This is a new design of birding trips to Uganda. It is well-researched and designed to meet your expectations. It is applicable through out the year and has been designed to offer you a memorable well guided birding vacation of Uganda. You will enjoy the best network of the local bird guides of Uganda who are members of Uganda Bird Guides Club.

The lodges and the hotels that we use during this paticular holiday are simple and luxurious in nature, strategically located to optimize the birding potential. With the help of a superb network of site guides that meet our standards, our experienced tour leaders will attend to the needs of each participant; whether one is a novice birder or someone with years of field experience; we shall work towards the satisfaction of all.

Day 1 Arrival.
Early arrival may choose to go birding around Entebbe and Kampala. There are chosen spots for you. Accommodation of choice: Lindsay Cottages and Windsor Lake Victoria.

Day 2-Birding tour to Mabira Forest (65 km east of Kampala), Uganda.
We shall have an early breakfast and start our exclusive birding trip with Mabira Forest. The forest supports over 300 bird species, many of which are difficult to see elsewhere in Uganda. An excellent trail system allows access to both undisturbed primary and good secondary forests. Managed by the National Forest Authority, with input from local community, Mabira Forest was opened to the public in 1996. The revenue generated from ecotourism is shared between the National Forest Authority and the local community. One of Mabira's strengths lies in the large number of birds which may be seen from the visitor's centre.

We shall spend the rest of the day birdwatcing in Mabira Forest, and a short visit to the source of the Nile. Specialities here include: Pied Hornbill, Forest Wood-Hoopoe, Black-bellied Seed-cracker, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, White-bellied Kingfisher, Dwarf Kingfisher and Shining-blue Kingfisher, Yellow-throated Tinkerbird and Speckled Tinkerbird, Toro Olive Greenbul, Green-tailed Bristlebill, Fire-crested Alethe, Forest Robin, Blue-shouldered Robin Chat and Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat, Nahan's Francolin, Yellow-billed Barbet, Jameson's Wattle-eye, Tit Hylia, White-spotted Flufftail, Superb Sunbird, White-shouldered Tit, Magpie Manikin, Green Crombec, Hairy-breasted Barbet, Black-throated Apalis, Black-and-white Shrike-Flycatcher, Paradise Flycatcher, Blue-throated Brown Sunbird, Sabine's Spinetail, Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, Velvet-mantled Drongo, Blue-throated Roller and Purple-throated Cuckoo-shrike.
Mammals include Red-tailed and Black-and-white Colobus Monkeys, Bush Duiker and Western Tree hyrax.

Day 3 & 4 Birding tour to Budongo - Royal Mile and Busingiro and Kanio Pabide, Uganda
After an early morning breakfast we shall begin our 7 - 8 hour drive to the renowned Queen Elizabeth National Park, birdwatching along the way.
The vast Budongo forest lies at the edge of the Albertine Rift Valley to the south of Murchision 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 one of the best sites in Uganda for a number of sought-after bird species. It is also home to Uganda's largest population of Chimpanzees. An excellent network of trails and a wide track known as "the Royal Mile" provide access to the forest.

We shall start early in the morning after breakfast and head to Budongo forest. Carry packed lunch or have lunch at Masindi Hotel.

Key species include: African Dwarf Kingfisher and Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, Chestnut-crowned Eremomera, White-spotted Flufftail, Yellow Longbill, Grey Longbill, Olive-bellied Crombec, Brown-eared Woodpecker, Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Crowned Eagle, Forest Flycatcher, Yellow-browed Camaroptera and Cabanis Bunting, Brown-backed Scrub-robin, Narina Trogon, Golden-crowned Woodpecker, Rufous Flycatcher-thrush, Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, Paradise Flycatcher, Little Green Sunbird, Green Sunbird, both Negrofinches, Western Black-headed Oriole, Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, African Emerald Cuckoo, Red-tailed Ant-thrush, Yellow Longbill, Gray Longbill, Forest Robin, Scaly-breasted Illadopsis, Rufous-crowned Eremomela, the elusive Lemon-bellied Crombec, Yellow-mantled Weaver, Yellow-browed Camaroptera, Green Crombec, Crested Malimbe and Red-headed Bluebill. Cassin's Hawk Eagle, Little Greenbul, Slender-billed Greenbul, White-throated Greenbul and Plain Greenbul, Spotted Greenbul and Toro Olive Greenbul. Hotel of choice: Masindi Hotel- Uganda..

