Our 13 days Birding and Uganda primates safari is a truly and super exciting birding safari in Uganda along with Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This is one amazing diverse experience Uganda will offer to you other than any other East African Country exempt Rwanda.
Over this 13 Days birding and gorilla trip expect to encounter so many bird species as listed over in the detailed itinerary below.
Upon arrival in Uganda at Entebbe International Airport, located on a peninsula that juts out into Lake Victoria, Africa’s biggest fresh water lake, you will be welcomed and greeted by your driver/guide. He will be standing at the Arrivals Hall holding a placard with your name so you cannot miss him. You will then be transferred to the hotel/ guest house you have chosen and check-in for dinner and overnight stay. Your driver/ guide will brief you about your safari at some stage (either before dinner or first thing after breakfast the next day).
You are up early and have breakfast. After your breakfast, with packed lunch in your carry-on bag, head to Mabamba Bay. The word ‘Mabamba’ is a Luganda word translated as “a place of Lung Fish” in the local dialect. Declared a Ramsar Site in 2007, Mabamba Bay is a birding hotspot that stretches into Lake Victoria. It is one of the best places to see the rare Shoebill Stork! Among the 300 bird species recorded in Mabamba are the Blue Swallow, White-winged Tern, Gull-billed Tern in the migratory category. Papyrus endemics include Papyrus Gonolek, Papyrus Yellow Warbler among others. The Marshy Swamp is also a haven to spur-winged geese, yellow-billed ducks, and malachite kingfishers, African Jacana, Purple Heron and Squacco Heron, Weyn’s Weaver, Lesser Moorhen among others. On this visit, you employ a motorized canoe and navigate the narrow waterways in the swamp in search for the prolific birdlife that the marshes have become very famous for. When you return to Entebbe, head to the Entebbe Botanical Gardens expecting to see Great Blue turaco, Ross’s Turaco, Great Reed Warbler, Fain Tailed Widow bird, Woodland and Pygmy Kingfishers, Black Bishop, Grey Woodpecker, Olive, Olive bellied and Red chested Copper, Sunbirds and many more. Later, drive back to the guest house where you relax. From Mabamba go birding in the Entebbe Botanical Gardens. Look out for the Orange Weavers that build intricate nests, Vieillot’s Black Weaver, Red-chested sunbirds, the rare Verreeaux’s Eagle-Owl, Black-headed Herons and a lot more. Later, head back to the guest house/ hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Have breakfast and then bird to Kibale Forest National Park. You will make several stops along the way when the opportunity presents itself to spot some key birds. You arrive in Fort Portal town in time for lunch. After lunch, you bird the Sebitoli sector of Kibale Forest National Park. Look out for birds like Red-chested Cuckoo, Great blue Turaco, Lizard Buzzard, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Joyful Greenbul, Masked Apalis, Whinchat, Stonechat, Grey-headed Sunbird, Many colouredBush-shrikes among other birds. As the light fades, head to the accommodation you have chosen and check-in for overnight stay.
Today you are up at 6.00am. Enjoy breakfast at 6.30am and be ready to depart for Kanyachu – the park HQ by 7.30am. At Kanyachu, registration and a briefing will be conducted before you commence your chimp trek. This park is reputed for having the greatest variety and highest concentration of primates in East Africa. On the guided nature walk, you are in search of the wild chimpanzees, red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys and many others. Once you locate the chimpanzees, you will spend a full hour with them at close quarters. After the mandatory 1 hour is finished, your guides/rangers will lead you back to the park headquarters where you find your guide. With another bird guide, you will continue to bird in the park. Birdlife in Kibale is prolific, with approximately 400 species recorded for the area. Objectives include; the Afep Pigeon, Green-breasted Pitta, Velvet-mantled Drongo, Masked Apalis, Pale-throated Greenbul, Narrow-tailed Starling, BB Scrub-robin, Grey-throated Tit-Flycatcher.
After breakfast, proceed to bird the Bigodi wetland sanctuary – a swamp in the tropical jungle, filled with natural wonders that have amazed and delighted thousands each year as they trek through this jungle swamp. It hosts wildlife including primates, butterflies and birds including the large Blue Turaco. Even more than that the incredible plants, trees, palms, Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary has become a must visit place near Kibale Forest. Objectives to look out for in the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary include; Shining-Blue KF, White-winged Swamp Warbler, Compact Weaver. Other specials here include the Crested Guinea-fowl, Great blue Turaco, Grey parrot, African pitas, African crowned eagles and black bee-eaters. You will enjoy a hot lunch at a nearby lodge and commence the transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park. On this drive, the Rwenzori Mountains dominate the view on your right. You drive via Kasese town, you cross the Equator as you get close to Lake Kikorongo, birding en-route to the lodge you have chosen. Look out for birds like Helmeted Guinea Fowl, Red-necked Spurfowl, Great blue Turaco, Barbets, Tinkerbirds, Kingfishers, Bee eaters, Cuckoos, Lesser Striped Swallows, Black-lored babbler, Grey-backed Shrike, Sunbirds among other birds.
