16 Days Uganda Birding and Wildlife Photography Tour

Early arrivals will give a chance for birding at Entebbe botanical gardens located on the northern part of Lake Victoria. The gardens harbor a collection of tropical, sub-tropical and temperate plants and shrubs which regenerate over the years. The place is a habitat of a large array of about 250 bird species. Among others, we shall have a chance to trace for; Great Blue Turaco, Ross’s Turaco, Saddle-Billed Stork, Golden-Backed Weaver, Yellow-Backed Weaver, Orange Weaver, African Palm-Swift, Winding Cisticola, Splendid Glossy-Starling, Northern Brown-Throated Weaver, Slender-Billed Weaver, Scaly Francolin, Green-Backed Heron, Tawny-Franked Prinia, Black And White-Casqued Hornbill, Back Kite, Yellow-Fronted Tinkerbird, Saddle-Billed Stork, Open-Billed Stork, Marabou Stork, Grey-Caped Warbler, Pied Crow, Little Egret, Black-Headed Heron, Cattle Egret, Spotted-Backed Weaver, Black And White-Manikin, Bronzy Manikin, Red-Cheeked Cordon-Bleu and a couple more. 1 Night at The Boma Hotel Entebbe. (Dinner and Breakfast Included)

Mabamba Swamp is situated on western part of Entebbe, this morning, we have an early breakfast, start at 6:30am and go birding to Mabamba swamp. We shall take an engine boat from Nakiwogo fishing village to take us to the shoebill site where we will meet our site guide. One of a few remaining productive wetland in Uganda protected by the local communities. extensive papyrus swamps with labyrinth’s channels and lagoons, classified as an important bird area (IBA), it’s a home of multiple Shoebills-Uganda’s most famous avian resident and the only representative in its family, is the amongst most sought after birds. Its only traced by canoeing through the channels by the engine wooden boat. other birds at Mabamba include; Papyrus Gonolek, Blue-Breasted Bee-Eater, Lesser Jacana, African Jacana, White-Winged Tern, Grey-Headed Gull, Little Egret, Long-Toed Lapwing, Spur-Winged Lapwing, African Fish-Eagle, Purple Heron, Common Squacco Heron, Striated Heron, Blue-Headed Coucal, Malachite Kingfisher, Black Crake, Hamerkop, African Marsh-Harrier, Yellow-Billed Duck, Hadada Ibis, Swamp Flycatcher, Eastern Grey Plantain-Eater, Wood Sandpiper, Pied Kingfisher, White-Faced Whistling Duck, African Yellow Warbler and other more. After our successful birding here, we shall hit the road up to Murchison falls conservation area with several stops on renown spots along the way to look at birds like Great-blue Turaco, Ross’s Turaco, Easter Grey Plantain Eater cannot be missed, we plan to drive through the Butiaba Escarpment for the scenic view of the Albert basin and chances to spot raptors patching on the poles top. Hot lunch at Kabalega Dinners. 2 Nights at Pakuba Safari Lodge (All meals included, drinks not included)

We leave early for morning game drive into the park birding towards the Nile within the Borassus savanna where we will also encounter a variety of Antelopes, Elephants, Cape Buffalos, Giraffes, Lions and Leopards, Jackson’s Heart-beasts among others. In the afternoon we have a launch cruise to the bottom of the falls where a variety of water and special birds will be seen such as Rock Pratincole, Northern Carmine Bee-Eater, Red-Throated Bee-Eater, White-Crested Turaco, Vinaceous Dove, Beautiful Sunbird, Red-Winged Warbler, Grosbeak Weaver, Chestnut-Crowned Sparrow-Weaver, Spotted Morning-Thrush, Osprey, Black-Headed Gonolek, Pel’s Fishing-Owl, Yellow-Fronted Tinkerbird, Red-Necked Francolin, Little Sparrow-Hawk, Blue Spotted Wood Dove, Black-Billed Wood Dove, Swallow Tailed Eee-Eater, Siffling Cisticola, Singing Cisticola, Yellow-Mantled Widowbird, Olive-Bellied Sunbird, African Quailfinch, and many more. We shall return to our lodge for hot lunch break and prepare for afternoon – evening private boat trip to the bottom of the falls. After boat, we shall drive while birding leisurely back to our lodge for dinner and overnight.

