UGANDA BIRDING SAFARI 20 DAYS

Day 1, Arrival at Entebbe International Airport
Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will meet by our company representative/ your Tour guide who will transfer you to your hotel of stay in Entebbe/Kampala

Day 2, Go birding in Mabamba swamp
After breakfast you will be picked up from your hotel and drive westward to Mabamba Wetland which is located about 50km from Kampala and is a newly discovered home for birds especially the Shoebill stork.  Birding is done on canoes in marsh channels and the resident bird species include: Yellow Backed Weaver, Northern Brown Throated Weaver, Blue headed Coucal, Papyrus Gonolek, African Purple Swamp Hen, African Water Rail, Lesser Jacana, African Pygmy Goose, White-faced Whistling Duck, Squacco Heron, Blue Breasted Bee-eater, Winding Cisticola, Goliath Heron and many more.  Return back to Kampala for dinner and overnight stay at Sheraton hotel/ Hotel Africana/ Cassia lodge.

Day 3, Transfer to Murchison falls
After breakfast at your Hotel, transfer to Murchison Falls National Park making birding stopovers en route in different places. On the way, you may be able to see bird species like the Cliff Chat, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Grey headed Bush Shrike, Singing Cisticola, African Moustached Warbler, Namaqua Dove, Green-winged Pytilia, Red-backed Shrike, Crested and Scaly Francolin, Grey-headed Bush Shrike, Northern and Black-winged Red Bishops, Black Bellied Firefinch, Black-faced Waxbill and Marsh Tchagra. Dinner and overnight stay at Red Chill Camp/ Sambiya River Lodge and Nile Safari Lodge /Paraa Safari Lodge

Day 4, Go birding on the launch cruise
After breakfast take board a launch cruise along the Victoria Nile to the Delta at the Lake Albert. This is home to large pods of hippos and out sized Nile Crocodiles. resident bird species include: the famous Shoebill, Secretary Bird, Abyssinian Roller and the Ground Hornbill, Pied Kingfishers, Red Throated Bee-eaters; Goliath Heron, Sacred Ibis, Saddle-billed Stork, Senegal and Water Thick-Knee, Little Bittern, Osprey, Red-necked Falcon, Vinaceous Dove and Fulvous Whistling- Duck. Return to your lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, go birding at the top of the falls. Look out for birds like the Grey Woodpecker, Darter and Giant Kingfisher, Western Violet Sunbird, Brown Twinspot, Red-Winged Pytilia, Bruce’s Pigeon, Red Shouldered Cuckoo-Shrike and others. Have dinner and overnight at Paraa Safari Lodge/ Nile Safari Lodge/ Sambiya River lodge / Red Chilli.

Day 5, Full day game drives and birding
After breakfast, Set out with your parked lunch spend a whole day driving and walking on the northern banks of the Nile. Expect to see birds like Red Winged grey Warbler, Rock Pratincole, Pat Hawk, Denham’s Bustard, Pell’s Fishing Owl, and Vinaceous Dove, Carmine Bee-eater, White Rumped Canary and others. Have dinner and overnight at Paraa Safari Lodge/ Nile Safari Lodge/ Sambiya River lodge / Red Chilli.

Day 6, birding in Budongo forest
After breakfast, set out with your packed lunch, drive to Budongo forest through the escarpment looking for Fox’s Cisticola, Northern Crombec, Grey Headed Bush Shrike, Madagascar Heron, Lesser Masked Weaver and Shikra. You will spend the whole day in Budongo which is one of the largest and most beautiful forests in Uganda. The forest is also know to be home to birds like Yellow and Grey Long Bills, Velvet-mantled Drongo, Ituri Batis, Rufous-crowned Eremomela, Red Tailed Ant-thrush and many others.  Dinner and overnight at Forestry College.

Day 7, Royal Mile and Busingiro
You will have breakfast, and then spend the whole day birding in the Royal Mile and Busingiro. Expect species like African Dwarf and Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, White-spotted Fluff tail, Yellow and Grey Long Bills, Yellow-browned Camaroptera and Cabanis Bunting, Brown-backed Scrub-Robin, Narina Trogon, Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, Scaly-breasted Illadopsis, Crested Malimbe and Red-headed bluebill. Dinner and overnight at Forestry College

Day 8, Transfer to Kibale national park
Depart for Fort Portal to Kibale National park. You will drive via the Albertine Escarpment of the western Rift valley on the Masindi-Hoima-Fort portal road. Kibale forest is home to over 13 primate species and plenty of birds. Resident bird species include: Black billed Turaco, White-napped Pigeon, African Pitta, Joyful Greenbulls, White Collard Olive Back, Grey-winged Robin, Nathan’s Francolin, Tiny Sunbird, Masked Apalis, and many more. You will reach in the late afternoon. Dinner and Overnight at Primate Lodge/chimp guest house/Kibale forest lodge

Day 9, Chimpanzee tracking
Have a morning breakfast and depart for the chimp tracking in Kibale forest National Park. along the walks you may sport chimps, white colobus monkeys, , grey-checked mangabey, red colobus, black-and-white colobus, Baboons and chimpanzees  bird species such as the great blue turacco, Africa pied king fisher , malkites. In the afternoon, go for the Forest/Nature walk in the Bigodi swamp. Dinner and over night stay as above
Dinner and overnight at Ndaali Lodge/Chimp’s Nest.

