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Hardcore birding

TRIP SUMMARY

DAYS : 22

PLACES TO VISIT

  • Mabamba Wetland,

  • Budongo Forest,

  • Murchison falls, Kibale, Queen Elizabeth

  • Bwindi Impenetrable Forest,

  • Mgahinga Gorilla and

  • Lake Mburo National Parks

Day 1: Arrival

Arrive at Entebbe International Airport, meet & greet by your driver/guide and transfer to your accommodation to drop your bags and head out to bird the botanical gardens getting back in time for a shower and dinner

Overnight at the Central Inn. 

Day 2: Bird Mabamba

Early breakfast and then with packed lunch proceed to bird Mabamba Wetlands where you will be paddled in a canoe as you bird through the swamp, look out for birds like the mighty Shoebill and other birds like Long-tailed Cormorant, Squacco Heron, Yellow-billed Duck, Malachite Kingfisher, Long toed Plover, Blue-headed Coucal, Blue-breasted Bee-eater among other birds. Bird your way back to Kampala looking out for birds like African open billed Stork, Grey Kestrel, African Green Pigeon, Great Blue Turaco, Ross’s Turaco, Swifts, Sunbirds, Weavers birds, Finches among other birds.

Overnight at Central Inn

Day 3: Bird to Murchison Falls National Park

After breakfast, bird as you head for Murchison Falls National Park with a lunch stop at Masindi Hotel. After lunch, bird as you continue to Paraa via the top of the falls. Have a short walk around the top of the falls from where you can walk down to the river’s edge and see the waters narrow as they are forced through a rocky cleft and plunge down 35 meters in a majestic cascade. Look out for birds like the beautiful White-crested Turaco, Greater blue-eared Starling, Cuckoos, Weavers, Raptors, White- headed Barbet, African Paradise-flycatcher, Red-cheeked Cordon blue, Waxbills, Finches, Sunbirds among other birds.

Dinner and Overnight at Paara Safari Lodge. 

Day 4: Bird Murchison Falls National Park

After Breakfast, head out for morning birding getting back in time for lunch. After lunch, transfer to Paraa northern bank for the boat trip up to the bottom of the Falls, and it is possible to view hundreds of hippos, crocodile, and a variety of bird life. Look out for birds like Denham’s Bustard, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Black-headed Plover, Rock Pratincole, Swallow tailed Bee-Eater, Red-throated Bee-eater, Carmine Bee-Eater, Black-billed Barbet, Spotted Morning Thrush, Northern Red and Black-Winged red Bishops, Speckle fronted Weaver, White-browed Sparrow Weaver among other birds. Look out for mammals like the graceful Rothschild Giraffe, Jackson’s Hartebeest, Uganda Kob, Bushbuck, Defassa Water buck, Buffaloes, Elephants, Warthog, Hippos, Oribi and when lucky a leopard and Lion among others.

Dinner and Overnight at Paara Safari  Lodge.         

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Day 5: Bird to Budongo

After breakfast with your packed lunch bird as you proceed for the drive to Budongo Forest driving through the rift valley escarpment where you will have good views of Lake Albert. Bird the escarpment before proceeding to Busingiro Forest Centre. Bird around the vicinity and the road. Drive through to Masindi Hotel where you will be spending your two nights. Look out for birds like Striped Kingfisher, Red-chested Cuckoo, Foxy Cistcola, Red-winged Grey Warbler, Black-headed Batis, Cliff Chat, Green-backed Eremomela, Yellow-bellied Hyliota, Green-headed Sunbird, Red-winged Pytilia,  Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-Weaver, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, Dwarf Kingfisher, Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, Jameson’s Wattle eye, Yellow-crested Woodpecker  among other birds.

Dinner and overnight at Dinner and overnight at Masindi Hotel.                    

Day 6: Bird the Royal Mile

After breakfast with your packed lunch, proceed to bird the Royal mile to look for forest birds. Look out for birds like the White-thighed Hornbill, Narina Trogon, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Dwarf Kingfisher, Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, a selection of Tinkerbirds and Barbets, Yellow-crested Woodpecker, Brown-eared Woodpecker, Yellowbill, Forest Flycatcher, Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher, Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, Fraser’s Ant Thrush, Red- tailed Ant Thrush, Western Black-headed Oriole, Purple headed Starling, Purple Starling among other birds. You may see primates like Blue Monkey, Red-tailed Monkey, Black and white Colobus Monkey as you look for them birds.

Dinner and overnight at Masindi Hotel.          

Day 7: Bird to Kibale National Park

After breakfast, bird as you head south to the mid end of  Kibale Forest (Kanyanchu) birding en-route. Look out for birds like Western banded Snake Eagle, Crested Guinea Fowl, Striped Kingfisher, Red-chested Cuckoo, Great blue Turaco, Lizard Buzzard, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Lesser Striped and Red-breasted Swallows, Joyful Greenbul, Masked Apalis, Chubb's Cisticola, Cassin’s Grey Flycatcher, Whinchat, Stonechat, Green-headed Sunbird, Common Fiscal among other birds.

Dinner and overnight at Primate Lodge Kibale. 

