Tour Price (Per person): USD2,400 (GBP1,828 * EUR2,079 * AUD3,445)
Flight costs: USD590 (GBP449 * EUR511 * AUD847)
Pricing notes : *Prices are estimated based on 5 paying guests
Simply put, Djibouti is one of Africa’s least visited birding tours destinations. This trip is aimed at finding Djibouti’s only endemic, Djibouti Spurfowl, along with several other species that can be difficult to locate elsewhere. These include Somali Starling, beautiful Arabian Golden Sparrow, Sombre Rock Chat, White-eyed Gull, Crab-plover, and Somali Sparrow. This tour takes us to places where very few birders have ever been, which, along with some superb birding, witnessing spectacular scenery and diverse and interesting cultures, makes this Djibouti extension a must for the intrepid birder.
Djibouti Francolin; Somali Starling; White-eyed, Slender-billed & Sooty Gulls; Crab-plover; Arabian Golden & Somali Sparrows; Graceful Prinia; Somali Bulbul; Nile Valley Sunbird; Rosy-patched Bushshrike; Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark; Gambaga Flycatcher; Green-winged Pytilia (potential split Yellow-tailed Pytilia); Sombre Rock Chat; Yellow-rumped Seedeater; Black Redstart.
Speke's Pectinator; Dorcas Gazelle; Unstriped Ground Squirrel; Hamadryas Baboon.
arid savanna, lava plains, dry mixed woodland, coastline, rocky hillsides, coastal scrub
warm to hot
8 with 1 Rockjumper leader
DIFFICULT: This is a high-intensity “mega” tour designed for passionate listers and serious birders who enjoy a fast-paced schedule. Due to its demanding nature, it’s not recommended for avid photographers, inexperienced birders, or anyone with mobility or health limitations.
Difficult to moderate. This a Mega style tour designed for the dedicated lister & serious birder. Not suitable for dedicated or avid photographers; inexperienced birders; or anyone with mobility or health challenges.
Variable. Comfortable in large towns, otherwise basic camping.
Moderate. Whilst most birding is in open conditions, several species are low density or very localised.
120
interesting scenery and cultural attractions, Lake Assal (lowest point in Africa)
Good to worthwhile. No dedicated hides. Habitat & lighting are often conducive.
Our local guide was very nice; however his English language skills could be improved. The accommodation was very nice. I have told many people about Rockjumper. I value the time and effort spent in ensuring our trips are memorable. I can’t sing the praises of the office staff enough. Thanks so much. I’m already looking for my next trip with you. Katy
Note that some of the comments I made regarding the Thailand extension apply to the main Thailand tour. I liked the sequence of sites visited; it ensured the Spoonbill Sandpiper was seen early on and then designed to minimize travel. Staying multiple nights at one site is always appreciated and seemed to be done as much as possible. The guides made special efforts to see bird species sought by the group; we saw more bird species than I expected. The drivers were excellent and also one of them, Jaime, was a good birder who helped the guides track down some species; it was an asset to have internet while in the vehicles. The drivers also produced an excellent video of the trip - a nice touch; they also did an excellent job with mid-morning breaks. I especially enjoyed visiting a hide all morning early on in the trip - it gave us a chance to see some elusive species but also several species very well. One morning was spent looking for a rare duck; I would have rather spent the time looking for a variety of Thai species. Quite a bit of birding was done along roads - it might have been better to bird trails etc. if they are available and afford good views of birds pointed out. Food was excellent (Uthai selected great dishes for the group) and accomodations were good. It was an enjoyable trip with rewarding looks at many of the bird species seen.
Bobby, our guide, was a solid & knowledgeable leader. His demeanor tends to be quiet & reserved, which worked for this group but may not work with all group dynamics. The lodging for this trip was a bit more rustic than I expected. The local guides used on this trip were excellent & offered additional intel into sightings or hot spots to explore. The group got all endemics possible & overall was a very good trip.
I was very pleased with the birding. I saw all 29 endemics and a total of 42 life birds. The leaders are great at finding, luring in and identifying birds. I appreciated that the focus was very much on the birding. The food and accommodations were excellent and appropriate. I wonder if we should have spent our last night near the coast but am not sure how that would have affected our birding success.
While the birding was more difficult, the guides knowledge on where to search for some of the key species. Helped the group find a number of very interesting species of birds.