18 Day Birding trip in Uganda:
Day 1: Arrival
On arrival at Entebbe International airport, your guide from African Secrets Limited will transfer you to Windsor Lake Victoria Hotel or Sphie's Motel or Flight Motel Entebbe.
This is an optional day for birding depending on the time of arrival. Some may choose to rest while others may go for birding in an around Entebbe or Kampala.
Day 2: Mpanga forest and Mburo National Park
After breakfast drive to Mpanga Forest carry out birding in this unique forest. It is accessible on superb, wide trail that offers excellent views into the canopy and the impressive tall tree atmosphere. Birds are plentiful and mpanga forest would be a good introduction to the forest birding in Uganda. Continue to Masaka branching off to Lake Nabugabo. Look for Herons, Lesser jacana and other water birds. Drive to Lake Mburo National Park. Dinner and overnight at Mantana safari Lodge, Mihingo lodge or Rwonyo Camp.
Day 3 Game drive and birding
This is the best and in some cases the only place in Uganda to see the typically savanna bird species. Of particular interests, is the Red-faced Barbet, a scarce bird whose range is restricted to a small area in southern Uganda, eastern Rwanda and extreme north western Tanzania. In the morning carry out game drive Lake Mburo National Park.
The park contains an extensive area of wetland. It harbours several species of mammals including Zebras, Impalas, Elands, Topi and Buffaloes. The bird population is rich, including Green backed woodpecker, African Finfoot, Brown-chested Plover, Southern Ground Hornbill, Spot-flanked, Red-faced and Black-collared Barbets; White–winged Warbler, Papyrus Yellow Warbler, Carruthers Cisticola, Papyrus Gonolek, Yellow-billed Oxpecker and Northern Brown-throated Weaver. Dinner and overnight at Mantana tented Camp/ Rwonyo Rest Camp.
Day 4 Lake Mburo to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Buhoma)
After breakfast, we shall spend most of our day driving to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Buhoma lies in the valley of the Munyaga River at 5100ft and is bordered with steep, forested hills. Excellent forest birding, not least the prospect of numerous rare and localised Albertine Rift endemics, makes this a true birding paradise. Dinner and overnight at Gorilla Resort/ Buhoma Community Camp/ Buhoma Homestead.
Day 5 Birding in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Have breakfast and head for Forest birding. Bwindi ranks the best bird watching in Uganda and Africa as well, as having been voted as number one hot spot in Africa. It is home to over 23 highly-localized Albertine Rift endemics.
Special birds include Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Grauer's Warbler, Banded Prinia, 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, Rwenzori Batis, Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher, White-bellied Crested-flycatcher, Pale-breasted Illadopsis, Mountain Illadopsis, African Hill-Babbler, Dusky Tit, Blue-throated Brown Sunbird, Blue-headed Sunbird, Northern Double-collared Sunbird, Grey-headed Sunbird, Mackinnon's Fiscal, Sooty Boubou, Pink-footed Puffback, Doherty's Bush-shrike, White-naped Raven, Montane Oriole, African Golden Oriole, Stuhlmann's Starling, Narrow-tailed Starling, Waller's Starling, Strange Weaver, Brown-capped Weaver, Black-billed Weaver, Dusky Crimsonwing, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Magpie Mannikin, Yellow-crowned Canary, Thick- billed Seedeater, Streaky Seedeater, African Green Broadbill, Shelly's Crimsonwing, Oriole Finch, Mountain Buzzard, Ayre's Hawk-eagle, Handsome Francolin, Black-billed Turaco, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, African Wood-Owl, Rwenzori Nightjar, Scarce Swift, Bar-tailed Trogon, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Black Bee-eater, (Western) Bronze-naped Pigeon, Red-chested Owlet, Tullberg's Woodpecker, Elliot's Woodpecker, African Broadbill, Western Green Tinkerbird, African Green Broadbill, Lagdens Bush Shrike, Petit's Cuckoo-shrike, Grey Cuckoo-shrike, Archer's Ground Robin, Toro Olive-Greenbul, Ansorge's Greenbul, Equatorial Akalat, White-bellied Robin-chat, Olive Thrush, White-tailed Ant-Thrush, Grauer's Rush-warbler, Short-tailed Warbler, Neumann's Warbler and Red faced Woodland-Warbler. Return for relaxation, dinner and over at Gorilla Resort/ Buhoma Community Camp/ Buhoma Homestead.
Day 6 Gorilla tracking
Wake up very early and take break fast after which you will head to the starting points for a simple briefing from the guides. Then after set off with guides to track gorillas. The excitement of your stumble upon these gorillas after along time of tracking will wipe out the complexity of the potentially tiring trek. Each encounter is different and has its own prize, but you will have fun while watching the adults feeding, grooming and resting as the youngsters horse around and swing from vines in a charmingly cheerful display. Dinner and overnight at Gorilla Resort/ Buhoma Community Camp/ Buhoma Homestead.
Day 7 Bwindi to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Today, we shall start early after breakfast and drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. We may either drive through Ishasha sector popularly known for climbing lions or drive through the beautiful scenaries of Rukungiri district. In terms of diversity, Queen Elizabeth National Park ranks best in birding Uganda with over 610 species recorded, and a one day record of 296 species.