Day 8: Bird to Semuliki

After breakfast, bird to Semuliki National Park getting there in time to bird the trails around the hot springs. After this whole day birding, drive to Bundibugyo township where you will spend two nights.

Overnight at the Rain Bow Hotel. 

Day 9: Whole day birding Kirumia Trail

After breakfast, proceed for a whole day birding on the Kirumia trail. Look out for birds like White thighed Hornbill, Black-casqued wattled Hornbill, Piping Hornbill, White crested Hornbill, Red-billed dwarf Hornbill, Black dwarf Hornbill, Crested Malimbe, Swamp palm Bulbul, and you open your eyes wide, as you may be chanced with an African Piculet among other birds.

Overnight at the Rain Bow Hotel. 

Day 10: Bird as you transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park  

After breakfast, bird as you head towards Queen Elizabeth National Park stopping for lunch at the gardens in Fort portal. Continue with the drive along the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains through Kasese, and crossing the Equator. Birding en-route to accommodation where you will spend three nights. Look out for birds like Grey-headed Kingfisher, Lesser Striped Swallows, Zitting Cisiticola, Babblers, Grey-backed Shrike, Common Fiscal, Starlings, Widowbirds and many more.

Dinner and Overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge

Day 11: Bird Queen Elizabeth National Park

A cup of tea or coffee in the lounge and set off for a game drive/birding. Lunch at the Lodge and in the afternoon go for the launch (boat) trip on the Kazinga Channel, to see a variety of wildlife, hundreds of hippos, crocodile and bird life from a boat for two hours. Look out for birds like Pelicans, Green- backed Heron, Yellow-billed Stork, Saddle-billed Stork, African Spoonbill, Martial Eagle, Common button Quail, Kittlitz’s Plover, Senegal Plover, Wattled Plover, Larks, Yellow-throated Longclaw, Babblers, Sunbirds, Weavers, Widowbirds among other birds. Look out for mammals like Uganda Kob, Bushbuck, Defassa Water buck, Buffaloes, Elephants, Warthog, when lucky a leopard and Lion among others.

Dinner and Overnight at  Mweya Safari Lodge.

Day 12: Second day birding Queen Elizabeth

After an early breakfast drive to bird Imaramagambo area around Lake Nyamusingiri looking out for birds like Black Bee Eater, Shining Blue Kingfisher, Blue–breasted Kingfisher, Barbets, Tinkerbirds, Woodpeckers, Apalises, Red-collared Widowbird Honeyguide Greenbul, Snow capped Robin-Chat and others. On a lucky day you can get an African Finfoot here.

Dinner and Overnight at  Mweya Safari Lodge. 

Day 13: Bird to Bwindi

After breakfast with your picnic lunch, bird as you proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest birding en-route arriving in the late afternoon. Look out for birds like Martial Eagle, Francolins, Barbets, Chats, Cuckooshrikes, Sunbirds, Fork tailed Drongo, Larks, Pipits, Weavers, Widowbirds among other birds. You will look out for mammals like Topi, Uganda Kob, Water Buck, Buffaloes, Elephants, Baboons and others.

Dinner and overnight at The Gorilla Resort. 

Day 14: Bird Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After an early breakfast, start looking for birds as we find that Bwindi Impenetrable Forest doesn’t live up to its name as we penetrate it looking for species like Bar-tailed Trogon, Black Bee-Eater, White-headed Wood-hoopoe, Tinkerbirds and Barbets, Woodpeckers, African Broadbill, assorted Greenbuls, White-bellied Robin-Chat, Red-throated Alethe, Chapin’s Flycatcher, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Grauer’s Warbler, Mountain Masked Apalis, Bocage’s Bush-shrike, Luhder’s Bush-shrike, Pink-footed Puffback, Petit’s Cuckooshrike, Starlings, Black-billed Weaver, Brown-capped weaver among other birds.

Dinner and Overnight at he Gorilla Resort.

Day 15: Bird Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After an early breakfast, start looking for birds as we find that Bwindi Impenetrable Forest doesn’t live up to its name as we penetrate it looking for species like Bar-tailed Trogon, Black Bee-Eater, White-headed Wood-hoopoe, Tinkerbirds and Barbets, Woodpeckers, African Broadbill, assorted Greenbuls, White-bellied Robin-Chat, Red-throated Alethe, Chapin’s Flycatcher, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Grauer’s Warbler, Mountain Masked Apalis, Bocage’s Bush-shrike, Luhder’s Bush-shrike, Pink-footed Puffback, Petit’s Cuckooshrike, Starlings, Black-billed Weaver, Brown-capped weaver among other birds.

Dinner and Overnight at he Gorilla Resort. 

Day 16: Bird to Ruhija via the Neck

After breakfast, start the drive to Ruhija birding en-route looking for birds like Tambourine Dove, Black Bee-eater, Red-throated Wryneck, Mountain Wagtail, Toro Olive-Greenbul, White-starred Robin, Olive Thrush, Cassin’s-grey Flycatcher, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Grauer’s Warbler, Chubb’s Cisticola, Banded Prinia, Mountain Masked Apalis, Chestnut-throated Apalis, Collared Apalis, Stripe-breasted Tit, Grey Cuckoo-shrike, Sharpe’s Starling, Regal Sunbird, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Strange Weaver, Dusky Twinspot, Yellow Bishop, Black-throated Seedeater among other birds.

