Itinerary

1. Day 1: Arrival in Accra, Ghana

   • Upon arrival, you will meet our guide at Kotoka International Airport, who will welcome you.

   • Transport you to your hotel for a good night's rest and prepare for your 14-day-long bird, wildlife and photography excursion in Ghana.

   Retire for the day. Overnight at the Erata Hotel and Standard Hotel in Accra.

2. Day 2: Shai Hills Reserve - Sakumono Lagoon - WInnEba Plains

   • Your birding excursion in Ghana will kick start today in the morning with a visit to the open grassland savannah of Shai Hills, hoping to see and photograph some good savannah birds and birds that are associated with 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, Oriole Warbler, Long Crested Eagle, Black Bellied Bustard, Temminck's Courser, Red Shouldered Cuckooshrike, Whinchat, Flappet Lark, African Crake, Ahanta Francolin, Blue Bellied Roller, Black Bellied Bustard, Swallow Tailed Bee-eater, Long Crested Eagle, Red Necked Buzzard, Winchat, Flapped Lark, Rock Martin, Ovambo Sparrowhawk, Croaking Cisticola, Short Winged Cisticola, Lanner Falcon, Senegal Parrot, Brown Throated Wattle eye, Yellow Winged Pytilia, Barn Owl, African Barred Owlet, Blackcap Babbler, Brown Babbler, Double Spurred Francolin, Splendid Sunbird, Yellow Mantled Widowbird, Black Scimitarbill, Green Wood Hoopeo, Swallow Tailed Bee-eater, Vieillot's Barbet, Tawny Flanked Prinia, Yellow Fronted Tinkerbird, Yellow Rumped Tinkerbird, African Paradise Flycatcher to mention few of the guys around.

   • After an incredible morning at Shai Hills, scan Sakumono Lagoon to add residential and migratory shore birds to your list.

   • Pass Wenniba Plain before you make your way to Cape Coast.

   Retire for the day. Overnight at Hans Cottage Botel and Standard Hotel in Cape Coast.

3. Day 3: Kakum National Park (Canopy Walkway)

   • After an early breakfast, set off for the world-famous canopy walkway at Kakum National Park, Ghana's leading destination for bird watching. A wonderful world of amazing canopy species awaits you out there. We hope to get there early to see the first light and record the first species that will fry out. We aim to get there early morning to spend the most critical bird viewing hours on the canopy walkway trying to see and photograph many mouth-watering species like Black Dwarf Hornbill, Violet Backed Hyliota, White Crested Hornbill, Congo Serpent Eagle, Cassin`S 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 and Puvel`s Illadopsis, Buff Throated, Johanna`s, Tiny and Olive Bellied Sunbird, Ussher`s Flycatcher, Blue Cuckooshrike, Black and Rosy Bee-eater, Cassin`s and Willcocks`s Honeyguide, Sharp`s Apalis, Rufous Crowned Eremomerla, West African Batis ,Hairy Breasted Barbet, Finsch`s Flycatcher Thrush, Western Nicator, Black Bellied Seedcracker, Orange Weaver, Vieillot`S Weaver, Maxwell`s Black Weaver, Icterine Greenbul, Fraser`s and Akun Eagle Owl, Red Chested Goshawk, African Cuckoo Hawk, Red Thighed Sparrowhawk, Black and White Flycatcher, Blue Throated Roller, Yellow Billed Turaco, Little and Little Grey Greenbul, Cassin`s and Sabine`s Spinetail, White Spotted Flufftail, Marsh Tchagra, Red Winged Prinia, 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, Preuss`s and Yellow Mantled Weaver, Red Tailed Greenbul, White Breasted, Grey Headed and Chestnut Breasted Nigrita, Peregrine Falcon, Piping Hornbill, Whistling Cisticola, Great Spotted, Black, Levaillant`s and African Emerald Cuckoo, Common Swift, Didric and Klaas`s Cuckoo, Malachite Kingfisher and many more will be encounted.

   • Birding will always be done in the early morning till 11, when the weather becomes hot, to see amazing species active in the morning.

   • Break in the hot afternoon for lunch.

   • During evening birding, look for birds returning from their feeding grounds to roost and owls.

   Retire for the day. Overnight at Hans Cottage Botel and Standard Hotel in Cape Coast.

4. Day 4: Antwikwaa Forest - Twifo Praso

   • Birding will continue around Kakum National Park on the 4th day to cover all the areas around Kakum NP.

