Birdwatching safari

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Arusha - Mkomazi

  The time of your arrival at Kilimanjaro airport will determine the day's schedule. If your arrival is scheduled for the evening, a night in Arusha will be necessary. Otherwise, you will leave directly for Mkomazi National Park. Stop for lunch at a restaurant along the way. Dinner and overnight at the Mkomazi cottage.

• day 2

  Mkomazi National Park

  

  

  Very little visited, Mkomazi National Park is a former hunting reserve that deserves a full day of safari for many reasons. The wildlife still remembers the hunting activity of the past and often keeps its distance from the 4x4s. Binoculars are sometimes necessary to observe oryx, lesser kudu, or buffalo. But some species are more accessible. This is the case for giraffes and elephants. Mkomazi is also renowned for the number of bird species that can be observed. You may have the chance to spot: martial eagle, brown snake eagle, black-chested snake eagle, yellow-throated francolin, long-tailed shrike, Decker's hornbill, yellow-billed hornbill, white-bellied turaco, lilac-breasted roller, Rüppell's weaver, crowned lapwing, red-headed barbet... and ostriches! We will linger over all the birds that are within binocular range. Gatherings of long-tailed shrikes (see photo) are always a wonder for the ornithologist. The rhino sanctuary After the first bird sightings, you will stop at the rhinoceros sanctuary. With a specialized guide, you will meet Kisima, Jabu, maybe Tunu and her daughter Waitara. This moment will be an enchanting interlude during this day that should leave you with extraordinary memories. Dinner and overnight at the cottage or lodge according to the chosen package.

• day 3

  Mkomazi - Arusha National Park

  

  You will leave Mkomazi after an early breakfast in order to arrive at Arusha National Park by late morning. Trees, flowers, insects, birds, mammals—this will be another discovery of Tanzania's wildlife for you, in an incredible landscape quite different from that of Mkomazi. With Mount Meru, which rises to 4,566 meters, as a focal point, the scenery is superb and the animals, even if not as numerous as in some parks, will make your observations exciting. Arusha National Park Both species of flamingos (greater and lesser) frequent the Momella lakes, as do the African openbill, glossy ibis, sacred ibis, black-winged stilt... Birds inhabiting other environments are harder to spot due to denser vegetation, but along the trail, it will be possible to make wonderful encounters. Here, you must pay attention to the slightest movement and the different sounds coming from the surroundings. You will also admire the many flowering plants and trees. Among the remarkable mammal species of Arusha National Park, we can mention the very discreet and elusive Peters' duiker, then two monkeys: the guereza colobus (or black-and-white colobus) and the diademed monkey or blue monkey. But other more common species are present. Zebras, buffaloes, warthogs, and giraffes are frequent. During your safari, you will stop at the Ngurdoto Crater, which has a diameter of 3.6 km and a depth of 100 meters. You will have dinner and spend the night in a small hotel in Arusha, the Kibo Hotel or similar.

• day 4

  Arusha - Mto wa Mbu

  

  You will arrive in Mto wa Mbu at the end of the morning. This large village has experienced significant expansion over the past three decades. Nevertheless, the atmosphere here remains very pleasant. The inhabitants go about their business from sunrise, and the roadside running through this town is very lively. It is also a place where handicraft activities and plantations abound. So, it is around these themes that you will enjoy Mto wa Mbu throughout the day: - The Makonde sculptors: coming from Mozambique to escape the civil war, these wood craftsmen make sculptures that are then sold in the curio-shops where tourists buy their souvenirs. - The painters: meet some artists practicing their talent in the very center of the village. They also supply the many curio-shops of Tanzania. At midday, you will have lunch at Mama Gift's. She will prepare a typically African meal for you. You can also take a walk on the outskirts of Mto wa Mbu and discover some bird species that enjoy this very fertile region. Your accommodation You will have dinner and spend the night in a small motel in Mto wa Mbu, the Fig Tree Hotel.

