UGANDAN BIODIVERSITY TOUR.

Tour At-A-Glance;
Length: 23 days
Best time of year:year round.
Key Sites:Budongo, Imaramagambo, Semliki, Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth Park, Bwindi and Lake Mburo National Park.
Targets: More than 450 species of birds in every habitat type in Uganda, including forest, savanna, wetland, papyrus swamp, there are different special targets.

Overview
This tour is the most spectacular wildlife experience in one of the most fascinating rich biodiversity countries of East Africa. On this tour you will visit the most the most spectacular and productive birding and wildlife sites in all of Uganda.
Target mammals will include Spotted Hyena, Leopard, Lion, Mongeese, Uganda Grass hare, African Elephant, Schools of Hippotumus, Uganda Kob, Jackson's heartbeest, Jackal, Baboons, Chimpanzees, Warthogs, and Giant Forest Hog to mention but a few.
Our target bird species will include: Shoebill, Nahan's Francolin, Purple Breasted Cuckooshrike, African Green Broad bill, Green Breasted Pitta, African Dwarf Kingfisher, Chocolate Backed Kingfisher, African Piculet, Red Rumped Tinkerbird, Red Throated Alethe, Rufous Breasted Sparrowhawk, Pels Fishing Owl, Pennat Winged Night Jar. This expedition-length tour leaves almost no stone unturned in this beautiful Uganda. Driving through the countryside brings you closer to witness the lifestyle of the Uganda rural communities, and the important role they play in conservation of the biodiversity.

ITINERARY:

Day 1: Arrival.
Arrival and transfer to hotel. Early arrivals may have a rest in the morning, and in afternoon/evening, go birding around Entebbe.

Stay in Lindsay Cottages, or Entebbe Travellers' Inn for 2 nights.

Day 2: Birding Mabamba Swamp.
After an early breakfast, drive to Mabamba Swamp, 50 km west of Kampala. Stop en-route at Mpigi Swamp for papyrus rarities. Look for a White-winged Warbler, Papyrus Gonolek, Yellow-backed Weaver, Northern Brown-throated Weaver, Blue-headed Coucal, and other swamp specialties.

We will continue to Mabamba Wetland, where most of the birding is done from a canoe, paddled by our local site guides. Watch for the Shoebill both in the sky and down in the marsh. The Shoebill is the only representative in its family and it's a rare encounter to have a close view of this bizarre bird as it preens, grabs a lung fish in its wooden clog-like bill, or flaps into the sky using its huge, broad wings. Mabamba Swamp is by far the most easily accessible location to view this iconic bird.

Also watch for the Swamp Flycatcher, African Purple Swamphen, African Water Rail, Common Moorhen, Lesser Jacana, African Jacana, African Pygmy Goose, White-faced Whistling-duck, Squacco Heron, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Winding Cisticola, Goliath Heron and Black Crake.

Day 3: Birding Murchison Falls National Park.
We start early for Murchison Falls National Park stopping for lunch at Masindi Hotel.
Murchison Falls is Uganda's largest national park that protects a chunk of untamed African savanna and is bisected by the mighty River Nile. It is named after the dramatic Murchison Falls, where the world's longest river explodes violently through a narrow cleft in the Rift Valley escarpment to plunge into a frothing pool 43 m below. Wildlife populations have largely recovered from the poaching of the 1980's; in the lush Borassus grassland to the north of the Nile, African Elephant, Buffalo, Giraffe and a variety of Antelopes are regularly encountered on game drives, while Lions are seen with increasing frequency. The Nile itself hosts one of Africa's densest hippo and crocodile populations, and a dazzling variety of water birds, including one of Uganda's rarest and most sought-after birds, the Shoebill.

Stay in Paraa Safari Lodge or Nile Safari Camp for three nights.

Day 4: Birding Murchison Falls National Park.
We start birding after an early breakfast. Depending on the information available from our site guides, we may choose to take a boat along the Victoria Nile or a game and birding drive to the delta. Special birds to look for include Shoebill, Secretary Bird, Abyssinian Roller and Ground Hornbill, Pied Kingfishers, Red-throated Bee-eaters, Goliath Heron, Saddle-billed Stork, Sacred Ibis, Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Senegal Thick-knee, Water Thick-knee, Black-headed Lapwing, Long-toed Lapwing, Little Bittern, Osprey, Red-necked Falcon, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Vinaceous Dove and Grosbeak Weaver. Other specials include Buff-bellied Warbler, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Bar-breasted Firefinch, Red-winged Grey Warbler, Spotted Morning-Thrush, Marabou Stork, Red-throated Bee-eater, Silverbird, Beautiful Sunbird, Black-headed Gonolek, Speckle-fronted Weaver, Golden-backed Weaver and White-rumped Seed-eater.

