Tour Ref: TOU\BNP002
No. of days: 03
Departure: Daily
No. of Participants: Minimum of 1 pax
Transport: 4-wheel-drive Safari Toyota Land Cruiser/Super custom/Vans
Driver/Guide: English Speaking
Day 1: Transfer to Kibale
Day 2: Chimpanzee tracking
Day 3: To Kampala
Day 1: Transfer to Kibale
Pickup from Kampala/Entebbe and transfer to Kibale National Park, through interesting landscape of green vegetation and tea plantations and explosion craters. Lunch will be en-route or at the hotel depending on the arrival time. Transit Time: 5-6 hours Meal plan: breakfast, lunch and dinner Overnight at Primate Lodge Kibale (FB)
Day 2: Chimpanzee tracking
After breakfast, start a walk through the jungle of Kibble forest to track the chimpanzees. The park is home to 12 species of primates including chimpanzees; Olive Baboons, Blue Monkeys, Black faced Red Colobus, Black and White Colobus Monkeys; Red Tailed Monkeys; and an incredible array of bird life, including the Great Blue Turaco. In the evening you can take an optional nature walk around the park and Bigodi Swamp or relax by the lodge. Meal plan: breakfast, lunch and dinner Overnight at Primate Lodge Kibale (FB)
Day 3: To Kampala
After breakfast return to Kampala/Entebbe with Lunch en-route. Meal plan-Breakfast & Lunch. Transit Time 5-6 Hours
Cost will include:
Cost excludes: Personal expenses, air ticket, visas, tips and alcoholic beverages
Tour Ref: TOU\BNP003
No. of days: 03
Departure: Daily
No. of Participants: Minimum of 1 pax
Transport: Scheduled Flights and Safari Land cruiser for Game drive
Driver/Guide: English Speaking
DAY 1 – Fly to Kidepo
DAY 2 – Game Drive, Cultural Visit
DAY 3 – Kampala
DAY 1 – Fly to Kidepo
Fly from Entebbe to Kidepo Air strip. Arrive at Apoka Lodge. After lunch, enjoy panoramic views of the Narus River Valley and photographic opportunities of wildlife from the verandah of the lodge. An evening game drive along the Narus River Valley for game Viewing and photography of Elephants, herds of Buffaloes, Jackals, Jackson’s Hartebeest, Klipspringer and possibly Lions. Dinner and overnight at Apoka Lodge. Meal Plan – Lunch and Dinner.
DAY 2 – Game Drive, Cultural Visit
After an early breakfast, go for morning game drive to Kanangorok hot spring. You may see Giraffes, Elephants, Waterbacks, Warthogs, Zebras, hunting dog, Ostrich, Cheetah, etc. Return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon have a cultural experience that will bring into contact with Karamajong peoples at Karenna or Kapedo. Meet the local elders and have an opportunity to interact with them. They will show you the kraals, the grinding stones and many more interesting items. Dinner and overnight at Apoka Safari Lodge. Meal Plan – Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
DAY 3 – To Entebbe
Morning visit to the bird hide and enjoy a guided nature walk. After lunch, board your flight back to Entebbe.
Cost will include: Accommodation, meals, park entry fees, ranger guide fees, game drives, domestic flight to Kidepo, bottled mineral water and 4×4 ground transportation in safari vehicle with an English Speaking driver guide.
Excludes: Beverages (wines, beers, etc), tips and other expenses of a personal nature
Tour Ref: TOU\BNP004
No. of days: 03
Departure: Daily
No. of Participants: Minimum of 1 pax
Transport: 4-wheel-drive Safari Toyota Land Cruiser/Super custom/Vans
Driver/Guide: English Speaking
Trip Summary
Day 1: Kampala/Entebbe-Queen Elizabeth NP
Depart for Queen Elizabeth National Park from Kampala/Entebbe with few en-route stopovers at the Uganda equator and Igongo Cultural museum. Lunch will be en-route before arriving at Mweya and in the evening, you may opt for the self-guided walk around the park, or you may relax by the lodge side. Dinner and overnight at your lodge. Transit Time 5-6 Hours. Overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge (FB)/Simba Safari Camp (FB)
Day 2: Queen Elizabeth National Park-Game Drive & Boat Ride
6.00 am: Take an early game drive in the park. The animals will still be hunting for prey. This park is home to the famous African wildlife such as lion, elephant, leopard, buffalo and hippos, hyenas, hogs antelopes etc. Return to your accommodation for breakfast and rest.
Day 3: Departure-Kampala/Entebbe
8.00 am: after breakfast, proceed with the morning game drive through the park and after you will transfer back to Kampala with Lunch en-route. Meal plan: Breakfast and Lunch. Transit Time 5-6 Hours
Cost Includes will include:
Cost excludes: Personal expenses, tips and alcoholic beverages
Tour highlights: gorilla tracking, chimp trekking, birding, boat cruise on Lake Albert, the Nile, Kazinga Channel, and game drive and guided nature walks.
This is designed for seasoned birders but also to those that can upgrade their birding commitment to become incorporated into the “seasoned class”. With this, you will progressively look into the main birding sites in Uganda and see many of the species the country boasts of including the 23 Albertine endemics that are only found in DR Congo, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi.
Day 1 arrival at Entebbe:
Welcome to Uganda, the pearl of Africa, a nation gifted by nature and welcoming people. Meet and greeting by our representative/guide at the airport who will transfer you to your hotel for overnight.
Day 2: Birding Nabugabo Wetland:
We transfer to this famous depositional lake that is International Bird Area (IBA) next to lake Victoria, the second largest fresh water lake. After breakfast, we transfer and bird Nabugabo near Mabamba Wetland. This large wetland is new birding site and a far better option than Mabamba and is an IBA on the shores of Lake Victoria, 57km west of Kampala. This depositional lake boasts of the following species that we expect to see: home to the Shoebill stork. Other special birds on this trail include Lesser Jacana, Blue Swallow, Northern Brown Throated Weaver, Purple and Allen’s Galinule, Common and Lesser Moorhen, White Faced and Fulvous Whistling duck, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Papyrus Gonolek, White-winged Warbler, Glossy Ibis, African Pygmy-Goose, Spur-winged Geese, Long-toed Lapwing, Blue-breasted and Madagascar Bee-eaters, Gray-rumped Swallow, Greater Swamp-Warbler, African Reed Warbler, Slender-billed Weaver, Lizard Buzzard, African Pygmy and Malachite Kingfisher, White Winged Tern, Grey Headed Gull, Black Tailed Godwit, Ruff, Three Banded Plover, African Wattled Plover and many more. There after, we transfer to Lake Mburo National park.
Dinner and overnight in High end Mihingo/Midrange Arcadia cottages or Mantana tented camp.
Day 3: birding & Game drive in Lake Mburo:
Lake Mburo Park is continuation of the northern Tanzanian ecosystem with varied habitats that support an impressive and respectable bird list of 315 species. We shall use eland, Rwonyo and other numerous trucks to do birding in this area with prolific birdlife. Expect to see White-winged Warblers, Black-Billed Barbets, Crested Francolin, Brown Parrot, Red-necked Spur, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, Temmincks Courser, Common Quails, Green Wood hoopoe, Blue-napped Mouse bird, Bare-faced Go-away Bird, African Grey Hornbill, Nubian Woodpecker, Trilling Cisticola, Lilac-breasted Roller, Coqui Francolin, Black-bellied Bustard, African Wattled Plover, Rufous-naped and Flappet Larks, Rufous-chested Swallow, Southern Red Bishop, and Yellow-throated Long Claw among others. The fringing swamps in the park also hide secretive papyrus specialties such as the Papyrus Gonolek. Common conspicuous birds we may encounter on our journey to Lake Mburo include Crested Francolin, Common Scimitar Bill, Spot-flanked Barbet, Trilling Cisticola, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Northern Black Tit, Chin-spot Batis, Great Blue-eared Starling, and Marico Sunbird. The woodland in the immediate vicinity of Rwonyo also supports many of these widespread species.
The more open grassland north of the Rwonyo Camp, particularly along the Zebra Track, is worth exploring for species such as Coqui Francolin, Red-necked Spurfowl, Black-bellied Bustard, Temminck’s courser, African Wattled Plover, Rufous-napped and Lapped Larks, Rufous-chested Swallow, Yellow-throated Long Claw, and Southern Red Bishop. A small number of the migratory Brown-chested Plover is regularly observed. Spot lighting along the entrance road may produce interesting nocturnal species such as the African Scops Owl, Verreux’s Eagle, and Fiery-necked, White-tailed, and Pennant-winged Nightjars. Dinner and overnight in High end Mihingo/Midrange Arcadia cottages or Mantana tented camp.
