KEY BIRD SPECIES ON THIS TOUR
Shoebill, Papyrus gonolek, Malachite Sunbird, Purple-breasted sunbird, Regal sunbird, Scarlet-tufted Sunbird, Malachite Kingfisher, Rwenzori Turaco, Great Blue Turaco, Black billed turaco, White crested turaco, Archer’s Robin Chat, Cape Robin, White-starred Robin, Puvel’s illadopsis, Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, Collared Pratincole, African Green Broadbill, White-headed Wood-Hoopoe, Handsome Francolin, Fox’s weaver, Rwenzori Batis, Shelley’s Crimson-wing, Collared Apalis, Red-chested flufftail, Dusky Crimsonwing, Yellow-billed Barbet, Broadbill Roller, Bar-tailed Trogon, Lagden’s Bush-Shrike, Waller’s Starling, Dwarf Honey-Guide, White-bellied Robin Chat, Oriole Finch, African Wood Owl, Grauer’rs Broadbill, Doherty’s Bush-Shrike, Carruthers’s Cisticola, Red-headed Malimbe, Grey-headed Sparrow, Fan-tailed Widowbird, Dusky Twinspot, Think-billed and Streaky Seedeaters, Klaas’s Cuckoo, Karamoja Apalis, Rwenzori Nightjar, Cassin’s Hawk Eagle, Western banded eagle, Toro-Olive Greenbul, Little grebe, African hawk eagle, Black Bee-eaters, white faced Go-away birds, African Finfoot.
BIRD HABITATS
Forest, Acacia Savanna, grassland, agricultural lands, Riverine Forest, Moist woodland, Borassus Palm Savannah, Papyrus Swamps, Lakes and rivers
Day 1: Arrive in Uganda for the Ultimate Uganda Birding Safari
On arrival at Entebbe international airport you will be received by a representative of Kagera Safaris to start your Uganda birding safari. Check in to your hotel and prepare to start your birding tomorrow.
Day 2: Bird Mpanga Forest and Transfer to Mabira Forest
After an early breakfast, we leave for Mpanga forest for time birding. It has well maintained birding trails.
On a lucky day, you might spot a shoebill. However the species to look out for include; Black-headed Heron, Lizard Buzzard, African Harrier-Hawk, Wahlberg’s Eagle, White-spotted Flufftail, African Green-Pigeon, Grey Parrot, Great Blue Turaco, Red-chested Cuckoo, White-breasted Nigrofinch, Shining-blue Kingfisher, Crowned Hornbill, Yellow-crested Woodpecker, African Shrike-flycatcher, Narina Trogon, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher, Fire-crested Aleth, Red-tailed Bristilebill, Green-headed Sunbird, Weyns’s WeaverRed-headed Malimbe, Grey-headed Negrofinch, Purple Stirling, Western Citril, Yellow-fronted Canary.
After this, tranfer to Mabira forest for overnight.
Day 3: Birding Mabira Forest
Mabira Forest is the biggest forest near Kampala city. The forest is home to over 300 bird species and on a good weather day one is able to sight over 100 bird species. The forest is surrounded by cultivation both at subsistence level and commercial; Sugarcane and tea plantations.
The birding trails in the forest have been well maintained making it easy to walk through and bird along both the foot paths and wider village roads. The birds we will look out for in Mabira forest include; Black & white Casqued Hornbill, African pied Hornbill, African and Red bellied Paradise Flycatcher, Jameson’s wattle eyes, Great blue Turaco, Tit Hylia, Sooty flycatchers, Toro Olive Greenbul, Green-tailed Bristlebill, Nahan’s francolin, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, striped Kingfishers and Dwarf Kingfisher, Grey headed and olive bellied sunbirds, etc.
Day 4: Birding to Mt Elgon National Park
Have breakfast and start the journey to Mt Elgon with birding stops along the way. Arrive at the camp for a restful time and evening birding.
Day 5: Birding Mt Elgon National Park
Mt Elgon national park is home to over 300 bird species. It is home to restricted range species and Afro tropical highland biome species.
Some of the species to look out for include; Ayres’s Hawk-Eagle, Alpine chat, Eastern Yellow-billed Barbet, Moorland Francolin, Moustached Green Tinkerbird, Purple-throated Cuckooshrike, Tacazze Sunbird, Jackson’s Francolin, Black-collored Apalis, Black shouldered kite, Gray-capped Warbler, African Hill Babbler, White-chinned Prinia, Hartlaub’s Turaco, Olive-naped pigeon, Red-fronted parrot, Red chested owlet, Abyssinian Scimitarbill, Purple throated Cuckoo-shrike, Forest Wood-hoopoe, Chubb’s Cisticola, Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Pink-footed Puffback, Luhder’s Bushshrike, White-tailed Crested Flycatcher, Red-throated Crag-Martin, Northern Double-collared Sunbird, Gray-headed Nigrita etc.
