10-Day Birding Safari
Ssese Island, Mpanga, Lake Nabugabo, Lake Mburo, Lake Bunyonyi national parks
Day 1: Meet and greet at the airport by one of our representatives then transfer to hotel for a rest. Depending on time of arrival, the afternoon will be spent birding the botanical gardens or a visit to Uganda wildlife education centre.
Dinner and overnight at accommodation of your choice.
Day 2: Depart for Ssese after breakfast by ship. This place has plenty of water and forest birds. There are varieties of hornbills, barbets, Turacos, robin-chats, flycatchers and weavers. Jewel-like pygmy king fisher, brown-throated wattle-eye are common. African fish eagles and palm nut vultures are often seen near the lake.
Dinner and overnight at accommodation of your choice.
Day 3:Early breakfast and then explore Ssese Island for birdlife and other activities such as cycling as you get close contact with nature.
Dinner and overnight at accommodation of your choice.
Day 4: We depart for the mainland after breakfast and visit Mabamba Wet land a shallow marshy bay on the northern part of L.Victoria, which is listed as an important bird area. This place harbors an excellent selection of ware –associated birds and if lucky one of the sightings may be the majestic shoebill. We shall watch birds on dug out canoes. Retire to hotel in the late evening.
Dinner and overnight at accommodation of your choice.
Day 5: Have an early morning breakfast and proceed on to Mpanga Forest Reserve on Masaka road. This forest harbors less dense Fauna but has plenty to offer in terms of bird life. Species here include blue-breasted kingfisher, black and white casqued hornbill, African pied hornbill, African grey parrot and great blue turaco. Resident birds here include shining blue kingfisher, spotted greenbul, and Uganda woodland warbler among others. The forest has plenty of butterflies as well. Mpanga forest offers a good introduction to forest birding in Uganda. Options here are either to take the 3km base line trail that follows the main forest path that may enable us see Sitatunga and Shoebill (though seldom seen) or the 5km Hornbill loop which covers undulating terrain crossing several streams. The butterfly loop is 1km in distance and offers a good chance of seeing monkeys and common forest birds besides butterflies. We transfer to L.Nabugabo for the night.
Dinner and overnight at accommodation of your choice.
Day 6:After breakfast we bird the surroundings for broad-billed roller, Ross’s Turaco,black-and-white casqued hornbill, African fish eagle and a variety of sunbirds , waevers.Small animals such as squirtor ,vervet monkeys and monitor lizards can be sighted.Nabugabo is famous for its bilharzias free lake and has been declared a Ramsar site. We transfer to Lake Mburo in the evening
Dinner and overnight at accommodation of your choice.
Day 7: We have an early breakfast and then proceed for a morning game drive to allow us see acacia-associated birds. We shall also look out for the papyrus endemics resident in the swamp, which include the brilliantly colored papyrus gonolek, the striking blue –headed coucal, white –winged and papyrus yellow warblers. At Rwonyo camp we see the mosque swallow, black-bellied bustard, bare- faced go –away bird and Ruppel’s long-tailed starling. The park has 315 species of birds recorded and it is the only park in the country where several species of animals can be observed easily.
The boat trip offers a chance to see the African fish eagle, Marabou stork, pied kingfisher and various egrets and herons; the lakeside thickets harbor Ross’s Turaco and Narina trogon. In L.Mburo the elusive fin foot can easily be seen.
Dinner and overnight at accommodation of your choice.
Day 8: After break fast we depart for Kabale onto L.Bunyonyi, which translates as “place of little birds”. Once in Ruhinda a motorboat takes us Bushara Island.Bushara Island alone has about 100 species of birds recorded which can be seen via self guided walks-which activity may be done in the evening.
Dinner and overnight at accommodation of your choice.
Day 9: We visit Muko and Nyombe swamps for swamp endemics. Time allowing local village and birding trips will be arranged for as well.
Dinner and overnight at accommodation of your choice.
Day 10: Depart Bushara Island for Kampala after breakfast with a stop over at the Equator for photographs.
End of Safari
notes for birders
NB. Gorilla viewing could be done by adjusting the itinerary to include one day extra for this activity.
Price includes transport to and from Kampala, Park entrance fees, game drive fees, boat ride on the Nile, Kazinga Channel and L.Mburo national parks, accommodation on full board and an English speaking driver (guide), lunch to and from, Chimp tracking fees, nature walking fees. It however excludes beverages, souvenirs, tips and all expenditures of a personal nature.
Notes for Birders
- Please respect habitats, laws and the rights of local people
- Bring along with you all the film you might need with you
- The savannah areas have lots of light where as the forests have very little
- Come along with enough lens cleaning equipment
- Include a small medical kit, sun protection gear(hat, sunglasses and sunscreen)rain gear, a warm jersey for the high land areas,mosquitoe net and repellant,water purification tablets(Mineral water is available though),a torch or portable spotlight
- In the forests, gum boot are recommended or alternatively come along with fast-drying sturdy boots
- To scan the forest canopy, you may need a telescope.
- All required immunisations must be taken prior to visiting here.
- Light clothing for the Savannas but long pants in forests areas and “jackets”.
