11-Day Rwanda Birding Safari

This 11-Day Rwanda Birding Safari focuses on the country’s best birding areas. Rwanda has over 703 bird species, including 29 that are unique to the Albertine Rift. Important birding spots include Rugezi Swamp, Akagera National Park, Nyabarongo, Akanyaru, and others. During the safari, look for birds like Bennett’s woodpecker, Miombo Wren-Warbler, red-faced Barbet, and Shoebill stork.

DAY 1: Arrival at Kigali International Airport

Welcome to our 11-day Rwanda birding safari. Upon arriving at Kigali International Airport, you will meet our representative who will welcome you and explain the safari details. You will then go to your hotel for dinner and an overnight stay. After meeting your birding guide, you will have a briefing session and can relax or choose a city tour or birdwatching around your hotel.

Accommodation: Kigali Serena Hotel (luxury

Meal Plan: Lunch and Dinner

Day 2: Drive to Akagera National Park

Have breakfast and drive to Akagera National Park to birdwatch in Rwanda’s savannah. Look for birds like the Black Chat, Barbet, Woodpecker, Cisticola, Wren-warbler, and the rare Francolin. You may also see the Red-faced Barbet near Akagera Game Lodge. After birding, go to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Accommodation: Akagera Game Lodge (Luxury

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 3: Whole day birding in Akagera National Park

After breakfast, drive to Akagera National Park for birdwatching, looking for various birds such as Miombo Wren Warbler, Sooty Chat, Papyrus Gonolek, White-winged Warbler, Swamp Flycatcher, Tabora Cisticola, Bennett’s Woodpecker, among others. Then, travel to Nyungwe Forest for more birding. Dinner and conclude your day 3 of 11-Day Rwanda Birding Safari.

Accommodation: Akagera Game Lodge (Luxury

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 4: Birding towards Nyungwe Forest National Park

After breakfast, with your packed lunch, begin birding south to Nyungwe Forest National Park. You will stop at Umusambi Village for the White-collared Olive back and watch for the Ruaha Chat. Expect to see other bird species such as White-faced Whistling Duck, Purple Swamphen, Black Kite, Common Swaphen, Fulvous Whistling Duck, and various ducks. Several bird species to see include Brown-throated Wattle-Eye, Grey Woodpecker, Spur-winged Goose, African Paradise, Lesser and Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Lesser Moorhen, Hottentot Teals, Black-lored Babbler, Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher, Brown Babbler, African Dusky, and Grey-crowned Cranes, Arrow-marked and Dusky-blue Babbler. It also mentions several flycatchers and babblers. Afterward, you will check into your booked lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: One and Only Nyungwe (Luxury

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 5: Birding in Nyungwe Forest National Park

Nyungwe Forest National Park is in southwestern Rwanda and is famous for its diverse birdlife. The park has high-altitude alpine forests and bamboo areas, with many trails for birdwatching. The 13km Bigugu trail, the highest point in Nyungwe, offers opportunities to see unique birds, especially those specific to the Albertine Rift. Some notable birds include the Lagdens Bush Shrike, Kivu ground thrush, Red-collared Mountain Babbler, Handsome Francolin, and Rwenzori Turaco.

Today is a key part of your 11-Day Rwanda Birding Safari. After breakfast, you will visit Nyungwe, which is home to 13 species of primates and various rare birds. Keep an eye out for the Rwenzori Turaco, Grauer’s Rush Warbler, and others like the Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher and the stunning Regal Sunbird. The elusive Shelley’s Crimson-wing Finch has not been spotted in five years. At the end of the day, you will return to the lodge for dinner and stay overnight.

Accommodation: One and Only Nyungwe (Luxury

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 6: Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest National Park

Your day 6 of 11-Day Rwanda Birding Safari will start with an early breakfast and drive to the park headquarters for a briefing, then start the trail with the armed ranger guide to look out for a family of chimpanzees. You may also get a chance deep in the forest to see other primates along the way. In the afternoon, take a nature walk in the forest to look for several birds before returning to your lodge for relaxation.

Accommodation: One and Only Nyungwe (Luxury

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 7:  Head to Volcanoes National Park

After breakfast, drive to Ruhengeri/Musanze for your adventure in Volcanoes National Park, which is home to mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, and over 180 bird species, such as Rwenzori Turaco, Dusky Crimson Wing, Handsome Francolin, Archer’s Robin-chat, among others. The journey takes you through Rwanda’s scenic, terraced hills to the Virunga volcanoes, where you can see five peaks and over half of the world’s wild mountain gorillas. A climb to their habitat offers stunning views and insights into different ecosystems. Enjoy a late lunch upon arrival at the park.

Accommodation: Virunga Lodge (Luxury

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 8: Gorilla tracking in Volcanoes National Park

Have breakfast and drive to the park headquarters for a briefing about the primate watching experience in Rwanda. You will be in a group of up to 8 and then start your trek into Volcanoes National Park. You will see various birds, primates, and tree species during your safari. After encountering the mountain gorillas, you will spend an hour with them, observing their behavior and taking photos. Finally, return to your lodge for dinner and conclude your day 8 of 11-Day Rwanda Birding Safari.

Accommodation: Virunga Lodge (Luxury)

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 9: Bird watching in and around Volcanoes National Park

After breakfast, take a nature walk through the woodland to observe species such as the African long-eared owl, Ruwenzori turaco, Archer’s robin-chat, Dusky Crimsonwing, Dusky turtle dove, Doherty’s bush-shrike, Lagden’s bush-shrike, Brown-necked parrot, Brown woodland warbler, strange weaver, Swamp, and Grauer’s Warbler. Among these are the Red-faced woodland warbler, the Scarlet-tufted Malachite sunbird, the Ruwenzori double-collared sunbird, the Ruwenzori nightjar, the Ruwenzori batis, the Ruwenzori apalis, and the handsome francolin. Dinner and spending the night at your lodge

Accommodation: Virunga Lodge (Luxury

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 10: Birding the Twin Lakes of Lake Burera and Ruhondo

Following breakfast, take a guided nature walk to search for several bird species around the Twin Lakes of Lake Burera and Ruhondo. These include the dusky turtle dove, brown-necked parrot, kingfisher, weird weaver, red-faced woodland warbler, and Ruwenzori turaco. In the evening, take a drive to Lake Kivu to observe birds, including the spotted Yellow-throated Greenbul, the Common Kestrel, the African Pied Wagtail, the Tropical Boubou, the Ashy Flycatcher, the Speckled Pigeons, the Chin-spot Batis, the Cardinal Woodpecker, the Common Waxbill, the Bronzed Sunbirds, and more. Overnight and dinner in Malahide Paradise.

Accommodation: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel (Luxury

Day 11: Transfer to Kigali.

Enjoy breakfast at your own pace before driving to Kigali International Airport to conclude your 11-day birdwatching and primate trip in Rwanda. If you haven’t done a city tour, this is a good day for it. You can visit the market, a pottery project, handicraft shops, the Fashion Museum, and a genocide memorial before your flight.

Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch

11-Day Rwanda Birding Safari includes

• Bottled drinking mineral water
• All pick-ups and drop-offs
• All park entrance fees
• All means and lunch en route
• All government taxes / VAT
• All transportation in a 4X4 safari car
• A Private professional English-speaking driver/guide

11-Day Rwanda Birding Safari Excludes

• International flights
• Tips
• Travel insurance
• Personal items and expenditure on stuff like telephone/internet, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, etc
• Medical insurance and many more