Day 6: Birding to Pian Upe
Have a short morning birding as you drive out of Mt Elgon. You will have stopovers enroute as you bird to Pian Upe game reserve.
Day 7: Birding Pian Upe
Spend today birding as you search for the Fox’s weaver. Other species to look out in Pian upe include; Striped Kingfisher, Marico sunbird, White-headed Barbet, Pale Flycatcher, Reichenow’s Seedeater, Cut-throat, Bruce’s Green-Pigeon, Common Ostrich, Scissor-tailed Kite, Willow Warbler, Isabelline Wheatear, Mottled Swift, Yellow-vented Eremomela, Steel-blue Whydah, Secretary bird, Cabanis’s Greenbul, D’Arnaud’s Barbet, Karamoja Apalis, Red-pate Cisticola, Lilac-breasted Roller, African Pipit, White-throated Bee-eater, Fan-tailed Grassbird, Black Coucal, Moustached Grass-Warbler, Fawn-breasted Waxbill, Ruppell’s Griffon, Mouse-Colored Penduline-Tit, White-crested Turaco, Meyer’s Parrot, Black-rumped Buttonquail, African Black-headed Oriole, Sulphur-breasted Bushshrike, Zebra Waxbill, African Gray Woodpecker, Kidepo Lark, Green Sandpiper, Marsh Tchagra, Northern Red-fronted Tinkerbird, Swamp Nightjar, Red-winged Pytilia, Greater Honeyguide, Red-faced Crombec, Black Scimitarbill, Olive-green Camaroptera, Red-throated Crag-Martin etc.
Day 8: Birding to Mt Moroto
Have breakfast and bird towards Moroto on the foothills of Mt Moroto. Eventually arrive at your camp and check in for overnight and some evening birding around the camp.
Day 9: Birding Mt Moroto Area
The Mt Moroto birding area features the Somali-Maasai biome bird species among others. Start early and look out for; White-bellied Go-away-bird, Boran Cisticola, Buff-crested Bustard, Amethyst Sunbird, Eastern Violet-backed Sunbird, , Namaqua Dove, Fox Kestrel, Purple Grenadier, Hemprich’s Hornbill, Cinnamon-breasted Rock Bunting, Red-and-yello Barbet, Orange River Francolin, Reichenow’s Seedeater, Three-streaked Tchagra, African Pygmy Kingfisher, Spotted Morning-Thrush, Blue-naped Mousebird, Wahlberg’s Honeyguide, Bronze-tailed Starling, Mocking Cliff-chat, Nubian Woodpecker, Little Weaver, Orange-winged Pytilia, Pearl-spotted Owlet, Pgymy Falcon, Red-fronted Tinkerbird, Red-backed Scrub-Robin, Rufous Chatterer, Slate-colored Boubou etc.
Day 10: Birding Matheniko Wildlife Reserve
Have an early breakfast and depart to the Matheniko reserve. The reserve is home to over 200 bird species, look out for; Red-winged Bush Lark, Golden Pipit, Little Rock-Thrush, Jackson’s Hornbill, Blue-capped Cordon-blue, Heuglin’s Wheater, African silverbill, Purple Roller, Beautiful Sunbird, Black Cuckoo, Familiar Chat, Steel-blue Whydah, Purple Grenadier, Buff-bellied Warbler, Rufous Crowned Roller, Ethiopian Swallow, Mountain Yellow Warbler, White-bellied Canary, Grey-headed Batis, Meyer’s Parrot, Black-headed Plover, Steel-blue Whydah, Pallid Harrier, Thick-billed Honeyguide, Clapperton’s Francolin,
Day 11: Birding to Kidepo Valley National Park
Spend the day birding towards Kidepo valley national park.
