18-Day Birding-Endemic of North & North-East Tanzania

• You'll be collected from the airport.
• Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.

Arrival in Tanzania

This day is set aside as arrival day. Depending on your arrival schedule, upon your arrival at Kilimanjaro airport you find the driver with a sign reading Charles Tours and your name on it. After a short introduction, you will take a short drive to your hotel for dinner and an overnight stay at Ngare Sero Mountain Lodge.

Main Destination:

Arusha (City)

Accommodation:

Ngare Sero Mountain Lodge

• Luxury lodge located near Arusha (City)

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Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Arusha National Park

You will have an early breakfast before you drive (about 30 minutes) to Arusha National Park.
Endemic birds such as broadringed white-eye and the restricted range endemic Taveta weaver and near-endemic Arbott's starlings and other specialties. Your dinner and overnight stay will be in Arusha.

Main Destination:

Arusha National Park

Best Time To Visit June to October (Animals are easier to spot)

High Season July to March (The park can get busy)

Best Weather June to October (Little rainfall)

Wildlife in Arusha NP

GiraffeCommon

BuffaloCommon

ZebraCommon

HippoCommon

ElephantOccasional

WildebeestOccasional

Show more

LeopardRare

HyenaRare

White RhinoNone

Black RhinoNone

LionNone

CheetahNone

Wild DogNone

Accommodation:

Ngare Sero Mountain Lodge

• Luxury lodge located just outside Arusha NP

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Lark Plains/Engikareti

You'll visit Lark plains for the endemic Beesley's lark and other dry county specials such as the near-endemic Southern Grosbeak -Canary, Red-throated Tit and Short-toed Lark. Later, you'll drive back to your hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.
After lunch, you will drive to Babati near the Mbulu Mountains for an overnight stay.

Main Destination:

Lark Plains (Bird Sanctuary)

Accommodation:

Asmorein Hotel

• Mid-range hotel located in Babati (Town)

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Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Mbulu Mountains

You'll have an early breakfast before a drive to the Mbulu Mountains for the endemic Mbulu-ground Robin and the near-endemic Mbulu White-eye. Later, you will drive to Karatu village for dinner and an overnight stay at Octagon Lodge.
You should expect a moderate hike that takes about three hours.

Main Destination:

Mbulu Mountain (Mountain Range)

Accommodation:

Octagon Lodge

• Mid-range lodge located in Karatu (Town)

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Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Drive to Serengeti via Ngorongoro Conservation Area

You'll have breakfast before you check out and drive to Serengeti via the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, sampling some bushes for birds. In the afternoon, you'll proceed with birding from southern Serengeti, looking for the endemic Grey-breasted Spurfowl, Rufous-tailed Weaver, the near-endemic Grey-crested Helmet-shrike and Usambiro Barbet. You will also look for the highly sought-after Karamoja Apalis which is endemic to East Africa. Your overnight stay will be in Central Serengeti.

Main Destination:

Serengeti National Park

Best Time To Visit January to February and June to October (Different areas are best at different times)

High Season July to March (The Seronera area is crowded)

Best Weather June to October (Little to no rainfall)

Wildlife in Serengeti NP

ElephantCommon

LionCommon

CheetahCommon

BuffaloAbundant

ZebraAbundant

WildebeestAbundant

Show more

GiraffeCommon

HippoCommon

HyenaCommon

LeopardOccasional

Black RhinoVery Rare

Wild DogVery Rare

White RhinoNone

Accommodation:

Hippo Trails Camp

• Mid-range tented camp located inside Serengeti NP

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Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Ngorongoro Highlands

You will leave the grassy plains of the mighty Serengeti National Park very early in the morning with packed lunches on hand making a stop at the Ngorongoro Highlands for the East African endemic Hunter's Cisticola, Jackson's Widowbird, Eastern Double-collared Sunbird and Schalow's Turaco. Later, you will drive to Karatu village for dinner and an overnight stay.

Main Destination:

Ngorongoro Highlands

Accommodation:

Octagon Lodge

• Mid-range lodge located in Karatu (Town)

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Drive to Tarangire National Park

You will drive to Tarangire National Park for the endemic Ashy starling, Yellow-collared Lovebird, and Emin's Barbet, the near-endemic Northern Pied-Babbler and East African endemic Hildebrandt's starlings are fairly common here. Your dinner and overnight stay will be at Tarangire Safari Lodge.

Main Destination:

Tarangire National Park

Best Time To Visit July to November (Animals come to the Tarangire River)

High Season June to October (The park is full of visitors)

Best Weather June to October (Little rainfall)

Wildlife in Tarangire NP

ElephantAbundant

GiraffeCommon

LionCommon

BuffaloAbundant

ZebraAbundant

WildebeestAbundant

Show more

HippoCommon

HyenaOccasional

LeopardRare

CheetahRare

Wild DogVery Rare

White RhinoNone

Black RhinoNone

Accommodation:

Tarangire Safari Lodge

• Mid-range tented camp located inside Tarangire NP

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Full-Day Birding and Wildlife Viewing in Tarangire National Park

You'll enjoy full-day birding and wildlife viewing in Tarangire National Park, looking for endemics as well as enjoying the big game. In the afternoon, you will drive back to your hotel for hot lunches before you proceed to explore nature at its best.
Late evening, you will drive back to your hotel for a hot dinner and an overnight stay at Tarangire Safari Lodge.

