{"id":1771,"date":"2023-09-23T07:12:24","date_gmt":"2023-09-23T07:12:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gramentheme.com\/wp\/foresty\/there-are-also-natural-sources-of-methane-from-copy\/"},"modified":"2025-03-03T13:03:44","modified_gmt":"2025-03-03T13:03:44","slug":"22-days-birding-itinerary-for-north-east-south-and-pemba","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/endemicbirds.co.tz\/index.php\/2023\/09\/23\/22-days-birding-itinerary-for-north-east-south-and-pemba\/","title":{"rendered":"22 Days, Birding itinerary for North, East, South and Pemba"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Birding itinerary for North, East, South and Pemba<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Tanzania contains at least over 40 endemics birds many of which are rare or endangered and new discoveries continue to be with no less than seven endemic species having been found here since 1981, (four are probably already\/or still to be officially described). During this tour you will visit some superb areas that are very much off-the beaten tracks including Lark Plains in Arusha, Tarangire National Park, Ruaha National park, the eastern arc mountains, Kilombero flood plain and the small Pemba Island. The trip will not be a camping trip in the remote areas, but you will be in Lodges, Tented camps, Motels\/Hotels, with all the Facilities. \u00a0In the eastern arc mountains your four wheel drive vehicle will only be able to get you so far to a point where it cannot go further (get off the vehicle are walk). This will somehow hinder you to go deeper into the forest where some of the target species are found. Normally in this mountains needs camping which in this tour there is no wildness\/forest camping (may be next birding tripJ). Walking Efforts: The walks in Ulugurus and Udzungwas Mountains are strenuous (for participants who will do a one to two hours walk\/hike) therefore need to have a relatively high level of physical fitness. \u00a0Elsewhere the walks are mostly easy to Moderate; most days will be worm or hot, dry and sunny but overcast conditions are fairly frequent and there may well be some rain. At higher altitudes temperatures are cool to warm; it may even feel cold at night.<\/p>

\u00a0EAST USAMBARA:<\/b><\/strong>\u00a0Long-billed tailorbird, Amani sunbird, Banded green sunbird, Uluguru violet backed sunbird, Plain backed sunbird, Kretschmer’s long- bill, Usambara hyliota, White chested Alethe, Orange ground thrush, Olive thrush, Usambara eagle owl, Cabanis’s bunting, Fischer’s turaco , Green headed Oriole, Sharpe’s Akalat<\/p>

WEST USAMBARA.<\/b><\/strong>\u00a0Usambara weaver, Usambara nightjar ,Red-capped forest warbler, Spot throat, Usambara double collared sunbird, Red-faced crimsonwing, Mountain greenbul, Shelley’s greenbul, Hartlaub’s turaco, Bar tailed trogon, Forest batis, Tiny greenbul, Usambara akalat.<\/p>

ULUGURUS AND UDZUNGWA TARGETS<\/b><\/strong>:\u00a0Bertram’s Weaver ,Tanzania Seedeater ,Rufous-winged Sunbird, Loveridge’s Sunbird, Moreau’s Sunbird, Rubeho Akalat, Iringa Akalat , Churring Cisticola , White-winged Apalis, Masked Apalis, Chapin’s Apalis, Brown-headed Apalis, Mrs. Moreau’s Warbler, Uluguru Bushshrike, \u00a0Dark Batis, Udzungwa Partridge, Blue Quail. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Day to day itinerary<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Day 1: Arrival in Tanzania.<\/strong><\/p>

Pick up at the Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) time (TBA) and transferred to lodge, if and only if all members arrive together there might be an evening birding activity around the lodge. Dinner and overnight at\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>

Day 2: Arusha town to Lark plains.<\/strong><\/p>

After breakfast, we drive around the looming Mt. Meru to the lark plains. These grasslands are home to the last 200+- Beesley\u2019s Larks on Earth, and we will search for this critically endangered Tanzanian endemic. The plains are lined by Drepanolobium whistling thorn trees, while hills offer a scrubby habitat that can deliver Red-fronted and White-headed Barbets, Red-throated Tit, eremomelas, four other Lark species and crombecs. The thicket habitat and riparian strips offer many great birds. Early arrival to the lodge, Dinner and overnight at<\/p>

