Uganda bird watching safari

Key bird species in Uganda:
a) Albertine rift Endemics- yellow-eyed Black flycatcher, Blue headed sunbird , Purple- breasted Sunbird , regal Sunbird , Strange Weaver .
b) Other western Bronze- naped Pigeon , Montane (Rwenzori ) Nightjar, Bar tailed Trogon , Black bee eater ,Willcock’s Honeyguide , Black faced Rufous Warbler , Chapin’s Flycatcher , Lagden ‘sBush Shrike, Brown capped Weaver.
BUHOMA ‘The best of Bwindi ’
Time required; 2-3 days
Key species;
a)Albertine Rift endemics- Red _throated Alethe , Archer’s Robin-chat , Kivu Ground Thrush , Montane masked apalis , collared apalis , Grauer’s Warbler , short tailed Warbler , red –faced woodland warbler , yellow eyed black Flycatcher , Rwenzori batis and strange weaver .
b) Other – Western Bronze Naped Pigeon, Dusky And Olive Long Tailed Cuckoos , Fraser’s Eagle Owl , Montane (Rwenzori) Nightjar , Bar-tailed Trogon , Black Bee Eater , Willcock’s Honeyguide Fine-Banded And Eliot’s Wood Peckers ,Grey Chested And Montain Illadopse , White-Bellied Robin-Chat , Forest Ground Trush , Black Faced Rufous Warbler , Chapin’s Flycatcher , Many Coloured Bush Shrike , Brown Capped Weaver , White Collared Olive-Back , Red- Fronted Antpecker And Oriole- Finch .

12 Days Uganda Birding Safari

DAY 1: ENTEBBE
» On arrival at Entebbe you will be met and transferred to the Lake Victoria Hotel. Day will be spent in and around Entebbe familiarising with the birds in the area
» We can visit the Entebbe Botanical Gardens where we may find Orange and Golden-backed Weavers, Pied Hornbill, Ross's Turaco, Snowy-headed Robin-chat, Great Blue Turaco, Yellow-throated Leaflove, Gymnogene and perhaps and African Goshawk or a Shikra
» Lake Victoria Hotel (B&B)

DAY 2: LAKE BUNYONI
» Drive west into the Uganda Highlands, stopping en route in the Mburo area for some of the acacia woodland specials
» Overnight in Kabale area at Bushara Island Camp on Lake Bunyoni or White Horse Inn. FULL BOARD

DAY 3: BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST
» Early today we head to Buhoma via Ruhija in the upper sector of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, stopping en route to bird possibly seeing some of the Albertine rift endemics
» Overnight luxury tented camp at Buhoma

DAY 4: BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST
Day in the forest for optional Gorilla tracking and/or a walk in the Forest for birds or primates
» From the primate viewpoint Mountain Gorilla, L'Hoests Monkey, Red-tailed Monkey, Black-and-White Colobus, Chimpanzee and the strangely named Potto are all recorded here
» Overnight as above

DAY 5: BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST
» Further day as above

DAY 6: QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK
» Today we head for Jacana Lodge in the Queen Elizabeth National Park via Ishasha (road and weather conditions allowing) where the tree climbing lions may be seen, Optional afternoon walk in the Maramagambo Forest
» Overnight Jacana Safari Lodge

DAY 7: QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK
» A full day in the QENP including a boat cruise on the Kasinga channel and exploring the Kikeorongo area, where Shoebill are seen
» Overnight Jacana Safari Lodge

DAY 8: KIBAALE FOREST
» Today we travel to our tented camp near Kibaale Forest, with an afternoon walk looking for primates and birds along the road and forest trails
» Opportunity for a night walk, where primates, including potto may be seen

DAY 9: MASINDI
» After some early morning birding, we head north, a six hour drive to Masindi
» Overnight at Masindi Hotel, a convenient stop over near the birding areas

