An experience that confirms why Uganda is nicknamed a “birdwatchers’ paradise.”

CATEGORY: MID-RANGE – UP-MARKET | DURATION: 6 DAYS | NO. OF PEOPLE: 2 | |COST P/P: From USD. 8,583

Note: Local flights and mid-range (only) options available (in some locations) upon request.

Cost disclaimer: The cost of the package is per two people sharing. Prices may change due to inflation and other factors, and will vary according to number of people, season and preferences, among other reasons. Please contact us for an up-to-date costing.

“Uganda is arguably the most attractive country in Africa to birdwatchers, not only because of the unusually high number of species recorded within its borders, but also because it offers easy access to several bird-rich habits that are difficult to reach elsewhere.” (Bradt, Uganda, 2020, 9^th ed., p.50).

Located in a transition point between the savannah East Africa, rainforest West Africa and semi-desert North Africa, Uganda has 1,097 species recorded, but only one or two are said to be endemic to the country. In the East African region, 150 species (more than 10%) are found only in Uganda.

DAY 1: ARRIVAL INTO UGANDA

Travel 6.2km from Entebbe Airport to your hotel in Entebbe. Check into hotel for the night. If arrival into Entebbe is early enough, option to start ticking off our wish list with species like eastern plantain eater, black headed gonolek, northern brown-throated weaver, and red chested sunbird at both your hotel, the Entebbe Botanical Gardens and/or at the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre.

DAY 2: SHOEBILL EXCRUSION IN MABAMBA BAY

You will have an early morning departure from Nakiwogo Landing Site in Entebbe to go on a half day birding excursion in Mabamba Swamp. Located on the fringes of Lake Victoria, the second biggest freshwater lake in the world, Mabamba Swamp is designated as an Important Birding Area (IBA). In a motorized dug-out canoe, you will go in search of the pre-historic shoebill stork in addition to other water bird species such as the purple swamphen, northern brown-throated and village weavers, white-faced whistling and yellow billed duck, white-winged terns, squacco, purple, grey and striated herons, long-tailed and great cormorants, common and wood sandpipers, spur-winged and long-toed lapwings, African and Lesser jacana, and many more. Upon return from Mabamba Swamp, you will use the afternoon to search for more bird species in the lush Entebbe area.

DAY 3: DRIVE TO MURCHSION FALLS NATIONAL PARK VIA ZiWA RHINO SANCTUARY

Designated as a game reserve in 1926, Murchison Falls National Park is the oldest conservation area in the country. It is also the largest with 3,840km² of savanna grasslands, woodland, forest and the Victoria Nile. It is home to 76 mammals including elephants, lions, leopards, hippos, giraffes, buffalos, and Nile crocodiles, and 451 bird species classified in broader categories of savannah, forest and water birds. The most common of the large birds found in the plains include Abyssinian ground hornbills, Denham’s bustard, black kites, open-billed storks, Bateleur eagle, white-backed, Ruppell’s vulture, hooded and lappet-faced vultures, martial eagle and many more.

You will start your 6.5hr journey early with a stopover at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary found in Nakasongola District for rhino tracking. The Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is the only place in Uganda where you can see white rhinos in the wild. In the 1970s, as a result of poaching and war, rhinos went extinct in Uganda. Between 2001 and 2006, 6 white rhinos were reintroduced to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, and the population is over 40 today. You will track them for between 30 minutes to 2 hours and get to observe them up-close for an hour. After the trek, you will continue on your journey to Murchison Falls National Park while birding along the Kafu-Masindi stretch.

Upon arriving into the Park, your first stop will be the Budongo Forest Reserve, the largest natural forest in Murchison Falls National Park. In Budongo, there is a popular birding spot called The Royal Mile – a stretch of one mile that was the King of Bunyoro’s favorite hunting area. Here, you will look for species such as Cassin’s hawk, Ayres’s hawk, crowned eagle, spotted, Toro olive, joyful greenbul, Nahan’s francolin, Puvel’s Illadopsis, Cassin’s and Sabine’s Spinetail, Black-collared Lovebird, Chocolate-backed, blue-breasted and African dwarf kingfishers, Ituris batis, brown twinspot, grey-headed oliveback, Jameson’s wattle-eye, chestnut-capped flycatcher, lemon-bellied crombec and many more. While birdwatching, you may encounter other primates such as chimpanzees, olive baboons, black-and-white colobus, blue, red-tailed monkeys and grey-cheeked mangabeys. You will the drive to the hotel, check-in, dinner and overnight.

DAY 4: MORNING GAME DRIVE AND BOAT SAFARI TO THE BOTTOM OF THE FALLS

You will start your day with an extended game drive for a great mixture of mammals and birds.  Murchison Falls National Park was voted No. 9 best birding spot in Africa with over 459 bird species and best wildlife sighting destination with over 76 mammal species. While enjoying amazing wildlife, you will have the chance to check off savannah species such as speckle-fronted weaver, swallow-tailed bee-eater, African pygmy kingfisher, red-necked falcon, southern and northern carmine bee-eater. You will carry a packed breakfast from your hotel.

After the game drive, you will return to the hotel for lunch and relaxation. Then you will go on a private boat safari on the Nile to the bottom of the Falls where you will view a variety of bird species such as the brown-backed scrub robbin, red-faced crombec, Harlequin quail, African rock martin, Angola, red-rumped and rufous-chested swallow, Isabelline wheatears, whinchat, and sooty chats, and  animals, including hippos, elephants, buffalos, and Nile crocodiles as they come to drink from the Nile. You will return to the hotel for dinner and overnight at the hotel.

DAY 5: BOAT SAFARI DOWN THE DELTA, COMMUNITY WALK AND BIRDWATCHING

You will spend the morning on a private boat safari down the Albert Delta for another chance to see the shoebill stock. Other water birds you may spot are the red-throated bee-eater, African skimmer, African darter, saddle-billed stork, African finfoot, painted snipe, little and dwarf bitterns, white-backed night herons, little grebe, northern and southern carmine, red-throated bee-eaters, giant kingfishers, African skimmers, wattled lapwings, African spoonbills, yellow-billed stork, Goliath heron, rock pratincoles. In addition to the birds, you are very likely to see game such as the hippos laying in large pools, elephants and Nile crocodiles.

After the safari, you will return to the hotel for lunch, In the afternoon, you will take a community walk to observe and interact with the rich people and rich cultures of the people living along the Nile. Before returning to the hotel, you will go on a birdwatching excursion in the area. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

DAY 6: TOP OF THE FALLS AND TRANSFER BACK ENTEBBE

After breakfast, you will check out of the hotel and drive to the Top of the Falls. The park is bisected by the Victoria Nile, which plunges 45m over the Rift Valley wall. Huge volumes of River Nile waters force their way into a gorge less than 10 meters wide. They are powerful and beautiful. You will view the falls, then start your 6hr journey back to Entebbe. Ensure flight out of Entebbe is at 11pm or later. Option to spend the night in Kampala or Entebbe (accommodation not included in cost, but can be arramged).

INCLUSIONS:

6-day Landcruiser hire with diver/guide, guide expenses, fuel, all activity fees (BB), 2 nights mid-range accommodation (BB), 3 nights up-market accommodation (FB), all meals denoted as BB, HB or FB and lunches during travel, medical emergency evacuation, soft drinks and light snacks in vehicle.

EXCLUSIONS:

Flights in and out of Uganda, visa fees, travel insurance, meals and drinks not included in the itinerary, tips (gratuity) and items of a personal nature.