   • Species to cover at this site includes Rock Pratincole, White Bibbed Swallow, White Headed Lapwing, Tambourine, Blue Headed Wood And Blue Spotted Wood Dove, African Green Pigeon, Guinea Turaco, Preuss`s Cliff Swallow, Compact Weaver, Sulphur Breasted Bush Shrike, Simple, Plain and Ansorge`s 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, Northern Fiscal, Lesser Striped Swallow, Green Crombec, Kemp`S and Grey Longbill, Frser`s 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, Sabine`s Puffback, Collared, Blue Throated Brown, Green and Little Green Sunbird, Forest Pendurine Tit, West African Wattle Eye, Shrike, Chesnut Capped and Blue Headed Crested Flycatcher, Yellow Browed and Olive Green Camaroptera, Honeyguide, Golden, Yellow Whiskered and Slender Billed Greenbul, Rufous Chested Swallow, Fanti And Square Tailed Sawwing, Melancoly Woodpecker, Brown Eared Woodpecker, Yellow Footed Honeyguide, Naked Faced, Yellow Billed and Yellow Spotted Barbet, Speckled Tingkerbird, Rufous Sided Broadbill, Red Billed Helmetshrike, Little Bee-Eater, Brown Nightjah, Black Throated Coucal, Blue Malkoha, Red Fronted Parrot, Latham`s Forest Francolin, Ayres`s Hawk Eagle, European Honey Buzzard including others will be seen. 

   • Birding will always be done in the early morning till 11, when the weather becomes hot, to see amazing species active in the morning.

   • Break in the hot afternoon for lunch.

   • During evening birding, look for birds returning from their feeding grounds to roost and owls.

   Retire for the day. Overnight at Hans Cottage Botel and Standard Hotel in Cape Coast.

5. Day 5: Abrafo Forest - Nsuta Reserved Forest

   • Continue around Kakum National Park on the 5th day to cover all the areas around Kakum NP to pick up species that still need to be covered.

   • Afternoon birding will take place at Nsuta Reserved Forest to pick up some cool birds like Breasted Ibis, Long Tailed Hawk, Congo Serpent Eagle, White Crested Hornbill, Akun Eagle Owl, African Wood Owl, Fraser`s Eagle Owl, several Greenbuls, Sunbirds, Barbets and many more others.

   • Birding will always be done in the early morning till 11, when the weather becomes hot, to see amazing species active in the morning.

   • Break in the hot afternoon for lunch.

   • During evening birding, look for birds returning from their feeding grounds to roost and owls.

   Retire for the Day. Overnight at D&A Lodge and Standard Hotel in Shama.

6. Day 6: Nsuta Reserve Forest

   • Drive from our guesthouse to this secondary semi-deciduous forest that protects many species. 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, Purple Throated Cuckooshrike, Spotted Honeyguide, Black Collared Lovebird, Brown Necked Parrot, Red Tailed Greenbul, Black Dwarf Hornbill, African Piculet, Naked Faced Barbet, Kemp`s Longbill, Black Bee-eater, Forest Wood Hoopoe, Piping Hornbill, Akun Eagle Owl, Western Bearded Greenbul, Yellow Billed Barbet, Black Spinetail, Long Tailed Hawk, Black Throated Cuocal, Bates`s Swift, Blue Headed Coucal, Pale Breasted Illadopsis, White Tailed Ant Thrush, White Headed Wood Hoopoe, African Wood Owl, Yellow Bearded Greenbul, Bat Hawk, Narrow Tailed Starling, Yellow White Eye, Blackcap Illadopsis, Tessmann`s Flycatcher, Green Hylia, Lemon Bellied Crombec, Fire Crested Alethe, Spotted Greenbul, Purple Throated Cuckooshrike, Spotted Honeyguide, Red Tailed Greenbul, Black Dwarf Hornbill, African Piculet, Naked Faced Barbet, Kemp`s Longbill, Blue Headed Crested Flycatcher, Pale Breasted Illadopsis, Common Swift, Congo Serpent Eagle, Western Nicator, Icterine Greenbul, White Spotted Flufftail, Western Bluebill, Black Throated Coucal among others will be encountered here.

   • Birding will always be done in the early morning till 11, when the weather becomes hot, to see amazing species active in the morning.

   • Break in the hot afternoon for lunch.

   • During evening birding, look for birds returning from their feeding grounds to roost and owls.

   Retire for the day. Overnight at D & A Lodge and Standard Hotel in Shama.

7. Day 7: Ankasa Rainforest

   • The key target for the day is Nkulengu Rail. Locate this rare species in the early morning hours. Search for many upper guinea endemics such as Hartlaub`s Duck, White Breasted Guineafowl, Yellow Casqued Hornbill, African Finfoot, Shining Blue Kingfisher, White Bellied Kingfisher, Cassin`s 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, Reichenbach`s Sunbird, White Browed Forest Flycatcher, Red Chested Owlet, Common Cuckoo, Grey Throated Rail, 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.

   • Birding will always be done all day.

   • Break for lunch and continue to look for more exciting species before we retire for the day.

