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Friday 2 April to Saturday 17 April 2010 with Bryan Bland and local guides leaders.
Cost: £3280 plus about £320 for flights Please click here for details and an explanation of the price breakdown Maximum group size: 12 with 2 leaders. |
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Egypt is renowned for its abundance of archaeological and historical sites and most people dream of visiting the Great Pyramids, and the Sphinx, the Valley of the Kings, and the temples at Karnak, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Philae, and Abu Simbel. In addition to these riches, Egypt provides exciting birdwatching since a number of African species such as Senegal Thick-knee, Greater Painted-snipe, Kittlitz's Plover, Senegal Coucal, and Nile Valley Sunbird reach the northern limit of their range here. In fact two dozen species difficult to see elsewhere in the Western Palearctic are concentrated in this region while the many migrant birds en route from Africa to Eurasia which pass through at this time of year add an extra dimension to the birdwatching. We'll visit the major archaeological sites and Egypt's best areas for birds, including the amazing Sinai Peninsula and St. Catherine's Monastery in the dramatic central mountain range, where Palestine Sunbird, Blackstart, Yellow-vented Bulbul, Tristram’s Grackle, and Sinai Rosefinch are the specialities. An exciting new development in 2009 was the addition of two whole days exploring the southern Red Sea coast as far as the Sudan border at Shalatein. On the first day we saw two species from the 'Vagrants' section of the Collins Bird Guide (Swift Tern and African Collared Dove); on the second we saw Lappet-faced Vulture and Hume’s Owl. For 2010 we have added a third day in this fascinating area to give us the chance of finding more species from these vagrant pages (such as Crab Plover and Goliath Heron, or even Black Bush Robin and Black-crowned Finch Lark). We are convinced that this tour now offers the most amazing combination of birds and history available in the Western Palearctic – an unbeatable sequence of marvelous experiences which has thrilled and delighted clients for over twenty years. Day 1: The tour begins with a flight from London to Cairo. Night in Cairo. Day 2: Our first day will be a comprehensive introduction to birds and history with visits to the fascinating stepped pyramid of Sakkara and the mastabas of Ti and Mereruka (for amazingly accurate carved representations of the birds of ancient Egypt), the Great Pyramids, the Solar Boat, and the Sphinx. We’ll also visit the Cairo Museum, home to the fabulous Tutankhamun collection and many other wonders of Ancient Egypt, which will whet our appetites for all the marvels awaiting us over the next two weeks. Night in Cairo. Day 3: Today will be spent in the bird rich areas of the East Delta and Gebel Asfar. In this mosaic of reedbeds, fish farms, and agriculture we could encounter a variety of birds including White-breasted Kingfisher (the only location in Africa for this Asian species), Greater Painted-snipe, Senegal Coucal, Streaked Weaver, Kittlitz’s Plover, Spotted Redshank and Marsh Sandpiper. We’ll then go to the old Islamic district of Khan el Kalili for some fun shopping in the narrow streets of the bazaar, culminating in a meal at a famous old Egyptian restaurant. Night in Cairo. Day 4: This morning we'll drive east across the desert to Suez keeping a lookout for Cream-coloured Courser, Scrub Warbler, Bar-tailed Desert, Desert and Hoopoe Larks, and Desert, Hooded, Mourning and Isabelline Wheatears. From the cool comfort of our restaurant table we might see our first Great Black-headed, Caspian or White-eyed Gulls plus guaranteed House Crows. We'll then cross from Africa to Asia by a tunnel under the Suez Canal and experience a new avifauna, such as Yellow-vented rather than Common Bulbuls and Palestine rather than Nile Valley Sunbirds, as we drive down the Sinai Peninsula towards St. Catherine's Monastery which is 5,000ft above sea level and founded in 527 AD on the traditional site of the, still flourishing, burning bush seen by Moses. At dusk we’ll venture out into the cool canyons to look for Hume's Owl. Night at St. Catherine's. Day 5: One possible (but very optional) start to the day is to climb Gebel Musa (Mount Moses) to experience dawn at the spot where legend holds that Moses received the Ten Commandments. Later, a morning visit to the Greek Orthodox monastery will combine birds and history admirably. The original sixth-century walls and church dedicated to the Virgin Mary still stand, as does the mosque built in the seventh century when the Muslims spared this Christian refuge. The gardens of the monastery attract both migrant and resident birds including Chukar, Tristram's Grackle, Scrub Warbler, and Sinai Rosefinch. We'll then explore Wadi Feran for Blackstart and any Sinai specialities missed so far (such as Palestine Sunbird and Yellow-vented Bulbul), and then drive back via the Suez tunnel and south to a beach hotel near St Paul’s monastery. Day 6: St Paul’s monastery is a fascinating fourth-century Coptic site which is also a migrant trap. In the past we have seen Thrush Nightingale, Wryneck, Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler, Cream-coloured Courser, and Sand Partridge here. Given an east wind we could also see thousands of Steppe Buzzards plus Egyptian Vulture and Steppe, Imperial, Booted, and Short-toed Eagles. We then head south to El Gouna, just north of Hurghada, to explore the farms and hotel gardens for more migrants. Day 7: Surrounded by barren desert and sea, the gardens of the hotels in El Gouna are the only patches of green for miles. Consequently some of the many migrants passing over Egypt stop off to rest and refuel, and searching the farms and gardens can be great fun. It is also a point where the mountains meet the sea and where migrating raptors linger and circle to gain height. For most of the day, however, we’ll take a private boat out into the Red Sea and around the islands in search of Brown Booby, Western Reef Egret, Sooty and White-eyed Gulls, and Crested and White-cheeked Terns. Before and after lunch on board there will be a chance for some great snorkelling as the Red Sea is host to over 800 fish species. Night in El Gouna. Day 8: After an early morning search for more migrants and a post-breakfast scan for raptors we’ll drive south for lunch at El Qusir at the Movenpick hotel (which hosted a Grey Hypocolius recently). If the authorities allow it we’ll take a 3 mile detour to the spring of Bir Beida where Crowned Sandgrouse come to drink. Other resident specialities include the illusive Sand Partridge, Hooded Wheatear, and Trumpeter Finch and on one occasion we discovered Pale Rock Sparrow here. We shall then take our time exploring the desert to the south and spend the night at the Shams Alam resort, south of Marsa Alam.