After lunch we take a boat to the bottom of Murchison Falls. We look for Rock Pratincole, White-crested Turacco, Grey Woodpecker, Pel's Fishing Owl, African Darter, Giant Kingfisher and Red-throated Bee-eater.

Day 5: Birding Murchison Falls National Park.
After breakfast, we go for another game drive in the park in search of other rare species. This afternoon we drive to the top of Murchison Falls. From there we view the falls, where a 300 m wide river narrows to a narrow (7meter) gap. Key birds here include Egyptian Plover, Shoebill, Red-winged Grey Warbler, Rock Pratincole, Secretary Bird, Bat Hawk, Pel's Fishing Owl, White-crested Turacco, Vinaceous Dove, Senegal Thick-knee, Bruce's Green Pigeon, Chestnut-crowned Sparrow Weaver, Carmine Bee-eater, Nightjars (Pennant-winged & Standard-winged), White-rumped Canary, and others.

Day 6: Birding Budongo Forest.
Carrying our packed lunches, we start early, birding to Budongo Forest through the escarpment looking for Fox's Cisticola, White-headed Barbet, Northern Crombec, Singing Cisticola, Grey-headed Bush Shrike, Black-billed Barbet, Grey-headed Oliveback, Black-bellied Firefinch, Madagascar Heron, Lesser-masked Weaver and Shikra.

Budongo forest is one of the largest and most beautiful forests in Uganda so our afternoon birding here may be very productive. The Forest is home to the African Dwarf Kingfisher, African Crowned Eagle, Olive Camaroptera, Yellow and Grey Longbills, Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, Rufous-sided Broadbill, Red-tailed Ant-Thrush, Velvet-mantled Drongo, Rufous-crowned Eremomela, Ituri Batis and Nahan's Francolin. Evening birding may give chances of Bat Hawk, African Wood Owl, White-faced Wood Owl, White-crested and Ross's Turacco, Grey Parrots, Piping and White-thighed Hornbills, Black-shouldered Nightjar, as well as Western Tree Hyrax.
In addition to birding, this forest is home to Chimpanzees and Uganda's most beautiful butterflies.

Stay in Masindi Hotel or Court View Hotel for 2 nights.

Day 7: Birding Royal Mile and Busingiro in Budongo.
Today we will bird the Royal Mile and Busingiro starting at dawn. Key species include African Dwarf and Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, Chestnut-crowned Eremomela, White-spotted Flufftail, Yellow and Grey Longbills, 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, Rufous Flycatcher-Thrush, Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, Black-headed 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 might be circling over the canopy and it is also our chance to sort out an array of challenging Greenbuls, amongst them Little Greenbul, Slender-billed Greenbul, White-throated Greenbul and Plain Greenbul, Spotted and Toro Olive Greenbul.

Day 8: Birding Kibale Forest National Park.
Leave early for Kibale Forest National Park. This is a rather long drive but there are a few good birding spots along the way. Birding on arrival may be productive. Kibale Forest birds include Grey-winged Robin, Blue shouldered Robin Chat, Yellow-spotted Barbet, Black-billed Turacco, White-naped Pigeon, Green-breasted Pitta, Red-chested Flufftail, African Pitta, Joyful Greenbul, Cabanis Greenbul, Grey-throated Flycatcher, White-bellied, Crested Flycather, Masked Apalis, Nahan's Francolin, Tiny Sunbird, White-collared Olive-back etc. This forest is also home to 13 primate species.

Stay in Ndali lodge or Nature lodges for 2 nights.

Day 9: Birding and chimp tracking in Kibale Forest.
We assemble for briefing as we prepare for chimp tracking. The movement of the chimps depends upon the availability of food and hopefully they won't be too far away! Birding continues in the afternoon either in the forest or in Bigodi Wetland. Bird species here include: White-tailed Ant-Thrush, Purple-headed Glossy-starling, Brown Illadopsis, Green-breasted Pitta, White-naped Pigeon, Masked Apalis, Toro Olive, White-throated Greenbuls, Buff-spotted, Brown-eared and Yellow-crested Woodpeckers, Green Crombec, Brown-backed Robin, Chestnut Wattle-eye, Red-chested Owlet, Blue-throated and Olive-bellied Sunbirds, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Green-backed Twinspot, Narina's Trogon, Western Black-headed Oriole, Emerald Cuckoo, Red-tailed Bristlebill, White-breasted Negro-finch, Cassin's and Black and White Shrike Flycatchers, Brimstone Canary, Black-necked Weaver, Tambourine Dove, Red-winged, Blue-shouldered Robin-chats, Red-winged Warbler, African Crake, Yellow-bill.

