Birding Safaris in Rwanda: Explore Top Bird-watching Destinations

Rwanda offers incredible birding safari opportunities with its rich and diverse bird-life of over 700 different bird species inclusive of 29 Albertine Rift endemic bird species.

Rwanda’s best birding destinations include Nyungwe Forest National Park, Akagera National Park, Volcanoes National Park, Gishwati-Mukura National Park, Rugezi marsh, Lake Kivu shores, Akanyaru wetlands, Nyaborongo wetlands among others.

Birding Sites in Rwanda

Some of these sites include Kigali city, which can be the starting point of your Rwanda birding safari, Akagera National Park, Volcanoes National Park, Nyungwe Forest National Park, Gishwati-Mukura National Park, shores of Lake Kivu, Akanyuru, Rugezi marsh, Nyabarongo River wetlands among others.

Some of the unique species to look out for in Rwanda include:

Swamp dwellers like the papyrus gonolek, swamp warbler, the rare shoebill stork, papyrus yellow warbler, Albertine endemics like Ruwenzori turaco, Ruwenzori Batis, Ruwenzori blue headed sunbird, Mountain sooty boubou, Archer’s robin chat, Red-chested owlet among many other beautiful bird species.

During your birding safari in Rwanda, follow the guidelines of your birding expert guide for a successful birding experience in the Land of a thousand hills.

Do respect the natural home of the birds, leave it as you found it so that future birders can also enjoy the experience in a natural environment.

Important Birding Areas of Rwanda

The bird-life in Rwanda is rich and diverse with over 700 different bird species recorded including 29 Albertine Rift endemic bird species found within the country’s diverse rich habitats.

Rwanda is a birders paradise with important birding areas that anyone who loves birds and enjoys their sight and sounds in their natural habitats should visit on a rewarding birding safari.

The rare bird species in Rwanda can be found in the Albertine Rift areas including Nyungwe forest, Gishwati-Mukura forests and in the Volcanoes. They are a sight to see.

Nyungwe Forest National Park

With 322 different bird species recorded in Nyungwe forest, the national park is Rwanda’s top and best birding safari destination.

Its diverse habitats which include the dense rainforest, grasslands, bamboo forested slopes and swampy wetlands support this rich birdlife. Notable species include the Red-collared hornbill, Grauer’s warbler, Red-collared babbler, Handsome Francolin, Rwenzori Nightjar, Kungwe Apalis among others.

Nyungwe forest has an established network of trails that birders can take during their birding safari through the dense rich forest which is also home to 13 different primate species with the chimpanzees being the most sought after by the visitors to the national park.

Enjoy the best of both worlds on your visit to Nyungwe.

Akagera National Park

With over 400 different bird species recorded in this Savannah park, Akagera National Park is among the top birding destinations in Rwanda.

The diversity of habitats in Akagera National Park support the different bird species which include Savannah bird species and water bird species.

Notable bird species to look out for in Akagera national park include papyrus gonolek, red-faced barbet, white-collared olive back, Northern brown-throated weaver, the rare shoebill stork, White-winged warbler, grey-crowned cranes, African finfoot, African Pitta, African Fish eagles among others.

Explore the park’s open grasslands, marshes, swampy lake fringes on game drives, nature walks and boat cruises for a chance to spot the different bird species that call the Savannah park home.

Volcanoes National Park

With 200 different bird species inclusive of 17 Albertine Rift endemic species recorded in Volcanoes national park, the park is one of the top birding sites in Rwanda.

The Volcanoes is famous for gorilla trekking but with its rich bird-life, bird lovers can go for bird watching tours in the Volcanoes.

A scarlet-tufted sun-bird is one of the notable species to look out for while birding in Volcanoes among other Albertine Rift endemics like those that one can find in Nyungwe Forest.

Gishwati-Mukura National Park

Gishwati-Mukura national park is the 4^th and newest national park in Rwanda and is a good birding destination.

It is made up of 2 forests, Gishwati and Mukura hosting 232 bird species and 163 bird species respectively featuring some Albertine Rift endemic bird species.

Other activities in Gishwati-Mukura include guided nature walks, hiking expeditions, waterfall visit, guided cultural tours and mountain biking through the Congo-Nile trail.

Kigali City

Kigali city offers a starting ground for your Rwanda birding safari.

Experience an exciting urban-birding tour while in Kigali visiting places like Nyarutarama Lake (Lover’s Lake) situated at the outskirts of the Kigali gold course and the Umusambi village nature reserve which you can explore through its network of well-established trails.

Others birding sites in Rwanda include the Lake Kivu shores, Rwanda’s wetlands and marshes including the Rugezi marsh a RAMSAR site, Nyabarongo wetlands, Akanyaru wetlands which are all Important Bird Areas in Rwanda.

The best months to visit Rwanda for birding safaris is during the months of December to February.

