12 Days Uganda Birding Safari
12 Days Uganda Birding Safari
12 Days Uganda Birding Safari takes you to Uganda’s forests, national parks, and wetlands where you can come up with a great result of spotted bird life in number. Visited safari destinations include Mabamba Wetland, Murchison falls national park in Budongo forest, Kibale forest, Bwindi Impenetrable forest, Mubwindi swamp making it the finest rank on your Uganda Birding Safari destination.
Safari Highlight of 12 Days Birding Uganda Safari
- Day 1: Transfer to Mabamba Wetland
- Day 2: Transfer to Murchison Falls NP-Launch Cruise
- Day 3: Wildlife Adventure-Murchison Falls
- Day 4: Budongo Forest –Royal Mile
- Day 5: Visit Budongo Forest –Using main road
- Day 6: Kibale Forest
- Day 7: Chimpanzee Tracking
- Day 8: Birding in Kibale
- Day 9: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable NP
- Day 10: Explore Ruhija –Bwindi
- Day 11: Mubwindi Swamp -Bwindi
- Day 12: Return to Kampala
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Transfer to Mabamba Wetland
Transfer to Mabamba Wetland: Wake up have morning breakfast served from hotel. After head out to Mabamba Swamp just few driving kilometres away from west of Entebbe across the northern shore of the Lake Victoria and marked as one of the best birding sites associated with perfect bird species and the best spotting area to see the popular shoebill .You will lookout for lesser jacana, Papyrus Gonolek ,Pygmy goose ,Northern Brown-throated Weaver ,Blue –headed caucal ,Yellow-backed Weaver and other swamp specialities .Birding at the swamp is best done on a canoe, paddled by our local site trained guides .It’s truly humbling experience as you go viewing at this bizarre bird as it preens showing off its huge grinning. You will as well get amazed views of it as it soars on broad wings. You will also look out to various species such as Swampy Flycatcher, African Water Rail, African Purple Swam-hen, Blue-breasted Bee –eater, Winding Cisticola, Squacco, Rufous bellied and purple Heron, Hamerkop, African Marsha Harrier, Malachite and pied Kingfishers, Blue-headed Cuckoo, Intermediate Egret, Fan-tailed Widowbird, Goliath Heron mentioned few. Dinner and Overnight stay.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 2: Transfer to Murchison Falls Np-Launch Cruise
Transfer to Murchison Falls: After morning breakfast, set off to Murchison falls national park from Kampala City passing via Bombo road lasting within 4 driving hours. On your way ,you will see the Luweero triangle today which has turned out into a small town with a busy trading centre known for its history of the Baganda massacre ,you can even stop at the trading market to buy fruits .Proceed to Masindi town and break off for lunch en-route .After lunch drive straight to the park passing through Budongo forest and Kaniyo Pabidi .When you reach the park ,you will first visit the top of the falls to experience the world’s most powerful falls with lots of adventures ,after meet your driver at the top and drives you to the lodge to check in ,dinner and Overnight stay.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 3: Wildlife Adventure –Murchison Falls
Wildlife Adventure: Wake up have morning breakfast, then drive for early game view on the North of the Nile animals to see include Lions, buffaloes, waterbuck, Jackson’s hartebeest, Oribis, baboons among others. Come back to take a boat cruise on Victoria Nile in about 2 hours’ animals to see include large crocodiles, hippos, herds of buffaloes and the area is rich in birdlife on the papyrus banks, look out for the shoebill stork, king fishers, white egrets among others. You will also visit the top of the falls for rewardable views. Dinner and overnight stay.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 4: Budongo Forest –Royal Mile
Budongo Forest: Wake up have morning breakfast, drive to Budongo forest which is ecologically diverse forest in East Africa with over 466 plant species with great concentration of giant mahoganies up to 60m height and still is inhabitant for highest population of chimpanzees and haven for birders with over 366 bird species. The best viewing bird life in here is at Royal Mile which is the best place to do superb birding. Expect to checkout a long list of African dwarf ,White-shouldered Black Tit, shouldered Cuckoo-Shrike ,Rattling Cisticola ,Shy Foxy Cisticola ,Black faced Waxbill ,Cinnamon breasted Bunting and Savannah raptors include Wahlberg’s Eagle ,Bateleur and Martial Eagle ,Grey-crowned Crane, Black headed Oriole and Carruthers’s Cisticola ,Great Swamp Warbler ,White-winged Warbler, Tropical Boubou ,Vieillot’s Black Weaver and Grosbeak Weaver ,the Colourful Papyrus Gonolek and black-capped Apalis among others. Dinner and Overnight stay.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Visit the Budongo Forest
Visit the Budongo Forest: After your early morning break ,you will walk using the main road past Busingiro another easier spotting area to locate the birds .Expect to see variety of bird species such as Scaly-breasted IIIadipsis ,Cameroon Sombre ,Red-tailed Bristle bill ,Slender-billed ,Honey guide ,Yellow-crested Woodpecker ,Speckled Tinker bird ,Yellow-browed Camaroptera ,Buff-throated Apalis ,White-breasted and Grey-headed Negrofinches ,White-spotted Fluff tailed ,Crested Guinea fowl ,Tambourine Dove ,African Emerald and Dusky Long tailed Cuckoos ,Yellow bill ,Forest Robin ,Ituri batis ,Sabine’s and Cassin’s Spine tails ,Wilcock’s Honey guide ,Yellow and Grey Long bills ,Yellow-mantled weaver ,Red-headed Malimbe many more .Dinner and Overnight stay.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 6: Drive to Kibale Forest
Kibale Forest: Wake up early for your morning breakfast, then transfer to Kibale Forest a nature lovers known for its premium chimpanzee tracking and birding. Very worth to host the highest concentration of primates in East Africa of about 13 primates some include Chimpanzees, Vervet, red tailed and L’Hoest and blue monkeys. Bird species to be spotted in Kibale forest include Blue-shouldered Robin Chat, Yellow-spotted Barbet, Green breasted Pitta, Red-chested Fluff tail, Cabanis Greenbul, White-bellied Crested Flycatcher, Grey-throated Flycatcher, Masked Apalis, White-napped pigeon, Grey-winged Robin mentioned but few. Dinner and overnight stay.
