Dates and Costs:

June 23 - July 6, 2023 $6500 per person ($850 single supplement) $7600 With Gorilla and Chimp permitt)

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About this Trip

We are very glad to introduce to you this two week Uganda birding and optional primates trip that takes us through the exciting landscapes and peoples of Uganda. We mainly cover the Western, South and North-western parts of the country. While on this Uganda Trip, we explore the Savannas, Waters, bushlands and forests of this beautiful part of Africa DAY 1: Arrive at Entebbe International Airport meet our representative who will transfer you to your respective hotel of stay at Papyrus Guest House. BB DAY 2: BIRDING TO MABAMBA AND TRANSFER TO LAKE MBURO Leave Entebbe early in the morning for Mabamba swamp birding enroute, we have a chance to see a variety of weavers on the way, Black headed Oriole, Black Bishop, Sooty Chat, Lizard Buzzard, Double Toothed Barbet, Shikra and many others when we get to Mabamba swamp, we shall take a hand paddled or engine canoe in search for the majestic Shoebill; here we have a chance to see a variety of water birds like the Purple and Allen’s Gallinule, Black Crake, Purple, Rufous Bellied, Goliath and Squacco Herons, Malachite King fisher, and many more. After the swamp we transfer to Lake Mburo lunch and birding enroute, arrive for an evening game drive as we enter the park where we have a chance to see a variety of open woodland birds like the Bare-faced Go-away Bird, Blue Naped Mousebird, Sulpher-breasted Bush-shrike, Brubru, Green Wood Hoopoe and many more. Dinner and overnight stay at Rwakobo Rock. FB DAY 3: WHOLE DAY BIRDING LAKE MBURO After an early morning breakfast, we enter the park where we bird both in our car and the boat looking out for Crested Francolin, Brown Parrot, Red-necked Spurfawl, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, Temmincks Courser, Common Quails, Green Wood hoopoe, Blue-napped Mouse bird, Bare-faced Go-away Bird, African Grey Hornbill, Nubian Woodpecker, Trilling Cisticola, Lilac-breasted Roller, Coqui Francolin, Black-bellied Bustard, African Wattled Plover, Rufous-naped and Flappet Larks, Rufous-chested Swallow, Southern Red Bishop, and Yellow-throated Long Claw among others. The fringing swamps in the park also hide secretive papyrus specialties such as the Papyrus Gonolek. Common conspicuous birds we may encounter on our journey to Lake Mburo include Crested Francolin, Common Scimitarbill, Spot-flanked Barbet, Trilling Cisticola, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Northern Black Tit, Chin-spot Batis, Great Blue-eared Starling, and Marico Sunbird. The woodland in the immediate vicinity of Rwonyo also supports many of these widespread species. The more open grassland north of the Rwonyo Camp, particularly along the Zebra Track, is worth exploring for species such as Coqui Francolin, Red-necked Spurfowl, Black-bellied Bustard, Temminck’s courser, African Wattled Plover, Rufous-napped and Flappet Larks, Rufous-chested Swallow, Yellow-throated Long Claw, and Southern Red Bishop. A small number of the migratory Brown-chested Plover is regularly observed. Spot lighting along the entrance road may produce interesting nocturnal species such as the African Scops Owl, Verreux’s Eagle, and Freckled, Black Shouldered and Pennant-winged Nightjars. Overnight at our lodge DAY 4: BIRDING TO BWINDI - RUHIJA Morning game and birding drive which gives us higher chances of viewing mammals like the Zebras, Impalas, Elands, Topis, Buffaloes among others, as we bird we focus our attention on the search for the Red Faced Barbet, Coqui Francolin, Brown Chested Plover depending on the month