I had a couple of days to myself before joining my tour group. I hired Kagera Safaris to take me to Ngambe Island on one day and to take me birding on the second. Miriam of Kagera Safaris did a great job. She accompanied me on both days. The chimpanzee sanctuary was a delight, not only for the opportunity to see the chimpanzees and learning about them from the staff, but also we were able to see several bird species up close. Miriam hired a phenomenal birding guide for my day of birding. The shoe-bill was the highlight. I saw more bird species that day than any other.
Miriam is a delight. My two days with her were among the highlights of my trip to Uganda. Everything ran smoothly under her care. I completely endorse her services.
12 Day Birding Rwanda and… (trip)
12 Day Birding Rwanda and Gorilla Safari
- Rwanda and Uganda
- Active & Adventure
- Culture & Nature
| from $4,232* per person | 12 Days | Year-round |
| Comfort accommodations | Exertion level: 6 | |
| Operator: Kagera Safaris | 6 people max | |
Rwanda
has three Important Birding
Areas (IBAs) i.e.
Volcanoes National Park, Akagera
National
Park, and Nyungwe National Park with over 700 species
of birds including the
Red-Faced Barbet, Bennett’s Woodpecker, and Papyrus Gonolek. Rwanda is located
in the Albertine Rift valley, which offers an ideal landscape and habitat for
birds.
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Locations visited/nearby
Rwanda , Akagera national park , Birding , Bird watching , Photography , Gorilla trekking , Chimpanzee trekking , birding tours , boat safari , wildlife tours , cultural tours , Rwanda, Uganda
0 testimonials about this trip.
3 testimonials about the provider, Kagera Safaris:
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Reviewer: Daniël LOUSBERGH
located in
Kortessem,
Belgium
Perfect, An experience once in a lifetime!
19 days Uganda and Rwanda. Perfect organisation, Alex was an exceptional competent guide and driver. Gamedrives and tracking the gorilla's, chimps and golden monkees were marvellous! The accomodation was comfortable and excellent price/quality. Only Mahabura hotel seems a little bit worn-out. But we enjoied the whole trip, especially the accompaniment by Miriame herself. Really highly recommended!
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Reviewer: Erik Cox
located in
Washington DC,
USA
My wife and I did a trip through Uganda via Kagera Safaris in late June/early July 2016. The three highlights were seeing chimpanzees, seeing gorillas, and a homestay.
Kagera put together an exciting itinerary, which we customized to include a 2-night homestay with a local Ugandan family. The homestay was the highlight of the trip; we got to know the family and see life through their eyes. We're actually Facebook friends with members of that family now! The chimpanzee and gorilla treks delivered as promised, too. We got to see them in the wild, up close and personal.
Kagera is a local Ugandan company, and my wife and I found that they are big into responsible tourism and giving back to local Ugandan communities. That made the trip even more meaningful. We did the mid-range price option trip; you can go less (or more) expensive, and Miriam will be happy to customize the adventure to your reasonable needs. I also suggest you ask that you have Meddy as your in-country guide. He's fantastic.
In sum, we'd highly recommend Kagera. -
Reviewer: Edie Barschi
located in
Berkeley,
Carlifornia
USA
Special information
- You need to form your own private group for this trip. It will be scheduled for a date you arrange with the provider. The itinerary here is just a sample.
- Offers some solo-only/singles departures.
- Offers some women-only departures.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival for the Rwanda Birding Safari
Rwanda known as the land of “a thousand hills,”
on this trip you will confirm this slogan as you transverse the country. Your
guide/ representative staff will be at the airport to pick you and transfer you
to hotel.
