Arrival
Arrival
Day 1
Airport Pickup and Transfer to your Hotel - Then Evening Birding at Mabamba Swamp (Shoebill)
Airport Pickup and Transfer to your Hotel - Then Evening Birding at Mabamba Swamp (Shoebill)
On arrival at Entebbe International Airport you will be received by our professional guide from Arcadia Safaris to start your Uganda birding safari and there after transfer to your hotel in Kampala. Hopefully you have had an early landing (before 3pm), you will checkin into your accommodation and then we drive to Mabamba Swamp Wetland in Kasanje which is located on the fringes of Lake Victoria – 2nd biggest fresh water body in the world. The drive can take about an hour or more depending on the birding engagement enroute which leads to several stopovers
In Mabamba swamp, you will take a motorised canoe with the area site guide in search of the incredible Shoebill which is often seen standing in the mashes waiting to hunt or flying in the air above the papyrus plants.
There are also other variety of water birds like; African Jacana, White-winged Terns, African Purple Swamphen, Purple Heron, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Pied Kingfisher, Malachite Kingfisher, Winding Cisticola among others.
- Main Destination:
- Mabamba Swamp
- Accommodation:
- Cassia Lodge
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 2
Birding Murchison Falls National Park
Birding Murchison Falls National Park
On this day we shall have a very early morning breakfast and then transfer to Murchison Falls NP. We shall go birding first while on the boat and later while in the car on a game drive.
Spend the morning birding on the boat towards the Delta. Some of the birds we aim for in this area include; the Shoebill, Great White and Pink-backed Pelicans, African Water Rail, Allen’s Gallinule, Black Crake, African Crake, Grey-crowned Crane, Southern Pochard, The Egyptian, African Pygmy, and the Spur-winged Goose, Saddle-billed stork, Open-billed stork, Yellow-billed stor kand Marabou stork.
After the experience on the boat, you transfer to the car and bird in the Savannah in search for; Secretary Bird, Northern Carmine and Red-throated Bee-eaters, Giant, Pied, Stripped, Chestnut-bellied, Blue-breasted, Woodland and the African Pygmy Kingfishers, African Rock Martin; Lesser Stripped, Ethiopian, Angola, Red-rumped African Finfoot, Painted Snipe, Wattled Plover.
- Main Destination:
- Murchison Falls National Park
- Accommodation:
- Pakuba Safari Lodge
Wildlife in Murchison Falls NP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 3
Birding the Escarpment and Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
Birding the Escarpment and Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
Today morning after breakfast, we transfer to Kibale forest with a stopover birding the Butiaba Escarpment for some birds of interest. Look out for; Beautiful sunbird, Black-billed Barbet, Grey-winged Pythilia, Buff-bellied Warbler, Northern Crombec, Cinnamon-breasted Warbler, Whin chat, Flappet Lark, Little weaver, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Lesser blue-eared Starling, Chestnut-crowned Sparrow Weaver, Marsh Tchagra, Copper Sunbird, Green-backed Eremomela, Long crested eagle, Foxy Cisticola among other bird species.
- Main Destination:
- Kibale National Park (Chimps)
- Accommodation:
- Turaco Treetops Lodge
Wildlife in Kibale NP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 4
Kibale Forest Birding for Green Breasted Pitta
Kibale Forest Birding for Green Breasted Pitta
We will have an early morning breakfast and leave the lodge with our packed lunch so that we have maximum time in the forest. Our morning focus while birding will be to search for the elusive Green breasted pitta. This a sought after bird can also be rather difficult to sight in the forest but with guidance of the site guide and rangers we hope to increase our chances of sighting the Green breasted Pitta.
In the meantime as we search for the Green breasted Pitta we shall continue birding and equally search for many other bird species which include Western bronze-napped Pigeon, Great blue Turaco, Yellow-throated Nicator, White-headed Wood hoopoe, Red Headed malimbe, Yellow-spotted barbet, Dusky-blue Flycatcher, Grey-winged Robin, Blue shouldered Robin Chat, Yellow-spotted Barbet, White-naped Pigeon, Green-breasted Pitta, Red-chested Flufftail, African Pitta, Joyful Greenbul, Cabanis Greenbul, Grey-throated Flycatcher, Tiny Sunbird, White-collared Oliveback and many more.
- Main Destination:
- Kibale National Park (Chimps)
- Accommodation:
- Turaco Treetops Lodge
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 5
Birding to Semuliki National Park
Birding to Semuliki National Park
Today after breakfast we bird our way to Semuliki National Park for an experience searching for central African species found only here in East Africa. We shall have several stopovers birding nearby forest patches and swampy areas for different bird species.
We shall spend the day birding in Semuliki forest for central African species of Congo’s Ituri forest. Semuliki forest is a continuation of Congo’s Ituri forest. You have an opportunity of visiting both the ‘female’ and ‘male’ hot springs found within the park.
