Arrival at the Airport and check in at your respective lodge/hotel. Depending on the time of arrival, you can decided to have a walk around town, visit some craft shops or local markets.

Accommodation

• Innophine Hotel (full board)

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. Purple Swamp hen, pygmy and spur winged Goose, Lesser Jacana, African Marsh Harrier etc. Later after lunch, head to Entebbe Botanical gardens consisting of about three habitats i.e the grassland, water and Forest. While here,  look out for birds like; the African Grey chested cuckoo, Superb starling. Red chested sun bird, Scarlet chested sun bird, Copper Sun bird, Orange wax-bill. Black headed gonolek,  Golden backed Weaver, Giant kingfisher, not to mention but a few. Afterwards, head back to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation

• Innophine Hotel (full board)

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 (Full board)

After an early morning breakfast, you will do birding on the northern part of  Murchison falls. Here, look out for both game and birds, expect to see the Grey headed gonolek. Striped and Woodland Kingfisher, Red shouldered cuckoos, Beautiful sun bird, Abyssinian ground hornbill, Black billed stork. Stanley’s bustard, Sooty Chat, Yellow billed stork, wood chat, Grey backed shrike, Spotted morning thrush. African quail finch, Northern carmine bee-eater, Blue cheeked cordon-bleu, Olive bee-eater. White headed buffalo weaver, Speckle fronted Weaver, superb Starling and many more bird species. Some of the mammals to be seen alongside your birding will be the Giraffe, Cape Buffalo. African Elephant, Jackson’s Harte beast, Oribis, Bush and Water Buck, Jackal, Lion. Hyena, Uganda kobs, warthogs, and with big luck the leopard. In the afternoon the cruise to the bottom of the falls exposes you to lots of water birds. These include; Saddle billed stork, Yellow billed stork, African open billed stork, martial eagles, red throated bee-eaters, etc. You will later get back to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation

• Sambiya River Lodge (Full board)

You will set off very early in the morning and do birding Budongo Forest Reserve an area with mammoth diversity of flora and fauna. The forest is crossed with a well maintained network of forest trails making it doable to explore the dense forest. In fact, it has a beautiful biodiversity and this gives the best sighting for the Puvel’s Illadopsis a shy and secretive dull brown bird. Other species here include; the Blue breasted, Pygmy kingfisher, shaggy-crested Guinea fowl, Narina trogon. Yellow billed stork, Yellow Spotted Barbet, not to mention but a few. Later, head to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation

• Budongo Eco Lodge (Full board)

Today you have a birding excursion to the above two unique sites within the Murchison Falls Conservation Area. Start early and head to the Royal Mile where many ceremonies of the Bunyoro Kingdom took place before this was a conservation area. Here, you will have some birding stopovers to look out for bird species like the singing Cisiticola. Cabanis’s bunting, Dark capped yellow warbler, Brown twin spot, Black bellied fire finch, etc. Birds at Royal Mile include; Ituri Batis, Lemon bellied crombec, Dusky long tailed cuckoo, Dwarf kingfisher, blue breasted kingfisher. Pygmy and Chocolate backed kingfisher, Western Black Headed Oriole, Blue throated roller, White spotted greenbul. Rufous crowned eremomela, Chestnut capped and Forest flycatcher, Yellow Crested Woodpecker, etc. You will proceed to Busingiro looking out for bird species which you might have missed out at the mile. After, head back to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation

• Budongo Eco Lodge (Full board)

Having breakfast, check out of the lodge and head to Fort portal whereby you will have a long drive. Therefore, birding will be minimized with a few stops enroute with a picnic lunch which you will enjoy on the way. Some bird species you can expect today on your stopovers include; the Brown and western banded snake eagle. Little sparrow hawk, Wahlberg’s eagle, Grey throated barbet, Olive long-tailed cuckoo, African emerald spotted cuckoo, etc. Check in your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation

• Sheevy's Bed N Breakfast (full board)

You will transfer to Semuliki National Park and here look out for the Golden backed pytilia, Melba finch. Orange cheeked waxbill, Marsh tchagra, Brown backed Scrub Robin and at the park edges; birds like the Red billed dwarf. Black dwarf, Piping and Black wattled Casqued hornbill are easily sighted. Checked in your booked lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation

• Ntoroko Game Lodge (Bed & Breakfast)

Today you will start early after breakfast and head to Semuliki whereby you  will visit the Kirumia trail. Here, you will come across different bird species like Guinea- congolian biome species,  African piculet. Grants blue-bill, blue billed malimbe, Green throated cuckoo, Black billed dwarf, Black casqued wattled-hornbill. Maxwell’s weaver and African broad-bill, Eastern bearded greenbul, Black billed turaco. African pitta, Blue throated roller, Yellow throated Nicater, Chestnut bellied Negro finch, Western bronze napped pigeon, Orange cheeked waxbill, etc.

Accommodation

• Ntoroko Game Lodge (Bed & Breakfast)

On this day, you can do a mixture of some culture and birding whereby you will visit the female and male hot springs. Look out for birds and the unique Debrazza monkey which inhabits this low and tropical rain forest. You will also have more chances of catching up with more Guinea- Congolian biome. Also look out for bird species which you might have missed out on the kirumia Trail. Proceed to Queen Elizabeth National Park and check in direct to your booked lodge.