Day 4: Game Drive and Birding on Boat
Morning birding on foot along the park trails with an armed ranger. This gives us opportunity to see many more crepuscular species and early morning risers. We shall also see wildlife licking salt as birding progresses while the local guide continues with explanation. There after we turn back to our lodge for breakfast, after this we proceed for a game and birding drive which gives us higher chances of viewing mammals like the Zebras, Impalas, Elands, Topis, Buffaloes among others and eland truck is particularly important for this productive birding. As we bird we shall focus our attention on the search several species including the Red Faced Barbet, Coqui Francolin, Brown Chested Plover, Tabora Cisticola, Lesser Blue Eared Starling, Buff Bellied Warbler, Red Headed Weaver, Black Shouldered Cuckoo Shrike, Sulpher Breasted Bush-shrike, Green Capped Eremomela, Bare faced Go-away-bird, Red Billed Wood Hope and more acacia associated birds, in the afternoon we go for a boat ride in search for the African Finfoot, White Backed and Black Crowned Night Herons, Giant Kingfisher back to the lodge for dinner and overnight. Dinner and overnight in High end Mihingo/Midrange Arcadia cottages or Mantana tented camp.
Day 5: Lake Mburo and transfer to Bunyonyi
We continue with birding in the morning following the Impala loop to see the many of the savanna species and then go for breakfast. We transfer southwards to Bunyonyi resort with stopover enroute for lunch; we traverse through the beautiful and terraced hilly country often referred to as the Switzerland of Africa arriving at the resort late in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight in Bunyonyi Safari resort.
Day 6: birding in Kyevu Island:
The Bunyonyi area is magnificent with great scenic views. After breakfast, transfer to Kyevu Island for bird watching. Look out for endemic birds resident here in Lake Bunyonyi like the Handsome Francolin, Dusky Turtle Dove, Alpine Chat, etc. we retire for afternoon, and after lunch take boat ride Cray fishing. The boat trip to the pygmies is worthwhile as they welcome you with drumming and ecstatic dancing. These are indigenous forest communities with almost no dilution of their original traditions. Do not ignore the exciting whistling of the concentrated birdlife in this area. You will find an afternoon with the pygmies and bird-watching, a worthwhile pastime.
Meal Plan – Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, Bunyonyi Safari Resort.
Day 7: to Ruhija:
We breakfast early and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National park for yet glorious birding times! We will spend plenty of good time birding the trails leading out from the camp and also in the swamps of Ruhija as these are very productive.
Dinner and overnight at Ruhija lodge. `
Day 8: Birding in Ruhija full day:
Today, we start early after breakfast and hit trails such as ivy river trail, muzabajiro, rushura and waterfalls trails searching for Barred and Olive Long-tailed Cuckoos; Bar-tailed Trogon; Dusky Tit; Kivu Ground-Thrush; White-bellied Robin-Chat; Equatorial Akalat; White-tailed Ant-Thrush; Red-throated Alethe; White-bellied Crested-Flycatcher; White-eyed Slaty-Flycatcher; Gray-green Bushshrike; Northern Double-collared Sunbird; Black-billed Weaver and Magpie Mannikin. High exposed glades in the forest are favored by African Goshawk; the dazzling Black Bee-eater; Blue-throated Roller; Sooty Flycatcher and forest starlings including Waller’s, Stuhlmann’s and Narrow-tailed. One of Bwindi’s star avian attractions is the diminutive, pitta-like Neumann’s Warbler, a vocal yet very secretive bird! Other under-storey birds we hope to see include displaying African Broadbill; Pale-breasted and Mountain Illadopsis, African Hill-Babbler, Red-throated Alethe, Black-faced, Black-throated and Mountain Masked Apalises, Banded Prinia and the handsome Black-faced Rufous-Warbler. The mid-storey and canopy supports Elliot’s and Tullberg’s woodpeckers; Cabanis’, Toro Olive, Shelley’s and Ansorge’s greenbuls strange Grauer’s Warbler and White-browed Crombec, Yellow-eyed Black, Ashy, Dusky-blue, Chapin’s and Cassin’s Grey Flycatchers, Chin-spot and Rwenzori Batis, Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher, White-bellied Crested-flycatcher, Dusky Tit, Blue-throated Brown, Blue-headed, Northern Double-collared and Grey-headed Sunbirds, Mackinnon’s Fiscal, Sooty Boubou, Pink-footed Puffback, Doherty’s Bush-shrike. The rare Jameson’s Antpecker may also been seen probing under moss on dead branches or gleaning warbler-like in the canopy along with Strange, Brown-capped and Black-billed Weavers. Overhead, Scarce Swifts forage over the forest. You will find birding at Ruhija truly a magical experience. Meal Plan – Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, Bunyonyi Ruhija gorilla lodge.
Day 9: transfer to Buhoma:
After breakfast, we continue birding in Ruhija and gradually transfer to Buhoma for gorilla tracking the following day. We have picnic lunch and in the afternoon, we follow ivy, waterfalls, or Munyaga river trails and bird in these productive sites. The mid-storey and canopy supports Elliot’s and Tullberg’s woodpeckers; Cabanis’, Toro Olive, Shelley’s and Ansorge’s greenbuls strange Grauer’s Warbler and White-browed Crombec, Yellow-eyed Black, Ashy, Dusky-blue, Chapin’s and Cassin’s Grey Flycatchers, Chin-spot and Rwenzori Batis, Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher, White-bellied Crested-flycatcher, Dusky Tit, Blue-throated Brown, Blue-headed, Northern Double-collared and Grey-headed Sunbirds, Mackinnon’s Fiscal, Sooty Boubou, Pink-footed Puffback, Doherty’s Bush-shrike. Dinner and overnight in high-end Engagi lodge/Kitandara tented camp.
Day 10 Gorilla tracking:
After an early hearty breakfast to give you energy for the day’s activity, you will transfer to the park headquarters for briefing on primates (gorilla tracking) before we embark on Gorilla trekking. Pushing your way uphill through the forest, crisscrossed by numerous animal trails, the chances of finding a a family are good and spending an hour with these immense creatures is an experience never to be forgotten as you stare in the red pensive eyes of these gentle massive creatures. You will have some opportunity for good pictures at close range with these closest relatives to man as they play, murmur, feed and swing in low branches of forest trees. The behavior of the dominant silver-back and the black backs is of great concern as pecking order is clear. Birders will find this forest uniquely endowed with birdlife, for instance, the forest of the park’s lowland portion has an avifauna quite different from that of the higher parts, where altitude and the steep tracks make for slow progress. Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo, Western Bronze-napped Pigeon, Bar-tailed Trogon, African Broadbill and White-bellied Robin are just a few of the species we may find in the forest. If there is energy after back, why not take a village walk to local communities to have firsthand experience in African ways of life in homesteads. Overnight at Gorilla Resort/Mantana Luxury Tented Camp/ community camp ground.
Day 11 transfer to and birding at Ishasha:
We breakfast and transfer to Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth national park, area revered for tree climbing lions in the world. Placed within the Albertan rift, the scenic Ishasha sector has mainly wetland and savanna species: martial eagle, black-rumped buttonquail, African skimmer, chapins flycatcher, pink-backed pelicans, white-winged warbler, papyrus gonolek, papyrus canary, corncrake, and many other forest species. The marshy Edward flats are very productive and also offer scenic game drives as you will see plentiful of topi, the Uganda Kob, the buffalo and the elephants. Evening birding and game drives offer opportunity to see the rare shoebill stork and tree climbing lions. We do night game drive to see the nocturnals especially the night jars. Meal plan: lunch and dinner and overnight at Ishasha wilderness camp.
