23 Days – Birding In Uganda – Uganda

Arrival at Entebbe Airport where you will be welcomed by our representative and transferred to your hotel in Entebbe.

Depending on time of arrival, stay at Hotel and bird Entebbe Botanical Gardens est. 1898. The gardens host a variety of open woodland species and offer a superb introduction to Ugandan birds.

Target birds: Vereaux's Eagle, Owls, Red-chested Sunbirds, Orange Weaver, Slender-billed, Brown-throated, Yellow-backed, Jackson's Golden-backed, Black-headed and Vieillot's Black Weavers. Around the shore-Long tailed Cormorant, Common Squacco and Black-headed Herons, Hammerkop, African Open-billed Stork, Yellow-billed Duck, Grey-headed Gull, various terns and Pied Kingfisher, Swamp Flycatcher, Rock Pratincoles, Black-headed Gonolek, Red-chested Sunbird, Great Blue Ross' Turacos, Klas' & Dierderik Cuckoos, Woodland Kingfisher, Black-billed Roller, Black & White Casqued Hornbill, Splendid Starling, African Fish Eagle & Eastern Grey Plantain-eater, Angola Swallow, Winding & Red-faced Cisticolas, Grey-capped Warbler, Common Wattle-eye, Green throated & Scarlet-chested Sunbirds.

Overnight The Boma Hotel or Laico Lake Victoria Hotel

This is about 50km West of  Kampala. The wetland is newly discovered home for the most sought after bird the Shoebill. Birding is done on the canoes in marsh channels. Special birds include White –winged warbler, Papyrus Gonolek, Yellow barked Weaver, Northern brown-throated weaver, Blue-headed coucal, and other  swamp specialities. Continue to Mabamba Swamp. Most of the birding is from the canoe, look out for the Shoebill stock, both in sky and down the marsh. Also look out for the Swamp Flycatcher, African Purple Swamphen, African Water Rail, Common Moorhen, Lesser Jacana, African Pygmy Goose, White-faced whistling-Duck, Squacco, Blue-Breasted Bee-Eater Etc. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Overnight Cassia Lodge or Le Petit Village

Morning transfer to Murchison Falls Park via to Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary. While you track the rhinos, visit the information centre and craft shop, look out for bush buck, leopard, Uganda kob, oribi, crocodiles, hippo and other wildlife present on the ranch. The bird life is abundant, with even the rare shoebill stork present in the Lugogo Swamps. Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary offers peace and tranquility in beautiful surroundings

This afternoon we will visit the "top of the falls" for your chance to view the magnificence of the Nile. The park is cut into half by the famous River Nile where it has to squeeze itself through the legendary Murchison Falls, an impossibly narrow 7 m gap in a cleft rock creating a powerful explosion of white water. The Falls are believed to be the most powerful natural flow of water anywhere on earth. Superlatives like “awesome” “stupendous” “fantastic” and “wow” have been used to describe this amazing spectacle.

Overnight Murchison Falls River Lodge or Paraa Safari Lodge

Take a boat along the Victoria Nile to the Delta at Lake Albert. This is a home to hippos and many enormous Nile crocodiles as well as special birds, which includes Shoebill, Secretary Bird, Abyssinian Roller and Ground Hornbill, Pied Kingfishers, Red-Throated Bee-Eaters lining the banks, Goliath Heron, Saddle-billed Stork, Sacred Ibis, Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Senegal and Water Thick-knees, Black-headed and Long-toed Lapwing, Little Bittern, Osprey, Red-necked Falcon, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Vinaceous Dove and Grosbeak Weaver.

This afternoon cross for birding to the Top of the Falls. Look out for White-fronted black chat, Rock Prantincoles, White-Crested Turaco, Grey Woodpecker, Darter and Giant Kingfisher, Red-Throated Bee-eater, Red-shouldered cuckoo-shrike, Western Violet-backed Sunbird, Black-headed Gonolek, Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-weaver, Brown Twinspot, Bar-breasted Firefinch, Red-Winged Grey Warbler, Bruce’s Pigeon and Osprey.

