10 Days Rwanda Birding Tour Overview
Rwanda is referred to as the land of a thousand hills. On this 10 days Rwanda birding tour, you will enjoy some of the most beautiful sceneries in Africa. This 10 Days Rwanda Birding Tour is a combination of culture, nature, over 700 bird’s species, primate and beaches on Lake Kivu all in one small but stunning country. Expect to encounter a wide range of bird species that includes the Red-faced Barbet, Papyrus Gonolek, White-headed, Broad-tailed Warblers, Miombo Wren-Warblers and many more.
10 Days Rwanda Birding Tour Detailed itinearary
Day 1 : Welcome to Rwanda
Welcome to Rwanda the land of a thousand hills. Rwanda is a small country but definitely offers one of the best breathtaking sceneries in the region thanks to her endless rolling green hill that you will surely notice while flying over to Kigali international airport. Our guide will be at the airport waiting for you and to take you to your hotel in a beautiful leafy part of Kigali city. Your 10 Days Rwanda Birding Tour can actually starts right at the hotel since many birds tend to come over to the hotel
Serena hotel Kigali (High End)
Day 2 & 3 Birding in Akagera national park
Very few people actually know that you can go for a safari in Rwanda. These next 2 days you will be able to experience a Big 5 safari alongside birding in Rwanda’s Akagera National Park. The park is situated Northeastern Rwanda covering an area of 2500 Km2 of savannah grasslands, swamps and marshes. Akagera National Park is home to a variety of bird species and wildlife. During your game drive in Akagera National Park, you will definitely have a chance to see some of the 490 bird species that have been recorded here. To add cherry on top, go for that afternoon boat safari on Lake Ihema and you will easily build a good bird list.
Day 4 : Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park.
After breakfast, you have an option of for another birding experience in Akagera National Park before we make our way to Nyungwe forest National Park. On this morning birding tour, you can meet the Bennett’s Woodpecker, Miombo Wren-warbler and if youre lucky, the highly sought-after Shoebill stork. Later you will tranfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park where you will spend the night at either Nyungwe forest Lodge or Gisakura Guest House
Day 5: Birding in Rwanda’s Nyungwe Forest National Park.
One of the oldest rainforests in Africa, Nyungwe Forest is rich in biodiversity and spectacularly beautiful. The mountainous region is teaming with wildlife, including a small population of chimpanzees as well as 12 other species of primate, including the L’Hoest’s monkey endemic to the Albertine Rift. Nyungwe forest is one of the oldest rainforests in Africa and boosts a rich biodiversity. This park is classified and tropical montane rainforest and its home to 322 bird species with the must see red collared Babbler.
Some of other birds that you can see here includes the Rwenzori Night jar, Rwenzori Turaco, purple breasted sun bird, Rwenzori Turaco, Handsome Francolin, Grauer’s Warbler, Neumann’s Warbler and be on the lookout for the rare Kungwe Apalis, Kivu Ground Thrush. All this is possible in Nyungwe Forest National Park thanks to the well-maintained network tracks and our eagle-eyed birding guides.
Day 6: Chimpanzee Trekking.
While your chances of encountering chimpanzees are high during your tracking excursion, it is never 100% guaranteed. These are, after all, wild animals with wills and minds of their own! Today you will get deeper into the jungle in search of our cousins the chimpanzees. During your Rwanda chimpanzee trekking journey, Chimpanzees share 98% of human DNA making them our closest relatives still living.
In the company of an experienced tour guide, you will enter the jungle to observe the fascinating creatures in their natural habitat and at a close range. Encountering the incredible chimpanzees of Nyungwe forest playing and grooming each other is a humbling experience that will leave a life time experience. Please note that it is a privilege to see chimpanzees in their natural world. While you have more than 80% chances of seeing them, it is not guaranteed you will 100% see them. They will be in plain sight since this is a jungle and chimpanzees remain wild and free to move anywhere at anytime
Day 7: Boat tour on Lake Kivu and transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Volcanoes National Park is not only one of the few places to encounter the endangered mountain gorillas in the mist, The park also provides great potential for birding tours in Rwanda that are often overshadowed by activities like gorilla and golden monkey trekking.
Most visitors here will not pay much attention to birds here but the fact is these heavily vegetated volcanoes are home to 200 bird species and among these are 17 Albertine Rift Endemics like the Scarlet-Tufted Sunbird at very high altitudes in the Afroalpine Rwenzori-Virunga montane moorlands and East African montane moorlands, though also found at lower altitudes.
From the rainforests of Nyungwe you will drive 3 hours along the shores of Lake Kivu this is a perfect way to break the long journey to Musanze, Kivu Lake is one of the African Great Lakes in the Albertine Rift, creating a natural border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
A Boat tour is a fantastic way to explore Lake Kivu’s scenic coastline, birds and its many beaches, coves and islands. Fishermen in traditional boats ply the blue waters as they go about their daily life. After a boat trip, you will drive 3 more hours to Musanze town home to Volcanoes National Park.
Accommodation: Five Volcanoes Hotel, or Sabyinyo silverback lodge.
Day 9 : Birding in Volcanoes N.P and optional gorilla trekking
After breakfast you will transfer to the park headquarters for birding or an optional gorilla trekking. If you wish to add this activity, please let us know so we book the permits in advance. Some of the bird species in Volcanoes National Park include Black and white manikin, Rwenzori batis, Cinnamon bracken warbler, White-tailed blue-flycatcher Grauer’s rush warbler, White-tailed blue-flycatcher among others.
Day 10: Transfer to Kigali.
Today on our last day of this 10-day Rwanda birding tour, you will have a chance to go for another birding experience in volcanoes National Park and after you leave to Kigali for your flight back home.
