Birding And Top Nature Photography 18 Days

This safari takes you to most of Uganda’s amazing national parks and conservation areas all filled with avian/bird life. Let’s you trek chimps, see animals of the savanna and go trekking Gorillas. Trek chimps in Kibale Forest National Park, see animals and birds of the tropics on game-drive and boat-cruise in Murchison and Queen Elizabeth National Parks and trek Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park during this unforgettable adventure.

DAY1: Arrival and birding in Entebbe botanical gardens

Our arrival is at Entebbe International Airport followed by a transfer to Lake Victoria View Guest House, Depending on the arrival time and how we your feeling, we can have optional bird watching at Entebbe, especially on the lush grounds of the Entebbe Botanical Gardens, where we’ll see both forest and lakeshore birds. Our first bird species could include Palm-nut Vulture, Great Blue Turaco, Eastern Gray Plantain-eater, African Pied Hornbill, Splendid Glossy Starling, the rare Orange weaver, Slender-billed, Golden Backed. Dinner and overnight at Lake Victoria Hotel

DAY2: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park via Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary-Evening game drive

After breakfast in the morning we transfer to Masindi where we shall have our lunch via the Luwero triangle passing through undulating grasslands and mosaic woodland where we drive, our target bird species here will be the White-crested Turaco, Bronze-tailed Starling, lesser Blue and Great Blue Eared Starlings, Black, Yellow Mantled and Black Winged Bishops, White Headed Barbet, Cardinal and Nubian Woodpecker, Lesser and Greater Honeyguide, Saddle Billed Stork in the swamps after Luwero, we have also had chances of seeing the Rufous Bellied Heron, Banded Snake Eagle, Eastern Chanting Goshawk and many more. Dinner and overnight at Twiga Tales Lodge

DAY3: Game Drive and boat trip in Murchison falls and top of the falls-Evening birding in Budongo.

A highlight of the visit to Murchison falls as we enjoy a game drive and search for big game and birds in the park. There will be mammals such as Rothschild’s Giraffe, Cape Buffalo, Elephant, Waterbuck. Have a boat trip to the bottom of the falls followed by a hike to the top of the falls where your driver will pick you and transfer to Bundongo for birding experience in the evening. If you are lucky enough, you might spot the rare Night jar!

Other birds to look out for include the Saddle-billed, Yellow Billed and African Open Billed Stork, African Finfoot, Hauglins Falcon, Senegal Thick-knee, Rock Pratincole, Giant, Woodland, Grey Headed, Malchite, Pygmy and striped Kingfishers. On the game drive we look out for Heuglin’s Francolins Black Billed Barbet, Northern and Red Faced Barbet, Swallow-tailed and Blue-breasted and Northern Carmine Bee-eaters, Abyssinian Rollers, the giant Abyssinian Ground Hornbills, Black Winged and Northern Red Bishops. Dinner and overnight at Budongo Eco Lodge

DAY4: Birding Budongo- Royal Mile and Busingiro Transfer to Hoima Kontiki Hotel

Depart early for the nearby Budongo Forest, birding along the Royal Mile, a truly spectacular road with forest canopy towering far overhead. There is a good system of trails in the forest, today we expect skulking birds like the Nahan’s Francolin, excessively noisy White-thighed Hornbill, graceful Cassin’s and Sabine’s Spinetail, Blue-throated Roller, Yellow-browed Camaroptera, Forest Flycatcher, Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, IturiBatis, Lemon Bellied Crombec, Tit Hylia, Uganda Woodland Warbler, Forest Robin, Yellow Billed, Grey Throated, Hairy Breasted and Yellow Spotted Barbet, Great Blue and Black Billed Turaco, Dusy Long Tailed Cuckoo, Spotted, Plain, Slender Billed, White Throated, Little Grey and Little Greeenbul, Red Tailed Bristle bill and Black-capped Apalis among others.

