An amazing birding trip to the pearl of Africa to discover the most species in the world. Accompanied by an experienced and informative tour guide who has been awarded as one of the most Uganda’s best general and birding tour guides. This safari will see you visiting the Semuliki valley in western Uganda, then primate capital of the world before trekking into the deep jungle forest of Bwindi. Finally you will also visit one of Uganda’s smallest and attractive game parK
Focus: Birding & Game Viewing
Key Species: Shoebill Stork, Orange Weaver, Papyrus Gonolek, African Finfoot, Red-faced Barbet, Shelley’s Crimsonwing, African Green Broadbill, Handsome Francolin, Kivu Ground Thrush, Green-breasted Pitta, African Piculet, White-throated Blue Swallow, Puvel’sIlladopsis, Nahan’s Francolin, KaramojaApalis, Fox’s Weaver, Taita Falcon
Expected birds, over 650 Species Birding Pace: Moderate Physical Difficulty: Moderate Group Limit: Maximum 8
Birding Photography: Worthwhile
Possible Extensions: Mountain Gorillas and Chimpanzees Trekking
Detailed itinerary
DAY1: arrival at Entebbe international airport
Today our guide representative from African skimmer tours will be eagerly waiting for you on your arrival at Entebbe international airport and transfer you at booked lodge in Entebbe for dinner and overnight
Day 2: early morning in mabamba swamp and evening birding in mpanga forest
Today we shall have early morning breakfast and transfer to Mabamba swamp a home to over 300 species of including the rare shoebill stork and many others like papyrus gonolek, spur winged plover, black winged stilt and more water birds and later proceed with the trip to Mpanga forest.
Day 3: morning birding Mpanga forest and transfer to Lake Mburo national park
Mpanga forest is one of the best birding destination in central Uganda a home to over 300 bird species crowned hornibill, African harrier hawk, Grey parrot, western Nicator, green hylia, great blue turacco, African emerald cuckoo among others and later proceed to Lake Mbura national park reaching in the evening
Day 4: morning birding and afternoon boat cruise on lake Mburo
Today have early morning cup of coffee/tea and meet your guide to transfer to search for species like Brown parrot, African Grey Hornibill, Yellow breated Apalis, African scops Owl, Crested francolin, African finfoot, stripped kingfisher, Golden backed weaver, among others and then in the afternoon participate in the afternoon boat cruise birding along Lake Mburo looking for water birds
Day 5: Transfer to Mgahinga birding En-route through echuya forest
Today have an early morning breakfast and check out of the hotel to transfer to Mgahinga birding along the way like in papyrus areas at lake Bunyonyi out flow and Echuya forest for some of the albertine endemics and this include Red-throated Alethe, Red-faced woodland warbler, Regal sunbird, Brown capped Weaver, Strange weaver,Collared Apalis, Rwenzori Batis, Yellowed-eyed Black flycatcher amaong others
Day 6: full day birding mgahinga national park
Mgahinga national park is home to over 180 bird species recorded including some Albertine riftvalley endemics. This park with beautiful vegetation will reward you with more than birding. You shall traverse a variety of montane habitants along excellent Gorge trail as you bird in the trail and have chances to meet with species like Kivu ground thrush, mountain yellow warblers, Archer’s Robin Chat, regal and the purple breasted sunbird, honey guide among others
Day 7: transfer to Ruhija birding en-route
Today you will have early morning breakfast and check out of the lodge to transfer to Ruhija sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and do birding en-route were you have chances to sight more beautiful birds along the way like Grey Apalis,Cuckoo shrike, Petit cuckoo, Black bee eaters, little Grey Greenbuls,Black-necked weaver, African harrier Hawk, among others
Day 8: full day birding Mubwindi swamp
Still nestled in the African rain forest is Mubwindi swamp, we will be looking out for the white tailed flycatcher, grey headed sparrow, black necked weaver, red-headed Milambe, pink footed puffback, montane oriole, Waller’s starling, mountain illadopsis, Rwenzori nightjar and many more
Day 9: transfer to Buhoma birding en-route through the neck of Bwindi forest
Today we shall have early morning breakfast and check out of the lodge to transfer to Buhoma sector with En-route birding along the way reaching the booked lodge and relax for the rest of the day
Day 10 :full day birding buhoma
Today we have our early morning breakfast and meet our guide to transfer to the starting point of our birding trail lead by the ranger guides and the site guides that help us to locate different unique birds in the different trails as we look for species like thick-billed seedeater, African green broadbill, Oriole Finch, Mountain Buzzard, Brown capped weaver, Strange weaver, Montane Oriole, Narrow-tailed starling, western green tinker bird, Toro Olive- greenbul, white bellied robin chat, Olive thrush, red chested owlet , Red faced woodland , Grey cuckoo among others
Day 11: optional gorilla trekking or birding again to look for the species missed the previous day
Today you have two option either to do gorilla trekking or birding again to look for the birds species missed on the previous day
Day 12: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national passing through Ishasha sector to look out for tree climbing lions and birding
today we shall have relaxed breakfast and transfer to queen Elizabeth national park with En-route birding along Ishasha sector and you may also rewarded with a chance to sight rare tree climbing lions that mostly known to be in this sector of the park
Day 13: morning birding in the Savanna Park and afternoon boat ride at kazinga channel
Today you will have early morning breakfast and meet our guide to transfer to the savannah part of queen Elizabeth national park to look out for birds like red-necked spurfowl, scaly fracolin, several plovers,martail eagle, banded eagle,white tailed raptors, African pied wagtail, yellow wagtail among others and then return to the lodge for relaxation and lunch.