DAY 10: MURCHISONS FALLS NATIONAL PARK
» From here we visit the Budongo Forest and the famed Royal Mile and Wanseko en route to Nile Safari Camp, Murchison Falls National Park. Murchison Falls National Park
» This is Uganda''s largest park (some 3840 sq kms) and is home to Elephant, Buffalo, Uganda Kob, Oribi, the big cats and apart from this is well known for its birds including the much sought after Shoebill Stork

DAY 11: MURCHISONS FALLS NATIONAL PARK
» A day exploring this magnificent park including a private afternoon launch trip where we will spend time searching for Shoebill, African Skimmer, Rock Pratincole, Long-toed Plover and Red-throated Bee-eaters

DAY 12: MURCHISONS FALLS NATIONAL PARK - END OF TRIP
» Today we leave Murchison after breakfast for Entebbe via the Top of the Falls area where we explore the area and watch the whole of the mighty Nile river forced through an 8 metre gap and into the pools below the falls
» Transfers to airport for onward flight arrangements

Bird watching Safari Uganda

Day 1:
Arrival at Entebbe International Airport. Meet our guide and transfer to your hotel. For the Birders who arrive in the early hours of the day will have a welcome birding afternoon around Entebbe Botanical Gardens or in The Uganda wildlife education center. Look out for Slender-billed Weaver, Brown-throated Weaver¸ Golden-backed Weaver, Yellow-backed Weaver, Grey-headed Gull, Long-tailed Cormorant, ,Yellow-billed Duck, Pied Kingfisher, Giant Kingfisher, , Broad-billed Roller, Black-and-white Casqued Hornbill, Orange Weaver, , Red-chested Sunbird, Ross's Turaco, Pied Hornbill, , Open-billed Stork, Great Reed Warbler, Grey-capped Warbler and many others.

Day 2:
Early morning birding the Lincoln Trail. The local bird guides established this trail early in 2000. Over 170 species have been recorded. Serious birders may record 110 birds in a single day. The local guides now recommend this trail as the best birding site near to Kampala and Entebbe. Look out for White-headed Barbet, Red-headed Lovebird, Double-toothed Barbet, Brown Twinspot, Tambourine Dove, Black-headed Bush-shrike, Scaly Francolin, Tropical
Boubou and many others.

Day 3:
After an early breakfast, drive to Mabamba Swamp 50km west of Kampala. Stop enroute in Mpigi Swamp for papyrus rarities. Open your eyes for a White-winged Warbler, Papyrus Gonolek, Yellow-backed Weaver, Northern Brown-throated Weaver, Blue-headed Coucal and other swamp specialities. Continue on to Mabamba Swamp. Most of the birdingwatching safari is done on a canoe. We will keep a look out for Shoebill both in the sky and down on the marsh. Also look out for Swamp Flycatcher, Purple Swamphen, African Water Rail, Common Moorhen, Lesser Jacana, African Jacana, African Pygmy-goose, White-faced Whistling-duck, Squacco Heron, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Winding Cisticola, Goliath Heron and Black Crake to mention but a few. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

pelican bird prey uganda

Day 4 & 5:
Depart early in the morning for Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP) birding en-route. Stop at Mbarara for lunch. QENP has over 600 recorded bird species. Serious birders may be interested to know that the one-day record for QENP is 296; one of the highest in the whole World. An excellent variety seen here includes pelicans, skimmers, kingfishers, thick-knees, storks, martins, swallows, weavers, raptors, canaries, kites, and many grassland specialties. Birding in the park begins early in the morning on the open savannah. We return to the hotel for lunch. In the afternoon enjoy birding the Kazinga Channel on the boat. This channel joins Lake Edward and Lake George. The highlight on this boat trip is African Skimmer. Return to the Mweya Safari Lodge for Dinner and overnight stay.