On this day we transfer to Hoima in order to cut short on the next day’s long distance Drive. Dinner and overnight at Kolping Hotel Hoima

DAY5: Transfer from Hoima to Semuliki Valley National park

After breakfast, check out and drive through undulating hills with lush green vegetation to Kibale forest with lunch en route in Fort Portal town. Later check in at the lodge for relaxation and refreshment. In the evening go for a walk to the Sempaya hot springs. The 3 hour-long trail to the outer, “male” spring leads through a patch of forest where red-tailed monkeys, grey-cheeked Mangabeys and black-and-white colobus monkeys are common. A tree house en route provides an aerial view. A 30-minute hike through palm forest from the main road leads to the inner, “female” spring, dominated by a boiling geyser. Eggs and Matooke (green plantain) can be cooked in these boiling waters. Dinner and overnight Bumaga Campsite

DAY6: Birding day in Semuliki valley national park

Semliki Forest marks the eastern extension of the West African Forest. This makes it the best birding place in East Africa as we encounter some of the Guinea Congo Biome endemics not easily seen in other East African destinations. Specialties include Congo Serpent Eagle, Bate’s Nightjar, Yellow-throated Cuckoo, Orange-tufted Sunbird, Black-winged, Rufous-sided Broadbill, Icterine Greenbul, Black-throated Coucal, Nkulengu Rail, Long-tailed Hawk, Spot-breasted Ibis, Capuchin Babbler, Yellow-throated and Western Nicator, Northern Bearded Scrub Robin, Red-chested Owlet, Western Bronze-napped Pigeon, Black-collared Lovebird, White-bellied Kingfisher, Red-rumped Tinkerbird, Lyre-tailed and Zenker’sHoneyguides, White-throated Blue Swallow, Swamp Palm Bulbul, Crested Malimbe, Blue-billed Malimbe. You will have dinner and overnight at Bumaga Campsite

DAY7: Birding in Semuliki and transfer to Kibale Forest national park

Have breakfast very early in the morning and proceed for birding along the Sempaya trail. We try out what was missed the previous day, Palm Swamp Bulbul and the Leaf Love, Rufous Bellied Negrofinch, Black Bellied Seed Craker, are easily seen in this area. After this we drive to Kibale forest Park which is known for its primate population.In the evening go for a swamp walk in Bigodi wetland which is a ramsar site rich in birds. Birding in the forest is also very rewarding and you could encounter White-napped Pigeon, African Gray Parrot, Black Bee-eater, Hairy-breasted, Yellow Spotted and Yellow Billed Barbet, Chestnut-winged and Purple-headed, Waller’s and Narrow Tailed Starlings, Blue-throated Brown and Superb Sunbirds, White-collared Olive back among others. Dinner and overnightLake Nkuruba campsite

DAY8: Chimpanzee trekking and transfer to Rwenzori national park

Assemble at the park headquarters for briefing and then go for the most popular activity in this park which is Chimpanzee tracking. Chimpanzees are man’s closet cousins though they are one of the most threatened primate’s species. More primates like Black and white Columbus monkeys, L’Hoest Monkeys, Grey cheeckedMangabey, Red tailed monkeys, bush babies, pottos and many bird species like the yellow spotted nicator, rumped tinker bird, Little greenbul, green breasted pitta, the crowned eagle, black bee eater and mammals like Elephants can be seen in this walk.  Have lunch and relax at your lodge. Later on proceed through the Mubuku valley up to Kasese for relaxation, dinner and overnight at Ruboni Community Camp.

DAY9: Mountain Rwenzori community hiking

After having breakfast, get prepared for another landscape adventure of hiking the Mountains of the moon. A good degree of fitness is required, packed lunches and drinking water on board. You will hike the easiest way not aiming the peak. Hence this will be done at your pace. Dinner and overnight at Ruboni Community Camp

DAY10: 2^nd Time Rwenzori trekking and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National park

Try out the Ruboni Hill walk, which takes you past the local homes and forest valleys to a stunning view point to see margarita peak, the highest point on the Rwenzori ranges that stands on the Uganda Congo boarder. The hill is estimated to be 2500m and the tallest in the community. As you relax, you will have a chance to view the Mubuku valley all the way to the lakes in the plains of Queen Elizabeth national park and the snow peaks from far on the Rwenzori at the same time. Dinner and overnight at Pumba Safari Cottages

DAY11: Morning game drive and evening boat ride on Kazinga channel.

