21 Days Uganda Birding & Primates Tour

Day 1: Arrival
Our driver guide will meet you on arrival at Entebbe international airport. If you arrive on an early flight have a short city tour. Visit Namugongo martyr’s shrine, Uganda museum, Bahai temple and Kabaka’s lake. Dinner and overnight at a Kampala hotel

Day 2: Transfer to Entebbe
Today morning after breakfast, your driver guide will pick you up at your hotel in Entebbe or Kampala and transfer you to Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) for birding.  With over 170 species of birds, UWEC has rescued these birds from poachers, kidnappers and has even taken up a few orphaned birds. These include 7 species of weavers: the rare Northern Masked and Orange Weavers, Kingfishers, Sunbirds, parrots, African fish eagle, ostrich, crested crane and many others. After lunch go experience superb Ugandan bird species in Entebbe Botanical Gardens. Over 150 bird species are resident here in the remnant patch of rain forest, trees, gardens and the nearby shores of Lake Victoria. The rocky headland makes an ideal observation point for pair of Verreaux’s eagle owls, orange tufted and red chested Sunbirds; orange weaver,  with slender-billed, Northern Brown –throated, yellow backed, Jackson’s Golden backed, Black-headed and Vieillot’s black weavers.  The lake shores are habitat to long-tailed Cormorant, Common Squacco and black-headed herons; hamerkop, African Open-billed Stork, yellow billed duck, Grey headed gull, various terns, giant and pied Kingfishers, swamp Flycatcher, Pratincoles. Black headed Gonolek and Red- chested Sunbird occur in the dense scrub covering the headland. Great Blue and Ross’s turacos, Klaas’s and Diederik Cuckoos, Woodland Kingfisher, Broad-billed Roller, Black and white casqued horn bill and splendid starling are resident in the small rain forest. In the gardens you should find two highly vocal and conspicuous species; the African Fish eagle and eastern Grey Plantain-eater, the latter constantly uttering their strange, chimp-like calls. Watch out for Hadada Ibis , palm nut and Hooded Vultures, Shikra, Lizard buzzard , Long-crested eagle , Grey kestrel, Black Crake, Blue-cheeked Bee eater, Angola swallow, winding and red faced cisticolas, Grey capped warbler, common wattle-eye and Green throated and scarlet-chested Sunbirds. Return for dinner and overnight stay Sheraton Hotel/Cassia Lodge/Excellent Hotel

Day 3: Transfer to Mabamba Swamp
Early morning after breakfast, transfer to Mabamba Swamp. This wetland is one of the most spectacular bird watching sites in Uganda. Take a canoe ride for better bird viewing. Spot the rare shoebill and other birds like the Papyrus Gonolek, White Shouldered Tit, Red Cap, Western Banded Snake Eagle, White Winged Warbler, White Spotted Fluff tail and Weyns’ Weaver. Other resident bird species include: the Allen’s and Purple Gallinule, Grey herons, Jacanas, Ruffaus’ Bellied Heron, Squacco, Purple and Goliath Heron, the globally threatened Pallid Harrier. Migrant waders from Europe include the Blue Swallow egrets; ducks etc. have lunch on site ending your birding adventure in the evening. Transfer back to Kampala or Entebbe reaching in time for dinner and Overnight stay at your Sheraton Hotel/Cassia Lodge/Excellent Hotel

Day 4: Transfer to Masindi
You’ll set off for Masindi, after breakfast in your hotel.  Journey through undulating grasslands and mosaic woodland as you go birding enroute. Possible sightings enroute will include: species like White-crested Turaco, Bronze-tailed Starling, lesser Blue and Great Blue Eared Starlings, Black, Yellow Mantled and Black Winged Bishops. Dinner and overnight at Masindi Hotel.

Day 5: Birding in Budongo forest Reserve - Royal Mile and Busingiro
An early set off  after breakfast for Budongo Forest with a drive along the Royal Mile. There is a good system of trails in the forest, and as we explore them over the next two full days we’ll hope to see vociferous Nahan’s Francolin, excessively noisy White-thighed Hornbill, graceful Cassin’s and Sabine’s Spinetails, rather secretive Blue-throated Roller, Yellow-browed Camaroptera puffing out its blue cheek patches as it pipes incessantly, Chestnut-capped Flycatcher high in the canopy, Ituri Batis and Black-capped Apalis. Return late in the afternoon for dinner and overnight at Masindi Hotel.

