TANZANIA - THE USAMBARA MOUNTAINS

Our tour to this rarely visited corner of Tanzania is guaranteed to be an adventure, as we search for some of Africa's rarest and least-known birds. We will begin a short drive from our base at Kilimanjaro for the incredibly rare Beesley's Lark, Then we head to Tarangire that offers a wealth of great African birds to entertain us, before heading to Same and some great habitat near Nyumba ya Mungu Dam. Species such as Scaly Chatterer, Pringle's Puffback and Pink-breasted Lark amongst many others. 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´s Sunbird, Fischer´s Starling and others. Next up is the South Pare Mountains where we  look for the endemic South Pare White-eye and also Usambara Double-collared Sunbird before eventually reaching Magamba Forest in West Usambara. What a place this is! Here, we will search for species such as Usambara Akalat, Füllerborn´s Boubou, Spot-throat, Usambara Thrush, Usambara Double-collared Sunbird, Montane Tiny (Usambara) Greenbul, Red-capped Forest Warbler and Usambara Weaver. It is also a very good area to find the much-wanted endemic Spot-throat as well before we reach the legendary Amani Forest in East Usambara Mountains. Here we will look for Usambara Eagle-Owl, Mombassa Woodpecker, Kretschmer´s Longbill, Sharpe´s Akalat,  Short-tailed Batis, Usambara Hyliota,  Long-billed Forest Warbler and Uluguru Violet-backed Sunbird. Our tour will finish on a high in Arusha National Park where a veritable feast of birds awaits us. 

 This is a different side to Africa than many other visiting birders have experienced, with secluded lodges, great food and some truly superb birds. And it is only for a select group of 7 birders, making for a more personalised and productive tour!

Friday 5th June - Thurs 18th June 2020   

KEY SPECIES

Here are just a few of the key species we will be targetting on this tour:

  • Hildebrandt´s Spurfowl
  • Southern Banded Snake-Eagle
  • Usambara Eagle Owl
  • Fischer´s Turaco
  • Hartlaub's Turaco
  • Yellow-collared Lovebird
  • Moustached Tinkerbird
  • Mombassa Woodpecker
  • Beesley's  Lark
  • Athi Short-toed Lark
  • Pallid Honeyguide
  • Black-fronted Bushshrike
  • Füllerborn´s Boubou
  • Pringle's Puffback
  • Usambara Akalat
  • Sharpe's Akalat
  • Usambara Ground Robin
  • White-chested Alethe
  • Spot-throat
  • Pale-breasted Illadopsis
  • Montane Tiny Greenbul
  • Shelley's Greenbul
  • Stripe-faced Greenbul
  • Red-tailed Ant-Thrush
  • South Pare White-eye
  • Little Yellow Flycatcher
  • Short-tailed Batis
  • Usambara Hyliota
  • Scaly Chatterer
  • Long-billed Apalis
  • Kretschmer´s Longbill
  • Usambara Thrush
  • Long-billed Forest Warbler
  • Evergreen Forest Warbler
  • Red-capped Forest Warbler
  • Tsavo Sunbird
  • Banded Green Sunbird
  • Amani Sunbird
  • Black-bellied Sunbird
  • Usambara Double-collared Sunbird
  • Uluguru Violet-backed Sunbird
  • Red-throated Tit
  • Green-headed Oriole
  • Oriole Finch
  • Usambara Weaver
  • Rufous-tailed Weaver
  • Taveta Weaver
  • Abyssinian Crimsonwing

Leaders: Nick Bray and local guides.

Ground Price: £3750.00 – Kilimanjaro/Kilimanjaro

Airfare: £600 - £750 (approx) - UK/UK

Single Supplement (Main): £350.00

Deposit: £500.00

Group size: Minimum for tour to go ahead 4 and maximum 7 with 2 leaders.

Included in cost: Accommodation in twin rooms en-suite, all meals including picnic lunches, bottled water, transport throughout in 4x 4’s, all park entrance fees, and services of local guides and leaders.

Not included: International airfare, insurance, visa fee,  departure tax, camera fees, drinks, tips and items of a personal nature.

Accommodation: Ranges from simple to good – please remember we are visiting areas way off the regular tourist circuit, but all rooms have private bathrooms. We will also utilise camps for 3 nights at Magamba Forest in the West Usambaras in order to be closer to the birding action - all camping equipment is supplied. 

Tour Code: This is a standard birding tour for anyone with a modest level of fitness. Long days in the field with early starts are expected, but walking is easy. The weather will be predominantly hot and dry throughout the tour, but higher areas could see some precipitation. A fleece and raincoat will be needed for the mountains. Please note there are some long drives on this tour. Whilst camping for the 3 nights at Magamba Forest it will be quite cold so you will need to be prepared for this with thermal nightwear, but the camps location in the heart of the forest will ensure a fantastic experience. A visa is needed but this is now very easy to obtain as it is an E-Visa which you apply for online. And as of 31st January flights are a very resonable price and under £700.

                                                                                                                                         All photos copyright Per Holmen.

                                                                              Top left: Black-fronted Bushshrike
                                                                              Top right: Red-tailed Ant-Thrush
                                                                              Side photo: Beesley's Lark
                                                                              Top row: Usambara Weaver, Usambara Hyliota, Sharpe's Akalat, South Pare White-eye
                                                                              Middle row: Red-throated Tit, Pygmy Batis, Half-collared Kingfisher, straw-tailed Whydah
                                                                              Bottom row: Hartlaub's Turaco, Fulleborn's Boubou, Amani Sunbird, Little Yellow Flycatcher