A 14 day Uganda bird watching tour that takes you to the major birding spots in Uganda. Uganda is a birding paradise; one of the best and most thrilling birding destinations. Uganda attracts migrant birds from the North and South of the African Continent. Its utmost biodiversity lies in its array of habitats which attracts a great number of birds. Uganda boasts of more than 1000 species of birds scattered in its wide range of habitats. Some of the exciting species you will view include birds of water and land shore, birds of scrub and woodland, forest birds and birds of the open plain .These habitats range from snow capped mountain tops in the west to semi-arid areas in the north-east; rain forests in the centre and west to open waters of the numerous lakes . It has almost half the species known on the African continent and over 10% of those recorded throughout the entire world.
Lake Mburo National Park is the closest Savannah Reserve to Kampala is centred on a series of swamp-fringed lakes known for their rich birdlife, notably the secretive African finfoot. The Park’s well developed Acacia woodland harbors a number of bird species. This is the only place in Uganda to see the typically savannah bird species. It is the best place in Uganda to find Africa finfoot and most of the papyrus endemics. Birding in Lake Mburo national Park is done through out the year.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is situated in south western Uganda, on the edge of the Western Rift Valley . Bwindi is the bird watchers haven! It holds 346 species of birds and contains 90% of all Albertine rift endemics, difficult or impossible to see in any other part of East Africa and seven IUCN red data listed species. An experienced bird watcher can identify up to 100 species in a day! Visit Ruhija and Buhoma for this dream. Indicate your interest to the Park Management so that appropriate early morning departures can be arranged.
In Queen Elizabeth National Park, a launch trip on the Kazinga Channel will introduce you to the hippo crowded banks of the Channel which will give you a unique unequalled wildlife experience. Eye to eye with yawning hippos and surrounded by vast numbers of migrant and resident water birds, the boat puts one right in the heart of nature.
With lush tropical rainforest and fascinating diversity of animals, Kibale National Park is one of the most beautiful and stunning forests in Uganda. Kibale forest is certainly worth protecting as it is home to the largest number (in Uganda) of our closest living relative, the endangered chimpanzee, as well as the threatened red colubus monkey and the rare L’hoest monkey. The forest has one of the highest diversity and density of primates in Africa totaling 13 species including the black and white colubus, blue monkey and grey-cheeked mangabey, red tailed monkey, bush babies and pottos. The park also hosts over 325 species of birds including the yellow spotted nicator, yellow rumped tinker bird, little greenbul, green breasted pitta, African pitta, crowned eagle and the black bee-eater. There are a number of impressive mammals including forest elephants, buffaloes, bush pigs, duikers and bats. A keen observer may see some of the reptiles and amphibians as well as a colorful variety of butterflies. Furthermore, over 250 tree species have been recorded.
Murchison Falls Protected Area comprises of Murchison Falls National Park, Bugungu and Karuma Wildlife Reserves. Murchison Falls National Park derives its name from the Murchison Falls where the mighty River Nile explodes through a narrow gorge and flows down to become a placid river whose banks are thronged with hippos, crocodiles, waterbucks and buffaloes. The vegetation is characterized by savannah, riverine forest and woodland. Wildlife includes lions, leopards, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, hartebeests, oribis, Uganda kobs, chimpanzees and many bird species including the rare shoebill.
Launch Trips on the Nile is one of the highlights of a visit to Murchison Falls National Park is the launch trip from Paraa to the foot of Murchison Falls. Hippos and crocodiles are abundant and you will see birds like herons, cormorants, ducks, bee-eaters, fish eagles, kingfishers and sometimes the rare shoebill. The launch trip from Paraa to the falls (17km) and back takes about three hours. A boat trip from Paraa to the Delta (28km) and back takes about four to five hours and you can see a similar variety of animals and birds.
You will be met by one of our company representatives at Entebbe airport. Depending on the time of arrival you may go birding in either the botanical gardens or the Uganda Wildlife Education centre. Either of the places are good representative of the bird species in the country. They help give one an introduction to the different bird species in the country. Special birds here includes; African hobby, Ross's Turaco, Brown and Grey Parrot, Klaas's, Diederik, and Red-Chested Cuckoo, Fork Tailed Drongo, Brown Crowned Tchagra, white Chinned Prinia Black-headed Gonolek, to mention but a few.You will have an overnight stay at a hotel Entebbe.
After an early breakfast, drive to lake Mburo with a brief stopover at the Equator for photographs. Drive through savannah grasslands seeing banana plantations and herds of Ankole cattle with their incredible long curving horns. Arrive in time for a boat ride. This park has got a mosaic habitat of rock outcrops, dry hillside, open and wooded savanna, forests, galleries, swamps. A variety of habitats have contributed to the avifauna diversity and 313 bird species have been recorded in the park including; Red faced barbet, Long tailed cisticola, Papyrus yellow warbler, African fin foot, Northern Brubru, Rofous bellied heron, Black collared barbet, Brown chested plover, White winged tit, Northern brown throated weaver, White winged warbler .Spend the night in Lake Mburo National Park.