Day 12 transfer to and birding at Mweya
Scenically this park has everything, the snowcapped Rwenzori Mountains on the equator, the blue mitumbi mountains of DR Congo, the vast lakes Edward and George and numerous explosion craters that add fragrance to the parks beauty. A variety of these habitats are the cornerstone to many birdlife species: 612 Bird species exist both residents and migrant. We transfer to Mweya with intermittent stopover birding and we have picnic lunch along the route. Expect to see some of the amazing species such as the secretive Black-rumped and Common Buttonquails, magnificent Martial Eagle, comical Red-necked Spur fowl, cautious African Crakes peering out from the gassy verge, African Skimmers cutting a trench across the waters in the quiet bays, enormous Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl booming around the lodge in the evenings, crisp Sooty Chats, glistening Red-chested Sunbird and Slender-billed Weaver coming into the dining room to share breakfast with an afternoon boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel the narrow neck of water that connects Lakes George and Edward. Here you’ll encounter the birdlife sanctuary in the park and meet “the conference of the Parties of birds” and have fine views of many water birds such as the gull, skimmers, the great cormorants, the pink-backed pelican, the great white-backed pelican, the great African fish eagle, the goliath heron, the Caucasus heron, little & greater cattle egret, the pied kingfisher, malachite king fisher, the yellow billed stork, lesser & greater flamingo, and shoe-billed stork and some of the skulking birds in the reed beds. Dinner and overnight at high end Mweya Safari Lodge/midrange Katara/hippo hill tented Camp.
Day 13 birding and game drive in Mweya:
Today is your day to explore Queen Elizabeth National Park fully, taking scenic drives around the extinct volcanoes and the highly placed scenic craters, searching the scrub and lakeshore for the many birds that live here. 612 Bird species exist both residents and migrant. Expect to see some of the amazing species such as the secretive Black-rumped and Common Buttonquails, magnificent Martial Eagle, comical Red-necked Spur fowl, cautious African Crakes peering out from the gassy verge, African Skimmers cutting a trench across the waters in the quiet bays, enormous Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl booming around the lodge in the evenings, crisp Sooty Chats, glistening Red-chested Sunbird and Slender-billed Weaver coming into the dining room to share breakfast with an afternoon boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel the narrow neck of water that connects Lakes George and Edward. Here you’ll encounter the birdlife sanctuary in the park and meet “the conference of the Parties of birds” and have fine views of many water birds such as the gull, skimmers, the great cormorants, the pink-backed pelican, the great white-backed pelican, the great African fish eagle, the goliath heron, the Caucasus heron, little & greater cattle egret, the pied kingfisher, malachite king fisher, the yellow billed stork, lesser & greater flamingo, and shoe-billed stork and some of the skulking birds in the reed beds.
Both the morning and afternoon birding and game drives are rich experience for wonderful birdlife and wildlife on the littoral zone on the lakes Edward, George and the Kazinga channel. You will boat on the hippo & elephant thronged Kazinga channel, you will sight kob, buffalo, waterbuck and the elusive giant forest hogs, while early morning game drives are productive and may see the cats such as lion and hyena in action. Dinner and overnight at high end Mweya Safari Lodge/midrange Katara/hippo hill tented Camp.
Day 14 transfer to Semuliki:
We continue birding and transfer to Semuliki national park. We stop for lunch in fort portal and proceed to the Semuliki via the scenic slopes of Rwenzori Mountains, past the Kijura escarpment, arriving in afternoon. We bird the Kirumya Trail rest Trails. Semuliki Forest is the part of the Ituri forest of DR Congo that meets Uganda in extreme west and is very productive site. Birding here gives us chances of seeing the Congo Serpent Eagle, African Piculet, Orange-tufted Sunbird, Black-winged Oriole Black-throated Coucal, Nkulengu Rail, Lyre-tailed Honeyguide, Long-tailed Hawk, Pale Fronted, Chestnut Breasted and White Breasted Negrofinch, Capuchin Babbler, Yellow-throated Nicator, Yellow Throated Cuckoo, Eastern Bearded Greenbul, Black-collared Lovebird, White-bellied Kingfisher, Red-rumped Tinkerbird, Piping, Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill, Black Dwarf, White Crested, Black-casqued Wattled, and White-thighed Hornbill, Zenker’s Honeyguide, Fiery Breasted Bush Shrike Red-billed Helmet Shrike, Maxwell’s Weaver, Lemon-bellied Crombec, African and Rufous-sided Broadbill, Swamp Palm Bulbul, Crested Malimbe, Blue-billed Malimbe, Fiery-breasted Bush-shrike and many more. We go for night game drive for the nocturnals such as the night jars. If lucky, we may sight leopard or other cats in tree. Dinner and overnight in Semuliki lodge.
Day 15: birding Semuliki and transfer to Kibale forest national Park:
We breakfast early and go for the rare shoe-bill stork on southern end of Lake Albert. We shall bird in the Semuliki delta wetlands and see variety of wetland birds including the rare shoebill stork, cormorants, creks, African jacana, papyrus gonolek, and many more, and return for lunch. After lunch, we continue to bird in the Semuliki wilderness to see the savanna species, as we game drive. Wildlife species prolific are kob, reedbuck, water buck, buffalo, warthog and elephant. Dinner and overnight in Semuliki lodge.
Day 16: birding & primates walk in Semuliki and transfer to Kibale forest national park:
After coffee, we start early and go to trek the new family of chimpanzee in the Semuliki forest. This gives you opportunity for also to bird. Expect to see bush warbler, woodland kingfisher, the snow headed robin chart, yellow-vented bulbul, Kirk’s francolin, African coco, sisticola and chegra. You will definitely sight many more forest species. Retreat to the lodge and have lunch and transfer to Kibale forest national park for yet glorious birding and primate excursions. Dinner and overnight in Chimp nest for two nights.
Day 17: chimpanzee trekking and birding in Kibale:
Kibale is home to 13 species of primates and there are also so many species of birdlife. This is where we have bigger chances of Chimpanzee tracking. Birding in the forest is also very rewarding and you could encounter White-napped Pigeon, African Gray Parrot, Black Bee-eater, Hairy-breasted, Yellow Spotted and Yellow Billed Barbet, Chestnut-winged and Purple-headed, Waller’s and Narrow Tailed Starlings, Blue-throated Brown and Superb Sunbirds, White-collared Olive back among others. After the chimpanzee, we do Bigodi wetland walks. Expect to see primates such as red-tailed, red colobus, black & white, blue, grey-cheeked mangabey monkeys. Birdlife here is prolific: the great blue Turaco, the Rwenzori Turaco, African stone chat and many more species. Dinner and overnight in Chimp nest.
Day 18 Transfer to Murchison Falls national park:
Breakfasting early gives us the opportunity to traverse the verdant western country as we drive northwards on the rim of the Albertan rift escarpment, with lunch stopover enroute at Kolping in Hoima. We shall stop over in Ruzizi forest, Butiaba escarpment, and Lake Albert for birding arriving in the evening. We shall stay for two nights in our booked lodge. Dinner and overnight in high-end Paraa safari lodge / midrange Sambiya River lodge.
Day 19: birding in Murchison Falls:
Murchison falls is one of the best birding sites. Two options are available; we may bird on a boat along the Victoria Nile to the delta to see the resident wetland species and/or do a birding drive to the delta. This will give us opportunity to see other prolific savanna and wetland species in the park. Later in the afternoon, you take a launch trip to the bottom of the falls. Recorded birds in this park include Shoebill, Secretary Bird, Abyssinian Roller and Ground Hornbill, Pied Kingfishers, Red-throated Bee-eaters, Goliath Heron, Saddle-billed Stork, Sacred Ibis, Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Senegal and Water Thick-knees, Black-headed and Long-toed Lapwing, Little Bittern, Osprey, Red-necked Falcon, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Vinaceous Dove and Grosbeak Weaver. Buff-bellied Warbler, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Bar-breasted Firefinch, Red-winged Grey Warbler, Spotted Morning-Thrush, Marabou Stork, Red-throated Bee-eater, Silver Bird, Beautiful Sunbird, Black-headed Gonolek, Speckle-fronted Weaver, Golden-backed Weaver and White-rumped Seedeater, Rock Pratincole, African Darter and Giant Kingfisher.
Full Board: overnight in high-end Paraa safari lodge / midrange Sambiya River lodge.
Day 20: Bird watching safari in Murchison Falls:
Today we check-out of our lodge and bird in Busingiro to the escarpment, having picnic lunch in the forest. This stretch is one of the best of Uganda Birding spots. Primate species here are also common. Expect to see Fox’s Cisticola, White-headed and black billed Barbet, Northern Crombec, Singing Cisticola, Grey-headed Bush Shrike, Grey-headed Olive-back, Red Winged Pytilia, Black-bellied Firefinch, Lesser-masked Weaver. Later we transfer to Masindi.
