Ghana Birding and Wildlife Tour - 16 Days

AKWAABA (Welcome to Ghana)
Upon arrival our guide will welcome you at the Airport and transfer you to bird friend hotel for a good night rest and prepare for your 16 days Birding Photography tour in Ghana.

Accommodation – Erata Hotel (Accra).

Your birding in Ghana will kick start today morning with a visit to open grassland savannah of Shai Hills hoping to see and photograph some good Savannah birds as well as birds that are associated to this site like White crowned cliff chat, Stone partridge, Blue bellied roller, Purple roller, Violet turaco ,Senegal parrot, Swallow tailed bee-eater, Red necked buzzard, Long crested eagle, Black bellied bustard, Termminck`s courser, Chestnut owlet, Red shouldered cuckooshrike, Whinchat, Flappet lark, African crake, Ahanta francolin, European reed warbler, Spotted flycatcher, Rufous cisticola, Vinaceous dove, Brown throated wattle eye, Senegal batis, Lanner falcon, Double toothed barbet, Yellow fronted tinkerbird, Blackcap babbler, Snowy crowned robin chat, Splendid sunbird, Yellow throated leaflove, just to mention few.

Accommodation – Hans Cottage Botel (Cape coast).

After an early breakfast we will set off for the world famous canopy walkway at Kakum National Park which is the leading destination for bird watching in Ghana. A wonderful World of amazing canopy species awaits you out there. We hope to get there early hours to see the first light and record the first species that will fry out. Our day will bring out Black dwarf hornbill, Violet backed hyliota, White crested hornbill, Congo serpent eagle, Cassins hawk eagle, Long tailed hawk, Brown cheeked hornbill, Red cheeked wattle eye, Tit hylia, African piculet, Forest wood hoopoe, Black casqued hornbill, Red tailed bristlebill, Green tailed bristlebill, Western bearded greenbul, Brown illadopsis, Puvels illadopsis, Buff throated sunbird, Johannas sunbird, Tiny sunbird, Olive bellied sunbird, Usshers flycatcher, Blue cuckooshrike, Black bee-eater, Rosy bee-eater, Cassins honeyguide, Willcockss honeyguide, Sharpes apalis, Rufous crowned eremomela, Bioko batis, Hairy breasted barbet, Western nicator, Black bellied seedcracker, Orange weaver, Vieillots weaver, Maxwells black weaver, Icterine greenbul, Frasers eagle owl, Akun eagle owl, Red chested goshawk, African cuckoo and Red thighed sparrowhawk, Black and white flycatcher, Blue throated roller, Yellow billed turaco, Little and Little grey greenbul, Cassins and Sabines spinetail, White spotted flufftail, African pygmy ,Chocolate backed ,African dwarf and Giant kingfisher, Red rumped tinkerbird, Blue breasted kingfisher, Yellow throated tinkerbird, Little green, Fire bellied and Buff spotted woodpecker, Pin tailed whydah, Red headed, Red vented, Crested and Blue billed malimbe, Preusss and Yellow mantled weaverTambourine, Blue headed wood and Blue spotted wood dove, Ethiopian swallow, Green headed sunbird, Lesser striped swallow, Green crombec, Kemps and Grey longbill, Swamp greenbul, Western bluebill, Copper tailed glossy and Chestnut winged starling just to mention few of the incredible birds around.

Accommodation – Hans Cottage Botel (Cape coast).

An excellent forest about an hour drive from our guesthouse, this secondary semi deciduous forest protects a plethora of quality species that will enhance our list and overall experience. Species we hope to see and photograph here includes Red billed helmetshrike, Dwarf bittern, Bristle nosed barbet, White crested bittern, Spot breasted ibis, Western bronze napped pigeon, Afep pigeon, Batess swift, Blue headed coucal, Pale breasted illadopsis, White tailed rufous thrush, White headed wood hoopoe, African wood owl, Yellow bearded greenbul, Bat hawk, Narrow tailed starling, Batess sunbird, Blackcap illadopsis, Tessmanns flycatcher, Green hylia, Lemon bellied crombec, Fire crested alethe, Spotted greenbul, Purple throated cuckooshrike, Spotted honeyguide, Black collared lovebird, Brown necked parrot, Red tailed greenbul, Black dwarf hornbill, African piculet, Naked faced barbet, Kemps longbill, Black bee-eater, Forest wood hoopoe, Piping hornbill, Akun eagle owl, Western bearded greenbul, Yellow billed barbet, Black spinetail, Blue headed crested flycatcher, Pale breasted illadopsis, Common swift, Congo serpent eagle, Western nicator, Icterine greenbul, White spotted flufftail, Western bluebill, Long tailed hawk, Black throated cuocal among others will be encountered here.