as it is an Intra African migrant (July – Dec), Tabora (Long-tailed) Cisticola, Lesser Blue Eared Starling, Buff Bellied Warbler, Red Headed Weaver, Black Shouldered Cuckoo Shrike, Sulpher Breasted Bush-shrike, Green Capped Eremomela, Bare faced Go-away-bird, Green Wood Hope and more acacia associated birds, we later drive out of lake Mburo as we transfer to Ruhizha birding enroute, one of the main birding areas will be the bamboo zone where we look out for the Grey Cuckoo-shrike, for Handsome Francolin, Mountain Illadopsis, White-starred Robin, Mountain Greenbul, Red-throated Alethe, Grauer’s Warbler, Dusky Twinspot and Crimson-wing late birding along the road brings great views of the Dusky Twinspot, Red Faced Woodland Warbler, Magpie Manikin, Stripe breasted Tit, White Headed Wood Hopoe, Regal Sunbird, Chestnut Throated Apalis and a variety of other birds. Dinner and overnight stay at Agandi. FB DAY 5: BIRDING TO MUBWINDI and OPTIONAL GORILLAS After breakfast we head for a whole day birding to Mubwindi Swamp. This is the best birding spot for the Albertine rift endemics including African Green Broadbill, the beautiful Regal Sunbird, Dwarf Honeyguide, Stripe-breasted Tit, Rwenzori Batis Black Headed Waxbill, and African Hill Babbler, Grauer's Scrub-warbler, Fraser's Eagle-Owl, African Green Broadbill, Grauer's Rush Warbler, Purple-breasted, Blue-headed, Regal, Northern Double Collared, Eastern Olive and Collared Sunbird, Strange Weaver. This part of Bwindi is generally at a higher altitude. Forest birding at Bwindi ranks the best in Uganda and perhaps the whole of Africa. It is home to over 23 highly localized Albertine Rift endemics and the No. 1 Birding site in Africa as per the African Birding Club. Here we mostly look out for bird species like Black-billed Turaco, Western Green Tinkerbird, Fine-banded Woodpecker, African Green-Broadbill, Mountain Greenbul, Stripe Breasted Tit, Rwnzori Hill Babbler, Mountain Illadopsis, Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Red-faced Woodland, Grauer's and Mountain Yellow Warbler, Chestnut-throated, Buff Throated, Black-faced and Rwenzori Apalis, Rwenzori Batis, Montane Sooty Boubou, Blue-headed Sunbird, Regal Sunbird, Red-throated Alethe, Ashy, Dusky-blue, Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher, White-bellied Crested-flycatcher, Dusky Tit, Blue-throated Brown Sunbird, Blue-headed Sunbird, Northern Double-collared Sunbird, Grey-headed Sunbird, Mackinnon's Fiscal, Pink-footed Puffback, Doherty's Bush-shrike, White-naped Raven, Montane Oriole, Stuhlmann's Starling, Narrow-tailed Starling, Waller's Starling, Strange, Brown-capped, Baglafecht and Black-billed Weaver, Dusky Crimsonwing, East African Swee, Yellow-crowned Canary, Thick-billed Seedeater, Streaky Seedeater, Oriole Finch, Mountain Buzzard, Ayre's Hawk-eagle, Handsome Francolin, Barred Longtailed Cuckoo, African Wood-Owl, Scarce Swift, Bar-tailed Trogon, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Black Bee-eater, (Western) Bronze-naped Pigeon, Red-chested Owlet, Elliot's Woodpecker, African Broadbill, Archer's Robinchat, Toro Olive-Greenbul, Ansorge's Greenbul, Equatorial Akalat, Olive Thrush, Red-faced Woodland Warbler. Dinner and overnight at our lodge. DAY 6: BIRDING TO QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK VIA THE NECK Whole day birding on the road to Queen Elzabeth through the "Neck". Key bird species include: Mountain Wagtail, Chin-spot Batis, Black-billed Turacco, Fine-banded Woodpecker, Dwarf Honeyguide, Red-tailed Greenbul, and we should come across Bee-eaters including Black Bee-eater and Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Bronze-naped Pigeon, Many-coloured