Special birds of this park that include Harlequin Quail, Blue Quail, Small (Common) Buttonquail, African Crake, White-winged Warbler, Martial Eagle, African Skimmer, Verreaux's Eagle-Owl, Papyrus Gonolek, Amur Falcon, Ovampo Sparrowhawk. Lowland Akalat, Greater and Lesser Flamingo, Shoebill, Black Bee-eater, Caruthers's Cisticola, Terek Sandpiper, Secretary Bird, and Temminck's Courser. Mammals include African Elephant, Spotted Hyena, Leopard, Lion, Ugandan Kobs, Side-striped Jackal, Baboons, Chimpanzees, Bush and Water Bucks, Warthogs, Giant Forest Hogs to mention but a few. Dinner and overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge/ Institute of Ecology.
Day 8 Birding drive, Game drive and Boat cruise on Kazinga Channel
After breakfast we set out for a whole day game and bird watching drive in the park. Later in the afternoon you have an exciting boat cruise on the Kazinga channel. This is a narrow neck of water that connects Lakes George and Edward, with excellent photographic opportunities for waterside birds and abundant Hippopotamus. Amongst the birds you are likely to encounter include African Skimmer, Striated Heron, African Spoonbill, Water Thick-knee, Three-banded Plover, Marsh, Green, Wood and Common Sandpiper, Gray-headed Gull, Plain Martin Lesser Swamp-Warbler and Yellow-billed Oxpecker. Dinner and overnight at Gorilla Resort/ Buhoma Community Camp/ Buhoma Homestead.
Day 9 Maramagambo Forest to Kibale National Park
After an early breakfast, we head for Maramagambo forest. A few specialties at maramagambo forest include the Yellow-bellied and Jameson's Wattle-eyes, Black Bee-eater, White-tailed and Red-tailed Ant-Thrush, Brown and Grey-chested Illadopsis, Shinning Blue Kingfisher, Brown-eared Woodpeckers, Narina Trogon, Least Honeyguide, Grey Greenbul, Brown-chested Alethe, and the African Finfoot. The trail through the forest leads past a bat cave, which is rather impressive, and if we are lucky we may come across a Python that lives in the cave and feasts on the bats. In the afternoon, drive to Ndali Lodge / Primate Lodge.
Day 10 Chimp tracking and birding
After an early breakfast we drive to Kibale National Park vistor center for briefing before chimp tracking. The forest is home to 13 primates of Uganda. Birding in the afternoon along the main road may be productive. Kibale National Park is a good site for a number of birds that are hard to find elsewhere including Speckle-breasted Woodpecker, Cabanis's Greenbul and Joyful Greenbul as well as White-spotted Flufftail, Dusky and Olive Long tailed Cuckoo, Lesser Honeyguide, Blue-shouldered Robin Chat, White-chinned Prinia, Grey Apalis, Olive-green Camaroptera and White-collared Oliveback.
Day 11 Birding in Kibale forest
After breakfast, we have another chance for birding in the forest. The results of the previous day will help us to chose either birding Sebitoli Section or birding Kanyancu area. Stay at Ndali Lodge or Primate Lodge.
Day12 Budongo Forest
Take a long drive to Budongo arriving Budongo area late in the afternoon. If time allows there may be chances for birding along the way at Busingiro Section of Budongo forest. Dinner and overnight at Masindi Hotel.
Day 13 Visit the Royal Mile
Have breakfast and drive to one of the best of Uganda's bird watching spot, the Royal Mile. This is the Uganda's historically known leisure spot for the traditional King, hence the name Royal Mile. Key species include African dwarf and Chocolate-backed kingfisher, Yellow and grey Long bills, Olive-bellied Crombec, Brown-eared Woodpecker, Crowned eagle, Forest Flycatcher, Yellow-browed Camaropera, African Emerald Cuckoo, Yellow-mantled Weaver, yellow-browed Camaroptera, Green Crombec, Crested Malimbe and red-headed bluebill.
Day 14 Budongo to Kibale National Park
After an early breakfast, leave early for Kibale National Park. This is rather a longer drive. Kibale forest birds include Grey-winged Robin, Blue shouldered robin chat, yellow spotted barbet, black billed turaco, white-naped pigeon, Green-breasted pitta, Red-chested Flufftail, Africa pita, joyful greenbul, Cabanis greenbul etc. Dinner and overnight at Ndali Lodge or Primate Lodge.
Day 15 Whole day birding in the Forest
Have breakfast and head to the forest to look for other specialties which include Hite-tailed Ant-thrushes, purple-headed Glossy-Starling, Brown Illadopsis, Green-breasted Pitta, White-naped pigeon, Masked Apalis, Toro Olive-Greenbul, Black-billed Turaco, Buff-spotted Woodpecker and Green Crombec dinner and overnight stay at Ndali Lodge/ Primate Lodge.
Day 16 Kibale National Park to Semliki National Park
After breakfast, depart Kibale National Park for Semliki National Park for birding in the forest. Semliki is known for its most sought after rarities and these include, Congo Serpent Eagle, Black-throated Coucal, Grey-throated Rail, Nkulengu Rail, Long-tailed Hawk, Spot-breasted Ibis, Capuchin Babbler, Yellow-throated Nicator, Northern Bearded Scrub Robin and other birds in the area.
Day 17 Whole day birding in the forest
After a morning breakfast, head to the forest for a whole day birding in the forest. Kirumira trail has become the most popular trail for its richness in diversity of bird species.
Day 18 Transfer to Kampala
After breakfast, depart Semliki National Park for Kampala having lunch en route and arriving at your own hotel in the evening.
HAVE FUN WITH ASL SAFARIS
