13-Day Birding Safari Northern Tanzania

You will arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), where you will be welcomed and transferred to your accommodation in Arusha. You will have time to rest and prepare for the exciting birding adventure ahead.

Overnight in Arusha

We will leave early in the morning with our packed breakfast and spend the day exploring Arusha National Park. We will begin at the main entrance gate, followed by a visit to the Ngurdoto Museum, and then we will head to Momela Lakes. Afterward, we will circle the lakes and, later in the evening, make our way up to the Fig Tree area, offering views of Mount Meru. During our exploration, we will be on the lookout for bird species such as the Kilimanjaro White-eye, Taveta Golden Weaver, Rufous-tailed Weaver, Pangani Longclaw, Hartlaub's Turaco, Swahili Sparrow, and Trogons and Starlings, among others.

Overnight in Arusha

On this day we will head to the open plains of Engikaret to search for the critically endangered Beesley’s Lark, estimated to be fewer than 70 to 100 individuals left. Also, it is the home to many other dry-country birds, like Short-tailed, Foxy, Sentinel, and Somali Short-toed Lark (Athi) Larks, Taita Fiscal, and many more. This place offers its wide horizons and a Maasai pastoral backdrop. Later afternoon we will transfet to Tarangire National Park

Overnight in Tarangire.  

Full-day game and birding on the famous Tarangire National Park, renowned for its massive elephant populations and those instantly recognizable baobab trees scattered across the landscape. We will go on a full-day birding and game drive, and we will look out for species like the Ashy Starling, Hildebrandt’s Starling, D’Arnaud’s Barbet (Usambiro), Yellow-collared Lovebird, and Northern Pied Babbler.

Overnight in Tarangire

On this day, we will depart for the Serengeti. As we head to the park, we will continue birding along the way. Overnight in central Serengeti.

We will spend two full days birding and game viewing in the central and southern Serengeti, focusing on our target species, including the Grey-breasted Spurfowl, Grey-crested Helmetshrike, Fischer's Lovebird, and Maasai Apalis. Along the way, we may also encounter the iconic "Big Five"—lion, elephant, Cape buffalo, black rhino, and leopard. Depending on the season, there is also a chance to witness the awe-inspiring wildebeest migration, a breathtaking spectacle of nature.

Overnight in Serengeti

Early birding in Central Serengeti, return for lunch, then drive to Ndutu area in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, overnight in Ndutu.

Full-day birding and game drive in the thrilling Ndutu plains as newborn wildebeest calves took their first steps, constantly under the watchful eyes of predators and others.

Today we descend into the breathtaking Ngorongoro Crater, the world's largest intact and unflooded volcanic caldera, often called Africa’s Garden of Eden.

The crater is encased by towering walls that rise nearly 2,000 feet (600 meters) and stretch more than 16 kilometers, creating a natural sanctuary that sustains an extraordinary diversity of wildlife. It is one of the few places in Tanzania where you can still see a healthy population of critically endangered black rhinos, and a game drive here offers an excellent chance of seeing the entire Big Five. We will also look out for Jackson's Widowbird, Anteater Chat, Hildebrandt's Spurfowl and many more.

We’ll leave the crater after a fulfilling day of wildlife viewing and spend the night in the Ngorongoro area.

On this day, we will continue exploring the Ngorongoro Crater, focusing on areas and wildlife we may have missed the previous day. After a half-day game drive, we will slowly ascend to Karatu town, where we will spend the night.

On this day, our birding adventure will lead us to the stunning Endoro Falls and the famous Elephant Caves. These remarkable caves have been naturally sculpted by elephants that visit the area to extract salt-rich minerals from the rock. Situated on the southern fringes of the Ngorongoro Forest, our journey will begin on a newly established trail near Gibbs Farm in Karatu.

We will be picked up from our accommodation and transferred to the trailhead to begin our birding excursion. As we trek through the forest, we will encounter various wildlife, including the tiny dik-dik, the world’s smallest antelope, as well as an impressive array of bird species. Key highlights to look out for include Eastern Double-collared Sunbird, Moorland Chat, Brown-headed Apalis, Mbulu White-eye, and Schalow’s Turaco, among others

In the late afternoon, we will return to Arusha for an overnight stay.

On the final day of our tour, after breakfast, we will check out and depart early with a packed lunch and head out to explore the Mererani Maasai Steppes and the Shambarai Swamp. In Mererani, our focus will be on species restricted to the Maasai–Somali arid zones, many of which are endemic to northeastern Africa.

We will look out for Scaly Chatterer, Eastern Violet-backed Sunbird, Hunter’s and Tsavo Sunbird, Somali Bunting, Acacia Tit, Starlings, Black-capped Social Weaver, Pringle’s Puffback, and White-headed Mousebird, among others. Later, at Shambarai, we will search for a variety of Herons, Plovers, Teals, Terns, Gulls, Sandpipers, Coucals, and Storks.

By around 3:00 pm, we will begin our journey back, with a drop-off at your airport or accommodation. This will be our moment to bid farewell as we close our unforgettable Tanzania adventure.

Please note: We highly recommend that your departure flight be scheduled for no earlier than 8:00 pm (JRO drop-off—reporting time will be approximately 5 pm) so that you can maximize your day. If you wish to rest and travel the following day, we will gladly assist in arranging an overnight hotel stay close to the airport.