A good pair of binoculars, a camera and a Rwanda bird checklist will come in handy on your Rwanda birding safari.

Rwanda’s endemic birds: Must-see species on your safari

Of the more that 700 bird species recorded in the rich diverse habitats of Rwanda, 29 are Albertine Rift endemic species offering the birders a unique birding experience.

These endemic species inhabit the western part of Rwanda in Nyungwe Forest national park, Volcanoes national park and Gishwati-Mukura National Park.

Rwanda’s Albertine Endemic Birds:

• Handsome Francolin
• Ruwenzori Turaco
• Congo Bay Owl
• Albertine Owlet
• Ruwenzori Nightjar
• Dwarf Honeyguide
• Ruwenzori Batis
• Willard’s Sooty Boubou
• Stripe Breasted Tit
• Grauer’s Warbler
• Neumann’s Warbler
• Red-faced Woodland Warbler
• Grauer’s Swamp Warbler
• Ruwenzori Apalis
• Mountain Masked Apalis
• Kungwe Apalis
• Red-collared Babbler
• Kivu Ground Thrush
• Yellow-Eyed Black Flycatcher
• Archer’s Ground Robin
• Red-throated Alethe
• Blue-headed Sunbird
• Purple-breasted Sunbird
• Ruwenzori Double-Collared Sunbird
• Regal Sunbird
• Rockefeller’s Sunbird
• Strange Weaver
• Shelley’s Crimsonwing
• Dusky Crimsonwing

Important birding areas to explore for a chance to spot the above-mentioned Albertine Endemics are; Nyungwe Forest, Cyamudongo Forest, Gishwati Forest, Mukura Forest and Volcanoes National Park.

Some notable bird species to look out for while in Rwanda for your birding safari include; the Great Blue Turaco, African Fish Eagle, Black-headed Weaver, African Jacana, Papyrus Gonolek, Red-chested Sunbird, Red-Faced Barbet among others including swamp dwellers and water birds, raptors, vultures, eagles, falcons, francolins and many more.

Preparation tips for your Rwanda birding safari

Below are some of the preparation tips for your Rwanda birding safari.

Book a guided Rwanda birding safari

Going on a guided Rwanda birding safari will enhance your bird watching experience in Rwanda.

During the guided birding safaris, you are accompanied by an experienced local bird guide who will help you spot and identify the birds in your chosen birding destination.

Best time for the Rwanda birding safari

With over 700 resident bird species in Rwanda, you can arrange to visit for your birding safari anytime of the year.

The dry season is a good time to go birding in Akagera National Park as the thinned vegetation provides good visibility of the birds and the wet season in general is a good time to go on that Rwanda birding safari because the season ushers in migrant bird species from Europe.

Do some research about birding in Rwanda

This will prepare you on what to expect while on a birding safari in Rwanda, the different birding destinations to choose from and the expected bird species you will be able to encounter during your birding experience in Rwanda.

Get to know and study the different regulations of the birding destinations and familiarize yourself with them.

Pack efficiently

You do not need much for your birding safari so just double check your packing list and make sure you have the essentials, that is binoculars, camera and extra batteries, Rwanda bird checklist to check off the species you see, a guide for bird identification, appropriate clothing in neutral colors and sturdy comfortable hiking shoes and insect repellents among others.

Prepare yourself physically

You might need to be in good physical shape for your Rwanda birding safari as some of the destinations will require you to walk or hike rolling hills, volcanoes and through dense forests. For example, in the Volcanoes national park and Nyungwe Forest National Park.

Rwanda is a small country and it is possible to combine different birding destinations on your Rwanda birding safari for a chance to spot as many bird species as possible for a rewarding bird watching experience.

Birding in Volcanoes National Park Rwanda

Volcanoes national park is famously known for the mountain gorillas and most people visit the national park to take part in the gorilla trekking experience for an opportunity to see the gentle giants of the forested jungle in the Volcanoes.

This famous park is home to over 200 different species including 17 Albertine Rift endemics of the total 29 found within the Albertine Rift region of Rwanda.

This diverse bird-life makes Volcanoes national park one of the top birding destinations in Rwanda.

Notable and exciting bird species in Volcanoes National Park

Those who visit the Volcanoes for bird watching look forward to setting their sights on the Albertine Rift endemic species and other interesting bird species which include the Ruwenzori turaco, Ruwenzori double-collared sunbird, the Common stonechat, Black-crowned waxbill, Baglafecht weaver, Archer’s robin chat, Dusky crimsonwing, Grauer’s swamp warbler, Ruwenzori batis, Ruwenzori apalis, Ruwenzori nightjar, Handsome francolin, Strange weaver, Scarlet-tufted sunbird, Red-faced woodland warbler, Brown-necked parrot, Lagden’s bush-shrike, Doherty’s bush shrike, African long-eared owl, Dusky turtle dove, African green broadbill, among others.