Gorilla Hotel
Day 2: Transfer to Akagera National Park
After a hearty
breakfast, we set off for Akagera National Park in eastern Rwanda, bordering
with Tanzania. While on the way, we look out for species such as Cattle Egret,
Hamerkop, Sacred and Hadada Ibis, Augur Buzzard, Long-crested Eagle, and Pied
Crow. The Village, Black-headed and striking Vieillot’s Black Weavers or a
White-headed Black Chat perched up. Grey-backed Fiscals, Fan-tailed Widowbirds
and Carruther’sCisticolasare seen in the marshes.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Akagera Game lodge
Days 3 & 4:
Explore Akagera National Park
Akagera
national park is a varied habitat and home to about 500 bird species and other
wildlife. A boat trip on Lake Ihema will provide opportunities to watch the
'water birds' which include, Goliath, Black-headed, Striated, and Squacco
Herons, Little Bittern, Grey Crowned Crane, African Open bill, African Darter,
Black Crake, African Wattled Plover, Long-toed and Senegal Lapwings, Water
Thick-knee, Blue-headed Coucal, and Giant Kingfisher.
In the savannah
and forests, we search for Black-chested, Brown, and Western Banded Snake
Eagles, Black-bellied Bustard, Red-necked Spurfowl, Ross’s Turaco, White-headed
Vulture, Black-collared and Red-faced Barbets, Bennett’s Woodpecker, Bare-faced
Go-away Bird, and Klaas’s, Red-chested and Black Cuckoos.
We will also
have sightings of mammals such as Buffalo,
Impala, Zebra, Bushbuck, and African Elephants. The Hippopotamus are usually in
the water bodies or surrounding areas when the weather permits.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Akagera Game lodge
Day
5: Transfer to
Nyungwe forest with birding enroute
This morning we
leave for Nyungwe forest and have various stopovers searching for different
bird species in the papyrus along the roads before our lodge.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Nyungwe Top
View Hill Lodge
Days 6 & 7: Albertine
Endemics in Nyungwe Forest
Nyungwe forest
is rich in birds, especially the Albertine Rift endemics. It hosts one of the largest
expanse of montane forests on the African continent. Look out for White-bellied
and Archer’s Robin Chat, Mountain Masked, Black-faced, and Collared Apalises, Handsome
Francolin, Great Blue and Ruwenzori Turacos, Doherty’s Bush-Shrike, White-headed
Wood-hoopoe, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, Chestnut Owlet, Olive and Elliot’s
Woodpeckers, Stripe-breasted Tit, Red-collared Babbler, Rwenzori Batis,
White-tailed Blue-flycatcher, Chapin’s Flycatcher, and Purple-breasted and
Regal Sunbirds, and many more.
There are lots
of primates, butterflies and mammals to see in the forest. If especially
interested in Chimpanzee's, this can be arranged and included on the
itinerary.
Breakfast,
Lunch & Dinner
Nyungwe Top
View Hill Lodge
Day
8: Birding to the
shores of Lake Kivu
After an early
breakfast, we start journey to Lake Kivu while birding along the way. We arrive
later that afternoon or evening depending on how engaging the birding is.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Waterfront
Day
9: Transfer to
the Virunga Volcanoes - Home to Mountain Gorillas
The Virunga
volcanoes are shared between Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and
Uganda representing one of the richest biological areas of the world. After a
restful recuperating time from the intense birding, we bird our way to our
accommodation near the Volcanoes national park.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Le Bambou Gorilla
Lodge
Days
10 &11: Birding
Volcanoes & Gorillas trekking
Today we trek Virunga ranges, where Diane Fossey began her research into Mountain
Gorillas in the late 1960’s. The trek can last from an hour to six hours
depending on where the gorillas nested the previous night – you need to be
relatively fit to enjoy this experience. Once
sited, we spend one hour with them.
The next day we will spend the day birding around the environs of Volcanoes
national park
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Le Bambou Gorilla
Lodge
Day
12: End of Rwanda
Birding Tour
We set out on
the return trip to Kigali, arriving in time for the flight back home.
More information from Kagera Safaris:
- View trip on provider's website
www.kagerasafaris.com/12-days-birding-rwanda-and-gorilla-trek… - Company profile, experience, and history
- View all of their trips
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