Accommodation – D & A Lodge (Shama).

The key target for the day is Nkulengu Rail and we will be going all out to locate this rare species in the early morning hours. We will be searching for many upper guinea endemics such as Hartlaubs duck, White breasted guineafowl, Yellow casqued hornbill, African finfoot, Shining blue kingfisher, White bellied kingfisher, Cassins flycatcher, Red billed dwarf hornbill, Olive long tailed and Dusky long tailed cuckoo, Great blue turaco, White throated greenbul, Rufous winged illadopsis, Rufous sided broadbill, Shining drongo, Forest robin, Red fronted antpecker, Red headed quelea, Carmelite sunbird, Reichenbachs sunbird, White browed forest flycatcher, Red chested owlet, Common cuckoo, Grey throated rail, Crested guineafowl, Yellow bearded greenbul, Western bearded greenbul, African pygmy goose, Blackcap illadopsis, Congo serpent eagle, European honey buzzard, Red billed helmetshrike, Buff spotted and Fire bellied woodpecker, African emerald cuckoo, Cassins spinetail, Square tailed sawwing, White tailed ant thrush, Finschs flycatcher thrush, Western bronze naped pigeon, Tambourine and Blue headed wood dove, Chocolate backed kingfisher, Dusky blue flycatcher, Yellow whiskered greenbul, Akun eagle owl, Frasers eagle owl, Red vented, Blue billed and Crested malimbe, Orage weaver, Narinas trogon, Black bee-eater, Red bellied paradise flycatcher, Ayress hawk eagle, Red thighed sparrowhawk, Olive sunbird, Fraser`s sunbird, Black cuckoo, Yellow billed turaco, White tailed alethe, Western black headed and Black winged oriole Swamp greenbul, Green headed sunbird, Golden greenbul, Yellow spotted barbet, Yellow throated tinkerbird, Red fronted parrot including more incredible species will be scanned here.

Accommodation – Frenchman`s Lodge (Ankasa National Park).

The big day is today. We will be visiting the White Necked Rock-fowl nesting site, please make sure that you have enough memory card. We will check out of our hotel after an early breakfast and make our way to Bonlro village where we will be targeting some key species we missed during our days at other sites and get better views of species we just had brief views of, and the famous species and pre-historic bird (Picathartes) will follow with much excitement. It is hard to contain your excitement as these legendary prehistoric looking birds hop and jump on the rocks whilst preening themselves just meters from your eyes giving photographers amongst you a busy time of the day. We will then continue our journey to Kumasi after we have enjoyed our target bird for the day.

Accommodation – Excelsa Lodge (Kumasi).

Another important day for us to see our second target species of the trip, a wellknown habitat for much sought after Egyptian plover, which is a family by itself. We will be scanning Opuro forest for many species that we have missed out in other areas including Superb sunbird, Lesser morehen, Grey headed bristlebill, Fiery breasted bush-shrike, Black sparrowhawk, Northern puffback, Hamerkop, Blue headed coucal, Northern red bishop, Little grey flycatcher, Wood warbler, Common chiffchaff, Broad billed roller, Long tailed hawk, Lesser honeyguide, Scarlet chested sunbird, Pied flycatcher, Yellow rumped tinkerbird, Village indigobird, Common house martin, Cassins spinetail, Northern crombec, Lizard buzzard, Black and white flycatcher, African thrush, Velvet mantled drongo, White spotted flufftail, Black crake, Village weaver, Vieillots weaver, Copper sunbird, Pin tailed whydah, Bearded barbet, Black cuckoo, Red fronted parrot, African hobby etc. We will then find our way to Egyptian plover site after an incredible morning. Species expected to see here includes Wire tailed swallow, Red chested swallow, African moustached warbler, Rufous cisticola, Grey rumped swallow, Chestnut backed sparrow lark, Red billed firefinch, White headed lapwing, White helmetshrike, African golden oriole, Purple and Blue bellied roller, Lesser blue eared starling, Gabar and Dark chanting goshawk, Purple starling, Abyssinian roller, Black faced quailfinch, Mosque swallow, Yellow billed kite and more will be captured today.

