Naturalist & Birding – Day Experience

CAMP OVERVIEW

The Outback Experience is proud to present a family and kids special – Naturalist and Birding day long experience. This specially crafted one day camp is a perfect opportunity for aspiring birders to come and learn about the bird watching, bird photography and experience the best that nature has to offer at the same time.

The Outback Farm & Homestay, our own property on the edge of a gleaming lake, this is the perfect gateway to experiencing the joys of birding, wildlife tracking, angling and wildlife photography.  What’s better, with award-winning wildlife photographer Phillip Ross as your camp leader, you and your child are sure to have a fun-filled time getting to explore areas of Bannerghatta seldom visited by tourists.

The campsite is situated right on the fringes of the Bannerghatta National Park. This unique park, home to wild Asiatic elephants, boasts of being the world’s closest wilderness to a metropolis. The park is richly diverse and is also home to a tiger, leopards, wild dogs, sloth bears and an array of nocturnal wanderers including the rare honey badger or ratel in addition to more commonly sighted animals such as gaur, wild boar and various species of deer. The park is also a birdwatcher’s paradise, with over 150 species of bird, including the yellow-throated bulbul and rufous-bellied eagle. Be assured to sight at least 30 species within the property.

Enrol yourself for a family holiday like never before and watch your kids develop into budding young naturalists.

CAMP ITINERARY

DATE: Sunday, 12th February, 2023

Arrive by by 10 a.m. at the gorgeous campsite set by a lake in the forests – The Outback Farm & Homestay. After check-in, Phillip will introduce the property while you and your child enjoy a refreshing welcome drink and refreshments. Later we will get to know each other through a fun ice-breaking name game.

After the game, Phillip will talk to your child about ornithology and lead the group around the beautiful property to explore its avian wonders. We should come across at least 30 species over the couple of hours we spend birding.

We will also learn about camera trapping, and Phillip will teach you and your kids the perfect way to deploy one.

After working up an appetite, we’ll give in to the enticing smells coming in from the kitchen. Yes, lunch time has arrived and the chef reveals the delicacies prepared.

After a delicious lunch, Phillip will now give everyone a Masterclass on Wildlife Photography and help you learn to shoot great pictures, with even a smartphone.

After the photography learning session, we’ll embark to practice what we learnt on an exciting trek to a nearby hill and birdwatching trail from where we are treated to a panoramic view of the forests of Bannerghatta. From here, you and your child can witness an amazing sunset, click stunning landscape images and, if lucky, sight some of Bannerghatta’s wildlife in the valleys below. It’s a great place to spend the evening and a great opportunity for the children to learn how to identify and study the diverse birdlife and how to approach birds without disturbing them. We return to the campsite for a steaming hot beverage and some refreshments while Phillip helps put together the bird checklist and talk about wildlife conservation and the steps we can take in order to make a change.

Finally, since all good things come to an end, we bid farewell to beautiful Bannerghatta. On the way back, we reminisce about all the highlights of the day-long camp and return to the city with the memory of a leisurely day well spent.