The 15-Days Uganda Birding and Primates Safari combines a trekking experience along the mountain gorillas and chimpanzee in their ancient natural habitats with a rewarding birding experience. On this tour we will explore a diverse range of habitats along Uganda’s western region that wholly lie within the endemic zone of the Albertine Rift known for its biological diversity. Our birding highlights will include all the 24 Albertine rift endemic birds along other forest-proper specialists with a chance to trek along the endangered mountain gorilla, chimpanzee and golden monkey that occur in the same habitats.
Trip overview and Highlights
Our birding quest begins at the wetlands of Mabamba where the prehistoric Shoebill occur. The expansive Mabamba marshes spread on the northern shores of L. Victoria where several pairs of Shoebill occur along several of L. Victoria biome specialists. Transferring to the west, we start birding the low and mid-altitude forests of Budongo, Semuliki and Kibale NP for varieties of west and central Africa species (Guinea-Congo biome species) on their eastern limit.
Birding into the rift valley floor of Queen Elizabeth NP, the varied habitats provide us with diverse characters from grassland and woodland specialists to waders on the Kazinga channel. Coming into the rainforests of Bwindi, we work across various altitudinal ranges to tick off restricted-range, Afro-tropical highland species and Albertine Rift Endemics (the forests host 24 of 25 Albertine Endemics that occur in Uganda). On return to Entebbe, we bird Uganda’s smallest savanna/woodland park of L. Mburo NP on whose quite lake waters we look out for the elusive African Finfoot, while the woodlands host several quality southern species on their northern range limit.
- Gorilla and Chimpanzee Tracking Options
On 15-Days Uganda Birding and Primates Safari you will get a chance to bird in the very habitats which are the same home ranges of the great apes and therefore giving you a once-in-a-life time opportunity for trekking experience. Pre-booking of permits to this in-demand experience is essential for proper planning but also because a few permits are available to each location.
- Accommodation and Meal Plan
The accommodations and meal plan on these 15-Days Uganda Birding and Primates Safari are carefully picked for their excellency of service and comfortability but also considered to be near our birding trails to avoid long drives. Upon your request sharing or single sleeping arrangements will be given to suit your comfort. On meals, we will have hot lunch stops along our destinations giving us chances to test the local produce but on full-day excursion in the field, a parked lunch option will be undertaken. Plenty of drinking water will be with us all the time.
15 Day Uganda Birding and Primate Safari Includes
- One Gorilla and One chimpanzee Tracking Permits.
- 4WD Tour vehicle and bird guide driver.
- All accommodations and meal plan as mentioned.
- Bottled drinking water.
15 Day Uganda Birding and Primate Safari Excludes
- Accommodation and meal plan on the last Day.
- Tips to guides.
- Laundry and telephone.
- Flight fees and visas.
- Insurance.
- Other drinks and meals other than mentioned.
Day to Day Itinerary of 15-Days Uganda Birding and Primate Safari
Arrival and Greet:
Upon your arrival at Entebbe Airport, our representative will receive and transfer to your hotel, thereafter, meet your bird guide who will brief you on the itinerary. Accommodation and Meal Plan: Booma Hotel, FB
Day One: Birding for Shoebill and Transfer to Masindi
This morning you will set out early and drive towards Mabamba Community, located west of Entebbe airport. This Important Bird Area (IBA) is part of the vast wetlands on the northern shores of L. Victoria, Africa’s biggest inland fresh water where the elusive Shoebill is protected in collaboration with the local fishing community. Using motorized canoes to crisscross several water channels, we will be on lookout for several pairs as they stalk and hunt their favorite prey the catfish abundant in these less-oxygenated waters.
Other L. Victoria biome species here include Caruthers and Winding Cisticola, Papyrus Gonolek, White-winged Swamp Warbler, Northern Brown-throated Weaver, Lesser and African Jacana, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, resident Black Crake, African Marsh Harrier, Rufous-backed Night Heron, Purple Heron, Yellow-billed Duck and Spur-winged Goose. We will also scout along the swamp edge in patches of forests for Banded Snake Eagle, Red-eyed Dove, Ross Turaco, Grey Parrot, Spectacled and Black Headed Weavers occur.
