TANZANIA BIRDING TOUR: 17 Days Safari

An African Birding Tour covering diverse birdlife, wildlife and world famous sites such as the Ngorongoro Crater, the vast Serengeti National Park, flamingo haven Lake Manyara National Park, the baobab filled Tarangire National Park as well as endemic boasted Pemba Island
We also have the best chances for other wildlife such as the Big Five, Cheetah, Desert Warthog, Serengeti White-bearded Wildebeest, Gerenuk among many others.

It’s a private guided tour for groups between 1-6 person per car per guide all with guaranteed window seat.

Day 1: Arusha National Park

Our first day of our Tanzania Birding Tour will take us to Arusha National Park where we’ll sample some common African birds among different habitats from savanna, acacia woodlands, forest, and alkaline lakes. Ngurdoto Crater, Small and Big Momela Lakes offers a wide range of species that may include Lesser Flamingo, Maccoa Duck, Great Sparrowhawk, Mountain Buzzard, African Crowned Eagle, Narina Trogon, Silvery- cheeked Hornbill, White-eared Barbet, Forest Batis, Black-fronted Bush Shrike, Taveta Golden Weaver, Trilling Cisticola.

©chege wa kariuki

Abbott’s Starling, ©chege wa kariuki

Mammals include African Buffalo, Waterbuck. 

Overnight at Rivertree Country Inn

Day 2: Arusha -Mkomazi Game Reserve

Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-Weaver

Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-Weaver ©chege wa kariuki

head on the east to Mkomazi National Reserve with stops along the way and spend bigger part of our day in the reserve birding on the dry savanna country.

 

Birds may include Tawny, Long-crested Eagle, Pygmy Falcon, African Orange-bellied Parrot, African & Red-chested Cuckoos, Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Pearl-spotted Owlet, African Pygmy Kingfisher, African Hoopoe, African Grey, Von der Decken’s, Trumpeter & Red-billed Hornbills.

Overnight at Elephant Motel, Same

Day 3-4: West Usambara

Our birding tour takes us to West Usambara Mountains where we expect a few range restricted and localized species and some Tanzania endemics.

These may include Shelly’s, Mountain & Yellow-streaked Greenbuls, Usambara Ground Robin, Fülleborn’s Boubou, Black-fronted Bush Shrike, White-tailed Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Double Collared & Green Banded Sunbirds, Yellow-throated Woodland, Evergreen Forest & Red-capped Forest Warblers, Bar-throated & Black-headed Apalis’, Cabanis’ Bunting. At night we hope to locate the Usambara Nightjar.

Overnight at Muller’s Mountain Lodge

Day 5 & 6: West Usambara – Amani Nature Reserve

Our Tanzania Birding tour transfers to the eastern parts of the Usambaras. Hope to find the Usambara Eagle Owl, Uluguru Violet-backed & Purple-banded Sunbirds, among Half-collared Kingfisher, Southern Banded Snake Eagle, White-eared Barbet, Kurrichane Thrush, Kenrik’s Starling, Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler, Fischer’s Turaco among many others.

Overnight at Amani Rest House

Day 7: Amani Nature Reserve -Tanga fly- Pemba Island

Birding tour in the forest and later drive to Tanga via villages in search of a few extra species. On arrival to Tanga will take a local flight to Pemba Island and after checking in to our hotel we will leave for a nocturnal birding into the nearest forest in search of Pemba Scops Owl and in case we miss it then we have a back-up night drive again tomorrow.  

Overnight at Pemba Paradise Hotel

Day 8: Pemba Island

Our Pemba Birding Tour will focus on the local endemic birds of the island namely Pemba White-eye, Pemba Green-Pigeon &  Pemba Sunbird. Other birds from the island may include Mangroove Kingfisher, Black-bellied Starling, Java Sparrow, Palm-nut Vulture, Madagascar Bee-eater among others

Overnight at Pemba Paradise Hotel

Day 9: Pemba Island -fly Arusha

Birding on the island before our flight to Arusha

Overnight at Korona House

 

Day 10: Arusha - Lark Plain -Tarangire National Park

Our Tanzania Birding Tour takes us to North of Arusha for the endemic Beesley’s Lark on the plains near Kenya-Tanzania Border.

 

Other birds on the area may include Pygmy Batis, Southern Grosbeak Canary, Red-throated Tit, Mouse-Coloured Penduline-Tit, Tiny Cisticola among others. 

