UGANDA BIRDING SAFARI

Given the fact that Uganda is situated in the Equatorial Region with very little temperature variation throughout the year, it is a country of astonishing startling contrasts whose amazing diversity of habitats can not be matched. This richness is reflected in the ever-increasing bird list of over 1008 species, which represents more than half the bird species that can be found in the whole of Africa.
The swamps & woodland of the Victoria basin, the Montane forests of the Albertine Rift Valley, the intermediate attitude forests of Western Uganda plus the increasingly Arid Savanna areas & Eastern forests provide an excellent home and place to view these birds. The Shoebill Stork (the most attractive), Ruwenzori Turaco, the numerous endemics of the Albertine Riftvalley such as the short-tailed Warbler, Bar-tailed Trogon & many more are prominent.
The bird Sites include Shores of Lake Victoria, Entebbe Botanical Gardens, Mabamba Wetland, various National Parks and yes, within the city of Kampala. The best time to enjoy bird watching is during the pattern of rainfall as bird activity is much higher during the wetter months of April to May and October to November, when most of the breeding takes place, not forgetting to carry some indispensable items of equipment like small medical kit, gumboots, warm jerseys for highlands and torch to mention but a few.

Day one:
On the arrival at Entebbe International Airport you will meet our representative who will take you for dinner and overnight at Lake Victoria Windsor Hotel or Botanical Beach Hotel in Entebbe.

Day two:
Botanical Gardens and Mabamba Swamp   Back to top

After breakfast, you will start birding around the botanical gardens. Look out for Slender-billed Weaver, Brown-throated Weaver¸ Golden-backed Weaver, Yellow-backed Weaver, Grey-headed Gull, Long-tailed Cormorant, Common Squacco Heron,Yellow-billed Duck, Pied Kingfisher, Giant Kingfisher, Swamp Flycatcher, Broad-billed Roller, Black-and-white Casqued Hornbill, Splendid Glossy Starling, Black-headed Gonolek, Orange Weaver, Verreaux's Eagle-owl, Red-chested Sunbird, Ross's Turaco, Pied Hornbill, Crowned Hornbill, Open-billed Stork, Great Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Grey-capped Warbler and many others. After lunch at the hotel proceed for Mabamba Swamp and board the canoe for the best tour of the swamp. You can find the Shoebill stork, Swamp Flycatcher, Purple Swamphen, African Water Rail, Common Moorhen, Lesser Jacana, African Jacana, African Pygmy-goose, White-faced Whistling-duck, Squacco Heron, Goliath Heron, Black Crake and many more birds. Return to Lake Victoria Windsor Hotel or Botanical Beach Hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day three:
Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kazinga Channel

After breakfast you depart for Queen Elizabeth National Park. This Park records over 550 bird species. The one-day record in this Park is 296, which is one of the highest in the world. After lunch go for the boat cruise along Kazinga Channel, where the concentration of water birds and photographs is extraordinary.
Dinner and overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge.

Day four:
Game drive in the park and Ishasha sector   Back to top

After early cup of coffee, you start birding early morning in the open savannah for birds like the Temminck's Courser, Martial Eagle, Rupell's Griffon Vulture, then return to the lodge for breakfast and lunch. In the afternoon proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park through Imaramagambo Forest and Ishasha sector. Dinner and overnight in Buhoma Homeastead.

Day five:
Bwindi Forest       Back to top

In the early morning you can hear the songs of the Snowy-capped Robin-chat, Luehder's Bush-shrike and the Grey-capped Warbler while having breakfast. You will spend the whole day birding in Bwindi Forest , one of the most interesting ecosystems in Africa for the concentration of biodiversity. Over 350 bird species are recorded. These include Red-throated Alethe, Equatorial Akalat, Grey-throated Barbet, Black Bee-eater, Forest Robin, Montane Oriole, Hairy-breasted Barbet, Pale-breasted Illadopsis, Pettit's Cuckooshrike, Black-faced Rufous Warbler and many more. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day six, seven and eight:
Ruhija in southern Bwindi       Back to top

Early morning gorilla tracking in the forest sanctuary starting from Buhoma. Depart to reach Ruhiija in the south of the forest and spending two nights at the camping site.
In the second day after breakfast you go for birding in this prolific area. Birding to the Mubwindi Swamp is very productive. One has to be prepared to walk on steep mountain tracks. You drop from about 2400m to 2050m above sea level. Birding in the bamboo zone is good for the Handsome Francolin, Archer's Robin-chat, Stripe-breasted Tit, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Mountain Greenbul, Waller's Chestnut-winged Starling, Dusky Crimsonwing, Mountain Illadopsis and Mountain Yellow Warbler.
The third day proceed for dinner and overnight in Mburo National Park , Mantana Tented Camp.

Day nine:
Lake Mburo National Park      Back to top

After breakfast, enjoying birding in the swampy area and Lake Mburo . You will hear the songs of Morning Dove, Dideric Cuckoo, Grey-capped Warbler, Black-headed Weaver and Ring-necked Dove. Among other you will go searching for Brown-chested Lapwing, Lilac-breasted Roller, Black-bellied Bustard, Helmeted Guineafowl, Coqui Francolin, Rufous-napped Lark plus many raptors. In the evening transfer to Kampala for dinner and overnight.

Day ten:
Reserved to the airport transfer or extensions 

 N.B: Don’t forget to bring along Binoculars, a camera, swimming gear and light clothing