23 Day Bird Watching Tour

Group size: 6
Leaders: Best bird guides and members of Uganda Bird Guides Club and the local site guides.

This tour is suitable all year round.

Many birders planning to go for a birding holiday in Uganda have always missed a chance of getting in touch with the local birders to advise them plan the best time for birdwatching in Uganda. We still believe that this birding holiday should target over 400 species of birds. If you believe birding is fun, then here we go.

Day 1

Entebbe and Kampala

Arrival and transfer to the Lindsay cottages. This site is located about 15 km from Kampala on the Entebbe Road. Those arriving early may have a rest in the morning and in afternoon/evening go birding in the area surrounding the cottages. Lindsay cottages is one of the best accommodations in the country with Gym, Swimming pool and Sauna.

Day 2

Mabamba Swamp

After an early breakfast, drive to Mabamba Swamp 50km west of Kampala. Stop enroute in the Mpigi Swamp for papyrus rarities. Open your eyes for a White-winged Warbler, Papyrus Gonolek, Yellow-backed Weaver, Northern Brown-throated Weaver, Blue-headed Coucal, and other swamp specialities. At the swamp, most of the birding is from a canoe paddled by our local site guides. Look out for the Shoebill both in the sky and down on the marsh. Also look out for the Swamp Flycatcher, African Purple Swamphen, African Water Rail, Common Moorhen, Lesser Jacana, African Jacana, African Pygmy Goose, White-faced Whistling-duck, Squacco Heron, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Winding Cisticola, Goliath Heron and Black Crake.

Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 3

Murchison Falls National Park

We start early for Murchison Falls National Park stopping for lunch at Masindi Hotel.

This Park is Uganda's largest National Park that protects a chunk of untamed African savannah and is bisected by the mighty River Nile. It is named for the dramatic Murchison Falls, where the world's longest river explodes violently through a narrow cleft in the Rift Valley escarpment to plunge into a frothing pool 43m below.

Wildlife populations have largely recovered from the poaching of the 1980s; in the lush Borassus grassland to the north of the Nile, African Elephant, Buffalo, Giraffe and a variety of antelope are regularly encountered on game drives, while Lions are seen with increasing frequency. The Nile itself hosts one of Africa's densest hippo and crocodile populations, and a dazzling variety of waterbirds including the world's most accessible wild population of the rare Shoebill.

A short stop at Budongo forest Kanio Pabide may give us chance for special Birds including Puvell's Illadopsis, Rufous-sided Broadbill, Yellow Longbill, Grey Longbills, Red-tailed Ant Thrush, White Crested Turaco and Afep Pigeon.

o/n Para Safari Lodge or Nile Safari Camp.

Day 4

Murchison Falls National Park.

We start birding after an early breakfast. Depending on the information available from our site guides, We may choose to take a boat along the Victoria Nile or game drive to the delta. Special birds to look for include Shoebill, Secretary Bird, Abyssinian Roller and Ground Hornbill, Pied Kingfishers, Red-throated Bee-eaters, Goliath Heron, Saddle-billed Stork, Sacred Ibis, Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Senegal Thick-knee, Water Thick-knee, Black-headed Lapwing, Long-toed Lapwing, Little Bittern, Osprey, Red-necked Falcon, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Vinaceous Dove and Grosbeak Weaver.

Other specials include Buff-bellied Warbler, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Bar-breasted Firefinch, Red-winged Grey Warbler, Spotted Morning-Thrush, Marabou Stork, Red-throated Bee-eater, Silverbird, Beautiful Sunbird, Black-headed Gonolek, Speckle-fronted Weaver, Golden-backed Weaver and White-rumped Seedeater.

After lunch we take a boat to the bottom of the Falls. We look out for Rock Prantincoles, White-crested Turaco, Grey Woodpecker, chances of Pel's fishing owl, Darter, Giant Kingfisher and Red-throated Bee-eater.

Day 5

Murchison Falls National Park.

After breakfast we go for another game drive in the Park in search of other rare species.

This afternoon we drive to the top of the falls. This is where we view the point where a 300m wide river narrows to an estimated 7 meter gap at the falls. Key birds here include Egyptian plover, Shoe bill, Red winged grey warbler, Rock pranticole, Secretary bird, bat hawk, Pels fishing owl, White crested turaco, Vinaceous dove, Senegal thicknee, bruces green pigeon, Chestnut crowned sparrow weaver, Carmine bee eater, Night jars(pennant winged &Standard winged), White rumped canary etc.

Day 6

Budongo forest

We carry our packed lunch. We start early, birding to Budongo forest through the escarpment looking for Fox's Cisticola, White-headed Barbet, Northern Crombec, Singing Cisticola, Grey-headed Bush Shrike, Black-billed Barbet, Grey-headed Oliveback, Black-bellied Firefinch, Madagascar Heron, Lesser masked Weaver and Shikra.

Afternoon Birding at Budongo maybe very productive. The forest is one of the largest and most beautiful forests in Uganda.

It is home for African Dwarf Kingfisher, African Crowned Eagle, Olive Camaroptera, Yellow and Grey Longbills, Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, Rufous-sided Broadbill, Red-tailed Ant-Thrush, Velvet-mantled Drongo, Rufous-crowned Eremomera, Ituri Batis and Nahan's Francolin. Evening birding may give chances of Bat Hawk, African Wood Owl, White-faced Wood Owl, White-crested and Ross's Turaco, Grey Parrots, Piping and White-thighed Hornbills, Black-shouldered Nightjar, as well as Western Tree Hyrax.

In addition to birding, this forest is home to Chimpanzees and Uganda's most beautifull butterflies.

O/n Masindi Hotel.

Day 7

Budongo Forest: Royal Mile and Busingiro

We have one day birding the Royal Mile and Busingiro. birding begins at dawn.

Key species include African dwarf and Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, Chestnut-crowned Eremomera, White-spotted Flufftail, Yellow and grey Longbills, Olive-bellied Crombec, Brown-eared Woodpecker, Dusky long-tailed Cuckoo, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Crowned Eagle, Forest Flycatcher, Yellow-browed Camaroptera and Cabanis Bunting, Brown-backed Scrub- Robin, Narina Trogon, Rufous Flycatcher-Thrush, Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, Black-headed Paradise-Flycatcher, Little Green Sunbird, Green Sunbird, both Negrofinches, Western Black-headed Oriole, Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, African Emerald Cuckoo, Red-tailed Ant-Thrush, Yellow Longbill, Gray Longbill, Forest Robin, Scaly-breasted Illadopsis, Rufous-crowned Eremomela, the elusive Lemon-bellied Crombec, Yellow-mantled Weaver, Yellow-browed Camaroptera, Green Crombec, Crested Malimbe and Red-headed Bluebill.

Cassin's Hawk Eagle might be circling over the canopy and it is also our chance to get to grips with an array of challenging Greenbuls, amongst them Little Greenbul, Slender-billed Greenbul, White-throated Greenbul and Plain Greenbul, Spotted and Toro Olive Greenbul.

O/n Masindi Hotel.

Day 8

Kibale Forest National Park.

Leave early for Kibale Forest National Park. This is a rather long drive but there are a few birding spots. Check in at Ndali Lodge. The lodge commands a panoromic view of crater lakes around it. Birding around is very productive.

Kibale forest birds include Grey-winged Robin, blue shouldered robin chat, yellow spotted barbet, Black-billed Turaco, White-naped Pigeon, Green-breasted Pitta, Red-chested Flufftail, African Pitta, Joyful Greenbul, Cabanis greenbul,Grey-throated Flycatcher, White-bellied Crested Flycather, Masked Apalis, nahan’s franclolin, Tiny Sunbird, White collard olive back etc. This forest is also home to 13 primate species.

Day 9

Kibale Forest

We assemble for briefing as we prepare for chimp tracking. The movement of the chimps depends upon the availability of food and hopefully they wont be to far away! Birding continues in the afternoon either in the forest or in Bigodi Wetland. Species White-tailed Ant-Thrushes, Purple-headed Glossy-starling, Brown Illadopsis, Green-breasted Pitta, White-naped Pigeon, Masked Apalis, Toro Olive-Greenbul, Buff-spotted Woodpecker and Green Crombec.

Day 10 and 11

Semliki National Park

We start very early in the morning and drive into Semliki National Park for birding in the forest.

Accommodation is either Semliki Safari Lodge or Vanilla Lodge at Bundibugyo.

We will be birding for two days in Semliki National Park.

Semliki is known for its specialties, including Congo Serpent Eagle, Black-throated Coucal, Grey-throated Rail, Nkulengu Rail, Long-tailed Hawk, Spot-breasted Ibis, Capuchin Babbler, Yellow-throated Nicator, Northern Bearded Scrub Robin, Red-chested Owlet, Western Bronze-napped Pigeon, Black-collared Lovebird, White-bellied Kingfisher, Red-rumped Tinkerbird, Lyre-tailed Honeyguide, Zenker's Honeyguide, White-throated Blue Swallow, Bate's Nightjar, Yellow- throated Cuckoo, Orange-tufted Sunbird, Black-winged Oriole, Red-billed Helmet Shrike, Lemon-bellied Crombec, Rufous-sided Broadbill, Icterine Greenbul, Swamp Palm Bulbul, Crested Malimbe and Blue-billed Malimbe, Fiery-breasted Bush-shrike, Pale-fronted Negrofinch, Piping Hornbill, Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill, Black Dwarf Hornbill, White crested Hornbill, Black-casqued Hornbill, Wattled Hornbill and White-thighed Hornbill.

At the end of the second day we drive to Mountains of the Moon Hotel in Fort Portal.

Day 12

Rwenzori Mountain and Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Start early and drive to Rwenzori National Park for a whole day birding. Special Birds here include Abyssinian Crimsonwing, Red-faced Crimsonwing, Dusky Crimsonwing, Shelly's Crimsonwing, Rwenzori Turaco, Rwenzori Batis, Purple Breasted Sunbird, Rwenzori double collard Sunbird.

Then in the evening we drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Overnight Stay Jacana Lodge or Mweya Safari Lodge.

Day 13

Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Whole morning birding in the Park and then afternoon Boat cruise on Kazinga Channel. The channel is a natural, narrow neck of water that connects Lakes George and Edward, with excellent photographic opportunities for waterside birds and abundant Hippopotamus. Amongst the birds we'll likely encounter African Skimmer, Striated Heron, African Spoonbill, African Crake, Water Thick-knee, Three-banded Plover, Marsh Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Gray-headed Gull, Plain Martin, Lesser Swamp-Warbler, Collard Planticoles and Yellow-billed Oxpecker.

Day 14

Queen Elizabeth NP: Imaramagambo Forest

We start early for a whole day birding in the park leading to Imaramagambo Forest.

Specialties at Imaramagambo Forest include the Yellow-bellied and Jameson's Wattle-eyes, Black Bee-eater, White-tailed Ant-thrush, Red-tailed Ant-thrush, Brown and Grey-chested Illadopsis, Shinning Blue Kingfisher, Brown-eared Woodpeckers, Narina Trogon, Least Honeyguide, Grey Greenbul, Brown-chested Alethe, and African Finfoot.

Day 15

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest - Buhoma

Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park birding along the way. Evening birding around the margins of forest is productive.

Bwindi is generally at a higher altitude and therefore is cooler. Temparatures range between 10 and 18 centigrade. Forest birding at Bwindi ranks the best in Uganda and Africa as well. It is home to over 23 highly localized Albertine Rift endemics present. Special birds include Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Grauer's Warbler, Banded Prinia, Black-faced Apalis, Black-throated Apalis, Mountain Masked Apalis, Red-throated Alethe, Yellow-eyed Black-Flycatcher, Ashy Flycatcher, Dusky-blue Flycatcher, Chapin's Flycatcher, Chin-spot Batis, cassin's Grey Flycatcher, Rwenzori Batis, Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher, White-bellied Crested-flycatcher, Pale-breasted Illadopsis, Mountain Illadopsis, African Hill-Babbler, Dusky Tit, Blue-throated Brown Sunbird, Blue-headed Sunbird, Northern Double-collared Sunbird, Grey-headed Sunbird, Mackinnon's Fiscal, Sooty Boubou, Pink-footed Puffback, Doherty's Bush-shrike, White-naped Raven, Montane Oriole, African Golden Oriole, Stuhlmann's Starling, Narrow-tailed Starling, Waller's Starling, Strange Weaver, Brown-capped Weaver, Black-billed Weaver, Dusky Crimsonwing, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Magpie Mannikin, Yellow-crowned Canary, Thick-billed Seedeater, Streaky Seedeater, African Green Broadbill, Shelly's Crimsonwing, Oriole Finch, Mountain Buzzard, Ayre's Hawk-eagle, Handsome Francolin, Black-billed Turaco, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, African Wood-Owl, Rwenzori Nightjar, Scarce Swift, Bar-tailed Trogon, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Black Bee-eater, (Western) Bronze-naped Pigeon, Red-chested Owlet, Tullberg's Woodpecker, Elliot's Woodpecker, African Broadbill, Western Green Tinkerbird, African Green Broadbill, Lagdens Bush Shrike, Petit's Cuckoo-shrike, Grey Cuckoo-shrike, Archer's Ground Robin, Toro Olive-Greenbul, Ansorge's Greenbul, Equatorial Akalat, White-bellied Robin-chat, Olive Thrush, White-tailed Ant-Thrush, Grauer's Rush-warbler, Short-tailed Warbler, Neumann's Warbler and Red faced Woodland-Warbler.