Day 6:
After an early breakfast, birding around the hotel is productive. Check out at 10:00am for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Enjoy your picnic lunch as you bird en-route. When you arrive in Bwindi you will be given a typically enthusiastic African welcome. Enjoy your dinner in the noiseless jungle. You won't miss the early morning songs of the Snowy-capped Robin-chat and the Grey-capped Warbler. Listen to the Luehder's Bush-shrike as you enjoy your breakfast. On a lucky day, the Grey-green Bush-shrike, Black Bee-eater and Narina's Trogon will be seen around the accommodation.

Day 7:
Birders have described the bird watching here as some of the best birding in the world! Birding begins early in the morning around the luxury bush camp. After breakfast we carry a picnic lunch for a whole days birding in the only natural tropical forest in the area. This forest has over 300 species of bird recorded. These include Red-throated Alethe, Equatorial Akalat, Forest Robin, Montane Oriole, Grey-throated Barbet, Hairy-breasted Barbet, African Broadbill, Black Bee-eater, Pale-breasted Illadopsis, Narina's Trogon, Pettit's Cuckoo-shrike, Shelley's Greenbul, Ansorge's Greenbul, White-bellied Robin-chat, Black-faced Rufous-warbler, Kivu Ground-thrush, Short-tailed Warbler, Red-fronted Antpecker, Oriole Finch and many other forest rarities. This forest receives rainfall almost throughout the year. A rain jacket and hiking shoes will check this. Return for dinner and overnight at the camp.

Day 8:
Optional day for gorilla trekking. Most birders who have been to this forest have shown interest in trekking. Carry your picnic lunch and enjoy the forest giants. Or rest at the camp.

Day9,10&11:
Depart at the crack of dawn for a 50km drive to the highest peak of the forest Ruhiija. Several checks en-route at good birding sites may produce rare species such as White-starred Robin, Grey Cuckoo-shrike, Strange Weaver, Banded Prinia, Brown-chested Alethe, Slender-billed Greenbul, Yellow-streaked Greenbul, White-browed Crombec, Mountain Illadopsis, Luehder's Bush-shrike, Grey-green Bush-shrike; all these and many others are among the 345 species recorded in this park. Birding on the way to and at the Mubwindi Swamp is very productive. One has to be prepared to walk on steep mountain tracks with the chance of seeing African Green Broadbill. You drop in altitude from about 2400m to 2050m above sea level. Birding in the bamboo zone is good for the Handsome Francolin, Archer's Robin-chat, Stripe-breasted Tit, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Mountain Greenbul, Grauer's Warbler, Rwenzori Batis, Waller's Chestnut-winged Starling, Dusky Crimsonwing, Mountain Illadopsis, Mountain Yellow Warbler to mention a just a few. Birders who come with camping equipment can camp at Ruhiija campground. Also seen here are L'hoest's Monkey, Guereza Colobus, Blue Monkey and several duikers.

Day 12:
From here you will travel eastwards through the terraced mountains of Kigezi to the open plains and rocky hillsides of Ankole. Your drive is punctuated with several stops to see Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Wattled Lapwing, Southern Red Bishop, Variable Sunbird, African Harrier, hawks, larks, and many others. Enjoy the fabulous Long-horned Ankole cattle as you bird. Dinner and overnight at Mantana Luxury Tented Camp with its excellent views in Lake Mburo National Park. Enjoy the songs of Morning Dove, Dideric Cuckoo, Grey-capped Warbler, Black-headed Weaver and Ring-necked Dove.

Day 13:
Leave at dawn to see African Finfoot at Lake Mburo before it disappears into the papyrus beds floating on the lake. Look out for Brown-chested Lapwing, Lilac-breasted Roller, Black-bellied Bustard, Helmeted Guineafowl, Coqui Francolin, Rufous-napped Lark plus many raptors. Of course this is the only park with Eland, Burchell's Zebra and Impala in the whole of this region. Return for lunch at the camp. Rest in the afternoon

Day 14:
After a morning game drive, proceed to Kampala. Lunch at Masaka. Stop at the equator for the monument, Mpambire drum makers, and at Kampala for shopping if required.

Day 15:
Transfer to the airport for departure. Or to a bus station if you want to travel on land.

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