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REMOTE TANZANIA
Birdquest's Remote Tanzania birding tour explores 'The Other Tanzania', far from the well-known safari route from Kilimanjaro to Serengeti, but the area where almost all of Tanzania's endemic and other speciality birds occur. Our Remote Tanzania tour is the most comprehensive trip available through the 'Eastern Arc' mountains and records more of the specialities than any other.
Friday 5th October -
Saturday 27th October 2012
(23 days)
Leader:
Nik Borrow
Group Size Limit: 8
Tour Category: Easy to fairly Demanding
This African Barred Owlet in Mikumi National Park is within range for the form sometimes split as Scheffler’s Barred Owl but this individual has a barred rather than plain back – a variable feature in this race! (Nik Borrow)
Tanzania, with its wealth of large mammals and remarkably rich avifauna, has long been regarded as a classic destination for both the birder and the wildlife enthusiast. In fact almost 25% of the country is either a national park or a game or forest reserve.
However, there is another side to Tanzania that is often overlooked by those whose images of the country have been formed by the stream of marvellous wildlife films featuring the wonders of the northern parks. For this exciting country is, depending on the taxonomy followed, home to up to 35 or more endemic bird species and also a significant number of near-endemics, many of which are rare or endangered. New discoveries continue to be made, with no less than eight endemic species having been found here since 1981, although two of these are still waiting to be officially described!
The aim of this tour is to try to find the great majority of Tanzania’s eastern specialities, including those that require camping in remote areas. During this adventure we will visit some superb areas that are very much off-the-beaten-track, including the ‘Eastern Arc Mountains’ from the South Pare Mountains to the Udzungwa Mountains, the Kilombero floodplain and the small island of Pemba. On this special itinerary we will certainly be treading where few other birders have ventured before and our efforts will undoubtedly be rewarded with views of some of Tanzania’s best kept secrets.
After arriving at Kilimanjaro airport (lying in the shadow of the famous mountain itself), our journey will take us through the dry bush country of the Pare plains. Here we can hope to find White-headed Mousebird, Scaly Chatterer, Pringle’s Puffback and Tsavo Purple-banded Sunbird as well as a marvellous selection of more widespread dry country birds typical of this part of East Africa. In contrast, a long and winding road will lead us up into the cool, forested heights of the South Pare Mountains in search of the endemic South Pare White-eye and Usambara Double-collared Sunbird.
Our next stop will be the West Usambara Mountains with their old German colonial influences. Here we shall search out Red-capped Forest Warbler, Usambara Akalat and hopefully Usambara Weaver.
Only a four-kilometre wide valley separates this chain from the slightly lower East Usambaras, home to the famous Amani Nature Reserve. In the remnant forest patches situated amongst the extensive tea estates that cloak the mountain tops we shall be hunting out some very special birds. These include Kretschmer’s Longbill, Uluguru Violet-backed Sunbird, the rare and extremely localized Long-billed Apalis, Usambara Hyliota and Banded Green Sunbird. A wonderful supporting cast of birds includes rarities such as Southern Banded Snake Eagle, Fischer’s Turaco and Sharpe’s Akalat.
Leaving the Usambaras behind us and heading south we shall arrive at the Uluguru Mountains. Here we will be concentrating on finding such specialities of this mountain island as the rare Uluguru Bush Shrike, the beautiful Loveridge’s Sunbird and the skulking but extremely shrill-voiced Mrs Moreau’s Warbler.
In complete contrast to these cool mountain tops with their lush vegetation are the flat and humid Kilombero floodplains where we will search for three recent discoveries; White-tailed and Kilombero Cisticolas, and Kilombero Weaver. Mammals will be on show in Mikumi National Park with its southern ‘miombo’ habitat, but our main focus will be on birds such as Dickinson’s Kestrel, Racket-tailed Roller, Pale-billed Hornbill, Cinnamon-breasted Tit and Shelley’s Sunbird.
Moving southwest to Iringa, we will make a trek into the scenic Udzungwa Mountains where, much to the scientific world’s surprise, a new species of partridge, Udzungwa Forest Partridge, was discovered as recently as 1991. These mountains are also home to Moreau’s Sunbird and yet another recent discovery, the gorgeous Rufous-winged Sunbird, although our chance of seeing the latter is slim.
Our final destination will be the tiny island of Pemba, famous for its cloves and spices and home to four endemics: Pemba Green Pigeon, Pemba Scops Owl, Pemba White-eye and Pemba Sunbird. The specialities on this idyllic island are usually fairly easy to see and so we may even find a chance to relax for a while at our beach resort before returning to Dar-es-Salaam and our flight home!
Birdquest has operated tours to Tanzania since 1983.
(Note: The above is a summary of the tour. For more information please download the detailed, day-by-day itinerary. The button is at the top right of the page.)
Accommodation & Road Transport: The hotels/lodges are mostly of normal Birdquest standard. At Lushoto the hotel is very comfortable but some rooms share bathrooms. At Amani the guesthouse is simple but quite clean and comfortable. We shall be camping in remote areas in the Ulugurus (1 night) and in the Udzungwas (5 nights). The camps, which are arranged by our local outfitters, will be quite simple, but it will be possible to have single-occupancy of tents if desired. Road Transport is by Landrover or Toyota 4x4s with opening roof hatches. Road conditions are variable.
Walking: The walking effort is mostly easy or moderate, but there will be some fairly strenuous hiking in the Ulugurus and Udzungwas.
Climate: Most days will be warm or hot, dry and sunny, but overcast conditions are fairly frequent and there is likely to be some rain. At higher altitudes temperatures are cool to warm (it can even get quite cold at night).
Bird/Mammal Photography: Opportunities are worthwhile in most areas but quite good in Mikumi National Park and on Pemba.
Tour Price: (provisional): $8890 Kilimanjaro/Dar-es-Salaam. Price includes all transportation (including Dar-es-Salaam-Pemba-Dar-es-Salaam flights), all accommodations, all meals, bottled water, some drinks, all excursions, all entrance fees, all tips for local drivers/guides and for accommodations/restaurants, leader services.
Single Room/Tent Supplement: $891.
Deposit: 10% of the tour price (excluding any single supplement).
Air Travel To & From The Tour: Our in-house IATA ticket agency can arrange your air travel in connection with the tour from a departure point anywhere in the world, or you may arrange your own air travel if you prefer. We can tailor-make your itinerary to your personal requirements, so if you would like to travel in advance of the tour (and spend a night in an hotel so you will feel fresh when the tour starts), or return later than the end of the tour, or make a side trip to some other destination, or travel business class rather than economy, we will be happy to assist. Please contact us about your air travel requirements.
African Buffalo coming to drink in Mikumi NP (Nik Borrow)
54 photos
View Gallery Photos From REMOTE TANZANIA
Pemba Green Pigeon is one of four endemics restricted to the island (Nik Borrow)
Much debate surrounds the Mountain Greenbul complex – this is the form that is endemic to the Uluguru Mountains (Nik Borrow)
Despite having been discovered in 1986 the endemic Kilombero Cisticola still awaits a formal description! (Nik Borrow)
We shall be on the look out for the Racket-tailed Roller in Mikumi NP (Nik Borrow)
Arnott’s White-headed Chat is usually easy to see in Mikumi NP (Nik Borrow)
Mangrove Kingfishers are common and easy to see on Pemba (Nik Borrow)
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Ph: 512-343-1700, Fax: 512-343-1701
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