$9,923 pp (USD)
2 travelers on Start dateArrival
Arrival
Day 1
Arrive at Entebbe International Airport
Arrive at Entebbe International Airport
Your safari will start from Entebbe International Airport where on arrival, if its way after 22.00 hours you will be met by an assigned Maraka Tours & Safaris Ltd guide, after which you will be driven to the Hotel for dinner and an overnight stay to wipe off the long journey jet lag. Also to prepare and get ready for the next days activities.
- Main Destination:
- Entebbe (City)
- Accommodation:
- 2 Friends Beach Hotel
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 2
Birding in Entebbe Botanical Gardens
Birding in Entebbe Botanical Gardens
After breakfast, drive to Entebbe Botanical gardens. Cleverly located on the shores of Lake Victoria; it’s the only national Botanical Garden in Uganda. Established in 1901 the gardens are a beautiful mix of indigenous forest, cultivation and horticulture which make it an incredible location for birding. It is a good place for urban birding where you may catch some interesting birds. This is an absolute must for any birder who has a short time and wants a high bird count!
In Entebbe Botanical Gardens; Birding is excellent with rich water birds, Raptors and some forest edge birds, being just at the shores of Lake Victoria this place is rich in several bird species; such as Ross’s Turacoo and the Great Blue Turacoo. After lunch, relax at your patio in full view of Lake Victoria; and prepare to get set for the next day to Mabamba swamp, one of the few places in Uganda where the bizarre shoebill can be sighted. You will spend the night here in Entebbe City.
- Main Destination:
- Entebbe (City)
- Accommodation:
- 2 Friends Beach Hotel
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 3
Transfer to Mabamba and Lake Mburo National Park
Transfer to Mabamba and Lake Mburo National Park
Pick up from Entebbe at the Hotel and transfer to Mabamba swamp for shoebill before proceeding to Lake Mburo National Park, with stop over at the equator then proceed through Masaka but stop over for lunch at a selected restaurant or hotel. This drive is a memorable one because as you drive through this region, you will be amazed and impressed by the remarkable scenery with a fantastic view of the dry rolling hills of Ankole with their signature long horned cattle just besides the roads.
On arrival, You can proceed to do an evening Game drive (this is optional)combined with birding. Enjoy the evening Game drive for the best classic wildlife safari experience and photography in this sculptured landscape, rolling hills, rock outcrops, and open wooded savanna. This park alone has 332 known bird species, and 69 species of mammals. After wards, drive to the lodge to check in for an overnight.
- Main Destination:
- Lake Mburo National Park
- Accommodation:
- Rwakobo Rock Lodge
Wildlife in Lake Mburo NP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 4
Morning Game Drive in Lake Mburo National Park
Morning Game Drive in Lake Mburo National Park
After breakfast, drive to the park for the excellent wildlife photographs and the compact jewel. There are well presented wildlife at only 370Kms2. The park is small compared to other savanna national parks in Uganda. Being a home to surprising wildlife such as Impalas, waterbuck, bushbuck, warthog, baboons, vervet monkeys, Common Elands, Zebras, Topis, Buffaloes, Klipsringers, and many colorful birds such as black-headed gonolek, grey-headed kingfishers and may others, and the only national park in Uganda that has Impalas, butterflies will also be seen on this game drive. You enjoy the beauty of these whispers of the wild. After the game drive, return to the lodge for lunch.
You can relax in your room or your patio, enjoying the breathtaking view of the surrounding environments or do birding near by, then afterwards return to the lodge for overnight.
- Main Destination:
- Lake Mburo National Park
- Accommodation:
- Rwakobo Rock Lodge
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 5
Transfer to Bwindi INP & Do Birding en-route
Transfer to Bwindi INP & Do Birding en-route
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is famously known as Africa’s number one birding spot. After breakfast transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, with stopover for birding en-route. Birds expected to be seen here includes; Speckled dove, eastern grey plantain eater, secret Ibis, black-headed heron, black kite, grey parrot, village weaver, long-tailed purple starling, broad-billed roller. Sometimes, the Grey-capped Warbler, Dusky-brown Flycatcher, White-necked Raven and Straw-colored Fruit Bats around the parking lot attract your attention. Enjoy the breath taking scenery of the green terraced hills and snake like roads of this Region, the drive along this route is amazing and impressive by the remarkable scenery that unfolds in sight. When we enter Bwindi Impenetrable forest, we shall stop to look for Doherty’s Bush-shrike and Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo to add on the list. Afterwards proceed to to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
- Main Destination:
- Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Gorillas)
- Accommodation:
-
Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge
Wildlife in Bwindi Impenetrable NP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 6
Gorilla Trecking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Gorilla Trecking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
After breakfast drive to the briefing point. We anticipate the big one! Mountain gorilla trekking is such a highlight even on birding tours. This activity starts at 8.30 am and may take between an hour to eight, so a reasonable degree of fitness is required. It is a beautiful experience to stare into the eyes of these gentle giants; watch them in awe as they play and go about their daily activities. It is indeed a “once in a lifetime” experience that will linger. Each encounter is different and has its rewards, but you are likely to enjoy the close view of adults feeding, grooming and resting as the young frolic and swing from vines in a delightfully playful display. The tracking lasts from few hours depending on the location of the gorillas as they freely range in the impenetrable forest and tours are limited to only 8 people per group.
