Read the article
about Rwanda Birding by Peter Ryan and Callan Cohen (Birds and Birding,
February 2010).
This little-visited country is an excellent birding destination,
offering wetlands, highland forest and savannas contained within
its narrow borders.
The best birding sites are Nyungwe Forest and Akagera National Park.
Nyungwe is the only accessible site where the unusual Red-collared
Mountain Babbler can be seen, and offers easy access to
an impressive number of Albertine Rift endemics. Akagera, near the
Tanzanian border, is a good locality for the localised Red-faced
Barbet, and holds a rich diversity of savanna species.
Add to these two sites the famous Volcanoes National Park, where
Mountain Gorilla and Golden Monkey can be seen, and you have an
excellent travel destination.
We recommend an 8-day itinerary to Akagera (3 nights), Nyungwe (3
nights) and Volcanoes (2 nights) ideal for a short birding trip
with optional gorilla tracking.
Our 8-day itinerary for the African
Bird Club's Conservation Fund focuses on Nyungwe (4 nights) and
Akagera (3 nights). An optional extension for gorilla tracking at
Volcanoes (2 nights) can be added. Please have a look at the detailed
itinerary or contact
us.
Featured
Leaders: Callan & Deirdre
Callan & Deirdre recommend:
This tour is well suited to world listers, because we see a
very high proportion of endemic birds, as well as wildlife enthusiasts
because we make a special effort to see great apes, several other
remarkable primates and mammals.
Callan Cohen
founded Birding Africa 12 years ago and has written two books on
birding in Africa, including the definitive birding site guide to
southern Africa and Madagascar. Callan has over 20 years of birding
experience in the region.
Deirdre Vrancken is a primatologist whose expertise
in lemurs will add an extra dimension to the tour. She has studied
Pronghorn Antelopes in Montana, African Elephants in East Africa,
and our closests living relatives, Bonobos, in the jungles of the
Congo.
Our African Bird Club Conservation
Tour donates a portion of profits to theABC
Conservation Fund and will focus on two of this small country's
best sites. Nyungwe Forest is the largest block
of Afromontane forest on the continent and an excellent network
of trails allows excellent chances for Albertine Rift endemics such
as Red-collared Mountain Babbler and Purple-breasted Sunbird. Heading
to the eastern lowlands, Akagera National Park
has the third highest list of any park in Africa. An optional extension
to track Mountain Gorillas in Volcanoes National
Park is also available. The tour is planned for July 2011.
Click
here for the detailed itinerary.
What participants say...
Please have a look at what participants
of our Uganda tour say...
* Cost per person sharing a room, ** Single room supplement.
* Included in the above price: Birding Africa tour leader, Birding
Africa printed booklet with species lists, domestic flights within
Madagascar, boat trips as indicated on the itinerary, road transport,
guide fees, entry fees for the parks, reserves and botanical gardens,
full board accommodation and drinking water on the bus. Not included:
international flights, drinks, optional tips, and items of a personal
nature are not included.
Practical tour information
Focus
For keen birders and mammal enthusiasts. Designed
to see as many as possible endemic birds, but while on the walks
we spend a lot of time looking for other wildlife such as mammals
(including several species of primates) and butterflies. We
can also customise any itinerary to suit to the keen birder,
the wildlife enthusiast or both.
Photography
Many participants on our trips are amateur wildlife photographers.
And when we get excellent views of a bird or mammal, some time
is usually spent watching and photographing it. However, this
is not a photographic tour and once the majority of the people
have felt that they have absorbed the animal or bird to their
satisfaction, then we move on in search of the next encounter.
Thus, while the photographic opportunities
are very good, the group will only occasionally wait for somebody
who wants to spend even longer getting better photos.
Fitness
A small degree of fitness is required. The few walks are generally
in relatively flat areas with occasional small inclines. The
terrain during the optional gorilla tracking can never be predicted
and can be very steep.
Timing
Most of our Rwanda tours take place
during December - January or July - August.
Climate
Cool at night in the highlands, warm to hot in the lowlands.
Comfort
A good standard of accommodation in guest houses, lodges and
small hotels.
Transport
We travel by minibus or four wheel drive vehicle.
Group Size
This depends on the specific tour. Please enquire.
Chimpanzee, Gorilla, Golden monkey,
Black-and-white Colobus monkey, l'Hoest Monkey
Booking
Your booking can
be secured with a booking
form and deposit of USD 400. You will receive
confirmation and our tour information pack with practical information
on what to expect and how to prepare for the tour. The balance
is due 3 months before the tour. Email
us about availability.
About Birding Africa
Birding Africa is a specialist birding tour
company customising tours for both world listers and more relaxed
holiday birders. We combine interests in mammals, butterflies, dragonflies,
botany and other natural history aspects and will guide you to Africa's
and Madagascar's most diverse birding destinations. Our guides'
knowledge of African birds and birding areas is our greatest strength
and together we have rediscovered species, shared exciting observations
with the birding community and had a fun time exploring our home
continent. We've even written two acclaimed guide
books on where to find Southern Africa's and Madagascar's best
birds. Birding is more than our passion, it's our lifestyle, and
we are dedicated to making professional, best value trips filled
with endemic species and unique wildlife experiences. Since 1997,
we've run bird watching tours
in South Africa and further into Africa for individual birders,
small birding groups and top international tour companies. We've
run Conservation Tours
in association with the African Bird Club and work with and consult
for a number of other top international tour companies and the BBC
Natural History Unit.