Overnight at Court view Hotel/ Masindi Hotel
Day 21: Birding in Kaniyo Pabidi:
We will turn back south the short distance to the famous Budongo Forest. Our efforts will be concentrated on the Kaniyo Pabidi area in the southern sector of the Murchison Falls NP, and the only known site in East Africa for Puvel’s Illadopsis. We can expect to find this bird as well as a wide range of other forest species. We will have much of the day to try and find a good mix of widespread species and more local specialties such as Crested Guineafowl sporting their “punk hair-do’s”, White-crested Turaco, Chestnut-crowned Eremomela, Yellow & Grey Longbills, Olive-bellied Crombec, Yellow-browed Camaroptera, Little Green Sunbird, Crested Malimbe and Red-headed Bluebill among others. Here are many other special birds with a West African origin: White-thighed Hornbill, Green-breasted Pitta, Rufous-sided Broadbill, Blue-breasted, Dwarf & Chocolate-backed Kingfishers, Yellow-crested & Brown-eared Woodpeckers, Yellowbill, Western Black-headed Oriole, Yellow-spotted, Hairy-breasted & Yellow-billed Barbets, Green Hylia, Buff-throated, Black-throated & Black-capped Apalises, Black-eared Ground-Thrush, Rufous-crowned Eremomela, the elusive Lemon-bellied Crombec, Crested & Red-headed Malimbes various forest starlings among others. We will also be in prime area for a wide range of primates such as Blue & Red-tailed Monkeys and Black and white Colobus – and if lucky Chimpanzees (this area is home to Uganda’s largest population of Chimpanzees) NIGHT at Masindi Hotel or Court View
Day 22 rhino tracking in Ziwa ranch and transfer to Kampala:
We have breakfast at leisure to allow us adequate time to recuperate our energies yet to finalize our trip and visit a nearby Ziwa ranch to track the Rhinos. This area is scrubland with variety of birdlife and antelopes. After tracking the rhino we depart for Kampala/Entebbe for your onward travel.
Tour highlights: gorilla tracking, chimp trekking, birding, boat cruise on Lake Albert, the Nile, Kazinga Channel, and game drive.
This safari is for bird lovers with time to go full throttle birding in the rich Albertan rift and experience the beauty of Uganda. From our menu of birding holidays in Uganda, the 15 day birding Uganda express is a 2 week tour starting from Entebbe botanical gardens, just 5 minutes drive from Entebbe International Airport, followed by birding in the mid altitude Budongo rain forest on the rim of the Albertan rift, the savanna parks of Murchison falls, Semuliki & Queen Elizabeth national parks and the primates parks of Kibale and Bwindi. Moving through the western axis, expect to see a mixture of species of savanna, forest, and littoral zones as well as the wetlands. A birder will find this a must visit birding trip.
Day 1 Arrival:
Our guide and/or representative will meet and greet you at the Entebbe International Airport and transfer you to your hotel for overnight. For early arrival we can do some birding in the botanical areas: look out for: Great Blue and Ross’s Turacos, Red Chested, Klaas’s and Diederick Cuckoo, Great Reed, Grey Capped, Ssdge, Greater Swamp and Eurosuian Reed Warblesr, Fain Tailed Widow bird, Striped, Malachite, Giant, Woodland and Pygmy Kingfishers, Black Bishop, Grey Woodpecker, Olive, Olive bellied, Red chested, Superb, Green Throated and Collard Sunbirds, Orange, Yellow Backed, Golden Backed, Slender Billed and Black Headed Weavers, Lizard Buzzard, Grey Kestral, Black Kite, Gaber Goshawk, African Paradise and Red Bellied Paradise and Ashy fly catchers, and many more. We may overnight in Imperial botanical/Sophie’s Motel.
Day 2: transfer to Masindi:
We breakfast early and go for birding in the botanical gardens and/or the or the Lutembe bay then transfer to Masindi via the Luwero triangle passing through undulating grasslands and mosaic woodland where we drive watching out for the White-crested Turaco, Bronze-tailed Starling, lesser Blue and Great Blue Eared Starlings, Black, Yellow Mantled and Black Winged Bishops, White Headed Barbet, Cardinal and Nubian Woodpecker, Lesser and Greater Honey guide. Dinner and overnight at Masindi Hotel or New Court View for two nights for the following day we are going to Busingiro and Royal Mile for intensive birding.
Dinner and overnight at high end Court-view Hotel/Masindi hotel.
Day 3: Birding Budongo Royal Mile and Busingiro:
Depart early for the nearby low altitude standing Budongo Forest, birding along the Royal Mile, a truly spectacular road with forest canopy towering far overhead. There is a good system of trails in the forest, today we expect skulking birds like the Nahan’s Francolin, excessively noisy White-thighed Hornbill, graceful Cassin’s and Sabine’s Spine tail, Blue-throated Roller, Yellow-browed Camaroptera, Forest Flycatcher, Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, Ituri Batis, Lemon Bellied Crombec, Tit Hylia, Uganda Woodland Warbler, Forest Robin, Yellow Billed, Grey Throated, Hairy Breasted and Yellow Spotted Barbet, Great Blue and Black Billed Turaco, Dusy Long Tailed Cuckoo, Spotted, Plain, Slender Billed, White Throated, Little Grey and Little Greenbul, Red Tailed Bristlebill and Black-capped Apalis among others.
Dinner and overnight at high end Court-view Hotel/Masindi hotel.
Day 4: birding in Murchison:
Transfer to nearby Murchison Falls National park with stopover at top of the falls. We start early and drive through Budongo Kaniyo Pabidi area in search for the Puvel’s Illadopsis, after this we bird to the top of the falls as we time our ferry to Paraa Safari Lodge where we shall have our overnight stay. A night drive today is very advisable looking out for nocturnal mammals and birds particularly the owl, the night jars and lots more.
Dinner and overnight at high end Paraa Safari Lodge/midrange Nile safari lodge.
Day 5: birding in Northern bank, Murchison falls:
In the morning we do game drive and continue birding. In the afternoon the visit will undoubtedly be the boat trips to the bottom of the falls and to the delta area, and of course the one bird that will be on everyone’s mind is the Shoebill while at the delta. Superb views can be had of this wonderful bird. There will be other birds including the Red-throated and Northern Carmine Bee-eater mammals such as Rothschild’s Giraffe, Cape buffalo, Elephant, Waterbuck and many others will be viewed. Other birds to look out for include the Saddle-billed, Yellow Billed and African Open Billed Stork, African Finfoot, Red-necked Falcon, Senegal Thick-knee, Rock Pratincole, Giant, Woodland, Grey Headed, Malachite, Pygmy and striped Kingfishers. On the game drive we look out for Heuglin’s Francolins Black Billed Barbet, Northern and Red Faced Barbet, Swallow-tailed and Blue-breasted and Northern Carmine Bee-eaters, Abyssinian Rollers, the giant Abyssinian Ground Hornbills, Black Winged and Northern Red Bishops. Dinner and overnight at high end Paraa Safari Lodge/midrange Nile safari lodge.
Day 6: transfer to Kibale: : Kibale Forest National Park:
This is the longest drive on the whole trip, but we shall have some birding stops, on the escarpment, and in Muzizi forest, driving via Hoima where we have lunch stop. There are a few papyrus swamps where specialties such as White-winged Warbler and Papyrus Gonolek can be found, while the surrounding scrub may harbor, Double-toothed Barbet, Black-bellied Seed cracker and Gray-headed Olive back. Dinner and overnight at Chimpanzee nest for two nights.
Day 7: Kibale National Park – Chimpanzee Tracking and Birding:
Kibale is home to 13 species of primates and there are also so many species of birdlife. This is where we have bigger chances of Chimpanzee tracking. Birding in the forest is also very rewarding and you could encounter White-napped Pigeon, African Gray Parrot, Black Bee-eater, Hairy-breasted, Yellow Spotted and Yellow Billed Barbet, Chestnut-winged and Purple-headed, Waller’s and Narrow Tailed Starlings, Blue-throated Brown and Superb Sunbirds, White-collared Olive back among others. After the chimpanzee, we transfer to Semuliki Park in the western rift valley for the Albertan endemics. We stopover in Fort Portal for lunch and continue birding enroute to Semuliki, arriving in the evening.
Dinner and overnight at Semuliki lodge for two nights.