Dinner and Overnight at The Trekker's Tervan. 

Day 17: Bird Mubwindi Swamp

After breakfast, with you packed lunch bird the Mubwindi Swamp looking out for birds like Black-billed Turaco, Western Green Tinkerbird, Fine-banded Woodpecker, African Green-Broadbill, Mountain Greenbul, Yellow-streaked Greenbul, African Hill Babbler, Mountain Illadopsis, Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Grauer’s Warbler, Mountain Yellow Warbler, Chestnut-throated Apalis, Collared Apalis, Stripe-breasted Tit, Rwenzori Batis, Montane Sooty Boubou, Blue-headed Sunbird, Regal Sunbird among other birds. Certainly one of the highlights of any birding trips in Uganda, this walk is physically challenging but, taken slowly it is quite manageable.

Dinner and overnight as before. 

Day 18: Bird to Kisoro

After breakfast, bird to Kisoro via Echuya forest and a nearly finished papyrus that lied along the out flow of Lake Bunyonyi to try the Papyrus Yellow Warbler and Papyrus Canary which can be seen here by luck, Carruther’s Cisticola, try the Little Rush Warbler also, Fawn-breasted Waxbill among other birds. Continue with the drive to Kisoro looking out for birds like Handsome Francolin, Olive Pigeon, Western Green Tinkerbird, Archer’s Robin-Chat, Kivu Ground Thrush, Dusky Blue Flycatcher, Mountain Masked Apalis, White-browed Crombec, Stripe-breasted Tit, Rwenzori Batis, Doherty’s Bush-shrike, Montane Oriole, White-napped Raven, Dusky Crimsonwing, Black-crowned Waxbill, Black-headed Waxbill among other birds.

Dinner and overnight at Travellers Rest. 

Day 19:  Bird Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

After breakfast with your parked lunch, drive to Ntebeko Camp from where you will start your trek to probably the most scenic protected area in Uganda. You will take the gorge trail that loops half way up Mt. Sabinyo, through a variety of montane habitats. Look out for birds like Dusky Turtle Dove, Rwenzori Turaco, Cape Robin-Chat, White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher, Grassland Pipit, White-starred Robin, Common Stone Chat, Mountain Yellow Warbler, Mackinnon’s Fiscal, White-napped Raven, Lagden’s Bush-Shrike, Bronze Sunbird, Yellow-crowned Canary, Streaky Seedeater and try the elusive Shelly’s Crimson-wing among other birds.

Dinner and overnight at Travellers Rest. 

Day 20: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park

After breakfast, bird through Echuya forest again to Lake Mburo getting to Mbarara in time for lunch. After lunch continue with the drive to Lake Mburo National Park. Birding here is a delightful experience, and often one of the highlights of a birding trip to Uganda. Look out for birds like Crested Francolin, Emeraled Spotted Wood Dove, Spot flanked Barbet, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Archer’s Robin-Chat, Kivu Ground Thrush, Black-headed Gonolek, Starlings,  Dusky Blue Flycatcher, Mountain Masked Apalis, Stripe-breasted Tit, Rwenzori Batis, Doherty’s Bush-shrike, White-napped Raven, Dusky Crimsonwing, Black-crowned Waxbill, Black-headed Waxbill among other birds.

Dinner and Overnight at Mihingo Lodge. 

Day 21:  Bird Lake Mburo National Park

Whole day birding Lake Mburo National Park looking for species like the Bateleur, Crested Francolin, Black-bellied Bustard, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, Brown Parrot, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Blue- napped Mousebird, African Grey Hornbill, Red-faced Barbet, Spot-flanked Barbet, Long tailed Cisticola, Yellow-breasted Apalis and more. In the afternoon, take a boat cruise to look for the African Finfoot and  others. Before or  (and) after dinner try the African Scops Owl, Swamp Nightjar, Fiery-necked Nightjar, Black-shouldered Nightjar and others. Look out for animals like the gorgeous Eland, Zebra, Impala, Buffalo, Reedbuck, Topi, Water buck Bushbuck, Hippos, Oribi, Grey-duiker and others.

Dinner and Overnight at Mihingo Lodge. 

Day 22: Bird to Entebbe

After breakfast with your luggage, bird your way back to Entebbe arriving in the late afternoon. Look out for birds like Bateleur, Crested Francolin,  Lilac-breasted Roller, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, Brown Parrot, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Blue-napped Mousebird, African Grey Hornbill, Spot-flanked Barbet, Striped Kingfisher, Golden-backed Weaver among other birds.

Overnight at the Central Inn. 

Day 23: Departure

After breakfast, transfer to Entebbe International Airport in time for your departure flight.

P.O.Box P.O. Box 24015 
Kampala, Uganda

+256 (0) 393238236

+256 (0) 772 468521

+256 (0) 772448209

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