The 10 days birding tour Uganda brings you a fascinating experience of the canoe trip through the papyrus Mabamba swamp and an opportunity to see the different bird species in their natural habitats.
Highlights
- Birding
- Nature walk
Itinerary
Day 1: pick up and transfer to Entebbe botanical garden for overnight.
Day 2: Transfer to Mabamba Wetland for birding and thereafter proceed to Lake Mburo National Park.
Day 3: Full day birding in Lake Mburo National Park.
Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park and do birding along the Kazinga channel and Lake Munyanyanye.
Day 5: Morning birding in Maramagambo Forest.
Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, birding enroute.
Day 7: Birding in Bwindi, Ruhija sector in the trail to mubwindi swamp
Day 8: Morning birding in Bwindi, Buhoma sector.
Day 9: Transfer to south of Buhoma towards Nteka for birding
Day 10: Return to Kampala.
Day 1: Arrival
Airport pick up by our representative and start birding at the Botanical gardens.
The tall trees near the entrance are a favorite spot for Verreaux Eagle owls. Expect to see birds such as, African Open-billed stock, Kingfishers, Swamp Flycatcher, Orange Weaver, and Slender-Billed Weaver. ,scarlet chested sunbirds, Angola Swallow, Black crake, Grey Kestrel ,Grey headed gull, African open billed stock and many others .Highly vocal and conspicuous species you are likely to find are African fish eagle and Eastern Grey Plaintain- eater ,Hadada ibis Black crake and many others.
Dinner and Overnight at Sheraton Hotel, Hotel Africana or Fair Way Hotel.
Day 2: Transfer to Mabamba Swamp.
Early departure to Mabamba swamp. Mabamba Swamp 50 km from Kampala is the most accessible for spotting the wild species of Shoebill Stork in the whole world. A canoe trip through papyrus swamp in the Mabamba will take you to the untouched beauty of wetland, where you will have the highest chance of seeing Shoebill and other papyrus specialist birds like Saddle-billed Stork, Malachite Kingfisher, African Jacana, and so on. A trip to Mabamba will give you an opportunity to familiarize with one of Ugandas beautiful wetland.
We shall thereafter proceed to Lake Mburo National park for dinner and overnight. Birding en route.
Day 3: Full day birding in Lake Mburo (315 species)
The parks developed acacia woodland hosts a large number of bird species. This is the best place to see southern savannah species such as the scarce Red faced Barbet. Most of the common and conspicuous birds likely to be seen are sport-flanked barbet, trilling Cisticola, Yellow breasted Apalis, Northern black Tit and Marico Sunbird among others. The Zebra track is worth exploring for Red-necked Spur fowl, Black bellied Bustard, Southern red bishop, Ruffous-chested swallow among others. At the scenic lake side track watch out for White winged Warbler and lesser and greater Swamp Warbler, the Shoebill may also be seen. The lake side campground is a home to African Fin foot, African Darter, Hamerkop, African Water rail, Pied and Malachite Kingfisher.
Dinner and overnight at Mihingo Lodge/Rwonyo Camp.
DAY 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park (600 species)
Early morning transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park, birding en route. Key species along the Kazinga channel include ,Grey headed king fisher ,Swamp flycatcher, Grey capped Warbler ,Red chested sunbird, Black-headed gonolek, Pink backed Pelican, Great and long tailed Cormorants, Common Squaco Heron, African open billed stock, African fish eagle ,Malachite and Pied kingfishers, Black crake, swamp fly catcher among others.
The Munyange Lake north of Lake Katwe is home to lesser flamingos, Broad-billed sandpiper, Greenshank, lesser black-backed Gulls and Gull-billed Terns. At the scenic Crater Lake north of lake katwe we shall see more bird species such as Common Buttonquail, Broad tailed Warbler, and March Tchagra At the baboon cliffs we shall see raptors .At the Kasenyi track expect to see Brown snake Eagle, Bateleur ,African Harrier Hawk, Martial eagle and many others.
Dinner and overnight at Mweya Safari lodge/Buffalo Lodge/Marafiki Safari Lodge.
Day 5: In Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Morning birding in Queen Elizabeth . We shall head to the Maramagambo forest in search for interesting bird species such as Black headed batis, Bush-shrike, African rock python, Blown illadopsis etc. We shall also go to the Chambura River upstream from the gorge and look out for more bird species such as Crimson-rumped Waxbill, African Moustached Warbler and zitting casticolas.
Return to the Lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (357 species).
After breakfast transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park birding en route. Key species of the park are Albertine rift endemics such as Montane Masked Apalis,Grauers Warbler, Collared Apalis,Elliots woodpeckers,Grey-chested and Mountain illadopses,Black faced Rufous Warbler,Rwenzori Batis and Strange weaver.
Dinner and overnight in Ruhija.
Day 7: In Bwindi National Park
In the Ruhija area of Bwindi, birds are plentiful and easy to see. The short trail to mubwindi swamp will get you assess to rare and localized African Green Broadbill. At fruiting trees in the area expect to see great blue and black billed Turacos, the spectacular yellow billed barbet, Grey chested illadopsis among others.
Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
DAY 8: Bwindi
Early morning birding in Buhoma in search for more bird species. At Buhoma park headquarters we shall look for raptors such as African Goshawk, Mountain Buzzard, and brown- naked parrot.
Dinner and overnight at Gorilla Forest Lodge or Buhoma Community camp.
DAY 9: Bwindi
Early transfer South of Buhoma towards Nteka. We shall look out for Equatorial Akalat, Olive long-tailed Cuckoo. Fruiting trees host bird species such as Hairy-breasted and Yellow-billed Barbets, Narina Trogon, Pied Hornbill, Yellow-spotted, .We shall later visit the 5.2 km Muzabajiro river trail and look out for special birds such as Western Bronze napped pigeon, Dusky tit, African broad bill, Kivu ground thrush and many others.
We shall return to the lodge in the late evening.
Dinner and overnight at Gorilla Forest Lodge or Buhoma Community camp.
Day 10: Return to Kampala birding en route.
This is a 4-WD mini bus.
Quoted prices are for 4-WD customized Safari Van with fuel and a driver guide with a capacity of seven (7) people per vehicle.
Option of 4-WD customized Land cruiser with fuel and a driver guide with a capacity of seven (7) people per vehicle is available at an additional fee of $100 per day.