Ghana - Picathartes & Pangolins

Home to over 750 species of birds, and some of the region’s healthiest populations of mammals, Ghana is rapidly becoming West Africa’s premier wildlife destination. This small tropical country — known in the past as the ‘Gold Coast’ — is now widely recognised as a friendly and safe destination to visit and is blessed with a diverse range of exciting habitats, including the rich Upper Guinea rainforests of the south. This tour focuses on the birds and to a lesser extent, the mammals of two of the best protected forests left in southern Ghana, both of which are home to a remarkable variety of exotic creatures, from the bizarre Yellow-headed Picathartes to the equally curious Long-tailed and Tree Pangolins. To maximise our chances of finding these key species we will need to start early and finish late, using the quieter hours during the heat of the afternoon to relax back at base! Our efforts are likely to be rewarded, however, for, in addition to numerous diurnal species, there are plenty of other exciting nocturnal mammals and birds to look out for too, including Pottos, Pel’s Anomalure and the little-known Brown Nightjar.

We begin our tour with a direct flight to Ghana’s capital, Accra, and an overnight stay. The next morning we commence our explorations at the Shai Hills reserve, an interesting expanse of savannah, grassland and woodland which offers excellent birding. Amongst our target species here will be African Grey Hornbill, African Hobby, Violet Turaco, Senegal Parrot and many more. The reserve also includes a cave system which we will visit to view its roosting Egyptian Tomb Bats.

Next, we drive north towards Kakum National Park for a 4-night stay within the endangered Upper Guinea tropical rainforest, home to a wonderful variety of exciting forest species. Amongst a tantalising array of birdlife, we will be looking for Rosy Bee-eater, Congo Serpent Eagle and Black Dwarf Hornbill. A highlight of our stay here will be our early morning visit to Kakum’s world-famous canopy walkway, which hangs 40 metres above the forest floor. The birding from this 350 metre-long walkway is simply superb!

Alongside the diverse and fascinating avifauna, Ghana is also a stronghold for a variety of threatened mammals. Most excitingly, the country is perhaps the best place in Africa (and indeed the world) to search for pangolins. Whilst the plight of these unusual creatures is well known — they are the most trafficked animal in the world — they are still seen relatively frequently in Ghana. A particular target from the canopy walkway will be Long-tailed Pangolin, which often likes to sun itself on high branches during the early morning hours. Also present are the endangered Olive and Geoffroy’s Pied Colobuses, and Lowe’s and Lesser Spot-nosed Monkeys. Subject to local conditions, we will also head out into the forest before dawn and after dusk to spotlight for Tree Pangolins, West African Potto, Demidoff’s Galago, Common Cusimanse (a rainforest mongoose), Pel’s and Lord Derby’s Anomalures and Maxwell’s Duiker. Our lodge's proximity to the forest means that the group members are welcome to dip in and out of early morning and night-time activities as much as they like — there is certainly no obligation to be up all hours!

Leaving Kakum behind, we next travel northwards for a visit to the Yellow-headed Picathartes nesting site, and what should be a highlight of our visit to Ghana. This remarkable bird — one of the world’s most sought-after species — was only discovered breeding in Ghana in 2005, but the country is now the best place in the world to see it. We will spend the next three nights in specially-constructed tourist accommodation in the nearby village of Bonkro, which sits adjacent to rainforest-clad hills. We will then have two full days (and nights) to search this exciting forest, to continue our quest for pangolins and hopefully other rare mammals, and to enjoy further fantastic birding with such gems as Afep Pigeon, Blue Cuckooshrike, Chestnut-winged Starling, Ussher’s Flycatcher, Buff-throated Sunbird, Tit-Hylia, Shrike Flycatcher, Superb Sunbird, Sabine’s Puffback and Lemon-bellied Crombec all possible, and here is as good a place as any for both pangolin species.

Finally, we must tear ourselves away from these rich forests to return to Accra, where we will have time to freshen up and enjoy an evening meal before transferring to the airport for our overnight flight home.