Dates and Costs:

June 13 - 21, 2023 $4050 per person ($600 single supplement) $4950 With Gorilla and Chimp permitt)

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About this Trip

We are very excited to have put together a more economical introduction to birding and safari in Uganda! Until now finding a tour that cost less than 5 figures was nearly impossible. With this itinerary you decide what additional trips you want to do when it comes to seeing the Chimpanzees and Gorillas. The permit fees are so high now that they alone can add nearly 30 percent to the cost of a tour. Just because this trip is less expensive than our other two Uganda offerings doesn't mean that you don't get a lot! This is a fantastic trip for a huge variety of birds and exceptional wildlife and excellent accommodations. Day 1. Arrival for our 9 days Birding safari and stay at Papyrus Guest House. DAY 2 & 3: BIRDING TO MABAMBA WETLAND AND PROCEED TO LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK. After breakfast, we bird to Mabamba Wetland an IBA on the shores of Lake Victoria. This is the home of the Shoebill stork. Other special birds include Lesser Jacana, Blue Swallow which a seasonal, Northern Brown Throated Weaver, Purple and Allen’s Gallinule, Common and Lesser Moorhen, White Faced and Fulvous Whistling duck, Papyrus Gonolek, White-winged Warbler, Glossy Ibis, African Pygmy-Goose, Spur-winged Geese, Long-toed Lapwing, Blue-breasted and Madagascar Bee-eaters, Gray-rumped Swallow, Greater Swamp-Warbler, African Reed Warbler, Slender-billed Weaver, Lizard Buzzard, African Pygmy and Malachite Kingfisher, White Winged Tern, Grey Headed Gull, Black Tailed Godwit, Ruff, Three Banded Plover, African Wattled Plover and many more. We proceed to Mburo 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. Stay at Rwakobo rock or equivalent FB 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 or Equivalent. FB DAY 5. BIRDING SAFARI TO MUBWINDI SWAMP AND OPTIONAL GORILLA TRACKING 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. 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, 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. Overnight stay at our lodge. DAY 6: BIRDING TO QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park Birding via the neck looking out for pecies like Black bee-Eater, Mountain Wagtail, Toro Olive/Cabanis/Mt/Yellow streaked and Yellow Whiskered Greenbuls, White-starred-Robin, Strange Weaver, Dusky Twin Spot and many more continue through the southern Ishasha sector of the park for a game drive in search for tree Climbing Lions and birding for Broad-tailed Warbler and African Moustached Warbler, Mountain Wagtail, Chin-spot Batis, Black-billed Turacco, Fine-banded Woodpecker, Dwarf Honeyguide, Red-tailed, Cabans’s, Shelley’s Ansorge’s, Little, Slender Billed and Toro Olive, Little Grey Greenbul, and we should come across Bee-eaters including Black Bee-eater and Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Bronze-naped Pigeon, Many-coloured Bush-shrike, the clouds are a good habitat for Cassin’s and Ayres's Hawk-eagle, Bronze-naped Pigeon, Narina Trogon, Honeyguide Greenbul, Red-throated Alethe, 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, 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, Black Faced Apalis, Red-faced Woodland, Mountain Yellow Warbler, Rwenzori Hill Babbler, White-tailed Blue Flycatcher, Yellow-whiskered Greenbul, Yellow-throated Leaf Love, Crested Guinea Fowl, Crowned Hornbill, Lead-colored Flycatcher, Black-necked Weaver, Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher, Yellow-spotted Barbet, African Harrier Hawk, a number of 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. Overnight stay at Elephant hub Lodge. Day 7: Birding in the Park and later transfer to Kibale Forest N. Park We start early for a game drive and birding the vast grassland area the whole morning. Later we 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. Later in the afternoon we transfer to kibale forest National Park birding enroute. Overnight stay at Chimpanzee Lodge. Day 8: 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 sportedFlufftail, White-napedPegion, Green-breasted Pitta, JoyfulGreenbul, 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 around the hotel in the evening. Dinner and overnight as above. Day 9: Departure After an early morning breakfast, check out to Entebbe birding in route as we end our nine days’ safari. Please contact us for more information.

To book your trip or for more information, please contact us by email or call 888-383-0062.