Days 3: Arusha to Tarangire national park.<\/strong><\/p>

Breakfast. From Arusha we head to Tarangire with picnic box, where we shall enjoy some of northern Tanzania\u2019s finest birding. The low baobab-clad plains and fever-tree groves support many cool species including three Tanzanian endemics: Ashy Starling, Yellow-collared Lovebird, and Rufous-tailed Weaver. Late arrival at the lodge, Dinner and overnight at<\/p>

Day 4: Arusha to Same<\/strong>,<\/strong>\u00a0Birding at Nyumba ya Mungu Reservoir<\/strong><\/p>

After Breakfast, pack up and depart to Same. We will make a little detour to some very nice habitat just short of Nyumba ya Mungu reservoir. Species to be expected here includes Rufous and Scaly Chatterer, Pringle\u00b4s Puffback, Southern Grosbeak Canary, Yellow-necked Weaver, Pygmy Batis, Somali Bunting, Pink-breasted Lark, Abyssinian White-eye, Red-fronted Warbler + many more. After that we will head for a small woodland just outside Mkomazi National Park, where we will hunt for species like Tsavo, Black-bellied and Hunter\u00b4s Sunbird, Red-and-yellow, Black-throated and D`Arnaud\u00b4s Barbets, Grey Wren-Warbler, Fischer\u00b4s Starling, Straw-tailed Whydah + many more. Dinner and overnight at<\/p>

Day 5: Same to West Usambaras<\/strong><\/p>

Breakfast, Drive to the south Pare road birding en-route at stops near the road for some 500 meter site, We will see plenty of other birds as well. This offers a great diversity of birds. We will enjoy a picnic lunch en-route to West Usambaras. We will arrive at the\u00a0West Usambara in the evening, hopefully with time for\u00a0some late birding\u00a0at the Mkuze forest reserve, prior to arrival at Muller’s mountain lodge. New introductions might be Forest Batis, and more. \u00a0Dinner and overnight at<\/p>

Day 6: \u00a0West Usambaras (highlands) Full day<\/strong><\/p>

The West Usambara Mountains, (Magamba Forest) supporting good stands of forest support a species on it that is found nowhere else in the world, the Usambara Akalat; it is also home to the very localized Usambara Weaver. Other rare forest gems we shall be looking for include Oriole Finch, Spot-throat Modulatrix, Usambara (Mountain) Greenbul, Fulleborn’s Boubou, Red-capped Tailorbird and many others. Overnights in the quaint Muller\u2019s lodge which offers great birding with homemade meals and colonial atmosphere accommodation. Dinner and overnight at<\/p>

Day 7: West to East Usambaras-Amani Nature Reserve (lowlands)<\/strong><\/p>

This day we make our way to the northern extension of the ancient eastern arc mountains. Although these mountains are geographically very close to the West Usambaras, the avifauna is dramatically different hinting of an age when Asia and Africa were joined. These mountains are an incredibly exciting birding destination. The lowland coastal forests at Kambai and the Sigi section of the Amani reserve supports a plethora of exciting forest birds including the magical Chestnut-fronted Helmet-shrike, Red-tailed Ant-thrush and the stunning Green-headed Oriole, and many other on our list \u00a0target birds for the day. Arrival Dinner and overnight at<\/p>

Days 8: East Usambaras Amani Nature Reserve (highlands): Full day birding.<\/strong><\/p>

On this day we shall be concentrating on the magical high altitude avifauna of the eastern arc mountains. This ancient arc of crystalline mountains is jam-packed with real specials such as the Forest and Pale Batis, Banded Green, Amani and Uluguru Violet-backed Sunbirds, Green Barbet, Fischer’s Turaco, Black and white-\u00a0Flycatcher, White-breasted Alethe and the bizarre and exceptionally rare Long Billed Forest warbler (Tailorbird), Meals and overnight at\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>