Main Destination:

Tarangire National Park

Accommodation:

Tarangire Safari Lodge

• Mid-range tented camp located inside Tarangire NP

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Morning Wildlife Viewing then Drive to Arusha

You will enjoy morning wildlife viewing in Tarangire. In the afternoon, you will enjoy your hot lunch at the hotel before you exit the park and drive back to Arusha town. Late evening, you will check-in at Tumbili Lodge (Subject to availability).
A drive from Tarangire to Arusha takes about three hours.

Main Destination:

Arusha (City)

Accommodation:

Tumbili Lodge

• Mid-range lodge located in Arusha (City)

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Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Arusha to South Pare Mountains

You will drive to South Pare Mountains via Nyumba ya Mungu dam for Maasai arid zones specials such as Acacia Tit, Black-throated Barbets, Golden-breasted and Fischers Starlings, Black-bellied and Tsavo Sunbirds, Pink-breasted Lark, and Somali Bunting.
You will have your picnic lunch. Later, you'll drive into our hotel in the small town of Same. ln the evening, you'll drive up the South Pare mountains for the endemic South Pare White-eye and the distinctive race Paarensis of bar-throated Apalis, East-coast Boubou, and Flycatcher can also be seen up there. You'll have a hot dinner and an overnight stay in Same town.

Main Destination:

Same (Town)

Accommodation:

Johnsons Villas

• Mid-range hotel located in Same (Town)

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Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

East Usambara

You'll enjoy morning birding near Mkomazi National Park and transfer to Magamba forest in West Usambara Mountains for birding. You'll have late afternoon birding in Magamba forest looking for endemic species and other specialties. Late evening, you will drive to your lodge —Mullers Mountain Lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Main Destination:

Lushoto (Town)

Accommodation:

Mullers Mountain Lodge

• Mid-range lodge located in Usambara Mountains (Mountain Range)

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Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Magamba Forest

You'll spend the whole day in the Magamba forest where you will bird for the endemic Usambara double-collared Sunbird, Usambara Weaver, Usambara Thrush, Usambara/Montane Tiny Greenbul, Usambara Akalat, and other specialties. Your dinner and overnight stay will be at Mullers Mountain Lodge in West Usambara.

Main Destination:

Shume Magamba Forest Reserve

Accommodation:

Mullers Mountain Lodge

• Mid-range lodge located in Usambara Mountains (Mountain Range)

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Magamba to Amani Nature Reserve

After morning birding in Magamba, you'll have a late afternoon transfer to Amani Nature Reserve in (the East Usambara Mountains) and birding along the way plus at Amani Botanical Garden late in the evening.
Later on, you will check in at Amani Rest House, have dinner, and look forward to a great day tomorrow.

Main Destination:

Amani Nature Reserve (Usambara Mountains)

Accommodation:

Amani Rest House

• Budget guest house located inside Amani NR (Usambara Mountains)

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Birding at Amani Nature Reserve

You will bird for the endemic Banded Green Sunbird, Usambara Hyliota, Usambara Bluebill, Tanzanian Illadopsis, Usambara Eagle-owl, and Long-billed forest-Warbler, the near-endemic Uluguru violet Backed and Amani Sunbirds. Other birds include the Mombasa Woodpecker, Fischers and Lowland tiny Greenbul, Fischer's Turaco, Plain-backed Sunbirds, Cabanis's Bunting, Krestchmer's Longbill, and many more. Your dinner and overnight stay will be at Amani Rest House.

Main Destination:

Amani Nature Reserve (Usambara Mountains)

Accommodation:

Amani Rest House

• Budget guest house located inside Amani NR (Usambara Mountains)

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

West Usambara to Arusha

You'll bird around Amani. Thereafter, you'll have a long day drive back to Arusha, sampling some bushes along the way back to Arusha.
A ride from West Usambara takes about 9 hours.
Late evening, you will check in at your lodge at Greenside Kili Golf. You will enjoy your dinner and relax.
This accommodation is located within a small reserve with plenty of birds to see around.

Main Destination:

Arusha (City)

Accommodation:

Kilimanjaro Golf and Wildlife Estate

• Luxury lodge located near Arusha (City)

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Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Birding around Kili Golf

Depending on your flight schedules, you'll have morning birding at Kili Golf or go shopping in Arusha. Later on, you will transfer to Arusha/Kilimanjaro for your flight to the next destination. We can also try to reserve your room for a late check-out (this must be communicated in advance).

Main Destination:

Kilimanjaro Airport

Accommodation:

No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & lunch (Dinner not included)
• Drinks not included

• Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost.
• You'll be dropped off at the airport.