Best Birding Spots in Rwanda 2025 – 2026
Are you interested about birdwatching in Rwanda? If so, continue reading! when many think of Rwanda, their minds often go to the majestic mountain gorillas, stunning landscape, or the nation’s remarkable recovery from 1994 genocide. Rwanda has never stood out as a top birding nation. This is partly because Avi tourism has been overshadowed by gorilla tourism. Rwanda stands out as a great destination for birders because of the sheer variety of bird habitats. These range from mountains, montane forests, grasslands, plains, vast swamps, rivers, lakes and off course the rolling hills. Rwanda has good road networks with safe and clean towns. Rwanda is home to endemic bird species but has about 44 that can only be found in the Albertine Rift.
Here are the most top birding destinations in Rwanda
Nyungwe National Park
Nyungwe National Park stands as the largest and oldest mountain forest in Africa, renowned for its rich biodiversity. The park is a haven for over 300 bird species, making it an exceptional destination for bird enthusiasts.
One of the prime spots for birdwatching is Bigugu Mountain, situated within the park, where many species can be observed feeding in the treetops. Visitors may encounter a variety of birds, including the Neumann’s Warbler, Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Congo Bay Owlet, Rwenzori Hill Babbler, Rockefellers Sunbird, Barred Long Tailed Cuckoo, Mountain Sooty Boubou, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Blue-headed Sunbird, Strange Weaver, White Bellied Robin Chat, Grey-chested Kakamega, Doherty’s Bush Shrike, Blue Turaco, Great Blue Turaco, White Tailed Flycatcher, Chapin’s Flycatcher, Red Collared Mountain Babbler, Grauer’s Rush Warbler, Cinnamon-chested bee-eater, Red Throated Alethe, Ruwenzori Batis, Shelley’s Crimsonwing, Kivu Ground Thrush, Archers Robin-chat, Ruwenzori Apalis, Dusky Crimson wing, Ruwenzori Nightjar, Kungwe Apalis, Regal Sunbird, Handsome Francolin, Stripe-breasted Tit among others.
Exploring the forest can be a memorable experience whether by walking or biking along the Congo Nile Trail, which traverses through the park’s diverse landscapes. Bird watching in Nyungwe forest national park can either be done in the morning or in the evening and during the birding experience, you will be accompanied by an experienced bird guide and follow well-constructed birding trails such as Karambi trail, Bigugu trail, Gisakura trail, Kamiranzovu trail among others.
Akagera National Park
Akagera National Park, situated in the northeastern part of Rwanda near the border with Tanzania, is characterized by a diverse landscape that includes lakes, wetlands, gently rolling hills, and open grasslands. This variety of habitats supports an impressive array of birdlife, with over 540 species recorded within the park. Surprisingly, 100 bird species cannot be found in any other protected area in Rwanda. Among the most popular spots for birdwatching are the areas surrounding Lake Ihema, particularly its islands, marshes, and wetlands. Apart from being an Important Bird Area (IBA), Akagera National Park is a home to the big 5 animals that is to say rhinos, buffalo, elephant, leopard and the lions.
Visitors to these regions have the opportunity to observe a wide range of bird species, such as the Amur falcon, Beaudouin’s snake eagle, Blue-shouldered robin-chat, Yellow-bellied eremomela, Booted eagle, Brown-chested lapwing, Cabanis’s bunting, Short-tailed pipit, Carruthers’s cisticola, Crested barbet, Denham’s bustard, Squacco heron, Dimorphic egret, Grasshopper buzzard, Western reef heron, Northern brown-throated weaver, Long-toed Lapwing, Kittlitz’s Plover, Greater Painted-Snipe, Common Greenshank, Small Buttonquail, Temminck’s Courser, Gull-billed Tern, Bateleur, Slate-coloured boubou, Sooty falcon, Souza’s shrike, Striped pipit, Tabora cisticola, White-winged swamp warbler, African fish eagle, African harrier hawk, Eleonora’s falcon, Shelley’s francolin, Shoebill, African jacana, Crowned Lapwing, African Darter, Gray Heron, Osprey, Marsh Owl, Green Woodhoopoe, Giant Kingfisher and White-throated Bee-eater among others
Volcanoes National Park
Volcanoes National Park is renowned for its diverse range of activities, including gorilla trekking, observing golden monkeys, and ascending the volcanoes like Karisimbi. However, it also serves as an exceptional destination for bird enthusiasts. Home to more than 200 bird species, the park boasts 17 species that are endemic to the Albertine Rift. Visitors may have the opportunity to see a variety of birds such as francolins, Rwenzori turacos and batises, Rwenzori double-collared sunbirds, and strange weavers. The park is also a habitat for African Green Broadbill, Kivu Ground Thrush, Rwenzori Batis, Double-collared Sunbird, Red faced Woodland Warblers, Handsome Francolins, Black Cuckoo, Archers Robin Chat, Ruwenzori Turaco, Rwenzori batis, Red Chested Sunbird, Strange Weaver, White Collared Silverback, Crested Barbet, Grey-headed Bush Shrike, Ruwenzori Double-collared Sunbird, African Goshawk, Yellow-eyed Apalis, Dusky Crimsonwing , Red Faced Woodland Warbler, Dusky Crimson-wing, Collared Apalis, Nirana Trogon and Scarlet-tufted Malachite Sunbird among others.
