5 Days Rwanda Birding Safari – Overview
The 5 Days Rwanda Birding Safari combines two prime Rwanda birding safari destinations of Akagera National Park and Nyungwe Forest National Park.
Akagera is home to 525 bird species of which 44 are raptor species while Nyungwe is home to 275 bird species with 25 Albertine rift endemics.
Akagera National Park offers possibilities of exploring a great deal of Savannah bird species along with water bird species such as Shoebill stork and Papyrus gonolek while Nyungwe Forest National Park offers possibilities of exploring Afro montane bird species including Rwenzori Turaco, Sun-bird species among others. The 5 Days Rwanda birding safari starts and ends in Kigali Rwanda.
5 Days Rwanda Birding Safari – Highlights
Day 1: Transfer to Akagera National Park & do birding with boat on Lake Ihema
Day 2: Do Whole day birding in Akagera National Park
Day 3: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Day 4: Whole day birding in Nyungwe Forest National Park
Day 5: Optional Chimpanzee trekking or more birding experience & transfer back to Kigali
5 Days Rwanda Birding Safari – Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 : Transfer to Akagera National Park & Do Birding With Boat On Lake Ihema
Breakfast at own arrangement, connect with the guide and transfer to Akagera National Park 135km about 2 hours’ drive from Kigali.
The en route sights of Rwandan hillsides dotted with cattle farms, gardens and local settlement make the drive interesting.
Check in at the lodge and in the afternoon 2pm, you embark on the boat cruise on Lake Ihema – Rwanda’s second largest Lake.
Lake Ihema is part of an extensive wetland system known to be the largest in Central Africa comprising of also other lakes like Gishanju, Shakani, Rwanyakizinga and Mihindi.
The boat offers chances of exploring the bird species including; Papyrus gonolek, shoebill, African fish eagle, grey crowned crane among others. The sights of Hippos and Nile crocodiles may not be missed.
Accommodation
Budget: Dereva Hotel
Midrange: Akagera Game Lodge
Luxury: Ruzizi Tented Camp
Day 2: Do Whole Day Birding in Akagera National Park
The extensive diverse landscapes of Akagera National Park offer rewarding birding experience. The Park boasts of 525 bird species of which 44 are raptor species such as Balaeniceps rex and a range of several Palearctic migrants such as the Glareola nordmanni, the Gallinago media and the Falco naumanni.
The day birding experience in Akagera National Park offers possibilities of exploring a range of bird species including; Ring-necked Francolin, Pallid Harrier, Madagascar Pond-heron, White-spotted Flufftail, Red-faced Barbet, Black-shouldered Nightjar, Buff-spotted woodpecker, Carruthers’s Cisticola, Sharpe’s pied-babbler, Mountain Illadopsis, Green-throated Sunbird, Black-billed weaver, Western Citril among others.
While on the birding encounter, there are chances of viewing other wild game in Akagera National Park including; Maasai Giraffe, Lions, Black Rhinos, Elephants, Cape Buffaloes, Topis, Impala, Elands among others.
Accommodation
Budget: Dereva Hotel
Midrange: Akagera Game Lodge
Luxury: Ruzizi Tented Camp
Day 3: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
After breakfast, embark on the transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park to the south west of Rwanda. You drive through the impressive Rwandan hillsides dubbed the land of a thousand hills.
A lunch stop will be made in Butare en route where a short visit to the National Museum can be arranged to explore the great history and traditions of Rwanda.
Proceed on the drive to Nyungwe Forest National Park for check in and relaxation. An evening simple birding walk can be undertaken at the forest edge.
Accommodation
Budget/ Basic: Gisakura Guesthouse
Midrange / Standard: Nyungwe Hill Top View Hotel
Luxury / Upmarket: Nyungwe Forest Lodge
Day 4: Whole Day Birding in Nyungwe Forest National Park
Settle for an early breakfast before connecting to the Nyungwe forest for a lasting extensive Rwanda birding safari experience.
The walk through the forest offers possibilities of exploring various bird species including; Kivu Ground-Thrush, Red-chested, Sunbird, White-tailed Blue-flycatcher, Regal Sunbird, Miombo Rock-Thrush, Rockefeller’s Sunbird, Mountain Masked Apalis, Chestnut-throated Apalis, Black-faced Apalis, Collared Apalis, Stripe-breasted Tit, Grauer’s Warbler, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Archer’s Robin-Chat, Red- throated Alethe, Ruwenzori Turaco, Handsome Francolin, Great Blue Turaco, White-headed Wood-hoopoe, Mountain Greenbul, Olive Woodpecker, Rwenzori Hill-babbler, Mountain Yellow Warbler, Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, Northern Puffback, Rwenzori Double-collared Sunbird, White-starred Robin, Dusky Crimsonwing, Streaky Seedeater, Thick-billed Seedeater, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Variable Sunbird, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, Waller’s Starling, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird among others.
Accommodation
Budget/ Basic: Gisakura Guesthouse
Midrange / Standard: Nyungwe Hill Top View Hotel
Luxury / Upmarket: Nyungwe Forest Lodge
Day 5: Optional Chimpanzee Trekking or More Birding Experience & Transfer Back to Kigali
This morning you can choose to engage in more birding encounter to gain chances of exploring more bird species including those that you might have missed on the previous day.
Alternatively, engage in Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest National Park to explore the great Ape closest to mankind in terms of DNA.
The Chimp trek lasts 2 – 5 hours. From either of these encounters, you embark on the transfer back to Kigali to mark the end of the safari.
End of the 5 Days Rwanda Birding Safari to Akagera & Nyungwe Forest National Parks.