22-Day Tanzania Arc Mountains & Endemics Birding Tour

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

Arrivals at Kilimanjaro International Airport

You will be picked up from the airport by your guide upon arrival at the airport. You'll transfer to Arusha City for refreshments, get over jetlag, dinner, and an overnight stay. This is an arrival day and no specific activity is planned. Your lodge will be outside the city center.

Main Destination:

Arusha (City)

Accommodation:

Korona Villa Lodge

• Mid-range lodge located in Arusha (City)

Meals & Drinks:

• Meals at own expense
• Drinks not included

Birding to the Lark Plains

You will enjoy birding to the Lark Plains and Oldonyosambu. This is a dry open savannah area managed by the Masai herdsmen. It is the only location for the Tanzania Endemic Beesley’s Lark, plus other interesting species like the Rosy-patched bush-shrike, foxy lark, red-capped lark, short-tailed lark, Fischer’s sparrow lark, and many others.

Main Destination:

Lark Plains (Bird Sanctuary)

Accommodation:

Korona Villa Lodge

• Mid-range lodge located in Arusha (City)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Birding to Maasai Steppe in Mererani area

Birding will be driving along the main road. Highlights in this location include the black-capped social weaver; steel blue, straw-tailed, and Eastern Paradise Whydahs, silverbill, Tsavo and hunter’s sunbirds, Fischer’s starling, Von der Decken’s Hornbill, etc.

Main Destination:

Mererani (Village)

Accommodation:

Korona Villa Lodge

• Mid-range lodge located in Arusha (City)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Birding Arusha National Park

This is a very rich woodland park mixed with tropical forest habitat where the endemic Kilimanjaro white-eye is normally seen. Hartlaub’s Turaco, bar-tailed Trogon, Kenrick’s Starling, and Ruppel’s Robinchat are amongst the many expected here. The water habitat includes the Momella Lakes which are very famous for flamingos, Hottentot Teals, etc. Other animals in the park include the cape buffalos, blue monkeys, black and white Colobus monkeys, bushbucks, zebras, and giraffes.

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:

Korona Villa Lodge

• Mid-range lodge located in Arusha (City)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Morning Drive to Same and Visit South Pare Mountains

You will do roadside birding along the road to Nyumba ya Mungu Dam which is very rich with red-bellied parrots, Wahlberg’s Honeyguide, Pringle’s Puffback, Somali Tit, grey Wren warbler, Scaly Chatterer, Somali bunting to mention but a few.
After arrival and check-in at our lodge, you'll drive to South Pare Mountains for South Pare white-eye, bar-throated Apalis, Hartlaub’s Turaco, Moustached Tinkerbird, and the Delegorgue’s Pigeon.

Main Destination:

Same (Town)

Accommodation:

Elephant Motel

• Budget hotel located in Same (Town)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Birding along the road to Mkomazi National Park gate

You will bird along the road to Mkomazi National Park in the early morning before Lushoto. Lunch will be along the way. Toward Your lodge, along the escarpment, there are nice spots to look for the grey-olive greenbul Mocking Cliff chat. If you get to the lodge on time, you may go to the forest for the last hours of the day’s birding.

Main Destination:

Mkomazi National Park

Best Time To Visit June to October (Animals are more easily found)

High Season This park doesn't have a high season

Best Weather June to October (Little rainfall)

Wildlife in Mkomazi NP

GiraffeCommon

ZebraAbundant

ElephantOccasional

Black RhinoOccasional

BuffaloOccasional

LionRare

Show more

LeopardRare

CheetahRare

HippoRare

HyenaRare

Wild DogRare

White RhinoNone

WildebeestNone

Accommodation:

Mullers Mountain Lodge

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

+5 Photos

+4 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

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

Bird Magamba Forest

Bird Magamba Forest starts at the old sawmill for the whole day. Lovely forest birding on the main road may produce Fulleborn’s Boubou, the Black-fronted Boubou, African Tailorbird, Usambara Drongo, Usambara Akalat, the white-chested Alethe, Usambara double-collared sunbird, Usambara Thrush, and yellow-throated woodland warbler.