Beesley’s Lark ©chege wa kariuki

We later transfer to Tarangire National Park, characterized by Acacia wooded savannahs with large concentration of Baobab Trees and with superb birding and big game. Birds may include endemic Ashy Starling & Yellow-collared Lovebird. Secretary Bird, Tawny, African Fish & Martial Eagles, Pigmy Falcon, Lappet-faced & White-headed Vultures, Magpie Shrike, Banded Parisoma, African Scops Owl, Southern Ground Hornbill, Grey Kestrel, Mottled Spinetails among many others.

Overnight at Tarangire Safari Lodge

Day 11: Tarangire National Park – Lake Manyara National Park - Karatu

Ashy Starling, ©chege wa kariuki

Birding tour Tarangire National Park and later transfer to Lake Manyara National Park huge concentrations of waterfowl including Lesser Flamingo, Spur-winged & Knob-billed Ducks. Others may include Black-backed Puffback, Slate-coloured Boubou, Sulpur-breasted Bush-shrike. Silver-cheeked Hornbill among many others

Overnight at Country Lodge, Karatu

Day 12: Karatu – Ngorongoro Conservation Area

We’ll transfer to Ngorongoro Conservation Area birding in the forest part and later along the rim area near our lodge. 

 

Overnight at Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge

Day 13: Ngorongoro Conservation - Serengeti National Park

Tanzania Birding Tour in the forest before driving in to Ngorongoro Crater, with a higher density of mammals concentration s as well as bird on the crater lakes. We later in the afternoon transfer to Seronera area .  Birding on a our in to the lodge.

Grey-breasted Spurfowl ©chege wa kariuki

Overnight at Kubu Kubu Tented Lodge

Day 14 & 15: Serengeti National Park

Two full days of Tanzania Birding Tour in Serengeti National Park. The open plains filled with Wildebeest, Common Zebra, Topi, Kongoni, Impala, Grant’s and Thomson’s Gazelles are trailed along with the no less than species 5 vultures (African White-backed, Lappet-faced, White-headed Ruppell’s and Hooded) while other birds of prey may include Black-chested Snake, Martial, Bateleur, Long-crested Eagles, both Eastern and Pale Chanting Goshawk, ,  Magpie Shrike, Brown-crowned Tchagra. We spend our time birding on the stake out for the Grey-crested Helmet-shrike, Tanzania Red-billed Hornbill, Karamoja Apalis, Schallow’s Turaco, Hilderbrant’s Francolin, Black-headed Gonolek, Black-backed Cisiticola, amang many others.

Overnight at Kubu Kubu Tented Lodge

Day 16: Serengeti National Reserve – Mwanza

Tanzania Red-billed Hornbill, ©chege wa kariuki

Birding tour en-route to Mwanza located on the shores of the Lake Victoria for the papyrus endemics and specialties such as Papyrus Canary & Gonolek, Swamp Flycatcher, Carruthers’s Cisticola and others.

Overnight at Speke’s Bay Resort.

Day 17: Mwanza – fly- Arusha

Our last day of Tanzania Birding Tour on the shore of the lake and after lunch we will transfer to the nearby Mwanza Airport for a local transfer flight to Arusha. Dinner and transfer to the Kilimanjaro International Airport for your flight.

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Highlights

Arusha National park

Mkomazi Game Reserve

Usambura Mountains

Amani Nature Reserve

Pemba Island

Tarangire National Park

Lake Manyara National Park

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Serengeti National Park

Lake Victoria

Enquiries.

Tanzania Birding Safari-17 Day

The Cost is Inclusive of:

  • Transport with exclusive use of the safari van as from the 1st day to departure day as per itinerary.
  • Pick up and drop off on arrival and departure at the airport.
  • Accommodation in lodges as per the itinerary with all three meals a day
  • Services of a knowledgeable bird guide
  • Boat ride at Lakes Naivasha and Baringo
  • Parks, reserve, and conservation areas entry fee
  • Emergency evacuation
  • Drinking water available from the van cool box
  • other pre-tour information

The Cost is Exclusive of:

  • Medical and travel insurance including luggage.
  • Beverages
  • Items of personal nature such as telephone, laundry, gifts among others
  • Visa, airport tax
  • Tipping of Safari driver guide, lodge porters, waiters, etc
  • Other extras such as balloon Safari, Masai Village visit

Keep In Touch

Birdwatching East Africa Ltd
Karibaribi Farm House, Mang’u Rd
P.O. Box 7968-01000, Thika, KENYA
Whatsapp +254 722 329 570.
info@birdwatchingeastafrica.com