Meal plan; Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 7: Kibale Chimpanzee Tracking
Kibale Chimpanzee Tracking: After early morning breakfast, you will go for Chimp briefing best for primatologist. After you will be accompanied by the ranger guide in search of chimpanzees because Kibale forest is known to inhabit large number of chimpanzees of about 5000 individuals and once the chimpanzees is found you will learnt about the physical and behavioural of these species. Other species to see on your tracking experience are golden monkeys, Colobus monkeys, Grey checked mangabey, Blue Monkey, red colobus, White and Black colobus monkeys, Dinner and overnight stay.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 8: Birding in Kibale
Birding in Kibale: After morning breakfast, go to Bigodi wetland which offers an array of birdlife, species of butterflies and tree species many more. Bird species like Great blue turaco and Papyrus Gonolek are the most popular in the swamp. Other birds to be admired here include Blue-throated roller, White-headed Wood Hoopoe, Yellow bill, Tinker barbets, Honey guide Bulbuls, Cassin’s Honey bird, White-chinned prinia and Banded prinia, Pink-footed Puff back, Black and White Flycatcher, Superb Sunbird, Mountain Wagtail, Velvet-mantled Drongo, Purple headed Starling, Black-necked Weaver, Dark-backed Weaver and Red –headed Bluebill among others. Dinner and Overnight stay.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 9: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable: After morning breakfast, you will be transferred to Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park most famous among other parks because of the presence of the endangered mountain gorillas but still it offers variety of Albertine bird species being a home to over 23 highly localized Albertine species like Grauer’s warbler, black faced Rufous, Black throated Apalis, banded prinia and Mountain masked Apalis and so many. After, you will have guided walk along the Munyanja River trail from Buhoma following Bizenga River and over 40 species to be spotted here such as Ashy Flycatcher, Yellow-eyed Black-Flycatcher, Dusky-blue Flycatcher, Chapin’s Flycatcher, McKinnon’s grey shrike, Luhder’s and Doherty’s bush shrike. Dinner and Overnight stay.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 10: Guided walk in Ruhija –Bwindi
Guided walk in Ruhija: After morning breakfast, head to Ruhija which has ranked Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to be one of the best Ornithological sites in Africa. Birds to see in Ruhija include the four crimson –wings, handsome Francolin, Augur buzzard, Archer’s Robin Chat, Red-throated Wryneck, Bronze Sunbird, Brown-crowned Tchagra, Toro Olive Greenbul, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Yellow Bishop, Yellow-crested helmet shrike, Stripe-breasted Tit, Collared Apalis, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Strange, White napped Raven. Dinner and Overnight stay.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 11: Visit Mubwindi –Bwindi
Visit Mubwindi Swamp: After having morning breakfast, we shall hike to the Mubwindi Swamp for full day birding. It has rewardable trails where some of the most elusive rift endemics can be seen such as beautiful Regal Sunbird and Archer’s Robin Chat. Other species include Rwenzori Apalis, Stripe breasted Tit, African hill babbler, Rwenzori Hill Babbler, Fraser’s Eagle Owl, Grauer’s Rush Warbler, Purple breasted, Blue-headed, Archer’s Robin Chat, Eastern Mountain-Greenbul, Bar-tailed Trogon, White headed wood hoopoes, Waller’s and Stuhlmann’s Starling and Montane Nightjar among others. Dinner and Overnight stay.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 12: Return to Kampala
Return to Kampala: Wake up have morning breakfast as you look around your lodge with rewardable view of primates, birds and as you listen to melodies of birds on the tree. Check out of the lodge when it’s still early and drive back to Kampala to be dropped off to your hotel or at Entebbe airport for your flight back home.
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