Hard Core Birding Uganda.

22 Days

Mabamba Wetland, Budongo Forest, Murchison Falls, Kibale, Semuliki, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Mgahinga Gorilla and Lake Mburo National Parks.

Day 01 :
Arrival

Arrive at Entebbe International Airport, meet & greet by your driver/guide, and transfer to your accommodation.

Dinner and overnight at the Airport Link Guest House  (Full Board).

Day 02 :
Bird Mabamba Wetlands

Early breakfast and then, with a packed lunch, proceed to Bird Mabamba Wetlands, where you will be driven in a motorized boat as you bird through the swamp; look out for birds like the mighty Shoebill and other birds like Long-tailed Cormorant, Squacco Heron, Yellow-billed Duck, Malachite Kingfisher, Long-toed Plover, Blue-headed Coucal, Blue-breasted Bee-eater among other birds. Bird your way back to Entebbe, looking out for birds like African open-billed Stork, Grey Kestrel, African Green Pigeon, Great Blue Turaco, Ross’s Turaco, Swifts, Sunbirds, Weaver birds, Finches among other birds.

Dinner and Overnight at Airport Link Guest House (Full Board)

Day 03 :
Bird to Murchison Falls National Park

After breakfast, bird as you head for Murchison Falls National Park, with a lunch at any convenient restaurant. After lunch, bird as you continue to Pakuba via the top of the falls. Have a short walk around the top of the falls from where you can walk down to the river’s edge and see the waters narrow as they are forced through a rocky cleft and plunge down 35 meters in a majestic cascade.

Look out for birds like the beautiful White-crested Turaco, Greater blue-eared Starling, Cuckoos, Weavers, Raptors, White-headed Barbet, African Paradise-flycatcher, Red-cheeked Cordon blue, Waxbills, Finches, Sunbirds among other birds.

Dinner and overnight at Pakuba Safari Lodge. Full board

Day 04 :
Bird Murchison Falls National Park

After Breakfast, head out for morning birding, getting back in time for lunch. After lunch, transfer to Paraa northern bank for the boat trip up to the bottom of the Falls, and it is possible to view hundreds of hippos, crocodiles, and a variety of bird life.

Look out for birds like Denham’s Bustard, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Black-headed Plover, Rock Pratincole, Swallow tailed Bee-Eater, Red-throated Bee-eater, Carmine Bee-Eater, Black-billed Barbet, Spotted Morning Thrush, Northern Red and Black-Winged red Bishops, Speckle fronted Weaver, White-browed Sparrow Weaver among other birds.

Look out for mammals like the graceful Roth child Giraffe, Jackson’s Hartebeest, Uganda Kob, Bushbuck, Defassa Waterbuck, Buffaloes, Elephants, Warthog, Hippos, Oribi, and when lucky, a leopard and lion, among others. 

Dinner and overnight at Pakuba Safari Lodge ( Full board).

Day 05 :
Bird to Budongo Area

After breakfast with your packed lunch, bird as you proceed for the drive to Budongo Forest, driving through the rift valley escarpment where you will have good views of Lake Albert. Bird the escarpment before proceeding to Busingiro Forest Centre.

Bird around the vicinity and the road. Drive through to Masindi Hotel where you will be spending your two nights.

Look out for birds like Striped Kingfisher, Red-chested Cuckoo, Foxy Cistcola, Red-winged Grey Warbler, Black-headed Batis, Cliff Chat, Green-backed Eremomela, Yellow-bellied Hyliota, Green-headed Sunbird, Red-winged Pytilia,  Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-Weaver, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, Dwarf Kingfisher, Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, Jameson’s Wattle-eye, Yellow-crested Woodpecker among other birds.

Dinner and overnight at Masindi Hotel (Full Board)

Day 06 :
Bird the Royal Mile

After breakfast with your packed lunch, proceed to Bird the Royal Mile to look for forest birds.

