20 DAYS -UGANDA BIRDING & PRIMATES SAFARI-
Day 1: Arrival – Kampala.
On arrival you will be met by our company representative who will transfer you to Golf course hotel/Cassia Lodge/The lodge for dinner and overnight
Day 2: Kampala – Jinja - Kampala
After breakfast at your hotel in Kampala, you will set off on the eastbound road to Mabira Forest. This is the nearest site for the Purple Throated Cuckoo Shrike, Nahan's Francolin, Forest Wood Hoopoe, Green tailed Bristlebill, Joyful Greenbul, Tit Hylia, Grey Longbill and the Sooty Boubou. Spend the whole morning birding in this forest and the surrounding areas and later truganda-safarisansfer to the source of the Nile in the afternoon. Have a picnic lunch there and later visit the source of the Nile. Dinner and overnight at Golf course hotel/Cassia Lodge/The lodge
Day 3: Kampala – Budongo.
This morning you will depart Kampala for Budongo Forest Reserve which lies at the edge of the Albertine Rift Valley to the south of Murchison Falls National Park and protects the largest natural forest area in East Africa. It boasts an impressive bird list of over 350 species and is the best site in Uganda for a number of sought-after birds such as Nahan's Francolin, Cassin's Spinetail, Ituri Batis and Chestnut-capped Flycatcher. This birding hot spot is also home to Uganda's largest population of Chimpanzees. The Royal Mile is considered by some to be the country's premier forest birding locality. Chocolate-backed, Blue-breasted and African Dwarf Kingfishers are remarkably common and this is definitely the best place in Uganda to see these three species. Birding in the afternoon and over night at Budongo Eco lodge
Day 4: Royal Mile – Murchison Falls.
After an early morning breakfast, drive to the Royal Mile and spend the whole day birding here. In the evening; transfer to Murchison Falls National Park via Kaniyo Pabidi. Have a game drive while entering and over night at Paraa Safari Lodge /Sambiya River Lodge /Red Chilli Rest Camp. Murchison Falls has a variety of unique habitants and lots of superb birds, which make a visit to this park a must for every birder. Habitat: Dense woodland and open grassland Savannah, Papyrus swamps, moist woodland and grassy under storey, Borrasus Palm Forest, lakeshores and riverbanks. Key species: Egyptian Plover, Secretary Bird, Silver Bird, Denham's Bustard, Rock Pratincoles, Wire-tailed Swallow, Swallow-Tailed Bee-Eater, and many more. Dinner and overnight at Paraa safari lodge/Sambiya River lodge/Red Chilli rest camp
Day 5: Game drive and launch cruise
After breakfast, have a game drive in the park where you may see animals like the Lions, Giraffe, and Hartebeest, Buffalo and Elephant as well as many of the other mammals of the park. For the bird watchers, these areas support the Secretary Bird, Black Chested Snake Eagle, Tawny and Marshal Eagles Carmine and Swallow tailed Bee-Eaters. Return to the Lodge for lunch. Go for a boat trip to the bottom of Murchison Falls where the Nile thunders through a small 7-metre gap, or down river to the delta where the Nile empties into Lake Albert. The Nile is a home to many species. You may see huge Nile Crocodiles, big Pods of Hippos and other wildlife that may come down to drink from the river. Dinner and overnight at Paraa safari lodge/Sambiya River lodge/Red Chilli rest camp
Day 6: Murchison Falls – Kibale.
You will have an early morning game drive, return to the lodge for breakfast and then drive to Fort Portal. Dinner and overnight at Primate lodge/Primate cottages/Chimpanzee guest house
Day 7: chimp tracking and Bigodi swamp
After breakfast you will go for chimpanzee tracking. This park has the largest concentration of chimpanzees and other primates in Uganda. You will return for lunch and then visit the Bigodi wetland swamp. During tracking and when you visit Bigodi you may see birds like the Grey-Throated Flycatcher, Masked & Black-Capped Apalis', Chestnut-Winged Starling, Orange -Tufted & Tiny Sunbirds and Narina Trogon, Pied Hornbill, Yellow Spotted, Hairy Breasted and Yellow-billed Barbets. Dinner and overnight at Primate lodge/Primate cottages/Chimpanzee guest house
Day 8: transfer to Semliki Valley Reserve.
Leave the hotel early heading north to Semliki Valley Wildlife Reserve arriving at the lodge at This is the only national park in Uganda where you can go for a night drive to view several cats, minuscule genet, white tailed mongoose and slim mongoose. After dinner, go on a spot lit night game drive. This game drive will yield the nightjars and lots of nocturnal wildlife which are rare sightings during the day. Overnight at Semliki Safari Lodge/Kanyanchu ecological site
Day 9: Semliki Valley Reserve.
