Arrival at the airport and check in at your respective lodge. Depending on the arrival time, you will do bird around the Botanical Gardens. Special birds here include; Ross’s Turaco, Red-chested sun bird, African hobby. Brown and grey parrot, Brown crowned Tchagra, the orange weaver is the key along Lake Victoria, etc. Dinner and overnight will be at the lodge.

Accommodation

•  Innophine Hotel (Bed & Breakfast)

Early breakfast and transfer to Mabamba swamp 50 km west of Kampala. Along the way, look out for papyrus specialties such as the Papyrus Gonolek, White winged warbler, Northern brown throated weaver, etc.   Note that; most of the birding here is done while canoeing. While here, look out for the rare Shoebill stork, African water rail, Allen’s and purple Gallinule. Goliath, Grey herons, a variety of Egrets, Ducks, water thick knee, African jacana, etc. Dinner and overnight will be at the lodge.

Accommodation

•  Innophine Hotel (Bed & Breakfast)

This park is basically made up of dry hillside, open and wooded savanna, forests, galleries and swamps. Apart from animals the park also hosts over 313 bird species that have been recorded here. These include; Red faced barbet, Long tailed Cisticola, Papyrus yellow warbler, African fin foot. Black collared barbet, Brown chested plover, white winged tit, Northern brown throated weaver, White winged warbler, etc. Dinner and overnight will be at the lodge for two nights.

Accommodation

•  Rwonyo Rest Camp (Bed and Breakfast)

After breakfast, drive to Bwindi; which is also a bird watchers haven due to a number of bird species. In fact, it holds 348 species of birds among which 90% of the Albertine rift Endemic are spotted here. These include; short-tailed, rusty-faced and Grauer’s rush warblers, bar-tailed trogon. Wilcock’s Honey-guide, Yellow-eyed black fly-catcher, Kivu Ground Thrush, White tailed Blue Monarch, etc. Actually some of these birds are difficult or impossible to see in any other part of East Africa. However, an experienced bird watcher can identify up to 100 species in a day and more. Dinner and overnight will be at the lodge where you will spend 2 nights.

Accommodation

•  Gorilla Resort (Bed & Breakfast)

After breakfast, drive South wards to Queen Elizabeth National Park which is the second largest park in Uganda. In fact, this park has an excellent variety of bird hot spots whereby birds can be spotted. These include; Pelicans, skimmers, kingfishers, Thick-knees, storks, Martins, Swallows, Weavers, not to mention but a few. Arrive in time for lunch as you prepare for an evening bird expedition which is usually very productive. Dinner and overnight will be at the lodge.

Accommodation

•  Isasha Tented Camp (Bed & Breakfast)

Here, look out for the Grey-headed kingfisher, Swamp flycatcher. Black-headed Gonolek, Grey-capped warbler, Slender-billed, yellow-backed, Black headed. Lesser Masked and Golden Backed Weavers, Yellow Fronted and Brimstone Canary, etc. You will as well take an early morning game drive towards the famous Kasenyi plains. The main aim here is to locate Lions and other mammals including Buffalo, Ugandan Kob, Oribi, water buck, etc. Along the road, you may find Scaly Francolin, Red-necked Spur fowl, plovers, Harlequin Quail and common Button Quail. Larks are numerous and include; Red-capped, Ruffous-napped, Flappet and the local White-tailed. Raptors include Martial Eagle, Banded Snake Eagles as well as the Bateleur. In the afternoon, embark on a boat trip down the Kazinga Channel looking out for different aquatic animals as well as water birds. This incredible area for water birds will afford stunning views of African Skimmer, Pink-backed Pelican. Saddle-billed, African Open Billed and Yellow Billed Stork, African Spoonbill, Water thick-knee, and over-summering Palearctic migrants. Afterwards, head back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation:

•   Ishasha Tented Camp (Bed & Breakfast)

After breakfast this morning, drive to Kibale Forest National Park as you enjoy birding on the way. This is a few hours’ drive and therefore birding along the way or afternoon birding in the forest is rewarding. Check in at the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation

•   Primate Lodge (Bed & Breakfast)

Having an early morning breakfast, assemble at the chimp tracking briefing ground, where you will learn the required procedures. Kibale Conservation Area has 13 species which are both nocturnal and diurnal beating the world record as the highest primate concentration. These include; Chimpanzee, Red colobus Monkey, Grey-cheeked Mangabeys, Red-tailed Monkey. Blue Monkey, Olive Baboon, Black and White Colobus Monkey, Valvet Monkey and Galagos, Pottos, etc. Afterwards, head back to the lodge for a power nap as you prepare for an evening birding. The forest is home to the Scaly Francolin, Marsh Tchagra, Black-bellied Seed cracker. Green-backed Twinspot, Bicoloured Mannikin, White-napped, Green Pigeon, Narina’s Trogon. Joyful Green bull, Olive long-tailed Cuckoo, Black Bee-eater, Blue-headed Coucal. Blue-breasted kingfisher, Scaly-throated Honey guide, Rufous Flycatcher Thrush and Black-faced Rufous Warbler. Brown and Scaly Breasted Illadopsis, on a lucky day the Green Breasted Pitta might be present.  Dinner and over night stay will be at the lodge.

Accommodation

•  Primate Lodge (Bed & Breakfast)

After breakfast, drive to Murchison Falls National Park while birding on the way. Note that; this is a long drive with a few birding stops. Dinner and overnight will be at the lodge for two nights.

Accommodation

•  Sambiya River Lodge (Bed & Breakfast)

After enjoying breakfast, head for a game and birding drive on the Northern section of the mighty River Nile. Lunch will be a picnic after which proceed for a boat cruise to the bottom of the falls. Key species here include; Bat Hawk, Red-necked Falcon, Spotted Morning Thrush, Silver bird. Bronze-tailed, Lesser Blue Eared, Splendid and Ruppel’s Long Tailed Starling, Beautiful Sun bird. Northern Red Bishop, White-rumped seed eater, Black-billed barbet. Grey-headed Olive back, White-crested Turaco, Egyptian Plover, Bruce’s Pigeon. Pel’s Fish Owl, Carmine, Swallow Tailed, Blue Cheeked and Red Throated Bee-eater. Brown-backed Woodpecker, White-fronted Black chat, Cabanis’s and Brown-rumped Bunting. Black-rumped and Fawn Breasted Wax bill and Bar-breasted, Fire flinch, Abyssinian hornbill. Broad billed and Rufous-Crowned Roller, on the water the Four-banded Sand grouse and Rock Pranticole are often sighted. Dinner and overnight will be at the lodge.

Accommodation

•  Sambiya River Lodge (Bed & Breakfast)

After early breakfast, transfer to Entebbe Botanical Gardens in search for different bird species. These include; White Headed Barbet, Cardinal and Nubian Wood Pecker, Ross’s Turaco. African Green Pigeon, Egyptian goose, African Paradise Flycatcher, little egrets, black and white casqued horn bills, hamerkops, etc. Dinner and overnight will be at the lodge.

Accommodation

• Innophine Hotel (Bed & Breakfast)

Depending on the scheduled departure flight, you will be dropped off at the Airport to set off back home.

End of birding safari

What to pack during your birding trip

• Hat
• Boots
• Camera
• Binoculars
• Field guide book
• Insect repellents
• Appropriate clothes for birding