Pangot and Kilbury Bird Sanctuary
Pangot is a small village located on the way to Kilbury wildlife sanctuary in Kosiyakutoli tehsil of Nainital district in Uttarakhand. This place is very popular with wildlife and birding enthusiasts. It is situated at a height of 6510 feet; the temperature remains cool throughout the year and even colder in the winter months.
Kilbury is famous as birding route Developed as a splendid picnic spot in Nainital, Kilbury is definetly a bird watcher’s paradise. It is also the home of Naina Devi Himalayan Bird Reserve famous for number of birds species.
Pangot is like a remote Himalayan village rich in its flora and fauna. The place is located in the middle of mountains and a drive through this area is thrilling and exciting. There are about 580 different species of birds. The huge variety of birds is not the only attraction, the landscape that Pangot is situated amidst is the icing on the cake. The drive to this village passing through the forest area around the Naina Peak range is an extraordinary experience. The route is through the Eco Zone and Himalaya Darshan area, which is famous for its spectacular view of the great Himalayas, especially Mount Nanda Devi.
Brief About Pangot and Kilbury Bird Sanctuary
| Location | Pangot, Near Jeolikot, Nainital, Uttarakhand, 263002, India |
| Entry Fees | None |
| Timings | 6:00 am – 5:00 pm all days of the week |
| Best Time to visit | March to July is best but you can come throughout the year. |
| Highlights | Bird Watching, Trekking, Sightseeing |
| Exploration Time | 1 day |
Bird Species Available in Sanctuary
This Bird Sanctuary is home to a variety of birds and mammals. The most sighted birds among the wide variety of 580 are given below-
| Asian Barred Owlet | Asian Palm Swift | Brown-fronted Woodpecker | Black Francolin |
| Black Kite | Bearded Vulture/Lammergeier | Black-hooded Oriole | Black Drongo |
| Common Cuckoo | Cheer Pheasant | Common Hoopoe | Changeable Hawk-Eagle |
| Common Kestrel | Common Hawk-Cuckoo | Crested Serpent Eagle | Eurasian Jay |
| Eurasian Sparrow hawk | Egyptian Vulture | Emerald Dove | Eurasian Collared Dove |
| Grey-headed Woodpecker | Green Bee-eater | Grey-backed Shrike | Great Barbet |
| Grey-capped Pygmy | Greater Yellow-naped | Himalayan Griffon | Himalayan Woodpecker |
| Himalayan Quail | Himalayan Cuckoo | Indian White-backed Vulture | Indian Cuckoo |
| Indian Vulture | Indian Black Eagle | Kalij Pheasant | Little Swift |
| Large Hawk-Cuckoo | Large Cuckoo-shrike | Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo | Laughing Dove |
| Large-tailed Nightjar | Long-tailed Minivet | Large Woodshrike | Mountain Scops Owl |
| Maroon Oriole | Mountain Hawk-Eagle | Oriental Turtle Dove | Peregrine Falcon |
| Plum-headed Parakeet | Rock Dove | Rufous-bellied Woodpecker | Red-headed Vulture |
| Slaty-headed Parakeet | Spotted-necked Dove | Streak-throated Woodpecker | Stripe-breasted Woodpecker |
| Shikra | Scaly-bellied Woodpecker | White-throated Kingfisher | Woodpecker |
| Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon | Dollarbird |
|
Mammals –
Pangot and Kilbury Bird Sanctuary are also home to various mammals whose natural habitat is the hills of Kumaon. Some of these- leopards, Himalayan palm civet, yellow-throated Himalayan martens, ghoral, barking deer, sambar.
Useful tips while travelling to Pangot and Kilbury Bird Sanctuary Nainital
- Wear light colored clothes. This camouflages you in nature and does not scare the birds.
- Carry suitable woolen clothes for all seasons as the weather is always cold.
- Carry your camera to click the pictures of rare birds.
- Always carry a water bottle to stay hydrated. Also carry some eatables while trekking
- Carry Binoculars to see the species near and clear.
- There is no mobile network inside the forest so it is advisable to carry a whistle with you to alert the guards in case of emergency.
- Wearing sports shoes would be easy for you if you want to do trekking or for long walk.
- Don’t go after 3:00 pm as it becomes dark and lonely.
Things to do in or near Pangot and Kilbury Bird Sanctuary
- Bird Watching – Pangot is known for the myriad species of birds that live in the area. There are both migratory and resident birds. Over 500 species of birds have been recorded at Pangot including Himalayan griffon, blue-winged minella, khalij peasant and lammergeier.
