20 Days Bird watching Safari across Uganda, from the Mighty
Murchison Falls to Kibaale Forest the Home of Chimpanzees to
Semiliki the Hot Spring area, to the Savannah Grasslands in Queen
Elizabeth National Park, lets impenetrate the Bwindi Impenetrable to
Lake Bunyonyi the Lake of Birds, Lake Mburo and Back to Entebbe.
Day 1: Arrival
Arrival and transfer to your accommodation in Entebbe
Day 2: Birding in Entebbe
Bird the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (U.W.E.C), Botanical
gardens and other areas in Entebbe. UWEC originally started as an
animal orphanage in the 1920s but gradually grew to become a show
place of various flora and fauna. Birding here includes seeing a
variety of birds such as pelicans, ostrich, parrots, crowned cranes,
weaver birds such as northern masked weaver, the orange weaver,
black necked baglafect, the northern masked weaver and the shoe bill
storks. Lunch break and then proceed to the botanical gardens where
you will most likely be able to enjoy more prolific bird life.
A.Whyte the first curator of Uganda’s Museum started these gardens
with the intention of using them as research grounds for the
introduction of various fruits and ornamental plants. Birds to look
out for here include the yellow-throated leaf love, the great blue
Turaco, Ross’s Turaco, the black and white casqued hornbill, the
pied hornbill. Yellow backed weaver, orange weaver, brown-throated
weaver, and great reed warbler, sedge warbler and the fish eagle.
Dinner and over night at the Boma Guest House or Gately Inn or Entebbe
Airport Guest House.
Day 3: Bird watching in Mabira Forest
After an early breakfast, drive to Mabira Forest. Your driver is
punctuated with shops to see the marabou stork, black kite and the
hooded vulture. Mabira forest reserve is the largest block of moist
semi-deciduous forest remaining in central Uganda and contains
almost 300 different bird species.
Among those to look out for one the Nahans Francolin, the blue
headed Crested Fly Catcher, leaf love, Grey spotted wood pecker,
Black shouldered Night Jar, Violet beaked starting, Capuchin
Babbler, Yellow rumped Tinker bird and the Grey long bill. Lunch
break and continue birding in the evening.
Lookout also for other primates like monkeys. Return for dinner and
overnight at Kampala Sheratonor Holiday Expressor Red Chilli Hide
away.
Day 4: Budongo Forest
After an early breakfast, transfer to Budongo Forest. This is one of
the most extensive forests in East Africa and is famous for it’s
various bird species and chimpanzees. Lunch enroute. Species to look
out for include the yellow-footed flycatcher, black shouldered
nightjar, and African wood orol; the white crested Turaco, piping
horn bill. Dinner and overnight at Kaniyo Pabidi
Day 5: The Royal Mine
Early breakfast, continue birding in Busingiro section in search for
birds such as the spotted greenbul, lemon-bellied crombec, the
banded snake eagle, black bishop, Ituri Batis, the green-breasted
pitta, chocolate backed kingfisher, cassins hawk eagle, black eared
ground thrush, Grey headed oliveback and the shinning blue
kingfishers. Other fauna to look out for include the chimpanzees,
baboons, potto, black fronted drinker, blue drinker, blue monkey,
black and white colobus, the giant forest squirrel.
Dinner and overnight at Kaniyo Pabidi
Day 6: Birding in Murchison Falls National Park.
After an early breakfast drive to the “top of the falls” in
Murchison Falls National Park. This is the place where the mighty
50-meter wide River Nile forces its way through a six meter cleft in
the rocks to drop 45 meters in a cascading thunder of water forming
an inevitable mist and beautiful rainbow. Look out for the Rock
Pratincole that is common at the top of the falls. Lunch break.
Embark on the afternoon launch cruise from Paraa to the bottom of
the falls.
