Pian Upe, Moroto, Matheniko Wildlife Reserve, Kidepo Valley, Murchison Falls, and Kibale Forest National Parks.
Arrive at Entebbe International Airport, meet & greet by your driver-guide, then proceed to accommodation about 7 minutes away.
Dinner and Overnight at Airport Link Guest House (Full Board).
Day 2: Bird to Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve
Afterwards we will drive eastwards to Pian Upe, where we will spend two nights. En-route we will drive through farmland, interspersed with wetlands and patches of woodland.
We will stop amongst the wetlands to look in particular for Marsh (or Hartlaub’s Marsh) Widowbird, as well as Black-headed Gonolek and Fan-tailed Widowbird. We will encounter a variety of other birds during the journey, including the interesting Piapiac and such widespread species as Western Cattle Egret, Marabou Stork, Hadada Ibis, Black-winged (or Black-shouldered) Kite, Hooded Vulture, African Harrier-Hawk, Lizard Buzzard, Wahlberg’s and Long-crested Eagles, African Green Pigeon, Blue-spotted Wood Dove, Laughing Dove, Meyer’s (or Brown) Parrot, Eastern Grey Plantain-eater (constantly uttering its strange call), African Palm Swift, Speckled Mousebird, Grey-headed, Woodland and Striped Kingfishers, Little Bee-eater, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, White-headed Barbet, Lesser Striped Swallow, Yellow-throated Longclaw, Fork-tailed Drongo, Pied Crow, Grey-backed Fiscal, Black-headed, Holub’s Golden and perhaps Golden-backed (or Jackson’s Golden-backed) Weavers, Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu and Pin-tailed Whydah.
Dinner and Overnight at UWA Bandas (Full Board)
This morning we will set out after breakfast and drive the tracks within Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve, where we may be lucky to see the Ugandan-only endemic bird species, the Fox’s Weaver and Karamoja Apalis.
Look out for other species like Common Ostrich, Lizard Buzzard, Wahlberg’s Eagle, Common Kestrel, Stone Partridge, Namaqua Dove, Abyssinian Scimitarbill, d’Arnaud’s Barbet, Brown-backed and Bearded Woodpeckers, White-tailed Lark, Black and White-breasted Cuckoo-shrikes, White-browed Scrub-Robin, Spotted Palm-Thrush, Green-backed Eremomela, Foxy Cisticola, Rufous Chatterer, Brown Babbler, White-bellied Tit, Marico, Hunter’s, Beautiful, Eastern Violet-backed Sunbirds, Yellow-billed Shrike, Sulphur-breasted and Grey-headed Bush-shrikes, White-crested Helmet-shrike, Bristle-crowned Starling, Chestnut Sparrow, Yellow-spotted Petronia, Grey-capped Social Weaver, White-headed and White-billed Buffalo-Weavers, Vitelline Masked Weaver, Parasitic Weaver, White-bellied Canary, Brown-rumped Bunting among others.
Mammals are numerous in the tall grasslands especially after the April-October rains and we may well encounter Roan Antelope, Rothschild’s Giraffe, Buffalo, Zebras, Eland, Topi, Hartebeest, Bohor and Mountain Reedbuck, Oribi, Spotted Hyena, Civet, Defassa Waterbuck, Uganda Kob, Blue and Common Duiker, Günther's Dik-dik, Klipspringer, Cheetah, Leopard, Jackals, Rock Hyrax, Patas and Vervet Monkey, Olive Baboon, Crested Porcupine, Four-toed Hedgehog, Monitor Lizard.
Dinner and Overnight at UWA Bandas (Full Board)
This morning we will set out after breakfast, comb the area, come back for an early lunch, and then hit the drive to Moroto.
Look out for species like Stone Partridge, Namaqua Dove, Abyssinian Scimitarbill, d’Arnaud’s Barbet, Brown-backed and Bearded Woodpeckers, White-tailed Lark, Black and White-breasted Cuckoo-shrikes, White-browed Scrub-Robin, Spotted Palm-Thrush, Green-backed Eremomela, Foxy Cisticola, Rufous Chatterer, Brown Babbler, White-bellied Tit, Marico, Hunter’s, Beautiful, Eastern Violet-backed Sunbirds, Yellow-billed Shrike, Sulphur-breasted and Grey-headed Bush-shrikes, White-crested Helmet-shrike, Bristle-crowned Starling, Chestnut Sparrow, Yellow-spotted Petronia, Grey-capped Social Weaver, White-headed and White-billed Buffalo-Weavers, Vitelline Masked Weaver, Parasitic Weaver, Jameson’s Firefinch, White-bellied Canary, Brown-rumped Bunting among others.