Day 12 & 13: Birding Kidepo Valley National Park
Spend the next two days exploring Kidepo valley national park. Look out for; Clapperton’s fowl, Eurosian Nightjar, White-winged tern, Emin’s Shrike, Pgymy Sunbird, Senegal Coucal, Northern Red-billed Hornbill, Rattling Cisticola, Blue-headed Coucal, Rufous Chatterer, Common Hoopoe, African Gray Hornbill, Karamoja Apalis, White-winged Widowbird, Sulphur-breasted Helmetshrike, White-bellied Tit, Eurasian Hobby, Northern Brownbul, Yellow-necked Spurfowl, Four-banded Sandgrouse, Kidepo Lark, Spot-flanked Barbet, Western Yellow wagtail, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Brown-backed Scrub-Robin, Isabelline Shrike, Lesser Blue-eared Starling, Zitting Cisticola, Abyssinian Scimitarbill, Pale Flycatcher, White-crested Turaco, Purple Roller, African Rail, Black-winged Bishop, Harlequin Quail, Bruce’s Green-pigeon, Slate-colored Boubou, Common Ostrich, Village Indigobird, Fan-tailed Raven, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Gray-capped Social-Weaver, Yellow-spotted Bush Sparrow, Pygmy Batis, Swamp Nightjar, Orange-winged Pytilia, White-fronted Black-chat, Fawn-breasted Waxbill, White Stork, Freckled Nightjar, Red-throated Wryneck, Lesser Masked-Weaver, Vitelline Masked-Weaver, African Scops-Owl, Cabanis’s Greenbul, Yellow Bishop, Three-banded Plover, Eastern Yellow-billed Hornbill, Montagu’s Harrier, Temminck’s Courser etc.
Day 14: Birding Tour to Murchison Falls National Park
After an early breakfast, bird your way to Uganda’s largest and oldest National Park – Murchison falls national park.
Day 15: Birding Murchison Falls National Park
We have an early morning breakfast and then go birding on the boat and later in the car on a game drive.
Spend the morning birding on the boat towards the Delta. Some of the birds we aim for in this area include; the Shoebill, Great White and Pink-backed Pelicans, African Water Rail, Allen’s Gallinule, Black Crake, African Crake, Grey-crowned Crane, Southern Pochard, The Egyptian, African Pygmy, and the Spur-winged Goose, Saddle-billed stork, Open-billed stork, Yellow-billed stork and Marabou stork. More birds include; the Little and Dwarf Bitterns, Night Heron, Black Heron, Goliath Heron, Purple Heron, Common Squacco Heron, Great White Egret, Great and Long-tailed Cormorants, African and Eurasian Spoonbills, the Lesser Flamingo, Lesser Jacana, African Finfoot, Painted Snipe, Wattled Plover.
After the experience on the boat, you transfer to the car and bird in the Savannah in search for; Secretary Bird, Northern Carmine and Red-throated Bee-eaters, Giant, Pied, Stripped, Chestnut-bellied, Blue-breasted, Woodland and the African Pygmy Kingfishers, Ethiopian, Angola, Red-rumped and Rufous-chested Swallow, Nightingale, Rock Thrush, White-fronted Black Chat. Common Bulbul, Cameroon Sombre and Yellow-throated Greenbul, Red-shouldered Cuckoo Shrikes, the Black and Penduline Tits, Brown Babblers, Nubian Woodpecker, Brown-backed Woodpecker, Lesser Honeyguide, Scaly-throated Honeyguide, and many more.
Day 16: Transfer to Masindi
Start the day early with birding as you drive out of the park. Visit the top of the falls and later proceed to your hotel in Masindi.
Day 17: Birding The Royal Mile in Budongo Forest
Today you start birding in the rich Budongo forest. After an early breakfast with packed lunch, we will leave for the royal mile – a stretch of 1 mile that the King of Bunyoro enjoyed to spend time. This is a full day’s birding along the forest road.
Together with the site guide and your bird guide, you will look out for some of the exotic bird species; Ituri Batis, Nahan’s francolin, Grey and Yellow longbill, Yellow-footed Flycatcher, Chocolate backed Kingfisher, Black-capped Apalis, Brown twin spot, White spotted fluff tail, Jameson’s wattle eye, White breasted negro finch, Grey-headed Olive-back, Grey headed sunbird, Red headed bluebill, Green sunbird, Little green sunbird and the list goes on.
Day 18: Birding To FortPortal
After breakfast, bird your way to Fortportal.
Day 19: Birding Semliki National Park
Semuliki forest is a continuation of Congo’s ituri forest and host to some central African species. You have an opportunity of visiting both the ‘female’ and ‘male’ hot springs found within the park.
Some of the species we will look out for include; the Congo Serpent Eagle, Grey-throated Rail, Nkulengu Rail, Long-tailed Hawk, Spot-breasted Ibis, Yellow-throated Nicator. The Northern Red-chested Owlet, Western Bronze-naped Pigeon, Black-collared Lovebird, White-bellied Kingfisher, Red-rumped Tinkerbird. The Lyre-tailed Honeyguide, Zenker’s Honeyguide, White-throated Blue Swallow, Bate’s Nightjar, Yellow-throated Cuckoo. Orange-tufted Sunbird, Black-winged Oriole, Lemon-bellied Crombec, Rufous-sided Broadbill, Icterine Greenbul, Swamp Palm Bulbul, Crested and Blue-billed Malimbes, Fiery-breasted Bush-shrike, Pale-fronted Negrofinch, Piping, Red-billedWhite-crested, Black-casqued, Wattled and White-thighed Hornbills.