Look out for birds like the White-thighed Hornbill, Narina Trogon, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Dwarf Kingfisher, Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, a selection of Tinkerbirds and Barbets, Yellow-crested Woodpecker, Brown-eared Woodpecker, Yellowbill, Forest Flycatcher, Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher, Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, Fraser’s Ant Thrush, Red- tailed Ant Thrush, Western Black-headed Oriole, Purple-headed Starling, Purple Starling, among other birds.

You may see primates like Blue Monkey, Red-tailed Monkey, Black and white Colobus Monkey as you look for those birds.

Dinner and overnight at Masindi Hotel (Full Board)

Day 07 :
Bird to Kamwenge ( Kibale Forest Area).

Bird as you head south to the mid-end of  Kibale Forest (Kanyanchu) birding en route.

Look out for birds like Western banded Snake Eagle, Crested Guinea Fowl, Striped Kingfisher, Red-chested Cuckoo, Great Blue Turaco, Lizard Buzzard, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Lesser Striped and Red-breasted Swallows, Joyful Greenbul, Masked Apalis, Chubb's Cisticola, Cassin’s Grey Flycatcher, Whinchat, Stonechat, Green-headed Sunbird, Common Fiscal among other birds.

Dinner and overnight at  Chimpanzee Forest Lodge (Full board)

Day 08 :
Bird Kanyanchu in Kibale Forest National Park.

After breakfast, proceed to bird the vicinity of Kanyanchu looking out for the Green-breasted Pitta and other birds like Yellow-billed Barbet, African Emerald Cuckoo, Black-billed Turaco, Narina Trogon, Blue-shouldered Robin-chat, Chestnut Wattle eye, Narrow-tailed Staring among other birds.

Primates like Red Colobus, Black and white Colobus, Grey-cheeked Mangabey, Olive Baboon, Red-tailed Monkey, and L’Hoest’s Monkey among others.

Dinner and overnight at  Chimpanzee Forest Lodge (Full Board ).          

Day 09 :
Bird Bigodi and then transfer to Fort Portal

After breakfast, proceed to bird the Bigodi swamp and look out for bird species like White-spotted Flufftail, Great Blue Turaco, Speckled Tinkerbird, Yellow-throated Tinkerbird, Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher, African Shrike Flycatcher, Black-&-White Shrike Flycatcher, African Blue Flycatcher, Green Hylia, Blue Malkoha, Grey-throated Tit Flycatcher, Chestnut Wattle eye, Seimundi Sunbird, Grey-chinned Sunbird, Superb Sunbird, Purple-headed Starling, Splendid Starling, Compact Weaver, Red-headed Malimbe, Black Bishop, White-breasted Nigrita, Grey-headed Nigrita, among others. 

Have lunch, then transfer to Fort Portal for an overnight.

 Dinner and Overnight at Home Bliss Hotel(Full Board).

Day 10 :
Bird to Semuliki and Kirumia Trail.

After breakfast, head to Semuliki National Park, getting there in time to bird the Kirumia Trail.

Look out for species like Hartlaub’s Duck, Grey-throated Rail, African Olive Pigeon, Black-billed Turaco, Eastern Piping Hornbill, Eastern Little Hornbill, Eastern Long-tailed Hornbill, Eastern Yellow-billed Barbet, Willcock’s Honeyguide, Zenker’s Honeyguide, Yellow-crested Woodpecker, Cabani’s Greenbul, Xavier’s Greenbul, Leaf-love, Yellow-eyed Bristlebill, Brown-chested Alethe, Blue-shouldered Robin Chat, Red-capped Robin Chat, Red-tailed Ant Thrush, Grey-chested Babbler (Kakamega), Yellow-footed Flycatcher, Jameson’s Wattle-eye, White-tailed Crested Flycatcher, White-bellied Crested Flycatcher, Dusky Crested Flycatcher, Scally-breasted Illadopsis, Capuchin Babbler, Rufous-bellied Helmetshrike, Maxwell’s Black Weaver, Crested Malimbe, Chestnut-breasted Nigrita, Black-bellied Seedcracker, Grant’s Bluebill, Orange-cheeked Waxbill, and you open your eyes wide, as you may be chanced with an African Piculet among others. 

