Birding Uganda

CODE: AMS BIRD 11
BIRDING WITH AMAZING TOURS
11 Days-Birding Tour

DAY 1
Arrival at Entebbe international Airport and depending on your time of arrival bird Entebbe Botanical gardens. The Entebbe Botanical Gardens established in 1901, offer a superb introduction to Uganda birds and are situated conveniently to the capital city and Entebbe International Airport.
The key birds of the gardens are Orange-Tufted and Red-Chested Sun Birds, Orange Weaver, Slender-Billed Weaver. On the lake and around the shore, we shall look for Black-headed Herons, Hamerkop, African Open-billed stock, Kingfishers, Swamp Flycatcher. Two highly vocal and conspicuous species you should find in the gardens are African Fish Eagle and Eastern Grey Plaintain eater-the latter constantly uttering the strange chimp-like calls.

Other species to watch for include Hadada Ibis, Palmnut, Shikra, Black Crake and the tiny Malachite Kingfisher among many other birds.
Dinner and Overnight at Sheraton Hotel(High end), Hotel Africana(Medium end) or Fair Way Hotel(Budget)

DAY 2: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park

Early morning transfer to Murchison falls birding en route. We will have a lunch stop in Masindi town. Thereafter we shall proceed to the park via the top of the falls for Pel’s fishing Owl, Rock Pranticoles, Bat Hawk and a variety of Night Jars among others.
Dinner and Overnight at Murchison Falls Park at either Paraa Safari Lodge or Nile Safari Camp(High end), Sambiya River Lodge(Medium end) or Red Chilli Rest Camp(budget)

DAY 3: In Murchison Falls

Early morning breakfast and cross with the ferry for the morning game drive birding en route. Expect to see birds such as Blue-naped Mouse bird, Black-headed Gonolek and Masked Weaver, among others. Nocturnal birds are often plentiful in this area and may include Spotted

and Verreaux’s Eagle-owls and a plethora of spectacular Nightjars such as Plain, Long-tailed and Pennant-winged among others.
Spend the whole day birding
Dinner and overnight at the lodge

DAY 4: Birding in Budongo Forest

After an early morning breakfast head for Budongo forest through the escarpment over looking Lake Albert. Specials include Brown Rumped Bunting, Cliff Chat, Black-billed Wood Dove, Vinaceous Dove, Fox’s Cisticola, Grey-headed Bush strike, Black-billed Barbet, Grey-headed Olive Back, Black- bellied Fire Finch, Madagascar Heron as well as the Lesser Masked Weaver.
Dinner and Over night at a Masindi hotel

DAY 5: Birding in Budongo Forest

With a picnic lunch we shall bird the Budongo royal mile. Expect to see Yellow-billed Barbet, Black-capped Apalis, Brown Twin-spot, Chocolate-backed Kingfisher among others.
Dinner and overnight in a Masindi Hotel.

shoebill

DAY 6: Transfer to Kibale National Park via Fort Portal

After breakfast we shall depart southwards to Kibale National Park with evening birding at Sebitoli section of the forest. Expect to see Uganda-spotted Wood Pecker, Papyrus Canary, Brown Illadopsis among others.
Dinner and overnight at Luxurious Ndali Lodge/Mid range rwenzori View guest House/Basic kanyankyu Tourist Centre.

DAY 7: In Kibale National Park

Early Morning breakfast and transfer to Kibale National Park. In Kibale National Park 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 visitor centre. Before we enter the forest we shall watch out for species such as Scaly Francolin, Marsh Tchagra, the scarce Grey-headed Olive-back and a host of seed eaters such as Fawn Breasted and Black Crowned Wax-bills, Green-backed Twin Spot among others.
While in the forest we shall 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.
Kibale is also a good sight for Joyful Greenbul reasonably common and conspicuous here but inexplicably scarce else where in Uganda.
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.
There is an observation tower which overlooks a small forest in the park giving you the opportunity to see the Red-chested Fluff tailed and a host of forest elephants.
The Bigodi wetland sanctuary in Kibale National Park is also an excellent place to see some of the special birds endemic to this habitat such as Papyrus Gonolek, White-winged Warbler and Papyrus Canary among others.
We shall return to lodge in the late evening.
Dinner and Overnight at Ndali Lodge(high end),Fort Motel(medium end) or Rwenzori View Guest House(budget)

DAY 8: Transfer to Semliki National Park

Early breakfast and transfer to Semliki National park. The entrance road to Semliki Wildlife Reserve passes through beautiful borassus Palm savanna. We shall expect to see species such as crested Francolin,Helmeted Guineafowl, Broad-billed Roller, African Grey Hornbill among others.
At the Semliki safari lodge, where we shall be staying, the spacious open terrace offers splendid views over the Wasa River and it is worth keeping your binoculous close. Expect to see White Crested Turaco, Bare-faced Go-away Bird, Eastern Grey Plantain-eater, Blue-naped Mouse Bird, Red-throated Bee-eater and Crowned Hornbill.
Dinner and overnight at Semliki Safari Lodge.

DAY 9: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Early morning transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park, birding en route. The Queen Elizabeth Bird observatory was established in 1997 with the aim of studying the resident and migratory bird population in the National Park. We shall arrive in time for the Afternoon launch cruise on the Kazinga channel. The Kazinga Channel is a natural magnet for water birds, and in the vicinity of Mweya, acts as a migrant track for birds moving along the Albertine rift. A wide variety of water related species include Great White and Pink-backed Pelicans, Common Squacco Heron, African Open-billed Stock, African Fish Eagle, Black Crake, African Jacana, Malachite and Pied Kingfishers.
Numbers of migrants peak in February and March. These include, among others, White Winged Terns, Millions of Common Sand Martins and Yellow-wag Tail.
The Munyanyange Lake, north of Katwe, is home to spectacular concentrations of water birds such as Greater and Lesser Flamingos.
Return for dinner and overnight.
Dinner and over night at Mweya Safari Lodge/Jacana Safari Lodge (High end) Or Mweya hostel (budget).

DAY 10: In Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast, morning game drive, birding en route heading for the Kasenyi track which is one of the best game viewing areas but also has much to offer a birder. The Northern part of this 30km circuit supports large flocks of White and Abdims Storks, Saddle-billed Stocks and Raptors such as Brown-snake Eagle, Martial Eagle and Grey Kestrel. Lion kills attract up to six species of vultures including Egyptian, Ruppels Griffon and the immense Lappet-faced. Senegal Crowned and African Wattled Clobbers are numerous in short grassland.
The south western rim of Kyambura gorge is an excellent place to see the spectacular black-bee Eater hawking insects from exposed patches in the canopy. Blue-breasted Kingfishers are also very common here among others.
We shall also head for the scenic crater area north of the Katwe road in search for species such as common Button-quail, Croaking Cisticola, and Broad-tailed Warbler among many other spectacular migrant birds.
The look out at Baboon cliffs is a good spot for rafters such as the White-shouldered Cliff Chat.
Return for dinner and overnight.

DAY 11
Transfer to Entebbe International Airport in time for your Flight.

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