Day 10, Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
After an early morning breakfast, you will return to Fort Portal commonly known for its weaving and basketry. After enter Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is dominated on its northern border by the snow-capped 16,000-foot Rwenzori Mountains-the famed "Mountains of the Moon". You will enter Queen Elizabeth with a game drive enroute and expect to see herds of impalas like Uganda Kob, topi, elephant and lion, giant forest hog, Cape buffalo. The park offers an excellent view of bird species like Pelicans, Skimmers, Kingfishers, Thick-knees, Storks, Martins, Swallows, Weavers, Canaries, Kites, and several grassland specie. Dinner and overnight stay at Mweya safari lodge/Simba safari camp/Jacana Safari lodge

Day 11, Game Drive and launch cruise

Have breakfast after which you will go for a birding drive in the park. Return to the lodge for a late breakfast and lunch. In afternoon at around 3pm, have a launch cruise on the Kazinga Channel for water birds. The Kazinga Channel that connects Lakes Edward and George is known to be one of the best regions in the park for birds. Expect specials like African Skimmer, Water thick-knee, Grey headed Gull, Plain Martin, Lesser Swamp-warbler, Yellow Billed Ox pecker, African Spoonbill and others. Dinner and overnight at Mweya safari lodge/Hippo hill camp/Simba safari camp.

Day 12, Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable forest National Park
After breakfast, set out for the last game drive in the Ishasha sector while transferring to Bwindi. The sector is well known as the place for the Tree climbing lions. Proceed to Bwindi reaching in the late afternoon. En route, you will see bird species like the Red Throated Alethe, Banded Prinia, Yellow Eyed Flycatcher, Chapin’s Flycatcher, White-napped Raven, Magpie Manikin, Shelly’s Crimson wing, Oriole Finch, Ayre’s Hawk-eagle, Tullberg’s Woodpecker, Robin-chat, Neumann’s Warbler, Equator Akalat, Handsome Francolin, Mackinnon’s Fiscal , Narrow tailed Starling, Rwenzori batis, Pink-footed Puff back, African Golden Oriole, Brown capped Weaver, Grauer’s Warbler. Dinner and overnight stay at Gorilla resort/Buhoma community bandas/Bwindi view Bandas  

Day 13, Gorilla Trekking
You will rise early and have breakfast, after go for the Gorilla tracking in the forest which activity is once a life time experience. Before you set out for the trekking, you will receive guidelines from the well- trained guides and also will lead you to a point where the gorillas were encountered the day before. The hike duration is determined by the gorillas whose continuous search for food requires a nomadic lifestyle. The trek can take from 1-9 hours at altitudes in excess of 7,500ft and over rough and steep terrain. Although the hike is physically demanding, the beauty of the forest and its inhabitants make your experience extremely interesting. Upon encountering the gorillas, your fatigue is quickly forgotten. Return for dinner and overnight stay at Gorilla resort/Buhoma community bandas/Bwindi view Bandas   

Day 14, birding in Buhoma
Early in the morning you will set off from your lodge after breakfast and go birding in the Buhoma sector the whole day. You will be able to see a lot of animal species which are found in the sector. Return back to your place of accommodation for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 15 and 16, spend two days birding in Ruhija.
After breakfast, you will go and spend the whole dy of 15th while birding. you will then spend another day in the same place and look out for the birds that you might have missed out on the previous day. Dinner and overnight stay in Ruhija campsite.

Day 17, birding in Mubwindi Swamp
After breakfast, you will transfer to Mubwindi swamp for birding.  The 4 km trail to Mubwindi Swamp is the best place for some bird species which are difficult to see like the Dwarf Honey guide, Rwenzori Apalis, Fraser’s eagle-Owl, White headed Wood Hoopoe, Stuhlmann’s Starling, Montane Nightjars, and others. Dinner and overnight at Gorilla Forest Camp/Gorilla resort/Volcanoes Exclusive Camp/Buhoma Homestead/Buhoma community Bandas.

 
Day 18, Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park
You will have breakfast in the morning and then drive to Lake Mburo National Park. You will have lunch in Mbarara town. On arrival you will go for a game drive. During the drive you will be able to see animals like the zebras, elephants, impalas, Uganda cobs, eland and so many others. In the evening you will go for a boat ride on Lake Mburo where you will see crocodiles, hippos and water birds like Papyrus Gonolek, Black-collared Barbets, Ground Hornbill, White-winged Warbler, Brown-Chested Plover and the rare shoebill stork.  Dinner and overnight at Mantana tented camp/ Rwonyo rest camp/Mihingo Lodge.

Day 19, birding in Rubanga forest
Rise early have breakfast then go embark on a forest walk in Rubanga forest. This forest offers 40 different bird species, 5 of which are forest specialists. Common species will include the harrier hawk, green pigeon, narina trogn and double toothed barbet. You will also come across tree species like the sapium, markhamia platycalyx and erythriana. Dinner and overnight at Mantana tented Camp/Mihingo Lodge/ Rwonyo Camp.

 Day 20, Departure
After breakfast, you will leave Lake Mburo National park with a morning game drive and drive back to Kampala. Stop over at the equator for photos and souvenir shopping. On arrival, have lunch and await your transfer to Entebbe to catch your flight.