On these 18-Days Uganda Birding, you get to bird the excellent western forests of Uganda that lie within and along the edges of the Albertine Rift endemic zone. Listed and protected as Important Bird Areas (IBA’s) for their diversity, these forests are categorized as montane rainforests, afro-tropical highland and lowland forests and transitional zones. Notable species include Albertine Rift Endemic birds, several endangered plant and mammals including the Mountain Gorilla, Common Chimpanzee and Golden Monkey.
Our birding quest begins in the expansive wetlands of Mabamba on the northern shores of L. Victoria for the prehistoric Shoebill and several L. Victoria Biome specialists. Transferring to the west, we bird the wooded grasslands of Murchison Falls NP, the low and mid-altitude forests of Budongo, Semuliki NP and Kibale for typical 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, varied habitats provide us with diverse characters from grassland and woodland specialists to waders along the Kazinga channel. Southwards into the rainforests of Bwindi, we work across varied altitudinal ranges to tick off restricted-range, Afro-tropical highland species and Albertine Rift Endemics (24 of 25 Albertine Endemics occur here). 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 these incredible days we will be birding in the very home ranges of the great apes. While here, we will have a once-in-a-lifetime trekking experience along these endangered apes in Kibale and Bwindi Forests. 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
All the accommodations in this birding special plan are carefully considered for excellency of service and comfortability but also considered to be near our birding trails to avoid long drives. 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.
Tour Includes
- 1 Gorilla and 1 Chimpanzee Tracking Permits
- 4WD Tour vehicle and bird guide driver
- All accommodations and meal plan as mentioned
- Bottled drinking water
Tour 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 18-Days Uganda Birding, Gorillas and Chimpanzee 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 Murchison Falls NP
This morning we will set out early birding towards Mabamba wetlands 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, Carruthers’s 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, we drive out northwards towards Murchison Falls NP through a typical Uganda country-side varied with coffee surrounded homesteads and farms. Along the woodlands of Nakasangola and Kafu flood pains, we lookout 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: Budongo Eco-Lodge, FB
Day Two/Three: Birding Kaniyo Pabidi Forest and Murchison Falls NP
This morning we bird this stretch of Budongo forest for the local Puvell’s Illadospsis and several other good forest birds. After a hot lunch, we continue birding through the woodlands of Pabidi into the grasslands on the northern banks of the Nile.
Birding the game-stocked savanna grasslands of Murchison falls national park, we tick off Denham’s Bustard, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Piapiac, Wire-tailed Swallow, Black-headed Lapwing, Spotted and Senegal Thick-knee, Black-rumped Waxbill, Vinaceous and Black-billed Wood Doves, Martial Eagle, Bateleur, Black-chested, Brown Snake Eagle and Beaudouin’s Snake Eagle, African Palm Swift, the splendid Namaqua Dove, Western Black-headed Batis, Beautiful Sunbird, Red-pate and Wing-snapping Cisticola, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater and the seasonal Carmine Bee-eater. The shallow marsh at the Nile delta is a stalked by for a Shoebill, Goliath and Grey Herons.
Birding on the cruise to the bottom of the falls, we tick off the Red-throated Bee-eater nesting in the sand cliffs, Rock Pratincole, Verreaux’s Eagle-owl, African Fish Eagle, Yellow-billed Stork, White-faced whistling Duck and several migrant waders. The Nile banks host the Nile crocodile, Monitor Lizard and other game. Accommodation: Pakuba Lodge, FB
Day Four: Birding Bulisa Reserve and Budongo Forest
This morning, we bird through Buliisa and the Butiaba escarpment wall, where the dry-scrub and acacia woodlands host for Senegal Cuckoo, Black-billed Barbet, Silverbird, Zitting, Rattling and Foxy Cisticolas, Great Blue-eared Starlings, Speckle-fronted Sparrow Weaver, Chestnut-crowned Sparrow Weaver, Lesser Masked Weaver, Red-winged Pytilia, Dark-chatting Goshawk, Grey Kestle, White-headed Barbet, Cinnamon-breasted Rock Bunting and more. Coming in Busingiro sector of Budongo Forest we tick off forest proper specialists including Spotted Greenbul, Forest Francolin, Olive-Long-tailed Cuckoo, White-throated Greenbul, Red-tailed Greenbul, Western Nicator, Forest Robin, Crested Guineafowl and more. Accommodation: Masindi Hotel, FB
Day Five: Birding the Royal Mile- Budongo Forest
Today at Budongo Forest, we bird the mahogany and iron-wood 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, we 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 Six: Transfer to Semuliki NP
This morning on transfer to the lowland forests of Semuliki NP, we bird along route stopping on several 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, we will look for Western Citril, Brimstone and Yellow-crowned Canaries, Yellow-capped Warbler, Lesser Masked Weaver, Yellow-mantled Widow, Southern and Black-winged Red Bishop, Croaking Cisticola, Long-crested Eagle and more. We will break for a hot lunch 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 Seven: Birding the Kirumia Trail of Semuliki NP
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. This small park within Uganda hosts a typical good selection of Congo birds, a staggering list up to 480 bird species mostly of Guinea-Congo Forest biome. Here at Semuliki, these reach their most easterly range limit and most are not known from other birding sites in Uganda or East Africa. 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 Eight: Birding at Semuliki and Transfer to Kibale NP
Today we will continue birding the baseline trail at Semuliki collecting several species in particular, 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 several primates.
