From ($9063pp/2 pax)

Day 1:  Arrival in Kigali at Kanombe International Airport.

Upon your arrival at Kanombe International Airport in Kigali, you will be met by a representative from Terrain safaris. He will the give you a short brief about your tour and transfer  later to your respective Hotel in Kigali for dinner and overnight stay (Hotel Chezlando).

Day 2: Birding towards Nyungwe Forest National Park

After breakfast, you will check out of the hotel and with our packed lunch, we start birding southwards as we transfer to Nyungwe forest national park, with birding stopovers, at Umusambi Village for the White-collard Oliveback, plus other stopovers on the way as we transfer, not forgetting to look out for the Ruaha Chat as we proceed. Some of the species we expect to encounter along this drive includes; the Black kite, the White-faced and Fulvous whistling ducks, Common and Purple Swamphen, Lesser Moorhen, Hottentot Teals, Spur-winged and Egyptian Geese, Grey-crowned Cranes and Saddle-billed Storks, Grey wood Pecker, Dusky Blue, African Dusky, African Paradise, Red-bellied Paradise, Brown-throated Wattle-Eye, Arrow-marked, Black-lored and Brown Babblers, Lesser and Scaly-throated Honeyguide among others. You will then proceed on to Nyungwe forest national park and check in to the service of Nyungwe Hilltop View Lodge, dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Birding Nyungwe Forest National Park. 

Nyungwe forest national park is a remote park, nestled in the South Western corner of Rwanda and this is believed to be one of Africa’s birding hotspots. 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. We will go birding along the Bigugu trail (13kms) which the highest point in Nyungwe and offers good birding opportunities for the high elevation species. The well maintained trails lead us through the forest habitat where we will concentrate on finding the park’s specialties and the Albertine rift Endemics that include; the bizarre Red-collard Mountain Babbler, Kungwe Apalis, Rwenzori Turaco, Rwenzori Double-collard Sunbird, the elusive Handsome Francolin, Kivu ground thrush and Lagdens Bush Shrike. The rare Shelley’s Crimsonwing, arguably one of the world’s most beautiful but elusive seed eaters occurs in the area, but we will count ourselves extremely fortunate if we come across this rarely seen species. Other birds which we will look out for include, Dusky turtle Dove and Cape Robin Chat, the beautiful golden monkey, a localized form of the blue monkey, occurs in the bamboo zone and mountain gorillas are seasonally resident in the park (although we are unlikely to see one). We go back to the lodge in the evening, dinner and overnight at Nyungwe Hilltop View Lodge.

Day 4: Full Day Birding Nyungwe Forest National Park.

After an early morning breakfast, with our packed lunch, we go for another full day birding in search for the Albertine Rift Endemics and other montane forest specialties that we might have missed the previous day. We will be birding along the Kamiranzovu trail (6kms) in the morning. This trail was named after the Kamiranzovu swamp, one of the biggest high elevation swamps that you come across while birding along this trail, where the Grauer’s Swamp Warbler can be seen. Depending on our birding speed and how much we see along this trail, we can also bird around the Uwinka area in the afternoon and some of the species that we expect to encounter today may include; Red-collard Mountain Babbler, Kungwe Apalis, White-bellied, Grey-winged & Archer’s Robin-Chat, Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, White-breasted Nigrita, Rwenzori Double-collard, Pupple-breasted & Blue-headed Sunbird, Willard’s Sooty Boubou, Rwenzori Turaco, Mountain-masked, Chestnut-throated & Black-throated Apalis, Rwenzori Batis, Yellow-streaked & Mountain Greenbul, Rwenzori Hill Babbler, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Black-billed, Brown-capped & Strange Weaver, White-browed Crombec, Yellow-bellied Wattle-eye, Mountain Illadopsis, Red-throated Alethe, Equatorial Akalat, White-starred Robin among others. The forest also offers a good number of primate species including the Chimpanzees and Angola Colobus Monkeys among other species. We go back to the Lodge in the evening, dinner and overnight at Nyungwe Hilltop View Lodge.

Day 5: Birding Watching/Canopy Walk at Nyungwe Forest National Park.