You are likely to encounter the rare shoebill stork in the
papyrus living the liner banks. Also watch out for the saddle bill
stork, the hornbill, red throated bee –eater, the African skimmer,
fulvous whistling ducks, wattled plover, Egyptian goose, Goliath
heron, lesser Jacana and other Cormorants. Other animals to look out
for are the crocodiles, Hippos and monitor lizards at the banks of
the river. Dinner and overnight at Red Chilli Rest Camp or Sambiya
River Lodge or Paara Safari LodgeorNile Safari Lodge.
Day 7: Murchison to Kibaale Forest Through Fort Portal.
After an early break fast, transfer to Kibale Forest National Park.
This park occupies undulating terrain on the main Uganda plateau
slightly tilted to the south and is drained by the Dura and Mpanga
rivers that flow in a southerly direction into lake George. In
Uganda, this park is home to the largest number of our closest
living relatives, the endangered Chimpanzee as well as the rare
I’hoesti and colobus monkeys. Over 325 bird species have been
recorded in this park among which are the African broadbill, the
white winged warbler and the Blue Headed coucal. Dinner and over
night at Chimpanzee Forest Guest House or Primate Lodge
Day 8: Birding in Kibaale
Early morning breakfast, then embark on birding in the forest. You
are likely to encounter bird species such as the leaf love,
willcocks honey guide, the joyful green bul, the superb black
bellied seed cracker, and the Bi coloured Mannikin, the yellow rumped
tinker bird and yellow spotted nicator. You may also be able to see
different butterfly species, olive baboons, mangabey, the bush pig
and the giant forest hog. Dinner and over night at Chimpanzee Forest
Guest House or Primate Lodge
Day 9: Semliki National Park
Early breakfast then drive to Semuliki National Park. This is the
only park in Uganda primarily made up of tropical lowland forest and
is characterized by more diverse vegetation than found in other
tropical forests. The forest is cut off from the rest of East Africa
by the natural barrier of the Rwenzori massif. Semuliki forest is
close to the Mount Rwenzori ranges and the river Semliki meanders
(forming oxbow lakes in some places) along the western boarder down
to Lake Albert is surrounded by swamp where various bird species can
be seen. Lunch break. Proceed with an evening game drive where you
will most likely encounter various bird species such as the Dwarf
Hornbill, Capuchin Babbler, Spot breasted Ibis, Blue Headed Crested
fly catcher, Northern Bearded Scrub robin and the white thighed
hornbill.
Day 10: Semliki National Park
Early breakfast then embark on whole day birding in the forest.
Birds to look out for include the Hartlaubs marsh widow bird, pied
hornbill, wattled black hornbill, white-naped pigeon, banded harrier
eagle, Papyrus gonolek, Orange weaver. Other wild life to look out
for include the African Giant Swallow tail Butterfly, Buffaloes and
primates such as baboons, black & white colobus monkeys.
Dinner and over night Semliki Safari Lodge.
Day 11: Semliki To Queen Elizabeth National Park.
After breakfast drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Over 600
bird species recorded so far make this park a superb birders
Paradise. This is one of the richest and best managed parks in
Africa and it supports an astounding density of flora and fauna.
Lunch break. Drive to the dock on the channel for an afternoon
launch cruise on the Kazinga Channel, which joins lakes Edward, and
George. This waterway is a birders Paradise and those who experience
it, consider it the highlight of their entire African Safari.
Birds to look out for include the Great Snipe, Papyrus Gonolek,
fish Eagles, Pallid Harrier, Gull Billed Tern, Lesser Kestrel and
the rare shoebill stork. Other animals expected to be seen on the
shores of the lake include the comical warthog, schools of hippos,
Monitor lizards and crocodiles. Dinner and over night Mweya Safari
Lodge or Ishasha Wilderness Campor Albertine Rift
Safari Camp.