You will look for more birds especially forest bird spp and rift valley endemics. Afterwards return to the lodge for overnight.
- Main Destination:
- Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Gorillas)
- Accommodation:
- Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 7
Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
After early morning breakfast at the Lodge, drive to Ishasha the remote southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. The drive is long but rewarding. Enjoy your journey while driving on the winding snake-like roads that shyly pass at the lips of the cliffs looking out for birds such as black bee eaters, red-throated wryneck, mountain wagtail, Tooro olive greenbul and white-starred robin among others. Here you will bird in the Great East African rift valley in Ishasha.
Queen Elizabeth National Park, the medley of wonders and the vast savannah of Africa, one of Uganda’s most frequented tourist destinations. The park features diverse ecosystems called home by a variety of wildlife species. Enjoy the breathtaking and majestic sceneries across the entire mountain spectrum, visit the vast open spaces full of oddities and secrets that are elastic thread of Natural wonders where we shall begin our safari into African wilderness the way Nature intended. You will arrive late at the lodge.
- Main Destination:
- Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Accommodation:
- Elephant Hab Lodge
Wildlife in Queen Elizabeth NP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 8
Morning Game drive & Birding in Queen Elizabeth NP
Morning Game drive & Birding in Queen Elizabeth NP
After breakfast at the lodge drive to Kasenyi to experience early morning beauty of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Kasenyi side is the most preferred in this section of the park; this is because it offers excellent licking grounds for the Kobs. Game viewers drive their first thing in the morning and birders too, love it a lot for its open grasslands and sparsely distributed thickets that provide perfect microhabitats for quite shy birds. It also offers the best chances for a variety of birds’ species. Keeping up with the game birding tradition, you will scan openings, thickets and Euphorbia Candelabrums for Lions. Euphorbia Candelabrum is a cactus-like plant that dominates this part of the park.
After the game drive retire back to the lodge for relaxation, do evening birding around the lodge and wait for your dinner and overnight stay.
- Main Destination:
- Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Accommodation:
- Elephant Hab Lodge
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 9
Boat Cruise journey and birding along Kazinga Channel
Boat Cruise journey and birding along Kazinga Channel
You 'll have a relaxed morning and choose to go for a boat ride on the Kazinga Channel in the afternoon. This 40 km natural channel connects two major lakes in this park; Lake George and Lake Edward. Because of the significant wildlife activity at the banks of the channel, we only cover a less than 4km distance, and this takes us to Lake Edward for a turning point. This boat ride typically targets congregations of birds and big mammals when they come down to cool off during the heat of the day. We should get good looks at fishing African Spoonbill and a few African Skimmer among many others. Other good birds to expect to see include four Gulls; Lesser Black-backed, Heuglin’s, Slender-billed and Grey-hooded Gull, Great White and Pink-backed Pelicans, Great and Long-tailed Cormorants, Yellow-billed, Marabou and Woolly-necked Storks, our first of the many Red-throated Bee-eaters and many more.
- Main Destination:
- Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Accommodation:
- Elephant Hab Lodge
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 10
Transfer to Kibale National Park
Transfer to Kibale National Park
After early morning breakfast, you will leave the Lodge and transfer to Kibale National Park, shortly after arriving you will proceed for the swamp walk at the sanctuary which is a community-based initiative and one of the most successful few ones in the country. With your site guide from the community, you will go around and through the papyrus looking for White-spotted Fluff tail, Hairy-breasted, Yellow-spotted and Yellow-billed Barbet, Black-and-White Shrike-Flycatcher, Joyful Greenbul, Blue-throated Roller, White-collared Olive back, Spurb Sunbird and a Shinning Blue Kingfisher. The walk also being famous for primates, we should see Uganda Red Columbus which are threatened in this region for being preyed on by Common Chimpanzee (remember to learn from our guide why?). The Uganda Mangabey, Olive Baboon, Mantled Guereza, L’Hoest’s and Blue Monkey are also very likely to show up and after wards drive back to the lodge for overnight.