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)

Drive to East Usambara arc mountains

You will check out here and drive to the East Usambara Mountains. Your next stop will be in Amani Forest. The afternoon/evening birding near the lodge is very productive. You will look out for the Amani sunbird, Uluguru violet-backed sunbird, green-headed Oriole, green barbet, etc.

Main Destination:

Amani Nature Reserve (Usambara Mountains)

Accommodation:

Amani Rest House

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

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Full day birding in Aman Nature Reserve

Here, you will look out for the Pale Batis, green-headed Oriole, fascinated snake-eagle, green barbet and white-eared barbet, half-collared Kingfisher, Fischer’s and Livingstone turacos, long-billed tailorbird (Kretschmer’s Longbill), forest weaver plus many others. The birding here is more productive at the forest edge along the tea plantation.

Main Destination:

Amani Nature Reserve (Usambara Mountains)

Accommodation:

Amani Rest House

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

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Drive to Morogoro

You will drive to Morogoro. This will be a long day drive with limited birding. You will particularly stop at the Wami bridge to look for the Böhm’s bee-eater, Ruvu weaver. Red-fronted barbet, lack-collared barbet, African golden weaver, Zanzibar red Bishop, etc, can also be seen here.

Main Destination:

Morogoro Region

Accommodation:

Simbamwenni Lodge

• Budget lodge located near Morogoro (City)

+2 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Drive to Udzungwa Mountains National Park

You will enjoy afternoon birding at the forest edge in the lodge gardens. Trumpeter and silvery-cheeked hornbills are most common here. The Livingstone Turaco, Uluguru violet-backed sunbird, yellow-bellied greenbul plus many others. You will try the Pel’s fishing owl in Magombera forest in the evening. Today, you will also look out for Peters’s twinspot.

Main Destination:

Udzungwa Mountains National Park

Accommodation:

Udzungwa Forest Tented Camp

• Mid-range tented camp bordering Udzungwa Mountains without fences

Meals & Drinks:

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

Birding to Kilombero Valley, Ifakara - Magufuli Bridge for the Kilombero Endemics

The famous Magufuli Bridge is known for the coppery-tailed Coucal, Kilombero weaver, Kilombero Cisticola, and white-tailed Cisticola. You will spend the whole morning here. In the afternoon/evening, you will bird to Magombera forest for the Pel’s fishing owl.

Main Destination:

Kilombero Valley (Area)

Accommodation:

Udzungwa Forest Tented Camp

• Mid-range tented camp bordering Udzungwa Mountains without fences

Meals & Drinks:

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

Morning Birding in Udzungwa Mountains National Park

Today, you will start early and hike to the forest following the fall trail. The hikes here are challenging. Sounds of the Livingstone Turaco, Trumpeter hornbills, and African crowned eagles fill the forest canopies. The Zanzibar Boubou, Kretchmer's Longbill, bar-throated Apalis, Uluguru violet-backed sunbird, etc are also known here. In the afternoon, you will drive to Mikumi.

Main Destination:

Udzungwa Mountains National Park

Accommodation:

Tan-Swiss Lodge

• Budget lodge located outside Mikumi NP

+9 Photos

+8 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Full day birding in Mikumi National Park

You will spend the whole day birding in Mikumi National Park. The vegetation of this area consists of savannah dotted with acacia, baobab, and tamarinds. Wildlife is abundant with greater kudu, eland, sable antelope, lion, leopard, giraffe, and elephant etc. The birdlife includes among others; red-backed and lesser grey shrikes, long-tailed Fiscal, desert Cisticola, collared palm-thrush, Zanzibar red-bishop, and Piping Cisticola.