Dinner and Overnight at Karatunga Safari Camp. (Full Board)
This morning we will set out after breakfast with our packed lunches, luggage, and bird our way to Kidepo Valley National Park, getting there in the late afternoon. Look out for species like Eastern and Dark Chanting-Goshawks, Pygmy Falcon, Bruce’s Green-Pigeon, Namaqua Dove, Abyssinian Scimitarbill, White-breasted Cuckoo-shrikes, White-browed Scrub-Robin, Spotted Palm-Thrush, Green-backed Eremomela, Foxy Cisticola, Rufous Chatterer, White-bellied Tit, Hunter’s, Beautiful, Eastern Violet-backed Sunbirds, Three-streaked Tchagra, Chestnut Sparrow, Grey-capped Social Weaver, White-headed and White-billed Buffalo-Weavers, Vitelline Masked Weaver, Parasitic Weaver, Green-winged Pytilia, Purple Grenadier, Cut-throat Finch, Eastern Paradise-Whydah, Steel-blue Whydah, White-bellied Canary, Brown-rumped Bunting among others.
Dinner and Overnight at Kidepo Savannah Lodge (Full Board)
This morning we will set out after breakfast with our packed lunch to bird Kidepo Valley National Park.
Look out for species like Secretary Bird, White-headed and Lappet-faced Vultures, Martial Eagle, Fox Kestrel, African Crake, White-bellied and Hartlaub’s Bustards, Temminck’s Courser, Four-banded Sandgrouse, Bruce’s Green-Pigeon, Namaqua Dove, Rose-ringed Parakeet, White-crested Turaco, White-bellied Go-away-bird, Abyssinian Scimitarbill, Red-billed and Jackson’s Hornbill, Red-fronted and Black-breasted Barbets, Singing Bush and Pink-breasted Larks, Spotted Palm-Thrush, Red-pate and Foxy Cisticolas, Grey Wren-Warbler, Rufous Chatterer, White-bellied Tit, Hunter’s, Beautiful, Eastern Violet-backed Sunbirds, White-headed and White-billed Buffalo-Weavers, Purple Grenadier, Cut-throat Finch, Eastern Paradise-Whydah, among others.
Mammals are in good numbers, and we may well encounter Defassa Waterbuck, African Elephant, Lake Chad Buffalo, Rothschild’s Giraffe, Lelwel Heartbeast, Eland, Zebra, Bohor Reedbuck, Nile Bushbuck, Sudan Oribi, Uganda Kob, Olive Baboon, Patas and Vervet Monkey, Lion, among others.
Dinner and Overnight at Kidepo Savannah Lodge (Full Board)
Dinner and Overnight at Kidepo Savannah Lodge (Full Board)
This morning we will set out for the drive westwards to Murchison (or Kabalega) Falls National Park. En-route we will drive through farmland, interspersed with wetlands and patches of woodland.
We will encounter a variety of birds during the journey, including the interesting Piapiac and such widespread species as Western Cattle Egret, Marabou Stork, Hadada Ibis, Black-winged (or Black-shouldered) Kite, Hooded Vulture, African Harrier-Hawk, Lizard Buzzard, Wahlberg’s and Long-crested Eagles, African Green Pigeon, Blue-spotted Wood Dove, Laughing Dove, Meyer’s (or Brown) Parrot, Eastern Grey Plantain-eater (constantly uttering its strange call), African Palm Swift, Speckled Mousebird, Grey-headed, Woodland and Striped Kingfishers, Little Bee-eater, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, White-headed Barbet, African Grey Hornbill, Lesser Striped Swallow, Yellow-throated Longclaw, Fork-tailed Drongo, Pied Crow, Grey-backed Fiscal, Yellow-billed Shrike, Lesser Blue-eared and Purple Starlings, Black-headed, Holub’s Golden and perhaps Golden-backed (or Jackson’s Golden-backed) Weavers, Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu and Pin-tailed Whydah.
We may also encounter one or two of the scarcer species such as Bruce's Green Pigeon, Yellow-bellied Hyliota or Bronze-tailed Starling.