In the afternoon we shall go for birding on kazinga channel using baot cruise which is the incredible area for water birds with a mazing views like sadle billed stork, yellow billed stork, open billed stork, cattle egrets, African spoonbill, African skimmers, hammerkop, hadada ibis, scred ibis, pied kingfisher among others
Day 14: transfer to Kibale forest national park and afternoon birding in bigodi community swamp
Today we shall have early morning breakfast and check out of the lodge to transfer to Kibale forest with en-route birding along the way and reach the park by lunch time and the afternoon participate in birding along Bigodi wetland for birding the home to Great Blue Turacco and number primate species
Day 15: morning birding kibale forest to search for Green breasted pitta and transfer to Semuliki national park
Today we shall leave early in the morning after breakfast and transfer with the packed lunch so that we can spend good time in the forest and look out for different species and our main focus will be elusive Green breasted pitta and alongside other bird species in the forest likev Great blue Turacco, western bronze napped pigeon ,Grey winged robin, African pitta, Joyful greenbul, Cabanis Greenbul, Grey throated Flycatcher, Blue shouldered robin chat, Yellow spotted barbet, Green breasted pitta among others and after we shall transfer to Semuliki national park
Day 16: full day birding in semuliki
Today we shall spend the whole day birding in semuliki forest for central African species of Congo’s Ituri forest and also have chance to visit the male and female hot spring found with in the park and have chance to boil some eggs. You have chances to meet with species like Long tailed Hawk, Nothern Red-chested Owlet, Western Bronze-naped pigeon, Congo Serpent Eagle, Grey throated Rail, black Collared love bird, mountain wagtail, Toro olive, dusky blue flycatcher, Booted eagle among others
Day 17: transfer to Budongo forest
Today you will have relaxed breakfast and check out of the lodge to transfer to Budongo forest with en-route birding reaching by later lunch time and check into the booked lodge for the rest of the day.
Day 18: full day birding in Budongo forest and evening transfer .to Murchison falls national park
Today we shall early morning breakfast and transfer to the starting point of our first trail in Budongo forest mostly along the royal mile to look out for species like Western Black-headed Oriole, purple headed starling, forest flycatcher, Ituribatis, Black capped Apalis, White – thighed Hornbill, chestnut-capped, Yellow –crested woodpecker, African Crowned eagle, Blue breasted kingfisher, chocolate backed kingfisher among others and then transfer to Murchison falls national park
Day 19: morning birding in the park and afternoon boat cruise along the bottom of falls
Today we shall wake up with early morning cup of coffee/tea and transfer to the savanna part of this park to look for species that resides here like crested francolin, waxbills, sunbirds, African hawk eagle, booted eagle, black billed barbet, cliff chat, chestnut crowned sparrow-weaver, stripped kingfisher among others and then we return to the lodge for full breakfast and relax until lunch.
In the afternoon we shall go to look for more water birds on the bottom falls and look out for birds like saddle billed stork, cormorants, pied kingfisher, little egrets, cattle egrets, hammerkop and sometimes the rare shoebill stork is also sighted
Day 20: drive back to Kampala and birding through ziwa Rhino sanctuary and with Rhino tracking if possible
Today we shall have relaxed breakfast and check out of the lodge to transfer to Kampala with En-route visit to Ziwa Rhino sanctuary for birding and Rhino tracking. The savannah thickets also features counts of birds over 250 species of birds and expert guides will enable you spot range of birds including broad billed, blue spotted dove, booted eagale,abyssinial ground hornbill, African blue flycatcher among others and later after your lunch proceed with the journey to Kampala/Entebbe
Day 21: relaxation and drive back to the airport for the departure flight
Today you will have relaxed breakfast and enjoy the hotel facilities as you wait for your departure flight
End of the trip