Gishwati-Mukura National Park
Gishwati-Mukura National Park, located in the northwest of Rwanda, is a relatively new addition to the country’s protected areas. Before its official designation as a national park, it was already recognized as a vibrant spot for birdwatching, hosting a remarkable diversity of bird species—approximately 395 in total. Visitors to the park often enjoy observing a wide array of avian life, including species such as the Hooded Vulture, Gray Crowned-Crane, Grauer’s Swamp Warbler, Tawny Eagle, Mountain Buzzard, Blue-spotted Wood-Dove, Gray-headed Kingfisher, Rwenzori Batis, Black-billed Turaco, Black Cuckoo, Gray Crowned-Crane, Hadada Ibis, Augur Buzzard, Narina Trogon, Tropical Boubou, Black Cuckoo shrike, Pied Crow, Angola Swallow, African Yellow-Warbler, Black-throated Apalis, Dusky-brown Flycatcher, Stuhlmann’s Starling, Regal Sunbird, Grauer’s swamp warbler, Ruwenzori Batis, Mountain Yellow Warblers, Woodhoopoe, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Martial Eagle, Strange weave, Lagden’s Bush shrike, Dusky Crimsonwing, Red-throated Alethe, Grey Crowned Crane, Ruwenzori Turaco, and Blue-headed Sunbird among others.
Kigali city
Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, offers remarkable opportunities for birdwatching right from the moment you arrive. Even within the bustling city, there are several spots where birding can be enjoyed without venturing far into rural areas or national parks. Urban birding enthusiasts can start their exploration in hotel gardens or visit Lake Nyarutarama, which borders one of the city’s main golf courses. This area features scenic tracks and walkways ideal for observing species such as black headed herons, the grey capped warbler, white faced whistling duck and winged geese. As you leave the city center, a newly developed large park provides additional birding prospects that are quickly gaining popularity among birders. The Nyabarongo wetland is another excellent location, hosting species like little egrets, spur-winged geese, Squacco turacos, and yellow-billed storks. For those willing to explore a bit further, Mount Kigali presents a diverse habitat where you can spot red chested cuckoos, African paradise and southern black flycatchers among many others.
Lake Kivu
Lake Kivu is famous for its stunning beaches and islands, making it a popular spot for fishing in Rwanda. However, many people overlook that it’s also a fantastic place for birdwatching safaris in Rwanda. The lake and the surrounding hotel gardens and vegetation are home to 301 bird species, including attractive species such as Double-toothed Barbet, White-backed Duck, Fulvous Whistling Duck, Northern Shoveler, African Black Duck, Helmeted Guineafowl, Crested Guineafowl, Red-winged Francolin, Great Crested Grebe, great cormorant, Africa marsh harrier, double-toothed barbet, red-chested sunbird, blue-spotted wood-dove, ross’s turaco, lizard buzzard, gray heron, and hamerkop among others.
What is the best time for birding in Rwanda
Birdwatching in Rwanda is done all year round through each season offers a different array of bird species. During the dry season which runs from June to September, birders spot so many francolins, wetland birds, nightjars and owls while in the wet season of October, travelers see lots of lapwings and many open grassland birds. It is important to note that Rwanda has two major rain and dry seasons. The period between December and January is considered perfect for birding in Rwanda. Migratory birds are present from November to April.
What to pack for a birding tour in Rwanda
Are you ready for your birding safari in Rwanda? Check on what to pack for your birdwatching experience in Rwanda with Elephant Whispers Safaris. These include the following; Binoculars for zooming small birds from a distance, good camera to enable you take as many photos as possible, insect repellents, toiletries like tissues, hand sanitizer, toothbrush, hair gels and sanitary wear for the case of women. Don’t forget to pack waterproof shoes, rain gear, gardening gloves, hiking boots/shoes among others
