UGANDA BIRDING, 22 days FOREST BIRDING (THE BEST OF UGANDA)

Uganda! “Home of the most sought after birds”. The home of the shoe bill and mountain gorillas

 

Day 1 Entebbe

On arrival in Entebbe International Airport, a welcome team and transfer to the Windsor Lake Victoria Hotel or Golf View Apartment, depending on your time of arrival, will meet you.

Meal plan and accommodation: Bed and breakfast.

Day 2 Entebbe - Kampala

Whole day birding Entebbe and the surrounding area and evening transfer to Kampala for overnight at Hotel Africana or Holiday Exulss Hotel. Expect sported eagle awl, pied king fisher, Swamp fly catcher, Greater sand plover, Slender billed gull, Caruthers’s cisticola, Crowned hornbill, Common tern, Shoebill.

Meal plan and accommodation: Bed and breakfast

Day 3 Kampala – Jinja

This morning depart for Mabira Forest Birding the whole morning and afternoon bird the source of the Nile, Late evening transfer to Kampala for overnight. You will see; Nahan’s francolin, Olive greenbul Hairy breasted barbet, sooty boubou, White-throated Bee eater, Black-and White-fly catcher.

Meal plan and accommodation: Bed and Breakfast

Day 4 Kampala – Murchison Falls National Park

This morning depart for Budongo forest birding along the way, afternoon birding at the royal mile overnight at Sambiya River Lodge or Redchilli. Expect Brown twin spot, Fawn breasted wax bill, African fire finch, White-thighed hornbill, Chocolate-backed king fisher.

Meal plan and accommodation: Bed, breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 5 Murchison Falls National Park

Early morning birding at Kaniyo pabidi and afternoon birding Sambiya to top of Murchison falls overnight at Sambiya river lodge or Redchillis camp. Expect Pearl spotted owlet, Black billed barbet, Foxy Cisticola, and Green backed Eremomela, Pelvi’s Illadopsis, Rock pratincole, Bat hawk, and Pell’s fishing owl.

Meal plan and accommodation: Bed, breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 6 Murchison Falls National Park

Whole day birding on the north bank of the Nile River and the Delta area with an overnight at Paraa safari lodge. Expect, Abyssinian ground hornbill, Shoebill, Heugling’s Francolin, Shoebill, Black headed lapwing, and depending on the season you can see Egyptian plover, secretary Bird.

Meal plan and accommodation: Bed, breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 7 Murchison Falls National Park

Morning birding on the boat to the bottom of falls and an afternoon transfer to Paraa safari Lodge for overnight Birding along the way. Expect; Red throated bee eater, Giant King Fisher, Occasionally African skimmer, Broad billed roller, Swamp fly catcher, and many other water birds.

Meal plan and accommodation: Bed, breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Day 8 Murchison Falls National Park – Kibale Forest National park

Early departure for Kibale forest national park birding along the way. Arrive in the evening for an overnight at Ndali Lodge or CVK Resort. Look out for: Black coucal, Barred Warbler, Mash owl, Banded martin, Semi-collared fly catcher.

Meal plan and accommodation: Bed, breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 9 Kibale Forest National park

Early in the morning you will do Chimp tracking and birding in the gallery forest of the Mugiri River. Leaflove are in proliferation here, despite being scarce in the forest of Uganda. In the forest you may see; White-spotted Flufftail, Red-tailed Bristlebill, Red-tailed Ant-Thrush and Blue-breasted Kingfisher. In the evening you will spend the overnight at Semliki Safari Lodge or Rwenzori Traveller Inn.

Meal plan and accommodation: Bed, breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 10 Kibale Forest National park

This morning after breakfast, you will be guided for a forest walk in the part of Ntandi where you do birding at a close range. There is a lot of wildness opportunities like White crested Turaco, Eastern Grey Plantain Eater, and Mouse birds, Kingfishers and Bee-Eaters to name a few these will be done for the whole day and packed Lunch will be had in the forest, Overnight at Ruwenzori Travellers Inn for the over night stay.

Meal plan and accommodation: Bed, breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 11 Kibale Forest National park – Kasese

Birding in the morning to the foot hills of Mountain Rwenzori you will spend a night at Hotel Margerita in Kasese. Expect to see variety and flock of birds plus reptiles.

Meal plan and accommodation: Bed, breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 12 Kasese – Queen Elizabeth National park

In the morning proceed to Queen Elizabeth National Park with 604 species of birds, on the Kazinga Channel go for Launch Cruise view lot of birds like African Skimmer, Black Rumped Button Quail, Verreauxs Eagle Owl to mention but a few. In the afternoon after having had Lunch go for game drive to the mating ground of the Kobs where you see birds like Vultures, Saddle-billed Storks, Plovers etc. In the afternoon return to the Lodge for an overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge or Institute of Ecology.

Meal plan and accommodation: Bed, breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 13 Queen Elizabeth National park

Whole day birding in Queen Elizabeth National Park; View birds like Lesser Flamingo, Grey Capped Warbler, Saddled-billed Storks, Woolly-necked, African Skimmer and Red Footed Falcon, returning to the Lodge for the night.