Day 6: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park
After breakfast, depart for Murchison falls National Park through Budongo Forest. Stop for our picnic lunch on the dramatic Butiaba Escarpment overlooking Lake Albert, where you see the stunning view out toward Butiaba. Look out for Foxy Cisticola, White-winged Black Tit and Red-winged Pytilia at the same time. You will arrive in the late afternoon. Dinner and overnight stay at Red Chill Camp/ Sambiya River Lodge and Nile Safari Lodge /Paraa Safari Lodge

Day 7: Birding on the northern bank and Launch trip to the bottom of the falls
After an early breakfast, you will go for the game drive to the delta. Special species of birds include Silver Bird, Beautiful Sunbird, Speckle-fronted and Golden-backed Weavers, White Crested Turaco, Bruce’s Green Pigeon, Chestnut-crowned Sparrow Weaver, Pennant-winged Night jars, White-rumped Seed Eater. the Buff-bellied Warbler, Yellow-flanked Barbet and Black Billed Barbet, Bar-breasted Fire finch, Red-winged Grey Warbler, Spotted Morning-Thrush looking out for the Shoebill Stork along the Delta is many a time rewarding, Abyssinian and Ruffaus Crowned Roller, Abyssinian  Ground Hornbill, Grey Headed and Striped Kingfisher, Red-throated and Northern Carmine Bee-eater, Goliath Heron, Saddle-billed Stork, Sacred Ibis, Fulvous and white Faced Whistling-Duck, Senegal Thick-knee, Water and Spotted Thick-knee, Black-headed Lapwing, Long-toed Lapwing, Little Bittern, Osprey, Red-necked Falcon, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Vinaceous Dove and many more. In the afternoon, go for the launch cruise to the Bottom of the falls to search for other missed out birding safaris. Dinner and overnight stay at Red Chill Camp/ Sambiya River Lodge and Nile Safari Lodge /Paraa Safari Lodge

Day 8: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
Depart Murchison falls and make a short drive to the recently discovered bird population of Puvell’s Illadopsis, a dowdy bird with an impressive voice. Proceed to Hoima with stop over at papyrus swamps on the way 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 Ndaali Lodge / Primate Lodge/Chimp Guest House

Day 9: Birding and Chimp Tracking
Head to the forest for chimpanzee tracking after breakfast. The forest is a home to 9 species of primates and there is the opportunity for a Chimpanzee trekking on easy and well-marked trails. After, continue with birding which offers views of species like White-napped Pigeon, African Gray Parrot, Black Bee-eater, Hairy-breasted Barbet, Chestnut-winged and Purple-headed Starlings, Blue-throated Brown and Superb Sunbirds, White-collared Olive back among others. Dinner and overnight at Ndaali Lodge / Primate Lodge/Chimp Guest House

Day 10: Night Game Drive in Semliki national park
Leave Kibale after breakfast and transfer to Semliki national park. This is the only national park in Uganda where you can go for a night drive to view several cats, minuscule genet, white tailed mongoose and slim mongoose. After dinner, go on a night drive. This game drive will yield the nocturnal wildlife which is rarely seen during the day. Overnight at Semliki Safari Lodge.

Day 11: Birding Boat trip on Lake Albert
After breakfast, have a boat trip on Lake Albert with your packed lunch to see colonies of Red-throated bee-eaters dart, Spot-breasted Ibis, Hartlaub’s Duck, Chestnut-flanked Goshawk, Red-thighed Sparrow hawk, Long-tailed Hawk, Forest Francolin, Nkulengu Rail, Western Bronze-napped Pigeon, Black-collared Lovebird, and many others. Have lunch at the waterfalls which provide a great picnic spot. Have views of several fishing villages along the way, and a visit at the tribal community at the foothills of the Rwenzori, where the locals look forward to welcoming and entertaining visitors. Return to the lodge for dinner and relaxation. Overnight at Semliki Safari Lodge (FB)

Day 12: To Sempaya hot springs then Fort portal
You will have a morning drive to Sempaya hot springs. The hot spring is dominated by a boiling geyser which spurts up to 2m-high from a white, iced cake-like base of precipitated mineral. The more inner spring is reached by a 30minute trail that lead through beautiful palm forest before crossing the swamp on a boardwalk. After, head for Fort Portal to visit the Kings Royal Mparo Tombs and various ethnic groups and Villages around. A memorable visit will be to the Burungu community and overnight at Ndaali lodge/ Rwenzori View Guest house /Primate Lodge Cottages.