Bush-shrike, Ayres's Hawk-eagle, Bronze-naped Pigeon, Narina Trogon, Honeyguide Greenbul, Red-throated Alethe, Gray Apalis, African Shrike-flycatcher and Red-headed Malimbe; and in areas of dry fern vegetation, we expect to watch the Dusky Twinspot. Other birds here include Mackinnon’s Fiscal, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Black Saw-wing, Chubbs’ Cisticola, Grey Apalis, Augur Buzzard, Petit’s Cuckoo Shrike, Pink-footed, Northern Puffbacks, Red-tailed, Little Grey Greenbuls, Chestnut-throated Apalis, Red-throated Martin, East African Swee (Yellow-bellied Waxbill), Yellow White-eye, Dark-capped Bulbul, Yellow-bellied Kite, Yellow-rumped, Speckled-rumped Tinkerbirds, African Stonechat, Grey Cuckoo Shrike, Stripe-breasted Tit, Montane-masked Apalis, Red-faced Woodland, Montane Yellow Warbler, Regal Sunbird, Northern Double-collared Sunbird, Rwenzori Hill Babbler, White-tailed Blue Flycatcher, Yellow-whiskered Greenbul, Yellow-throated Leaf Love, Crested Guinea Fowl, African Crowned Hornbill, Lead-colored Flycatcher, Black-necked Weaver, Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher, Yellow-spotted Barbet, African Harrier Hawk. We stay at Elephant hub Lodge. FB DAY 7: WHOLE DAY BIRDING AND AFTERNOON BOAT RIDE ALONG THE KAZINGA CHANNEL. RECORDED 612 BIRD SPECIES We start early for a game drive and birding the vast grassland area the whole morning looking out for; Larks, Pipits, Harlequin Quail, Blue Quail, Small (Common) Buttonquail, Black Coucal, African Crake, African Moustached, Broad Tailed and Grey Capped Warbler, Martial Eagle, Verreaux's Eagle-Owl, Amur Falcon, Ovambo Sparrowhawk, Terek Sandpiper, Crimson Rumped Waxbill, Sulpher Breasted Bushshrike, Golden Breasted Bunting, Temminck's Courser, Senegal and Wattled Lapwing, Brown Snake Eagle and many more bird species. This park has a great number of mammals numbering to 96 which are both diurnal and nocturnal. We shall later have a longer drive into the national park in the late afternoon and evening. If we are lucky, we find the area's tree-climbing lions Ishasha is famous for, as we go on safari among other mammals expect buffaloes, Uganda Kob, Elephant and topi. Later in the afternoon you have an exciting boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel. This is a natural water channel connecting Lakes George and Edward, with excellent photographic opportunities for waterside birds and abundant Hippopotamus. Birding on the boat avails us opportunities of seeing the African Skimmer, Striated Heron, African Spoonbill, Water Thick-knee, Three-banded Plover, Marsh, Green, Wood and Common Sandpiper, Lesser Black Backed and Gray-headed Gull, Plain Martin, Lesser Swamp-Warbler, Grey Plover, Terek Sandpiper most of which are winter visitors. Dinner and overnight at our Lodge. DAY 8: BIRDING TO KIBALE FOREST NATINAL. PARK. In the morning we do birding in the park looking out for more grassland birds including the Black Coucal, Hollub’s Golden and Lesser Masked Weaver, White Winged Widowbird, African Crake, Quails and many more species, later we transfer to Fort Portal where we shall have our African Buffet lunch then carry on for afternoon birding to Kihingamy Swamp, expect to see the Ludher’s Bush shrike, Cassin’s grey flycatcher, Equatorial Akalat, Joyful Greenbul, Grey Winged Robinchat, White Collard Oliveback, African Black duck, White napped and Afep Pigeons, Joyful Greenbul and many more. Dinner and overnight at Chimpanzee loadge. FB DAY 9: WHOLE DAY BIRDING AND OPTIONAL CHIMP TRACKING KIBALE FOREST N. PARK. Birding in Kibale N.P is a delightful experience. We shall look for species such as Red-winged Francolin, White spotted Flufftail, White-naped Pigeon, Green-breasted