No other area can match in Uganda's diversity of habitats and the richness is reflected in the ever burgeoning birder list of 1000 species in Africa. Amongest these are the special birds such as Shoebill and the numerous spectacular endemics of the albertine rift that are difficult or impossible to find else where. By size of the country like that of Great Britain makes it the richest African bird destination.
"No wonder it is country Gifted by Natue"!!!! and what is missing is you!!!
birds of Uganda Day1: Arrival Day
Arrive in Uganda Through Entebbe International Airport and stay either in Kampala or Entebbe Day2: Kampala to Mabamba swamp
This is about 50km west of Kampala. The wetland is newly discovered home for the most sought after bird the shoebill. Birding is done on the canoes in marsh channels. Special birds include white-winged Warbler, Papyrus Gonolek, Yellow-backed Weaver, Northern Brown-throated weaver, blue-headed Coucal, and other swamp specialties. Continue to Mabamba swamp, most of the birding is from a canoe. Look out for the shoebill stork both in the sky and down on the marsh. Also look out for swamp flycatcher, African Purple Swamphen, African water rail, common moorten, Lesser Jacana, African Pygmy Goose, white faced whistling duck, squacco heron, blue-breasted Bee-eater, winding Cisticola, Goliath Heron, and black Crake. Return to your hotel in the evening for dinner and overnight.
Day3: Kampala or Entebbe to Murchison Park National Park Murchison Falls National Park is the Uganda’s largest park that protects a chuck of untamed African Savannah and bisected by the mighty river Nile. Its name for the dramatic Murchison Falls, where the worlds longest river explodes violently through a narrow cleft in the Rift valley escarpment to plunge into a frothing pool 43meters below.
ggirafe murchison falls
Day4: Murchison Falls National Park In the morning after early breakfast, take a boat along the Victoria Nile to the delta at Lake Albert. This is the home to Hippos and many enormous Nile Crocodiles as well as special birds which include the shoebill, secretary bird, Abyssinian roller and ground hornbill, pied Kingfisher, Red throated bee eaters lignin at the banks, Goliath heron, saddle Billed stork, sacred Ibis, Fulvous whistling Duck, Senegal and water Thick Knees, Black-headed and long toed lapwing, little Bittern, Ospray, red Necked Falcon, Blue Breasted Bee Eater, Vinaceous Dove and Grosbeak Weaver.
This afternoon cross for birding to the top of the falls. Look out for white fronted black chat, Rock Prantincoles, white Crested Turaco, Grey Wood pecker, Darter and giant Kingfisher, Red throated Bee Eater, Red Shouldered Cuckoo-strike, Western Violet Backed sun bird, Black headed Genolek, Chestnut- crowned Sparrow weaver, Brown twinspot, Bar breasted firefinch, Red winged Pytilia, and red winged grey Warbler, Bruce’s Pigeon and Ospray.
Day5: Murchison Falls National Park Whole day game drive on the northern bank of Victorai Nile. Birds recorded here include Egyptian plover, shoebill, red winged grey warbler, Rock Pranticole, secretary bird, bat hawk, Denhams bustard, Pels fishing owl, white crested Turaco, Vinaceous dove, Senegal thick knee, chestnut crowned sparrow weaver, carmine bee eater, Night Jars (permanent winged and standard winged) white rumped canary.
Day6: Budongo Forest Start early morning to Budongo Forest through the escarpment looking for foxs Cisticola, white-headed barbet, Northern Crombec, singing Cisticola, Grey headed bush shrike, black billed barbet, grey headed Oliveback, Black firefinch, Madagascar Heron, lesser masked wearver and shikra.
Afternoon, birding at Budongo may be very productive. This forest is one of the largest and most beautiful forests in Uganda. It is home for African Dwarf Kingfisher, African crowned eagle, olive Camaroptera, yellow and grey longbills, Chocolate-backed kingfisher, Red-tailed Ant-thrush, velvet-mantled Drongo, Rufous Crowned Eremomera, Ituri Batis and Nahans Francolin. Dinner and overnight will be in Masindi.