Some of the species we will look out for include the; Congo Serpent Eagle, Grey-throated Rail, Nkulengu Rail, Long-tailed Hawk, Spot-breasted Ibis, Yellow-throated Nicator, Northern Red-chested Owlet, Western Bronze-naped Pigeon, Black-collared Lovebird, White-bellied Kingfisher, Red-rumped Tinkerbird, Lyre-tailed Honeyguide, Hornbills ns other so many bird species since Semuliki is a haven for birdwatchers.
- Main Destination:
- Semuliki National Park
- Accommodation:
- Mountains of the Moon Hotel
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 6
Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park for Birding
Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park for Birding
Today after an early breakfast we start the trip to Queen Elizabeth National Park birding along the way. You will have stopovers for both birding and photography moments of the beautiful scenery in this part of the country. Drive past several crater lakes, homesteads, and farms and later with the Rwenzori mountains ahead as you drive.
The road through these crater lakes regions is not tarred therefore sometimes it is very difficult during the rainy season. In case it rains right before your set off, your guide may advise a different route on a more stable road. Because you will be having several stopovers for pictures and birding, you can expect to arrive at your lodge later that afternoon. Have some rest and prepare to start the next day very early for a whole days birding.
- Main Destination:
- Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Accommodation:
-
Twin Lakes Safari Lodge
Wildlife in Queen Elizabeth NP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 7
Birding at the Mweya Peninsular & Kazinga Channel then Transfer to Ishasha Sector
Birding at the Mweya Peninsular & Kazinga Channel then Transfer to Ishasha Sector
Today we will bird the Mweya Peninsular and Kasenyi area where most of the game drives happen and end with a boat safari on Kazinga channel in the afternoon.
Look out for; African Skimmer, Malachite Kingfishers, White-winged Terns, Swamp Fly-catcher, Grey-capped Warbler, Grey-headed Kingfisher, African Jacana, Pin-tailed Whydah, Martial Eagle, Gabon Nightjars. Great and Long-tailed Cormorants, Common Squacco Heron, African Skimmer, African Fish Eagle, Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Sedge Warbler, Papyrus Gonolek, Papyrus Canary, Great white and Pink-backed Pelicans, African Mourning Dove, African Open-billed Stork, Yellow-billed, Egyptian Goose, a number of Gull species, to mention but a few.
- Main Destination:
- Mweya Penisula (Queen Elizabeth NP)
- Accommodation:
- Topi Lodge
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 8
Birding in Ishasha while sighting the Tree-Climbing Lions then after Transfer to Bwindi NP
Birding in Ishasha while sighting the Tree-Climbing Lions then after Transfer to Bwindi NP
After having our early morning breakfast, we shall start our game drive in the Ishasha sector best commonly known for tree climbing lions and a variety of birds then after we shall transfer to Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park, we have stopovers birding until we arrive at our lodge later that afternoon. You might have opportunity of sighting birds you could have missed the previous day.
In addition to the birding, there are opportunities of sighting the famous tree climbing lions of Ishasha. After a short game drive you proceed to Bwindi impenetrable national park.
- Main Destination:
- Ishasha Sector (Queen Elizabeth NP)
- Accommodation:
- Engagi Lodge
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 9
Birding Buhoma Sector
Birding Buhoma Sector
Today after an early breakfast, we get back into the forest for birding taking different trails as advised by the site guide. The site guides usually help with location of the different unique birds and they share information of where they last sighted them therefore increasing chances of locating them.
Today you look out for; Stuhlmann’s Starling, Narrow-tailed Starling, Waller’s Starling, Montane Oriole, African Golden Oriole, Strange Weaver, Brown-capped Weaver, Dusky Crimsonwing, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Magpie Mannikin, Yellow-crowned Canary, Thick-billed Seedeater, Streaky Seedeater, African Green Broadbill, Oriole Finch, Mountain Buzzard, Ayre’s Hawk Eagle, Handsome Francolin, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, African Wood Owl. More species; Bar-tailed Trogon, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, (Western) Bronze-naped Pigeon, Red-chested Owlet, Tullberg’s Woodpecker, African Broadbill, Western Green Tinkerbird, African Green Broadbill, Lagdens Bush-Shrike, Petit’s Cuckoo-Shrike, among others.
- Main Destination:
- Buhoma Sector (Bwindi NP)
- Accommodation:
- Engagi Lodge
Wildlife in Bwindi NP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 10
Transfer Back to Entebbe International Airport
Transfer Back to Entebbe International Airport
After your morning breakfast, you will start your journey back to Entebbe. You will go cross the equator and experience being the Northern and Southern Hemisphere the same time an also have time to take photos. Buy a few souvenirs in the craft shops and have a quick picnic lunch. Later you depart for the Airport and take your flight back home. This will mark the end of our 10 Day Birding Uganda and Game Drives.
Thank you for choosing Arcadia Safaris and we hope to see you (or any referral) when you next visit!
- Main Destination:
- Entebbe International Airport (Entebbe)
- Accommodation:
- No accommodation (End of tour)
- Meals & Drinks:
