Day 1. Arrival to Ghana,

Arrival to Kotoka International Airport. For those tour participants travelling by their own to Accra, we will meet in the airport itself, where our local guide will be waiting for us. For those travelling with us, arrival in a regular flight from Barcelona via Amsterdam or London. Transfer to our accommodation for an overnight stay.

Day 2. Shai Hill Reserve to Kakum NP,

In our first morning in Ghana we will explore the savanah in the Shai Hill Reserve expecting to contact with Red-shouldered Cuckoo-Shrike, Violet Turaco, Oriole Warbler, Short-winged Cisticola, Blue-bellied Roller, Short-winged Cisticola, Swallow-tailed Bee-eaters, Green Wood-hoopoe and many more. En route birding in some wetlands before arriving to our accommodation.

Day 3. Kakum National Park. 

This day we will enjoy the amazing ambient of the secondary tropical rainforest in Kakum, including its famous canopy walkway with its 7 platform 40 metres above the forest floor. Here we expect to find Sharpe’s Apalis, Brown-cheeked Hornbill, Copper-tailed Glossy Starling, Bioko Batis, Blue Cuccoshrike, Little Green Woodpecker and White-crested Hornbill.Other species can include Blue, Johanna’s & Buff-throated Sunbirds along with other specialties such as Rosy Bee-eater, Crested Malimbe, African Grey Parrot, Yellowbill Oriole, Green Hylia, African Green Pigeon, Yellow-billed Turaco, Ussher Flycatcher, Naked-faced Barbet, Slender-billed Greenbul or Cassin’s Honeyguide to mention a few. Raptors may include Congo Serpent Eagle, African Palm Nut or Cassin’s Hawk Eagle. If lucky, we will connect with some of the most difficult species in the area Yellow-footed Honeyguide, Black-collared Lovebird, Black Dwarf Hornbill or Long-tailed Hawk.

After a midday break, we will come back to the canopy walkway for a sunset outing expecting to find Great Blue Turaco, Yellow-casqued Hornbill, Brown Nightjar and Fraser’s Eagle Owl among other specialties.

Day 4. Kakum National Park (Antwikwaa section),

Early start to explore another section of this amazing forest, hoping to add some goodies to our growing list. Here Black Bee-eater, Piping Hornbill, White-spotted Flufftail, Melancholy Woodpecker, Kemp’s & Grey Longbills, Western Bluebill, Superb Sunbird, Cassin’s & Sabine’s Spinetails are all possibilities, while some of the most difficult targets here include Yellow-billed Barbet, Forest Penduline Tit, Ayre’s Hawk Eagle or Ahanta Francolin to mention a few.

A river nearby will allow us to enjoy the superb White-throated Blue Swallow along with Preuss’s Cliff Swallow, Rock Pratincole, White-headed Lapwing and, if like African Finfoot. In the afternoon we will explore some trails trying to connect with some specialties living low in the forest including White-tailed Alethe, Long-tailed Cuckoo, Forest Robing, Yellow-billed Turaco and Red-tailed Bristlebill. After this we will go back to our accommodation for dinner and rest.

Day 5. From Kakum NP to Ankasa Reserve,

We will devote this morning to search the long list of species living in the scrubs and farmlands around Kakum. Here we expect to see Pale Flycatcher, Puvel’s Illadopsis, Sooty Boubou, Fanti Saw-wing, Red-faced Cisticola, Spotted Greenbul, Hairy-breasted Barbet, Olive-green Camaroptera to name some of them. If lucky, we will contact with the often secretive Rufous-sided Broadbill and with the sought-after Chocolate-backed Kingfisher and Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo. In the afternoon we will arrive to Ankasa Reserve, the only wet rainforest in Ghana, where we will look for the very elusive Nkulengu Rail along with Akun & Fraser’s Eagle Owls before enjoying a lovely dinner in the jungle.

Days 6 & 7. Ankasa Reserve,

We will enjoy two full days in Ankasa to look for the very long list of specialties living here. Taking advantage of our accommodation inside the forest itself, we will listen for the rare Nkulengu Rail. During our birding time in the forest we will hope to contact with a long list of birds including the upper guinea endemics Yellow-bearbed Greenbul, Rufous-winged Illadopsis and Green-tailed Bristlebird in addition to Ansorge’s, Icterine, Red-tailed & Western Bearbed Greenbuls, Pale-breasted and Blackcap Illadopsis, White-tailed Ant Thrush, White-tailed Alethe, Shinning Drongo, Cassin’s Flycatcher, Yellow-spotted Barbet, White-throated Bee-eater, Chesnut-breasted Negrofinch, Blue-headed Wood Dove, Western Bronze-naped Pigeon, Yellow-billed & Great Blue Turacos, Black-capped Apalis & Red-fronted Antpecker to name some good ones. We will also check different places with recent sights on the elusive African Pitta.

We will also have time to explore some ponds in the forest, where we should be able to contact with the elusive Hartlaub’s Duck along with Tiger Heron, African Finfoot and Shinning Blue, White-bellied and Blue-breasted Kingfishers. It is always worth scan the sky looking for Square-tailed Saw-wing, Yelow Casqued Hornbill or African Crowned Eagle. The area is hosting some very rare species, and hopefully we will contact with White-breasted Guineafowl, White-crested Tiger Heron, Grey-throated Rail, Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, African Pitta, Forest Scrub Robin, Blue-moustached Bee-eater, Red-chested Owlet, Akun Eagle Owl or something even more scarce!

Day 8. From Ankasa Reserve to Abrafo Forest via Brenu Akyinim,

Final morning in Ankasa to add some species not showing the last days, and try to have some mammals. Ankasa is home to Forest Elephants, Bongo, Diana Monkey, several species of Pangolin and Chimpanzees, but any sight in these species is hard. In our way to the coastal plains in Brenu Akyinim we will have some en-route birding targeting Reichenbach’s & Brown Sunbirds, White-browed Forest Flycatcher, Orange Weaver, African Pygmy Goose and Carmelite Sunbird to name a few. Once in the coastal savannah plains we will look for Marsh Tchagra, Double-spurred Francolin, Oriole Warbler, Wilson’s Indigobird and Yellow-winged Pytilia before our final transfer to Abrafo Forest.

Day 9. Abrafo Forest, 

Morning birding in Abrafo Forest, where we will enjoy its great general birding while preparing ourselves for the afternoon visit to the largest Yellow-headed Picathartes (or White-necked Rockfowl) colony in Ghana. We will need to walk about 45 minutes in the wonderful, untouched forest before we arrive to their nesting colony. After some wait, we will enjoy wonderful views on this prehistoric-looking bird as they come back from hunting in the forest during the day. For dinner, we will have a welcome meal in the local community nearby the Picathartes site.

Day 10. Bonkro Forest & Kwabena Sam Forest,

From our accommodation, there are several trails where to enjoy birding and try the several specialties living here. During the morning we hope to connect with White-crested & Black-dwarf Hornbills, Rufous-sided Broadbill, Fire-bellied Woodpecker, Yellow-throated and Thick-billed Cuckoos, Forest Woodhoopoe, Blue-Cuckoo-shrike, Shape’s Apalis, Gray-throated Tit-flycatcher, Long-tailed Hawk and this is one of the few known sites for the very unknown Western Wattled Cuckoo-shrike! Here is also a wonderful place to see Long-tailed & Tree Pangolins.

After a midday break we will move to another famous location: Sam Forest. Here we expect to see Western Nicator, Tit Hylia, Yellow-footed Barbet, Kemp’s Longbill, Blue-headed Crested Flycatcher, West African & Red-cheeked Wattle-eyes and Black-throated Coucal before moving to our accommodation to have another wonderful meal and some well deserved rest.

Day 11. Bobiri Butterfly Sanctuary,

Morning birding around the site of the Rockfowl before moving the Bobiri Butterfly Sanctuary, a tiny reserve protecting less than 5 square quilometres where over 600 species of butterflies have been recorded! We will spend the afternoon looking for some birds while admiring the butterflies and, at dusk, we will look for Brown & Long-tailed Nightjars, African Wood Owl and Fraser’s Eagle Owl before going to sleep.

Day 12. Bobiri Sanctuary and Atewa Range,

Birding ar Bobiri can be surprisingly productive, and this morning we expect to see Narina Trogon, Tit Hylia, Brown-necked Parrot, Purple-throated Cuckoo-shrike, Golden-backed Weaver, African Piculet, Red-chested Owlet, Dusky Tit and the much sought-after Yellow-footed Honeyguide. We will towards Atewa at mid morning. In the afternoon we will explore the farmland expecting to find Waxbill Black, Compact & Grosbeak Weavers, Tessmann’s Flycatcher, Whistling Cisticola and, if lucky, Baumann’s Greenbul and Bat Hawk before going to sleep in our accommodation.

Day 13. Atewa Range,

Atewa is a critically endangered highland upper guinea rainforest that hosts a formidable list of birds. Here we will spend the whole day in the hope to contact with Red-cheeked Wattle-eye, Blue-moustached Bee-eater, Bioko Batis, African Hobby, Blue-throated Brown, Little Green & Olive bellied Sunbirds, Many-coloured Bushshrike, Brown Illadopsis, African Goshawk and many more. Sadly, the Ghanian Governtment is taking plans to allow bauxite mining in the area. This would be a disaster for the wonderful wildlife living here! In addition, we could also spot Red-fronted Antpecker, Nimba Flycatcher, Brown-chested Alethe, Lowland Akalat and Forest Scrub Robin before going to rest in our accommodation.

Day 14. From Atewa Range to Accra,

Final early morning start to have the last hours of birding in the lush vegetation around our accommodation before packing our vehicle and cover the short distance to Accra where our flights back home wait for us after enjoying one of the wonderful countries in Africa!

WHAT’S INCLUDED

Regular flights Barcelona / Accra / Barcelona if you choose the “flights included” option.

​​13 nights of en-suite accommodation in twin room (please check single room supplement if required), full board meals (breakfasts, lunches and evening meals), bird guides and tour leaders, local guides, 4×4 air conditioned safari vehicles throughout the tour, all ground transport and boat trips, park & ​​reserves entrances / fees, drinking water and tropical fruit en route, travel insurance. VAT included.

NOT INCLUDED

Transport to / from Barcelona airport (the tour participants chosing the off-flights option the meeting point will be at Kotoka International Airport in Accra), Visa if required, drinks apart from water and any other item not listed as “INCLUDED”.

ASSEMBLING

The group will assemble at Barcelona International Airport for a morning, non-direct flight to Accra.

Guests taking part in the tour with our “book your own flights” option will be welcomed at Accra Airport and transported to our accommodation if delay with the rest of the group is longer than 3 hours. Most flights coming from Europe arrive late in the evening.

ACCOMMODATION

All accommodations throughout the tour offer en-suite rooms. We mainly go to first-class lodges and camps in all the main locations, but also favouring small, lovely cottages when possible. All dinners are served in our accommodation. Please be aware that some nocturnal game drives can be done in the tour.

PASSPORT, VISA & HEALTH

Please check the standard recommended health and innoculation requirements which are available in your local area. However, clients are strongly advised to take precautions against malaria for this tour, as well as being vaccinated against Yellow Fever. Please note that some prescriptions or over the counter medicines may be banned in Ghana, please check with the Ghana Embassy before travelling.

A tourist Visa must be purchased before your arrival to Ghana. Most of Western countries citizens are required a Visa to enter Uganda. The cost of the tourist Visa is $50 USD aprox. Please check the Foreign Office or equivalent for your Visa requirements. We are happy to help all along this process.