The scenic drive back will give us distant views of winding Semuliki River as it snakes its way into L. Albert and Toro reserve grasslands on the floor of the rift valley, the escarpment and Rwenzori Mountain ranges. The scenic views continue through the volcanic poked landscape of Toro Kingdom varied with forests, tea farms before we check in to our accommodation on the edge of Kibale forest. Accommodation: Kibale Forest Camp, FB
Day Nine: Birding for Pitta, Chimpanzee Tracking and more Birds in Kibale NP
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: Kibale Forest Camp, FB
Day Ten: 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 QENP through the crater field of Kasenda for spectacular landscape views before we drive low in the rift valley, birding to our accommodation. Accommodation: Buffalo Lodge, FB
Day Eleven: Birding and Boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel
Here at Queen Elizabeth NP, we will traverse stretches of savanna woodland and water edges where a private boat along the Kazinga Channel will bring us within close quarters of several congregations like African Skimmer, Grey-headed Gulls and in-season thousands of migrating White-winged Black Tern, Yellow Wagtail, several Stints and Sandpipers. 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. The savanna grasslands host Black-headed Gonolek, Black-bellied Bustard, Grassland Pipit, Yellow-throated Longclaw, Collared Pranticole, Grey-crowned Crane, Senegal Lapwing, Flappet and Red-naped Lark. Ruppell’s Griffin, Lappet-faced and White-headed Vultures occur here while Martial Eagle, Brown and Black Chested Snake Eagles, Wahlberg and Tawny Eagles also hunt these woodlands.
We will have great sightings of the African Savanna Elephants, Cape Buffalo, Deffasa Waterbuck, Warthog and the beautiful Kob with prides of the Lion, Hyena and the elusive Leopard that keep in check these populations. Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge, FB.
Day Twelve: Transfer to Buhoma
This morning we will continue birding through woodlands and grasslands on our drive into Ishasha sector lying on the southern edge of the Queen Elizabeth NP known for its Tree-climbing Lion prides. The woodland edges of Imaramagambo are patrolled by African Crowned Eagle and Ayre’s Hawk Eagle, Pelegrine Falcon but Red-winged and Scaly Francolin, Common and Harlequin Quails, Green Hoopoe, Bateleur, Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Spotted Eagle Owl, Cardinal and Golden-tailed Woodpecker, Orange-breasted Bush-shrike, Greater-Honeyguide, Black-crowned Tchagra occur. The tall grasslands of Ishasha plains host, Stout and Wing-snapping Cisticola, Grey-backed fiscal, Black-shouldered Kite, Crested Francolin and more. We check in our accommodation at the edge of the Bwindi Forest late afternoon, with optional garden birding. Accommodation: Haven Lodge Buhoma, FB
Day Thirteen: 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 Highlands local specialists include, the shy Nuemann’s Warbler, Red-throated Alethe, Kivu Ground Thrush and Archer’s Robin that frequent the understory of riverine sections also White-bellied and Equatorial Akalats, the plump African Broadbill with its mechanical fright display, Cassin’s Hawk-eagle, African Wood Owl, Grey-winged and Blue-shouldered Robin, 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 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 will be on one of the mornings, where an activity begins with a short briefing on several SOP’s and groups of eight are led to each of the gorilla families spread out on this Bwindi location. On locating them, 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 Fourteen/Fifteen. Birding the Neck and Ruhija Sector, Bwindi Forest
On transfer to the high-altitude sector of Rihija, we 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, we 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 Seventeen: Transfer to and Birding L. Mburo NP
This morning we 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 our 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, Coqui 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 Eighteen: Early Boat-cruise Birding and Transfer to Entebbe.
This morning we 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 we will hurriedly bird through the woodlands adding on our specie-list towards our accommodation for freshening up, hot lunch before heading out to Entebbe. Accommodation: Boma Hotel