22 Day Classic Uganda Birding and Wildlife Tour

Meet your driver and transfer to your nearby hotel in Entebbe for refreshment, dinner and overnight stay. Early arrivals will give a chance to bird the nearby Entebbe Botanical Gardens (EBG). EBG is a beautiful place situated on the northern shores of Lake Victoria, filled with colorful butterflies, birds and primates in an area of 40.7 ha. The gardens house a collection of species of plants of the tropical, sub-tropical and temperate zones, besides several shrubs and other plants which regenerated naturally over the years. The habitat has attracted a diverse array of birds – 206 species (both forest and shorebirds) and monkeys; Black and White Colobus and Vervet Monkeys. The bird walk here is more leisurely and relaxed with an introduction to some Afro tropical species of birds. It may take 1 – 2hours.

We start early check out our hotel and drive to Mabamba. Main focus today is Shoebill. While at the swamp, we shall aboard a canoe riding through a channel of lagoons into the marsh. We look out for the shoebill. Besides the shoebill, there is a selection of common wetland species that we are likely to encounter here including, Lesser Jacana, African Jacana, Papyrus Gonolek, White-Winged Warbler, Gull-Billed Terns, White-Winged Black Terns, Whiskered Terns, Common Moorhen, Swamp Flycatcher, Goliath and Purple Herons, Spur-Winged and Pygmy Geese, African Snipe, Blue-Headed Coucal,Carruther’sCisticola, Northern Brown-Throated Weavers, Winding Cisticola, White-Faced Whistling Ducks etc. Boat may take about 2hours. We shall be here till late morning hours; we continue to L. Mburo National Park stopping over at the Equator for Lunch.

Morning bird walk in the woods for 2hours, afternoon boat rides (for 1.5 – 2hours) and spend the rest of the day on a game drive – birding in the vehicle. L. Mburo is the only wooded savannah only NP in Uganda where tourists enjoy freely grazing with wildlife on foot! Most sought-after species here include taboracisticola, red-faced barbet, possibilities of the rare Crested Barbet which are only known in the remote north-eastern Tanzania, Rwanda and here, brown-chested lapwing, chinspotbatis etc. The boat ride merits for specials like the white-backed and black-crowned night herons, rufous-bellied heron, African Finfoot, African darter, water thicknee, kingfishers etc. You will also encounter pools of hippos, crocodiles, and buffalos. Birding here is a delightful experience, with beautiful scenery and a markedly different fauna from other reserves. This is a great place to see game animals such as Eland, Zebra, Topi, Impala, and acacia-associated birds

Today, we shall check out our lodge, have an early morning breakfast and drive slowly as we bird on the way to the Ruhiija section of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. We may have lunch in Mbarara or Kabale depending on our pace and later continue to Ruhiija. Early arrivals will give a chance to bird along the main road. Our first encounter with the AlbertineRift Endemics begins here. Bwindi is generally at a higher altitude and therefore is cooler. Temperatures range between 10-18°C. Forest birding at Bwindi ranks the best in Uganda and Africa as well. It is home to 23 highly localized Albertine Rift Endemics.

If you are fit enough can do the mubwindi swamp (optional). After breakfast, we shall carry our picnic lunch and head for a whole day birding following the famous trail through the forest up to Mubwindi Swamp. The 4km trail to Mubwindi Swamp drops from 2350m to 2050m ASL and is the best place for some of the most difficult to find of all the Albertine Rift Endemics including; the rare and localized Grauer's Rush Warbler, African Green Broadbill, the beautiful Regal Sunbird, and Archer's Robin Chat. Mubwindi Swamp trail is home to DwarfHoneyguide, Stripe-breasted Tit, RwenzoriApalis and African / Rwenzori Hill Babbler, and Carruthers' Cisticola. Most of these species can equally be seen along the community road trail. Other key species here include Fraser's Eagle-Owl, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Blue-headed Sunbird, Eastern Mountain-Greenbul, Strange Weaver, Black-headed Waxbill, Bar-tailed Trogon, White-headed Wood-hoopoe, Waller's Starling, Stuhlmann's Starling, Ludher's Bush-shrike, Handsome Francolin, Montane Oriole and Montane Nightjar