Day 12: Birding in Queen Elizabeth National Park
After an early breakfast, drive to Maramagambo forest for a foot
safari in the forest in search of birds. Birds to lookout for
include the brown eared Wood pecker, fawn breasted Waxbill, Sulphur
breasted bush shrike, dark capped yellow warbler, bat hawks, the red
headed blue bill, the African Finfoot and
the Eurasian golden oriole. On a good day the white colobus monkeys
may be spotted. Picnic lunch and drive back to Mweya with a stop to
see baboons. Dinner and over night at Mweya Safari Lodge or Ishasha
Wilderness Camp or Albertine Rift Safari Camp.
Day 13: Journey to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Rise early before the sun and go for an early morning game drive to
catch up with the early risers. The drive takes you through the
Kasenyi track and Kikorongo crater area. Birds to look out for
include the Great White Pelican, the lesser flamingo, the African
skimmer, Pallid Harrier, Black winged Pratincole, the Martial Eagle,
Rupell’s Griffon vulture and weavers. Transfer to Bwindi with lunch
enroute. Bwindi Impenetrable national Park is home of the rare
mountain Gorillas, the blue and red tailed monkeys and various bird
species. Dinner and over night at Buhoma Lodgeor Buhoma
Community Campsite.
Day 14: Gorilla Tracking
After breakfast set off early with your guide to track the gorillas.
The thrill of your encounter will erase the difficulties of the
potentially strenuous trek. Spend time in awe watching the Gorillas
go about their activities. Each encounter is different and has its
own rewards, but you are likely to enjoy the close view of adults
feeding, grooming and resting as the youngsters frolic and swing
from vines in delightfully playful display. This day is solely for
trekking the Gorillas. Dinner & overnight at Buhoma LodgeorBuhoma
Community Campsite or Bwindi View Bandas.
Day 15: Birding In Bwindi
After breakfast take a guided forest walk in the Bwindi Impenetrable
Forest in search of birds such as the Great Blue Turaco, Mackinons
Grey Shrike, Black Roughing, Lunch break then transfer to Mubwindi
Swamp. Look out for the African slender billed starlings, White
bellied robin chat, yellow eyed black fly catcher, Dinner & over
night.
Day 16: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi. This lake features a number of Islands
and is surrounded by heavily cultivated hillsides. Lake Bunyonyi
locally means “the Lake of Many Birds” Afternoon boat trip on Lake
Bunyonyi in search of birds. Dinner and over night Bunyonyi over
land camp or Bushara Island.
Day 17: Drive to Lake Mburo.
After breakfast, drive to Lake Mburo National Park. The drive takes
you through the highlands of Kigezi with their beautifully terraced
hills. Lunch stop in Mbarara. Proceed to L. Mburo National Park and
embark on a late afternoon game drive along the zebra track. Birds
to look out for include the Verreaux’s Eagle owl, Red-faced Barbet,
African wattled plover, black bellied bustard, Blue eared glossy
starling and the Temmricks courser. Also look out for the burchell’s
zebra and the comical warthogs. Dinner and over night at Mihingo
LodgeorMantana luxury tented Camp or Rwonyo Rest Camp
Day 18: Birding at Lake Mburo National Park.
After an early breakfast embark on a foot safari (Nature Walk).
While on the walk look out for the Bare faced Go away Bird, Lead
coloured flycatcher, African Drongo, and the Yellow billed ox
pecker. Lunch break. Embark on an afternoon boat ride on Lake Mburo.
This boat ride may yield sightings of the African Finfoot before it
disappears into floating papyrus on the lake.
Other bird species to look out for include; the red headed love
bird, handsome Francolin, rare shoe bill stork, Little Egret, water
thick knee, papyrus gonolek, greater and lesser swamp warbler, the
white winged warbler, green capped Eremomela, carmine bee eaters,
Malachite and Pied Pink backed Pelican. Dinner and over night at
Mihingo Lodge or Mantana luxury tented camp or Rwonyo Rest Camp.
Day 19: Drive Back to Kampala
After an early breakfast, return to Kampala. The drive is punctuated
with stops at the Equator line for a life photo and Mpambire drum
makers or at any crafts display centre along the road for souvenirs.
Day 20: Departure
Transfer to Airport for home bound flight.