Begin your day with the anticipation of thrilling wildlife encounters as you embark on a morning game drive through the picturesque landscapes of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Wake up early, enjoy your breakfast or opt to take it on the go as you venture into the Kasenyi track, renowned for its rich biodiversity. In this open savannah, keep your eyes peeled for sightings of buffaloes, majestic lions, graceful elephants, and a myriad of avian species that call this park home. Queen Elizabeth National Park stands out for its lush greenery, even during the dry season, a testament to its unique landscape shaped by ancient volcanic activity. Traverse through this remarkable terrain, marveling at the vast crater lakes, sprawling grasslands, and dense woodlands that dot the park. After the guided morning game drive, return to your lodge for a hot lunch. After, you will embark on a boat cruise along the Kazinga channel – a major highlight of the safari to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The channel is a natural waterway, linking lakes Edward and George. It boasts one of Africa’s highest concentrations of hippos (there are 1,500 hippos found along the channel), providing a mesmerizing spectacle of these aquatic giants. Glide along the tranquil waters, accompanied by the symphony of birdcalls and the occasional splash of a crocodile, as you soak in the serene beauty of the surroundings. On the boat cruise, hippos frolic and yawn wide, elephants and buffalo drink their fill at the channel’s banks. The boat trip is a front-row seat to nature’s spectacle. The boat cruise promises to be a highlight of your journey, offering unparalleled opportunities for wildlife viewing and birdwatching. Look out for birds like the Yellow-billed Stork, Saddle-billed Stork, African Spoonbill, Raptors, Plovers, White-browed Robin-chat, Rofous-napped Lark, Red-chested Sunbird, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Shrikes, Weavers, Finches among other. From the boat cruise, if time allows continue on an evening game drive culminating into a return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
You rise with the rising sun and enjoy your breakfast. After, commence the transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park via the Ishasha sector. Today’s drive takes you through the savannah and so you will pick-up some savannah and woodland species including the Grassland and Plain-backed Pipits, African Cuckoo Hawk, Flapped and Rufous Napped Lark, Black Cuckoo, Yellow-throated Longclaw, White-winged Tit, Ovambo Sparrow Hawk, Black Coucal, Blue-napped Mousebird, White-headed Barbet, Southern Red Bishop, Western Banded and Black-chested Snake Eagle, Martial Eagle, Bateleur and many more birds. Mammals may include the tree-climbing lions that are a big draw if you are in luck, several antelope species, African elephants and buffalos and more.
Today you explore the Bwindi, Buhoma area – following the main trail where birders can spot species including the Handsome Francolin, African Emarald Cuckoo, White-tailed Blue Fly-cather, Pink-footed Puffbuck, Yellow Billed Barbet, Bocage’s Bush-Shrike, Bar-tailed Trogon, Black Bee-Eater, Cassin’s and Scaly throated Honey Guide, White-headed Wood-hoopoe, Western Green Tinkerbird, Short Tailed Warbler, African Broadbill, White-bellied Robin-Chat, Red-throated Alethe, Mountain Illadopsis, Red Faced Woodland Warbler, Equatorial Akalat, Chapin’s Flycatcher, Black Faced Rufous Warbler, Mountain Masked Apalis, Dusky Tit. Others are Luhder’s Bush-shrike, Black Billed Turaco, Petit’s Cuckooshrike, Blue Throated Brown, Blue-headed, Northern Double Collard and Green Sunbird, Black-billed Weaver, Red-fronted Antpecker, Magpie Mannikin among others.
After breakfast, with your packed lunch, lots of water in your rucksack, your guide will take you to the park HQ before 8:00am for registration and briefing by Uganda Wildlife Authority staff. Once the formalities of what to do and not to do while tracking the gentle giants are communicated, you will head to the trail-head of the gorilla family you have been allocated. At the trail-head, you will commence the trek, pushing your way through the undergrowth, to track the gorillas. (the trek can last from half an hour to 8 hours – a reasonable degree of fitness is required as well as a sturdy pair of walking shoes). When you finally locate the family that you are tracking, take in everything as you watch the gorillas go about their day – feeding on the green leaves, bamboo shoots, wild celery, stinging nettle and wild fruit. If there are juvenile gorillas, enjoy them play about and take it all in. Take lots of pictures (and a selfie if you happen to have a gorilla in your selfie frame) and video as the one-hour will be over before you know it. It is an extraordinary feeling being in the presence of these majestic apes, sitting/standing in the dense rainforest with the knowledge that you are in the presence of the few remaining wild mountain gorillas. After the mandatory one hour is up, the rangers will lead you back to the starting point/trail-head where you will find your driver/guide. Once back at the trail-head, continue to Buhoma birding through “the Neck”. You should be on the look out for the Black-billed Turaco, African Black Duck, Mountain Wagtail, Chin-spot Batis, Fine-banded Woodpecker, Bronze-napped Pigeon, Red-tailed Greenbul and many more.