Overnight Murchison Falls River Lodge or Paraa Safari Lodge

Whole day Game drive on Northern bank of the Victoria Nile. Birds recorded here include Egyptian plover, shoebill, Red winged Grey warbler, Rock pranticole, Secretary bird, bat hawk, Denham’s bustard, Pels fishing owl, White crested turaco, Vinaceuos dove, Senegal thicknee, chestnut crowned sparrow weaver, Carmine bee eater, Night jars (pennant winged & standard winged), White rumped canary.

Overnight Murchison Falls River Lodge or Paraa Safari Lodge

Start early birding to Budongo forest through the escarpment looking for fox’s cisticola, White –headed Barbet, Northern Crombec, singing cisticola, Grey-headed Bush Shrike, Black-Billed Barbet, Grey-headed Olive back, Black- bellid Fire finch Madagascar Heron, Lesser masked Weaver and shikra.

Afternoon Birding at Budongo maybe very productive. The forest is one of the largest and most beautiful forests in Uganda.

It is home for African Dwarf Kingfisher, African Crowned Eagle, Olive Camaroptera, Yellow and Grey Longbills, Chocolate-backed Kingfisher; Red tailed Ant-Thrush, Velvet-mantled Drongo, Rufous-crowned Eremomera, Ituri Batis and Nahan’sFrankolin dinner and overnight stay.

Overnight Budongo Eco – Lodge

Whole day Birding the Royal Mile and Busingiro.

Key species include African dwarf and Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, Chestnut-crowned Eremomera, White-spotted Flufftail, yellow and grey  Longbills, Olive-bellied Crombec, Brown-eared Woodpecker, Dusky long-tailed Cuckoo, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Crowned Eagle, Forest Flycatcher, Yellow-browed Camaroptera and Cabanis Bunting, Brown-backed Scrub-Robin, Narina Trogon, Golden-crowned Woodpecker, Rufous Flycatcher-Thrush, Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, Black-headed Paradise-Flycatcher, Little Green Sunbird, Green Sunbird, both Negrofinches, Western Black-headed Oriole, Dusty Long-tailed Cuckoo, Africa Emerald Cuckoo, Red-tailed Ant-Thrush, Yellow Longbill, Grey Longbill, Forest Robin, Scaly-breasted Illadopsis, Rufous-crowned Eremomela, the elusive Lemon-bellied Crombec, Yellow-mantled Weaver, Yellow-browed Camaroptera, Green Crombec, Crested Malimbe and Red-headed Bluebill dinner and overnight stay.  

Overnight Budongo Eco – Lodge

Leave early for Kibale Forest National Park. This is a rather longer drive but there are few birding sports. Kibale forest birds include Grey-winged Robin, blue shouldered robin chat, yellow spotted barbet, black billed turaco, White-naped Pigeon, Green-brested Pitta, Red-chested Flufftail, African Pitta, Joyful Greenbul, Cabanis greenbul, Grey-throated Flycatcher, White-bellied Crested Flycatcher, Masked Apalis, nahan’s francolin, Tiny Sunbird, White collard olive back etc. Also this forest is home to the 13 primate species dinner and overnight stay.

Overnight: Primate Lodge Kibale (cottages] or Primate Lodge Kibale (safari tents)

Other specials include. White-tailed Ant-Thrushes, Purple-headed Glossy-Starling, Brown Illadopsis, Green-breasted Pitta, White-naped pigeon, Masked Apalis, Toro Olive-greenbul, Black-billed Turaco, Buff-spotted Woodpecker and Green Crombec dinner and overnight stay.

Overnight: Primate Lodge Kibale (cottages] or Primate Lodge Kibale (safari tents)

Drive to Semliki National Park for the whole day birbing in the forest. Semliki is known for it’s most sought after rarities and these include Congo Serpent Eagle, Black-throated Rail, Nkulengu Rail, Long-tailed Hawk, Spot-breasted Ibis, Capuchin Babbler, Yellow-throated Nicator, Northern Bearded Scrub Robin, Red-chested Owlet, Western Bronze-napped Pigeon, Black-collared Lovebird White-bellied Kingfisher, Red-rumped Tinkerbird, Lyretailed Honeyguide, Zenker’s Honeyguide, White-throated Blue Swallow, Bate’s Nightjar, Yellow-throated Cuckoo, Orange-tufted Sunbird, Black-winged Oriole, Red-billed Helmet Shrike, Lemon-bellied Crombec, Rufous-sided Broadbill, Icterine Greenbul, Swamp Palm Bulbul, Crested Malimbe and Blue-billed Malimbe, Fiery-breasted Bush-shrike, Pale-fronted Negrofinch and Piping, Red-billed Dwarf, Black Dwarf, White Crested, Black-casqued Wattled and White-thighed Hornbills.

