The best time for birding in Tanzania is when a majority of species are in breeding plumage. Since breeding is timed with the rains, which bring out insects that many birds rely on to raise young, the best times to see birds in breeding plumage is November-December and late March-May.

The added bonus of visiting Tanzania during winter months is that northern migrants wintering in Tanzania are present as well. The amount of rainfall during the rainy seasons varies between locales and between years. All of East Africa was stricken by severe drought conditions during 2011, when the amount of rain was substantially below normal. Birding in rainy season can be very rewarding. The rains tend to come in afternoon squalls and rain-out days are unusual. Some areas become impassable due to muddy conditions, but most birding sites remain accessible. That’s why many birding tours to Tanzania are scheduled for October-December and March-May. Game viewing is still good and the birding is wonderful during those times.

From the icy unfertile around Kilimanjaro’s snowy summit to the sun-baked soda shores of Lake Natron. From coral reefs and islets in the blue Indian Ocean, to the hippo pools at Manyara or inside Ngorongoro Crater; from cool riparian forests of the Selous or in the Usambara Mountains to a tiny back garden in Arusha – everywhere there are beautiful birds to watch.

All well-known safari parks offer the best birding chances and specials can be found pretty much everywhere you go. The spectacular, birding park Arusha National Park has an amazing diversity of habitats, which host an incredible list of 400 species in a small area. Lake Manyara National Park offers a good variation of water birds.

Lake Duluti the scenic crater lake of Duluti is surrounded by a footpath through tall forest trees that also passes a miniature papyrus swamp. Duluti is the perfect place for a brief morning, or late afternoon, bird walk. The fish-rich margins support many White-breasted and Long-tailed Cormorants, several species of heron and egret, and usually the odd Knob-billed Duck and Yellow-billed Stork.

A pair of glorious African Fish Eagles and numerous piebald Augur Buzzards are often to be seen circling overhead. In the woods dapper White-cheeked and Brown-breasted Barbets scold noisily from the fruiting fig trees, dwarfed by ungainly Silvery-cheeked Hornbills who gather with swishing wing beats to cackle cacophonously from the higher branches. In the leafy shade of the forest floor, or in some dense vine tangle, ‘scullers’ lurk, as if too embarrassed by their own beauty to show themselves clearly: African Pygmy Kingfisher, Red-capped Robin Chat, Collared Sunbirds and one of those pretty African domino finches – a neat study in black, white and red – Twinspots (at this locality they’re Peter’s). There are also somewhat duller, but quite localized species such as Grey-Olive Greenbul and Black-throatedWattle-eye.

Are you bird’s lover? If you are looking for an amazing adventure in the next few years, please contact us to work out in detail the options and costs.