Escorted Birding Expedition

Safari Highlights

Our guides have developed bird knowledge as a special interest; some have become so familiar with the common bird guide books that they name the page with each bird sighting… It certainly saves time leafing through indexes! It is wonderful and worthwhile to have someone to share your enthusiasm with.

The many habitats of East Africa provide dream bird watching locations, and a dauntingly long list of endemic species that you simply have to travel to find. Briefly, you would most likely come across these birds;

Arusha National Park- inhabited by over 400 different migrant and resident bird species. Water fowls such as little grebes, eagles, pochards, geese, hamerkop, red shark, spurwinged goose, woodpecker, herons, secretary bird, gray parrot are common in this park.

Lake Manyara National Park – with over 300 species recorded, including Eurasian migrant birds, Lake Manyara is also home to the pink flamingo, other common birds found here are, Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, Narina Trogon, Crowned Hornbill, Schalow’s Turaco, Emerald Cuckoo, Crowned Eagle and ground-dwelling Crested Guinea-fowl.

Serengeti National Park- with over 500 different types of birds on record, the larger Serengeti-Mara ecosystem is among Africa’s Endemic Bird Areas, with 5 endemic bird species that cannot be seen in any other place, which have of these restricted to the Tanzanian side of this ecosystem, this are, Fischer’s lovebird endemic to Tanzania, Rufous-tailed weaver endemic to Tanzania, Usambirobarbet, endemic to Mara-Serengeti, Grey-breasted spurfowl, endemic to Tanzania, Kori bustard, Secretary bird.

Ngorongoro Crater – Ngorongoro Crater is a bird watcher’s paradise, the soda lakes of Ngorongoro are the breeding grounds of thousands of flamingoes and other water birds such as ducks, waders, and herons. Birds of prey such as the Augur buzzard and the Long-crested eagle can be spotted in the crater.

Day-1- Arrival Day.

On arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport and after customs and immigration formalities, you will be met by our driver/guide who will transfer you to Arusha.

Dinner and Overnight at Kibo Palace Hotel or similar

Day-2- Arusha National Park

Breakfast. Drive to Arusha National Park for game viewing drive.

The Arusha National Park and particularly the Momella Lakes offers gorgeous bird watching opportunities and is inhabited by over 400 different migrant and resident bird species. The most famous bird species in the Arusha National Park are waterfowls such as little grebes, eagles, pochards, geese, hamerkop, red shark, spurwinged goose, woodpecker, herons, secretary bird, grey parrot. You will have a packed lunch at the picnic site. Late afternoon drive back to your hotel.

Dinner and overnight at Kibo Palace Hotel or similar

Day-3- Tarangire National Park

You will have breakfast at your city hotel thereafter drive west of Arusha City to Tarangire National Park arriving in time for Lunch. In the afternoon you will have your encounter with wildlife. The park is famous for its high concentration of Elephants and the giant baobab trees.

Herds of up to 300 elephants scratch the dry river bed for underground streams, while migratory wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, impala, gazelle, hartebeest, and eland crowd the shrinking lagoons. It’s the greatest concentration of wildlife outside the Serengeti ecosystem – a smorgasbord for predators – and the one place in Tanzania, where dry-country antelope such as the stately fringe-eared Oryx and peculiar long-necked gerenuk are regularly observed. Return to your lodge late afternoon.

Dinner and overnight at a lodge or tented camp

Day-4- Exploring Tarangire National Park.

Today you will have a full day exploring the park, including a visit to the Tarangire river which is the livelihood of the wildlife.

Being one of the most seasonal parks in northern Tanzania, Tarangire has a lot of migratory movement with a greater Tarangire ecosystem.

Between June and October which is the dry season, there are unimaginable herds of animals that are attracted to the Tarangire River. The elephant numbers at this time are amazing. Endeavor to make this park part of your safari in northern Tanzania. The dry months of June to October bring about large gatherings of elephants. After the game migrates from the Masaai Mara, it gathers around the river.