• day 5

  Manyara National Park

  

  Lake Manyara National Park is a concentration of extraordinary biotopes where it is possible to encounter a great diversity of animal species. Entering the park through a lush forest, you may have the chance to observe the diademed monkey (monkey) and one of Manyara's emblematic birds, the silvery-cheeked hornbill. In addition to the elephants, which are common in this environment, groups of baboons composed of several dozen individuals will let you share a few moments of their daily life: grooming, feeding, resting, and sometimes a few internal rivalries. Further on, the marsh is home to a great many birds. The diversity of birdlife depends on the time of year. Hammerkop, jacana, spur-winged lapwing, crowned lapwing, squacco heron, slate egret, black-winged stilt, glossy ibis, sacred ibis, great white pelican, Egyptian goose, ruff... the list goes on! Added to this festival are a few herbivores such as buffalo. Since a few years ago, the lake level has risen and the territory of some species has shrunk. Some animals have therefore left Manyara to join Tarangire. Your meals and accommodation Picnic lunch in the park, then dinner at the restaurant of your accommodation in the evening. Accommodation in Mto Wa Mbu at the Fig Tree Hotel.

• day 6

  Manyara National Park

  

  During this second day in Manyara National Park, you will focus your research on birds. Regular stops of the 4x4, engine off, you will listen to their songs. Your guide has a specific book and recordings of 500 bird species, admittedly from southern Africa, but many birds are common to both major African regions. You will go to certain areas of the park where, for example, the pygmy kingfisher lives. You will probably encounter the grey-headed kingfisher, the little bee-eater, or even the northern red bishop. Manyara National Park is home to more than 400 bird species. Your accommodation You will have dinner and spend the night at the Fig Tree Hotel.

• day 7

  Mto wa Mbu - Tarangire National Park

  

  Upon your arrival in the late morning, you will drop off your luggage at your accommodation and set off to discover the wildlife of this park, whose vegetation is often dominated by the many baobabs. You will slowly travel along the tracks in search of herds of elephants, giraffes, gazelles and antelopes, as well as predators. Bird enthusiasts will have plenty of opportunities to make beautiful observations with binoculars. Nature in Tarangire The Tarangire National Park is home to more than 550 species of birds. Some are resident all year round, others are migratory. In the marsh areas, bird species are very numerous and will delight ornithologists, while abandoned termite mounds are often the refuge of dwarf mongooses and the lookout for red-headed barbets. Tarangire is the symbol of the two giants of the savannah: the baobab and the elephant.

• day 8

  Tarangire National Park

  

  Each morning, after breakfast, you will set off for two full days of safari with a picnic on board your 4x4. During the morning, and depending on the sightings and photographs you have already taken, you will devote some of your time to searching for the species present in Tarangire: elephant, lion, cheetah, and leopard. The latter is quite difficult to spot, but you can count on your driver's sharp eye. As for elephants and baboons, their social life will allow you to witness sometimes astonishing scenes. Highlights of Tarangire • Elephant families • Several lion prides • Cheetahs regularly observed • Presence of leopards to spot in the trees • Large herds of buffalo • Birds with more than 550 species You will return to Tarangire View Camp (or similar) at the very end of the day for dinner and the night.

• day 9

  Tarangire National Park

  

  Birdwatching There are several areas with different environments, which will allow you to discover many species of birds: white-bellied buffalo weaver, crested guineafowl, long-tailed roller, European roller, grey-winged goshawk, crowned crane, grey-headed kingfisher, white-browed coucal, black-faced dove, Rüppell's weaver, Senegal bustard, double-banded courser, lapwings (blacksmith, crowned, spur-winged), bateleur eagle, ostrich, etc. You will return to the Tarangire View Camp (or similar) at the end of the day for dinner and overnight.

• day 10

  Tarangire - Airport

  Departure in the early morning for Arusha where you will stop for lunch at the Tembo Club. Then, transfer to the airport in case of a flight at the end of the day.