The 13-days Rwanda Birding and Primate tour explores Rwanda’s rich biodiversity. Highlights includes a trek experience along the two great apes closest to man; the mountain gorillas and the chimpanzee and twitching to over 750 checklist of birds across diverse habitats. Rwanda’s rich biodiversity is due to it’s geographic location along the continent’s most biological zone of the Albertine Rift Endemic Zone, a rich biosphere of endemism of both flora and fauna.
Our quest begins by birding the low-lying Akagera National Park located along the eastern border of Rwanda. This Important Bird Area (IBA) is Rwanda’s only savanna park, protecting a rich mosaic of habitats from extensive wetlands fed by the meandering Kagera river, lakes, grasslands and woodlands boasting a rich checklist of over 500 bird species. Coming into the vast montane ranges of Nyungwe NP, we will work along various trails targeting the Albertine Endemics that range across different micro-biomes here. While here, a highlight will be a trek experience along a habituated chimpanzee community, thereafter you can choose an optional canopy walk for excellent bird’s eye over the vast canopies of Nyungwe Forest.
Taking along the scenic route overlooking L. Kivu, we bird into Rwanda’s newest park of Giswati NP, where the regenerating forests should reward us with excellent views of several skulking endemics. Further north onto the slopes of Volcanoes NP, you will take another life-time trek, this time along and up-close a family of the endangered mountain gorilla that occur on these ranges. On birding here, we focus more on the rich forests close to the bamboo zone for more endemics but also forest edges that host quality high-altitude specialists.
13 Days Rwanda Birding and Primates Tour Detailed Itinerary
Arrival and overnight at Kigali City, Rwanda
Upon arrival, our representative will receive and transfer to your hotel within Kigali City. With time on your hands, take a personal leisure shopping tour around this green city or choose to relax at your hotel. If time allows, you get to meet your bird safari guide that evening for introductions and a brief on the upcoming safari. Accommodation: Haven Boutique Hotel, HB
Day 1: Birding Umusambi Village on transfer to Akagera
After an early breakfast, we take a short drive to Umusambi Village for half-day birding. This excellently restored wetland covers up to 21 hectares and is located 19-km outside Kigali City. In here, birding trails traverse diverse habitats within this sanctuary that includes papyrus stands, marsh and wooded sections hosting up to 100 bird species with several pairs of Grey-crowned Cranes rescued from pet traders are rehabilitated and released to the wild.
Local highlight species include; White-collared Oliveback, Striped Seedeater, Chubb’s Cisticola, Malachite and Pied Kingfisher, Swamp Flycatcher, Fan-tailed Widowbird, Bronze, Red-chested and Scarlet-chested Sunbirds, Woodland and Striped Kingfishers, Thick-billed, Black-headed and Village Weavers among others. After a lunch break, we bird our way into the Akagera NP further east of Kigali City.
Accommodation: Ruzizi Lodge, FB
Day 2: Whole Day Birding in Akagera NP
With a checklist of over 500-species across its varied and diverse habitats, Akagera NP is a birder’s haven. The checklist consists several of L. Victoria restricted biome species including Papyrus Gonolek, White-winged Swamp Warbler, Caruthers’s Cisticola, Northern Brown-throated Weaver and with luck a prehistoric Shoebill. Birding the woodlands, we look out for range-limit species here including; Tabora Cisticola, Southern Black Flycatcher, Souza’s Shrike, Crested and Black-collared Barbets and the Red-faced Barbet which is an E. African endemic.
Other great savanna birds to look out for include; Ruaha Chat, Rufous-naped and Flappet Larks, Grassland Pipit, Senegal and African Wattled Lapwing, Clapperton’s Spurfowl, Coqui and Crested Francolins, Southern Red Bishop, Orange-winged Pytilia, Black-faced Waxbill, Meyer’s Parrot, Purple-crested Turaco, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, Greater Honeyguide, Narina Trogon, African Grey Hornbill, Green Woodhoopoe, Stripped Kingfisher, Ruppel’s Starling, Lilac-breasted Roller, Pearl-spotted Owlet, Golden-tailed and Bennett’s Woodpeckers, Brown Snake Eagle, Bare-faced Go-away Bird, Pale-eyed Black Tit and more. Accommodation: Ruzizi Lodge, FB
Day 3: Early morning boat birding and more Birding in Akagera NP
This morning we shall have a birding session on the boat cruise for more of wetland specialists this time targeting the elusive African Finfoot. Thereafter we bird more the wooded section along Lake Ihema and late afternoon check out to Kigali. Accommodation: Haven Lodge FB
Day 4: Birding on transfer to Nyungwe
Early this morning, we bird our way out to Nyungwe, making several few stops on the road to scan across this highly cultivated landscape and small patches of wetlands for quality species. Highlights include, Yellow Bishop, Chubb’s Cisticola, Cinnamon-breasted Bee-eater, Baglafecht Weaver, Western Citril, Black-crowned Waxbill, Streaky Seedeater, Golden-breasted Bunting, Bronze Sunbird, Augur Buzzard, White-necked Raven, Mountain Buzzard, African Stone Chat, Cape Robin-Chat, Mackinnon’s Fiscal and more. Checking in at the hotel on the edges of Nyungwe Forest, we bird the forest edge and main road. Accommodation: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel, FB
Days 5-7: Birding and Chimpanzee tracking at Nyungwe Forest
Here at Nyungwe Forest, one major highlight will be a trek up-close and along the community of chimpanzee across this montane forest. One other major highlight here will be to trek along the 40-strong community of chimpanzee in here at Nyungwe forest. Nyungwe’s total checklist of 320 species include the 27-Albertine endemics restricted and other quality high-altitude or highland specialists. On birding however, we will work along various trails that crisscross various forests structures for altitude-specialists, forest interior skulkers, high-altitude marshes specialists and generalists.