After an early morning breakfast, with our packed lunch, we go for another full day birding in search for the Albertine Rift Endemics and other montane forest specialties that we might have missed the previous day. We will be birding along the Karamba trail (4kms) in the morning and the Kyamudongo trail in the afternoon and some of the species that we expect to encounter today may include; Red-collard Mountain Babbler, Kungwe Apalis, White-bellied, Grey-winged & Archer’s Robin-Chat, Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, White-breasted Nigrita, Rwenzori Double-collard, Pupple-breasted & Blue-headed Sunbird, Willard’s Sooty Boubou, Rwenzori Turaco, Mountain-masked, Chestnut-throated & Black-throated Apalis, Rwenzori Batis, Yellow-streaked & Mountain Greenbul, Rwenzori Hill Babbler, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Black-billed, Brown-capped & Strange Weaver, White-browed Crombec, Yellow-bellied Wattle-eye, Mountain Illadopsis, Red-throated Alethe, Equatorial Akalat, White-starred Robin among others. The forest also offers a good number of primate species including the Chimpanzees and Angola Colobus Monkeys among other species. We go back to the Lodge in the evening, dinner and overnight at Nyungwe Hilltop View Lodge.

Day 6: Birding/Transfer to Volcanoes national park.

After  breakfast, with our packed lunch, we start birding as we transfer to Volcanoes  National  Park  driving through  Kibuye,  along the  showers of Lake Kivu. While birding en-route while birding en-route, some of the species we expect to encounter today include the Yellow Bishop, Handsome Francolin, Streaky Seed-eater, White-napped Raven, Yellow-bellied, Black-faced and Black-crowned Waxbill, White-stared Robin, Grey-throated Barbet and White-eyed Slaty-Flycatcher among others.    arriving in the afternoon and check in to the service of Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, dinner and overnight.

Day 7: Birding in Volcanoes National Park.

Volcanoes National Park is located in extreme north-western corner of Rwanda and forms part of the Virunga massive conservation area that straddles political boundaries to include the Virunga national park in Congo, Mgahinga national park in Uganda and Volcanoes national park in Rwanda. The was first protected in 1925s with an intention of safe guarding the Mountain Gorillas, on the five extinct volcanoes within Rwanda section, Mt. Muhavura, Mt. Sabinyo, Mt. Gahinga, Mt. Karisimbi & Mt. Visoke. The tallest rising to over 4507m, great scenery that can only be described as breathtaking. The volcanoes are draped in extensive afro. Alpine forests, vast bamboo stands and at higher altitudes moorland dominated by towering giant Lobelias. Fortunately, we do not have to climb high up these unrelenting peaks to find our avian targets. The park also protects 17 out of the 27 Albertine rift Endemics, plus 53 out of the 74 Afrotropical Highlands biome species, so we need to keep a keen eye and fingers crossed for these specialties. Lower trails lead us through habitat where we will concentrate on finding some of the park’s specialties that include; the bizarre Rwenzori Turaco and the beautiful Rwenzori Double-collared sunbird. Handsome Francolin, Kivu ground thrush and Lagden’s Bush Shrike. The rare Shelley’s Crimson wing, arguably one of the world’s most beautiful but elusive seed eaters occurs in the area, but we will count ourselves extremely fortunate if we come across this rarely seen species. Other birds which we will look out for include, Dusky turtle Dove and Cape Robin Chat among others. The park also protects many primate species including the beautiful golden monkey, a localised form of the blue monkey, occurs in the bamboo zone and mountain gorillas are residents in the park (although seeing them has to be a deferent arrangement). We come back to the lodge in the evening, dinner and overnight.

Day 8: Birding/Transfer to Akagera National Park.

After breakfast, we will start birding towards Akagera national park, with birding stopovers at the neck of the forest for species that we may have missed for from Kinigi and these include; the Black-billed, Brown-capped and Strange Weavers, Dusky-blue and Cassin’s Grey Flycatchers, Black Cuckoo, Cinnamon-breasted and Black Bee-eaters, Yellow Bishop, Narrow-tailed, Stullumann’s and Waller’s Starlings, African Hill Barbler and Cubbs Cisticola among others. We have a lunch stopover at Kigali, and later proceed on to Akagera national park, arriving in the evening and check in to the service of Akagera Game Lodge, dinner and overnight.