Meal plan and accommodation: Bed, breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 14 Queen Elizabeth National park – Bwindi Gorilla Forest

After breakfast, proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park best known for Gorillas, reaching in the evening. This is a Montane Forest with patches of bamboo, Montane marshes and medium altitude forests. There are 23 Albertine Rift Endemics that can be seen here with the most exciting being the African Green Broadbill; Grauers rush Warbler, Short Tailed Warbler, Rwenzori Turacco and many others. Reach in the evening and spend an overnight at Mantana Luxury Camp or Buhoma Community Bandas.

Meal plan and accommodation: Bed, breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Day 15 Bwindi Gorilla Forest

Today you will spend the whole day watching and viewing birds at a close distance in the forest these include the following species Regal Sunbird, Kivu Ground Thrush, Montane Masked Apalis, Blue Headed Sunbird and Rwenzori Nightjar in the evening spend an over night at Mantana Luxury Camp or Buhoma Community Bandas.

Day 16 Kibale Forest National park

Mix your desires of birds with Gorilla tracking on this day. Report at the park office at 7:30 am to get ready for the Gorilla tracking, you will go with parked Lunch to track the endangered Mountain Gorilla and view many birds like Lagdens Bush Shrike, Wallers Starling, Handsome Francolin, Brown Capped Weaver and Barred Long Tailed Cuckoo return at Mantana Luxury Camp or Buhoma Community Bandas.

Meal plan and accommodation: Bed, breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 17 Bwindi Gorilla Forest – Lake Bunyonyi

This day you will be lead to Ruhiija where you trek through the neck of Ruhiija view a variety of birds like Oriole Finch, Olive Green Camaroptera and Purple Breasted Sun bird the whole day and spend an over night at Overland Camp.

Meal plan and accommodation: Bed, breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 18 Lake Bunyonyi

Spend the morning bird watching in Lake Bunyonyi and in the forests of Bushara Islands spending an overnight at Bushara Island Camp.

Meal plan and accommodation: Bed, breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 19 Lake Bunyonyi

In the morning, go for a boat ride on Lake Bunyonyi to the punishment island while birding, proceed to Nature island for a box lunchcombine your birding with an afternoon cultural tour on the Island, do not miss to see birds like Cattle Egrets, African fish Eagle, Kingfisher and so many spend an overnight at bushara Island camp.

Meal plan and accommodation: Bed, breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 20 Lake Bunyonyi – Lake Mburo National Park

After breakfast, depart Lake Bunyonyi to Lake Mburo National Park. Have a stop over in Mbarara for Lunch and proceed to Lake Mburo have a game drive while entering the park. Lake Mburo National Park is a savannah park and has marked different fauna to other parks and Reserves, it is the best place in the country to see the gigantic Eland Antelope, as well as Zebra, Top, Impala, and several Acacia associated birds. The five Lakes within the park attract Hippos, Crocodiles, and a variety of water birds, while fringing swamps hide secretive papyrus specialists such as the sitatunga Antelope and red, Black and yellow papyrus Gonalek. Have an evening game drive and overnight at either Mantana Luxurious Tented Camp or Rwanyo Camp.

Meal plan and accommodation: Bed, breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 21 Lake Mburo National Park - Kampala

After return to Kampala while birding, Lunch in Masaka town, stops over at the Equator for photos and performs earth’s magnetic pull experiments, overnight stay at Hotel Africana or Holiday hotel.

Meal plan and accommodation: Bed, breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 22 Kampala – Entebbe Airport

After breakfast you will head to Lutembe beach where you can watch a variety of birds like Crowned Crane, Fish Eagle, Marabou Stork and many others to mention but a few. Thereafter, you will refresh at the Airport Guest House before departing for the airport to board your plane back home.

Meal plan and accommodation: Bed and breakfast

Prices are subject to change without prior notice

End of Service

COST OF 22 DAYS UGANDA SAFARI

Medium Class Accommodation

USD $6,180 per person for a minimum of 2 people sharing
USD $5,540 per person for a minimum of 4 people sharing
USD $4,685 per person for a minimum of 6 people sharing

Budget Class Accommodation

USD $4,809 per person for a minimum of 2 people sharing
USD $4,496 per person for a minimum of 4 people sharing
USD $3,008 per person for a minimum of 6 people sharing

Prices are per person in United States Dollars,

Tour Cost Includes

Accommodation in parks and Kampala, meals as stated, transport on 4X4 WD, Entrance fees to all National Parks, Boat ride in Queen Elizabeth and Murchison falls, Mineral water, Gorilla permits, Chimps permit, ferry crossing the River Nile, Guides Expenses, Game drives, Village walk in Bwindi and Kibale.

Excludes

Drinks, Laundry, Telephone calls, tips, Travel insurance, Air travel and any other personals extras that is not included in the itinerary.

Requirements
Binoculars, good walking boots, pair of trousers, hat for protection from the sun, sun cream, insect repellent, your relevant medication, travel insurance, field guide book on birds of East Africa by Franshawe, note book, rain jackets and high speed films.