15 days birding safari

A 15 days birding safari to Uganda "the bird haven"

Day 1: am Bird Mabamba pm transfer to L.Mburo

After an early morning breakfast, we shall drive to Mabamba wetlands where we will be paddled in a canoe through the swamp looking for the mighty Shoebill and other birds like White-winged Wabler,Carruthers’ Cisticola, Papyrus Gonolek, Saddle-billed Stork, African pygmy Goose,Lesser Jacana,Common Squacco, Purple and Goliath Herons, Yellow billed Egre, White-faced Whistling Duck, Yellow-billed Duck,Hottentont Teal, African fish Eagle, Black Crake, African Jacana, Long-toed Plover, Grey-headed Gull, Gull-billed and White-Winged terns, Malakite and pied Kingfishers, Blue-Breasted Bee-eater, Cape Wagtail,Swamp Fly catcher, Winding Cisticola, Red-chested Sunbird, Fan tailed Windowbird, Senegal Plover, Madagascar, bee-Eater, Grey-rumped Swallow. Later transfer to L.Mburo N.Park and lunch will be on the way. Dinner and overnight at Mihingo Lodge/Mantana Tented Camp/ Rwakobo Rock Camp.

Day 2 : Bird L. Mburo later transfer to Ruhizha

After an early breakfast, we will take an early morning boat ride in search of African Finfoot and other water birds. Our highlight will be Brown-chested Plover, Spot-Flanked, Red-faced and White Headed Barbets, Coqui’s and Red winged Francolin, Greater/Lesser Honey Guides, Marico/Scaret Chested/Variable/Copper Sunbirds, Greater Blue Eared Starling, White-Winged Warbler, Trilling cisticola, Carruthers’ Cisticola, Papyrus Gonolek, Sulpher Breasted Bush Shrike, Tabora cistcola, white winged tit, African pendurine tit, Nubian wood pecker, Black Billed Wood Dove Green backed pecker, Yellow-billed Oxpecker and Nothern Brown –throated weaver, We shall drive later in the day and stop at Agip motel in Mbarara town for lunch break. After lunch drive to Ruhizha. Dinner and overnight at Ruhizha mist camp/ tavern cottages

Day 3 : Bird Mubwindi Swamp

After early morning breakfast, we will walk down with packed lunch to Mubwindi swamp looking for specials like Black billed Turaco, Fine- banded Wood pecker,African Green-Broadbill, mountain Greenbul, Handsome Francolin, Bar-tailed trogon, White-headed Woodhoopoe, Dwarf Honeyguide, Fine-banded Woodpecker,Scarce Swift, Rwenzori Hill Babbler, Evergreen Forest Warbler,Grauer’s Rush Warbler, White-tailed Blue Fly-catcher,yellow streaped Greenbul,Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Red-faced woodland warbler, mountain yellow warbler, chestnut-throated Apalis, collard Apalis, stripe-breasted Tit, Rwenzori Batis, Doherty’s bush–shrike, montane sooty Boubou, Blue-headed sun bird, Regal sunbird and many more. Dinner and overnight as above.

Day 4 : Transfer to Bwindi N.Park via the "neck"

After early morning breakfast,we will transfer to Ruhizha via the neck birding en-route for species like Tambourine Dove, Black Bee-Eater, Mountain wagtail, Toro Olive-Greenbul, White-starred-Robin,Strange weaver, Dusky Twin spot, Black Bee-eater among others. Dinner and overnight Gorilla Forest Camp/Enagi Lodge/ Buhoma Homestead/Buhoma community rest Camp.