After this whole day birding, drive back to Fort Portal  for another night at Home Bliss(Full board)

Day 11 :
Bird as you transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Today we head towards Queen Elizabeth National Park, driving along the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains, crossing the Equator. As you drive along the park, Look out for birds like White spotted Flufftail, Yellow-billed Barbet, African Emerald Cuckoo, Black-billed Turaco, Kingfishers, Lesser Striped Swallow, Cisiticolas, Shrikes, Starlings, Widowbirds among other birds.

Dinner and Overnight at  Enganzi Game  Lodge (Full Board).

Day 12 :
Bird Queen Elizabeth National Park

Early breakfast and with a packed lunch, set off for a game drive/birding. In the afternoon, go for a launch (boat) trip on the Kazinga Channel to see a variety of wildlife, hundreds of hippos, crocodiles, and bird life from a boat for two hours.

Look out for birds like Pelicans, Green-backed Heron, Yellow-billed Stork, Saddle-billed Stork, African Spoonbill, Martial Eagle, Common Button Quail, Kittlitz’s Plover, Senegal Plover, Wattled Plover, Larks, Yellow-throated Longclaw, Babblers, Sunbirds, Weavers, Widowbirds among other birds.

Look out for mammals like Uganda Kob, Bushbuck, Defassa Waterbuck, Buffaloes, Elephants, Warthog, when lucky, a leopard and Lion among others.

Dinner and Overnight at Enganzi Game  Lodge (Full board).

Day 13 :
Bird to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

With your picnic lunch, bird as you proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest birding en-route arriving in the late afternoon.

Look out for birds like Martial Eagle, Francolins, Barbets, Chats, Cuckooshrikes, Sunbirds, Fork-tailed Drongo, Larks, Pipits, Weavers, Widowbirds, among other birds.

You will look out for mammals like Topi, Uganda Kob, Water Buck, Buffaloes, Elephants, Baboons and others.

Dinner and overnight at Ride 4 A Woman ( Full board).

Day 14 :
Bird Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After an early breakfast, start looking for birds species like Bar-tailed Trogon, Black Bee-Eater, White-headed Wood-hoopoe, Tinkerbirds and Barbets, Woodpeckers, African Broadbill, assorted Greenbuls, White-bellied Robin-Chat, Red-throated Alethe, Chapin’s Flycatcher, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Grauer’s Warbler, Mountain Masked Apalis, Bocage’s Bush-shrike, Luhder’s Bush-shrike, Pink-footed Puffback, Petit’s Cuckooshrike, Starlings, Black-billed Weaver, Brown-capped weaver among other birds.

Dinner and Overnight at Ride 4 A Woman (Full board).

Day 15 :
Bird Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Second day birding Bwindi to fill in the gaps.

Dinner and Overnight at Ride 4 A Woman (Full board).

Day 16 :
Bird to Ruhija via the Neck

After breakfast, start the drive to Ruhija birding en-route looking for birds like Tambourine Dove, Black Bee-eater, Red-throated Wryneck, Mountain Wagtail, Toro Olive-Greenbul, White-starred Robin, Olive Thrush, Cassin’s-grey Flycatcher, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Grauer’s Warbler, Chubb’s Cisticola, Banded Prinia, Mountain Masked Apalis, Chestnut-throated Apalis, Collared Apalis, Stripe-breasted Tit, Grey Cuckoo-shrike, Sharpe’s Starling, Regal Sunbird, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Strange Weaver, Dusky Twinspot, Yellow Bishop, Black-throated Seedeater among other birds.

Dinner and Overnight at Agandi Uganda (Full board).

Day 17 :
Bird Mubwindi Swamp

After breakfast, with you packed lunch bird the Mubwindi Swamp looking out for birds like Black-billed Turaco, Western Green Tinkerbird, Fine-banded Woodpecker, African Green-Broadbill, Mountain Greenbul, Yellow-streaked Greenbul, African Hill Babbler, Mountain Illadopsis, Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Grauer’s Warbler, Mountain Yellow Warbler, Chestnut-throated Apalis, Collared Apalis, Stripe-breasted Tit, Rwenzori Batis, Montane Sooty Boubou, Blue-headed Sunbird, Regal Sunbird among other birds.

