11 Days Gold Birding Tour Uganda

This tour will immerse you into Uganda’s birding spot highlights right from Entebbe city to areas like Entebbe botanical gardens hotel, Uganda wildlife education center, Mabamba swamp, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi National Park and Lake Mburo National Park.

This birding excursion will provide opportunity to explore the important bird areas mentioned below: wetlands, savanna grasslands, rivers and lakes, forests spotting thousand varieties of birds as you trail the must bird see sites of pearl of Africa.

Day1: Entebbe Birding Tour
Today after your breakfast from your hotel of residence, our professional birding guide will warmly welcome you. Thereafter have refreshment and take Entebbe city birding tour to the Entebbe botanical gardens, Uganda wildlife education center.

The following bird species can be spotted:  Great Blue and Ross’s Turacos, Red Chested, Klaas’s and Died rick Cuckoo, Great Reed, Grey Capped, Sedge, Greater Swamp and Eurosian Reed Warblers, Fain Tailed Widow bird, Striped, Malachite, Giant, Woodland and Pygmy Kingfishers, Black Bishop, Grey Woodpecker, Olive, Olive bellied, Red chested, Superb, Green Throated and Collard Sunbirds, Orange, Yellow Backed, Golden Backed, Slender Billed and Black Headed Weavers, Lizard Buzzard, Grey Kestral, Black Kite, Gabber Goshawk. Dinner and overnight at Entebbe botanical resort or Entebbe airport view guest house. Meal plan: Half-Board

Day2: Birding Mabamba Swamp

Have our morning breakfast and pack some snacks, after from our guide we shall have an insight to the list birds of Uganda. Thereafter start the morning visit to the Mabamba Bay which is very Important Birding Area. The emphasis at this site will be focused on the Shoebill Stork, one of the threatened species in Uganda and other African regions. Apart from the shoe bill this wetland habits other bird life species which includes: the Lesser Jacana and the African, Purple Swamp hen, Reed Warblers, Pygmy and Spur Winged Goose, African Marsh Harrier, Rufous Bellied Heron. Drive back to the Hotel for your relax and later have Lunch. After drive to Lutembe bay beach along Entebbe – Kampala highway to spot variety of bird life species. This experience is much stunning as you explore and spotting various variety of birds like Caspian tern, Great knot, Hottentots teal, Temminck’s stint, Broad billed sand pipers, which are vagrant visitors in addition to the masses of ducks and waders, African Grey Parrots, Broad Billed Roller, Grey Woodpecker, Klaas’s, Died rick and Red Chested Cuckoo, Superb, Red Chested, Scarlet Chested, Collard, Green Throated and Copper Sunbird, Orange, Spotted Backed, Black Headed, Slender Billed and Golden Backed Weaver among others. Then drive to Kampala at Emin pasha lodge, Serena Hotel, Cassia lodge for dinner and overnight. Meal plan: Full-Board

Day3: Kampala-Lake Mburo National Park

 Today we shall have morning breakfast, thereafter drive western Uganda via Masaka-Mbarara highway. Amazing stopover at the Uganda equator for amazing photo take, informative talks, shop snacks and after proceed to Lake Mburo National Park the Tanzanian plains. Lunch at the lodge, go for an evening game drive to spot wildlife and birds like Impalas, Elands, Zebras, Lions, Elephants, Buffaloes, warthogs, Temminck’s Courser, Martial Eagle, Ruppell’s Griffon, White Headed, Lappet Faced Vultures, Rufous-bellied Heron, Lesser Jacana and Moorhen, Harlequin Quail from Kaaku swamp among others respectively. Dinner and overnight at Mihingo lodge, Mburo safari lodge, Arcadia Cottages or Mburo tents. Meal plan: Full-Board.

Day4: Lake Mburo- Bwindi National Park

After morning breakfast, take en-route drive with spot of more fauna and Avi species and after depart to Bwindi National Park, lunch en-route. Drive with panoramic view of winding vegetation as you reach at the park take birding around Buhoma for Handsome Francolin, Rufous-chested Fluff tail, Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo, Red-chested Owlet, Neumann’s Warbler. Dinner and overnight at Buhoma lodge, Mahogany springs, Buhoma Camp or Bwindi view inn. Meal plan: Full-Board

Day5: Gorilla Tracking

After an early morning breakfast prepare for a briefing from the Uganda wildlife officials, after enter into the jungle to search or for your gorilla tracking in the forests of Bwindi. Gorilla tracking can be strenuous because of Bwindi’s challenging terrain.  This activity is a full day memorable experience and therefore you will need to carry a packed lunch and drinking water, wear comfortable boots or sturdy shoes, a light rain jacket as Bwindi has unpredictable weather, insect repellent, sun screen and any other requirement needed once in tropical rain forest. Walking sticks will be available from the park rangers. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight. Meal plan: Full-board