Day 5 : Wholeday birding Bwindi

After Breakfast, bird along the main trail for species like Red-throated Alethe, Archer’s Robin chat, Kivu Ground Thrush, Montane Masked Apalis, Short-tailed Wabler, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Western Bronze-naped Pegion,Dusky and Olive Long-tailed Cuckoos,Fraser’s Eagle owl, Montane( Rwenzori)Nightjar, Bar-tailed Trogon,Black bee-eater,Willcock’s honeyguide, Fine-banded and Elliot’s Woodpeckers, Grey-chested and Mountain Illadopses, White bellied Robin-Chat, Oberlander’s Ground Thrush, Black-faced Rofous Warbler, Chapin’s Flycatcher, Many-coloured Bush-Shrike,Brown-capped Weaver, Red-fronted Antpecker ,Ansorge’s.Carmeron Somber, Redtailed,Yellow Whiskered Little Greenbuls,Green throted,Grey Headed ,Green Headed, Bluethroted Brown,Bronze Green, Little Green Olive(western) Sunbirds and Oriole-Finch Dinner and overnight as above.

Day 6 : Whole day gorilla tracking

After early morning breakfast, we will visit the highest elevation forest, one of the world’s great natural treasures providing home to Mountain Gorillas and various endemic birds. Goriollas are often watched from just a few feet away and hopefully we should find  a party of Gorillas. If you come back from tracking early, we will do evening birding. Lunch and dinner as above.

Day 7 : Transfer to Queen Elizabeth N.Park via Ishasha

Early morning transfer to Queen Elizabeth N.Park via Ishasha and we shall have our lunch on the way. At Ishasha, We shall see a variety of Game including climbing lions, Elepahnts Buffaloes and other game. Having reached in the evening , we shall bird around the hotel on arrival in the evening for species like Blue quail, African Crake, Ross’s Turaco, Jackson’s Pipit, Red-headed lovebird, Cassin’s Flycatcher, Black bee-eater,White-backed,Lappet Faced,Ruppel’s,White headed,Palmnut Vultures,Martial,Wahlbergs,Weterh Bandedsneck,A.Fish Egales, Shining Blue King fisher have our dinner and spend a night at Jacana Safari Lodge/ Mweya Safari Lodge/ Kyambura game lodge/ King fisher Lodge/ albertine Camp.

Day 8 : Bird Queen Elizabeth N.park

After breakfast, a morning game drive and birding will be ideal. Lunch at the lodge and go for the boat launch at Kazinga Channel in the afternoon where we shall see a variety of wild life and bird life as well. A variety of game such as hundreds of hippos, crocodiles will be viewed. Other animals like Elephants, Buffaloes, Uganda Kob, Bush buck, Warthog will include Green-backed heron, Yellow billed stork, Saddle billed Stork, African spoonbill, martial eagle, African Skimmer, grey headed gull, grey, purple and goliath herons, black Crake, African Crake, Common quail and Rufous-naped lark. Late in the evening after the boat we head for an evening drive for Night jars. Dinner and overnight as above.

Day 9 : Transfer to Semliki valley National park

After breakfast we will transfer to Semliki birding en-route Through QENP and the northern side of Rwenzori Mts that are dry Savanna woodland and later bird along the edge of the Park later check in at the lodge in evening. Dinner and overnight at Semliki Lodge/ Vanilla Lodge.

Day 10 : Whole day birding Kirumia Trail

After an early morning breakfast we will head to Kirumia trail in search of species like Spot-Breasted Ibis, Hartlaub’s duck,Chestnut-flanked Goshawk, Long-tailed Hawk,  Nkurengu Rail, Western Bronze-naped  Pegion, Black-collared Lovebird, Yellow-throated Cuckoo,Red-Chested Owlet,Bates’ Nightjar, Chocolate-backed/ White-bellied and African Dwarf Kingfishers, White-crested/ Blackbilled Dwarf/Red-Billed Dwarf Hornbills, Piping and Black-wattled Hornbills, Red-rumped Tinkerbird, Spotted/Lyre-tailed and Zenker’s Honeyguides ,African Piculet, Gabon Wood pecker ,Red-sided Broadbill, White-throated blue Swallow, Green-tailed Bristlebill, Xavier’s, Swamp, Simple and Eastern Bearded Greenbuls, Yellow-throated Nicator,Capuchin Babbler, Nothern bearded Scrub Robin,Forest and Grey ground Thrushes,Lemon-bellied Crombec, Brown-crowned Eremomela. Blue-headed Crested Flycatcher, Ituri Batis, Red-billed Helmet-Shrike,Fiery-breasted Bush-shrike, Black-winged Oriole, Chestnut-winged Starling, Orange-tufted Sunbird, Maxwell’s Black Weaver, Blue-billed, Crested and Red-bellied Malimbes,Plae-Fronted and Chestnut-breasted Negrofinches, Grant’s blue bill and many more. Dinner and overnight as above.