Accommodation – Mole Motel (Mole National Park).

After an early breakfast we will set off for an interesting forest in a transitional zone between the southern wetter forests and northern drier woodland habitats where we will find some quality species. It will be one of the difficult birding sorties you may take in this tour, but you will be happy with the walk when you get to see many regional specialities within close ranges. Species possible to see and photograph here include Abyssinian ground hornbill, Denhams bustard, Forbess plover, Four banded sandgrouse, Banded and Brown snake eagle, Egyptian vulture, Martial eagle, White headed vulture, African scops owl, White faced owl, White backed vulture, Beaudouins snake eagle, Pearl spotted owlet, Violet turaco, Oriole warbler, Abyssinian roller, Red necked falcon, Northern carmine bee-eater, Marabou stork, Saddle billed stork, Bruces green pigeon, Yellow billed stork, Rufous rumped lark, Woolly necked stork, White fronted black chat, White stork, African hawk eagle, African cuckoo, Common redstart, Familia chat, Yellow crowned gonolek, Grey headed kingfisher, Long tailed starling, African fish, Tawny, Booted and wahlbergs eagle, Broad billed roller, African blue flycatcher, Red headed lovebird, Brubru, Golden tailed woodpecker, Spotted creeper, Fine spotted woodpecker, Yellow billed oxpecker, Eurasian Hoopoe, Black scimitarbill, Beautiful, Pygmy and Scarlet chested sunbird, Red billed, Black faced and Black bellied firefinch, Lavender waxbill, Sulphur breasted bushshrike, Blackcap and Brown babbler, White and Snowy crowned robin chat, White backed night heron, Red throated bee-eater, Bush petronia, Yellow fronted canary, Little weaver, Yellow mantled widowbird, White breasted cuckooshrike, Wilsons indigobird, Exclamatory and Togo paradise whydah, Spur winged goose, Green wood hoopoe, Swamp flycatcher, Standard winged and Freckled nightjah, Grey headed bush shrike, Chestnut crowned sparrow weaver, Pernant winged nightjah, Brown backed woodpecker, Black headed heron, African darter, Grasshopper buzzard, Bateleur, Barka indigobird, Cabanis`s bunting, Red cheeked cordon blue, Red winged and Yellow winged pytilia, Red headed weaver, Red headed quelea, Tropical boubou, White helmetshrike, Western violet backed sunbird, Gambaga flycatcher, Yellow breasted apalis, Willow and Melodious warbler, Whinchat, Sun lark, Grey woodpecker, Cardinal woodpecker, Greater honeyguide, Lesser hneyguide, Swallow tailed bee-eater, Thick billed cuckoo, Helmeted guineafowl and many more including different kinds of Monkeys, Atelopes, Elephant, Kob as well as Warthogs and Baboons will entertain you at the Motel.

Accommodation – Mole Motel (Mole National park).

We shall depart from Mole to Bolgatanga today. Along the way we will visit Tongo hill to add some special species associated to this site like Fox kestrel, Rock loving cisticola, African silverbill, Booted eagle, Red necked falcon, Black headed weaver, Montagus harrier, Painted snipe, Viteline masked weaver, Common snipe, Village indigobird, Bush petronia, Yellow fronted canary, Little weaver, Yellow mantled widowbird, White breasted cuckooshrike, Wilsons indigobird, Exclamatory paradise whydah, Togo paradise whydah, Spur winged goose, Green woodhoopoe, Swamp flycatcher, Standard winged and Freckled nightjah, Grey headed bush shrike, Long tailed nightjah, Chestnut crowned sparrow weaver, Long crested eagle, African cuckoo hawk, Brown backed woodpecker, Black headed heron, African darter, Grasshopper buzzard, Bateleur, Barka indigobird, Cabaniss bunting, Red cheeked cordonblue, Red winged pytilia, Yellow winged pytilia, Northern red bishop, Red headed weaver, Red headed quelea, Violet backed starling, Red winged pytilia, Red billed firefinch, Red cheeked cordonblue including others to our list before we get to Bolgatanga.