You will be driving back to arusha and overnight on the way.<\/strong><\/p>

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The extinction to the Southern and Eastern part of Tanzania.<\/strong><\/p>

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Day 9: East Usambaras to Morogoro town<\/strong><\/p>

After breakfast depart with picnic box, full day birding enroute, you drive towards the Wami Bridge for Bohm\u2019s Bee-eater, \u00a0\u00a0on the main Tanga- Chalinze Highway then on to Morogoro where you will have a few good birding spots on the way. Meals and overnight at,<\/p>

Day 10 & 11: Morogoro:<\/strong><\/p>

Today will be an early morning start as we leave the town of Morogoro for the high forests of the Ulugurus Mountain. We will depart with four wheel drive vehicles in search for our target species, note that we are not going for a serious hiking up the mountain or \u00a0camping but we are only doing a day trip birding there will be partial walking in search for Uluguru Bush shrike, Angola Swallow, Bertram\u2019s Weaver. The forest edge and bush will also provide us with some superb birds and we are likely to encounter Southern Citril, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Evergreen Forest Warbler, Dark-capped Yellow Warbler, and Bar-throated Apalis amongst others. Dinner and overnight at<\/p>

Day 12: Ulugurus Mountain to Mikumi National Park,<\/strong><\/p>

This day we make our way to Mikumi with birding en route, we will keep a look out for raptors, the sought-after Pale-billed Hornbill, White-crested Helmetshrike, Zanzibar, Black-winged and Yellow Bishops and White-winged Widowbird with orange shoulder patches of the distinctive subspecies eques. This is mainly a travel day and we plan to arrive in Mikumi in the early evening for an Evening birding and game drives. Dinner and overnight at<\/p>

Day 13: Mikumi National Park (on the Kilosa road) to West Udzungwa forest,<\/strong><\/p>

We have a half day to explore this fabulous reserve on the Kilosa road for some numerous broad-leafed and miombo, \u00a0specialties including Brown-necked Parrot, African Barred Owlet, B\u00f6hm\u2019s Spinetail, Racket-tailed Roller, Pale-billed Hornbill, elusive Speckle-throated Woodpecker, Cinnamon-breasted Tit, Stierling\u2019s Wren-Warbler, Green-capped Eremomela, Yellow-bellied Hyliota, Miombo Blue-eared Starling, Kurrichane Thrush Bearded Scrub Robin, Arnot\u2019s Chat, Pale Flycatcher, Shelley\u2019s Sunbird (the subspecies that occurs here may be split) Other species we may see in the park include Crested Barbet, Brown-backed Honeybird, Red-throated Wryneck, Golden-tailed Woodpecker, Croaking Cisticola, Neddicky and Yellow-bellied Eremomela. Dinner and overnight at<\/p>

\u00a0Day 14: West Udzungwa Mountains.<\/strong><\/p>

A full day in the West Udzungwa Mountains another exciting location, the Kilombero River floodplain, this lovely area has become famous as recently as 1986 when a survey team located three new species to science, namely: White-tailed Cisticola, Kilombero Cisticola and Kilombero Weaver. These species are confined to the floodplain area of the Kilombero River. Dinner and overnight at<\/p>

Day 15: West to East Udzungwa Mountains.<\/strong><\/p>

Today we will depart early on the long drive to the East Udzungwas. We will again have chance to search for Uhehe Fiscal and Kipengere Seedeater on the way out. Travelling north, we pass through a wonderful Baobab Forest and stretch our legs and enjoy some open country birding. Species we may encounter here include impressive endemic Tanzanian Red-billed Hornbill. We should arrive in the afternoon for a rest and overnight at the<\/p>

