5 DAYS UGANDA BIRDING SAFARIS

Safari Overview

The five day Uganda birding experience begins at Entebbe botanical gardens and proceeds through Mabamba swamps wetland and finally to Lake Mburo national park. During our tour of the Uganda Wildlife Education Center (UWEC) plus the botanical garden, you will get the opportunity to see a number of the bird types in Kampala and when we visit Mabamba swamp, you will get the chance to see the rare shoebill stock as well as the grey heron when we continue to Lake Mburo National Park which is a habitat to about 313 different bird species.

Day 1: Birding in Entebbe (UWEC, botanical garden and Lake Victoria gardens)

Day 2: Birding in Mabamba swamps

Day 3: Transfer and explore Lake Mburo

Day 4: Birding at Lake Mburo

Day 5: Return to Kampala

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Birding in Entebbe (UWEC, botanical garden and Lake Victoria gardens)

We set off early in the morning after breakfast for the Uganda Wildlife Education Center (UWEC) which was previously referred to as the zoo. UWEC has a variety of bird species and has documented over 170.

At UWEC, you will have the chance to see 5 different types of flycatchers for example swamp fly catcher, red bellied, crested shrike fly catcher among others. You will also see 10 different weaver bird species like the African paradise, the unique northern masked weaver bird, grosbeak weaver bird, golden backed, black necked waver bird, lead colored golden and others. Some of the other birds you will come across include gabar goshawk, small banded eagle, African Goshawk, small banded eagle among others. You will also tour the botanical gardens to go birding then take a lunch break and relax later until the evening when you will go back to your hotel for some rest.

Meal plan: Dinner

Accommodation Options: Hotel No 5 (luxury), The Boma (Mid-range), or the Secrets Guesthouse (Budget)

Day 2: Birding in Mabamba swamps

After an early morning breakfast, your driver will come and take you to Nabugabo next to the Mabamba swamps that have the highest concentration of the rare shoebills stock. When you get there, you will have a short briefing and then you will have a canoe ride to the swamps where you will be able to view various bird species for example pygmy goose, black crake, black headed heron, African jacana, squacco, allens gallinule, white face whistling duck, papyrus gonalek, yellow billied duck plus African water rail. We shall later drive to Kampala and make a stopover at the swamp to see some bird species for example yellow crowned bishop weyns weaver, papyrus gonalek among others. We shall then continue to Kampala where we shall reach later in the evening and rest at your hotel.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation Options: Hotel No 5 (luxury), The Boma (Mid-range), or the Secrets Guesthouse (Budget)

Day 3: Transfer and explore Lake Mburo

We start the day early with breakfast before heading to the west to Lake Mburo national park making a stop at the equator in Masaka for a picture moment and then continue westwards until Mburo. You will arrive through Nshara gate where we shall be able to see the spot-flanked barbet northern black tit, trilling cisticola, crested francolin, greater blue eared starling, green wood hoopoe, brown parrot, common scimitar bill and many others. We shall then take a lunch break at a restaurant inside the park. We will then take a game drive in the afternoon in the long zebra track where you will interact with many species like napped rufous, temmricks, rufous, chested swallow and many others. You will also get the chance to see leopard and other night crawlers then you can head back to your hotel for the night.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation Options: Mihingo Lodge (luxury), Rwakobo Rock (Mid-range), or Eagles Nest (Budget)

Day 4: Birding at Lake Mburo

We shall start the day with a trek in the savannah and come across various types of birds. We shall then head back to the hotel to have lunch and get ready for the game drive in the evening in the kigambira loop. During the game drive, you will come across fly catchers like the green capped eramomela, red headed lovebird, red face barbet and many others. We shall then go back to the lodge for the night.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation Options: Mihingo Lodge (luxury), Rwakobo Rock (Mid-range), or Eagles Nest (Budget)

Day 5: Return to Kampala

On the final day of the five day Uganda birding safari we shall take a game drive on the edges of the lake where you will have the opportunity to view the African fin foot, the unique shoebill, papyrus yellow warbler, papyrus gonalek, greater and lesser swamp wobbler. When you

proceed to the lake side camping ground, you will see the African darter, spur winged plovers, and spur winged plovers among others. You can then go back to the hotel for breakfast and then go for a boat ride in search of crocodiles and hippos. You can then pick your luggage from the hotel and head back to Kampala.

Tour includes