12 Days Birding Rwanda and Gorilla Safari

DAY 1:Arrival at Kanombe Airport

This is the genesis of our 10 days bird watching safari Rwanda  and we are mysteriously waiting to host you here. On arrival at Kanombe airport, you will be received by our representative, your bird guide/driver. He will brief you about your birding tour then later transfer and check in to ChezLando Hotel, dinner and overnight.

DAY 2 : Birding towards Nyungwe Forest National Park

After breakfast, with our packed lunch, we start birding southwards as we transfer to Nyungwe forest national park. We will have birding stopovers, at Umusambi Village for the White-collard Oliveback. Also as we transfer we shouldn’t forget to look out for the Ruaha Chat along the way. Some of the species expected along this drive include; Black kite, White-faced & Fulvous Whistling Ducks, Common & Purple Swamphen.

Also the Lesser Moorhen, Hottentot Teals, Spur-winged & Egyptian Geese, Grey-crowned Cranes, Saddle-billed Storks, Grey wood Pecker. And also the Dusky Blue, African Dusky, African Paradise & Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher, and Brown-throated Wattle-Eye. Plus the Arrow-marked, Black-lored and Brown Babblers, Lesser and Scaly-throated Honeyguide among others. You will then proceed on to Nyungwe forest and check in to the service of Top View Hotel, dinner and overnight.

DAY 3 : Birding in Nyungwe Forest National Park

Nyungwe forest national park lays in the South Western corner of Rwanda and is one of Africa’s birding hot spots. Alpine forests, vast bamboo stands at higher altitudes moorland dominated by towering giant Lobelias. Fortunately, the park authorities put in place a good trail network that gives us access to find our avian targets.

Bird watching Rwanda along the Bigugu trail (13kms) which the highest point in Nyungwe, offers good opportunities for the high elevation species. Well maintained trails lead through the forest habitat, where we will concentrate on the park’s specialties and Albertine rift Endemics. Some of the specialties to expect here include; the Red-collard Mountain Babbler, Kivu ground thrush and Lagdens Bush Shrike. We also expect the Kungwe Apalis, Rwenzori Turaco, Rwenzori Double-collard Sunbird, the elusive Handsome Francolin.

The rare Shelley’s Crimsonwing, arguably one of the world’s most beautiful but elusive Finches and occurs in the area. No sighting recorded in the last five years, so we will be extremely fortunate to come across this rare species. Other birds which we will look out for include, Red-throated Alethe, Dusky turtle Dove and Cape Robin Chat. We go back to the lodge in the evening, dinner and overnight.

DAY 4 : Akagera Volcanoes National park

After breakfast, depart to Volcanoes National Park. The journey goes through the beautiful terraced hillsides that characterize much of Rwanda’s landscape, gradually climbing to the base of the awesome volcanoes Virunga, sometimes with as many as five peaks visible. The gorillas’ habitat, in the mountainous north, is the string of magnificent Virunga peaks that range from 2500 to 4500 meters: Karismbi, Bisoke Mikeno, Sabinyo, Gahinga and Muhubura volcanoes.

This stunning backdrop is host to over half the world’s wild mountain gorillas. The exhilarating climb to the gorilla’s natural habitat of the shady bamboo forest offers fantastic views in all directions and explores the rich ecosystems of blending evergreen and bamboo forests, open grasslands, swamps, and health. Late lunch on arrival at Volcanoes National Park.

DAY 5 : Chimpanzee trekking

Have breakfast very early in the morning then report for briefing about Chimpanzee tracking. Then transfer to the park headquarters for breifing. After you will be assigned a ranger to guide you on your search for the chimpanzee. Watch out for other primates along the trek. Nyungwe forest is a home to humankind’s closest living relative which is the chimpanzee, as well as the handsome L’Hoest’s monkey plus hundred-strong troops of the delightfully acrobatic Angola colobus. Furthermore, in the afternoon you will go for  nature walk in the forest searching for birds and then return to your lodge in the afternoon

DAY 6:Volcanoes National Park – Lake Kivu

After breakfast go bird watching in the Volcanoes National Park where you are likely to see species like the rare Kivu Ground Thrush, Rwenzori Turacco, Graur’s Warbler, White Starred Robin, Reagal Sunbird and many others. In the afternoon proceed to Gisenyi on Lake Kivu.

DAY 7: Gorilla trecking and birding

This morning after an early breakfast, visit the most thrilling experience in Rwanda, gorilla tracking and later in the day, we shall follow an exhilarating trek through the cultivated foothills of the Virunga for stirring views in all directions. You will be immersed in the mysterious intimacy of the rainforest, which is alive with the calls of colorful birds and chattering of the rare golden monkeys, and littered with fresh spoor of the mountains’ elusive populations of Buffalo and Elephant.

DAY 8: Bird watching in and around Volcanoes

Today you will go for a nature walk in the forest searching for more birds and then late return to relax at your lodge.  Overnight at previous lodge.

DAY 9: Bird watching in and around Volcanoes

Today go for a nature walk around the twin takes, searching for birds and meeting communities. Later you will drive to Lake Kivu. Evening bird watching around the shores of lake Kivu Overnight at Malahide paradise / Lake Kivu Serena.

DAY 10 : Transfer to Kigali airport

Drive to Kigali in time for lunch. In the afternoon you might have time to take a city tour including a visit to the market, a pottery project, handicraft shops, the Fashion Museum and a genocide memoria