We shall travel to Buhoma sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park while birding on the way – we do the popular “NECK” birding in the morning. The neck is a relatively narrow stretch separating the two sections of the Bwindi Impenetrable forest. It is characterized by riverine forest vegetation. Trekking up the hillside to view a family of gorillas nestled in casual, frolicking play is a fascinating, once-in-a-lifetime experience (optional). Some of the species we are likely to see here include; Mountain Wagtail, Red-tailed and Shelley's Greenbul, Cassin's Flycatcher, Black Duck, Banded Prinia, Grey-throated Barbet, Common Buzzard, Black-billed Turaco, Fine-banded Woodpecker, Dwarf Honeyguide, Red-tailed Greenbul, Black Bee-eater and Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Many-coloured Bush-shrike, Ayres's Hawk-eagle, Bronze-naped Pigeon, HoneyguideGreenbul, Red-throated Alethe, Gray Apalis, African Shrikeflycatcher, Red-headed Malimbe, Dusky Twinspot etc. Today we shall carry picnic lunch. We arrive at Buhoma late this afternoon.

We start birdwatching early after breakfast, carry picnic lunch and begin a whole day birding along the main trail at Buhoma. Key species here in the forest include Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Black-faced Apalis, Black-throated Apalis, Mountain Masked Apalis, Red-throated Alethe, Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Ashy Flycatcher, Dusky-blue Flycatcher, Chapin's Flycatcher, Chin-spot Batis, Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher, Dusky Tit, Blue-throated Brown Sunbird, Northern Doublecollared Sunbird, Sooty Boubou, and Pink-footed Puffback.

Birding through Ishasha in the vehicle. This sector is famous for the lions those climb up in the trees. Some likely encounters include red-collared, white-winged widow birds, white-headed barbets, and stout cisticola. We shall be here for half day, if we still have time, drive to the northern sector of the park for a boat ride along the Kazinga Channel. Kazinga Channel is a narrow neck of water body connecting lakes Edward and George. Our Kazinga Channel launch cruise is the most luxurious in the region; plying these waters with comfort, elegance and attentive service, affording superb wildlife viewing from your observation deck, is far much re-assuring!

Start early this morning after breakfast. We do a birding drive in the Savannah area for the whole morning; and in the afternoon, we may drive through another section of the park or do a community birding experience. Following one of the numerous trails in the park on a game / birding drive will produce interesting sightings of such species such as Harlequin Quail, Blue Quail, Small (Common) Buttonquail, African Crake, Martial Eagle, Stout Cisticola, Black-crowned Tchagra, Trilling Cisticola, Speckle-breasted woodpecker, African Skimmer, Verreaux's Eagle-Owl, Pallid and Montagu’s Harriers, Africancrake, marshtchagra, black coucal etc.

We drive for about 1.5 hrs 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 number of Guinea-Congo biome species reach their eastern limits here. We shall start at dawn after an early breakfast and set off with our packed lunch. We spend 2 – 3hours birding along the Kirumia trail. Key species include Redbilled, Black-wattled, Black-billed and White-crested Hornbills, African Piculet, Zenkel Honey-guide, Black-chested Cuckoo, Red-rumpedTinkerbird, Rufous-sided Broadbill, Nkurengu Rail, 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

• Early morning breakfast
• Hotel check-out
• Travel to Kibale Forest
• Green-breasted Pitta birding
• Birding at Bigodi Papyrus Swamp
• Chimpanzee tracking
• Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary nature walk
• Bird watching and wildlife spotting

We wake up this morning; have breakfast and set off for the Budongo area. This is another long journey on a dirt road that may take the whole day with chances of birding on the way. Stopovers will be done at strategic points to provide opportunities for birding, stretching legs and enjoying our picnic lunch. Arrival in Masindi will be late this evening.

We shall have an early morning breakfast and drive to one of “Uganda's bird watching hotspots”, the Royal Mile. This is the Uganda's historically known leisure spot for the traditional King of Bunyoro, hence the name “Royal”. This forest comprises of very huge mahogany trees. Key species include; African dwarf and Chocolate-backed kingfisher, Yellow and grey Long bills, Olive-bellied Crombec, Browneared Woodpecker, Crowned Eagle, Forest Flycatcher, Yellow-browed Camaropera, African Emerald Cuckoo, Yellow-mantled Weaver, yellow-browed Camaroptera, Green Crombec, Crested and Redheaded Malimbe, red-headed bluebill, White-thighed hornbill, Yellow-spotted and Yellow-billed Barbets, Sabine's and Cassin's Spinetail.

This day we shall have an early morning breakfast, check out the lodge and transfer to Murchison Falls National Park as we bird on the way through the park up to the top of the falls. This afternoon, we shall do a launch cruise along the Nile River up to the bottom of the falls – 3hours. This is Uganda's largest National Conservation area and it is famous for its big game, spectacular scenery and the falls for which the park was named. Abundant Hippos, Crocodiles, Elephant, Buffalo, Uganda Kob and Waterbuck can be seen along with occasional Lions, Leopard and Patas Monkeys.

Birding the northern sector of Murchison Falls National Park Birding the Northern bank of the park for the whole morning in the vehicle. We may choose to do another drive in the afternoon. Amongst a huge variety of widespread African bird species in the wetlands and various dry savanna and open woodland habitats are more special birds: Stanley's Bustard, Saddle-billed Stork, Rock Pratincole, Little Sparrowhawk, Bruce’s Green-Pigeon, Red-necked Falcon, Senegal Thick-knee, Long-toed Plover, Blue-headed Coucal, White-crested Turaco, Heuglin's Francolin, & Abyssinian Ground Horn bill

We start early after breakfast, check out here and embark on a rather long, teeth-jeering journey to the remote Karamoja area. Nestled in the extreme northeastern corner of Uganda, bordering with Sudan and Kenya, Kidepo Valley National Park is Uganda’s wildest and most spectacular conservation area. We shall have lunch in Soroti town and continue driving on the rough roads all the way to park

The park is famed for protecting remarkable wildlife that is not represented in any other Ugandan protected area. Much of the flora and fauna in the park is typical of northern Kenya. The birdlife is rich with a recorded bird list of 468. There over 60 bird species listed here and have not been recorded in any other Ugandan National Park. The park is outstanding for its birds of prey. Of 58 species recorded 14 are believed to be endemic to the region. Among those are Verreaux’s eagle, Egyptian vulture, lesser Kestrel and pygmy falcon. Other interesting species include birds like the karamojaapalis, kori bustard, red-billed hornbill, yellow-billed and Jackson’s hornbill, heuglin’s weaver, cut-throat finch, sand grouses etc. Various and unique antelopes like greater kudu, lesser kudu, Guenther’s dik-dik and mountain reedbuck are found nowhere else in Uganda. Primates like the localized Patas monkeys are abundant and five species have been recorded.

This morning depending on the weather forecasts, you will carry along with your picnic lunch since we expect to have several stops to look at the birds along the roadsides. You won’t miss birds like D’Arnaud’s Barbet, Chestnut Sparrows, Red-billed Buffalo Weavers, White-headed Buffalo Weavers, Golden-backed Weavers and others.

Today we will be looking for specialties like Grey Wren Warbler, White-winged Black Tit, Yellow-billed Hornbill, Jackson’s Hornbill, Moustached Penduline Tit, Eastern Violet-Backed Sunbird, Straw-tailed Whydah, Eastern Paradise Whydah, Steel-Blue Whydah and many more. other non-bird biodiversity includes; Dik-dik, eland, mountain reedbuck, roan antelope, Uganda kob, Oribi, Bright's gazelle, Topi, duikers, and waterbuck, Wild cats, hyenas, cheetahs, civets, leopards, and jackals

Target species include Karamoja Apalis, Fox’s Weaver, and Yellow-billed Oxpecker.

Easy day, Visit Sipi Falls for relaxation, transfer to Jinja Town where we will have our lunch break and optional Visit the source of the Nile.

From morning to lunch time and later transfer back to Entebbe to prepare for your return flight. The forest boasts over 300 bird species, and its diverse ecosystems provide a home for both forest and woodland birds. While on your birding tour in Mabira Forest Reserve, expect to spot birds such as the magnificent African Grey Parrot, the striking Nahan's Francolin, or the vibrant Blue-throated Roller, African Grey Parrot, Great Blue Turaco, Black-billed Turaco, Ross's Turaco, Bare-faced go-away-bird, Eastern plantain-eater, Red-chested cuckoo, Black cuckoo, African cuckoo, Blue-throated Roller, White-browed coucal, Blue malkoha, Klaas's, African emerald cuckoo, dideric cuckoo, dusky long-tailed cuckoo.