa | Cape Town and Flight to Ghana |
| 17-Jun-16 | Ghana | SHAI HILLS TO WINNEBA PLAINS AND CAPE (with Kalu Afasi) |
| 18-Jun-16 | Ghana | KAKUM NATIONAL PARK |
| 19-Jun-16 | Ghana | SUSHEN AND ANKASA FOREST |
| 20-Jun-16 | Ghana | ANKASA FOREST AND BRENU BEACH |
| 21-Jun-16 | Ghana | ABOABO AND PICATHERTES |
| 22-Jun-16 | Ghana | NEW EDUBIASE FOREST AND BOBIRI FOREST |
| 23-Jun-16 | Ghana | OPURO FOREST , E MOLE NATIONAL PARK |
| 24-Jun-16 | Ghana | MOLE NP , EGYPTIAN PLOVER AND MOLE |
| 25-Jun-16 | Ghana | Mole |
| 26-Jun-16 | Ghana | MOLE TO BOBIRI FOREST |
| 27-Jun-16 | Ghana | BOBIRI FOREST AND ATEWA FOREST |
| 28-Jun-16 | Ghana | ATEWA FOREST |
| 29-Jun-16 | Ghana | Flight – Casablanca – Netherlands |