- Main Destination:
- Kibale National Park (Chimps)
- Accommodation:
- Chimpanzee Forest Lodge
Wildlife in Kibale NP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 11
Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale National Park
Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale National Park
After breakfast drive to Kanyanchu Visitor center for briefing and thereafter start the trek. Kibale National Park is the best destination for chimpanzee tracking in E. Africa and can best be defined as the loveliest and most varied of all tropical rain forests in Uganda. It is christened the primate capital of the world as it hosts 13 species of primates including the chimpanzee (Man’s closest relatives- sharing over 98% DNA). It has 1450 chimpanzees; Uganda’s largest population of this endangered primate species.
In this forest, you will look for the Chimps and the Green-breasted Pitta. This Pitta is one of Africa’s most difficult birds to find! The time we should spend in the forest looking for the Pitta, we will also look for White-throated Greenbul, Crowned Eagle, Thick-billed Honey guide, Brown-chested and Fire-crested Alethe, Crested Guineafowl, Western Black-headed Oriole, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Blue-throated Roller and Yellow-browed Camaroptera among others.
- Main Destination:
- Kibale National Park (Chimps)
- Accommodation:
- Chimpanzee Forest Lodge
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 12
Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park
Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park
After breakfast transfer to Murchison Falls NP as you bird en-route with a stopover for Lunch at the selected restaurant in Hoima city. The expected birds for today include Ibis hadada, Sacred Ibis, Northern Red bishop, Silver bird, Bruce's Green Pigeon, Grey-headed kingfisher, Stripped Kingfisher, African grey Hornbill and Flappet Lark among others. After lunch, proceed via Rift Valley escarpment; enjoy the fabulous scenery and entire scenic route with views across Lake Albert towards the blue mountains of the DRC.
We shall create time for the top of the Murchison Falls. These very dramatic falls are the world’s most powerful. The bottom of the falls is great but the top is quite something! This is where the world’s longest river squeezes through a very narrow gorge of about eight feet and drops for a straight forty feet down! We never plan to miss this adventure on any of our tours that get to this part of the country. After here drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
- Main Destination:
- Murchison Falls National Park
- Accommodation:
- Pakuba Safari Lodge
Wildlife in Murchison Falls NP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 13
Morning Game Drive and Birding in Murchison Falls NP
Morning Game Drive and Birding in Murchison Falls NP
After early morning breakfast, start driving within the northern part of the park for the best wildlife safari experience in this Savanna Park, combined with rich birding opportunities. The Murchison specials include the Abyssinian ground hornbill, Bateleur, Northern carmine bee-eater, Northern red Bishop, Shoebill, Grey-headed Gull, and Gross-beak weaver. After lunch, proceed with the afternoon boat cruise to the bottom of Murchison falls, where you can expect to see Hippos, Crocodiles, Elephants, Buffalos, and Waterbucks. While on this boat safari, get set for the best view point around Nyamsika cliff, which is the nesting point for the Red-throated bee-eater, Pied Kingfisher, and you should keep an eye out for the Pel's Fishing owl.
- Main Destination:
- Murchison Falls National Park
- Accommodation:
- Pakuba Safari Lodge
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 14
Rhino trekking and Birding at Ziwa RhinoSanctuary
Rhino trekking and Birding at Ziwa RhinoSanctuary
Transfer to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and bird en-route, as you will be able to spot some of Budongo Forest's specials. Today you'll be in search of the African Black-headed Oriole, Narina Trogon, Puvel's Illadopsis, Yellow-fronted Tinker bird, Red-headed Malimbe, and white-crested Turaco. Enjoy Rhino tracking and varieties of birds ranging from woodland, savanna, and wetland birds, before driving to the hotel/restaurant for lunch, and afterward, we'll transfer you back to Kampala or Entebbe City. You'll check in your lodge, relax as you wait for your dinner and over night stay.
- Main Destination:
- Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch
- Accommodation:
- Amuka Safari Lodge
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 15
Round Entebbe City Tour and Departure
Round Entebbe City Tour and Departure
After enjoying a relaxed breakfast, you will visit Uganda Wildlife Conservation and Education Centre (UWEC). It is here where ex-situ conservation of the wildlife is practiced. It gives us a summary of all the 16 National Parks that are in Uganda, some of which we did not visit on this tour. You will even have a chance of adding on your list of water birds because Lake Victoria just fringes this conservation facility. After a relaxed game viewing and birding adventure, you will drive to the Airport just in time for your departure back home. Thanks for choosing Maraka Tours and Safaris to take you on this memorable adventure in Uganda.
- Main Destination:
- Entebbe (City)
- Accommodation:
- No accommodation (End of tour)
- Meals & Drinks:
