Detailed Itinerary.
Day 1: Welcome to Uganda.
Arrive at Entebbe where you will be transferred to your first hotel in Uganda. Depending on arrival time, you can kick start with birding in the botanical gardens which has a advantage of many bird species including green pigeon, crowned hornbill, Ross’s and Great blue turaco, grey parrot, African harrier hawk, red chested cuckoo, northern gray headed sparrow, Bronze manikin, Tambourine dove among others. Later descend back to your accommodation in Entebbe.
Day 2: Birding in mabamba and botanical gardens.
Earlier after your heart breakfast, you to travel to mabamba swamp on shore of Lake Victoria popular for shoebill stork. This is one of the remaining swamps with its locally channels by local communities through papyrus reeds and has classified as (IBA) important bird area. You expect to see many species including most sought after birds shoebill stork that has made this wetland attract birding enthusiast around the world. Species like goliath heron, African open billed stork, great and long tailed comorant, African jacana, African marsh harrier, yellow rumped tinker birds, double toothed barbet, black headed gonolek, papyrus gonolek, gray capped warbler, pied kingfisher, papyrus canary, northern brown throated weavers, malachite kingfisher, yellow billed duck, white faced whistling duck, hadad ibis, sacred ibis, red chested sunbird, baglafecht weaver, black headed weaver, white browed coucal and gross beak weaver among others late after lunch in the afternoon we bird botanical garden till evening. Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Entebbe in Entebbe.
Day 3: Transfer to ziwa rhino sanctuary.
After breakfast at your hotel in Entebbe, you kick start a journey to ziwa. This Rhino and Wildlife Ranch is the proud home of the only wild rhinos in Uganda following their extinction and thus offers an unforgettable Rhino tracking experience. Ziwa is the only place where you will be able to see rhinos in the wild. Presently the sanctuary is home to over twenty southern white Rhinos. The sanctuary has become increasingly popular with tourists who come for rhino trekking, bird watching, nature walks and relaxation. After a successful rhino walk, we bird to word our lodge in masindi. Dinner and overnight at famous Masindi hotel.
Day 4: Birding Royal mile-Budongo central forest.
We will bird the Royal mile for magnificent species, We will Look out for but not limited to the Puvel’s Illadopsis and Nahan’s Francolin other special birds include; the Yellow-billed Barbet,White-thighed hornbill, Uganda woodland warbler, blue breasted kingfisher, Gray throated Barbet, Honey guide’s Greenbul, Chocolate–backed Kingfisher, White-headed Saw-wing, White Wagtail, Black-eared Ground-Thrush among others. Dinner and overnight at Masindi Hotel
Day 5: Transfer to Murchison falls National park.
Early today after your breakfast, traverse through Uganda’s oldest and largest National Park with a visit to top of falls where the park derives its name from. You will have hot lunch at the lodge. Relax and then start a boat cruise to the top of falls along Albert Nile. A number of resident wildlife species will be seen here including giraffes, elephants, crocodile, lizards, Jackson’s hartebeests, antelopes, buffalo, and bird species like African fish eagle, water thicknee, common sandpiper, gonoleks, Secretary bird, Red-necked Falcon, Heuglin’s Francolin, Denham’s Bustard, Senegal Thick-Knee, Egyptian-plover, Rock Pranticole, Black-headed Plover, African Skimmer, Bruce’s Green Pigeon, Vinaceous dove, White-crested Turaco. After a successful boat cruise continue for relaxation and looking at checklist of the day.
Day 6: full day game, birding in Murchison falls national park.
Today after breakfast, we exhaust this park looking for different resident animals and birds. Later in the evening we drive to our lodge for relaxation, checklist, dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Day 7: transfer to kibale national park.
