Camp Milieu- A Birding Paradise

Activities
While staying at Camp Milieu; do not miss out the chances of:
• Bird Watching
• Adventure Activities
• Nature Walks
• Photography
• Mountain Treks
• Craft Workshops
• Nature/Environmental Workshops
• Boating in Lakes
• Visiting Temples and Other Historical Landmarks
• Site seeing in towns
• Shopping especially from the artisans or their co-operatives directly

Educational Tours
Students will be the future leaders of our quest to conserve and preserve our rich natural heritage. Keeping this important aspect in mind, we at Camp Milieu don’t just organise picnic tours for students, but offer tours in which students learn the importance of our natural resources and the need and means of conserving them. During these tours we focuses on the following:
1. Birding
2. Wildlife Tracking
3. Use of GPS tools
4. Identification and use of Wild Plants
5. Rural Lifestyle
6. Organic Farming
7. Personality Development
8. Leadership Exercises
For a detailed itinerary please send us a query.

Birding Tours
India is home to about 1268 species of birds which accounts for about 14% of the total bird species found in the world. Out of these 1268 species more than 625 species are known to occur in Uttarakhand. 64 of a total of 107 bird families recorded in India are found in Uttarakhand. The diversity and turnover of bird species is very high in Uttarakhand, providing us with the opportunity to see many species in short period of time.

Important Birding Zones
a. Kaladhungi, Ghatgarh and Mangoli
Covering an altitudinal range of 400 to 1300 meters, this zone is a birding heaven. Birds remain active round the year in this zone. Moist deciduous Sal forest is the dominant forest cover of this zone along with Pine and Oak in some stretches. Some of the important birds of this zone are as follows:
Long Tailed Broadbill, Red Billed Blue Magpie, Grey Winged Black Bird, Grey Treepie, Black Headed Jay, Orange Bellied Leafbird, Great Barbet, Russet Sparrow, Fire Tailed Sunbird, Black Throated Tit, Fire Caped Tit, Great Slaty Woodpecker, Siberian Rubythroat, Blue Throat, Verditer Flycatcher, Oriental Pied Hornbill, Black Crested Bulbul, Golden Fronted Leafbird, Rufous Woodpecker, Blue Bearded Bee Eater, Crested Kingfisher, Sirkeer Malkoha, Crimson Sunbird, Rufous Bellied Niltava, Grey Headed Canary Flycatcher

b. Kilburry, Pangot and Kunjakharak
This zone is situated across an altitudinal range of 2000 meters to 2400 meters. This zone is full of different varieties of Oak, Cedar, Pine and Rhododendron trees. Some of the key bird species of the area are:
Cheer Pheasant, Koklass Pheasant, Lammergeier, Hill Partridge, White Crested Laughingthrush, Striated Prinia, Eurasian Jay, Common Rose Finch, Pink Browed Rose Finch, Fire Fronted Serin, Altai Accentor, Rufous Breasted Accentor, White Collard Black Bird, Spotted Forktail, Himalayan Woodpecker, Chestnut Bellied Rock Thrush, Brown Dipper, Chestnut Crowned Laughingthrush

c. Sat Tal
Sat Tal is a group of seven lakes situated amidst dense Oak forest. This area is full of water, shrubs and trees. This area is famous for altitudinal migrants. Some of important bird species of the area are:
Long Billed Thrush, Rock Bunting, White-Caped Bunting, Green Tailed Sunbird, Himalayan Griffon, Blue Rock Thrush, Slaty Backed Forktail, Grey Backed Forktail, Small Niltava, Whiskered Yuhina, Black Chinned Yuhina, Rufous Sibia, Rusty Cheeked Scimitar Babbler, Nepal Wren Babbler, Scaly Breasted Wren Babbler

For a detailed itinerary please send us a query.

Nature Treks
From enjoying soul rejuvenating bird songs to exploring miles of untouched forests, from tracking the pug-marks of a tiger to chasing deer in the grasslands, you will experience the wondrous and beautiful bounties of nature all around our Camp. Dense Saal forest, winding water bodies, Deer, Tigers, Leopards, Reptiles, Birds, Camp Milieu offers all of this and more. A trip here will bring you close to nature, and give you a once-in-a-lifetime experience of nature at its purest.