Day 10-11: Birding Semliki National Park.
We start very early in the morning and drive to Semliki National Park for birding in the forest. Semliki is known for its specialties, including 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-naped 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 and Blue-billed Malimbes, Fiery-breasted Bush-shrike, Pale-fronted Negrofinch, Piping, Red-billed, Black Dwarf, White-crested, Black-casqued, Wattled and White-thighed Hornbills.

Accommodation is either Semliki Safari Lodge or Vanilla Lodge at Bundibugyo. We will be birding for two days in Semliki National Park. At the end of the second day, we drive to Mountains of the Moon Hotel in Fort Portal.

Day 12: Birding Rwenzori Mountain and Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Start early and drive to Rwenzori National Park for a whole day of birding. Specialty birds here include Abyssinian Crimsonwing, Red-faced Crimsonwing, Dusky Crimsonwing, Shelly's Crimsonwing, Rwenzori Turacco, Rwenzori Batis, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Rwenzori Double-collared Sunbird.

In the evening, we drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Overnight stay Jacana Lodge or Mweya Safari Lodge.

Day 13: Birding Queen Elizabeth National Park.
We spend the whole morning birding in Queen Elizabeth National Park, then enjoy an afternoon boat cruise on Kazinga Channel. The channel is a natural, narrow neck of water that connects Lakes George and Edward with excellent photographic opportunities for shorebirds and abundant Hippopotamus. Among the birds we'll likely encounter are African Skimmer, Striated Heron, African Spoonbill, African Crake, Water Thick-knee, Three-banded Plover, Marsh, Green, Wood, and Common Sandpipers, Gray-headed Gull, Plain Martin, Lesser Swamp Warbler, Collared Pratincole and Yellow-billed Ox-pecker.

Day 14: Birding Maramagambo forest.
We start early for a whole day birding in the park leading to Maramagambo Forest. Specialties at Maramagambo Forest include the Yellow-bellied and Jameson's Wattle-eyes, Black Bee-eater, White-tailed and Red-tailed Ant-thrushes, Brown and Grey-chested Illadopsis, Shining-blue Kingfisher, Brown-eared Woodpeckers, Narina Trogon, Least Honeyguide, Grey Greenbul, Brown-chested Alethe, and African Finfoot.

Day 15: Birding Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
We will bird along the way to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Evening birding around the margins of forest may also be productive.

Bwindi is generally at a higher altitude and therefore cooler. Temperatures range between 10 and 18 centigrade (50 - 64 degrees F). Forest birding at Bwindi ranks as the best in Uganda, indeed all of Africa. It is home to over 23 highly localized Albertine Rift endemics.

Specialty 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, Cassin's Grey Flycatcher, 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, and many more.
In addition to being an excellent birding spot, Bwindi is home to the most sought-after cousins of human beings, the mountain gorillas. Other mammals include Rwenzori Duiker, Yellow-backed Duiker and L'Hoest's Monkey.

Stay in Gorilla Forest Camp, Gorilla Resort or Buhoma Homestead for 3 nights.

Day 16-17: Birding and optional Gorilla tracking tour.
Note: Gorilla tracking will be an optional excursion and those not wishing to go can spend time looking for the excellent birds around the lower trails accompanied by a local bird guide.

This morning, after breakfast, we shall assemble at the park offices for briefing prior to this historic event. Gorilla tracking is a captivating pursuit; it involves walking in the wilderness in search of these great apes. On occasions the Gorillas prove elusive but often can be found within an hour by the tracker guides. Each encounter is different and has its own rewards, but you are likely to enjoy the close view of adults feeding, grooming and resting as the youngsters frolic and swing from vines in a delightfully playful display. This once-in-a-lifetime experience is NOT TO MISS!

Birding in the afternoon may yield good views of the 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 Turacco, 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.

Day 18: Birding Ruhiija, in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
After an early breakfast, we drive to Ruhiija through the "Neck," birding along the way. Birds we expect to pick up on this drive include Black, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eaters, Cuckoo Shrike, Mackinnon's Fiscal, Yellow-billed Waxbill, Black Saw-wing, Chubbs' Cisticola, Grey Apalis, Augur Buzzard, Petit's Cuckoo Shrike, Pink-footed, Northern Puffbacks, Red-tailed, Little Grey Greenbuls, Chestnut-throated Apalis, Red-throated Martin, East African Swee (Yellow-bellied Waxbill), Yellow White-eye, Dark-capped Bulbul, Yellow-bellied Kite, Yellow-rumped, Speckled-rumped Tinkerbirds, African Stonechat, Grey Cuckoo Shrike, Stripe-breasted Tit, Montane-masked Apalis, Red-faced Woodland, Montane Yellow Warbler, Regal Sunbird, Northern Double-collared Sunbird, Rwenzori Hill Babbler, White-tailed Blue Flycatcher, Yellow-whiskered Greenbul, Yellow-throated Leaf Love, Crested Guinea Fowl, African Crowned Hornbill, Lead-colored Flycatcher, Black-necked Weaver, Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher, Yellow-spotted Barbet, African Harrier Hawk.