After breakfast, embark on the transfer to kibale park Area traversing through the rural sceneries and traditional homesteads of Kagadi district before suddenly getting into Kyenjojo and eventually Fort Portal town where you’ll have hot lunch. Drive to the lodge and take a rest before you continue to bird along Kibale forest edges that harbors the greatest variety and concentration of primates found anywhere in East Africa and is famous for its Chimpanzees. Kibale protects a remarkable 13 primate species, including the very localized Red Colobus and L’Hoest’s Monkey, Galagos, Blue monkey, Red-tailed and Vervet Monkeys.
Day 8: Chimp treks and bird kibale national park
Today after breakfast, we kick start with Chimpanzee trek. And later in the late noon look out for green breasted pitta; Kibale Forest has the highest number of recorded sightings of the Green-breasted Pitta, which is another sought after bird of Uganda. Other birds include: African Pitta, Grey-winged Robin, Red-winged Francolin, Joyful Greenbul, White-naped Pigeon, Abyssinian Ground-Thrush, Red-chested Flufftail, White-bellied Crested Flycatcher, Uganda Woodland Warbler, White-collared Oliveback, Leaf-love, African Broadbill, Willcock’s Honeyguide, White-winged Warbler, White-spotted Flufftail, Scaly-throated Honeyguide
Day 9: bird bigodi wetland and transfer to Queen Elizabeth.
for After an early breakfast, A visit to Bigodi swamp ecotourism site, given its astounding flora and fauna, will be worth it too. The swamp has numerous populations of birds, a wide range of over 138 different species of birds including the Great Blue Turaco, Black-throated apalis, Forest Robin, Dusky-blue Flycatcher, African Shrike-flycatcher, Brown and Scaly breasted illadopses, Fire Crested alethes. Black-bellied Seed-cracker inhabits the forest edge and primates that reside this swamp. Retreat from this activity and embark on journey to Queen Elizabeth national park reaching in times for lunch. Later on you will do boat cruise along kazinga channel famous for creatures residing here such as hippos and other many shore birds.
Day 10: Full day in Queen Elizabeth National park.
Today you will see common button-quail, grey kestrel, yellow throated long claw, grassland pipit, bateleur eagle, palm nut vulture, African crake, red-necked francolin, blue headed coucal, black-rumped quail, great and longtailed comorant, African skimmers, white-faced whistling duck, African open billed stork,great-white and pink backed pelican, pied kingfishers, black headed gonoleks, Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Black Bee-eater, White-tailed Lark, Fan-tailed Widowbird, Black-headed & Papyrus Gonoleks, Winding & Carruther’s Cisticolas, Red-chested & Scarlet-chested Sunbirds, Swamp Flycatcher, Grey-capped & White-winged Warblers, Yellow backed & Slender-billed Weavers, Papyrus Canaryand flocks of storks such as saddle billed stork, woolly necked stork including big game like elephants, Uganda kob, leopard, deffasa waterbuck, spotted hyena, hippos, lions and more
Day 11: transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park.
Today after breakfast embark on the trip to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park through ishasha southern park of the park famous for tree climbing lions. Tis is not a guarantee however on lucky days, lions are seen in trees. Proceed to Bwindi for overnight.
Day 12. Gorilla tracking.
After an early breakfast, you will take a packed lunch, have a briefing by the game guides at the park headquarters and start your gorilla trail. Hiking through the thick, verdant, rainforest to eventually come across the gorillas in their natural habitat, is an amazing and unforgettable experience.
This encounter takes between 2 to 9 hours and is the highlight of an Africa exploration safari. You will only have 1 hour of close contact with these calm gentle apes, take pictures and get acquainted to them. You are free to shoot as many photos as you desire before you retreat from the activity to return to the starting point. After this encounter, you head back to your lodge for relaxation.