After an early breakfast, lunch we depart for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The park derives its name from its thick vegetation with an immense variety of evergreen trees, festooned with lianas, epiphytes, which rich great heights in their search for sunlight plus half of the world’s population of mountain gorillas.
Go for a guided nature walk for birding along Buhoma main trail and later on to the water fall trail. Bwindi is the Bird watchers haven! It holds 348 species of birds among which 90% of the Albertine rift Endemic are here i.e the Short-tailed, Rusty-faced woodland and Grauer's Rush Warblers, Bar-tailed Trogon, Wilcock's Honey-guide, Yellow-eyed black Fly-catcher, Kivu Ground Thrush, Dusky Crimsonwing, White-tailed Blue Monarch among others, difficult or impossible to see in any other part of East Africa. Alternatively, go for a Gorilla trek. Spend the night in Bwindi. Spend the night in Bwindi.
Birding today in Ruhija. Morning transfer with picnic lunch to Mubwindi swamp in Ruhija. The swamp at an elevation of 2050m/6725 holds astonishing birdlife among others; the Dwarf Honeyguide, Stripe-breasted Tit, Ruwenzori Apalis and African Hill Babbler, the rare and localized Graurer’s Scrub-warbler and Carruther’s Cisticola, including very difficult to see Fraser’s Eagle-Owl. Return to Ruhija for overnight.Spend the night in Bwindi.
After an early breakfast, transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park through the southern part of the park (Ishasha Sector). This will depend on the condition of the road. Spend a night in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
We take an early morning game drive towards the famous Kasenyi Track, winding through grassland dotted with trees and nearby crater lakes. The main aim is to locate Lions and other mammals including Buffalo, Ugandan Kob, Oribi, Waterbuck, Bushbuck and family groups of African Elephants. Along the road you may find Scaly Francolin, Red-necked Spurfowl, several plovers, Harlequin Quail and Common Button-quail. Larks are numerous and include, Red Capped, Rufous-napped, Flappet and the local White-tailed. Raptors include Martial Eagle, Banded Snake Eagles and Bateleur. In the afternoon we embark on a boat trip down the Kazinga Channel. This incredible area for waterbirds will afford stunning views of African Skimmer, Pink-backed Pelican, Saddle-billed, African Open Billed and Yellow Billed Stork, Hamerkop, African Spoonbill, Water Thick-knee, and over-summering Palearctic migrants
After lunch, go for a Launch cruise along the Kazinga Channel at 15.00 hours. Kazinga channel is a natural strip that joins Lake Edward to Lake George and actually this is one of your highlights of this safari. Dinner and overnight.
After an early breakfast, transfer to Kibale Forest National Park. We have a chance of birding on the main road or one of the trails in the forest.Spend a night in Kaibale Forest.
Have an early breakfast by 7.00 am and proceed to the park headquarters at Kanyanchu for briefing before going on the chimpanzee trek and bird watching in Kibale Forest. You will carry packed lunch from the lodge and lots of drinking water. Kibale Forest National Park has more than 335 bird species recorded. A network of forest trails from the Kanyanchu Visitor Centre allows you to search for a number of species from the vicinity of the main road such as nahan’s francolin, African pitas.
There is a large block of rain forest that offers some excellent forest birding. The best forest birding is along the main road from the Kanyanchu centre. Species such as scaly francolin, marsh tchagara, the scarce grey-headed olive-back and a host of seed eaters such as fawn breasted black crowned wax-bills and green-backed twin spot, among others, can easily be spotted.
While in the forest, you will watch out for flocks of the rare and localized white-naped pigeon in flight over head or sunning themselves on the tree tops in the early morning. Fruiting trees attract birds such as Narina trogon, pied hornbill, yellow-spotted, hairy-breasted and yellow-billed barbets.
The secondary forest and thicket around Kanyanchu is also a productive birding area for the African goshawk, the majestic ground eagle and masked apalis. Large, noisy flocks of grey parrots fly over the campsite to their roost in the evening. After lunch; we shall go for a nature walk in Bigodi swamp. Spend a night in Kibale Forest.
Today we leave early for Masindi. Spend a night in Hoima
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. There after, transfer to the park for overnight stay.
After an early breakfast, go for an early morning game drive that usually starts at 7.00 am. Return to the Lodge for a late breakfast at 11.00 am. After lunch, go for a Launch cruise to the bottom of the falls; the hippos and crocodiles are amazing. Don’t miss the water birds as well. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
After an early breakfast with a packed lunch, visit the top of the falls. Enjoy and marvel at the mighty Nile being forced in a seven meter crevice to thunder 45 meters below in a series of cascades that can be viewed at different points at the summit. Continue to Entebbe; arrive in time for your evening flight.
End of the Safari
Please note that this is a guideline program that maybe customized according to travelers’ needs and preferences. The variations are normally made to improve the tour and your experience. All our Uganda safaris start from either Entebbe (where the main airport is) or Kampala (the capital city) depending on where you spend an overnight prior to commencement date of the safari.