After a hot lunch break, you will drive out northwards towards Masindi through a typical Uganda countryside varied with coffee surrounded homesteads and farms. Along the woodlands of Nakasangola and Kafu floodplains, we look out for Abyssinian Roller, Red-Collared Widowbird, Brown and Banded Snake Eagle, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Bronze-tailed, Lesser and Greater Blue-eared Starling, arriving that evening at our hotel. Accommodation: Masindi Hotel, FB
Day Two: Birding the Royal Mile of Budongo Forest
Today at Budongo Forest, you will bird the mahogany and ironwood lined Royal Mile species unique to this stretch. The iron-wood specialists include, the tiny Yellow-footed Flycatcher only known from here, Rufous-crowned Eremomela, Ituri Batis, Uganda Woodland Warbler, Green and Tit Hylia, Chocolate-backed, Blue-breasted, White-bellied and Dwarf Kingfishers, Lemon-bellied Crombec, Crested Guineafowl, Nahan’s Francolin, Blue-throated Roller, White-thighed and Piping Hornbills and others.
On the grasslands at the forest edge, look out for Cabani’s Bunting, Heuglin’s Francolin, White-breasted Negrofinch, Moustached Warbler, Dark-capped Yellow Warbler, Brown Twinspot, Grey-headed Oliveback, Jameson’s Firefinch and more. We will carry a parked lunch so we can bird in the mid afternoon and evening before we drive back to our hotel at Masindi. Accommodation: Masindi Hotel, FB
Day Three: Transfer to Semliki National Park
This morning on transfer to the lowland forests of Semliki, you and your guide will make several stops to bird various woodland patches for local species including Great-blue Turaco, White-chinned Prinia, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Little Greenbul, Black and White Casqued Hornbill, Broad-billed Roller and more.
Across agricultural farms and wetlands, look for Western Citril, Brimstone and Yellow-crowned Canary, Yellow-capped Warbler, Moustached Warbler, White-winged Swamp Warbler, Lesser Masked Weaver, Yellow-mantled Widow, Southern and Black-winged Red Bishop, Stout and Croaking Cisticola, Long-crested Eagle and more. A hot lunch shall be on the road before driving down along the sharp hillsides of Rwenzori into the lowland forests of Semliki. Accommodation: UWA Bandas, Bumaga Camp, FB
Day Four: Birding the Kirumia Trail Semuliki
Lying at an average altitude of 650m, the semi-deciduous lowland forests of Bwamba as its known locally is an extension of the great Ituri Forest that stretches all the way to the Congo River. Semuliki Forest checklits of 480 bird species include a good selection of Guinea-Congo Forest biome that occur here on their most easterly range limit.
We will look out for Dwarf and Red-billed Hornbills, Black-Wattled, White-crested, and White-thighed Hornbills, Red-thighed Sparrow Hawk, African Piculet, Palm Swamp Greenbul, Yellow-throated Nicator, Yellow-throated Cuckoo, Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo.
The Long-tailed Hawk and Chestnut-flanked Goshawk are shy but Gabar Goshawk, Chocolate and White-bellied Kingfisher, Forest Flycatcher, Fiery-breasted Bush-shrike, Spotted Honeyguide, Rufous-sided and African Broadbills, Black-winged Oriole, Zenker’s and Spotted Honeyguide, Lowland Akalat, White-naped and Olive Pigeons, Grant’s Bluebill Orange-cheeked Waxbill, White-collared Oliveback, Chestnut-breasted Negrofinch, Grey’s, Red-tailed Leaflove, Crested and Red-bellied Malimbe are common. From forest interior we will check out the forest edge and also the hot springs to witness geological forces that is responsible for physical transformation in this rift valley. Accommodation: UWA Bandas, Bumaga Camp, FB
Day Five: Birding at Semuliki and Transfer to Kibale
After an early breakfast, you will be joined by a local bird-ranger guide to explore the road edges for a good selection of Hornbills, before you head out to bird the baseline for more forest interior specialists. Highlights here include; Blue-headed and Dusky-blue Flycatcher, Swamp Bulbul, Black Coucal, Simple, Icterine and Xavier’s Greenbul, Lowland Sooty Boubou, Pale-fronted Negro-finch, Brown Twinspot, Black-lored Babbler, Zebra Waxbill, Tropical Boubou, Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike, Cinnamon-breasted Rock Bunting, Mountain Buzzard and with chances for local primates.
