Enjoy this 6 Days Rwanda Birding and Gorilla Tour with Go Self Drive Rwanda.
Day 1: Arrival for Rwanda Birding and Mountain Gorilla Trekking Trip
Arrival for Tour and transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park with Go Self Drive fleet.
Day 2: Birdwatching Nyungwe Forest Reserve of Rwanda – Rwanda Birding
Nyungwe forest is situated in south-west Rwanda between Lake Kivu and the international border with Burundi. Nyungwe is divided north–south by a line of mountains that reach 2,600–2,900 m and which form part of the Congo–Nile watershed. As a result, Nyungwe is composed of two areas differing in pedology, vegetation, water-flow, and biodiversity.
This beautiful birding area lies west of Butare, with the Butare to Cyangugu road passing straight through the middle, providing excellent roadside birding. A total of 275 species have been recorded in Nyungwe, reflecting the wide habitat diversity and altitudinal range. These include all the 25 species of the Albertine Rift mountains Endemic Bird Area that occur in Rwanda, Chapin’s Flycatcher and Rockefeller’s Sunbird (both globally threatened, restricted-range and biome-restricted). Also, 11 of the 23 species of Guinea-Congo Forests biome and 71 of the 74 species of this biome of Afrotropical Highlands that occur in Rwanda have been recorded at this site. Generally, Nyungwe is undoubtedly the most important forest for the conservation of montane birds in the region.
We have an early morning breakfast then set out to Uwinka for the Albertine Rrift endemic birds search. Among the many we look out for, include; Kivu Ground-Thrushm, White-tailed Blue-flycatcher, Red-chested, Sunbird Regal Sunbird, Rockefeller’s Sunbird, Miombo Rock-Thrush, Mountain Masked Apalis, Black-faced Apalis, Chestnut-throated Apalis, Collared Apalis, Grauer’s Warbler, few Red-faced Woodland Warbler, just to mention but a few.
Day 3: Whole Day Birding Nyungwe Forest in Rwanda
We look for species probably missed the previous day, we hope to tick-off Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Mountain Sooty Boubou, Rwenzori Batis, Blue-headed Sunbird, Sharpe’s Starling, White-tailed Blue Flycatcher, Evergreen Forest Warbler, Dusky Tit, Doherty’s Bush-shrike, Siffling Cisticola, Bronze Mannikin, Golden-breasted Bunting, Neumann’s Warbler, Red-throated Alethe, Mountain Wagtail, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, Equatorial Akalat, Black Cuckoo, Kungwe Apalis, White-bellied Robin-chat, and many more. We try our luck and listen out at nightfall for the Rwenzori Nightjar (a nocturnal species), Albertine Owlet and Red-chested Owlet.
Day 4: Birding From Nyungwe to Volcanoes National Park for Mountain Gorilla Trekking and some bird species.
Day 5: Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Trekking – Volcanoes NP
The primary activity today will be Mountain Gorilla Tracking. Mountain gorillas are the largest living primates and the world’s most endangered apes with an estimated population of less than 800 left in the wild of the whole world and none in zoos. The Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla beringei), was not yet known to the scientist until 1902. They are the next closest living relatives to human beings after the two chimpanzee species, sharing 97% DNA with us.
Day 6: We transfer to Kigali for departure and end the tour.
End of the 6 Days Rwanda Birding and Gorilla Tour.
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Related External Links for Additional Information
For those interested in combining their Rwanda tour with neighboring countries, explore safaris in Uganda at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Queen Elizabeth National Park. For a comprehensive East African adventure, consider visiting Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area in Tanzania.
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