Day 8: Birding Semuliki:
You will have breakfast at dawn and then drive into Semuliki National Park for birding. We bird the Kirumya Trail rest Trails. Semuliki Forest is the part of the Ituri forest of DR Congo that meets Uganda in extreme west and is very productive site. Birding here gives us chances of seeing the Congo Serpent Eagle, African Piculet, Orange-tufted Sunbird, Black-winged Oriole Black-throated Coucal, Nkulengu Rail, Lyre-tailed Honeyguide, Long-tailed Hawk, Pale Fronted, Chestnut Breasted and White Breasted Negrofinch, Capuchin Babbler, Yellow-throated Nicator, Yellow Throated Cuckoo, Eastern Bearded Greenbul, Black-collared Lovebird, White-bellied Kingfisher, Red-rumped Tinkerbird, Piping, Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill, Black Dwarf, White Crested, Black-casqued Wattled, and White-thighed Hornbill, Zenker’s Honeyguide, Fiery Breasted Bush Shrike Red-billed Helmet Shrike, Maxwell’s Weaver, Lemon-bellied Crombec, African and Rufous-sided Broadbill, Swamp Palm Bulbul, Crested Malimbe, Blue-billed Malimbe, Fiery-breasted Bush-shrike and many more.
Day 9: birding Semuliki and transfer to Queen Elizabeth:
We breakfast early and go for the rare shoe-bill stork on southern end of Lake Albert. We shall bird in the Semuliki delta wetlands and see variety of wetland birds including the rare shoebill stork, commorants, creks, African jacana, papyrus gonolek, and many more, and return for lunch. After lunch, we transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park. Dinner and overnight in high end Mweya safari lodge/midrange Katara Lodge/ basic hippo hill tented camp.
Day 10 Queen Elizabeth national park:
Queen Elizabeth is the second highest visited park and you’ll explore Queen Elizabeth National Park in earnest, taking scenic drives around the extinct volcanoes and searching the scrub and lakeshore for the many birds that live here. 612 Bird species exist both residents and migrant. Expect to see some of the amazing species such as the secretive Black-rumped and Common Buttonquails, magnificent Martial Eagle, comical Red-necked Spur fowl, cautious African Crakes peering out from the gassy verge, African Skimmers cutting a trench across the waters in the quiet bays, enormous Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl booming around the lodge in the evenings, crisp Sooty Chats, glistening Red-chested Sunbird and Slender-billed Weaver coming into the dining room to share breakfast with an afternoon boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel the narrow neck of water that connects Lakes George and Edward. Here you’ll encounter the birdlife sanctuary in the park and meet “the conference of the Parties of birds” and have fine views of many water birds such as the gull, skimmers, the great cormorants, the pink-backed pelican, the great white-backed pelican, the great African fish eagle, the goliath heron, the Caucasus heron, little & greater cattle egret, the pied kingfisher, malachite king fisher, the yellow billed stork, lesser & greater flamingo, and shoe-billed stork and some of the skulking birds in the reed beds.
Dinner and overnight at high end Mweya Safari Lodge/midrange Katara/hippo hill tented Camp.
Day 11: to Bwindi Impenetrable park:
we begin our romantic drive to the gorilla land through the tree climbing territory of Ishasha, southern Queen Elizabeth national park. We depart Mweya with packed lunch for Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park stopping enroute for birding as and where necessary, driving on the bottom of the western rift valley. Dinner and overnight night at Gorilla Resort or Buhoma Community Bandas
Days 12: Gorilla trekking
after an early hearty breakfast to give you energy for the day’s activity, you will transfer to the park headquarters for briefing on primates (gorilla tracking) before we embark on Gorilla trekking. The chances of finding a troop are good and spending an hour with these immense creatures is an experience never to be forgotten. You will have some opportunity for good pictures with these creatures as they play, feed and swing in low branches of forest trees. Birders will find this forest uniquely endowed with birdlife, for instance, the forest of the park’s lowland portion has an avifauna quite different from that of the higher parts, where altitude and the steep tracks make for slow progress. Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo, Western Bronze-napped Pigeon, Bar-tailed Trogon, African Broadbill and White-bellied Robin are just a few of the species we may find in the forest. Overnight at Gorilla Resort/Mantana Luxury Tented Camp/ community camp ground.
Day 13 Whole Day Birding Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and transfer to Bunyonyi Safari resort:
We will spend plenty of good time birding the trails leading out from the camp. Trails such as ivy river trail, muzabajiro, rushura and waterfalls trails will be productive and Species we will search for include Barred and Olive Long-tailed Cuckoos; Bar-tailed Trogon; Dusky Tit; Kivu Ground-Thrush; White-bellied Robin-Chat; Equatorial Akalat; White-tailed Ant-Thrush; Red-throated Alethe; White-bellied Crested-Flycatcher; White-eyed Slaty-Flycatcher; Gray-green Bushshrike; Northern Double-collared Sunbird; Black-billed Weaver and Magpie Mannikin. High exposed perches in the open forest are favored by African Goshawk; the dazzling Black Bee-eater; Blue-throated Roller; Sooty Flycatcher and forest starlings including Waller’s, Stuhlmann’s and Narrow-tailed. One of Bwindi’s star avian attractions is the diminutive, pitta-like Neumann’s Warbler, a vocal yet very secretive bird! Other under-storey birds we hope to see include displaying African Broadbill; Pale-breasted and Mountain Illadopsis, African Hill-Babbler, Red-throated Alethe, Black-faced, Black-throated and Mountain Masked Apalises, Banded Prinia and the handsome Black-faced Rufous-Warbler. The mid-storey and canopy supports Elliot’s and Tullberg’s woodpeckers; Cabanis’, Toro Olive, Shelley’s and Ansorge’s greenbuls strange Grauer’s Warbler and White-browed Crombec, Yellow-eyed Black, Ashy, Dusky-blue, Chapin’s and Cassin’s Grey Flycatchers, Chin-spot and Rwenzori Batis, Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher, White-bellied Crested-flycatcher, Dusky Tit, Blue-throated Brown, Blue-headed, Northern Double-collared and Grey-headed Sunbirds, Mackinnon’s Fiscal, Sooty Boubou, Pink-footed Puffback, Doherty’s Bush-shrike. The rare Jameson’s Antpecker may also been seen probing under moss on dead branches or gleaning warbler-like in the canopy along with Strange, Brown-capped and Black-billed Weavers. Overhead, Scarce Swifts forage over the forest. Birding at Buhoma is a truly magical experience.
After lunch we continue birding to Ruhija enroute to Bunyonyi safari resort, Kabale winding through the beautiful terraced hills often referred to as “the Switzerland of Africa” arriving on the magical resort in evening. Meal Plan – Breakfast, Lunch and dinner. Meal Plan – Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, overnight Bunyonyi Resort Hotel.
Day 14 birding in Kyevu Island:
The Bunyonyi area is magnificent with great scenic views. After breakfast, transfer to Kyevu Island for bird watching. Look out for endemic birds resident here in Lake Bunyonyi like the Handsome Francolin, Dusky Turtle Dove, Alpine Chat, etc. we retire for afternoon, and after lunch take boat ride Cray fishing. The boat trip to the pygmies is worthwhile as they welcome you with drumming and ecstatic dancing. These are indigenous forest communities with almost no dilution of their original traditions. Do not ignore the exciting whistling of the concentrated birdlife in this area. You will find an afternoon with the pygmies and bird-watching, a worthwhile pastime.
Meal Plan – Breakfast, Lunch and dinner. Meal Plan – Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, Bunyonyi Resort Hotel.
Day 15 transfer to Kampala/Entebbe:
We’ll have to start early for Kampala transfer, with a stopover in Mbarara for lunch at Agip motel arriving in Kampala and transfer to Entebbe in time for your flights back home and/or onward travel.
Day 1: Arrival
You are received by one of our staff at the Entebbe International Airport who will transfer you to your hotel for overnight. For early arrival we can do some birding in the botanical areas: look out for: Great Blue and Ross’s Turacos, Red Chested, Klaas’s and Diederick Cuckoo, Great Reed, Grey Capped, Ssdge, Greater Swamp and Eurosuian Reed Warblesr, Fain Tailed Widow bird, Striped, Malachite, Giant, Woodland and Pygmy Kingfishers, Black Bishop, Grey Woodpecker, Olive, Olive bellied, Red chested, Superb, Green Throated and Collard Sunbirds, Orange, Yellow Backed, Golden Backed, Slender Billed and Black Headed Weavers, Lizard Buzzard, Grey Kestral, Black Kite, Gaber Goshawk, African Paradise and Red Bellied Paradise and Ashy fly catchers, and many more. We may overnight in Imperial botanical Resort/Sophie’s Motel. Meal Plan-BB
Day 2: Birding in Mabamba swamp
Mabamba Swamp, 50km west of Kampala is productive birding site. We start early after breakfast with a stopover at 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 specialties. At the swamp, most of the birding is on a canoe, paddled by our local site guides. Look for the Shoebill both in the sky and down on the marsh. Like nothing else on earth, this most famous and bizarre avian wonder is the only representative in its family. It is truly a life-changing moment looking at this bizarre bird as it preens, showing off its huge grinning, and wooden-looking, clog-like bill. You may also have marvelous views of it as it soars on broad wings.