Day 20: Birding To Kibale National Park – Chimpanzee Trekking
Start the day birding in areas around your hotel. Continue on towards Kibale national park and later check in to your lodge.
In the afternoon, join a group to trek the chimpanzees in Kibale Forest. Your driver guide will transfer you to the briefing point. After briefing, you will be divided into groups and given a ranger guide to guide you in the forest.
Day 21: Kibale Forest Birding for the. Green Breasted Pitta
We will have an early morning breakfast and leave the lodge for maximum time in the forest. Our morning focus while birding will be to search for the elusive Green breasted pitta.
In the meantime as we search for the Green breasted Pitta we shall continue birding and search for other bird species; Western bronze-napped Pigeon, Great blue Turaco, Yellow-throated Nicator, White-headed Wood hoopoe, Red Headed malimbe, Yellow-spotted barbet, Dusky-blue Flycatcher, Grey-winged Robin, Yellow-spotted Barbet, White-naped Pigeon, Green-breasted Pitta, Red-chested Flufftail, African Pitta, Joyful Greenbul, Grey-throated Flycatcher, Masked Apalis, Nahan’s Francolin, Tiny Sunbird, White-collared Oliveback and many more.
Day 22: Birding Bigodi Swamp AND Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
In the morning, we bird Bigodi wetland for species we might have missed in the forest. This is a community initiative conserving the buffer zone to the forest, proceeds go to different community programs.
The birds to look out for in Bigodi swamp; White-browed Coucal, Giant Kingfisher, African Green-pigean, Narina Trogon, Afep Pigeon, Eastern Yellow-billed Barbet, Great Blue Turaco, Dideric Cuckoo, Black-billed Turaco, Golden-breasted Bunting, Gray Parrot, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Crowned Hornbill, White-spotted Flufftail, Little Greenbul, Shining-blue Kingfisher, Hairy-breasted Barbet, Cardinal Woodpecker, Violet-backed Starling, Arrow-marked Babbler, Scaly-breasted Illadopsis, Gray-chinned Sunbird, White-tailed Ant-Thrush, Red-headed Malimbe, Mountain Wagtail, Yellow Bishop, Brimstone Canary, Snowy-crowned Robin-chat etc.
Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park birding along the way. Drive past several crater lakes, homesteads, farms and views of the Rwenzori mountains. The road through this crater lakes regions is not tarred, sometimes it is difficult during the rainy season. In case it rains, your guide may advise a different route on a more stable road.
Day 23: Birding Imaramagambo Forest
We start early birding in the park leading to Maramagambo Forest.
Bird species to look out for include; Whinchat, Common Redstart, White-fronted Black Chat, Sooty Chat, Cameroon Sombre Greenbul, Yellow-throated Greenbul, the Black, White-breasted, Cuckoo Shrikes. The Black and Penduline Tits, Nubian Woodpecker, Cardinal Woodpecker, Brown-backed Woodpecker, Chapin’s Flycather, White-tailed and Red-tailed Ant-thrushes, Brown Illadopsis, Shining-blue Kingfisher, Red-tailed Bristle Bill, Brown-eared Woodpeckers, Black-headed Batis, Least Honeyguide, Grey Greenbul, Brown-chested Alethe, and many others.
Day 24: Birding To Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Birding along Kazinga channel for some water birds.
After this experience, transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park with birding stopovers.
Day 25: Birding Buhoma Sector
Today after an early breakfast, we get back into the forest taking different trails as advised by the site guide.
Look out for; Stuhlmann’s Starling, Narrow-tailed Starling, Waller’s Starling, Montane Oriole, Strange Weaver, Dusky Crimsonwing, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Magpie Mannikin, Yellow-crowned Canary, Thick-billed Seedeater, African Green Broadbill, Oriole Finch, Mountain Buzzard, Ayre’s Hawk Eagle, Handsome Francolin, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, African Wood Owl. More species; Bar-tailed Trogon, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Red-chested Owlet, Tullberg’s Woodpecker, Western Green Tinkerbird, African Green Broadbill, Petit’s Cuckoo-Shrike, Toro Olive-Greenbul, White-bellied Robin Chat, White-tailed Ant-Thrush, Grauer’s Rush-warbler, Neumann’s Warbler and Red-faced Woodland Warbler.