Stay in Trekkers' Tavern or Ruhija Campsite for 3 nights.

Day 19: Birding Mubwindi Swamp.
After breakfast we head out for a whole day's birding to Mubwindi Swamp. The 4 km trail to Mubwindi Swamp drops from 2,350 m to 2,050 m and is the best place for some of the most elusive Albertine 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, very difficult to see species include Fraser's Eagle-Owl, African Green Broadbill, Grauer's Rush Warbler, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Blue headed Sunbird, Regal Sunbird, Grauer's Broadbill, Archer's Robin-Chat, Eastern Mountain-greenbul, Strange Weaver, Black-headed Waxbill, Bar-tailed Trogon, White-headed Wood-hoopoe, Waller's Starling, Stuhlmann's Starling, Ludher's Bushshrike, Handsome Francolin and Montane Nightjar.

Day 20: Birding in the bamboo zone, Ruhiija.
We will bird along the main road through the bamboo area hoping for more chances of Albertine Rift and Highland Endemics, such as Black-headed Waxbill, Sharpe's, Waller's Starlings, Western Green Tinkerbird, Olive Pigeon, Archer's and White-starred Robins, Blue-headed Brown, Regal, Collared, Rwenzori Double-collared, Northern Double-collared Sunbirds, Mountain, Yellow-streaked, Slender-billed Greenbuls, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, White-tailed Blue, White-eyed Slaty Flycatchers, Mountain Masked, Rwenzori Apalises, Yellow, Strange Weavers, Stuhlman's Starling, Augur Buzzard, Mackinnon's Fiscal, Streaky Seedeater, Yellow White-eye, Olive Thrush, Classic Cuckoo, Grey-headed, Ludher's Bush Shrike, Cabanis' Greenbul, Chubbs Cisticola, Hill Babbler, Northern Puffback, Grauer's, Mountain Yellow, Red-faced Woodland Warblers, Yellow-throated Tinkerbird, Rwenzori Batis, Yellow-billed Coucal, and the Rwenzori Nightjar.

Day 21: Birding Lake Mburo National Park.
After breakfast, we leave Bwindi and depart for Lake Mburo National Park. Lake Mburo National Park is an interesting and colorful place; every part of it is alive with a variety of wildlife. The park contains an extensive area of wetland and harbors several species of mammals including Zebras, Impalas, Elands, Topi and Buffaloes. The bird population includes: Green-backed Woodpecker, African Finfoot, Brown-chested Plover, Southern Ground Hornbill, Spot-flanked, Red-faced Barbet, Black-collared Barbet, White-winged Warbler, Papyrus Yellow Warbler, Carruther's Cisticola, Papyrus Gonolek, Yellow-billed Oxpecker , and Northern Brown-throated Weaver.

Stay in Mihingo Lodge or Mantana Tented Camp.

Day 22: Birding Lake Mburo National Park.
On this day, we have an early morning birding and game drive and an afternoon boat trip.

Birds we are most likely to pick up here include Black-headed Oriole, White-backed Scrub Robin, Bateleur, Ruppel's Long-tailed Starling, Common Bulbul, Brwon Parrot, Ruppel's Griffon Vulture, Grey Hornbill, White-browed Coucal, Lesser Masked Weaver, Water Thick-knee, Wood Hoopoe, Verreux's Eagle Owl, Woodland Kingfisher, Yellow-billed Oxpecker, Little Bee-eater, Chinspot, Tawny Eagle, Senegal Lapwing, Plain-backed Pipit, Greater Honeyguide, Sooty Chat, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Red-faced Crombec, Brown-tailed, Bronze-tailed Starlings, Northern Brubru, Grey Kestrel, Coqui Francolin, Broad-billed Roller, Grassland Pipit, and Golden-breasted Bunting, African Finfoot, Squacco Heron, Fish Eagle, Black-crowned, White-backed Night Herons, Swamp Flycatcher, Giant Kingfisher, Flappet Lark, Red-shouldered Cuckoo Shrike, Nubian Woodpecker.

The mammals here include Impala, Eland, Uganda Kob, Topi, Water Buck and Bush Buck, Zebra, Buffalo, and hippos yawning in the waters of Lake Mburo.

Day 23: End of Ugandan Biodiversity Birding Tour / Departure.