Day 13: birding in Queen Elizabeth National park
After breakfast, you will leave Kibale and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park and after checking in at the lodge. Upon arrival in the Park, go for the launch cruise on the Kazinga channel.  This is a natural 8 meter deep 40 km channel of water that connects Lakes George and Edward, with excellent photographic opportunities for waterside birds and abundant Hippos. Amongst the birds you are likely to encounter include African Skimmer, Striated Heron, African Spoonbill, Herring Gull, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Water Thick-knee, Three-banded Plover, Marsh, Green, Wood and Common Sandpiper, Gray-headed Gull, Plain Martin, Lesser Swamp-Warbler and much more. Dinner and overnight stay at Mweya safari lodge/Simba safari camp/Jacana/Mweya hostels/ Hippo hill camp

Day 14: Game Drives and Birding
After breakfast, you will start with the early game drive and birding the vast grassland area the whole morning. look out for game such as lions, on a lucky day leopards are sighted, Uganda Kob, Water and Bush Buck, Warthog, Cape Buffalo, African Elephant among others, the birds include the Broad Tailed, African Moustached and Grey caped Warbler, Hollub’s Golden Weaver, White Winged Window Bird, Common and Button Quill, African Crake, Arrow Marked and Black Lored Babblers. Return for dinner and overnight stay at Mweya safari lodge/Simba safari camp/Jacana/Mweya hostels/ Hippo hill camp

Day 15: Birding to Bwindi Impenetrable
Have an early start after breakfast from Queen Elizabeth to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. Drive via the Ishasha sector famously known for its tree climbing lions. Dinner and overnight stay at Bwindi view/Buhoma community Bandas/Gorilla resort/Gorilla forest/Lake Kitandara camp

Days 16: Gorilla Trekking
After an early breakfast, you will transfer to the park headquarters for briefing before you embark on Gorilla trekking. The chances of finding a troop are good and spending an hour with these immense but placid creatures is an experience never to be forgotten. 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. Dinner and overnight stay at Bwindi view/Buhoma community Bandas/Gorilla resort/Gorilla forest/Lake Kitandara

Day 17: Whole Day Birding
After breakfast, you will go for birding following the trails leading out from the camp. 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 Bush shrike; Northern Double-collared Sunbird; Black-billed Weaver and Magpie Manikin. 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, Stulman’s and Narrow-tailed. One of Bwindi’s star avian attractions is the diminutive, pita-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; the 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 Puff back, Doherty's Bush-shrike. The rare Jameson’s Ant pecker 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. Dinner and overnight stay at Bwindi view/Buhoma community Bandas/Gorilla resort/Gorilla forest/Lake Kitandara

Day 18: Transfer to Lake Mburo
After breakfast, you will have a short morning birding tour and after drive to Lake Mburo National Park where you will spend the rest of the day. On the way stop over at the different swamps to search for the bird species such as Senegal and Brown-chested Plovers, Brown Parrot, White winged Black Tit and Yellow-throated Leaf love, to name but a few, while commoner mammals might include Impala, Topi, Oribi and Burchell’s Zebra. Dinner and Overnight at Rwonyo Camp site/Mantana tented camp/Mihingo lodge

Day 19: Game Drive, Boat ride and transfer back to Kampala
After breakfast, you will go for an early morning game drive along the Lakeside Track. You may be able to see bird species like White Winged Warbler, Papyrus Gonolek, Papyrus Yellow Warbler, Lesser and Greater Swamp Warbler and also the Shoebill, the Blue headed Coucal, African Darter, African Water Rail, African Fin foot, Spur winged plovers, and many others. Return midmorning for lunch and proceed for a boat ride on the lake in search for species missed, Hippos, Crocodiles are the extras expected. Set off birding to Kampala reaching late in the evening at your Hotel in time for dinner and overnight stay

Day 20: Birding in Mabira forest
After an early breakfast, transfer to Mabira Forest. The forest is possibly the richest in the country with well-maintained trails that make birding easy. Expect to see African Pied Hornbill and Forest Wood-Hoopoe, while the seasonal pools can attract Blue-breasted, White-bellied, Dwarf and Shining-blue Kingfishers, Yellow-throated and Speckled Tinker birds in the canopy and Toro Olive Greenbul and Green-tailed Bristle bill in the secretive interior inhabitants. Return back to Kampala for dinner and overnight stay at your Lodge/ Hotel

Day 21: Departure
Reserved for transfers to the airport to catch home flight

END OF BIRDING TOUR