Dinner and Overnight at Pakuba Safari Lodge (Full Board)
In the dry woodlands and savannas, in the gallery forest overlooking the Nile, or at marshy patches, we will look for White-backed, Rüppell’s (Griffon), Lappet-faced and White-headed Vultures, Brown and Banded Snake Eagles, Bateleur, Gabar Goshawk, Dark Chanting Goshawk, Martial and Tawny Eagles, Crested and Heuglin’s Francolins, Helmeted Guineafowl, Vinaceous and African Mourning Doves, Black-billed Wood Dove, White-crested Turaco, Diederik, Black-and-white and Levaillant’s Cuckoos, Senegal Coucal, White-rumped Swift, Blue-naped Mousebird, colourful Northern Carmine, Blue-breasted and Swallow-tailed Bee-eaters, the huge Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, African Grey Hornbill, Double-toothed and Black-billed Barbets, Wire-tailed Swallow, Sooty and White-fronted Black Chats, Spotted Palm Thrush, Brown Babbler, Silverbird, Pale Flycatcher, confusing Singing, Whistling, Winding, Croaking, Rattling, Short-winged (or Siffling) and Zitting Cisticolas, Red-winged, Red-winged Grey and Buff-bellied Warblers, Western Black-headed Batis, Brown-throated (or Common) Wattle-eye, African Paradise Flycatcher, Northern (split from Common) Fiscal, Black-headed Gonolek, Marsh and Black-crowned Tchagras, Tropical Boubou, Brubru, Violet-backed Starling, Yellow-billed Oxpecker, Western Violet-backed, Scarlet-chested, Copper and Beautiful Sunbirds, Speckle-fronted Weaver, Yellow-mantled Widowbird, Black-winged Red and Northern Red Bishops, Red-billed and Red-headed Queleas, Black-rumped Waxbill, and Bar-breasted and Red-billed Firefinches.
In the afternoon, we will take a boat cruise to the bottom of the mighty Murchison Falls, coming back past 5 pm. As dusk approaches, we will switch on our spotlights and look out for night birds like Square-tailed, Slender-tailed, Long-tailed and Swamp Nightjars, and Greyish Eagle-Owl, as we spotlight along the park tracks.
Mammals are numerous in the short grasslands of the north bank, and we may well encounter Defassa Waterbuck, African Elephant, Lake Chad Buffalo, Rothschild’s Giraffe, Lelwel Heartbeast, Nile Bushbuck, Sudan Oribi, Uganda Kob, Olive Baboon, Patas and Vervet Monkey.
We should also find one or two additional species on the north bank that are typical of drier country. Possibilities include Denham’s and Black-bellied Bustards, Black-headed Lapwing and Shelley’s Rufous Sparrow.
Dinner and Overnight at Pakuba Safari Lodge (Full Board)
After breakfast, drive south to Kibale in the Toro Kingdom, birding en route. Look out for birds like African Pied Hornbill, Blue Malkoha, Speckled Tinkerbird, Yellow-throated Tinkerbird, Honeyguide Greenbul, Yellow-throated Leaflove, Brown-backed Scrub Robin, Green Hylia, Lowland Masked Apalis, Cassin’s Grey Flycatcher, Sooty Flycatcher, Black-&-white Shrike Flycatcher, Seimundi Sunbird, Grey-chinned Sunbird, Purple-headed Starling, Splendid Starling, Narrow-tailed Starling, White-breasted Nigrita, Black Bishop, Western Citril among others.
Dinner and overnight at Chimpanzee Forest Lodge (Full Board).
Early breakfast and then proceed to bird in Kibale Forest to look for the special Green-breasted Pitta. Other birds to look out for include Red-chested Owlet, Narina Trogon, African Emerald Cuckoo, Grey Parrot, Sabine’s Spinetail, Black-billed Turaco, Yellow-billed Barbet, Red-tailed Ant Thrush, among others.
Dinner and overnight at Chimpanzee Forest Lodge (Full Board).
After breakfast, start birding as you leave Murchison Falls National Park for Entebbe looking out for birds like Vultures, Raptors, Helmeted Guineafowl, Doves, Cuckoos, Mousebirds, Bee-eaters, Abyssinian Ground-hornbill, Barbets, Woodpeckers, Swallows, Cisticolas, Flycatchers, Babblers, Sunbirds, Shrikes, Tchagras, Starlings, Weavers, Firefinches, Waxbills, among others.
You may pass by the top of the falls where you will have a short walk and see the waters narrow through a rocky cleft and plunge down 35 meters in a majestic cascade.
Dinner and Overnight at Airport Link Guest House. (Full board)
Today we transfer to Entebbe International Airport in time for your departure flight. ( No Meals).
