Birding and Primate Safari in Uganda

This Bird watching and Primate safari in Uganda offers the real classic safari of such an amazing combination. This Safari takes you to famous birding spots of Uganda including, Mabamba, Lake Mburo, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest which is the home of the Awesome Mountain Gorillas, Queen Elizabeth Park, L. and Kibale Forest National Park.

Day 1: Arrival.

Meet our professional bird guide at Entebbe airport and then transfer to your hotel in Kampala or Entebbe. Early arrivals may enjoy birding around the botanical gardens in Entebbe. Overnight at Sheraton Hotel. (FB)

Day 2: Birding Mabamba

After an early breakfast, drive to Mabamba Swamp 50km west of Kampala. Stop enroute in the Mpigi Swamp for papyrus rarities. Watch out for the White-winged Warbler, Papyrus Gonolek, Yellow-backed Weaver, Northern Brown-throated Weaver, Blue-headed Coucal, and other swamp specialities. At the swamp, most of the birding is from a canoe paddled by our local site guides. Look out for the Shoebill both in the sky and down on the marsh. Also look out for the Swamp Flycatcher, African Purple Swamphen, African Water Rail, Common Moorhen, Lesser Jacana, African Jacana, African Pygmy Goose, White-faced Whistling-duck, Squacco Heron, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Winding Cisticola, Goliath Heron and Black Crake. Overnight at Sheraton Hotel. (FB)

Day 3: Drive to Lake Mburo National Park

With a stop over at the equator, you will be able to stand in 2 hemispheres at the same time. Lake Mburo National Park contains an extensive area of wetland and harbours several species of mammals including zebras, Impalas, Elands, Topi and Buffaloes. The bird population include, Green-backed Woodpecker, African Finfoot, Brown-chested Plover, Southern Ground Hornbill, Spot-flanked, Red-faced Barbet, Black-collared Barbet, White–winged Warbler, Papyrus Yellow Warbler, Carruthers, Cisticola, Papyrus Gonoleka, Yellow-billed Oxpecker and, Northern Brown-throated Weaver. Overnight at Muhingo Lodge or Mantana Tented Camp. (FB)

Day 4: Transfer to Bwindi National Park.

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. Overnight at Gorilla Forest Camp or Buhoma Homestead. FB

Day 5: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.

Birding in Bwindi is one of the best birdwatching hot spost in Uganda. It is home to over 23 highly localized Albertine Rift endemics. After breakfast explore the Buhoma Forest section. Overnight at Gorilla Forest Camp or Buhoma Homestead. FB

Day 6: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.

The park’s headquarters are at Buhoma, and it is from here that we will set out on our gorilla trek. A great deal will depend upon where the Mountain Gorillas are, as to how far one has to trek, but one should expect to be in the forest most of the day. You will be allowed an hour with the gorillas and it is sure to be a very rewarding experience. Overnight at Gorilla Forest Camp or Buhoma Homestead. FB

Day 7: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

via the Ishasha sector where you will have an opportunity to view the tree climbing lions. Overnight at Mweya Safari lodge or Jacana Safari Lodge (FB)

Day 8: Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Whole morning birding in the Park and then afternoon Boat cruise on Kazinga Channel. The channel is a natural, narrow neck of water that connects Lakes George and Edward, with excellent photographic opportunities for waterside birds and abundant Hippopotamus. Amongst the birds we’ll likely encounter African Skimmer, Striated Heron, African Spoonbill, African Crake, Water Thick-knee, Three-banded Plover, Marsh Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Gray-headed Gull, Plain Martin, Lesser Swamp-Warbler, Collard Planticoles and Yellow-billed Oxpecker. Overnight at Mweya Safari lodge (FB)

Day 9: Transfer to Kibale National Park.

Morning Game Drive and birding in Queen Elizabeth and then transfer to Kibale National Park in the afternoon. Overnight at Primate Lodge (FB)

Day 10: Chimp tracking and birding in Kibale Forest National Park.

Early morning go chimp tracking and birding. Specials in this park include Olive long tailed cuckoo, African black duck, Joyful, cabanis, Toro olive and Cameroon sombre greenbuls, Black faced rufous warbler, tiny sunbird, green twinsport, Brown and scaly breasted illadopsis, blue shouldered robin chat, Green-throated Sunbird, Blue-throated sunbird, Green-breasted Pita, African pita, white-throated Greenbul , Yellow whiskered Greenbul, Red-tailed Bristle Bill, Red-capped Robinchat, Dusky Tit, Green-headed Sunbird, Brown-capped Weaver, Velvet-mantled Drongo, Bocage’s Bush-shrike, Pink-footed Puff Back, Ludher’s Bush-shrike. Overnight at Primate Lodge. FB

Day 11: Transfer to Kampala:

Birding En-route. Overnight at Sheraton Hotel.

Day 12: Departure

Maximum group size: 6 Leaders: Best bird guides and members of Uganda Bird Guides Club and the local site guides.

Accommodation and Meals: Full board accommodation in comfortable lodges or tented camps, packed lunches, drinking water, Gorilla permits, Chimpanzee tracking, transport throughout the tour by safari 4×4 vehices, boat, park entrance fees and services of all the guides and leaders.

Not included: Insurance, drinks and items of a personal nature, plus optional tips for the local guides.

Note: Gorilla tracking involves an all day excursion and the trekking can be quite arduous, so a good level of fitness is required. It can last from 20 minutes to hours in a day. On occasion the Gorillas prove elusive but equally can be found within an hour by the tracker guides. This will be an optional excursion and those not wishing to go can spend time looking for the excellent birds around the lower trails in company with a local bird guide.