Iran Birding Tour

Upon your arrival at Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKA), our friendly tour guide will meet and welcome you. You'll then be transferred to your hotel for a well-deserved rest.

Overnight Stay: Tehran

Today, we’ll drive up the arid, south-facing slopes of the Alborz Mountains, ascending almost to the snow line before descending through lush northern forests toward the densely populated rice fields along the Caspian Sea, which lies 26 meters below sea level. Along the way, we’re likely to encounter some of northern Iran’s common bird species, including Common Kestrel, Common Swift, European Bee-eater, European Roller, Eurasian Hoopoe, White Wagtail, Cetti’s Warbler, Eurasian Magpie, Rook, and Carrion Crow. As we descend into the lowlands, we'll begin exploring the verdant Caspian forest. Our journey concludes in Chalus, a charming resort town on the Caspian coast, where we’ll spend the next three nights.

Overnight Stay: Chalus

Our first full day on the Caspian coast takes us to the Chalus Area, a vast reserve on the north slopes of the Alborz Mountains. This diverse landscape features patches of forest, scrubby secondary growth, and charming farmland with small fields and hedgerows, reminiscent of the English countryside.

Bird enthusiasts can look forward to spotting species such as Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, and Common Pheasant (in its native habitat), along with Common Cuckoo, European Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Wood Lark, European Robin, Common Stonechat, Common Redstart, and Mistle Thrush. Other possible sightings include Blackcap, Spotted Flycatcher, Coal, Blue, and Long-tailed Tits, Eurasian Nuthatch, and Eurasian Jay.

Additionally, we may encounter European Honey Buzzard, Eurasian Hobby, Common Quail, European Scops Owl, Red-backed Shrike, Common Rosefinch, Black-headed, and Corn Buntings.

The highlight of this birding adventure is the rare Caspian (Hyrcanian) Tit, a species recently split from the Sombre Tit and endemic to the Caspian forest zone. Spotting this elusive bird requires patience and keen observation among mixed feeding flocks.

Overnight Stay: Chalus

Today, we will drive east through the Caspian lowlands to Gorgan for an overnight stay. Along the way, we’ll take a short detour to visit the Miankaleh Wildlife Refuge, located at the southeast corner of the Caspian Sea. This serene spot features a reed-fringed lake, where we may spot Black-Headed Penduline Tits, Western Marsh Harriers, Common Kingfishers, and a variety of warblers, including Moustached, European Reed, and Great Reed Warblers.

We’ll also explore part of the Miankaleh Peninsula, a 60km stretch of sand dunes and pomegranate scrub, which separates the Caspian Sea from Gorgan Bay. Known for its large concentrations of waterbirds in winter, this reserve remains rich with birdlife, including Black-necked Grebes, Great Cormorants, Squacco Herons, Grey Herons, Eurasian Wigeons, Gadwalls, Eurasian Teals, Mallards, Northern Shovelers, Eurasian Coots, Black-winged Stilts, and Pied Avocets. Migrant waders and terns such as Whiskered and White-winged Terns are also present. If we’re lucky, we may even catch sight of a lingering White-tailed Eagle or a Pallas’s (or Great Black-headed) Gull.

In the morning, we’ll head north toward the Turkoman Steppes, the vast rolling plains to the east of the Caspian Sea. Here, we’ll visit a series of small lakes known for hosting Black-headed Penduline Tits.

The area is rich in birdlife, with possibilities including Little and Great Crested Grebes, Little Bitterns, Lesser Kestrels, Common Moorhens, Calandra and Lesser Short-toed Larks, Isabelline Wheatears, and Rosy Starlings (sometimes in large swirling flocks). We may also spot Eurasian Tree Sparrows and Red-headed Buntings, found at the western edge of their range.

Later, we’ll continue our journey south over the eastern Alborz Mountains, making our way into Iran’s arid interior for an overnight stay in Shahrud.

Along the way, we’ll stop at an area of montane steppe near the top of the divide. This region is home to Long-legged Buzzards, Bimaculated and Greater Short-toed Larks, Tawny Pipits, Pied and Finsch’s Wheatears, and Ortolan Buntings. As we descend to the northern rim of the Central Plateau, the landscape becomes increasingly arid.

Overnight: Local House

Iran’s largest wildlife reserve, the Touran Wildlife Refuge and Biosphere Reserve, is located at the northeastern edge of the vast Dasht-e-Kavir desert, approximately 150 km southeast of Shahrud.

Established in 1973 and covering an impressive 18,000 square kilometers, this expansive reserve protects a variety of semi-desert and desert habitats. From the Artemisia steppe in the arid foothills of the Alborz mountains to the bushy Zygophyllum steppe, sparse sand dunes, and barren stony plains, it encompasses a diverse range of ecosystems, eventually leading to the immense salt flats of the Dasht-e-Kavir desert in the south.

We’ll have nearly two full days to explore this remarkable area, with one night spent at the simple reserve headquarters in Delbar, near the northwestern edge of the reserve, and another night back in Shahrud.

Our main focus will be the highly localized Pleske’s Ground Jay, a member of a distinctive Central Asian corvid group and endemic to the eastern deserts of Iran. These birds thrive in areas dominated by Zygophyllum, a desert shrub that can reach two meters in height. We’ll watch for the ground jay perched atop a bush, calling loudly, or try to follow its swift movements as it dashes between the shrubs.

Overnight: Local House

Today, we will be on the lookout for a variety of birds that are characteristic of Iran’s central plateau. Among the species we may encounter are Egyptian Vulture, Cream-coloured Courser, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Bar-tailed Lark, Desert and Variable Wheatears, Asian Desert Warbler, the elusive Pale Rockfinch (also known as Pale Rock Sparrow), and Desert and Trumpeter Finches.

With a bit of luck, we may also spot the impressive Macqueen’s Bustard (a species recently split from the Houbara), which remains a fairly common breeding bird in this area. Vast numbers of migratory birds pass over Iran’s deserts during spring and autumn, and although most complete the journey in one swift hop, the lush vegetation around the small springs often attracts stragglers. We may see species like Eurasian Golden Oriole, Red-throated and Tree Pipits, Citrine and Yellow Wagtails (with interesting variations), Green and Willow Warblers, and Red-breasted Flycatchers. Larger migrants, such as Pallid Harrier and Steppe Eagle, may also stop for a rest in the reserve.

Touran is also one of the last remaining strongholds of the endangered Asiatic Wild Ass, or Onager, in Iran. Though their numbers have declined significantly in recent years, there is still a good chance we’ll catch sight of this remarkable species.

Overnight: Local House

Today, we will drive westward along the northern edge of the Dasht-e-Kavir towards Tehran. Along the way, we’ll make stops at promising locations to observe any migrant birds passing through the area.

Overnight: Tehran

Our tour guide will transfer you to Imam Khomeini International Airport in time for your flight.