Also watch for the Swamp Flycatcher, African Purple Swamp-hen, African Water Rail, Common Moorhen, Lesser Jacana, African Jacana, African Pygmy Goose, White-faced Whistling-duck, Squacco, Rufous-bellied and Purple Heron, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Winding Cisticola, Goliath Heron, Black Crake, African Marsh Harrier, Hamerkop, Malachite and Pied Kingfishers, Common Waxbill, Yellow-billed Duck, Blue-headed Cuckoo, Fan-tailed Widowbird, Intermediate Egret, Osprey, Long-toed Lapwing, African Pied Wagtail, and Red-billed Fire-finch. Lunch in Masaka, after, we proceed to Lake Mburo national park. Overnight at up market Mihingo lodge/ midrange Mantana tented camp or Arcadia lodge/ basic Rwonyo camp. Meal-B, L, D
Day 3: Birding in Lake Mburo NP
The park is revered for impressive bird list of 315 species of birdlife. Have breakfast very early in the morning and then proceed for birding in the park along the Kigambira loop, which traverses a variety of productive habitats. Expect birds like African Marsh Harriers, Banded Snake Eagles, Shikra, Goshawks, Augur Buzzard, African fish, Twany, Steppe, and African Hawk Eagles and many more. Proceed through the Eland track plentiful with zebras, Eland, Impala, warthogs, and many more as you bird in this rich evergreen river valley. In the afternoon, take a boat on the lake Mburo. Alternatively, we take guided nature walk early in the morning to bird where we shall see more other birds such as warbler, and have the opportunity to see wildlife salt leaking. After lunch, go for the boat ride on Lake Mburo in the afternoon. Expect to see some of the water bird species such as Papyrus Gonolek, Malachite Kingfishers, African finfoot, giant Kingfisher and the nocturnal black-backed heron, an endemic species of the park. Dinner and overnight at up market Mihingo lodge/ midrange Mantana tented camp or Arcadia lodge/ basic Rwonyo camp. Meal Plan-B, L, D
Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP
Depart early after breakfast driving westwards to Queen Elizabeth National Park, descending down into the scenic Albertan rift. Your 2 day birding vacation in this area, covers the northern Kasenyi plains with great wildlife, the Kazinga channel, and Lake George Ramsar site. The northern Kasenyi plains are productive and good for the savanna species, as we bird amidst the kob lek and mating ground. Queen Elizabeth National Park on the shores of Lake Edward boasts of 612 species including parliarctic migrants, water, savannah and forest species. Dinner and overnight at high end Mweya Safari Lodge/midrange Katara/hippo hill tented Camp. Meal plan-B, L, D
Day 5: Queen Elizabeth NP
After breakfast, we explore this scenic park, the second highest visited park. Today you’ll explore Queen Elizabeth National Park in earnest, taking scenic drives around the extinct volcanoes and searching the scrub and lakeshore for the many birds that live here with over 612 Bird species both residents and migrant. Expect to see some of the amazing species such as the secretive Black-rumped and Common Buttonquails, magnificent Martial Eagle, comical Red-necked Spur fowl, cautious African Crakes peering out from the gassy verge, African Skimmers cutting a trench across the waters in the quiet bays, enormous Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl booming around the lodge in the evenings, crisp Sooty Chats, glistening Red-chested Sunbird and Slender-billed Weaver coming into the dining room to share breakfast. With an afternoon boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel the narrow neck of water that connects Lakes George and Edward. Here you’ll encounter the birdlife sanctuary in the park and meet “the conference of the Parties of birds” and have fine views of many water birds such as the gull, skimmers, the great cormorants, the pink-backed pelican, the great white-backed pelican, the great African fish eagle, the goliath heron, the Caucasus heron, little & greater cattle egret, the pied kingfisher, malachite king fisher, the yellow billed stork, lesser & greater flamingo, and shoe-billed stork and some of the skulking birds in the reed beds. Dinner and overnight at high end Mweya Safari Lodge/midrange Katara/hippo hill tented Camp. Meal Plan-B, L, D
Day 6: To Bwindi Impenetrable park
We begin our romantic drive to the gorilla land through the tree climbing territory of Ishasha, southern Queen Elizabeth national park. We depart Mweya with packed lunch for Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park stopping en-route for birding as and where necessary, driving on the bottom of the western rift valley. Dinner and overnight night at Gorilla Resort or Buhoma Community Bandas
Days 7: Gorilla trekking
after an early hearty breakfast to give you energy for the day’s activity, you will transfer to the park headquarters for briefing on primates (gorilla tracking) before we embark on Gorilla trekking. The chances of finding a troop are good and spending an hour with these immense creatures is an experience never to be forgotten. You will have some opportunity for good pictures with these creatures as they play, feed and swing in low branches of forest trees. Picnic lunch will be in the forest. Birders will find this forest uniquely endowed with birdlife, for instance, the forest of the park’s lowland portion has an avifauna quite different from that of the higher parts, where altitude and the steep tracks make for slow progress. Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo, Western Bronze-napped Pigeon, Bar-tailed Trogon, African Broadbill and White-bellied Robin are just a few of the species we may find in the forest. Overnight at Gorilla Resort/Mantana Luxury Tented Camp/ community camp ground. Meal plan-B, L, D
Day 8: Whole Day Birding in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and transfer to Bunyonyi
After breakfast, we will spend plenty of good time birding the trails leading out from the camp. Trails such as ivy river trail, muzabajiro, rushura and waterfalls trails will be productive and Species we will search for include Barred and Olive Long-tailed Cuckoos; Bar-tailed Trogon; Dusky Tit; Kivu Ground-Thrush; White-bellied Robin-Chat; Equatorial Akalat; White-tailed Ant-Thrush; Red-throated Alethe; White-bellied Crested-Flycatcher; White-eyed Slaty-Flycatcher; Gray-green Bushshrike; Northern Double-collared Sunbird; Black-billed Weaver and Magpie Mannikin. High exposed perches in the open forest are favored by African Goshawk; the dazzling Black Bee-eater; Blue-throated Roller; Sooty Flycatcher and forest starlings including Waller’s, Stuhlmann’s and Narrow-tailed. One of Bwindi’s star avian attractions is the diminutive, pitta-like Neumann’s Warbler, a vocal yet very secretive bird! Other under-storey birds we hope to see include displaying African Broadbill; Pale-breasted and Mountain Illadopsis, African Hill-Babbler, Red-throated Alethe, Black-faced, Black-throated and Mountain Masked Apalises, Banded Prinia and the handsome Black-faced Rufous-Warbler. The mid-storey and canopy supports Elliot’s and Tullberg’s woodpeckers; Cabanis’, Toro Olive, Shelley’s and Ansorge’s greenbuls strange Grauer’s Warbler and White-browed Crombec, Yellow-eyed Black, Ashy, Dusky-blue, Chapin’s and Cassin’s Grey Flycatchers, Chin-spot and Rwenzori Batis, Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher, White-bellied Crested-flycatcher, Dusky Tit, Blue-throated Brown, Blue-headed, Northern Double-collared and Grey-headed Sunbirds, Mackinnon’s Fiscal, Sooty Boubou, Pink-footed Puffback, Doherty’s Bush-shrike. The rare Jameson’s Antpecker may also been seen probing under moss on dead branches or gleaning warbler-like in the canopy along with Strange, Brown-capped and Black-billed Weavers. Overhead, Scarce Swifts forage over the forest. Birding at Buhoma is a truly magical experience.
After picnic lunch we continue birding to Ruhija en-route to Bunyonyi safari resort, Kabale winding through the beautiful terraced hills often referred to as “the Switzerland of Africa” arriving on the magical resort in evening. Meal Plan – Breakfast, Lunch and dinner.
Day 9: Birding in Kyevu Swamp and other Islands on Lake Bunyonyi
The Bunyonyi area is magnificent with great scenic views. After breakfast, transfer to Kyevu swamp in a motorized boat for bird watching. Look out for endemic birds resident here in Lake Bunyonyi like the Handsome Francolin, Dusky Turtle Dove, Alpine Chat, etc. we retire for afternoon, and after lunch take boat/canoe ride for Cray fishing. Do not ignore the exciting whistling of the concentrated birdlife in this area. You will continue bird watching on a nature walk around the lake and in the gardens.