After lunch you will take lazy birding on transfer to Kibale stopping only to appreciate the beautiful tea covered Toro Kingdom landscape. This area was a volcanic epicenter poked by volcanic crater lakes that are hemmed in by tropical forests that host a variety of birds worth stopping for. You will check in at your hotel set on the edges of Kibale forest and boasts a bird friendly garden. Accommodation: Chimpanzee Forest Lodge, FB
Day Six: Birding for Pitta, Chimpanzee Tracking and more Birds
Early this morning we will be met by a local ranger escort on our attempt to the Holy Grail of this great forest of Kibale! Habitually a forest floor bird, the Green-breasted Pitta is as beautiful as its secretive. An early start is critical because then pairs engage in spectacular displays and calls early in the mornings before going silent the rest of the day. After successful ticking off the Pitta, we will continue to trek with the Common Chimpanzee troops that occur in this mid-altitude forest. On locating the troop, we will be offered an hour to watch their social life, photograph and observe the human-like interactions of these closest man’s cousin in their ancient rainforest home.
More forest-proper specialists include, Forest Robin, Pale-breasted and Brown Illadopsis, Crested Guineafowl, African-shrike Flycatcher, Fraser’s Flycatcher, Speckled Tinkerbird, Yellow-billed Barbet, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Narina Trogon, Grey Parrot, Afep Pigeon, Red-tailed and Spotted Greenbul, Toro Olive, Joyful and Honey-guide Greenbuls, Pied Hornbill, Green Hylia and Dusky Tit, Brown-chested and Fire-crested Alethe, Western Nicator, Chestnut Wattle-eye, White-tailed and Red-tailed Ant-Thrush, Black-capped and Lowland Masked Apalis, Red-tailed and Yellow-eyed Bristlebill, Olive-green Camaroptera, Yellow-mantled Weaver, Sooty Flycatcher, Red-headed Malimbe, Blue-throated Brown and Collared Sunbirds, Shikra, Velvet-mantled Drongo, Narrow-tailed and Purple-headed Starling, Western Black-headed Oriole, Cassin’s Hawk Eagle, the majestic African Crowned Eagle and more..
After lunch break, we will keep on forest edge with birding for, Banded and Brown Snake Eagles, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Green Crombec, Ross’s Turaco, Bocages Bush-shrike, Black Bishop, Northern Puffback, Veilot’s and Compact Weavers, and more. Accommodation: Chimpanzee Forest Lodge, FB
Day Seven: Birding Bigodi Wetland and Transfer to QENP
This morning, we will bird a stretch of riverine forest that’s under community initiative and protection. Here at Bigodi, the 4km loop crisscross sections of flooded forest line and swamp that host White-spotted Flufftail, Shining-blue Kingfisher, Slender-billed Greenbul, Yellow-crested Woodpecker, Magpie Waxbill, Thick-billed Weaver, Splendid Starling, Hairy-breasted Barbet, White-breasted and Grey-headed Negretta, African Emerald cuckoo, Red-headed Bluebill, Common Waxbill, Black-faced Waxbill, White-winged Black Tit, African Paradise Flycatcher, Grey-Tit Flycatcher, Red-faced Cisticola, Blue-shouldered and Snow-headed Robin-Chat and more.
The riverine forests host troops of Red-tailed, Uganda Colobus and Grey-cheeked Mangabey while Chimps from nearby Kibale forest visit the seasonal fruiting fig trees in the wetland. After lunch break, we transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park through the crater field of Kasenda for spectacular landscape views before we drive low in the rift valley, birding to our accommodation. Accommodation: Kasenyi Safari Camp FB
Day Eight: Birding and Boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel
Beginning early, you and guide will set out on birding the Kasenyi grasslands to pick local terrestrial specialists including Collared Pranticole, Senegal Lapwing, Red-necked Francolin, Black-headed Gonolek, Black-bellied Bustard, Grassland Pipit, Yellow-throated Longclaw, Grey-crowned Crane, Flappet and Red-naped Lark. You will also have chances to encounter the various wildlife notably the lion and leopard that stock the Kob mating grounds.