Day7: Budongo Forest; Royal Mille and Busingiro Whole day birding in the Royal Mille and Busingiro, key species include African Dwarf and Chocolate Backed kingfisher, chestnut Crowned Eremomera, white spotted Flufftail, yellow and grey longbills, olive bellied Crombec, brown Eared woodpecker, Dusky Long tailed Cuckoo, Blue breasted kingfisher, crowned eagle, Forest Fly catcher, yellow browed Camaroptera, and cabanis bunting, Brown backed scrub Robin, Narina Trogon, golden crowned wood pecker, Rufous Flycatcher thrush, Chestnut Capped Fly catcher, Black Headed Paradise Fly catcher, little green sun bird, green sun bird, both Negrofinches, western black headed Oriole, Dusky Long tailed Cuckoo, African Emerald, Cuckoo, red tailed Breasted Illadopsis, Rufous crowned Eremomela, the elusive lemon bellied crombec, yellow mantled wearver, yellow browed camaroptera, green crombec, crested Malimbe and red headed blue. Dinner and overnight
Day8: Masindi to Kibale Forest National Park Leave early morning after breakfast for Kibale forest National park. This is a rather longer drive but interesting with few birding spots on the way. Kibale forest birds include grey winged Robin, blue shouldered robin chat, yellow spotted barbet, black-billed Turaco, white napped pigeon, green-breasted Pitta, red chested flufftail, African Pitta, joyful green bull, Cabanis greenbull, grey throated flycatcher, white bellied crested flycatcher, Masked Apalis, Nathans francolin, Tiny sunbird, white collard olive back etc. This m forest is also home for 13 species of primates. Day9: Kibale Forest National Park
Whole day birding in the forest, other specialties white tailed Ant-thrushes, purple headed glossy starling, brown Illadopsis, green Breastedpitta, white napped pigeon, Mashed Apalis, Toro olive green bul, blacked billed turaco, buff spotted woodpecker and green crombec dinner and overnight. Day10: Kibale Forest National Park to Semliki National Park
Drive to Semliki early morning after breakfast for a whole day birding in the forest. Semliki is known for its most sought after rarities and these includes; Congo Serpent Eagle, Black throated Coucal, Grey throated rail, Nkulengu Rail, long tailed Hawk, spot breasted ibis, Cauchin babbler, Yellow Throated Nicator, Northern bearded scrub Robin, Red chested Owlet, Western Bronze Napped Pigeon, Black Collared lovebird, white bellied kingfisher, red rumped tinker bird, Lyretailed honeyguide, zenkers Honey guide, white throated blue swallow, Bates nightjar, yellow throated cuckoo, Orange tufted sunbird, Black winged Oriole, Red billed Helmet shrike, Lemon bellied crombec, Rufous sided Broadbill, Icterine Greenbul, swamp Palm Bubul, Crested Malimbe and blue billed Malimbe, fiery breasted Bush shrike, pale fronted Negrofinch and piping, Red bellied Dwarf, Black Dwarf, white crested, Black Casqued wattled and white thighed Hornbill. Dinner and overnight. Day11: Semliki National Park.
Whole day birding in the forest, kirumira trail has become the most popular trail for its richness in the diversity of bird species. Dinner and overnight
Day12: Fort portal/Semliki to Queen Elizabeth National Park Drive southwards to Queen Elizabeth National Park. This is the second largest park in Uganda. Serious birders may be interested in knowing that the one day record of Queen Elizabeth national park is 296 species out of the 610 bird species recorded in this park. An excellent variety of birds can be seen and these include the pelicans, skimmers, kingfishers, think knees, storks, martins, swallows, weavers, canaries, kits, and many grassland specialties. Evening birding is usually productive. Dinner and overnight
Day13: Queen Elizabeth National Park This whole day birding will be done in Queen Elizabeth National Park. An early morning game drive in the open savannah makes very ideal for savannah birds. In the afternoon, a launch cruise will be taken on the Kazinga Channel that connects lakes of George and Edward, is among the best known regions for its high diversity of bird species. Special birds include African skimmer, Green Backed Heron, African spoonbill, African crake, water think knee, three banded plover, marsh, green, wood and common Sandpipers, gray headed gull, plain Martin lesser swamp-Warbler and Yellow-billed Ox-pecker. Dinner and overnight
