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Birdwatching Safari Uganda Tour

CODE: AMS BIRD 14
BIRDING WITH AMAZING SAFARIS
14 days Birding Tour

DAY 1: ARRIVAL

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 Mabamba Swamp & Lake Mburo National Park

Early breakfast and transfer to Mabamba swamp in search of the rare Shoebill Stock. The large and accessible wetland, near the village of Mabamba on the shores of Lake Victoria is only a short 2-hour drive from Kampala. The immense Papyrus swamp is interspersed with a maze of channels, lagoons and floating lilly pads. Certain papyrus specialists include White-winged Warbler, Carruthers’ Cisticola, Saddle-billed Stock, and African Pygmy. Other distinct possibilities include African Fish Eagle, Yellow-billed Eaglet, Hottentot Teal, Black Crake and the Grey-headed Gull among a variety of other species.

We shall have lunch and thereafter proceed to Lake Mburo National Park, birding en route. We shall search for Black-bellied Bustard, Temminck’s Courser, African Wattled Plover, Rufous-naped and Flappet Larks as well as the Yellow-throated Long Claw among other species.
Dinner and overnight at Mantana tented camp/Mihingo lodge (high end) or Rwonyo camp (Budget)

DAY 3: Lake Mburo National Park

After early morning breakfast we shall head for a birding tour at Lake Mburo National Park. Common birds in this habitat include Crested Francolin, Brown Parrot, African Grey Hornbill, Nubian wood Pecker, Marico Sun bird. Most of these should be encountered whilst driving towards Rwonyo camp, the park headquarters. The more open grassland, north of camp, along the Zebra track is worth exploring for Southern Red Bishop, Brown chested Clover, Coqui Francolin.
The scenic lake side track allows access to aquatic habitats such as Greater swamp Warbler. The White-winged Warbler and the Papyrus Gonolek vocalize from the papyrus in the mornings and respond greatly to tape recordings. The Shoebill may also be observed but it is irregular in the park.
A surprisingly large number of rafters occur in this park. Among the 35 species recorded are Long Crested and Marshal Eagles, African Fish Eagle, African Hawk, African Marsh Harrier among many others.
The Kigambira loop will give us the opportunity to see the localized Red-Faced Barbet. In the late evening we will transfer to Mbarara town for overnight.
Dinner and Over night at Agip Motel or Lake View Regency (Medium end)

DAY 4: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After breakfast transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park birding en route. The Park offers some of the finest montane forest birding in Africa and is a key destination for any birder’s visit in Uganda. 23 of Uganda’s 24 Albertine rift endemics including the globally threatened species such as African Green Broad-bill and Shelleys, Crimson Wing can hardly be seen on any other site in East Africa.
We shall head straight to Ruhija area which is the most excellent birding venue in Bwindi. Common species to be seen include Green-tinker bird, Rwenzori Batis, Mountain Yellow Warblers and the African Hill Babbler among others.
Dinner and over night at Ruhija Institute Guest house

DAY 5: Bwindi

Early morning breakfast and head for the Mubwindi swamp (300metres south of the Ruhija Ranger gate). This is the most accessible site on earth for the rare and localized African Green Broad-bill, one of Africa’s sought after bird. Other birds to look for are Great Blue Turaco, Yellow-billed Barbet and Montane Oriole. The Red-chested Fluff tail may also be heard calling from the swamp although seeing it requires a combination of luck, patience and a tape recorder.
We shall have lunch and thereafter transfer to Buhoma for overnight.
Dinner and overnight at Mantana tented Camp(High end),Buhoma Homestead(medium end) or Buhoma Community camp(budget)

DAY 6: Bwindi

After breakfast we will head for the track South of Buhoma towards Nteka. Thicker vegetation towards the first few hundred metres is home to Equatorial Akalat, Olive long-tailed Cuckoo. 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.
We shall return to lodge in the late evening.
Dinner and overnight at Mantana tented Camp(High end),Buhoma Homestead(medium end) or Buhoma Community camp(budget)

DAY 7: Bwindi

After breakfast we shall head for another full day of birding. We shall head for the Muzabajiro River trail, a 5.2km trail that begins just north of the main forest entrance and climbs over a ridge into the Muzabajiro valley. The steep terrain along this valley offers good views over the forest canopy where western Bronze-naped Pegion, African Broad-bill, Equatorial Akalat are more easily found among many other species of birds.
Return to Lodge for Dinner and Overnight

DAY 8: 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 9: In Queen Elizabeth

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 10: Transfer to Fort Portal

After breakfast, transfer to Fort Portal birding en route. We shall have a lunch stop in Fort Portal town on our war to the lodge.
Dinner and overnight at Luxurious Ndali Lodge/mid- range rwenzori View guest House/Basic kanyankyu Tourist Centre.

DAY 11: Transfer to 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 12: Transfer to Kampala

Early morning transfer to Kampala
Dinner and Overnight at Sheraton Hotel(High end), Hotel Africana(Medium end) or Fair Way Hotel(Budget)

DAY 13
Early morning breakfast and transfer to Mabira forest. Mabira forest is one of the 65 forest reserves covering an area of 29,974 species of plants and animals including over 287 species of birds. It was listed as an Important Bird Area (IBA) and has about 300 species of birds and accounts for 30% of the total birds in the country. The forest birds to be seen include Nathan’s Francolin, Cassin’s Hawk Eagle, Green-tailed Bristle-bill, Grey Long-bill, Leaf Love, Paradise Flycatcher, Sooty Boubou, Purple-throated Cuckoo Shrike.
Return to Kampala for Dinner and Over night.

DAY 14: Depart for Entebbe International Airport

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