Day 9: Birding/Game Drive & Boat Cruise at Akagera National Park.

The day begins with an early morning breakfast and then we start our birding activities in Akagera national park, searching for it’s specialty birds and wildlife. This is Rwanda’s biggest savanna park covering about 1122sq kms and is home to a variety of wildlife that includes; Elephants, Rhinos, Buffaloes, Lions, Leopards, Zebras, Elands, Impalas and Topis among others. It has got a variety of  habitats, like dry hillside, open and wooded savanna, forests, galleries and swamps, and this has contributed to the avifauna diversity and 480 bird species have been recorded in the park including; Crested and Red-faced barbet, Long tailed (Tabora) Cisticola, Papyrus yellow warbler, African fin foot, Brubru, Rofous-bellied and white backed night heron, White winged tit, Black-headed and Papyrus Gonolek, Red-headed and Northern brown throated weaver, White-winged warbler, Coqui Francolin, Brown-chested Lapwing, Lilac-breasted Roller and the rare Shoebill among others. We come back to the lodge in the afternoon for lunch, relax around and later in the afternoon go for a boat cruise on lake Iheme for another view of the water loving birds and other wildlife. We come back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 10: Birding/Game Drive then we transfer to Kigali Airport – Departure.

After breakfast, with our packed lunch, we check out of the lodge, we go for early birding along the Lake Circuit to use the first good hours of the day when bird activity is at it’s highest; leave the area around 10 and transfer to Kanombe for lunch and some good extra birds. This drive takes us through habitats including grasslands and mosaic woodland and some of the bird species here will be the White-crested Turaco, Bronze-tailed, Lesser Blue-eared and Greater Blue-eared Starling, White-headed Barbet, Cardinal, Grey and Nubian Woodpecker, Lesser and Greater Hourneyguide, Saddle-billed Stork in the swamps near Luwero, we have also had chances of seeing the Western-banded Snake-eagle, Rufous-bellied Heron, Eastern Chanting Goshawk and Fan-tailed Widowbird African hobby, Speckled Pigeon, Ross’s Turaco, Meyer’s and Grey Parrot, Klaas’s, Diederik and Levaillant’s Cuckoo, Fork Tailed Drongo, Brown Crowned Tchagra, white Chinned Prinia, Superb Sunbird, Golden-backed and Orange Weaver, Black-headed Gonolek, before reaching the swamp where we expect to look out for papyrus specials such as the Papyrus Gonolek, White-winged warbler, Nothern Brown-throated, Weyn’s weaver, to mention but a few. We move on to Mabamba swamp and most of the birding here is done canoeing as we look out for the rare Shoebill Stork, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, African Water rail, Allen’s and Purple Gallinule (swamp hen), Squacco, Goliath, Purple and Grey Herons, Lesser Jacana, Intermediate, Cattle, Little, Great and Black Egret, White-faced Whistling Duck, Yellow-billed Duck, Spur-winged, Egyptian and African Pygmy Geese among others. We later proceed on to Entebbe Airport for your flight home.

Highlights of this 10 Day Rwanda Birding & Wildlife Safari:

• Bird watching through some Rwanda’s birding hotspots.
• Birding Nyungwe Forest National Park
• Guided Canopy Walk Birding, Nyungwe national Park.
• Albertine Rift Endemics at Nyungwe & Volcanoes Forest.
• Chimpanzee Trekking at Nyungwe Forest National Park.
• Boat cruise on Lake lake Iheme, Akagera NP.
• Gorilla Trekking at Volcanoes national park.

Safari Summary:

Tour Duration: 10 Days & 9 Nights

Departure / Return Location: Kanombe, Rwanda

Destinations on Tour:

1. Kanombe, Kigali
2. Nyungwe Forest national park
3. Volcanoes Forest national park.
4. Akagera National Park.
5. Kanombe, Kigali

Terrain Safaris Itinerary

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Here are some of our tours; Rwanda Bird Watching Trips,  Nyungwe Chimpanzee Trekking & Volcanoes Gorilla Tour

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