Overnight Semliki Safari Lodge

Whole day birding in forest. Kirumira trail has become the most popular trail for its richness in diversity of bird species.

Overnight Semliki Safari Lodge

Drive westwards to Queen Elizabeth National Park. This is the second largest park in Uganda. Serious birders may interested to knowing that the one-day record for QENPIS 296 species out of the 610 recorded in the park. An excellent variety of birds can be seen and these include pelicans, skimmers, kingfishers, thick-knees, storks, martins, swallows, weavers, canaries, kites, and many grassland specialties. Evening birding is usually very productive.

Overnight Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge or Mweya Safari Lodge

Whole day birding in the park. An early game drive in the open savannah makes it very ideal savannah birds. The afternoon launch cruise on the Kazinga channel that connects Lakes George and Edward, is around the best known in the region for its diversity of bird species. Special birds include African Skimmer, Green backed Heron, African Spoonbill, African Crake, Water Thick-Knee, Three-banded Plover, Marsh, Green, Wood and Common Sandpiper, Gray-headed Gull, Plain Martin, Lesser Swamp-Warbler and Yellow-billed Oxpecker

Overnight Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge or Mweya Safari Lodge

Special birds include Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Banded Prinia, Black-faced Apalis, Red-throated Alethhe, Yellow-eyed Black-Flycatcher, Ashy Flycatcher, chin-spot batis, Cassin’s Grey Flycatcher, 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 Sun bird, Mackinnon’s Fiscal, sooty Boubou, Oriele Finch Olive Thrush, African Broadbill, Western Green Tinkerbird, African Wood-Owl, Mountain Buzzard, Red-chested Owlet, Toro Olive-Greenbul, Neumann’s Warbler and Red faced woodland Warbler

Overnight Silver Back Lodge or Buhoma Lodge

Whole day Gorilla Tracking.

Overnight Silver Back Lodge or Buhoma Lodge

Birding Buhoma sector.

Overnight Silver Back Lodge or Buhoma Lodge

Birding in the Ruhijja sector

Overnight Gorilla Nest Camp or Ruhija Gorilla Safari Lodge

The 4km to Mubwindi Swamp drops to 2350m / 2050m and is the best place for some of some of the most difficult to find of all rift-endemics including Grauer’s (African Green) Broadbill, the beautiful Regal Sunbird and Arche’s Robin-chat.

Mubwindi Swamp at an elevation of 2050m / 6725 ft holds Dwarf Honeyguide, Stipe breasted Tit, Ruwenzori Apalis and African Hill Babbler sometimes treated as a separate species Ruwenzori Hill Babbler, the Rare and Localised Grauers Scrub-warbler and caruthers’ Cisticolla, including very difficult to see species like Fraser’s Eagle-Owl and Ruwenzori Double-collared Sunbird. We should also come across Green Broadbill, Grauer’s Rush Warbler, Purple-breasted, Blue headed Waxbill, Bar-tailed Trogon, White-headed Woodhoopee, Waller’sand Stuhlmann’s Starling, and Luehder’s Bushshrike and Handsome Francolin.Montane Nighjar.

Overnight Gorilla Nest Camp or Ruhija Gorilla Safari Lodge

Birding in the Ruhijja sector

Overnight Gorilla Nest Camp or Ruhija Gorilla Safari Lodge

Drive to Lake Mburo National Park.

Lake Mburo National Park (LMNP) is a very special place; every part of it is a variety, interest and colour. The Park contains an extensive area of wetland. The Park 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, and Black-collared Barbets, White-winged Warble, Papyrus Yellow Warbler, Caruthers, Cisticola, Papyrus Gonoleka, Yellow-billed Oxpecker, and Northern Brown-throated Weaver.

Overnight Mabira Eco Lodge

Transfer to Entebbe airport for your onward flight. End of tour!