Day 13: birding buhoma.
this part of the world and also a spot for montane habitat for some forest bird species like After your early breakfast, you will penetrate the impenetrable in search of unique bird species in the rain forested trees. You will have a break to take your packed lunch as you continue to search for more undiscovered bids. Expect to see birds such as Specialty 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, Sooty Boubou, Chin-spot Batis, Rwenzori Batis, Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher, Northern Double-collared Sunbird, Grey-headed Sunbird, Pink-footed Puffback, Doherty’s Bush-shrike, White-naped Raven, Rwenzori Nightjar, Montane Oriole, Waller’s Starling,African Golden Oriole, Black-billed Weaver, Stuhlmann’s Starling, Narrow-tailed Starling, Strange Weaver, Brown-capped Weaver, Dusky Crimsonwing, Magpie Mannikin, Shelly’s Crimsonwing, Mackinnon’s Fiscal, Streaky Seedeater, Yellow-crowned Canary, African Green Broadbill, Ayre’s Hawk-eagle, Thick- billed Seedeater, Handsome Francolin, Black-billed Turaco, Red-chested Owlet, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, Elliot’s Woodpecker, Bar-tailed Trogon, Black Bee-eater, (Western) Bronze-naped Pigeon, Tullberg’s Woodpecker, African Broadbill, Western Green Tinkerbird and much more. Return to your lodge in the evening for dinner and overnight as you prepare for the next day
Day 14: bird the neck.
Today after your breakfast, you will check out and bird through the Neck to Ruhija popular for Green broadbill, Archer’s Robbin Chat, Handsome Francolin, Strange Weaver, the Grauer’s Rush Warbler, Grey Cuckoo-shrike, Chetnut-throated, and Mountain masked Apalis, Black-billed, Great Blue, and Rwenzori Turaco, Mountain Illadopsis, African Hill-Babbler, Yellow-streaked, Shelley’s, Red-tailed, Mountain Yellow Warbler, Yellow-throated, Blue-headed Sunbirds Mountain and Honeyguide Greenbuls, Purple-breasted, Regal, and Rwenzori Double Collared among others. Reaching in the evening for diiner and overnight at Bakiga Lodge.
Day 15: Bird Mubwindi swamp-Ruhija.
Today we bird a long ruhija sector trails up to up to mubwindi swamp, we expect to see species such as Green broadbill, Archer’s Robbin Chat, Handsome Francolin, Strange Weaver, the Grauer’s Rush Warbler, Grey Cuckoo-shrike, Chetnut-throated, and Mountain masked Apalis, Black-billed, Great Blue, and Rwenzori Turaco, Mountain Illadopsis, African Hill-Babbler, Yellow-streaked, Shelley’s, Red-tailed, Mountain Yellow Warbler, Yellow-throated, Blue-headed Sunbirds Mountain and Honeyguide Greenbuls, Purple-breasted, Regal and Rwenzori Double Collared among others. Reatreat from this to your lodge for relaxation.
Day 16: Transfer to mburo national park.
Enjoy your breakfast, as you prepare for a morning game drive following numerous tracks in the park. You will return for lunch and continue with birding in different trails till evening when you return back to your lodge. You have chances to view animals like impalas, topis, elephants, zebras but keep your eyes on the birds such as Black-headed Oriole, White-backed Scrub Robin, Bateleur, Ruppel’s Long-tailed Starling, Common Bulbul, Brown Parrot, Ruppel’s Griffon Vulture, Grey Hornbill, White-browed Coucal, Lesser Masked Weaver, Water Thick-knee, Wood Hoopoe, Verreux’s Eagle Owl, Woodland Kingfisher, Yellow-billed Oxpecker, Little Bee-eater, Chinspot, Tawny Eagle, Senegal Lapwing, Plain-backed Pipit, Greater Honeyguide, Sooty Chat, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Red-faced Crombec, Brown-tailed, Bronze-tailed Starlings, Northern Brubru, Grey Kestrel, Coqui Francolin, Broad-billed Roller, Grassland Pipit, and Golden-breasted Bunting and much more. Return to the lodge for overnight.
Day 17: Full day birding in lake mburo national park
Today after your breakfast
Day 18: Morning walking safari and transfer to entebbe airport
Today early morning after your hearty breakfast, you will start with epic game walking safari
End of 18 Days birding safari
