The Best Tanzania Safari Packages For Bird-Watching Enthusiasts

Written By

African Scenic Safaris

18/03/2023

Safaris

Last updated on June 26th, 2023 at 08:47 am

With our customizable Tanzania Safari Packages that are perfect for a specialized birdwatching safari, birdwatching enthusiasts will have their needs satisfied. Crafting a tailor-made Tanzania Safari Tour that emphasizes birdwatching has never been this easy!

It’s rather unfortunate that the rich birdlife of Tanzania gets overshadowed by the abundant wildlife. But recently, there’s been a growing interest in this unique safari experience. In this blog post, we’ll shed light on the best Tanzania Safari Packages for birdwatching enthusiasts, while also mentioning what birds you can see in each of the destinations.

Table of Contents

Explore Birdwatching Destinations With Tanzania Safari Packages

Our wide range of Tanzania Safari Packages will take you deep into the heart of Tanzania’s bush. This is the land of a variety of surroundings including open savannah plains and scrubs with large rivers and lakes. These habitats make for a perfect home for a range of bird species. Below are the best Tanzania Destinations for birdwatching and an interesting fact about birdwatching there:

DESTINATION(S)	NUMBER OF BIRDS	INTERESTING BIRDWATCHING FACT
Serengeti National Park	> 500 species	– Opportunities to spot the ‘Serengeti Specials’ – These are endemic to the park and can’t be seen anywhere else.
Tarangire National Park	> 550 species	– There are several breeding unique breeding bird species in Tarangire – a dream birdwatching destination for sure!
Ngorongoro Conservation Area	> 500 species	– The highland rainforests of the crater are a prim spot to spot rare species and plumage during the wet season.
Lake Manyara National Park	> 400 species	– The best birdwatching destination in Tanzania! – With lots of migrant, raptor, endemic, and rare species present in the park.
Arusha National Park	> 400 species	-Perfect destination to see waterbirds and raptors.

We understand completely that you need to know what birds you can see in each of the above national parks. The following are some notable species of birds that you can tick off your checklist during Safaris in Tanzania.

Note- July to November is the best time for bird-watching in Tanzania. Around this time Tanzania’s national parks are filled with both migratory and native bird species.

Notable Bird Species Of Tanzania According To National Parks

SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK	NGORONGORO CONSERVATION AREA	LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK	TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK	ARUSHA NATIONAL PARK
Common Species: Grey Backed fiscalRuppell’s vultureSilverbirdSchalow’s turacoVerreaux’s eagleSecretary Bird	Common Species: Greater FlamingoAugur BuzzardHildebrandt’s francolinNamaqua DoveSpeke’s WeaverKori BustardAfrican spoonbill	Common Species: African jacanaComb duckHamerkopPied KingfisherSacred IbisSouthern ground hornbillLittle stintSaddle-billed stork	Common Species: HornbillKori BustardPygmy FalconHelmeted guinea fowlAfrican hoopoesNubian woodpecker	Common Species: African fish eagleAfrican olive pigeonAugur buzzardBar-tailed trogonBearded vultureRed-fronted parrot
Endemic Species: Fischer’s lovebirdRufous-tailed weaver	Endemic Species: Rufous SparrowBlack-winged LapwingRufous winged sunbird	Endemic Species: Pied AvocetSpur-winged goosePemba white-eyeUluguru Bushshrike	Endemic Species: Ashy StarlingRufous-tailed weaver	Endemic Species: Rufous SparrowRufous-tailed weaver
Near Endemic Species: Usambiro barbetHildebrandt’s StarlingGrey-crested helmet-shrike	Near Endemic Species: Jackson’s WidowbirdHartlaub’s Turaco	Near Endemic Birds: Pemba SunbirdMoreau’s sunbird	Near Endemic Species: Northern Pied BabblerEastern Crested Guineafowl	Near Endemic Species: Hartlaub’s Turaco
Migrant Species: OspreySong thrushEurasian reed warblerSwallowsBlack and Red Kite	Migrant Species: White wagtailBarred warblerCommon nightingaleBlack and Red KiteOsprey	Migrant Species: SanderlingCuckoosBlack-tailed godwitBarnacle gooseCommon nightingaleGreater and Lesser Flamingos	Migrant Species: Common House MartinAquatic WarblerWhite-rumped Sandpiper	Migrant Species: Barn Swallow Red Kite European Robin European pied flycatcher

Some Insights from us – When you choose one of our Tanzania Safari Packages, you’ll get countless opportunities to see the above bird species. We’ll get into more detail about our selection of packages in the third section.