Woodlands host Ruppell’s Griffin, Lappet-faced and White-headed Vultures along the Martial Eagle, Brown and Black Chested Snake Eagles, Wahlberg and Tawny Eagles among other raptors.
Depending on the weather that day, by mid-morning you will embark on a birding boat cruise along the famous Kazinga Channel for a plethora of birdlife and game. Here, sizable congregations of African Skimmer, Grey-headed Gulls and thousands of migrating White-winged Black Tern, Yellow Wagtail, several Stints and Sandpipers occur. The local fowl includes, African Spoonbill, Great-White and Pink-backed Pelican, African Darter, Grey Heron, Intermediate and Great Egrets, Black Egret, Yellow-billed and Saddle-billed Storks, White-faced Whistling Duck and more. The acacia lined channel banks are a home to the African Fish Eagle, Palm-nut Vulture and in season Osprey, while Giant, Pied and Malachite Kingfishers occur.
Accommodation: Kasenyi Safari Camp, FB.
Day Nine: Birding on transfer to Buhoma through Ishasha Plains
This morning you will continue birding through woodlands and grasslands on our drive into Ishasha sector lying on the southern edge of the Queen Elizabeth National Park and known for its Tree-climbing Lion prides. The bird-rich woodland edges of Imaramagambo Forest will award you with good birding where African Crowned Eagle and Ayre’s Hawk Eagle are common. Pelegrine Falcon, Red-winged and Scaly Francolin, Green Hoopoe, Bateleur, Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Spotted Eagle Owl, Cardinal and Golden-tailed Woodpecker, Orange-breasted Bush-shrike, Greater-Honeyguide, Black-crowned Tchagra also occur. Birding the grasslands of the Ishasha, look out for Common and Harlequin Quails, Stout and Wing-snapping Cisticola, Grey-backed Fiscal, Black-shouldered Kite, Crested Francolin and more along excellent wildlife including the reknown tree-climbing lions.
Check in at your accommodation at the edge of the Bwindi Forest late afternoon, with optional garden birding. Accommodation: Haven Lodge Buhoma, FB
Day Ten-Eleven: Gorilla Tracking and Birding Buhoma
Buhoma sector lies on the low altitude of all the Bwindi Forest providing opportunities of specialists venturing across various altitudinal ranges. A selection of Albertine Endemics and local specialists include, the Nuemann’s Warbler, Red-throated Alethe, Kivu Ground Thrush that frequent the understory of riverine sections also White-bellied and Equatorial Akalats. The plump African Broadbill with its mechanical fright display occurs in the primary forest section with Cassin’s Hawk-eagle, African Wood Owl, Grey-winged and Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat, Dusky-blue Flycatcher and Dusky Crested Flycatchers. Many-coloured and Ludher’s Bush-shrikes, Willard’s Boubou, Arsongies, Cabani’s and Slender-billed Greenbul, White-tailed Ant-thrush also occur. Mountain Wagtail frequently hunts the small streams, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Cassin’s Honeybird Elliot’s and Fine-banded Woodpecker occur. On the main trail we look out for Bocage’s Bush-shrike, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, Pink-footed Puffback, Petits Cuckoo-shrike, Oriole finch, Dark-capped, Black-billed and Brown-capped Weavers, Montane Oriole, Bar-tailed Trogon, Stulman’s Staring and more.
The exciting gorilla tracking expereince will be on one of the mornings, where an activity begins with a short briefing and groups of eight are led to each of the gorilla families spread out on this Bwindi sector. On locating the gorillas, one gets to spend an hour observing and learning about the social interactions of these endangered apes. Other primates encountered include the terrestrial L’hoest Monkey and Red-tailed Monkey. Accommodation: Haven Lodge Buhoma, FB
Day Twelve/Thirteen: Birding the Neck and Ruhija Sector, Bwindi Forest
On transfer to the high-altitude sector of Rihija, you will take ample time birding a stretch of riverine section of forest known as Neck for local species that have made this spot a must for all birders. In the canopies of this deep riverine we look out for pairs of Black Bee-eater, Mountain Buzzard and Little Sparrowhawk, African Hill Babbler, Mountain Yellow Warbler, Mountain Illadopsis, Red-headed Bluebill, Chubb’s Cisticola, Fire-crested Alethe, White-starred Robin, Strange Weaver, Thick-billed Honeyguide, Black-billed Turaco, and more.