Some important nature trails of this area are:
1. Corbett’s Path: This trek spans about 07 kms of dense mixed forest. These 07 kms are full of birds and mammals as well as some reptiles. This trail is a part of the old pony road which was the only access route to Nainital from the plains, during the time of the British. Jim Corbett and his family members used to follow this pathway to commute between Nainital and Kaladhungi.
2. Ghatgarh Water Fall Trail: This beautiful water fall is situated in the middle of a dense Sal forest. This trail covers a total distance of about 04 kms (to and fro) from the main road. This area is full of barbets, tits and many other beautiful and exotic birds.
3. Ghatgarh Village Walk: This small hamlet is situated at an altitude of 1050 meters from MSL. This trail covers about 02 kms. During this 02 kilometre walk, you will experience daily routine life of the Kumaoni people, learn about the agricultural practices in the area and the culture and ethos of the region. A delightful treat of freshly made yoghurt also awaits in some of the village houses.
4. Brahm Booboo Trail: This approximately an 08 km trek through a dense forest of Saal, Teak, Haldu, Kanju etc. in Shivalik range, provides an exquisite experience to all those who love nature, birds and wildlife.
5. Baur Canal Trail: The Baur river flows from one side of Kaladhungi, and a prominent canal which withdraws water from this River, has been named the Baur Canal. This historical canal was built by Sir Henry Ramsay (then Commissioner of Kumaon) in 1860 for cooling iron at the Kumaon Iron Works. It is an engineering marvel, running over a stretch of 8.6 kms and irrigates about 40 villages of this region.
This beautiful canal has several interesting features. At times it goes underground while over ground as a stream at other places. It has small ghats (bathing places) made all along and has three panchakki (water-driven flour mills) along it. A walk along the canal amidst Sal and Semal trees is a mesmerizing experience.

For a detailed itinerary please send us a query.

Corbett Park Safari
The Corbett National Park has captured the imagination of many with its diverse wildlife and breathtaking landscapes. It natural richness, diverse flora and fauna and uniqueness as an area of natural heritage was recognised long ago, and it was away back in 1936, that Corbett attained the distinction of being the first national park to be established in mainland Asia.

The Corbett National Park lies across two districts, Nainital and Pauri, in the hill state of Uttarakhand in Northern India. It covers an area of 521 sq. km and together with the neighbouring Sonanadi Wildlife Sanctuary and Reserve Forest areas, forms the Corbett Tiger Reserve of over 1,288 sq. km.

Its geographical location between the Himalayas and the terai, and the streams, rivers and ridges crisscrossing the terrain, have adorned Corbett with a remarkable variety of landscapes. This vivid mosaic of habitats – wet and dry, plain and mountainous, gentle and rugged, forests and grasslands – supports uncountable plant and animal species, representing Himalayan as well as plains varieties. The most famous of Corbett’s wild residents are the Royal Bengal Tiger and the Asiatic Elephant, but with about 600 species of avifauna Corbett is also one of the richest bird regions of India.

There are three different zones in Corbett Tiger Reserve for day visits:
1. Bijrani Zone (1st October to 30th June)
2. Jhirna Zone (Round the Year except heavy rains)
3. Durgadevi Zone (1st October to 30th June)

Safari
Half Day Gypsy Safari: One in the morning and one in the evening. The morning safari usually starts at sunrise and lasts for 04 hours and the evening safari starts 04 hours before sunset and lasts till sunset. The half day gypsy safari is available in the Bijrani, Jhirna and Durgadevi zones only.

Requirement for Safari Booking
a. For Indians
1. Name, age and gender of all members
2. Photo identity proof (PAN/DL/Passport/Voter ID) number of one person per 06 members and carry same ID proof at the time of safari. Permission will not be granted without ID proof.
b. For Foreigners
1. Name, age and gender of all members
2. Passport number of one person per 06 members and carry same ID proof at the time of safari. Permission will not be granted without ID proof.
Notes
1. For confirmed booking of safari, please book at least one month in advance.
2. Maximum 06 people are allowed in a gypsy.

Instant Gypsy Safari
The Instant Gypsy Safari option is possible only in the Sitavani area of the Ramnagar Forest Division, which is adjacent to the Corbett Tiger Reserve. Sitavani has a rich biodiversity encompassing almost all the wildlife found in the Corbett Tiger Reserve, and also has a Sita temple of great historical importance.

Click here to Book a Safari

Places of Interest
You may feast your eyes with the beauty of any/all of the following, while staying at Camp Milieu:
• Sarita Tal
• Khurpa Tal
• Nainital
• Bhimtal
• Naukuchiatal
• Sat Tal
• Pangot
• Kilburry
• Kunjakharak
• Corbett Tiger Reserve
• Jim Corbett Museum
• Ghatgarh Water Fall
• Corbett Water Fall
• Ladhuagaar Water Fall
• Barati Rau Water Fall
• Baur Reservoir