Accommodation - Premier Lodge (Bolgatanga).

After early breakfast we set off to Tono dam where we will see and photograph species like Africna mourning dove, Black bellied bustard, Spur winged goose, Knob billed duck, Chestnut bellied starling, Yellow pendiline tit, Speckled fronted weaver, Standard winged nightjah, White Helmetshrike, Sulphur breasted bush shrike, Matial eagle, Long crested eagle, White fronted black chat, Denhams bustard, Northern carmine bee-eater, Woodchat shrike, African fish eagle, Black faced quailfinch, Garbar goshawk, Four banded sandgrouse . After an incredible morning birding we will return back to Bolgatanga for our delicious lunch and make our way to Egyptian plover site for our second target of the trip and more other species like White billed buffalo weaver, White headed lapwing, Speckled pigeon, Greater blue eared starling, Bronze tailed starling, Green bee-eater, Red chested swallow among other good species around.

Accommodation – Premier Lodge (Bolgatanga).

Today is a running day, after breakfast we shall depart Bolgatanga for Kumasi and stop at Nsia wetland along the way to add some more incredible birds like Zibra waxbill, Black faced Quailfinch, African Silverbill, Black rumped waxbill, Namaqua dove and more to our list before we make our way to Kumasi.

Accommodation - Excelsa Lodge (Kumasi).

Bobiri forest is one of the popular sites in Ghana where a number of Birds can be seen including a huge number of Butterflies which will add more taste to the tour. After early breakfast we will set off to Bobiri for some significant forest species like Narinas trogon, African grey parrot, Long tailed hawk, Narrow tailed starling, Tit hylia, Forest woodhoopoe, Black sparrowhawk, Peregrine falcon, Red billed helmetshrike, Western nicator, Blue spotted wood dove, Dusky tit, Didric and Klaass cuckoo, Tambourine, Blue headed wood and Blue spotted wood dove, African green pigeon, Guinea turaco, Preusss cliff swallow, Compact weaver, Simple, Plain and Ansorges greenbul, Palmnut and Hooded vulture, African harrier hawk, Velvet mantled drongo, Grey throated, Dusky blue, Fraser`s forest and Red bellied paradise flycatcher, Barn and Ethiopian swallow, Green headed sunbird, African cuckoo hawk, Black throated coucal, Little grey flycatcher, Velvet mantled drongo, Blue cuckooshrike, Black winged oriole just to mention few.

Accommodation - Royal Bluemich Hotel (Tafo).

An early start as we head back into the Upper Guinea Rainforest habitat where so many of Ghana’s sought after special species are found. This morning we hope to see Tit hylia, Green Hylias, Magpie Mannakin, Narina’s Trogon, Red billed Dwarf and Black Dwarf Hornbills, African Grey and Red fronted Parrots, Purple-throated Cuckooshrike, Blue moustached bee-eater, Black bee-eater, Black throated Coucal, Golden backed Weaver, Dusky crested flycatcher, Yellow throated cuckoo, Green crombec, Kemps and Grey longbill, Frsers sunbird, Western olive sunbird, Swamp greenbul, Western bluebill, Black and white mannikin, Orange cheeked waxbill, Black winged bishop, Copper tailed glossy starling, Chestnut winged starling, Black winged oriole, Western black headed oriole, Sooty boubou, Sabines puffback, Collared sunbird, Blue throated brown sunbird, Green sunbird, Little green sunbird, Forest pendurine tit, West African wattle eye, Shrike, Chesnut capped flycatcher, Yellow browed and Olive green camaroptera, Blue headed Crested Flycatcher, Yellow-billed Barbet, Grey headed and Red tailed Bristlebills and the much sought after Yellow footed Honeyguide , Black necked, Maxwells Black, Compact and Grosbeak Weavers, Whistling Cisticola, Black crowned and Marsh Tchagra, African Emerald cuckoo, Klaas’s, Levaillants , Yellow throated and Didric Cuckoo, Red bellied Paradise Flycatcher, Western Bluebill, Tessmann’s Flycatcher and if we are lucky Baumann’s greenbul among others will be seen. After an incredible scan this day at Atewa we will then go to our hotel to shower, enjoy some meal before we find our way to the Airport to say goodbye to Ghana.

Departure