   Retire for the day. Overnight Hotel Frenchman’s Lodge and Standard Hotel in Ankasa NP.

8. Day 8: Ankasa Forest - Brenu Beach Road

   • Enjoy a final morning of birding at this wonderful location. You will target species you may have missed or would like to get better-quality images. After a whole morning of birding, you will return to the lodge or camping site to arrange your bags and enjoy lunch before heading back towards Cape Coast. Species like Yellow-billed turaco, Little and Little Grey Greenbul, Cassin`s and Sabine`s Spinetail, White Spotted Flufftail, Marsh Tchagra, Red-Winged Prinia, African Pygmy, Chocolate Backed, White Bellied, African Dwarf and Giant Kingfishers will await you, 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 will be available, Preuss`s and Yellow Mantled Weaver, Red-Tailed Greenbul, White-Breasted, Grey Headed and Chestnut Breasted Nigrita, Peregrine Falcon, Piping Hornbill, Whistling Cisticola, Great Spotted, Black, Levaillant`s and African Emerald Cuckoo, Common Swift, White Rumped Swift, District and Klaas`s Cuckoo will be seen.

   • Make your way to Cape Coast.

   • Stop at Brenu Beach Road to add some more species to your list.

   Retire for the day. Overnight at Hans Cottage Botel and Standard Hotel in Cape Coast.

9. Day 9: Abrafo Forest - Picathartes Site

   • Visit the White Necked Rock-fowl nesting site. Make sure that you have enough space in your camera's memory card.

   • Check out our hotel after an early breakfast and make our way to a remote village where we will target some key species we missed during our days at other sites and get better views of species we just had brief views of. The famous species and pre-historic bird (Yellow-Headed 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.

   • Continue the journey to Kumasi after we have enjoyed our target bird for the day.

   • Retire for the day. Overnight at Excelsa Lodge and Standard Hotel in Kumasi.

10. Day 10: Opuro Forest - Egyptian Plover Site

    • It is another important day for us to see our second target species of the trip, a well-known habitat for the much sought-after Egyptian plover, which is a family by itself.

    • Scan the Opuro Forest for many species that we have missed out on in other areas, including Superb Sunbird, Lesser Morehen, Grey Headed Bristlebill, Fiery Breasted Bushshrike, Black Sparrowhawk, Northern Puffback, Hamerkop, to mention a few. After an incredible morning for this extraordinary bird, we will find our way to the Egyptian Plover site. Species expected to see here include 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.

    Retire for the day. Overnight at Mole Motel and Standard Hotel in Mole National Park.

11. Day 11: Mole National Park

    • After an early breakfast, set off for an interesting forest in a transitional zone between the Southern wetter forest and Northern drier woodland habitats, where you will find some quality species. It will be one of the most difficult birding sorties you may take on this tour, but you will be happy with the walk when you see many regional specialities within close ranges and get clean photographs. Species possible to see and photograph here include Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Denham`s Bustard, Forbes`s Plover, Four Banded Sandgrouse, Banded Snake Eagle, Brown Snake Eagle, Egyptian Vulture, Martial Eagle, White Headed Vulture, African Scops Owl, White Faced Owl, White Backed Vulture, Beaudouin`s Snake Eagle, Pearl Spotted Owlet, Violet Turaco, Oriole Warbler, Abyssinian Roller, Red Necked Falcon, Northern Carmine Bee-Eater, Marabou Stork, Saddle Billed Stork, Bruce`s Green Pigeon, Yellow Billed Stork, Rufous Rumped Lark, Wooly Necked Stork, White Fronted Black Chat, White Stork, African Hawk Eagle, African Cuckoo, Black Bellied Bustard, Common Redstart, Familia Chat, Yellow Crowned Gonolek, Bearded Barbet, Double Toothed Barbet, Wire Tailed Swallow, Grey Headed Kingfisher, Long Tailed Starling, African Fish Eagle, Tawny Eagle, Booted Eagle, Wahlberg`s Eagle, African Blue Flycatcher, Tree Pipit, Pel`s Fishing Owl, Northern Red Billed Hornbill, Peregrine Falcon, Red Shouldered Cuckooshrike, Rose Ringed Parakeet, Red Headed Lovebird, Brubru, Golden Tailed Woodpecker, Spotted Creeper, Fine Spotted Woodpecker, Black Billed Wood Dove, Stone Partridge, Double Spurred Francolin, White Throated Francolin, Fork Tailed Drongo, Yellow Billed Oxpecker, Eurasian Hoopoe, Black Scimitarbill, Beautiful Sunbird, Pygmy Sunbird, Scarlet Chested Sunbird, Red Billed, Black Faced and Black Bellied Firefinch, Lavender and Orange Cheeked Waxbill, Sulphur Breasted Bush Shrike, Blackcap Babbler, Brown Babbler, White Crowned Robin Chat, Snowy Crowned Robin Chat, Black Crowned And White Backed Night Heron, Red Throated Bee-Eater, Bush Petronia, Yellow Fronted Canary, Little Weaver and many more will be seen and photographed.