Day 5 & 6-Birding tour to Kibale National Park, Uganda
We start early for a long drive to Kibale National Park. The forest is about 760 sq.km, at an altitude of about 1,230m above sea level, and is divided into seven zones for management purposes, reseach, natural reserve, civic-cultural functons, recreation, harvest, community conservation and protection. Kibale Forest National park is one of the most marvelous forests of Uganda. It is the most popular habitat for the closest living relative to man, that is, the endangered Chimpanzee.

This park is one of the most accessible of Uganda's major rainforests. Kibale ranks the best in primates of Uganda with a remarkable 13 primate species, including the very localised Red Colobus and L'Hoest's Monkey, Galagos, Blue Monkey, Red-tailed and Vervet Monkey. Kibale's major attraction, however, is the opportunity to track habituated Chimpanzees. These delightful apes are more closely related to humans than to any other living creature, and they are tremendously fun to watch as they squabble and play in fruiting trees.

Birders are in for a treat with over 335 species recorded. Kibale Forest has the highest number of records of the Green-breasted Pitta which is another sought-after bird of Uganda. Other birds include: African Pitta, Grey-winged Robin, Red-winged Francolin, Joyful Greenbul, White-napped Pigeon, Abyssinian Ground Thrush, Red-chested Flufftail, White-bellied Crested Flycatcher, Uganda Woodland Warbler, White-collared Oliveback, Leaf Love, African Broadbill, Willcock's Honeyguide. White-winged Warbler, White-spotted Flufftail, Scaly-throated Honeyguide.

Besides birding, Kibale Forest is also home toElephants, Buffalo, Giant Forest Hog and antelope species.

Accomodation of choice: Ndali lodge and Mantana tented Camp.

Day 7,8 & 9-Birding tour to Semliki, Uganda
Semliki National Park is the only lowland forested park in Uganda. It lies at an altitude of 650m above sea level. This forest marks the eastern extention of the Great Ituri Forest, therefore it is the place in Uganda with high chances of possibly encountering some of the West African species which can not be easily accessed from other places.
Semliki National Park is ranked number 2 in Uganda's hot birding spots by Members of the African Bird Club. Specialties include: Congo Serpent Eagle, Black-throated Coucal, Grey-throated Rail, Nkulengu Rail, Long-tailed Hawk, Spot-breasted Ibis, Capuchin Babbler, Yellow-throated Nicator, Northern Bearded Scrub Robin, Red-chested Owlet, Western Bronze-napped Pigeon, Black-collared Lovebird, White-bellied Kingfisher, Red-rumped Tinkerbird, Lyre-tailed Honeyguide, Zenker's Honeyguide, White-throated Blue Swallow, Bate's Nightjar, Yellow-throated Cuckoo, Orange-tufted Sunbird, Black-winged Oriole, Red-billed Helmet Shrike, Lemon-bellied Crombec, Rufous-sided Broadbill, Icterine Greenbul, Swamp Palm Bulbul, Crested Malimbe and Blue-billed Malimbe, Fiery-breasted Bush-shrike, Pale-fronted Negrofinch Piping Hornbill, Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill, Black Dwarf Hornbill, White Crested Hornbill, Black-casqued Wattled Hornbill and White-thighed Hornbill.

Accommodation of choice: Vanilla Hotel at Bundibugyo.

Days 10, 11, 12 & 13- Birding safari to Bwindi, Birding Buhoma and Gorilla tracking, Uganda
Today we head further South to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Depending on the season we may choose to go through the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, where there are chances of encountering the Tree-climbing Lions at the Ishasha section of the Park. Packed lunch will be arranged in advance to enjoy later as you travel. Depending on the time of arrival we may enjoy birding on the self-guided Munyaga Trail.