After breakfast, have a boat trip on Lake Albert with your packed lunch .Over 350 species have been recorded at Semliki and this is also a good area to see the extraordinary Shoebill and other Wetland varieties. The key species here include the African Pygmy Goose, Red-necked Falcon, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Blue-Breasted Bee-Eater, Black-billed Barbet, Piapiac, Leaf love and Black-chinned Quail-Finch. Take tea by the pool and watch as the Hammerkop dips into the water and the Weaver birds flock nearby. The most exciting aspect is that new species are still being discovered in the reserve. You might be lucky enough to discover one. Have an afternoon boat trip on Lake Albert in search for the Shoebill and over night at Semliki Safari Lodge/Kanyanchu ecological site
Day 10: Semliki – Queen Elizabeth.
Early morning game drive & if desired your coffee would be brought to your tent then leave for Queen Elizabeth National Park home of a total of 604 different bird species. There are also good chances of seeing Elephants and Hippos here. Habitat: Low land forest, moist thickets open woodland and grassland Savannah, permanent and seasonal swamps, lakes and rivers. Key species: African Skimmer, Black Rumped Button Quail, Verreaux's Eagle Owl, Red Footed Falcon, Lesser Flamingoes, Grey Capped Warbler, White's and Abdim's Storks (in season), Amur Falcon, Ovampo Sparrow hawk, Wooly-necked and Saddle-billed Storks, and numerous classes of Raptors, Vultures and Plovers . Dinner and overnight at Mweya safari lodge/Hippo hill camp/Simba safari camp
Day 11: Queen Elizabeth.
Whole day spent in Queen Elizabeth National Park bird watching while on a game drive both in the morning and in the afternoon returning to the lodge for lunch. Dinner and overnight at Mweya safari lodge/Hippo hill camp/Simba safari camp
Day 12: Queen Elizabeth.
Today you will go for
an early morning game drive along Kasenyi tracks where you may be able to see lions, elephants, Cape buffalo, warthogs, leopard, spotted hyena, mongoose, waterbucks, Uganda kobs, topi and a lot of small animals and birds. Return to the lodge for breakfast. After lunch, go for a boat cruise for the best navigation of the Kazinga Channel, a good opportunity for birding, as you will see many water birds, cormorants, pelicans, eagles, and many other birds as well as crocodiles, hippos, elephants, buffaloes. Dinner and overnight at Mweya safari lodge/Hippo hill camp/Simba safari camp
Day 13: Queen Elizabeth – Bwindi.
After breakfast leave queen Elizabeth then proceed to Bwindi via Ishasha sector famous for climbing lions. Dinner and overnight at Gorilla Resort/Lake Kitandara camp/Buhoma community bandas
Day 14: gorilla tracking
After breakfast you will go for Gorilla tracking as you do bird watching, you will explore more of 300 bird species of Bwindi that include Red-throated Alethe, Equatorial Akalat,Grey-throated Barbet, Black Bee-eater, Forest Robin, Montane Oriole, Hairy-breasted Barbet, Pale-breasted Illadopsis, Pettit's Cuckoo shrike, Black-faced Rufous Warbler . Dinner and overnight at Gorilla Resort/Lake Kitandara camp/Buhoma community bandas
Day 15: Bwindi – Ruhija.
Spend the morning bird watching and later transfer to Ruhija Sector birding enroute, go to Mubwindi Swamp and over night at either Gorilla Mist camp/ Ruhija guest House
Day 16: Bwindi – Mburo.
After breakfast, departBwindi for Lake Mburo National Park having a game drive while entering the Park. Lake Mburo National Park has markedly different fauna to other Parks and Reserves, and it’s the best place in the country to see the gigantic Eland Antelope, as well as Zebra, Topi, Impala, and several Acacia –associated birds. The five lakes with in the Park attract Hippos, Crocodiles, and a variety of water birds, while fringing swamps hide secretive papyrus specialists such as the Sitatunga Antelope and Red, Black and Yellow Papyrus Gonolek. Have an evening game drive and overnight at Mihingo lodge/Arcadia cottages/Rwonyo camp
Day 17: Mburo
Early morning wake up for bird watching while on a game drive & get a chance to see species like the Brown Chested Plover, Red Faced Barbet, Southern Ground Hornbill, Papyrus Yellow Warbler, Yellow Billed Oxpecker, African Fin foot, Black Collard Barbet etc. Have an afternoon boat trip and later another evening game drive and overnight at Mihingo lodge/Arcadia cottages/Rwonyo camp
Day 18: Mburo - Masaka
After breakfast have a salt lick nature walk where you can view at least 4 different animal species as they lick the salty soil. Transfer to Masaka for dinner and overnight at Brovad hotel
Day 19: Mabamba-Kampala
After breakfast you will go for bird watching to Mabamba Wetland. This is the nearest site for the Shoebill Stork, Lesser Jacana, Blue Swallow, Black-Shouldered Nightjar, Afep Pigeon, Blue Breasted Bee-Eater, Papyrus Gonolek and the White Winged Warbler. Spend the whole day birding in this wetland and the surrounding areas, have a picnic lunch and then drive to Kampala. Dinner and overnight at Golf course hotel/Cassia Lodge/The lodge
Day 20: departure
After breakfast you will transfer to the airport for your outbound flight
END OF 20 DAYS UGANDA SAFARI