Day14: Queen Elizabeth N.P to Bwindi Impenetrable N.P. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is prominently know for the endangered mountain gorillas, however this park boosts a number of special bird species such as Red-throated Alethe, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Montane Masked Apalis, Neumann's Warbler and Rwenzori Batis. Other non-endemic specials include Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Dusky Tit, Black Bee-eater, White-bellied Robin-chat and Sooty Flycatcher as well as hole-nesting Waller's and Narrow-tailed Starlings in the dead tree snags. The Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, Black-necked Weaver, Lühder's Bush-shrike and Bar-tailed Trogon will be spotted, Toro-Olive Greenbul, Cassin's Grey Flycatcher and Western Bronze-naped Pigeon, Collared Apalis, Rwenzori Hill Babbler, Grauer's Warbler, Shelly's Crimsonwing, Dusky Crimsonwing, Archer's Robin-chat, Regal Sunbird, Blue-headed Sunbird, Dwarf Honeyguide and many others. Mythical African Green Broadbill, Graur's Rush Warbler and Carruther's Cisticola. Rewnzori Nightjar, Scarce swift, Bar tailed Trogon, cinnamon Chested bee eater, red chested owlet, olive thrush, white tailed ant thrush among others can also be seen here. Dinner and overnight Buhoma
Day15: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Optional whole day gorilla tracking, Dinner and overnight Buhoma
Day16: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Buhoma This day whole birding will be done in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, Buhoma sector. Dinner and overnight Buhoma
bird guidesking fisher
Day17: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Ruhiija Whole day birding will be at Ruhiija sector. The star attractions here are Collared Apalis, Rwenzori Hill Babbler, Grauer's Warbler, Shelly's Crimsonwing, Dusky Crimsonwing, Archer's Robin-chat, Regal Sunbird, Blue-headed Sunbird, Dwarf Honeyguide and many others. The trail to Mubwindi Swamp promises to reveal some of the most difficult of all rift-endemics including the mythical African Green Broadbill. Mubwindi Swamp holds Graur's Rush Warbler and Carruther's Cisticola. Dinner and overnight Ruhiija
Day18: Ruhiija to Mubwindi Swamp The 4km trial to Mubwindi drops from 2350m to 2050m and is the best place for some of the most difficult birds to find, all rift endemics including Grauer’s (African Green), Broadbill the beautiful regal sunbird and Archers Robin Chat. Mubwindi swamp at an elevated of 2050m/6725ft holds Dwarf Honeyguide, Stripe breasted Tit, Rwenzori Apalis and African Hill Babbler sometimes treated as a separate species, Rwenzori Hill Babbler, the rare and localized Grauer’s scrub warbler and carruthers’ Cisticola, including very difficult to see species Fraser’s eagle owl and Rwenzori double collared sunbird. We should also come across green broad bill, Grauer’s Rush warbler, Purple breasted, blue headed and Regal sun birds, Grauer’s Broadbills, Archers Robin Chat, eastern Mountain Greenbul, Strange weaver, black headed waxbill, Barstuhlmanns starling, and luehders bushshrike and handsome Francolin Montane Nightjar Dinner and overnight Ruhiija Day19: Ruhiija Bwindi Impenetrable Forest This day a whole day birding will be done in Ruhiija Dinner and overnight Ruhiija.
Day20: Ruhiija to Lake Mburo National Park Bwindi avian life will be left from Ruhiija early in morning after breakfast drive to Lake Mburo National Park and bird the Lakeside. This park is very special place; every part of it is alive with variety, interest and colour. Dinner and overnight Lake Mburo N.P
Day21: Lake Mburo National Park to Kampala This Park contains extensive area of wetlands. Lake Mburo National park harbours several species of mammals including Zebras, Impalas, elands, topi and buffaloes. Track at kigambira Loop to look for savanna and Acacia woodland species including Blue-naped Mousebird, Spot-flanked Barbet, Nubian Woodpecker, Northern Black Tit, Red-headed Lovebird, Green-capped Eremomela, Ross' Turaco and the highly sought-after Red-faced Barbet. Other bird population here includes green backed collared barbets, white winged warbler, Papyrus yellow warbler, carruthers, Cisticola, Papyrus Gonoleka, Yellow Billed Oxpecker and Northern Brown throated weaver. Dinner and overnight Kampala
Day22: Whole day birding in Mabira Forest.
Day 23: Departure End of safari
Accommodation Accommodation available can be grouped as Luxury, Upmarket, Medium class and Low budget accommodation facilities. We have used upmarket , medium and low cost Budget facilities . Luxury WILL be provided on request. However in few cases, up market facilities have been included in medium packages and where medium facilities are not available we have used low cost.
Please note the safari cost include
Meals and accommodation Full time experienced birding safari guides with all their associated expenses, Park entry fees, game drives, boat/ launch trips, forest guiding walks, all activities while on safari and all the applicable Government Taxes. 4x4 wheel drive vehicle with gas and driver/guide One Chimp permit per person - Kibale
Excluded are
Gorilla tracking is optional in birding safaris, to track you will add gorilla permit fee $500 per person to top up on total cost by each client that will be viewing gorillas. Drinks, your bar bills, phone calls, personal insurance and any other services of a personal nature like laundry etc.
