Birdee111

Hi there,
I'm trying to plan a trip for my husband and I (both Canadian) to East Africa over December and January, and was wondering if anyone had any pearls of wisdom to help. I've read through a number of postings on here, and I'm getting the idea that I should try and book through a safari company that is based within East Africa? Is that the best way to go? I mostly want to be in the wilderness, taking photographs, etc. I think I would like to visit Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda, which should be do-able in 6 weeks (I imagine). I don't want to be with a large group of people, and would be happy to pay extra for a dedicated guide at certain times for photography.
I'm also curious about the best places to see birds in these countries. If anyone has any thoughts, please let me know. What is "not to be missed"? Is it worth spending some time on the coast?
If anyone out there can recommend someone that can help me plan an itinerary, I would very much appreciate it!
Thank-you!!

Elizabeth_S

Hi Birdie111 - we spent 3 weeks in Tanzania and Rwanda last January - had a wonderful time and had a great guide Felix Mollel (who loves birds and loves "bird nerds" as clients) Here's a link to our blog - we're in France right now and won't have internet access for a few days but I will post more then

http://lizandrichardsa.typepad.com/africa/

You can email me at

eseibertca AT yahoo DOT ca

There are a couple of ways to book Felix directly - one is an agent in Toronto (where we are from)

Happyhippytraveller

Hi Birdee,We are well travelled but we have been to Africa - east Africa several times. We had a guide that is specialised in photography as my husband does proffessional photography. Some of the best places to see birds in Kenya is Lewa, Lake Nakuru and Shimba Hills. I do not have very much information but I can recommend to you the company that plans our travel to africa for us. You can just email a lady there by the name Norma and she will give you all the details that you require.
If you are mainly interested in birds then you may skip the coast. The best thing is to email the proffessionals and they will guide you in the right direction.

PM me on [email protected]

luangwablondes

This is a very good place to start:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tanzaniabirds/

sandi

In Tanzania, Tarangire is great for birds.

Do know, regardless whether Kenya, Tanzania or Rwanda, from 20th December it's peak-season with some supplements for Christmas and New Year's days, so prices are at their highest.

Depending on where you visit there are besides lodging & meals, park fees, daily guide/vehicle fees, flights (if you include any), and taxes... it will depend on type of accommodations you consider. Budget camping would be the least expensive on public sites, with shared facilities (bathrooms). Then there's camping on "special" sites, where they set-up a private loo/shower for you. Then there are lodges, permanent and seasonal tent camps.

Suggest you send requirements to a few companies whether in the respective countries for an idea of what can be done and costs. You've got a year to work on it, but if 2012 is anything like 2011... once you've got it pretty close to set, don't tarry. Everything seems to be booking up rather fast for 2011.

Return here on the same thread which is best way to monitor your progress and for you to find yourself, and we can all assist. Good luck!

Birdee111

Thank you all so much for your help! I REALLY appreciate it!

Elizabeth and Happyhippytraveller, I would like to email you for more information. I will probably do that shortly. And yes, I know I'll be dealing with some higher prices for travelling during the holidays, but I'm okay with that. I have a fair bit saved up, and I'm usually willing to splurge when it comes to holidays and travelling. The memories will last me a lifetime and mean more to me than the $$ ever will. And my husband and I are pretty flexible on lodgings and don't mind camping (we're in our mid-30s and very outdoorsy).

Do you think I will be okay if I don't officially book anything until later in spring? I don't know how quickly permits book up and so on. This is definitely the earliest I've ever gotten around to planning a holiday, so I'm giving myself a little pat on the back for that (haha). Sounds like it's a good thing I've started early!

On a somewhat related note...can anyone recommend decent field ID books for birds in these areas?

Thanks again! Also, if anyone has any more detailed information to send, please feel free to email me at birdee111 AT yahoo.ca

atravelynn

I like the soft cover Collin Illustrated Checklist Birds of Eastern Africa by Ber Van Perlo.

A beautifully illustrated book is Filed Guide to the Birds of East Africa Kenya Tanzania Uganda RWanda Burundi by Terry Stevenson and John Fanshawe.

Whatever company you book with, make sure your interest in birds is known. Not all guides are good birders or have a real interest in the feathered species.

Ben of Eastern and Southern Safaris in Nairobi was an outstanding birder in Kenya.
Ben's nephew (also named Ben) has a birding safari company in Kenya called Ben's Ecological Safaris, which also emphasizes mammals. I ran into a couple traveling with BES who had just seen their 900th bird in Africa and were thrilled. In Rwanda, Kirenga is a great birder and guide. He works mainly for Volcanoes, but for other companies as well.

If you have some flexibility in dates, I think late Spring would be ok. Since you mention "permits" and Rwanda, if you want to visit the gorillas, then you should secure those permits first and build your trip around that.

You're on track for a fantastic trip.