Day 11 : Transfer to Kibale Forest N.Park

Trasfer to Kibale birdig on the way if time permits, try  Sebitore another site in Kibale N.Park . Dinner and overnight at Primate Lodge Kibale/ Kibale Bush Lodge/Chimpanzee Guest house.

Day 12 : am birding pm chimpanzee trekking

Birding in Kibale N.P is a delightful experience. We shall look for species such as Afep Pegion, Green-breasted Pitta,  Joyful Greenbul, Grey-winged Robin, Grey-throated Flycatcher, Dark Backed Weaver,White Browed Crombec,Olive long Tailed Cuckoo,Yellow Mantled Weaver Emard Cuckoo. Masked and black-throated Apalises, Chestnut winged Starling, Orange-tufted and tiny sunbirds, White-collared Olive-back and many more. Lunch at the hotel. After lunch head for chimpanzee trekking. Dinner and overnight as above.

Day 13 : Transfer to Murchison Falls N.Park

After Breakfast we shall drive to Murchison Falls N.Park. This will be a wholeday drive and you will get there in the evening. Dinner and overnight at Nile Safari Camp/Paraa Safari Lodge/ Redchilli Camp.

Day 14 : am game drive and birding pm boat launch

After Breakfast, We will head for a game drive around the park where a number game will be viewed like giraffes, Elephants, buffaloes, Impalas and many more. You will head to Albertine Nile for the Albertine endemics . Our key species in Murchison will be

Shoebill, Secretary bird,  Red-necked Falcon, Heuglin’s Francolin, Denham’s Bustard, Senegal Thick-Knee, Egyptian-plover, Rock Pranticole, Black-headed Plover,African Skimmer, Bruce’s Green Pegion, Vinaceous dove, White-crested Turaco, Pel’s Fishing Owl, Long-tailed,Pennant-winged and Standard winged Nightjars, Red-throated, Swallow-tailed and Carmine Bee-eaters, Abyssinian Roller, Black Scimitarbill, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Black-billed Barbet, Brown-backed Woodpecker, Spotted Morning Thrush, White-fronted Black Chat, Silverbird , Singing bird,Foxy and Black-backed Cisticolas, Red-winged Grey Warbler, Green-backed Eremomela, Yellow-billed and Emin’s Shrikes, White-breasted Cuckoo-shrike, Lesser Blue-eared and Bronze-tailed Starlings, Beautiful Sunbird,Chestnut-crowned Sparrow weaver, Northern Red Bishop, Grey-headed Olive-back, Red-winged Pytilia, Brown Twinspot, Bar-bellied Firefinches, Black-rumped Waxbill, Paradise Whydah,White-rumped Seedeater and brown-rumped and Cabanis’s Buntings. Later drive to Masindi. Dinner and overnight at Masindi Hotel/ courtview hotel.

Day 15 : am bird the royal mile pm transfer back to Entebbe

After an early morning breakfast, bird the royal mile for birds like Foxy Cisticola Pygmy Sunbird,White Fronted black Chat,Cabanis,Brown Rumped.Cinamo Breasted Rock Buntings,Red ,Orange and Green winged Pytilias,Swallow Tailed Bee Eater,Vitelline’sMasked Weaver,Northern Crombec,Siliver Bird,Brown Barbler and many others. Lunch en-route back to the airport for return flight.