In addition to this excellent birding spot in Africa, Bwindi is home to the most sought after cousins of human beings, the mountain gorillas. Other mammals may include Ruwenzori Duiker, Yellow-backed Duiker and L'Hoest Monkey.

Accommodation of choice: Gorilla Forest Camp, Gorilla Resort or Buhoma Homestead.

Day 16

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

Whole day gorilla tracking.

Day 17

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

Birding Buhoma sector.

Day 18

Bwindi - Ruhiija

Transfer to Ruhiija, birding along the road through the Neck.

Day 19

Ruhiija - Mubwindi Swamp

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park: Mubwindi Swamp

After breakfast we head for a whole day birding to the Mubwindi Swamp.

The 4km trail to Mubwindi Swamp drops from 2350m to 2050 m and is the best place for some of the most difficult to find of all rift endemics including Grauer's (African Green) Broadbill the beautiful Regal Sunbird and Archer's Robin-Chat.

Mubwindi Swamp is home to Dwarf Honeyguide, Stripe-breasted Tit, Ruwenzori Apalis and African Hill Babbler "sometimes treated as a separate species", Rwenzori Hill Babbler, the rare and localized Grauer's Scrub-warbler and Carruthers' Cisticola, very difficult to see species include Fraser's Eagle-Owl, African Green Broadbill, Grauer's Rush Warbler, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Blue headed Sunbird, Regal Sunbird, Grauer's Broadbill, Archer's Robin-Chat, Eastern Mountain-greenbul, Strange Weaver, Black-headed Waxbill, Bar-tailed Trogon, White-headed Wood-hoopoe, Waller's Starling, Stuhlmann's Starling, Ludher's Bushshrike Handsome Francolin and Montane Nightjar

Accommodation of Choice Ruhiija Hostel.

Day 20

Ruhiija

Birding along the main road through the bamboo area for more chances of Albertine rift and Highland Endemics.

O/n Ruhiija hostel.

Day 21

Lake Mburo National Park

After breakfast, we leave Bwindi area and depart for Lake Mburo National Park.

Lake Mburo National Park is a very special place; every part of it is alive with variety, interest and colour. The park contains an extensive area of wetland and harbours several species of mammals including zebras, Impalas, Elands, Topi and Buffaloes. The bird population include, Green-backed Woodpecker, African Finfoot, Brown-chested Plover, Southern Ground Hornbill, Spot-flanked, Red-faced Barbet, Black-collared Barbet, White–winged Warbler, Papyrus Yellow Warbler, Carruthers, Cisticola, Papyrus Gonoleka, Yellow-billed Oxpecker and, Northern Brown-throated Weaver.

Accommodation of Choice Muhingo Lodge or Mantana Tented Camp.

Day 22

Lake Mburo and Kampala

We leave at dawn for the Park game drive, and later in the day we proceed to Kampala and check in at Lindsay Cottages.

Day 23

Departure.

Accommodation and Meals: Full board accommodation in comfortable lodges or tented camps, packed lunches, drinking water, Gorilla permits, Chimpanzee tracking, transport throughout the tour by coach, boat, jeep and ferry, park entrance fees and services of all the guides and leaders.

Not included: Insurance, drinks and items of a personal nature, plus optional tips for the local guides.

Note: Gorilla tracking involves an all day excursion and the trekking can be quite arduous, so a good level of fitness is required. It can last from 20 minutes to hours in a day. On occasion the Gorillas prove elusive but equally can be found within an hour by the tracker guides.

This will be an optional excursion and those not wishing to go can spend time looking for the excellent birds around the lower trails in company with a local bird guide.