- Trekking – Pangot has quite a few trekking/hiking trails for the adventurous that lead through lush forests over the ridge and down the valley. There is a popular trekking trail that leads from Pangot to Naina Peak.
- Camping – Camping is another activity worth exploring in Pangot. Camping on a starry night with your family and friends in front of the campfire is a really cool way to relax and unwind in the lap of nature.
- Shopping/Dining – There are lots of Restaurant which offers you a variety of foods and do not miss their local cuisine.
- Photography –There are stunning landscapes and rich birdlife. If you love photography, you’ll definitely enjoy capturing the beauty of this place.
Best Treks in Pangot
- Pangot to Corbett trek: The trek starts from Pangot and goes through the Corbett National Park, and takes around 5-6 days to complete and offers stunning views of the Himalayas.
- Nainital Betalghat Trek: This trek starts from Nainital and goes through Betalghat. It is relatively Easy trek and can be completed in 2-3 days.. This trek passes through dense forests and offers great views of the surrounding hills.
- Binsar Trek: The trek starts from Binsar and can be completed in 2-3 days. This trek offers panoramic views of the Himalayas and leads you through forests and meadows.
- Kilbury Trek: The trek starts from Pangot and goes through the sanctuary, and can be completed in a day. It offers great opportunities for trekking and birdwatching.
- Kainchi Dham Trek: The trek starts from Nainital and goes to Kainchi Dham near Pangot and can be completed in a day.
Entry Fees for Bird Sanctuary
There is no Entry Fees for bird Sanctuary.
Timings
The sanctuary remains open on all days of the week before the sunsets.
Best Time to visit Pangot and Kilbury Bird Sanctuary
The best time to visit the sanctuary is during summers i.e. in March, April, May and June. The beauty of the place adds to the beauty during that season and apart from this, the weather is also much more pleasant. For a family trip, summers are the best season. For a romantic vacation, you can enjoy to the fullest in winters. When it snows in winter , it rains as a romance.
Weather in Pangot and Kilbury Bird Sanctuary
Summer- In Summer weather is calm and pleasant. In day the temperature rise up to 26 degrees but in night it drops down to 12 degrees.
Winter – There is an average temperature of 5 degrees in winter. After February the temperature starts to rise.
Snowfall – During the months of December and January, there is snowfall. Snowfall starts from the Mid or late December and lasts till January.
How To Reach
By Road:- The sanctuary is located at a distance of 13km from the Nainital City which can be reached by self-driving or hiring a taxi cab. For first-timers, it is best advised to book a private cab for a hassle free ride around Nainital. Both AC and Non AC buses are available from Delhi to Nainital.
By Train:- Kathgodam Railway station is the nearest railway station which is about 20 km from the Pangot and Kilbury Sanctuary. There is an abundance of bus and taxi service from the railway station to the sanctuary.
By Air:- Pantnagar Airport is the nearest airport which is around 95 km from the Pangot and Kilbury Bird Sanctuary. You can hire a private or shared taxi from the airport which will take around 2 to 3 hours to reach the sanctuary.
Near By Attractions
- Mall Road, Nainital which offers a splendid view of the Naini lake is Around 13 km away.
- Naina Devi Temple – The temple is one of the 51 shaktipeeths in the country and holds a great mythological significance. The temple welcomes thousands of devotees every year and a special festival is organized during Nanda Ashtami which falls in the month of August-September.
- Eco Cave Gardens – The caves are formed in the shape of animals depicting the natural habitat of the wildlife in the Kumaon region
- Tiffin Top – 14 km away
- Snow View Point , Naini Peak- 17 km away
- Raj Bhawan or Governor House – Visit one of the oldest Golf Courses in the country and it is 18 km away.
- Nainital Zoo
- Aerial Ropeway which takes you from Mall Road to the Snow View Point. The 3-minute ride gives you a birds-eye view of the Nainital city and the Naini lake.
Pangot and Kilbury Bird Sanctuary Nainital Address:
Pangot, Near Jeolikot, Nainital, Uttarakhand, 263002, India
NOTE:- In this article, we cover all the important details regarding Pangot and Kilbury Bird Sanctuary like the best time to visit and Activities you can do in Pangot and Bird Sanctuary, Still If you have any other queries you can visit the gov official website of Uttarakhand Tourism. And If you want to know the best places to visit in Uttarakhand then visit our website uttarakhandeyes.com.