Day 6: Birding Buhoma

Have our breakfast, after go for whole day Buhoma birding which will take us to spot out for the merry making Green buls such as the Red-Tailed, Cabanis’s, Shelley’s, Yellow Whiskered, Slender Billed, Little Grey, Plain, Toro Olive other bird spp here will be the Yellow Spotted, Yellow Billed and Grey Throated Barbet, Red Faced Woodland Warbler one of the Albertine Rift Endemics and easily seen here. Yellow Bill, Dusky Long Tailed Cuckoo, Red Throated Alethe, differentiating the White Bellied and Equatorial Akalat would very interesting. Red Capped, Grey Winged and Blue Shouldered Robin Chat, African Shrike and Vanga Flycatcher, Black Faced Rufous Warbler, Red-Fronted Ant pecker, Pink Footed and Northern Puff buck, Buff Throated, Grey and Black Throated Apalis, Wallers, Narrow Tailed and Stuhlmann’s Starling, Elliot’s and Buff Bellied Woodpecker, Cassin’s and Least Honey guide among the other bird species in this area. Take the experience with your packed lunch, bottled water, rain gears, walkable shoes, hut, sun screen, insect repellent and any other requirement needed once in tropical rain forest. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight. Meal plan: Full-Board

Day7: Birding Ruhija

 Have our morning breakfast and after go for morning birding walk to spot more birds and then transfer to Ruhija with en-route birding. Expect to spot species which  includes the MacKinnon’s Fiscal, Tropical Boubou, Augar Buzzard, Ayre’s Hawk Eagle, Mountain Buzzard and Wagtail, Cassin’s Grey Flycatcher, Western Bronze Naped Pigeon, Black Faced Rufous Warbler, Barred and Dusky Long Tailed Cuckoo, White Headed Wood Hoopoe, Grey Cuckoo-Shrike, Ducky Tit, Ludher’s and Lagden’s Bush-Shrike, Grey-Green Bush-Shrike, Chestnut Throated Apalis, White Eyed Slaty Flycatcher, Streaky Seed-Eater, Stripe Breasted Tit, White Starred Robin and many more. Picnic lunch at Ruhija safari lodge, Tavern traveller’s camp or Gorilla Mist Camp.  Return to lodge for dinner and overnight. Meal plan: Full-Board

Day8: Mubwindi Swamp Birding

Today have your breakfast, after visit the mubwindi swamp the number 1 African birding spot highlight which was recognized by the African bird club. The elevation is higher than any other birding site. At this site you will spot species like the African Green Broadbill, the Grauer’s and  Grauer’s Rush Warbler, most of the Albertine Rift Endemics here include the Handsome Francolin, Blue Headed, Blue Throated, Purple Breasted and Blue Throated Brown Sunbird, Red Throated Alethe, Mountain Illadopsis, Collard and Mountain Masked Apalis, Yellow Eyed Black Flycatcher plus more. Other bird species here will be the Bar Tailed and Narina Tragon, White Tailed Crested Flycatcher, Abyssinian Hill Babbler, Stripe Breasted Tit among others. Return to lodge for dinner and overnight. Meal plan: Full-Board

Day9: Bwindi Birding-Queen Elizabeth National Park

Today we depart early in the morning driving North West to Queen Elizabeth via the Ishasha sector, the game drive in Ishasha has chances of exposing us to African tree climbing lions. Lunch en-route. Arrive in queen evening with game drive towards to Katwe Crater Lake to spot or watch the flamingos as the sun is setting off. Dinner and overnight at Mweya lodge, Katara lodge or Hippo hill camp, Enganzi lodge. Meal plan: Full-Board

Day10: Birding Queen Elizabeth National Park

Have breakfast, thereafter take whole day birding experience to search for Savanna birds like the Small (Common) Buttonquail, African Crake, Martial Eagle, African Skimmer, Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Black Headed Gonolek, Amur Falcon, Ovambo Sparrow hawk, Lowland Akalat, Greater and Lesser Flamingo and Temminck’s Courser, Temminck’s Courser, Martial Eagle, Ruppell’s Griffon, White Headed, Lappet Faced Vultures, Harlequin Quail, Blue Quail. Return to lodge for lunch and afternoon go for boat ride along Kazinga channel which connects Lakes George and Edward, with excellent photographic opportunities for waterside birds and abundant wildlife like Hippos, Buffaloes among others. Expect to spot birds like African Spoonbill, Herring Gull, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Water Thick-knee, Three-banded Plover, Marsh, Green, African Skimmer, Striated Heron, Wood and Common Sandpiper, Gray-headed Gull, Plain Martin, Lesser Swamp-Warbler. Return to lodge for dinner and overnight. Meal plan: Full-Board

Day11: Queen-Kampala

After breakfast, take a foot safari/ nature walk in Kyambura gorge and in this sector variety of Avi, faunas and floras are at much closure. Return to lodge for lunch and after drive back to Entebbe international airport to board your flight back home. Meal plan: Half-Board, End of services. -“Tuuka-Bulungi-Safe journey-We are very happy to host you again”!!

The safari includes:

• Airport transfers
• Transportation by safari van
• Accommodation and meals as per itinerary
• Gorilla permits, one per person to be paid in advance
• Driver allowances
• En-route lunches
• Visit the equator

The package excludes:
The package excludes expenses of personal nature like: Air fare, Visa, drinks, laundry, tips to local guides, telephone, porter fee while trekking, personal insurance, personal shopping bills and cigarettes.