Meals and overnight at Maramboi Tented Lodge or similar

Day-5- Lake Manyara National Park- Ngorongoro Highlands

You will have an early morning game drive. Return to your lodge for breakfast thereafter drive to Lake Manyara National Park for game viewing drive. Located beneath the cliffs of the Manyara Escarpment, on the edge of the Rift Valley, Lake Manyara National Park offers varied ecosystems, incredible birdlife, and breathtaking views. Visit Lake Manyara home of flamingos. The alkaline soda of Lake Manyara is home to an incredible array of birdlife that thrives on its brackish waters. Pink flamingo stoops and graze by the thousand colorful specks against the gray minerals of the Lakeshore. Yellow-billed storks swoop and corkscrew on thermal winds rising from the escarpment, and herons flap their wings against the sun-drenched sky. You will have lunch with a local family in the Mto WA Mbu village. Afternoon continue a short drive to the Ngorongoro Highlands.

Dinner and overnight at Farm of Dreams Lodge or similar.

Day-6- Serengeti National Park

Breakfast. Morning drive through the Ngoro Ngoro Conservation Area and on to Serengeti National Park with game viewing drive en-route, A packed lunch will be served at a picnic site. Serengeti National Park is undoubtedly the best-known wildlife sanctuary in the world, unequaled for its natural beauty and scientific value, it has the greatest concentration of plains game in Africa.

You will arrive at your lodge late afternoon.

Dinner and overnight at Serengeti Heritage Tented Camp or similar.

Day 7, 8, 9 & 10– Exploring Serengeti National Park

You will have two full days of exploring the vast Serengeti National Park and its endless plains. It is the migration for which Serengeti is perhaps most famous. Over a million wildebeest and about 200,000 zebras flow south from the northern hills to the southern plains for the short rains every October and November, and then swirl west and north after the long rains in April, May and June. So strong is the ancient instinct to move that no drought, gorge, or crocodile infested river can hold them back.

The Wildebeest travel through a variety of parks, reserves and protected areas and a variety of habitat. Join us to explore the different forms of vegetation and landscapes of the Serengeti ecosystem and meet some of their most fascinating inhabitants.

Meals and overnight at Serengeti Heritage Tented Camp or similar

Day – 11 – Ngorongoro Crater

Morning you will have a morning game viewing drive in the Serengeti returning to your camp for a brunch thereafter drive to Ngorongoro Conservation Area arriving in the late afternoon.

Dinner and overnight at Angata Tented Camp or similar

Day – 12 – Exploring Ngorongoro Crater

After an early breakfast drive to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, descend into the Crater for a game viewing drive.

The jewel in Ngorongoro’s crown is a deep, volcanic crater, the largest unflooded and unbroken caldera in the world. About 20kms across, 600 meters deep, and 300 sq km in area, the Ngorongoro Crater is a breathtaking natural wonder. The Ngorongoro Crater is one of Africa’s most famous sites and is said to have the highest density of wildlife in Africa. A packed lunch will be served at a picnic site. In late afternoon ascend the Crater and drive back to Ngorongoro Highlands. Dinner and overnight at Angata Tented Camp or similar

Day – 13 – Back to Arusha.

After a leisurely breakfast drive back to Arusha arriving by midday. Evening transfer to Kilimanjaro Airport for a flight back home.

Includes:

Accommodation, meals on safari as advised in the itinerary

Meet and greet services by our Safaris Driver Guide on safari.

All transfers as in the itinerary.

Exclusive use of our safari Land cruiser with English speaking guide as per the itinerary on safari

Mineral water (1 liter) per person per day on safari.

Park Entrance Fees as per itinerary

Game viewing drives as per itinerary

Excludes:

International airfare inclusive of related taxes

Flying Doctor’s evacuation fee temporary membership

Visa entry fees

All Optional Activities extras not stated

Expenses of personal nature such as telecommunications, tips/gratuities, cigarettes, drinks, etc.

Laundry services not, unless otherwise mentioned

Travel, baggage, and medical insurance (highly recommended)

Any other item/s not specified above.

Changes or deviation from the itinerary