Main Destination:

Mikumi National Park

Best Time To Visit Late June to October (Animals are attracted to the waterholes)

High Season June to October

Best Weather June to October (Little to no rainfall)

Wildlife in Mikumi NP

ElephantCommon

GiraffeCommon

BuffaloCommon

ZebraCommon

WildebeestCommon

LionOccasional

Show more

HippoOccasional

LeopardRare

HyenaRare

Wild DogRare

White RhinoNone

Black RhinoNone

CheetahNone

Accommodation:

Tan-Swiss Lodge

• Budget lodge located outside Mikumi NP

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Birding Miombo Woodlands Mikumi Reserve

Our targets today include Crested barbet, white-breasted Cuckoo-shrike, green cap Eremomela, Rufous-bellied Tit, Sterling’s Wren Warbler, Kurrichane Thrush, Miombo Starling, brown-necked Parrots, Eastern Miombo sunbird, black-eared seedeater, Arnot’s Chat plus many others.

Main Destination:

Mikumi National Park

Accommodation:

Tan-Swiss Lodge

• Budget lodge located outside Mikumi NP

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Drive to Gairo town for Ukaguru Mountains

This is another area of endemism —the Rubeho Akalat, Rubeho warbler, dark Batis, olive-flanked robin, Livingstone’s flycatcher, and the Chapin’s Apalis will be your main targets here. You will watch out for the stripped pipit, the Peregrine Falcon along the rocks as you drive up to the mountains.

Main Destination:

Mbulu Highlands (Mountain Range)

Accommodation:

Kossey Lodge

• Budget guest house located in Gairo (Town)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Drive to Babati for Nou Forest Birding in Mbulu Hills

You will drive to Babati for the Mbulu Mountains —another long drive. The name Mbulu comes from the tribe that occupies mostly this part of Tanzania. Meals will be at Uzunguni Restaurant. This is a rather long journey that will take most of your day with minimal chances of birding. These mountains form some of the western arc mountains of Tanzania.

Main Destination:

Mbulu Highlands (Mountain Range)

Accommodation:

Asmorein Hotel

• Mid-range hotel located in Babati (Town)

+2 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Birding to Mbulu hills - Nou Forest Reserve

Here, you will set out to look for the Mbulu white-eye, Mbulu robin-chat, bar-throated Apalis, Schalow’s Turaco, orange ground thrush, the beautiful Oriole Finch, Eastern double-collared sunbird, and many more. The road to Nou Forest winds its way through the remote hills of Mbulu. Driving to this rarely visited forest takes up to 2 hours.

Main Destination:

Mbulu Highlands (Mountain Range)

Accommodation:

Asmorein Hotel

• Mid-range hotel located in Babati (Town)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Birding to Tarangire National Park

Tarangire National Park covers an area of 2850 sq km. It is very famous for its swamps and the iconic baobab trees. Birding is very productive with some of the critically endangered species like the Egyptian vulture. Some famous Tanzania endemics like the Ashy starling and Rufous-tailed weaver can be found here.

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)

Morning bird drive and wildlife viewing in Tarangire National Park

Black-faced Sandgrouse, double-banded Courser, white-bellied bustard, secretary bird, pearl-spotted owlet, Eastern red-billed hornbill, Von der Decken’s hornbill, D’Arnaud’s barbet, Magpie shrike, etc are amongst the many specials here. You will bird the whole morning and enjoy an afternoon lunch at the lodge. Later, you will drive to Karatu.

Main Destination:

Tarangire National Park

Accommodation:

Bougainvillea Safari Lodge

• Mid-range lodge located in Karatu (Town)

+6 Photos

+5 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Morning Drive to Serengeti National Park via Ngongoro Conservation area

You will do a day trip in the Ndutu plains and return to Karatu later in the evening (no entry into the main Serengeti National Park). This is a very rich habitat with several species of animals and birdlife. The Coqui Francolin, Tanzania red-billed hornbill, Karamoja Apalis, Speke’s weaver, Common ostrich, grey-breasted Spurfowl, Usambiro barbet, yellow-throated Sandgrouse, Fischer’s lovebird, rosy-throated long-claw, Banded Parisoma, Pink-breasted lark, etc are amongst the many specials here.

Main Destination:

Ndutu (Southern Serengeti NP)

Accommodation:

Bougainvillea Safari Lodge

• Mid-range lodge located in Karatu (Town)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Drive to Arusha for departure

Today marks the end of our birding trip. We shall transfer to the airport for departure.

Main Destination:

No major destination visited

Accommodation:

No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

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