At Ruhija sector, you will explore the famous highland swamp of Mubwindi for the localized Grauer’s Rush Warbler, Papyrus Swamp Warbler, White-winged Swamp Warbler and others Albertine’s Endemics favoring the high attitude sections of Bwindi including the beautiful Grauer’s Broadbill only known from here, Doherty’s Bush-shrike, Rwenzori, Mountain Masked, Chestnut Throated Apalis, Rwenzori Batis, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher. Dusky and Shelley’s Crimsonwing, Grauer’s Warbler, Dusky Twinspot, Stripe-breasted Tit, Rwenzori Double-collared, Regal and Purple-breasted Sunbird are some of the endemics unique to this location.
Other special birds include, Lagden’s Bush-shrike, Mountain Black Boubou, Yellow-whiskered Greenbul, Northern-double Collared, Green-throated Sunbirds, Streaky and Thick-billed Seed-eater, Grey Cuckoo-shrike, Olive Woodpecker, White-eyed slaty Flycatcher, White-tailed blue Flycatcher, White-headed Forest Hoopoe, White-browed Crombec, Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, Bamboo Warbler, Chin-spot Batis and more. Accommodation: Broadbill Camp, FB
Day Fourteen: Transfer to and Birding L. Mburo NP
This morning you exit with a drive through the bamboo stretch of Bwindi keeping an eye for out for Handsome Francolin, Brown Woodland Warbler, Evergreen Forest Warbler, Least Honeyguide, Black-headed Waxbill, Western Green Tinkerbird, Black Saw-wing, Eliot’s Woodpecker and Sharpe’s Starling favoring this section.
Further on the beautiful terraced Kigezi Highlands and heavily agricultural valleys host Augur Buzzard, Baglafetch Weaver, White-naped Raven, African Stone Chat, Western Citril, Arrow-marked Babbler, Red-faced and Chubb’s Cisticola, Yellow-billed Stork and sizeable flocks of Grey-crowned Cranes.
After a lunch break we will bird through the woodland savanna of L.Mburo, a spectacular habitat for Southern Africa species on their northern limits here notably, Tabora Cisticola, Black-faced Barbet, Black-collared Barbet and Southern Black Flycatcher. Others specials include, Brown-chested Lapwing, Lirac-breasted Roller, Cinnamon-breasted Rock Bunting, Familiar Chat, Green-winged Pytilia, Black-headed Oriole, Crested Barbet, Twilling Cisticola, Pearl Spotted owlet, Cuquio and Crested Francolin, beautiful African Wattled Lapwing, Great Blue-eared Starling, Emerald-spotted Wood dove, Scaly Honeyguide, White-browed and Black Coucal, Spot-flanked Barbet, Nubian Woodpecker, Grey-headed and Stripped Kingfisher, Red-throated Wryneck, Red-faced Crombec, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Bateleur African Harrier Hawk, Green Wood-hoopoe, Water Thicknee, Common Scimitarbill and more. Accommodation: Rwakobo Rock Camp, FB
Day Fifteen: Early Boat-cruise Birding and Transfer to Entebbe.
This morning you and your guide will be birding on the still and quite waters of L. Mburo for the rare African Finfoot and other papyrus species like Lesser-masked Weaver, Spectacled and Black-necked Weavers, Papyrus Gonolek, Blue-throated Bee-eater, black crake and many more from the acacia lined water banks. The lake hosts Nile Crocodiles and large schools of Hippo.
After the boat cruise you will hurriedly bird through the woodlands adding on the specie-list towards the accommodation for freshening up, have hot lunch, and head out to Entebbe Airport. Accommodation: Boma Hotel