Best time for birding in Volcanoes National Park

The best time would be during the dry season in the months of June to mid-September when there is little to no rain and the dry months of January and February.

During these months, the trails in Volcanoes national park are drier and easily trekked.

The dry season also doubles as the best time to go gorilla trekking in the Volcanoes and all the other activities offered in and around the park like golden monkey trekking, forest/nature walks, hiking mountain climbing, guided local community visits, a hike to Dian Fossey’s tomb and a scenic visit to the twin lakes, Burera and Ruhondo.

The wet season is also a good time to go birding in the Volcanoes as this period ushers in migratory bird species.

A guided Rwanda birding safari with the escort of an experienced local bird guide is recommended for a rewarding birding experience.

The experienced bird guide will help you spot the birds and identify the birds by call.

Located in the North West of Rwanda, Volcanoes National Park can easily be accessed from Kigali city by road on about 2–3-hour drive or air in small charter air-crafts or helicopter transfers from Kigali Airport.

Birding in Nyungwe Forest National Park

Nyungwe Forest national park is the best birding destination in Rwanda with a diverse bird-life of more than 280 bird species including the Albertine Rift endemics that are delight to see by both avid and casual birders.

Nyungwe’s different habitats, that is the lush evergreen forest, the wetlands and marshes and the open grasslands support beautiful bird species that can be seen on guided nature walks and hikes through the park.

For a rewarding birding experience in Nyungwe Forest National Park, we recommend you employ the services of an expert bird guide who will help you identify the different bird species especially by their call and lead or point you to them, as the forest is dense, sightings can be challenging.

Notable bird species in Nyungwe Forest National Park

Nyungwe Forest national park has interesting bird species including forest / mountain dwellers, swamp and marsh dwellers and the species endemic to the Albertine Rift which lure in most of the avid birders.

Rwenzori turaco, Handsome francolin, Kivu ground thrush, Red throated alethe, Red-collared babbler, Black saw wing, Regal sunbird, Great blue turaco, Albertine owlet, red-faced woodland warbler, Ruwenzori batis, Ruwenzori apalis, Kungwe apalis, Mountain masked apalis, African hill babbler, Bar-tailed trogon, Purple-breasted sunbird, Strange weaver, Ruwenzori nightjar, Dwarf honeyguide, White-tailed crested flycatcher, Rockefeller’s sunbird, Stripe-breasted tit Neumann’s warbler, Archer’s robin chat, African black duck, Mountain sooty boubou, Barred long tailed cuckoo, Spur winged goose among many others.

Best time for birding in Nyungwe Forest National Park

Bird watching can be done all year round in Nyungwe forest national park.

In the months of March to May, the birds of Nyungwe forest are very vocal, this makes it easy for you to find them by following their calls, and an experienced bird guide comes in handy at this point.

April is the wettest month with a lot of rain which makes the trails so muddy and slippery, you might want to skip this month.

Birding trails in Nyungwe Forest National Park

There are a number of well-established trails in Nyungwe Forest national park that you will use during your birding safari.

These include; Congo-Nile trail, Bigugu trail, Karamba trail, Gishakura trails, Kamiranzovu trail, Uwinka trail among others.

Other activites in Nyungwe Forest national park include the famous chimpanzee trekking, guided nature walks, canopy walkway and local community visits.

Nyungwe Forest can be accessed by road or air from Kigali city.

Birding in Akagera National Park

The varied diverse habitats of Akagera national park support a rich bird-life featuring about 480 species of birds with 100 of these species endemic to Akagera, meaning you won’t find them in the other national parks or protected ares in the country, thus placing the Savannah national park among the top best birding destinations in Rwanda.

Akagera National Park is also a top safari destination in Rwanda, housing the Big 5 and many other different animal species that you will be able to see on your birding safari in Akagera.

A boat cruise on the lakes in Akagera like Lake Ihema will present a rewarding birding experience in the park.

You will get to see a number of water bird species and a game drive around the open grassland Savannah and the woodlands of Akagera will be a rewarding birding experience too as you will se your eyes on the woodlands and Savannah bird species like raptors, barbets among many others.

Notable and exciting bird species in Akagera National Park

African fish eagle, Sooty chat, Marabou stork, Black-headed gonolek, White-browed coucal, Papyrus gonolek, the rare Shoebill stork, Blue-shouldered robin chat, black headed weaver bird, crested barbet, blue cheeked bee eater, little bee-eater, malachite kingfisher, woodland kingfisher, pied kingfisher, red faced barbet, amur falcon, Eastern grey plantain eater, grey-crowned crane, western reef heron, goliath heron, grey heron, squacco heron, bared faced go away bird, common cormorants, cattle egret, yellow-billed oxpeckers, grey crowned cranes, lilac-breasted roller, long crested eagle, African darter, Spurred lapwing, hooded vulture, African jacana, lesser jacana, grey hornbill, white backed vultures, palm nut vultures, marsh owl, lesser owl, stripped pipit, Sooty falcon, African harrier hawk, grasshopper buzzard, white-winged swamp warbler, short-tailed pipit, yellow billed stork, saddle billed stork, long tailed cisticola, ross’s turaco, shelley’s francolin, Caspian plover, double toothed barbet, martial eagle, yellow-throated leaf love, water thick knee among many others.