Species target will include the rare Rockefeller Sunbird and Kungwe Apalis, Red-collared Babbler and Albertine Owlet, Handsome Francolin, Grauer’s Warbler, Kivu ground Thrush, Collared Apalis, Regal, Blue-throated and Purple-breasted Sunbirds, Rwenzori Turaco, Rwenzori Batis, Stripe-breasted Tit, Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Neumann’s and Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Strange Weaver, Dusky Crimson-wing are regular. Down at the marsh of Kamiranzovu, we twitch for the local Grauer’s Swamp Warbler and the Highland Rush Warbler and also look out for the patrolling Mountain Buzzard.
Other highland specialists here to look out for will include; White-bellied Robin, Equatorial Akalat, Black-tailed Oriole, Rwenzori Hill-babbler, Red-throated Alethe, the colorful Doherty’s Bushshrike, White-browed Crombec, Willard’s and Albertine Boubou, White-bellied Crested Flycatcher, Bar-tailed Trogon, and Black-billed Turaco, Evergreen and Cinnamon Bracken Warbler. Accommodation: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel, FB
Day 8: Morning at L.Kivu and transfer to Gishwati -Mukura NP
This morning we will take an easy birding at hotel on the shores of Lake Kivu thereafter bird our way to Gishwati – Mukura NP. Along this scenic drive, will make short stops on the road to scan the surrounding highlands and forest patches for quality species all the way to the park. Accommodation: Forest of Hope Lodge FB
Day 9: Birding in Giswati Forest
This morning we will bird in Rwanda’s newest national park of Gishwati-Mukura. The regenerating forest spreads over several ranges, offering incredible birding experience to see the usually shy and typical forest skulking ARE endemics, high-altitude range, forest-edge specialists and generalists in this young forest.
Species Highlights will include several not-seen well species from Nyungwe Forest but also good highland species. Stulman’s Sunbird, Abyssinian (Mountain) Thrush, Willard’s Sooty Boubou, Chubb’ Cisticola, Cinnamon Bracken and Evergreen-forest Warblers, Mountain Yellow Warbler, White-starred Robin, Highland-Rush Warbler, Grey-winged Robin-Chat, Mountain Buzzard, Mountain Illadopsis, Black Saw-wing, Olive Woodpecker, Cape Robin-Chat, Chestnut-throated Apalis, Mountain Greenbul, Doherty’s Bush-shrike, Stripe-breasted Tit, Blue-headed Sunbird and more. Transfer to near Volcanoes. Accommodation: Forest of Hope Lodge FB
Day 10: Birding on transfer to Volcanoes NP
This morning after breakfast, we will have a short morning birding session and thereafter check out birding our way to Volcanoes NP. Along this scenic stretch, we will make birding stops to work on several forest patches arriving late afternoon at Volcanoes. Accommodation: Le Bambou Gorilla lodge
Day 11: Gorilla trekking at Volcanoes NP
Our major highlight this morning is trekking along mountain gorillas here at Volcanoes NP. We check in early at the parks visitors center where after a briefing ranger guides will lead you on the trek. Depending where the gorilla group is, we may be skedded to take a short drive on to the trailhead. Gorilla trekking may last anywhere between 4-6hrs. Afternoon is yours to relax and to relax at the hotel or take a lazy walk around the village of Kinigi. Accommodation: Le Bambou Gorilla lodge
Day 12: Birding at Volcanoes NP
Just like the gorilla trek experience, we will check in at visitor’s reception to meet up our ranger guide who thereafter will lead us on birding on any of the fruitful trail that crisscross diverse vegetational structures across several altitudes ranges for local specialists. Volcanoes NP lies at the heart of the Albertine Rift Endemic (ARE) zone hosting up to 17 endemics to this ecosystem.
Highlights will be the high-altitude favoring Scarlet tufted Sunbird, Rwenzori Turaco, Red-faced Warbler, Archer’s Robin, Dusky Crimson-wing and Dusky Twin spot. Other Afro-tropical highland specialists include Lagden’s and Doherty’s Bush shrike, Brown Woodland Warbler, Western Green Tinkerbird, Mountain Greenbul, Kandt’s Waxbill, Lemon Dove and more. Accommodation: Le Bambou Gorilla lodge
Day 13: Birding to Kigali
This morning we bird our way to Kigali arriving well in time for a hot lunch, thereafter, depending on your flight schedule you might choose to tour around the city of Kigali including a sobering visit to the genocide memorial. Your driver will then transfer you to the airport.
13 Days Rwanda Birding and Primates Tour Includes
- Accommodations and meal plan as mentioned.
- Transport and Bird Guide/driver
- Bottled Mineral Water
- All park entrances and fees
- Swamp fees and guide fees
13 Days Rwanda Birding and Primates Tour Excludes
- Flight and visa costs
- Activities mentioned as Optional.
- Accommodation and meals on Arrival and departure Night.
- Meals and other drinks not mentioned.
- Tips and Gratuities.
- Activities other mentioned.