Day 16: East Udzungwa \u2013 Udzungwa Scarp forest,<\/strong><\/p>

Full day birding and a partial hiking in the Uluti forest scarp, The mornings are generally the most productive for birding and you will attempt to track down some of the serious skulkers that inhabit these forests such as the rare Dappled Mountain Robin, Iringa and Sharpe\u2019s Akalats, White-chested Alethe, Spot-throat and Swynnerton\u2019s Robin, Rufous winged sunbird etc …. Other great birds include a number of flock-associated species such as White-tailed Crested Flycatcher, Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler, Grey Cuckoo shrike, Bar-tailed Trogon, Yellow-rumped Tinker bird, Shelley\u2019s and Yellow-streaked Greenbuls and Black-headed Apalis.<\/p>

Day 17: Iringa Sunset Lodge to Kisolanza Highlands.<\/strong><\/p>

Breakfast, This is the souththern highland of Tanzania, it provides easy access to ruaha National Park, and there will be highways stops for some other highlands species such as Jackson widowbird, Kurichane Thrush, Whyte\u2019s Barbet, Miombo Wren-Warbler, Fulleborn\u2019s Longclaw, Reichard\u2019s Seedeater, Fawn-breasted Waxbill, Miombo double Sunbird, Jackson Widowbird, Locust Finch, Miombo rock thrush and many more .. Dinner and overnight at<\/p>

Day 18: Kisolanza Highlands to Ruaha National Park:<\/strong><\/p>

After breakfast, \u00a0depart with picnic box, full day birding enroute, while you drive towards Ruaha National Park, this is an easy day as you will be carefully looking for the (Ruaha) southern highlands specialties among others you will be looking for the Ruaha Chat, Ruaha Hornbill, Variable Indigobird, Rufous Bush Chat, Reichard\u2019s Seedeater, Cabanis’s Bunting, Miombo Sunbird, Coppery-tailed Coucal. Dinner and overnight<\/p>

Day 19: Ruaha National Park,<\/strong><\/p>

Full day inside Ruaha national park, you will enjoy birding + game drives inside this park, with all meals and Overnight at Ruaha River Lodge<\/strong><\/p>

Day 20: Ruaha to Pemba Island:<\/strong><\/p>

Pemba, one of the legendary Spice Islands, is laden with cloves, which are spread out on the streets throughout the island. The friendly people and laid-back culture encapsulate what Zanzibar must have been like before tourists overran it. Pm birding around the lodge shores. On the seashore possible species include the spectacular Crab Plover as well as Sooty Gull, Saunder’s, Gull- billed and Lesser Crested Terns and waders. Dinner and overnight at<\/p>

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Day 21: Ngezi Forest Reserve Full day birding activity.<\/strong><\/p>

We shall head to the exciting Ngezi Forest Reserve to look for the island\u2019s other endemic birds tiny Pemba Scops Owl, Pemba Sunbird, Pemba White-eye and Pemba Green Pigeon, and may be one of the introduced species (Java sparrow) and other interesting species. \u00a0At a mere 14km2<\/sup>, Ngezi Forest Reserve is the largest remaining forest patch on the island. Meals and overnight at,<\/p>

Day 22: <\/strong>Depart the hotel , drive to Pemba Airport.<\/strong><\/p>

This day you will drive to Pemba airport and connect with your scheduled domestic flight to\u00a0Pemba-\u00a0Dar-Kilimanjaro, upon arrival you will connect with your Outbound International flight back home.<\/p>

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*Thank you*<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Birding itinerary for North, East, South and Pemba Tanzania contains at least over 40 endemics birds many of which are rare or endangered and new discoveries continue to be with no less than seven endemic species having been found here since 1981, (four are probably already\/or still to be officially described). During this tour you<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3063,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[12,14],"class_list":["post-1771","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-audio","tag-business"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/endemicbirds.co.tz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1771","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/endemicbirds.co.tz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/endemicbirds.co.tz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/endemicbirds.co.tz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/endemicbirds.co.tz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1771"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/endemicbirds.co.tz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1771\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3614,"href":"https:\/\/endemicbirds.co.tz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1771\/revisions\/3614"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/endemicbirds.co.tz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3063"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/endemicbirds.co.tz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1771"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/endemicbirds.co.tz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1771"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/endemicbirds.co.tz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1771"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}