Accommodation

• Buffalo Safari Lodge (Full board)

This is Uganda’s second largest park recorded with over 600 bird species and on a wonderful day, you have records of over 150. Start your early bird activity driving through the vast grassland looking out for species like the warblers, Golden Weaver. Southern Red Bishop, Black chinned Quail Finch, Black Headed Gonolek, Common and Blue Quail, African crake, etc. You will also have a boat ride along the natural Kazinga channel thereby taking you close to lots of water birds. These include; the Goliath Heron, Black crake, African spoonbill, African jacana, Great white and yellow billed egret, etc. Check in your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation

• Buffalo Safari Lodge (Full board)

After enjoying your morning breakfast, you will proceed with your journey to Bwindi passing through Ishasha sector. In fact, this sector is very popular for the tree climbing lions therefore expect to spot some along the way. It’s a unique encounter finding these predators in the trees. Besides, the sector is also provides good sightings for the African cuckoo-hawk,  Black bellied bustard, Lappet faced and white backed vulture, etc. You will enjoy your picnic lunch along the way as you continue to Bwindi Park. The birding tour gets you close to Rwanda and today you will head towards the Gorilla Sanctuary in Bwindi. As a matter of fact, this is home to half of the remaining population of the World’s endangered Mountain Gorillas.

Accommodation

• Gorilla closeup lodge (Full board)

You have two days at buhoma and you have got two options; one option is the visit to the endangered Mountain Gorillas. Trekking them always will give you the greatest experience as you hike through the jungle in search of the gorillas. In fact, this is conducted by patience, qualified and knowledgeable ranger guides with a wide experience in gorilla behavior. Finding them and watching them play is quite amazing thereby allowing you to take photos and videos for remembrance. The second optional of the birding day takes you to watch out for the merry making Greenbuls such as the  Cabanis’s. Shelly’s crimsonwing, Grey throated barbet, Red faced woodland, Wabler one of the Albertine rift endemics is easily seen here. Dusky long tailed cuckoo, Red throated alethe,  blue Shouldered robin chat, African shrike, Vanga flycatcher. Black faced rufous warbler, Red- fronted ant-pecker, Northern puff buck, black throated apalis. Elliot’s and Buff bellied woodpecker, Cassin’s and honey guide are among the other bird species in this area. Head to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation

• Buhoma Gorilla Lodge (Full board)

Depending on the results of the past days while at buhoma, you might start with a morning birding walk to try and find out what you might have missed. Later, transfer  to Ruhija and bird species to expect here include; the Macknon’s Fiscal. Mountain Buzzard, wagtails, Cassin’s grey flycatcher, Western bronze napped pigeon, Dusky long tailed cuckoo. White Headed wood hoppoe, Grey cuckoo shrike, Ducky tit, Grey-green bush shrike. Chestnut throated apalis, White eyed slaty flycatcher, Streaky seed-eater, Stripe breasted tit, White starred robin, etc. Afterwards head to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation

• Ruhija Gorilla Mist Camp (Full board)

This morning, you will bird in one of Africa’s birding spot according to the African Bird Club. Actually, this is the birding spot where you find the African green broadbill and the Grauer’s rush warbler. Albertine rift endemics here include; the Handsome francolin, Blue throated brown sunbird, Red throated alethe. Mountain Illadopsis, Mountain masked apalis, Yellow eyed black flycatcher and more. Other high altitude bird species here will be the Bar tailed trogon, white tailed crested flycatcher, Abyssinian hill babbler, etc. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.

Accommodation

• Ruhija Gorilla Camp (Full board)

You will head to the south Western corner of Uganda in kisoro district where Uganda’s smallest forest park lies. The bird species to watch out for in these two days include; the White-starred robin. White eyed slaty flycatcher, Olive thrush, Mountain yellow warbler, White tailed blue flycatcher, White napped raven. Olive woodpecker, Lagden’s bush shrike, Cape robin, Grey caped warbler, Bronze sunbird. Yellow-crowned canary, Rwenzori turaco, Streaky seed-eater, not to mention but a few. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.

Accommodation

• Mount Gahinga Lodge (Full board)

Early in the morning after breakfast, transfer to Rwanda where you will do your birding in Nyungwe forest national park. Nyungwe is at present the best site in the world to see the thrilling and localized Red-collared mountain-babbler. This park also gives you chances of seeing endemics like the Rwenzori apalis and Turaco. Red-faced woodland, Red throated alethe,  Archer’s Robin-chat, Doherty’s, etc. This is another good spot for handsome francolin, sooty Boubou, Yellow-eyed black flycatcher. Rwenzori hill Babbler, Grauer’s warblers, Black-faced apalis, Regal sunbirds, stripe-breasted tit, Dusky crimson-wing and strange Weaver. Other species include kivu ground-thrush, White-bellied robin-chat and White-tailed blue flycatcher. While birding here, you will also keep your eyes out in the canopies to find primates. These include; chimpanzee, Angola pied colobus a species known in the West African countries, as well as Red-tailed.

Accommodation

• Nyungwe Forest Lodge (Full board)

End of Safari

What to pack during your birding trip

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