Today after our breakfast, we immensely explore Queen Elizabeth National Park. Birds on this drive are numerous and may include among others the Wahlberg’s, Brown Snake, Short Toed Snake and Martial Eagle, Red-necked Spurfowl, Black-rumped and Common Button quails, African Crake, Hollub’s Golden and Lesser Masked Weavers, Black Coucal, Black Lored and Arrow Marked Babbler, Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl Copper, Scarlet Chested and Red-chested, Broad Tailed and African Moustached Warbler. We shall return to the lodge for lunch, and after lunch in the afternoon we do a boat ride along the Kazinga Channel looking out for water birds that roost in between the Edward and George lakes. Close encounters with the biggest schools of Hippos in Africa and some crocs many migrating species like the Gulls and Terns are here, after this ride we go back to the lodge for dinner and overnight at Pumba Safari Cottages

DAY12: Tree-climbing lions search in Ishasha and transfer to Bwindi

Transfer through the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park on the way to Bwindi, this area is known for its tree-climbing lions. In Ishasha we will drive off in this adventurous vast savannah area with Topis and the southern version of Elephants to hopefully get the Lions high in the fig tree branches. Continue the transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Here you will experience a change in the landscape from flat savanna, via cultivated hills to jungle covered mountains. Dinner and overnight at Gorilla Mist Camp

DAY13: Gorilla Tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable forest-Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi

After breakfast and briefing by park ranger guides, depart with picnic lunch boxes to start the trekking – the activity can last up to 4 hours trek or more to find the Mountain gorillas as you hike up and down slippery slopes with dense mist covered vegetation. Hence you will have packed lunch for this activity. This active quest will eventually bring you to the face of one of the most sought after creatures-the mountain Gorillas.
Upon reaching them, you will have a full hour with them while observing and learning their behavior as you take photos. In the evening, you will proceed to Lake Bunyonyi for relaxation or do an optional hike to the many Islands surrounding Lake Bunyonyi. Dinner and overnight at Bunyonyi View Resort

DAY14: Lake Bunyonyi tour and relaxation by the scattered islands

On this day, have a fun time to relax by beautiful Lake Bunyonyi. Besides canoeing, there is a short list of optional activities: swimming (safe in this lake), hiking on some of the Island trails along the lake-shores, community walks and having a chance to meet the local people / canoe ride along Lake Bunyonyi with small resident and exotic bird species singing. Dinner and overnight at Bunyonyi View Resort

DAY15: Transfer to Lake Mburo national park for a game drive.

After breakfast, we will make our scenic journey through the beautiful terrain of the rolling hills with terraced landscape to Lake Mburo national park which is the closet national park to Kampala city. This park is well-known for Zebras, Impalas, antelopes, Kobs, bushbucks, and many tropical bird species. You will have lunch en route or at the lodge depending on arrival time. Dinner and overnight at Rwakobo Rock

DAY16: Morning Safari walk in Lake Mburo National Park and transfer to Kampala via the equator line!

After having an early breakfast, go for a morning safari walk in Lake Mburo national park. This park is famous for walks inside and around the park on foot where you can see long horned cattle of Ankole community which can mix freely with Zebras, Impalas, Giraffes, Warthogs, Elands, Cape Buffalos and many tropical bird species. Checkout of the lodge and transfer to Kampala with lunch along the way!! But along the way, you will make a stopover at the Equator line to have an authentic feel of standing at Latitude 0⁰. You will arrive in the evening to be dropped at the hotel for dinner and overnight at Frontiers Hotel Entebbe

DAY17: Birding Kampala– Mabamba wetland and Entebbe botanical gardens

Your guide picks you up in the morning as we start the journey towards Mabamba Swamp, a bit south of Entebbe. If you are lucky we might make some interesting sightings of birds along the way. When reaching Mabamba swamp we go out in small boats to search for the Rare Shoebill stork, lesser jacana, marsh harriers, African pygmy-goose, and whistling, blue breasted bee eater plus many more aquatic birds of Uganda. Hopefully you can finish the experience off with having made a sighting of the Great shoebill stork

They may stand absolutely still for long periods awaiting the movements of their prey and then suddenly strike with a marvelous speed. Overnight at Frontiers Hotel Entebbe

DAY 18: Transfer to Entebbe, for a flight back

After having breakfast or lunch depending on your scheduled flight back, check out and be transferred to Entebbe international airport to readily catch your flight back home as you say farewell to the pearl of Africa.

The price includes:

• Transport 4×4 Safari van
• Accommodation
• All meals
• Guide fees
• Park fees
• Chimpanzee permit
• Gorilla permits
• Rwenzori hikes
• Hiking fees
• Rhino tracking
• Boat fees
• Government taxes
• Drinking Water on board.

The price does not include:

• Tourist insurance
• International flights
• Money for tips  and anything of personal nature
• Beverages