Accommodation of choice: Gorilla Resort, Buhoma Homestead- Uganda

Forest birding at Bwindi ranks the best in Uganda. It is home to over 23 highly localized Albertine Rift endemics. Special birds include: Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Grauer's Warbler, Banded Prinia, Black-faced Apalis, Black-throated Apalis, Mountain Masked Apalis, Red-throated Alethe, Yellow-eyed Black-flycatcher, Ashy Flycatcher, Dusky-blue Flycatcher, Chapin's Flycatcher, Chin-spot Batis, Rwenzori Batis, Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher, White-bellied Crested-flycatcher, Pale-breasted Illadopsis, Mountain Illadopsis, African Hill-babbler, Dusky Tit, Blue-throated Brown Sunbird, Blue-headed Sunbird, Northern Double-collared Sunbird, Grey-headed Sunbird, Mackinnon's Fiscal, Sooty Boubou, Pink-footed Puffback, Doherty's Bush-shrike, White-naped Raven, Montane Oriole, African Golden Oriole, Stuhlmann's Starling, Narrow-tailed Starling, Waller's Starling, Strange Weaver, Brown-capped Weaver, Black-billed Weaver, Dusky Crimsonwing, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Magpie Mannikin, Yellow-crowned Canary, Thick-billed Seedeater, Streaky Seedeater, African Green Broadbill, Shelly's Crimsonwing, Oriole Finch, Mountain Buzzard, Ayre's Hawk-eagle, Handsome Francolin, Black-billed Turaco, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, African Wood-Owl, Rwenzori Nightjar, Scarce Swift, Bar-tailed Trogon, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Black Bee-eater, (Western) Bronze-naped Pigeon, Red-chested Owlet, Tullberg's Woodpecker, Elliot's Woodpecker, African Broadbill, Western Green Tinkerbird, African Green Broadbill, Lagdens Bush Shrike, Petit's Cuckoo-shrike, Grey Cuckoo-shrike, Archer's Ground Robin, Toro Olive-Greenbul, Ansorge's Greenbul, Equatorial Akalat, White-bellied Robin-chat, Olive Thrush, White-tailed Ant-thrush, Grauer's Rush-warbler, Short-tailed Warbler, Neumann's Warbler and Red faced Woodland-warbler.

Days 14 & 15-Birding tour to Ruhiija, Uganda
Ruhiija section of Bwindi offers premier high altitude birding in Uganda. Bird watching in Ruhiija makes Bwindi qualify as the best birding spot in Africa - ranked by members of the African Bird Club. It is here that the most sought-after endemics of the Albertine Rift in Uganda are found. As we move up to Ruhiija, the high altitude section of Bwindi, we pass through the Neck, an excellent birding area in its own right which we will explore as we go along.

Roadside birding to Ruhiija provides excellent chances of encountering Black Bee-eater, Augur Buzzard, Handsome Francolin, Red-throated Wryneck, Archer's Robin Chat, Collared Apalis, Bronze Sunbird, Scarce Swift, Black Saw-wing, Cassin's Grey and White-eyed Slaty Flycatchers, Brown-crowned Tchagra, Toro Olive Greenbul, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Doherty's Bush-shrike, Many-coloured Bush-shrike, Ruwenzori Batis, Stripe-breasted Tit, Yellow Bishop, Collared Apalis, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Stripe-breasted Tit, White-naped Raven, Strange and Baglafecht Weaver, Dusky Crimson-Wing, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Black-and-White Mannikin, the rare Dusky Twinspot, Streaky Seedeater, Archer's Robin-chat, Grauer's Rush Warbler, Lagden's Bush-shrike, Dusky Crimsonwing and Shelley's Crimsonwing. Other high elevation species occurring here are Olive Pigeon, White-starred Robin, Cinnamon Bracken Warbler and Mountain Illadopsis.
Nights will be spent at Researcher's Station at Ruhiija.

Day 15- Birding tour to Mubwindi Swamp, Uganda
After breakfast we head for a whole day birding to the Mubwindi Swamp. The 4km trail to Mubwindi Swamp drops from 2350m to 2050 m and is the best place for some of the most difficult to find of all rift endemics including Grauer's (African Green) Broadbill the beautiful Regal Sunbird and Archer's Robin-Chat.

Mubwindi Swamp is home to Dwarf Honeyguide, Stripe-breasted Tit, Ruwenzori Apalis and African Hill Babbler sometimes treated as a separate species Rwenzori Hill Babbler, the rare and localized Grauer's Scrub-Warbler and Carruthers' Cisticola. Other very difficult to see species include: Fraser's Eagle-Owl, African Green Broadbill, Grauer's Rush Warbler, Purple-breasted, Blue-headed and Regal Sunbirds, Grauer's Broadbills, Eastern Mountain-Greenbul, Strange Weaver, Black-headed Waxbill, Bar-tailed Trogon, White-headed Woodhoopoe, Waller's Starling, Stuhlmann's Starling, Ludher's Bush-shrike Handsome Francolin and Montane Nightjar.

Day 16- Birding to Kamplala, Uganda
This day we shall wind up our trip by birding on the way to Kampala with a few birding spots.
Accommodation of choice: Lindsay Cottages, Windsor Lake Victoria- Uganda

Day 17- End of tour / Departure.