Eaglenest - Arunachal Pradesh

The spectacular heights of the renowned Eaglenest nestle among the green mountains of Arunachal Pradesh, a hidden corner of India, where the stunning Bhutanitis ludlowii chooses to fly in the midst of the wet season. It will rain sometimes, but that is when we need to be there to see this remarkable species. In 2025 we managed to see it very well.

A tour with Hiroaki Takenouchi

Itinerary

Day 1     Arrival & transfer to West Kameng (24 August)

We will rendezvous at the New Delhi International Airport and take a very early morning flight to Guwahati, the capital of the State of Assam. We'll be met by our local guide and drivers at Guwahati Airport then immediately leave for our first destination in the West Kameng District, the westernmost district of the large state of Arunachal Pradesh. Today is a long transfer day and there will be no real chance for butterfly watching. We will drive through a changing and fascinating scenery, including crossing the great Brahmaputra River. The road condition permitting, we should arrive at our base accommodation in the early evening.

Days 2-4     Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary (25 – 27 August)

Here in the West Kameng mountains, our main target are the two species of Bhutanitis - B. lidderdalii and the almost mythical B. ludlowi. Both species are known from the mountain forests surrounding our base, but given the earlier emergence of Ludlow’s Bhutan glory, we will mostly focus on them over the first few days. Due to the highly unpredictable weather conditions in this region, we may have to play it by ear in deciding exactly what to do on any given day. If we manage to observe both Bhutanitis species well in the first few days, we could also visit some other sites beyond the camp’s vicinity. On the third day, we will drive to our second base, the world-famous Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary for overnight stay.

Days 5-6     Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary (28 – 29 August)

Here at Eaglenest, our main targets are still two species of Bhutanitis, but we should be coinciding with the fresh emergence of B. lidderdalii within the walking distance from our camp. It is worthwhile spending at least a day just walking around the camp. We can also visit Ludlow’s stronghold, some 15 km drive away towards the Eaglenest Pass (2,790m). Other gems at Eaglenest include a group of beautiful hairstreaks, the so-called Zephyruses. They are associated with the temperate oak forests and tend to be active very early in the morning. As India operates on one single time-zone, the daybreak in Arunachal - located at the eastern end of the country - is rather early. So, the Zephyruses can be seen flying already at around 5am on a sunny day. A walk around the camp before breakfast may reward us with their dazzling green shimmer.

After the nightfall, we will run the moth lamps at the camp (optional). This place has the most astonishing array of moths imaginable and just the sheer number of moths and other insects can be simply overwhelming.

Day 7     To Ziro (30 August)

This morning, we say goodbye to the beautiful Eaglenest mountains and drive 400km towards the town of Ziro, our third base and the unique home to the Apatani people. We should arrive in Ziro not long after nightfall and will transfer to a hotel in the town.

Day 8     Ziro (31 August)​

Today we will visit one or two forest locations in the surrounding areas of Ziro. The butterfly fauna here is different from that of Eaglenest and we should be able to find some lovely butterflies such as the blue duke, Bassarona durga, and the brown gorgon, Meandrusa lachinus. But we will be on our mission to find our third target here, Teinopalpus imperialis (the Kaiser-i-Hind). If we get lucky with the weather, we might see one puddling over the shallow flowing water. Overnight in Ziro.

Days 9-10     Talle Wildlife Sanctuary (1-2 September)

After breakfast in Ziro, we will drive to the Talle Wildlife Sanctuary. Before the sanctuary boundary, we have to change onto the 4WD vehicles to go over some uneven terrains. After arriving in the small valley where our next base – Pange Camp – is based, we will continue the search for Teinopalpus and there are Bhutanitis lidderdalii here too. We should be entertained by many other butterflies as well as the moths and beetles at nighttime. Look out for the recently-discovered Apatani glory, Elcysma ziroensis, a dayflying moth and a Bhutan glory mimic (!), that might make an appearance if we are very lucky (admittedly, it is quite rare so not many people have seen it). At the end of Day 10, we will descend from Talle back to the town of Ziro for our last night of the tour.

Day 11     Departure (3 September)

We leave Ziro after breakfast and make our way towards Itanagar Airport, several hours' drive away. The direct flight in the afternoon will take us back to New Delhi. We say goodbye at New Delhi Airport.