Rwanda bird watching holiday and gorilla trek

Description of Rwanda bird watching holiday and gorilla trek

This exceptional Rwanda bird watching holiday ventures to no fewer than three national parks, meaning you’ll enjoy abundant opportunities to find a wide range of species. Particularly as you’ll be assisted by expert local guides, adept at identifying the best places for sightings.

And, as well as bird watching, you’ll enjoy a day tracking chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest National Park, and trek out to see the mountain gorillas of Volcanoes National Park. There are some remarkable, unforgettable encounters to be had among man’s closest cousins, and the slow-moving grace of the gorillas will make a stunning contrast to the colourful activity of Rwanda’s ample birdlife.

Ensuring that you make the most of your time on holiday, you’ll spend a day birding in the wetlands and forested areas around the capital, Kigali, before moving on to Akagera National Park, 110km to the east. Here long-crested eagles, pied crows and augur buzzards can be seen amongst a wealth of other species. Staying at a lodge, you might also catch sight of buffaloes, zebras, and elephants.

Travelling back southwest to Nyungwe Forest National Park is a full-day journey that will be punctuated with frequent birding stops in roadside swamps. As much of the birding on this trip takes place beyond the environs of officially protected areas, your holiday helps with conservation through encouraging local communities to benefit from tourism by protecting birdlife.

With its montane forests providing ideal habitat for many species, Nyungwe Forest National Park is particularly rich in birdlife. Handsome francolins, chestnut owlets and regal sunbirds are just a tiny handful of the characters you might track down here.

Permits for chimp-trekking and gorilla tracking, in Nyungwe Forest and Volcanoes National Park respectively, are included. The terrain can be challenging in places, though porters will be available if required. Your efforts will be more than rewarded however, as these are two of the great bucket-list wildlife experiences. You’ll spend only an hour with the gorillas, but you’ll remember every moment for years to come.

Volcanoes National Park, where Dian Fossey began her gorilla research, and the final destination of this holiday, is another fantastic birding spot, with many trails taking you deep into the forests. You’ll spend a few days here, allowing you to tick plenty more sightings off your list, before heading back to Kigali. But not before a short visit to a ‘gorilla guardians village’ where you can learn about efforts to protect these gentle giants of the jungle, and how your holiday directly helps with their conservation.

Departure information