Uganda Birding Safari

After an early breakfast with a picnic lunch, we start birding en route to Ruhija. We may be lucky to spot Black-fronted and Yellow-backed duikers along the road while birding. Keep eyes open for the Long-crested Eagle, Mountain Buzzard, Handsome Francolin, Grey Crowned Crane, and Olive Pigeon, amongst others. Overnight at Gorilla Forest camp, Lake Kitandara, or Buhoma Homestead.

After another early breakfast, we start birding Bwindi Impenetrable Forest looking for species such as African Crowned Eagle, Bat Hawk, African Harrier-hawk, African Goshawk, Wahlberg’s eagle, Ayre’s Hawk-eagle, Red-chested Flufftail, Temminck’s Courser, Great Blue Turaco, Black-billed Turaco, Ross’s Turaco, a variety of sunbirds and many more. Keep eyes open, especially for Albertine rift endemics such as the Dusky and Shelley’s crimson wings, Regal sunbird, and Rwenzori batis, amongst others.

Another early rising and breakfast. Start the gorilla tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for those who opted for tracking. Before the tracking, we head to the briefing point for a briefing on the dos and don’ts while in the jungle with the gentle giants. You are provided with walking sticks and advised to carry parked lunch & adequate drinking water with you. The treks to find the Mountain Gorillas can be pretty strenuous depending on the locations of the gorillas from the starting point. But with scouts, guides, and porters, if we are lucky, we shall be rewarded with views of one of the most extraordinary creatures in Africa.
Overnight at Gorilla Forest camp or lake Kitandara or Buhoma Homestead.

After breakfast, we embark on our journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Upon arrival, we engage in a game drive to look out for birds like the Goliath Heron, Palm-nut Vulture, Brown Snake Eagle, Martial Eagle, African Crake, Senegal & Water Thickness, and Kittlitz’s Plover, amongst others. Overnight and dinner at Mweya Safari Lodge or Jacana Safari Camp.

We start with an early game drive where we hope to spot the Lion, Spotted Hyena, the rare Giant Forest Hog, and the various birds in this great park with a list of over 600 bird species. More birding after breakfast and a return to the lodge for lunch overlooking the Kazinga channel where many species of animals, including elephants and Buffalo, come to drink. We can also expect to see Weavers and Robin-chats by the restaurant and sometimes Swamp flycatcher in the restaurant itself. In the afternoon, we shall have a launch cruise to explore the Kazinga Channel between Lakes Edward and George; we will see a variety of wildlife and many birds.
Overnight and dinner at Mweya Safari Lodge or Jacana Safari Camp.

To ensure an early start, we take a packed breakfast and proceed to bird in the Maramagambo forest area around Lake Nyamusingiri. We search for the Black Bee Eater, Shining Blue Kingfisher, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Red-collared Widowbird Honeyguide Greenbul, Snowcapped Robin-Chat together with Barbets, Tinkerbirds, Woodpeckers, and Apalises. After lunch, we go birding to Kibale National Park, where we shall see the Kibale Ground-thrush, found once and never found again, and it is the best place in Africa to see Chimpanzee. The forest holds 13 primate species, including Red Colobus and L’Hoest’s Monkey.
Overnight at Ndali Lodge or Primate Lodge, or primate lodge.

Today we embark on birding in the Kibale Forest and Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary. We will be in search of the Black-billed Turaco, Yellow-spotted Barbet, Hair-breasted Barbet, Grey-winged Robin-Chat, Papyrus Gonolek, White-collared Olive Back, and Superb Sunbird, Grey-headed Sunbird. Overnight at Ndali Lodge or Primate Lodge.

After breakfast, we visit Kibale Forest National Park, which is reputed to have the most incredible variety and the highest concentration of primates in East Africa. The Chimpanzee, our closest relative, is the most famous of its 13 species. Kibale is also home to the rare I’Hoest’s monkey. Other primates include the black and white Colobus, Blue monkey, Grey-cheeked mangabey, Red tailed monkey, and Olive baboon, to mention but a few. So you will enjoy a guided nature walk in the tropical rainforest in search of the wild chimpanzees, red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, and many others. After lunch, we explore the Crater Lake region, which has many crater lakes. Dinner and overnight at either Primate Lodge or Ndali Lodge.