    Retire for the day. Overnight at Mole Motel and Standard Hotel in Mole National Park.

12. Day 12: Mole National Park - Kumasi

    • Birding will continue at Mole National Park to add some more savannah birds to your list.

    • Species to see includes Yellow Mantled Widowbird, White Breasted Cuckooshrike, Wilson`s 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, Cabanis`S Bunting, Red Cheeked Cordonblue, Red-Winged Pytilia, Yellow Winged Pytilia, Northern Red Bishop, Red-Headed Weaver, Red Headed Quelea, Violet Backed Starling, Tropical Boubou, White Helmetshrike, Western Violet Backed Sunbird, Gambaga Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher, Yellow Breasted Apalis, Rufous Cisticola, Melodious Warbler, Whinchat, Yellow Throated Leaflove, Sun Lark, Grey And Cardinal Woodpecker, Greater and Lesser Honeyguide, Yellow Fronted Tinkerbird, Swallow-Tailed Bee-Eater, Thick Billed Cuckoo, Helmeted Guineafowl including others will be captured here.

    • Depart from Mole to Kumasi.

    • Stop along the way to add a couple of specials to your list before getting to Kumasi. 

    Retire for the day. Overnight at Excelsa Lodge, Standard Hotel in Kumasi. (Kumasi)

13. Day 13: Bobiri Butterfly Sanctuary - Atewa Forest

    • Visit Bobiri whch is well-known for its significant forest species of birds like Grey Parrot, Narina`s Trogon, Long Tailed Hawk, Dusky Tit, Black Dwarf Hornbill, Forest Wood Hoopoe, Fraser’s Eagle and African Wood Owl, Black Sparrowhawk, Black Coucal, Violet Backed Hyliota, Little Grey Flycatcher, Narrow Tailed Starling, Western Bronze Napped Pigeon, Olive Bellied Sunbird, Grey Longbill, Yellow Browed Camaroptera, Congo Serpent Eagle, European Honey Buzzard, Buff Spotted, Little Grey, Gabon, Cardinal and Fire Bellied Woodpeckers are available, African Emerald Cuckoo, Cassin’s Spinetail, Tambourine, Blue Headed, and Blue Spotted Wood Dove, African Green Pigeon, Peregrine Falcon, Red Billed Helmetshrike, Western Nicator, Didric and Klaas`s Cuckoo, African Green Pigeon, Guinea Turaco, Preuss`s Cliff Swallow, Compact Weaver, Grosbeak Weaver, Red Vented, Blue Billed, Crested and Red headed malimbes will be present, Simple, Plain and Ansorge`s, White Throated, Red Tailed and Little Greenbul will entertain you, Palmnut Vulture, Hooded Vulture, African Harrier Hawk, Velvet Mantled Drongo, Grey Throated, Dusky Blue, Fraser`s Forest and Red Bellied Paradise Flycatchers awaits you, Barn and Ethiopian swallow, Green Headed Sunbird, African Cuckoo Hawk, Black Throated Coucal, Little grey flycatcher, Blue Cuckooshrike, Black Winged Oriole, Moustached Grass Warbler, Red Headed Quelea and more will be ticked at this site including large number of butterflies.

    Retire for the day. Overnight at Royal Bluemich Hotel and Standard Hotel in Tafo.

14. Day 14: Atewa Range Forest Reserve - To Accra - To the Airport

    • It is an early start as we head back into the Upper Guinea Rainforest habitat, where many of Ghana’s sought-after notable 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, Kemp`s and Grey Longbill, Frser`s 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, Sabine`s Puffback, Collared Sunbird, Blue Throated Brown Sunbird, Green Sunbird, Little Green Sunbird, Forest Pendurine Tit, West African Wattle eye, Shrike Flycatcher, 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, Maxwell`s Black, Compact and Grosbeak Weavers will display for you, Whistling Cisticola, Black Crowned, Brown Crowned and Marsh Tchagra will be at your disposal, African Emerald Cuckoo, Klaas’s, Levaillants, and Didric Cuckoos, Red Bellied Paradise Flycatcher, White Throated Greenbul, Western Bluebill, Tessmann’s Flycatcher and if we are lucky Baumann’s Greenbul among others will be seen.

    • After an incredible final birding day at Atewa, head to the hotel to shower and enjoy a nice meal.

    • Put all our list together before going to the Airport to say goodbye to Ghana.

    Tour concludes.