Best time for birding in Akagera National Park

With such a diverse bird-life, birding in Akagera national park can be done any time of the year.

The different climatic weather conditions provide best conditions for different bird species enhancing your experience.

The dry season is best for a chance to see as many species as possible.

The dried-out vegetation offers excellent visibility opportunities and the clear bright skies provide good photography conditions in Akagera during your birding safari.

Seeing the migratory bird species in Akagera, November through to April is the best time.

Combine the park with another birding destination for the best birding experience in Rwanda.

Akagera is best combined with a birding safari in Nyungwe forest in South West Rwanda.

A guided birding safari with a local experienced bird guide will give you a more rewarding experience.

Other activities you can engage in during your birding safari in Akagera include game drives, nature walks, boat cruises, sort fishing, walk the line and community visits.

Even during these different activities, you can still spot the birds of Akagera national park.

Recommended Packing list for your birding safari in Rwanda

With 700 and more different bird species including 29 Albertine Rift endemics recorded in Rwanda’s diverse habitats, birding safaris are becoming more and more popular to the visitors who come to the country to take part in the popular mountain gorilla trekking experience.

Let us look at what you need to pack for your Rwanda Birding safari.

A pair of binoculars

An essential item on a birding safari packing list. A good pair of binoculars will enhance your birding experience in Rwanda through the vibrant forests, scenic volcanoes and beautiful wetlands.

Camera and extra batteries

Carry a good camera to capture the bird species you will spot during your Rwanda birding safari.

I know you would love to capture the beautiful birds and the unique Albertine Rift endemics.

Check off every bird species you see and capture from your bird checklist.

Good hiking shoes/boots

Try out your pair of shoes/boots you plan to use on your birding safari to make sure that they are comfortable and sturdy.

You will be out of your tour vehicle and onto your feet for the bird watching experience up and down the different scenery of Rwanda, you do need a good pair of shoes for a comfortable and thrilling experience.

A Rwanda Bird guide book

This will come in handy when identifying the different bird species, you will see on your Rwanda birding safari.

A day back pack

To carry around your essentials like your camera, phone, binoculars, guidebook, sound recorders, bird checklist, insect repellent, raincoat and a bottle of drinking water among others.

Appropriate birding safari clothing

The appropriate clothing is pretty much the same as for any other safari, lightweight neutral colored clothing, layered clothing for different weather conditions, hiking trousers and long sleeve shirts to protect you from insect bites when you are out in the bush.

Since some of the birding destinations in Rwanda are in the rain-forests, pack a light weight raincoat or waterproof jacket with you for those unexpected rains while forest bird watching.

Birding watching in Rwanda is a rewarding experience featuring scenic volcanoes and other wildlife viewing experiences.

The birding destinations include Nyungwe Forest National Park, Akagera National Park, Volcanoes National Park, Kigali city and the wetlands among others.

After packing your bags, get ready to have a birding experience of a lifetime in the Savannah and jungles of Rwanda.

Best time to go birding in Rwanda

Rwanda has a diverse avian population made up of over 700 recorded bird species among these are 29 Albertine Rift endemic species.

The various rich habitats of the birds in Rwanda provide good ground for birding safaris in Rwanda.

From lake shores and river banks, swampy wetlands, evergreen forests like Nyungwe forest, Gishwati and Mukura forests, rolling hills and volcanoes, open grasslands.

When is the best time to go on a birding safari in Rwanda?

There are over 700 resident bird species in Rwanda and the country’s good climatic conditions make it possible to go birding in Rwanda any time throughout the year.

However, there are some months in the year that stand to be the best time to go birding in Rwanda.

These are the dry months.

December to February:

This is a short dry season / break between Rwanda’s 2 rainy seasons and is considered the best time to go on a Rwanda birding safari.

The period is characterized with little or no rain, vibrant vegetation as a result of the short rains of October-November, clear skies and sunshine which means that the trails are much drier and east to trek and all these conditions provide good ground for bird watching and birding photography.

This period also ushers in migratory bird species creating a birders haven once they join the resident bird population.

The long dry season of June to September is also a good time for a birding safari in Rwanda as the sparse vegetation provides good visibility of the birds and good photography moments.

The trails are much drier during these months and east to navigate especially if you are going birding in Volcanoes or Nyungwe Forest National Park.