Pitta, Joyful Greenbul, Grey-winged Robin, White tailed Ground Thrush, Grey-throated Flycatcher, White-bellied Crested Flycatcher, Masked and black-throated Apalis, Splendid glossy Starling, Purple headed glossy Starling, Tiny/Superb/Bronze/Green headed/Green/Green throated/Little green sunbirds, Grey-headed Olive-backand many more. Lunch at the hotel later bird along the road. Dinner and overnight at our lodge. Day 10: Bird watching to Masindi Uganda After an early breakfast we bird to Masindi. We have about three routes to this place depending on the weather we shall choose one of these, birding stops will be at certain spots trying to find special birds. We later get to our destination and spend our night at Masindi Hotel or equivalent. FB Day 11: Bird to Budongo Forest - Royal Mile and Busingiro. We begin birding at dawn. Key bird species for the two sections include: Blue Breasted, African Dwarf and Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, Brown-eared and Yellow Crested Woodpecker, Dusky long-tailed Cuckoo, Crowned Eagle, Forest and Chestnut Capped Flycatcher, Rufous Flycatcher-Thrush, Yellow-browed Camaroptera, Narina Trogon, , Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, Chestnut-crowned Eremomera, White-spotted Flufftail, Yellow and Grey Longbill’s, Olive-bellied Crombec, Black-headed Paradise Flycatcher, Little Green Sunbird, Green Sunbird, White-Breasted Negrofinch, Western Black-headed Oriole, Dusky Long-tailed and African Emerald Cuckoo, Red-tailed Ant-Thrush, Yellow and Grey Longbill, Forest Robin, Scaly-breasted Illadopsis, Tit Hylia, Lemon Bellied Crombec, Rufous-crowned Eremomela, Yellow-mantled Weaver, Yellow-browed Camaroptera, Green Crombec, Crested Malimbe and Red-headed Bluebill, Cassin's Hawk Eagle, Xavier’s, Ictrine, Slender-billed, White-throated, Spotted, Plain, Spotted and Toro Olive Greenbul. DAY 12: BIRDING TO NORTHERN MURCHISON FALLS You start early birding via Busingiro to the escarpment. This stretch is one of the best of Uganda Birding spots. Recorded birds here include Fox's Cisticola, White-headed and black billed Barbet, Northern Crombec, Singing Cisticola, Grey-headed Bush Shrike, Grey-headed Oliveback, Red Winged Pytilia, Black-bellied Firefinch, Lesser-masked Weaver, we check in and later we do a night drive in search of the nightjars and nocturnal mammal. We stay at Pakuba Lodge. FB DAY 13: BIRDING IN MURCHISON FALLS N.P Today our birding starts after an early breakfast. We may bird on a boat along the Victoria Nile to the delta or do a birding drive to the delta. Later in the afternoon, you take a launch trip to the bottom of the falls. Recorded birds in this park include Shoebill, Secretary Bird, Abyssinian Roller and Ground Hornbill, Pied Kingfishers, Red-throated Bee-eaters, Goliath Heron, Saddle-billed Stork, Sacred Ibis, Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Senegal and Water Thick-knees, Black-headed and Long-toed Lapwing, Little Bittern, Osprey, Red-necked Falcon, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Vinaceous Dove and Grosbeak Weaver. Buff-bellied Warbler, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Bar-breasted Firefinch, Red-winged Grey Warbler, Spotted Morning-Thrush, Marabou Stork, Red-throated Bee-eater, Silver Bird, Beautiful Sunbird, Black-headed Gonolek, Speckle-fronted Weaver, Golden-backed Weaver and White-rumped Seedeater, Rock Pratincole, African Darter and Giant Kingfisher. FB DAY 14: BIRDING TO ENTEBBE AND ONWORDS After an early morning breakfast, we bird towards Entebbe via the Ziwa Rhino sanctuary for rhino tracking then to the Entebbe for a room use and departure.

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