Certainly one of the highlights of any birding trip in Uganda, this walk is physically challenging but, taken slowly, it is quite manageable.

Dinner and Overnight at Agandi Uganda (Full board).

Day 18 :
Bird to Kisoro

Today we bird to Kisoro via Echuya forest and a nearly finished papyrus that lies along the outflow of Lake Bunyonyi to try the Papyrus Yellow Warbler and Papyrus Canary, which can be seen here by luck; Carruther’s Cisticola; try the Little Rush Warbler also; Fawn-breasted Waxbill among other birds.

Continue with the drive to Kisoro, looking out for birds like Handsome Francolin, Olive Pigeon, Western Green Tinkerbird, Archer’s Robin-Chat, Kivu Ground Thrush, Dusky Blue Flycatcher, Mountain Masked Apalis, White-browed Crombec, Stripe-breasted Tit, Rwenzori Batis, Doherty’s Bush-shrike, Montane Oriole, White-napped Raven, Dusky Crimsonwing, Black-crowned Waxbill, Black-headed Waxbill among other birds.

Dinner and overnight at Ichumbi Hotel (Full board).

Day 19 :
Bird Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

After breakfast with your packed lunch, drive to Ntebeko Camp, from where you will start your trek to probably the most scenic protected area in Uganda. You will take the gorge trail that loops halfway up Mt. Sabinyo, through a variety of montane habitats.

Look out for birds like Dusky Turtle Dove, Rwenzori Turaco, Cape Robin-Chat, White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher, Grassland Pipit, White-starred Robin, Common Stone Chat, Mountain Yellow Warbler, Mackinnon’s Fiscal, White-napped Raven, Lagden’s Bush-Shrike, Bronze Sunbird, Yellow-crowned Canary, Streaky Seedeater, and try the elusive Shelly’s Crimson-wing among other birds.

Dinner and overnight at Ichumbi  Hotel ( Full board).

Day 20 :
Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park

Bird to Lake Mburo, getting to Mbarara in time for lunch. After lunch, continue with the drive to Lake Mburo National Park. Birding here is a delightful experience, and often one of the highlights of a birding trip to Uganda.

Look out for birds like Crested Francolin, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, Spot-flanked Barbet, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Archer’s Robin-Chat, Kivu Ground Thrush, Black-headed Gonolek, Starlings,  Dusky Blue Flycatcher, Mountain Masked Apalis, Stripe-breasted Tit, Rwenzori Batis, Doherty’s Bush-shrike, White-napped Raven, Dusky Crimsonwing, Black-crowned Waxbill, Black-headed Waxbill among other birds.

Dinner and Overnight at Rwakobo Rock ( Full board).

Day 21 :
Bird Lake Mburo National Park

Whole day birding Lake Mburo National Park looking for species like the Bateleur, Crested Francolin, Black-bellied Bustard, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, Brown Parrot, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Blue-napped Mousebird, African Grey Hornbill, Red-faced Barbet, Spot-flanked Barbet, Long tailed Cisticola, Yellow-breasted Apalis and more.

In the afternoon, take a boat cruise to look for the African Finfoot and others. Before or (and) after dinner, try the African Scops Owl, Swamp Nightjar, Fiery-necked Nightjar, Black-shouldered Nightjar and others. Look out for animals like the gorgeous Eland, Zebra, Impala, Buffalo, Reedbuck, Topi, Waterbuck, Bushbuck, Hippos, Oribi, Grey-duiker and others. Dinner and 

Overnight at Rwakobo Rock ( Full board).

Day 22 :
Departure ( Would suggest an evening flight  after 4:00pm)

After breakfast, transfer to Entebbe International Airport in time for your departure flight.

You can send your enquiry via the form below.

Hard Core Birding Uganda.
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