Campus Contours Trail

Route: This route starts at the main gate and goes towards the staff quarters in a route parallel to the main barricade road, but inside campus. Turning around the residences and passing Hostel-2, you head behind the offices and labs in IB-1 and IB-3 and into the back of the canteen. You then head right towards the extreme end (diagonally opposite from the main gate) which is a good spot for birds. Then, you retrace your path a little, head towards the basketball court and turn towards the front of IB-3. From here you follow the road to the MRI building and turn to follow the path back to the main gate.

Attractions: A simple 1.5km walk that takes you along the contours of the institute while keeping you within the confines of familiar environment. The path lets you peek into the jungle from a distance, and also lets you take in the variety of trees and bushes on campus that attracts a large range of birds. The dense foliage in front of IB-3 attracts many bulbuls, redstarts, barbets, red-wattled lapwing, doves, green pigeons, parakeets, baya weavers and many more.

Water Spots Trail

Route: This route starts at the main gate and goes via a clear path through the heart of the jungle to a little pond. Moving out onto the road, you cross a long drain with a small marsh on either side that is another great spot for birds. You then cut back into the jungle, head to the pond near NBRC and finally follow the path to reappear just behind Monu's shop and back at the main gate again!

Attractions: A wonderful 1.6km walk that maximizes your chances of spotting water birds and gives you a view of the jungle as well. This trail covers three main water-body spots that are great locations for birds to quench their thirst and cool off in the summer heat. The two ponds that you cross on this trail gives you the opportunity to see birds like the black-winged stilt, sandpipers, white-breasted waterhen and common moorhens. The drain is great for warblers, blue throats and other small birds as well.

Nainwal Explorer Trail

Route: This route begins at the main gate and goes from inside NBRC, past the basketball court, over the fence and into the strawberry fields behind. Following the track leads you to the mustard and corn fields. A left at a crossroad takes you into the nearby town of Nainwal, past the houses and into the fields behind. Finally the route circles back to the main Nainwal road that returns to the NBRC barricade. The final stretch is the barricade road that takes you back to the main gate again!

Attractions: A long walk (took me about 2 hours with many birding stops) of 4.0km. Gives you a glimpse of the houses and fields of Nainwal and the chance to see moorhens, stilts, prinias, babblers, robins and a whole host of other birds.

Barricade Trail

Route: This route starts at the main gate and goes up to the barricade. On the return, a small chink in the barbed-wire fencing gives you an opportunity to take a shorter route back, through the jungle. There is a clear path to follow, keeping the barricade route to your right, before you reappear just behind Monu's shop and back at the main gate again!

Attractions: A quick walk (took me 12 minutes at a leisurely pace) of 1.2km. The walk to the barricade in itself gives you wonderful sightings of birds such as the Indian Robin, Magpie Robin, Babblers, Sunbirds etc. This route is extremely simple and is a sure shot way of spotting birds. Spend an hour sitting at the shop, and I guarantee spotting atleast 15 different birds! The return journey gives you a glimpse of the forest and the chance to see some introverted birds and nilgai too!

Enchanted Forest Trail

Route: This route starts at the main gate and turns left at the second bridge, along the slope and into the jungle through a small chink in the barbed-wire fencing. The circuitous route takes you along the borders of the jungle, parallel to the main highway and back to the bridge. Instead of climbing back up onto the barricade road, you pass under the bridge and into the jungle on the other side, following which you follow clear paths until you reappear just behind Monu's shop and back at the main gate again!

Attractions: A slightly arduous walk of 2.0km that lets you explore the jungles on either side of the barricade road. The main jungle explored (to the left) has been a consistent home to the bay-backed shrike! Birds that have also been spotted here include the red turtle dove, spotted owlet, oriental honey buzzard, yellow-footed green pigeons, white-browed fantail and the regular birds such as the Indian robin, green bee-eaters etc.