Meal Plan – Breakfast, Lunch and dinner. Meal Plan – Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, Bunyonyi Resort Hotel.
Day 10 transfer to Kampala/Entebbe:
We’ll have to start early for Kampala transfer, with a stopover in Mbarara for lunch at Agip motel arriving in Kampala and transfer to Entebbe in time for your flights back home and/or onward travel.
Day 1: Arrival
You are met by our staff at Entebbe International Airport and transfer you to your hotel for overnight. For early arrival we can do some birding in the botanical areas: look out for: Great Blue and Ross’s Turacos, Red Chested, Klaas’s and Diederick Cuckoo, Great Reed, Grey Capped, Ssdge, Greater Swamp and Eurosuian Reed Warblesr, Fain Tailed Widow bird, Striped, Malachite, Giant, Woodland and Pygmy Kingfishers, Black Bishop, Grey Woodpecker, Olive, Olive bellied, Red chested, Superb, Green Throated and Collard Sunbirds, Orange, Yellow Backed, Golden Backed, Slender Billed and Black Headed Weavers, Lizard Buzzard, Grey Kestral, Black Kite, Gaber Goshawk, African Paradise and Red Bellied Paradise and Ashy fly catchers, and many more. Dinner and overnight at Imperial botanical/Sophie’s Motel. Meal Plan-BB
Day 2: Transfer to Masindi
After an early breakfast go for birding in the botanical gardens and/or the or the Lutembe bay then transfer to Masindi via the Luwero triangle passing through undulating grasslands and mosaic woodland where we drive watching out for the White-crested Turaco, Bronze-tailed Starling, lesser Blue and Great Blue Eared Starlings, Black, Yellow Mantled and Black Winged Bishops, White Headed Barbet, Cardinal and Nubian Woodpecker, Lesser and Greater Honey guide. Dinner and overnight at Masindi Hotel or New Court View. Meal Plan-B,L,D
Day 3: Birding Budongo Royal Mile and Busingiro
Depart early for the nearby low altitude standing Budongo Forest, birding along the Royal Mile, a truly spectacular road with forest canopy towering far overhead. There is a good system of trails in the forest, today we expect skulking birds like the Nahan’s Francolin, excessively noisy White-thighed Hornbill, graceful Cassin’s and Sabine’s Spine tail, Blue-throated Roller, Yellow-browed Camaroptera, Forest Flycatcher, Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, Ituri Batis, Lemon Bellied Crombec, Tit Hylia, Uganda Woodland Warbler, Forest Robin, Yellow Billed, Grey Throated, Hairy Breasted and Yellow Spotted Barbet, Great Blue and Black Billed Turaco, Dusy Long Tailed Cuckoo, Spotted, Plain, Slender Billed, White Throated, Little Grey and Little Greenbul, Red Tailed Bristlebill and Black-capped Apalis among others. Dinner and overnight at Budongo Eco Cabins. Meal Plan-B, L, D
Day 4: Birding in Murchison Falls:
Transfer to nearby Murchison Falls National park with stopover at top of the falls. We start early and drive through Budongo Kaniyo Pabidi area in search for the Puvel’s Illadopsis, after this we bird to the top of the falls as we time our ferry to Paraa Safari Lodge where we shall have our overnight stay. A night game drive is very advisable looking out for nocturnal mammals and birds particularly the owl, the night jars and lots more. Dinner and overnight at Paraa Safari Lodge. Meal Plan-B, L, D
Day 5: Birding in Northern bank, Murchison falls:
After breakfast, go for a game drive and continue birding through the Northern sector of the park. In the afternoon take boat trips to the bottom of the falls and to the delta area, and of course the one bird that will be on everyone’s mind is the Shoebill while at the delta. Superb views can be had of this wonderful bird. There will be other birds including the Red-throated and Northern Carmine Bee-eater mammals such as Rothschild’s Giraffe, Cape buffalo, Elephant, Waterbuck and many others will be viewed. Other birds to look out for include the Saddle-billed, Yellow Billed and African Open Billed Stork, African Finfoot, Red-necked Falcon, Senegal Thick-knee, Rock Pratincole, Giant, Woodland, Grey Headed, Malachite, Pygmy and striped Kingfishers. On the game drive we look out for Heuglin’s Francolins Black Billed Barbet, Northern and Red Faced Barbet, Swallow-tailed and Blue-breasted and Northern Carmine Bee-eaters, Abyssinian Rollers, the giant Abyssinian Ground Hornbills, Black Winged and Northern Red Bishops. Dinner and overnight at Paraa Safari Lodge.
Day 6: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park:
This is the longest drive on the whole trip, but we shall have some birding stops, on the escarpment, and in Muzizi forest, driving via Hoima where we have lunch stop. There are a few papyrus swamps where specialties such as White-winged Warbler and Papyrus Gonolek can be found, while the surrounding scrub may harbor, Double-toothed Barbet, Black-bellied Seed cracker and Gray-headed Olive back. Dinner and overnight at Chimpanzee nest. Meal plan-B, L, D
Day 7: Chimpanzee tracking and Birding-return to Kampala
Kibale is home to 13 species of primates and there are also so many species of birdlife. Go for morning Chimp tracking after breakfast. Birding in the forest is also very rewarding and you could encounter White-napped Pigeon, African Gray Parrot, Black Bee-eater, Hairy-breasted, Yellow Spotted and Yellow Billed Barbet, Chestnut-winged and Purple-headed, Waller’s and Narrow Tailed Starlings, Blue-throated Brown and Superb Sunbirds, White-collared Olive back among others. Return to the lodge for lunch after which you will proceed to Kampala for your return journey. Meal Plan-B, L
Day 1: Kampala – Fort Portal
In the morning at 0830 hrs pick up from your hotel in Kampala and drive to Fort Portal. Lunch will be en-route and on arrival, you check in at Mountains of the moon Hotel for dinner and overnight. FB.
Day 2: Fort Portal – Nyabitaba hut 2650m:
Wake up at 0550hrs and drive to Nyakalengija 1615m then you will start trekking thru coffee plantation to cross the Mahoma River. Proceed thru forest where after 5hrs you will arrive at Nyabitaba hut for dinner and overnight. FB.
Day 3: Nyabitaba – John Matte hut 3550m:
After breakfast, descend thru forest to cross the Bajuku River at the Kurt Schafer Bridge and thru giant heather and grounded forest, lunch on the way after 7 hrs you will arrive John Matte hot for dinner and overnight. FB.
Day 4: John Matte – Lake Bujuku hut 3900m.
After breakfast, leave Matte hut and proceed thru the two Bigo Bogs, to Bigo hut crossing the Kibatsi Bog to cooking port cave and on to the beautifully set lake Bajuku hut. Fine views of Mountains Stanley incredible ice cave in Mt. Speke and Baker. Dinner and overnight at Bujuku hut. FB.
Day 5: Bujuku hut – Elana hut – Summit (4540m) – Kitandara hut 3910) Breakfast followed by climb to the Elana hut, proceed for your final ascend of Margherita, the summit of the highest mountain range in Africa. Later descend to Kitandara hut. FB.
Day 6: R & R
This day you will rest and relax exploring the beautiful of Kitandara lakes.
You will have all meals and night at Kitandara hut. FB.
Day 7: Kitandara Hut – Guy Yeoman hut 3450m After breakfast, make the steep ascend to the fresh field pass 4282m and then descend to Bujongolo cave 3720m (the base used for Duke of Abuzzi?s
1906 expedition). {Proceed thru Kabamba cave 3450m, the waterfall and the rock shelter for dinner and overnight at the Guy Yeoman hut set in the giant heather zone. 5hrs.
Day 8: Guy Yeoman hut – Nyakalengija 1615m – Fort Portal:
Breakfast followed by final descend 7hrs steeply thru the bamboo zone via lake Mahoma to meet the road where you will be picked for your return to the hotel Fort Portal. FB.
Day 9: Fort Portal – Kabale
After breakfast, then drive along one side of the Mountain series to Kabale, you will have lunch on the way, dinner and overnight at Bunyonyi Safaris Resort, FB
Day 10: Kabale – Bwindi Impenetrable Park
After Breakfast, at 0830hrs take a short drive from Kabale to Bwindi impenetrable Forest National Park. You will arrive to the gorilla reserve in the late morning, the rest of the day relax at leisure in the camp waiting for dinner and overnight Buhoma community camp. FB.
Day 11: Gorilla viewing:
Breakfast in the camp followed by walking in thru the device forest and meet a whole family of Gorillas. Your guide will advice the time to spend watching gorillas, time for your picnic lunch and time to return to your camp for Dinner and overnight. FB.