Since our ticket for Murchison park will still be valid, we shall search around again for the birds that we could have missed on the day three (3). With optional visit to the top of the falls. A branch at Sambiya River Lodge to look for Pel’s Fishing Owl the We shall bird through the Kaniyo Pabidi Forest before reaching our lodge. Birding through Kanyiyo Pabidi area will give a chance to see rare species like puvel’s Illadopsis, and spotting a few primates like Black and White Colobus, Blue Monkey, Olive Baboons and others. After our hot lunch at Masindi Hotel, we shall head to Nyabyeya sugar farms to look for specialties there like Brown Twinspot, Grey-headed Oliveback, White-thighed Hornbill, and others. We return to the lodge for dinner and overnight. 2 Nights at Masindi Hotel (all meals included, drinks not included)

Early after breakfast, carry our picnic lunch boxes and drive a short distance from the hotel that take us to one of the best birding spots in Uganda the royal mile. The name reveals the African historical leisure spot for the traditional king of Bunyoro. At the mile, the forest being a bit dense, the trail lining was cleared to make a perfect view with good light for the bird photographs. Budongo forest is one of the largest natural forests in Africa, home of a combination of vegetation and tree species found nowhere else in forests of Africa and has the most challenging bird species some skulk on the tree canopies which calls for kin observation with a kin guide! In Budongo, we shall be looking for; Crested Malimbe, Red-Headed Malimbe, Lemon Bellied Crombec, Rufous-Crowned Eremomela, Black-Eared Ground-Thrush, Black-Throated Apalis, Black-Caped Apalis, Buff-Throated Apalis, Green Hylia, Nahan’s Francolin, Hairy-Breasted Barbet, Yellow-Spotted Barbet, Yellow-Billed Barbet, Western Black-Headed Oriole, Yellowbill, Brown-Eared Woodpacker, Yellow-Crested Woodpacker, Chocolate-Backed Kingfisher, African Dwarf, Shining Blue, Blue-Breasted Kingfisher, Yellow Longbill, African Crowned-Eagle, Forest Flycatcher, Yellow-Browed Camaroptera, Grey-Backed Camaroptera, Yellow-Mantled Weaver, Red-Heaed Bluebill, Sabines Spinetail, Casin’s Spinetail, Red-Tailed Anti-Thrush, Cameron Sombre, Slender Billed, Wilcock’s Honeyguides, Jameson’s Wattle-Eye, Blue-Throated Brown Sunbird, Little-Green Sunbird, Uganda Woodland Warbler, Rufous Flycatcher-Thrush etc. the list is endless! Later we return to our lodge for dinner and overnight.

On the road we shall have quite a few stops to look for birds, hot lunch will be at Gardens Restaurant in Fort Portal town, before proceeding to our lodge to check-in and rest a bit. This evening, we will do an Optional Walking safari at Bigodi Swamp in search for some new species of birds like Shining Blue Kingfisher, Black-headed Paradise Flycatcher, White-spotted flufftail, and this swamp also harbors a couple of special monkeys like Uganda Mangabey, Uganda Red Colobus, L’hoest Mokey, that could be of your interest. 1Night at Mountains of the Moon and 2 Nights at Quereza Canopy Lodge (all meals Included, Drinks Not Included)

We drive for about 1.5 hours close to the park, so meaning we shall start early with our picnic lunch boxes by 6:00AM and we will have our breakfast close to the park. Semliki forest is one of the richest for lowland forest birds in Uganda and marks the eastern extension of the great Ituri Forest- a large Congo forest and its eastern arm limits here. We shall start at dawn after an early breakfast and set off with our packed lunch. We spend 7-8hours birding along the Kirumia trail. Key species include Red-billed, Black-casqued, Piping and White-crested Hornbills, Black-chested Cuckoo, Red-rumpedTinkerbird, Rufous-sided Broadbill, Nkurengu Rail (rare), White-bellied, Dwarf, and Pygmy Kingfishers, Piping, White-thighed, and African Pied Hornbills, Fire-crested Alethe, Red-bellied and Blue-billed Malimbe, Swamp Palm Bulbul, Lowland Akalat, Forest Scrub Robin, GreentailedBristlebill, Leaf Love, Chestnut-breasted Negrofinches, Black-winged Oriole, etc. after we travel back to the lodge for overnight

wake up early at 5:30AM having our breakfast packed and prepare ourselves for the most sought bird the Green-breasted Pitta! Thereafter our successful hunt for the pitta, have breakfast and we continue normal birding getting out from the forest to our hotel for lunch break. In the afternoon drive to the park visitor center for briefing about and trek for Chimpanzees. Kibale National Park is a home of 13 primates and about 375 bird species. Primates include; L’Hoest’s Monkey, Red Colobus Monkey, Bush Baby, Olive Baboon, Red-Tailed Monkey, Grey-Cheeked Mangabey, Black And White Colobus, Blue Monkey, Chimpanzee etc. and a long list of sought bird species like; Afep Pigeon, Red-Winged Francolin, Narina Trogon, Bar-Tailed Trogon, Black-Billed Turaco, Black Bee-Eater, White-Headed Wood-Hoopoe, Yellow-Rumped Tinkerbird, African Pitta, Velvet Mantled Drongo, Petit’s Cukoo Shrike, African Broad Bill, Wilcock’s Honeyguide, White-Spotted Flufftail, Western Nicator, White-Tailed Anti-Thrush etc. we return back to the lodge for a long sleep, preparing for Queen Elizabeth National Park the next day.