Day 26: Gorilla Trekking
After breakfast, the driver guide will transfer you to the briefing point where you will receive instructions on how to conduct yourself in the forest and presence of mountain gorillas. After the briefing you will be divided into different groups according to the gorilla family you will be tracking. The trek takes anything from minutes to hours in search of the gorillas depending on where they nested the previous night.
Day 27: Birding To Ruhija Via ‘The Neck’ of the Forest
Early morning, make your way towards ‘the neck’ of the forest linking Buhoma sector to Ruhija sector. We look out for; Yellow-billed Waxbill, Black Saw-wing, Chubbs’ Cisticola, Grey Apalis, Petit’s Cuckoo Shrike, Black Bee-eaters, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eaters, Cuckoo Shrike, Mackinnon’s Fiscal, Little Grey Greenbuls, Chestnut-throated Apalis, Red-throated Martin, Yellow White-eye. African Stonechat, Stripe-breasted Tit, Montane-masked Apalis, Montane Yellow Warbler, Regal Sunbird, Northern Double-collared Sunbird, Lead-colored Flycatcher, Black-necked Weaver, Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher, Yellow-spotted Barbet etc.
Day 28: Birding Mubwindi Swamp Trail in Ruhija Sector
Today prepare to bird Mubwindi swamp trail in Ruhija sector of Bwindi impenetrable national park with a picnic lunch. Look out for; Regal Sunbird, Archer’s Robin-Chat, Grauer’s Rush warbler, African green broadbill, Caruthers’s cisticola, Handsome francolin, African Hill babbler, Banded Prinia, Shelley’s Crimsonwing, Doherty’s Bushrike, Collared Apalis and others.
Look out for Rwenzori night jars as you drive to the lodge in the evening.
Day 29: Birding To Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Transfer to Kisoro early morning after breakfast birding the Papyrus areas at Lake Bunyonyi out flow and Echuya forest for some Albertine rift endemics. Look out for; Dwarf Honeyguide, Red-throated Alethe, Grauer’s Rush Warbler, Grauer’s Warbler, Collared Apalis, Rwenzori Batis, Strip-breasted Tit, Regal Sunbird, Strange Weaver, Brown-capped Weaver, Strange Weaver etc.
Day 30: Birding in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Mgahinga gorilla national park is home to over 180 bird species recorded. You shall traverse a variety of montane habitats along the excellent Gorge trail as you bird.
Some of the bird species we look out for include the; Rwenzori Turaco, Dwarf Honeyguide, Kivu Ground Thrush, Rwenzori Double-collared, Regal and the Purple-breasted Sunbirds, Archer`s Robin chat, Cinnamon Bracken and Mountain Yellow Warblers, the Dusky and much Sought after Shelley’s Crimson-wing and many more.
Day 31: Golden Monkey Trekking
Your driver guide will transfer you to the briefing area. After a brief from the ranger guide, start your hike up in search of the golden monkeys. Enforcement officers join you to help in case you meet buffaloes which can be dangerous. The golden monkeys are more active than the gorillas and you will follow them as they move to feed. Like gorilla trekking, you are only allowed 1 hour with the golden monkey.
Day 32: Birding To Lake Mburo National Park
After breakfast, we bird to Lake Mburo National Park. We shall have several birding stopovers at forest patches, swampy areas and water patches before arriving in Lake Mburo national park. We will then take an evening bird walk around our lodge.
Day 33: Birding in Lake Mburo national park
Have an early morning breakfast before we start our birding for the day. Today we will take a boat ride on Lake Mburo and look out for the elusive African Fin foot. Other bird species to look out for in the park include; Red-winged Francolin, Blue-spotted Wood Dove, Brown Parrot, Barefaced Go-away bird, White-headed and Black-billed Barbet, Greenwood Hoopoe, Blue-breasted Kingfishers, Lilac-breasted Roller, African-grey Hornbill, Grey Woodpeckers. Red-necked spurfowl, African-wattled Plover Rufous napped and Flappet larks, Rufous-chested Swallow ,Yellow-throated Longclaw, Black-winged Bishop, Chubb’s Cisticolas, the Lesser and Great Swamp Warblers, Striated Herons, Great White and Pink-backed Pelicans, and the famous African Fish Eagle which is usually by the tress along the lake shores, etc.
Day 34: Transfer to Entebbe – Mabamba Area
After an early breakfast, we exit lake Mburo national park to Entebbe via the Equator monument. You will have birding enroute until you arrive at the hotel for overnight.
Day 35: Mabamba Wetland AND Transfer to the Airport
After breakfast, depending on the previous day – bird Mabamba swamp or Botanical gardens and later proceed to the airport for departure flight.