To have the most comprehensive birdwatching experience, we recommend visiting Lake Manyara National Park. Want to know why that is? Read this blog to find out – https://africanscenicsafaris.com/blog/a-paradise-for-bird-lovers-lake-manyara-national-park/

Best Bird-Watching Experiences In Tanzania

There are several unique birdwatching experiences that you can have in Tanzania. They include going on tailor-made birdwatching safaris, game drives, and guided nature walks. Below we’ll go into this in more detail:

Guided Nature Walks – These are a great way to discover the birdlife on Tanzania Safari Tours. You’ll traverse through rich rainforests and walking trails in the national parks along with a guide and spot countless species of birds.

We recommend you carry a good pair of binoculars (with 10×42 magnification capacity) and a birdwatching book to get the best experience.

Game Drives – They are the most convenient way to spot the varied birdlife of Tanzania. A knowledgeable guide will always be along with you on game drives and will help you spot birds as you drive across the golden Tanzanian Bush.

A Quirky Fact – Did you know that there are night game drives available in some Tanzania National Parks? They offer a distinct opportunity to spot the nocturnal bird species of Tanzania. You can use a flashlight or a headlamp and spot birds that are active at night. They include Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Rufous Night-Heron, African Scops Owl, etc.

Remember that game drives are included in Tanzania Safari Packages. But, night game drives are offered in specific national parks (like the Serengeti) and are not covered in packages.

Top Tanzania Safari Packages For Birdwatching Enthusiasts

Let us assure you that our team of talented travel experts has been showing guests the wondrous land of Tanzania for more than a decade. This is exactly why we know what goes into making a birdwatching safari the best you could ever hope for.

Thus, with that in mind, below are some of our elite Tanzania Safari Packages that are perfect for birdwatching enthusiasts:

NAME OF THE PACKAGE(S)	DESTINATIONS THEY COVER	BIRDWATCHING HIGHLIGHTS
6 Days Tanzania Short & Sweet Safari (https://africanscenicsafaris.com/short-sweet)	Lake Manyara, Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater	– Seeing flocks of greater and lesser flamingos. – Night Game drives to see nocturnal birds in the Serengeti.
10 Days Tanzania Closer To Nature (https://africanscenicsafaris.com/closer-to-nature)	Serengeti, Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area	– Guided walking safaris to see rare and endemic species of birds.
8 Days Tanzania Classic Safari (https://africanscenicsafaris.com/tanzania-classic-safaris)	Tarangire, Serengeti, Lake Manyara National Park, and Ngorongoro Crater	– Chances to see the Serengeti specials: grey-throated spurfowl, Schalow’s wheatear, red-throated tit, rufous-tailed weaver, grey-crested helmet shrike, and Schalow’s turaco. – Spotting the highland species in Ngorongoro.

You’ll be delighted to learn that you can tailor-make your Tanzania Safari Packages with African Scenic Safaris as well. So, crafting specialized birdwatching safaris according to your needs and inclinations will be a piece of cake.

Witness The Diverse Bird Species Of Tanzania!

To close things out, Tanzania Safari Packages designed for bird-watching enthusiasts offer an incredible opportunity to witness some of the world’s most unique bird species in their natural habitats. Whether you prefer guided walks, game drives, or night drives, the packages cater to all preferences. So, grab a pair of binoculars and a birdwatching guidebook and witness the soaring avians in the skies of Tanzania’s wilderness.