We wake up leisurely, no hurry, we have our relaxed breakfast, check out and drive to QENP. Lunch break will be at our lodge. We add evening Game drive in the park. QUENP is the second largest national park after Murchison, it’s a home of over 600 species of birds! Therefore, it’s one of the reason why this park is ranked among the best birding destinations in Africa. Here we will be looking for, Common Scimitarbill, Whinchat, Spurb, Bronzy, Olive-Bellied, Marico, Purple-Banded, Orange-Tufted, Scarlet-Chested, Beautiful, Red-Chested Sunbirds, Three-Banded Plover, Caspian Plover, Kittlitz’s Plover, Red-Caped Lark, Brown Babbler, Temminck’s Courser, Northern Wheatear, Black-Winged Pratincole, White-Tailed Lark, Mosque Swallow, Black-Bellied Bustard, Little Swift, Harliquin Quail, Button Quail, White-Winged Warbler, Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Ovampo Sparrowhawk, Secretarybird, Caruther’s Cisticola, African Skimmers, Black-Headed Gonolek, Papyrus Gonolek, Red-Faced Cisticola, Red-Chested Cukoo, Northern Puffback, Tropica Boubou, Diederik, Klaas’s, African-Emerald Cukoos, Little Stint, Temminck’s Stint, African-Wood Owl, Black-Shouldered Night-Jar, Yellow-Throated Long-Claw, East-African Swee, Common Waxbill, Crimson-Rumped Waxbill, Fawn-Brested Waxbill, Zebra Waxbill, Village Indigobird etc.. 2 Nights at Twin Lakes Safari Lodge (all meals Included, Drinks Not Included)

Early after breakfast we leave the hotel for game drive. We’ll have a change to see a number of birds and mammals like Giant Forest Hog, Elephants, Bush Bucks, Water Bucks, Wart Hogs, Baboons, Uganda Cobs etc. after lunch and get ready for the afternoon boat cruise along the great Kazinga channel. Along this channel, you’ll have boat ride that is rich in savanna and water birds as well as a plenty of mammals! On your ride, you’ll be guided by a well knowledgeable site guide and he/she will be in position to help you in all means concerning the wilderness of this park.

1 Night at Ride 4 a woman Lodge. (all meals Included, Drinks Not Included)

Morning after breakfast you report to park headquarters for briefing prior to gorilla tracking excursion. This activity may take anywhere between 3 to 6 hours so a reasonable degree of fitness is required. Gorilla tracking is a remarkable experience to stare in the eyes of these gentle giants, watch them as they play, and go about their daily activities. Its indeed “once in lifetime” experience that you must never miss! Each encounter is different and has own rewards! But you’re likely to enjoy the close view of adults feeding, grooming and resting as the youngsters’ frolic and swing on the vines in a delightful display. Since this activity takes anywhere between 3 – 6 hours, you will drive to Ruhija Sector through the “NECK”. This area is also key to search for Bwindi specials; Red-Throated Alethe, Archer’s Robin-Chat, Yellow Eyed Flycatcher, Chapin’s Flycatcher, Blue-Headed Sunbird, Regal Sunbird, Rockeffeller’s Sunbird, Purple-Breasted Sunbird, Strange Weaver, Dusky Crimson-Wing, Grauer’s Warbler, Neumann’s’ Warbler, Black-Faced Apalis, Collard Apalis, Stripe-Breasted Tit, Ruwenzori Batis, African Green Broadbill, Dwarf Honeyguide, Black-billed Turaco, Handsome Francolin and other birds. 2 Nights at Bakiga Lodge. (all meals Included, Drinks Not Included)

Guided birding activities and route logistics for this day will be confirmed after enquiry.

We shall target an evening game drive and connect into the Optional night game drive. This park is sweet for nocturnal species like night-jars, Bush babbies, Cats and Dogs like hyenas and leopards, Janet cats, Civets, and other more. 2 Nights at Rwakobo Rock Lodge or Hyena Hill Lodge

While in the park we shall look out for birds like; African-Grey Hornbill, Black-Loward Babbler, Red-Headed Weaver, Greater Blue-Eared Starling, Trilling Cisticola, Green-Wood Hoopoe, Brown-Chested Lapwing, Scaly-Throated Honeyguide, Lesser-Masked Weaver, White-Backed Vulture, Tabora Cisticola, Crestd-Spurfowl, Red-Faced Barbet, Little Bee-Eater Etc. And Mammals Like the Zebra, Eland, Topi, Impala, Cape Buffalo, Warthog etc. today we target the boat ride along lake Mburo where we hardly miss African Finfoot, White Backed and Black Crowned Night Heron, Giant Kingfisher. An Optional night drive always produces good views of Black Shouldered, Northern Tanzania Fiery Necked Nightjar, Nocturnal Mammals and Bush Babies.

Since the flight is late in the day, we can decide to have an early morning game drive to try what we could have missed the day before, and later hit the road back to Entebbe or wake up start the journey but with several stops on the way to look for birds. On arrival we check in our planned day use lodge to take a shower, change and a bit relax before dropping you to the airport for your return flight.