Day 12: Forest:
Breakfast followed by a day walk through the forest and the local villages, picnic lunch, dinner and overnight in your camp. FB.
Day 13: To Kampala:
After breakfast, drive back to Kampala with lunch in Mbarara. End
Rwenzori Mountains National Park gazzetted in 1991, it covers 996 km sq.with the following snow capped peaks of Margherita (5109 m ASL), Alexandria (5091 m ASL),Albert (5087 m ASL) ON MOUNT Stanley. Others are Mt. Baker (4843 m ASL), Speak (4889 m ASL) Gessi (4797 m ASL), Emeni (4791 m ASL), Luig di savioa (4626 m ASL) and Weisemann (4620 m ASL). Rwenzori Mountains National Park is rich of biodiversity of flora, fauna and ichthyofauna.In 1994 it was promoted to world heritage site status and A Ramsar site.
Day 1: Kampala – Fort Portal
In the morning at 0830 hrs pick up from your hotel in Kampala and drive to Fort Portal. Lunch will be en-route and on arrival, you check in at Mountains of the moon Hotel for dinner and overnight. FB.
DAY 2: Fort Portal – Nyabitaba hut 2650m:
You wake up in the cool air in Nyakalengijo, at the base camp. You meet your guide(s) and escorts and soon set off on the five hour to Nyabitaba camp at (2650 m ASL). You walk through dense forest canopy view variety of bird species and you may take a chance to see Mountain elephants.
DAY 3: Nyabitaba – John Matte hut 3550m:
The gloomy but breath taking beautiful portal peaks greet you in the morning and shadow your right shoulder as you cross the confluence of the Mobuku and Bujuku rivers by Kurt Scharfer bridge (2560 m ASL).Climbing and descending through bamboo forest, moss and lichen festooned trees you are led to John Matte camp (3380 m ASL).Here after noon sun often brings atantalising glimpse of gold-struck Margherita and Alexander peaks and you will enjoy seeing the snow.
DAY 4: John Matte – Lake Bujuku hut 3900m
Breath taking views down the valley start your day and five hours of difficult boggy but rewarding conditions, will see you through the Bigo bogs and passing to the aerial beauty of lake Bujuku, at (3900 m ASL,) it is a black, cold and still body of water overlooked by Bujuku camp at (3977m asl,)
DAY 5: Bujuku hut – Elana hut – Summit (4540m) – Kitandara hut 3910)
From Bujuku, climb ahead of the gully a metal ladder takes you over a steep section after which the trail is divided into two. The trail on your right leads up to Elena camp (4541 m ASL) and Mount Stanley on a steep trail over large boulders, while the trail on your left leads you to Scott-Eliot pass (4370 m ASL) AND down to Kitandara beautiful lakes for those who are not climbing Margherita peak to Kitandara camp (4027 m ASL).
DAY 6: R & R
From Bujuku, you prepare with your guide to attempt Margherita (5109 m ASL ). A difficult traverse of more boulders and steeply sloping rock is followed by an easier but still challenging (remember the altitude) trudge in crampons along the Stanley plateau before the final ascent leading to the summit. Still wrapped in euphorbia from your achievement, there follows a careful descent to Elena camp for lunch. Time permitting you will ascend to Kitandara camp, facing the lower of the Kitandara lakes.
DAY 7: Kitandara Hut – Guy Yeoman hut 3450m
After breakfast, make a thigh bursting climb but worth doing, lead you to fresh field pass (4280 m ASL) is rewarded with fabulous views of the lakes of Kitandara and the DR.Congo. The Mubuku valley leads you on a visually stunning descent to Guy Yeoman camp. (3450 m ASL)
DAY 8: Guy Yeoman hut – Nyakalengija 1615m – Fort Portal
Your final day and all you can think of a hot bath and a restaurant meal, but you have to wait abit longer to walk through the bogs and bamboo forest to proceed your second glimpse of Nyabitaba to have a night or just a brief cup of tea and onward to Nyakalengijo. You arrive in mid afternoon, exhausted, but with dirt and tiredness in your hot shower.
Day 9: Fort Portal – Kampala
After breakfast, drive back to Kampala for your return Journey, B, L
This will be a thrilling expedition that will enable you to do all the 3 virunga mountains, visit the Batwa trail, and the guided nature along the DR Congo/Uganda border. It’s rewarding and very productive.
Day 1: Entebbe to Kisoro
Pick up from Entebbe/Kampala to Kisoro with a stopover at the Uganda Equator and Ihamba cultural center in Mbarara for Lunch. Proceed to the Kigezi Highlands passing through the Bamboo forest and on arrival, you check in at Kisoro Tourist Tourist Hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 2: Mount Muhavura Hike:
Mount Muhavura “The guide” is seen regionally within the Virunga massif. The typically cone shaped mountain provides some of the best views in the country. Much of the climb passes a rocky surface covered by grass and small shrubs. Once on the top, hikers are rewarded with great views of other virunga volcanoes, Lake Edward in Queen Elizabeth national park and the peaks of the Rwenzori Mountains and you will be both in Rwanda and Uganda. The hike takes approximately 8-9 hours round trip covering distance of 12km.
You are advised to camp at Muhavura base camp the night before. The camp site has no facilities, so you need a tent, water, food and sleeping gear. You may as well come from your hotel from the nearby Kisoro town. Dinner and overnight in Travelers’ Hotel Kisoro. Meal Plan-Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 3: Mount Sabinyo hike:
Mount Sabinyo offers three (3) challenging peaks to climb. A climb up the mountain takes one up to a narrow ridge along the eastern side of the mountain to peak 1. If you are to continue to peak 2, the climb involves walking on a ridge with breath taking drops into gorges of Rwanda and Uganda. Finally, the hike up to peak 3 is steep. You should expect to set your hand dirty en-route to peak 3. Once on top, you will be at a point in Rwanda, DR Congo and Uganda at the same time, one of the 5 points in the world, where the three countries meet up on top of mountain. The entire journey takes about 8 hours round trip with 72 ladders network to cover the 14km stretch! Enroute, you might see golden monkeys, forest buffalos and the blue monkeys. You might be exceptionally lucky to come across wild gorilla family.
Mount. Sabinyo gorge is exceptional ecosystem for plorethera of birdlife species and you will be welcomed by the rare Rwenzori Turaco. En-route, the observatory platform just above the visitor information centre offers a scenic view of the rest of the Kisoro landscape beyond to the western rift valley Blue Mountains of the South Virunga Park of the DR Congo. Dinner and overnight in Travelers’ Hotel Kisoro. Meal Plan-Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 4: gorilla tracking:
Your guide will lead you to the visitor information centre for briefing and guide you out in the forest to track the mountain gorilla in the forest. It’s worthwhile to sight the gorillas as the play, eat and groom each other. You might take short time to long to reach the gorillas depending on where they are. It is a thrilling moment as you encounter these man’s closest relatives! After picnic lunch, we return to the hotel for Dinner and overnight at Travelers’ Hotel Kisoro. Meal Plan-Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 5: Mount Gahinga Hike:
Mount Gahinga is the smallest on your way. On your way to the peak, look out for small piles of stones in the garden fields. The local people call such pile a “Gahinga”. Mount Gahinga is quite bigger than the average “Gahinga” but sitting next to mount Muhavura does make it look small. A hike which takes about 6 hours round trip goes through bamboo forest. You will find a swampy crater on the crest. You might hear the calls of golden monkeys. Dinner and overnight at Travelers’ Hotel Kisoro. Meal Plan-Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 6: The Batwa Trail and the Garama cave:
This Batwa trail hike is a popular activity to acquaint ourselves with the culture and way of life of the Batwa (Pygmy) community, as the indigenous forest communities that until recently were living in the forest. This trail leads you to the cave where you will be welcomed by the Batwa regalia and cultural performances. It’s unique and the proceeds from this cultural tourism support the Batwa community livelihoods. Lunch en-route, Dinner and overnight at Kisoro tourist hotel. Meal Plan-Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 7: Guided nature walk:
This nature walk is a prime walk and birders will find it productive. You will take border excursion between DR Congo and Uganda border, which offers you opportunity to be in the two countries at the same time. You will encounter numerous birdlife and see plentiful of primates and other forest antelopes such as the black-fronted duiker. Lunch en-route, Dinner and overnight at Kisoro tourist hotel. Meal Plan-Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 8: Kampala
After Breakfast, drive back to Kampala with lunch en-route. Meal plan- Breakfast & Lunch