Day 9: Shams Alam resort has also had some impressive rarities including another Grey Hypocolius, Black Bush Robin, Pink-headed Dove (breeding at the hotel along with Collared Dove), and Ménétries’s Warbler. In 2009 we saw Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Siberian Stonechat, and Isabelline Shrike here. This extra day will give us time to explore Wadi el-Gemal and Wadi Abu Ghusson for Bar-tailed Desert and Hoopoe Larks, Sand Partridge, Lanner and Barbary Falcons, Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse, and even possible wintering Desert and Cyprus Warblers. Night at the Shams Alam resort. Day 10: The most extensive area of mangroves in Egypt is at Hamata and is the best site in the Western Palearctic for Goliath Heron and the enigmatic Crab Plover. Other waders could include Greater Sand Plover and Terek Sandpiper. Offshore there is just a chance of Brown Booby or Red-billed Tropicbird but our main target bird today will be Lappet-faced Vulture at the frontier town of Shalatein. An after dinner search for Hume’s Owl may be possible. Night at the Shams Alam resort. Day 11: After some early morning birding around the hotel, we'll cross the desert, either via Sheikh el-Shazeli or Bir Beida, to Luxor, in time for lunch at our delightful hotel. We'll then spend a relaxing afternoon searching the water’s edge for Little Bittern, Rufous Bush Robin, Purple Swamphen, Red Avadavat and Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, before we leave for the atmospheric Son et Lumière show which will give us our first taste of the magnificent temple at Karnak, usually with Barn Owl as a bonus. Night on Crocodile Island, Luxor. Day 12: We'll spend the morning across the river visiting the Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens, the mortuary temples of Queen Hatshepsut or Ramses III, and the Colossi of Memnon. Before it becomes too hot, we'll hope for views of Trumpeter Finch around the tombs, as well as Pallid Swift, Rock Martin, and Little Green Bee-eater. We'll then pause for lunch before returning to Karnak to see its splendour by daylight while an evening visit to Luxor Temple could add Little Owl. Night on Crocodile Island, Luxor. Day 13: En route to Aswan we'll stop at the impressive temples of Edfu (the largest and best-preserved in Egypt) and Kom Ombo (in effect a double temple to the gods Sobek and Horus). Likely birds on the journey include Black-shouldered Kite, Senegal Thick-knee, Purple Swamphen, and, provided we can obtain permission to visit the Kom Ombo camel market, the tiny Namaqua Dove. After lunch we'll relax in a uniquely Egyptian way - by cruising around Elephantine and Kitchener Islands, or to and through the First Cataract, in a white-sailed felucca (or in the absence of a breeze, a more manoeuverable launch) hopefully tallying eight species of heron including Striated, and maybe Ferruginous Duck. There will be an opportunity for more relaxing on our hotel balconies or in the grounds, or perhaps a visit to the new Nubian museum or a unique shopping opportunity. Night in Aswan. Day 14: We'll visit the Temple of Philae saved from the waters of Lake Nasser and reconstructed on an island in the lake, a delightful place to study Nile Valley Sunbird and Graceful Prinia. We’ll then drive south across the Nubian Desert to Abu Simbel to visit the truly spectacular temples that were saved from the lake. A second visit after sunset will give us the opportunity for another sound and light show, this time incorporating the latest laser technology. With luck, Egyptian Nightjar might fly around the lights. Night in Abu Simbel. Day 15: We begin the day heading out into the desert to a place where Spotted and Crowned Sandgrouse are regular. These quintessentially desert birds are beautifully camouflaged and naturally secretive but with care and patience we should be able to find both species. Lunch will be taken at a hotel where the grounds may hold a variety of migrants. Abu Simbel is famous among birdwatchers as a place to see sub-Saharan African species seldom seen elsewhere in the Western Palearctic. Although some are almost scarce vagrants, we'll spend time searching the lake shore looking for such exotic species as Pink-backed Pelican, Yellow-billed Stork, African Skimmer, Kittlitz's Sandplover, African Collared Dove, and African Pied Wagtail. Occasionally, permission is granted to take out a boat on Lake Nasser, making our task a little easier. Night in Abu Simbel. Day 16: After this most climatic of grand climaxes we’ll fly to Aswan and then Cairo in time for a connecting flight to London where the tour concludes.
E-mail or phone +44 (0)1767 262522 for availability.
Last updated June 2009 |
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