$4,271 pp (USD)
2 travelers on Start dateArrival
Arrival
Day 1
Arrivals at Entebbe International Airport
Arrivals at Entebbe International Airport
Early Arrivals will give a chance to do a nature walk in Entebbe Botanical Gardens (EBG)
Situated on the northern shores of Lake Victoria, EBG is a beautiful place with colourful butterflies, birds and primates in an area of 40.7ha. The habitat has attracted a diverse array of birds – 206 species (both forest and shorebirds) and monkeys; Black and White Colobus and Vervet Monkeys.
- Main Destination:
- Entebbe (City)
- Accommodation:
- Papyrus Guest House
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 2
Mabamba Swamp and Lake Mburo National Park
Mabamba Swamp and Lake Mburo National Park
We bird to Mabamba wetland in the morning and continue to Lake Mburo in the afternoon.
Start very early at 6:00 and carry packed lunch and drive to Mabamba Wetland.
Mabamba is about 50km west of Entebbe area on the shores of Lake Victoria. The bay comprises of an extensive marsh with a labyrinth of channels and lagoons, classified as an IBA (Important Bird Area) and home to several pairs of Shoebills, Uganda's most famous avian resident. Other interesting species include Lesser Jacana, Malachite Kingfisher, Pygmy Goose, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Blue-headed Coucal, Papyrus Gonolek, White-winged Warbler, etc.
- Main Destination:
- Mabamba Swamp
- Accommodation:
- Hyena Hill Lodge
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 3
Whole day birding in Lake Mburo National Park
Whole day birding in Lake Mburo National Park
Morning bird walk in the woods, mid-day boat ride and afternoon birding in the wooded Savannah for the rest of the day.
We shall start early; have our breakfast and thereafter we go do an early morning bird walk in the woods. The boat ride along the shores of the lake will be looking for specials like the white-backed and black-crowned night herons, rufous-bellied heron, African Finfoot, African darter, water thicknee etc. The papyrus swamp along the shores of the lake holds the papyrus yellow warbler and papyrus gonolek. You will also encounter pools of hippos, crocodiles, and buffalos. We spend the rest of the day on a game drive in the wooded savannah. Most sought-after species here include tabora cisticola, red-faced barbet, brown-chested lapwing(seasonal migrant) etc.
- Main Destination:
- Lake Mburo National Park
- Accommodation:
- Hyena Hill Lodge
Wildlife in Lake Mburo NP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 4
Travel to Ruhija Sector of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Travel to Ruhija Sector of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Today, we shall check out the Camp, have an early morning breakfast and drive further southwest to Bwindi Forest area. We have chances of birding on the way at a few spots. We may have lunch in Ntungamo or Kabale depending on our pace and later continue to Ruhija. Early arrivals at Ruhija will give a chance to bird along the main road. Our first encounter with the Albertine Rift Endemics begins here. We shall have dinner at the Lodge.
- Main Destination:
- Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Gorillas)
- Accommodation:
-
Bakiga Lodge
Wildlife in Bwindi NP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 5
Birding Mubwindi Swamp
Birding Mubwindi Swamp
After breakfast, we shall carry our picnic lunch and head for a whole day birding following the famous trail through the forest up to Mubwindi Swamp. The 4km trail to Mubwindi Swamp drops from 2350m to 2050m ASL and is the best place for some of the most difficult to find of all the Albertine Rift Endemics including; the rare and localized Grauer's Rush Warbler, African Green Broadbill, the beautiful Regal Sunbird, and Archer's Robin Chat. Mubwindi Swamp is home to Dwarf Honeyguide, Stripe-breasted Tit, Rwenzori Apalis and African / Rwenzori Hill Babbler, and Carruthers' Cisticola etc.
We shall return to our Lodge this evening for dinner and overnight stay.
Note: to consider this activity, one MUST be in reasonably good health. It involves very challenging and strenuous hikes in the impenetrable forest with rugged terrain!
- Main Destination:
- Ruhija Sector (Bwindi NP)
- Accommodation:
- Bakiga Lodge
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 6
Gorilla tracking and transfer to Buhoma sector of the forest thereafter
Gorilla tracking and transfer to Buhoma sector of the forest thereafter
Those doing the Gorilla trek will set off early after breakfast, carry packed lunch and gather at the park headquarters for briefing prior to the activity. Trekking up the hillside to view a family of gorillas nestled in casual, frolicking play is a fascinating, once-in-a-lifetime experience. You will have an opportunity to enjoy close views of adults feeding, grooming and resting, as the youngsters frolic and swing from vines in a delightfully gentle display.
- Main Destination:
- Buhoma Sector (Bwindi NP)
- Accommodation:
- Ride 4 a Woman Guesthouse
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 7
Birding for the whole day at Buhoma
Birding for the whole day at Buhoma
We begin early after breakfast, carry picnic lunch and begin a whole day birding along the main trail at Buhoma.
Some of the key species here include Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Banded Prinia, Black-faced Apalis, Red-throated Alethe, Yellow-eyed Black-Flycatcher, Ashy Flycatcher, Chapin's Flycatcher, Chin-spot Batis, cassin's Grey Flycatcher, 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, Narrow-tailed Starling, Strange Weaver, Magpie Mannikin, Shelly's Crimsonwing, Oriole Finch, Bar-tailed Trogon, (Western) Bronze-naped Pigeon, Red-chested Owlet, Tullberg's Woodpecker, Elliot's Woodpecker, African Broadbill, Lagdens Bush Shrike, Petit's Cuckoo-shrike, Archer's Ground Robin, Ansorge's Greenbul, Equatorial Akalat, White-bellied Robin-chat, White-tailed Ant-Thrush, and Short-tailed Warbler.
