Birding Trip in Uganda
Day One: after breakfast you will be picked by our safari guide to begin this exciting 7 days Uganda Birding Safari which will start with visiting the Entebbe Botanical Gardens. You will be fascinated by the beauty of these Gardens having several trees, plants, colorful flowers among which are also medicinal plants. The guide will identify to you the various plant, tree and bird species in these gardens.The Entebbe Botanical Gardens which to some people will appear as a jungle with manicured lawns, are filled with a great diversity of colored birds among which are the Verreaux’s Eagle Owls, Long Tailed Cormorant, Jackson’s golden backed weaver, Kingfishers, Hamerkop, Red Chested Sunbirds, Black Headed Herons, Vieillot’s Black Weaver and the African Open Billed Stork in addition to a profusion of butterflies.
You will have a lunch break and after which check into your hotel close to the waterfront of the beautiful Lake Victoria which is second largest fresh lake on the planet and the largest in the whole of Africa. Following lunch you will leave for Lutembe Beach, only a short distance from here to enjoy more birding watching with views of Gulls, Black Herons and Terns, among others. Dine and slumber back at your hotel.
Day Two: you will ride for one hour to the Swamps and wetlands of Mabamba looking for the uncommon Shoebill stork. Enjoy a picnic lunch plus some refreshments at Mabamba. Among the bird species you will see are: the grey headed gull, the uncommon shoe bill stork, Black Crake, white winged terns, Common Moorhen, Winding Cisticola Yellow Billed Egret, Goliath Heron, Lesser Jacana, Madagascar Bee-Eater, Squacco Heron, Long Toed Plover, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, African Water Rail, Saddle-Billed Stork, White-faced Whistling-Duck, Malachite Kingfisher, African Pygmy Goose, African Jacana, African Purple Swamphen plus Swamp Flycatcher. Continue towards Lake Mburo to see some additional birds. The choices of accommodation at Lake Mburo include:
Super Luxury Accommodation:Mihingo Lodge
Luxury Accommodation:Mantana tented Lodge
Moderate Accommodation: Arcadia Lodge
Budget Accommodation:Rwonyo Lodge
Lake Mburo is home to 5 crater lakes and here the Tanzanian savannah splatters into Kenya it is dotted with acacia trees offering a range of bird habitats. Additionally it is one of the two Uganda National Parks in which you will see Zebras. within are the uncommon Situnga Antelopes, whereas the savannah are home to warthogs, eland, buffaloes, plus a diversity of antelopes, yet regarding the birds, you will find close to one third of the toatal species found in Uganda living here among which are the: Red-Faced Barbet, African Fin Foot, Black Collard Barbet, Yellow Billed Oxpecker, Brown-Chested Plover, Bush Shrike, Papyrus Yellow Warbler, Southern Ground Hornbill and the Red, Black & Yellow Papyrus Gonalek,
Enjoy a game drive in the afternoon through the various habitats, to see the Eagles, Brown-Chested Lapwing, Kites, Lilac-breasted Roller, Vultures, Carmine Bee-eaters, Rufous-naped Lark, Black-bellied Bustard, Handsome Francolin and the Helmeted Guinea fowl, in addition to various animals such as antelopes, Buffaloes, Eland and Zebras plus the uncommon leopard, and at the lake shore are hippos together with a profusion of birds. Return to freshen up and spend the evening at leisure watching the beautiful sunset; dinner and overnight. You may also enjoy a swim in the pool and even visit the bar.
Day 3: after an early breakfast have a walk looking for the birds, to visit the other lakes plus the swampy areas. At the end of a delicious lunch, go for a boat ride along the edge of Lake Mburo viewing birds near the lake. there are about fourteen lakes connected to Lake Mburo and these extends beyond the boundaries of the park and they have been declared as protected wetlands.
Your boat will gently move around the lake offering you great opportunities to marvel at the various birds such as Shoebill, African Fish Eagle, the Marabou Stork, the Pied Kingfisher, several Egrets plus Herons in addition to waterbuck, Buffaloes, Bushbuck, Hippos and Crocodiles. Within the thickets bordering the lake are the African Fin foot, Narina Trogons plus Ross’s Turaco. Return to the lodge for dinner and the overnight.
Day 4: following breakfast leave for the Mweya Peninsula in Queen Elizabeth National Park, check into your Lodging such as the luxury Mweya lodge or the budget Institute of Ecology. Enjoy lunch as you appreciate the surrounding with views over the amazing Kazinga Channel.
After lunch have a 3 hours boat cruise on the Kazinga channel to see the numerous birds plus animals on the banks of the channel. This is actually the highlight of any safari in Queen Elizabeth Park. You will see birds like Yellow-billed Oxpecker, African Skimmer, Lesser Swamp-Warbler, Striated Heron, Plain Martin, African Spoonbill, Gray-headed Gull, Water Thick-knee, Wood, green and Common Sandpiper and the Three-banded Plover. Return to dine and slumber at your lodge.
Day 5: after breakfast head to Maragambo Forest to see birds. There are several monkeys on the way and if lucky you could spot chimpanzees or even a leopard. We will as well visit the renowned bat caves with numerous resident pythons and there you may spot the Palm Nut Vulture. There are a number of walks and basing on your capability you could spend majority of the day here viewing the various birds. Among the uncommon species you are likely to see: the Brubru & Sulphur Breasted Bush Shrike, Scaly-Breasted Illaopsis, Black Headed Batis, Snowy-headed Robin-Chat & Chestnut Wattle-Eye, Fawn Breasted Waxbill plus the Dark Capped Yellow Warbler among others. In addition there are numerous butterfly types in this area.
In the afternoon return to your lodge and there you can enjoy a chilled drink, a swim in the pool, or even pt to have a nap. If time allows, you could have a nature walk in the Maragambo Forest to spot species like fish Eagles, Cormorants, Sacred Ibis as well as Goliath Herous. Return to the lodge for diner and the overnight.
Day 6: after Breakfast head to the Kyambura Gorge plus the Kyambura Wildlife Reserve. You will have a chance to observe habituated chimpanzees closely in this area. other primates in this area are: Olive Baboons, Black & White Colobus and Vervet Monkeys. In case you are interested in taking part in the chimpazee tracking experience please inform us in advance so that we can make all the appropriate arrangements.
This gorge is forested and surrounded by the open savannah in which you will see species like the White-spotted Fluftail , Speckled Tinker bird, Black Bee Eaters, green Hylia, Black & African Black Emerald Cuckoos plus the Blue Breasted Kingfisher. There are several crater lakes in the Kyambura Wildlife Reserve including the Flamingo Lake, where you can spot the little Grebe plus several Ducks plus other species of birds. Have lunch at the Mweya Pennisula
Later have a game drive in the evening within Queen Elizabeth Park. Otherthan the numerous bird species you will see lions, buffaloes and elephants, as well as marvel at the beautiful sunset. Enjoy the Kasenyi track to Kikorongo Lake area to see Rupell’s Griffon Vulture, Glossy and Sacred Ibises, Martial Eagle, Common Squacco Heron and Weavers,among others and the Shoebill Stork In Kikorongo Swamp area.
Day 7: after breakfast dive back to Kampala having a lunch stop along the way as well as stop at the equator crossing to take some photographs.
