9-Day Birding Usambara Mountains

Arrive at the airport, where you will be greeted by our crew and sent to your accommodation in Arusha. You will meet our expedition leader in the evening for a tour briefing.

On this day, we're heading to Same, with planned birding stops on the Maasai Steppes and in the South Pare Mountains. We will pass the road to the Nyumba ya Mungu dam. This will provide us a chance to spot a wide variety of birds. The area around the dam features dry Commiphora-Acacia woodland, which slopes down towards the lake. This diverse habitat allows us to see both shoreline and woodland birds. 

Later, we'll move on to the South Pare Mountains, where we'll search for the South Pare White-eye, a bird found only in this particular mountain range. After our birding, we'll make our way to Same Town for an overnight.

Early morning, we will bird locally around the Mkomazi area. We'll be on the lookout for arid-zone birds in the Maasai Steppes, hoping to spot the Southern Grosbeak-Canary, Pringle’s Puffback, Acacia Tit, Pink-breasted Lark, Tiny Cisticola, Wydays, Starlings, Barbets, and other species that call this area home; head back to the hotel for breakfast; and drive up to West Usambara for our next adventure for the rest of the day. Stay overnight at Mullers' Mountain Lodge or a similar.

Two full days of birding. We will explore the lush Magamba Nature Forest Reserve in the West Usambara Mountains, looking for species like the Usambara Akalat, Usambara Double-collared Sunbird, Usambara Weaver, Usambara Thrush, Red-faced Crimsonwing, Black-headed Mountain Greenbul, Short-tailed Batis, Spot-Throat, Red-capped Forest Warbler, and others. Stay overnight at Mullers' Mountain Lodge or a similar place like it.

Enjoy some morning birding in Magamba before heading to Amani Nature Reserve in the East Usambara Mountains, with a few stops along the way. Depending on our arrival time, we may spend the evening birding at the Amani botanical garden or Zigi Forest, depending on our lodging options. Overnight stay at the Amani or Zigi Rest House.

Two full days of birding. We will explore Amani, Kwamkoro, and Zigi areas. We'll be on the lookout for some of the region's most elusive native birds; this includes the Banded Green & Amani Sunbird, Usambara Hyliota, Kretschmer's Longbill, Tanzanian Illadopsis, Long-billed Forest Warbler, Fischer’s Turaco, Plain-backed Sunbird, Green-headed Oriole, Red-tailed Ant Thrush, Mombasa Woodpecker, and others.

On the final day of our adventure, we'll make our way back to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) for a drop off with our packed lunches.

We'll say our goodbyes before heading to the airport or your hotel, ready for your next destination.