- Main Destination:
- Buhoma Sector (Bwindi NP)
- Accommodation:
- Ride 4 a Woman Guesthouse
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 8
Travel to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Travel to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Start early after breakfast for Queen Elizabeth National Park. This is a rather long journey that may take most of our time this day. We shall have a few stops for stretching legs, to have our packed lunch and birding on the way. We shall drive through Queen Elizabeth NP’s distant southern segment - Ishasha section, famed for its tree climbing lions. Birding the way here may produce species like the Stout cisticola, white-winged and red-collared widowbirds. Watch out for occasional lions in the large fig tree along the main road!
- Main Destination:
- Ishasha Sector (Queen Elizabeth NP)
- Accommodation:
- Topi Lodge
Wildlife in Queen Elizabeth NP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 9
Birding in Queen Elizabeth National Park for the whole day
Birding in Queen Elizabeth National Park for the whole day
Queen Elizabeth National Park is yet another area with some of the highest biodiversity ratings than any National Game Reserve in the world. Its varied habitats of open savannahs, acacia woodlands, tropical rain forests, dense papyrus swamps and lakes, make it one of the richest parks in Africa. Game in the park includes Elephant, buffalo, waterbuck, bushbuck, a profusion of Hippos, the elusive Giant Forest Hog and handsome Uganda Kob; with occasional Lion and Leopard. The park boosts of over 612 bird species recorded.
- Main Destination:
- Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Accommodation:
- The Bush Lodge (Banda)
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 10
Drive to Kibale National Park
Drive to Kibale National Park
We start after an early morning breakfast, check out the hotel, and bird on the way towards Kibale Forest area. Along the main road look out for Black-headed weavers, white-collared olive-back, little rush warbler, grey-capped warbler etc. We check in our lodge this morning and have a relaxed birding around the lodge. In the afternoon we bird to Bigodi wetland.
- Main Destination:
- Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary (Kibale NP)
- Accommodation:
- Chimpanzee Forest Lodge
Wildlife in Kibale NP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 11
Birding in Kibale forest in the morning and afternoon Optional Chimpanzee tracking
Birding in Kibale forest in the morning and afternoon Optional Chimpanzee tracking
After an early morning breakfast, we shall make an early start for the forest, where more than 330 rainforest species, including restricted range species have been recorded. Most remarkable target here is the Green breasted Pitta. There are several other species we are likely to encounter including the Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, White-throated Greenbul, Red-tailed Bristle bill, White-tailed and Red-tailed Anti-thrushes, Masked Apalis, Jameson's Wattle-eye, Chestnut Wattle-eye, Yellow-spotted Barbet, Hairy-breasted Barbet, Yellow-billed Barbet, Narrow-tailed Starling, Buff-spotted Woodpecker, Brown-eared Woodpecker, Golden-crowned Woodpecker, Red-chested Owlet, black-bee-eater, great blue turaco, Green twinspot, etc.
- Main Destination:
- Kibale National Park (Chimps)
- Accommodation:
- Chimpanzee Forest Lodge
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 12
Travel to Murchison Falls National Park
Travel to Murchison Falls National Park
Long drive that takes most of the day. Lunch break will be in Kagadi or Hoima depending on our pace. Early arrivals will give a chance for a short visit to the top of the falls. You will experience the most powerful magical flow of the Nile being forced into a 7-meter gap to plunder down below 43meters. At Murchison Falls, the Victoria Nile River forces 300 cubic meters of water per second thundering through an extremely narrow gorge of about 7 meters wide (23 ft) before plummeting 141 ft below, eventually flowing into Lake Albert.
- Main Destination:
- Murchison Falls National Park
- Accommodation:
- Bamboo Village Safari Lodge
Wildlife in Murchison Falls NP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 13
Explore Murchison Falls National Park
Explore Murchison Falls National Park
Early morning birding / game drive, mid-morning ‘exclusive boat’ cruise to the bottom of the falls. We may pay a visit to the top of the falls later after lunch if we missed it the previous day before driving to Masindi. Murchison falls is filled with variety with a good mix of mammals, reptiles and Avifauna. Leopard, Hyena and Lion are occasional encounters. Elephant, Buffalo, Giraffe, Hartebeest, Uganda Kob, Oribi, Warthog, Hippos, Giant Nile Crocodiles etc. The birdlife comprises of Stanley's Bustard, Black-bellied bustard, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Carmine Bee-eaters, Swallow-tailed Bee-eaters, Rufous-crowned Sparrow weaver, White-browed Sparrow-weaver, Black-headed Tchagra, Shoebill, Black-headed Lapwing, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Little Bee-eaters, Beautiful Sunbird, African Quailfinch, Heuglin's Spurfowl, Spotted Thicknee, Senegal Thicknee, Black-billed wood-dove, spotted Palm-thrush, Collared Morning dove, Bateleur, Lappet-faced Vulture, Ruppel's Griffon Vulture, etc.
- Main Destination:
- Murchison Falls National Park
- Accommodation:
-
Masindi Hotel
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 14
Drive to Entebbe Via Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Drive to Entebbe Via Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
We do and early start and drive to the ranch to see White Rhinos - very good birding area with White-crested turaco, Green woodhoopoe, Greater blue-eared and lesser-blue eared starlings, Bruce's Green Pigeon, Shoebill, Marsh Widowbird etc. We shall be here for a couple of hours before continuing to Entebbe. Lunch break will be in Kampala.
- Main Destination:
- Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch
- Accommodation:
- No accommodation (End of tour)
- Meals & Drinks:
