Uganda-Shoebill, Gorilla and Chimpanzee in one week
2027-06-26 - 2027-07-02
Name three things you want to see in Uganda! Easy, right?
Shoebill, Gorilla, and Chimpanzee!
But all the birding trips there are so long and so expensive.
What if you could see all three and only take 5 days off from work?
The price per day is high, but time is money, and in the end, you will see your bucket list species at a fraction of the price of big birding companies.
Additionally, you have a good shot at 23 of the Albertine Rift endemics, many iconic mammals such as Leopard, Lion, Zebra, Hyena, Hippos, Elephants, Cape Buffalos, and Bushbuck.
Crowned Cranes, Bateleurs, and various species of Bee-eaters are other bird highlights.
It is possible to add an extension until July 7, after the core trip, for more birding and wildlife.
Check the complete itinerary in this link.

Wild lowland Borneo: Orangutan, Proboscis Monkey, Pygmy Elephant, Pittas and Hornbills
2027-09-21 - 2027-09-26
Yes, you can do Borneo in 5 days. Mammals such as Orangutan, Proboscis Monkey, and with luck Pygmy Elephant are the main targets, as well as the Bornean Bristlehead, which is the only endemic bird family in Borneo. We spend two nights at the exclusive Borneo Rainforest Lodge.
Additionally, there will be loads of birds with Pittas, Broadbills, and Hornbills being particularly in focus.
Check the link for the itinerary and the pre-trip extension. It is also possible to add birding on the Malaysian Peninsula.

Birding and summiting Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
2027-10-17 - 2027-10-23
7 Wonders Birding is probably the first birding tour company that offers an itinerary that combines birding and trekking to the summit of Kilimanjaro.
There is a huge draw to climb Kilimanjaro and it is very high on non-birders bucket list. It is hard to know how many birders are actually in shape to do this trip, but we are sure there are quite a few birders who have thought of summiting the highest peak of Africa. It is certainly the dominating and genuinely iconic feature on the horizon of the savanna.
From a climber’s point of view, it is also relatively easy to summit. It is a classic trekking peak. You don’t need climbing skills to reach the top. What you do need is determination, being in relatively good shape, and coping with the altitude.
We have come up with an itinerary where you can summit Kilimanjaro, do a lot of birding, and only take 5 days off from work. So even from the west coast of North America leaving Friday night, it is possible to be back on Sunday evening the next week!
The fastest route takes five days. Longer treks on other routes take up to nine days. It is pretty common to add one day to the short route to have an acclimatization day. We shall also add one day to our customized program for birders, with one difference. We add a day to have more time to bird and to acclimatize much better than the regular trekkers.
In many ways, our strategy works better than the traditional program of the trekkers. On day most trekking companies climb from 2700m to 3700m, and on day three make an excursion to about 4000 meters and back to sleep at 3700m a second night.
We do it differently!
At 3700 meters, there is heath and very few species of birds. Also, at this altitude one does not sleep well. At 2700 meters there is cloud forest and many more birds. It makes a lot of sense for birders to spend as much time as possible in the forested areas.
In fact, many birding companies include a day walking the first part of the Marangu trail, as it gives easy access to forest birds that are not seen on regular safaris. Also, you are rarely allowed to walk in nature on safaris. Kilimanjaro NP offers a nice contrast to this fact.
So, what about the acclimatization?
We have developed a strategy that will give you better birding results and which will prepare you even better for the high altitude.
We use the alpinist mantra.
• Work high.
• Sleep low.
By working high, you get exposed to altitude. By sleeping low, you oxygenate your body and get better rest.
Trekking companies don’t use our strategy because they have to adapt to the weakest people in the group. For slow walkers it would be counterintuitive backtracking and doing the same uphill hike two days in a row, even if it is the most sensible thing to do.
For birders, it is different. It will allow us more time in prime habitat and more birding.
We will walk some extra miles to get more birds.
The detailed itinerary can be found here.
There are two possible extensions.
The week before we run the classic one-week safari in Serengeti, Ngorongoro, and nearby sites. If possible, we will adapt the program to go where the Wildebeest migration is taking place.
In the Serengeti, we will, apart from the big five, put much effort into trying to see Cheetah, Serval, and Caracal.
We shall also look for regional special birds, of course, within the allotted time we have.
After Kilimanjaro we will do a week of hardcore birding for endemic species in the Usambara Mountains.

Essential Birding Madagascar!
2027-11-14 - 2027-11-20
Madagascar is not known for having a large avifauna. Only just above 300 species. Yet, over 100 of those are endemic. There are also four unique bird families (the mesites, ground-rollers, asities, and the Bernieridae ‘warblers’), plus two additional families (the vangas and cuckoo-rollers) that occur only on Madagascar and the nearby Comoro Islands. The purpose of this trip is to cover at least one member of all those bird families in a week for those who have little time.
We shall also visit different biomes to get a fuller understanding of the topography of the island in this very short time. We offer pre- and post-tours for those with more time and who want a more complete list of the endemic species available.
This tour can be very exhausting, as we are up well before dawn and continue into the night. You can make this itinerary as intense as you want. During the heat of the day or in the afternoon, many people prefer to take a nap or hang around the pool, but you will also be offered additional birding to search for special birds. It is up to you.
Find the complete itinerary here.
