13 - Day Uganda Birding Safaris Mabamba, Mabira, Murchison, Kibale and Queen Elizabeth National Park Tour.
Day 1: You will be met and greeted by one of our representatives where you will transfer to the Hotel. Depending on time of arrival bird viewing can be done in the Botanical gardens in the afternoon.
Should accommodation be in Kampala, the afternoon will be for sight seeing and most likely a visit to the Kabaka’s lake a man made lake in the city where plenty of pelicans can be seen.
Dinner and overnight at Accommodation of your choice
Day 2: After breakfast, birding will be done in the Mabamba swamp where you will be paddled on a local canoe through the Swamp. We shall look out for the shoebill and other birds, which include long-toed plover, blue-headed coucal, and white winged, papyrus gonolek.
Dinner and overnight at Accommodation of your choice
Day 3: Early morning departure for Mabira Forest, one of the most important ornithological sites in Uganda with more than 300 species recorded. Species here include the blue turraco, African grey parrot, hornbills and a variety of colorful sun birds. Mabira is only one of the two places in East Africa where the pretty tit hylia has been recorded and one of the few places in Uganda where the localized forest wood-hoopoe, leaflove, Weyne’s weaver and Nahan’s francolin are regular. With a knowledgeable guide and many trails in the forest your day will be rewarding.
Dinner and overnight at Accommodation of your choice
Day 4: Transfer to Busingiro, Budongo forest reserve after breakfast with a stop over in Masindi town for lunch. While in Budongo forest we cover Busingiro area in the afternoon.
Dinner and overnight in Forest reserve or Masindi town.
Day 5: We bird the royal mile in the morning and continue with avian watching in the Busingiro area in the afternoon. This area offers one of Uganda’s forest avian viewing and species here include African dwarf, blue-breasted and chocolate-backed kingfishers, Cassin’s hawk eagle, Nahan’s francolin, white-thighed hornbill, yellow-billed barbet, lemon-billed crombec, black-capped apalis, forest flycatcher, yellow-footed flycatcher and Jameson’s wattle eye. Various monkeys may also be sighted.
Dinner and overnight in Forest reserve or Masindi town.
Day 6: We leave early for Kaniyo Pabidi sector of Budongo forest en route to Paara, a Murchison Falls National Park tour. The morning will be spent avian viewing Kaniyo Pabidi forest though the dense forests make it rather difficult to sight birds at times. Species are shrike-flycatcher, chestnut wattle –eye, Narian trogon, little green bul, chestnut- winged starling, grey apalis, dwarf and pygmy king fishers, hornbills and many forest sunbirds and if you so wish track chimps. In the afternoon we do a boat trip –the highlights of this park. Birdlife on the papyrus –lined banks is stunning with a chance of seeing the shoebill if very lucky.
Dinner and Overnight at chosen accommodation
Day 7: Two game drives today for birding on the game viewing tracks north of the River. The delta area offers great bird watching. Ground birds here include the Abyssinian ground hornbill, the crowned crane and saddle billed stork, the localized Denham’s bustard, handsome black-headed and spur-winged lapwings and the Senegal thickknee. Other areas will give you an opportunity of seeing woodland birds such as the rare black billed barbet, northern carmine, blue breasted and red throated bee-eaters, waterfowls, waders, herons and egrets (around small pools that are numerous). Expect to see plenty of game as well.
Dinner and Overnight at chosen accommodation
Day 8: Early morning bird watching in the vicinity of area of residence, late breakfast and then drive off to Masindi avian watching in L.Albert and the escarpment of the Albertine Rift Valley en route.
Dinner and overnight in Masindi town.
Day 9: Depart Masindi for a Kibale National Park tour, birding the entrance road to the forest in the afternoon.
Dinner and Overnight at chosen accommodation
Day 10: In the morning we bird the Kanyanchu while visiting Magombe Swamp for Swamp endemics in the afternoon.
Dinner and Overnight at chosen accommodation
Day 11: We depart Kibale for Queen Elizabeth in the morning doing a game drive enroute. We do afternoon bird watching in the crater area.
Dinner and Overnight at chosen accommodation
Day 12: In the morning we bird L.Kikorongo and Kasenyi track and enjoy an afternoon boat trip on the Kazinga channel.
Dinner and Overnight at chosen accommodation
Day 13: Explore Maramagambo forest, visiting the bats caves and drive back to Kampala.
Price includes transport to and from Kampala, Park entrance fees, game drive fees, boat ride on the Nile, Kazinga Channel and Lake Mburo, 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
NB. Gorilla tracking 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 Lake Mburo, 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”.
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