Today, you spend the day in the Mubwindi Swamp. After breakfast, start the hike to this famous swamp in pursuit of the toughest endemics of this marsh. Mubwindi swamp is well known for being Africa’s number one birding spot according to the African Birding Club. Objectives include; Handsome Francolin, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, Cassin’s HE, Dwarf Honeyguide, Thick-billed Honeyguide, Grauer’s Broadbill, Rwenzori Batis, Lagden’s Bushrike, Albertine Sooty Boubou, Dohertys Bushrike, Stripe-breasted Tit and the Grauer’s Swamp (Rush)Warbler. Up in the trees and through the undergrowth, look out for Grey-chested Illadopsis, Mountain Illadopsis, Oriole Finch, African Hill Babbler, Chestnut-throated Apalis, African Yellow-white-eye, African Water Rail, Red-chested Flufftail, Carruthers Cisticola, Equatorial Akalat and a lot more birds. Spending the day in Mubwindi is certainly one of the highlights of any birding trips to Uganda. The walk to get to Mubwindi is physically demanding but, taken slowly it is quite manageable and the rewards are bountiful in terms of your bird checklist.
This morning, you bird eastwards towards Lake Mburo National Park – the best location to find the African Finfoot. Birding in Lake Mburo is a delightful experience, and often one of the highlights of a birding trip to Uganda. Other notable birds to look out for include Augur Buzzard, Crested Francolin, Emerald Spotted Wood Dove, Spot flanked Barbet, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Lailac-breasted Roller, Black-headed Gonolek, Starlings among other birds. On checking-in, go on a game drive to discover the wildlife here. This small park, which can sometimes pack a punch with surprise sightings is the only park in Uganda with Eland, Impala antelopes and Burchell Zebras. The scenery of rolling hills, lakes, swamps make Africa real, it is where the Tanzanian Savannah meets Uganda in a most scenic fashion. Later, return to your accommodation for overnight stay.
Rise with the rising sun and have your breakfast. Today, you will bird on both land and on water to discover Lake Mburo’s prolific marine birdlife. You will be on the look-out for species including the African Finfoot Coqui, Red-winged Francolins, Blue-spotted Wood Dove, Crested Francolin, Black-bellied Bustard, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, Brown Parrot, Barefaced Go-away-bird, Harlequin and Blue Quails, Blue- napped Mousebird, African Grey Hornbill, Red-faced Barbet, Spot-flanked Barbet, Larks, Pipits, Long tailed Cisticola, Yellow-breasted Apalis among others birds. In the afternoon, take a boat cruise to look for the African Finfoot, African-wattled Plover, the Lesser and Great Swamp Warblers and other birds. Before dinner try the African Scops Owl, Swamp, Black-shouldered and Freckled Nightjars among other birds. On land, you will also spot mammals like the gorgeous Eland, Zebra, Impala, Buffalo, Topi, Reedbuck, Water buck Bushbuck, Hippos, Oribi, Bush duiker as you look for birds.
Lake Mburo National Park is one of two game parks in Uganda where visitors are allowed to go for a bush nature walk with an experienced ranger. On a morning guided walk, you often encounter hyenas that are returning to their dens after a night of being on the prowl – at the same time you can often see hippos returning from grazing during the night and returning to the lake to keep cool during the day and protect their sensitive skin from the sun. You will also see Zebras, Giraffes, Eland, Topi and other antelopes, buffaloes, birds, butterflies. After your walk, return to the lodge, take a shower and check-out – ready for the drive to Entebbe. At the Equator crossing, take some fun pictures and purchase crafts from your Uganda safari. You should arrive in Entebbe by 16.00Hrs. If you are checking-in for your international flight home right away, you are dropped off at the airport in time for you to check-in. If your flight is later this evening, a Day Room will have been arranged for you at one of our partner Guest Houses in Entebbe for you to refresh and repack ahead of your check-in. At the appropriate time, you will be dropped off at the airport in time for you to check-in for your onward flight home to bring to an end what we believe will have been a wonderful game and apes safari in Uganda.
Over this 13 Days birding and gorilla trip expect to encounter so many bird species as listed over in the detailed itinerary below.
Our 13-Days birdwatching and primates safari is truly exciting so brace yourself. The safari takes you to the heart of the Albertine Rift including Kibale National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park via the Ishasha sector and onwards to Lake Mburo National Park.