Safari Overview
This adventure will lead you to the different national parks that inhabit the Albertine rift endemics in Uganda. Mgahinga National Park is the tiniest national park in Uganda and has documented more than 180 different bird species which include the Albertine Rift Endemics. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is the perfect and most popular birding spot in Africa and has a stunning 23 out of Uganda’s 24 Albertine Rift Endemics. The renowned Mt. Rwenzori which is also called “mountains of the moon” situated in western Uganda inhabits 19 Albertine Rift endemics. Semuliki National Park has the highest concentration of forest birds in Africa especially Central African species.
Some of the key species that you will interact with on this tour are the Black Bee-eaters, Bar-tailed Trogon, Malachite, Toro-Olive Greenbul, Regal, Yellow-billed Barbet, Cassin’s Hawk Eagle, Scarlet-tufted Sunbirds, Rwenzori Nightjar, Rwenzori Turcaco, Think billed and Streaky Seedeaters, Dusky Twinspot, Archer’s Robin Chat, Grey-headed Sparrow, Cape Robin, Red-headed Malimbe, White-starred Robin, Doherty’s Bush-Shrike, African Green Broadbill, Oriole Finch, Handsome Francolin, Dwarf Honey-Guide, Rwenzori Batis, Waller’s Starling, Collared Apalis, Lagden’s Bush-Shrike and the Dusky Crimsonwing.
The areas you will tour are moist woodland, Papyrus swamps, forest, Riverine forest, Borassus Palm Savannah, Acacia Savannah, lakes, agricultural lands plus grasslands.
Optional activities include gorilla and golden monkey trekking.
Day 1: Arrival for the Uganda Birding Tour
Day 2: Transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park for Birding
Day 3: Birding in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Day 4: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable forest for Albertine rift endemics.
Day 5: Birding in Bwindi Impenetrable national park.
Day 6: Transfer to Buhoma- Bwindi for Birding
Day 7: Gorilla trekking and Birding at Buhoma
Day 8: Transfer to Mt. Rwenzori National Park
Day 9: Birding in Rwenzori Mountains National Park
Day 10: Transfer to Semuliki National Park
Day 11&12: Enjoy Birding in Semuliki National Park
Day 13: Transfer to Entebbe
Day 14: Departure to Airport, end of Birding Safari
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival for the Uganda Birding Tour
When you arrive at Entebbe International airport, you will be welcomed by a member of the staff of Travel Gorge Tours who will drive you to your hotel in Entebbe. If you arrive a bit early in the day or in the afternoon, you can head to Entebbe botanical gardens to bird as a lead to Uganda birding for numerous bird species.
Meal plan: Dinner
Accommodation Options: Imperial resort hotel (luxury), or The Boma (Mid-range), or African Roots GH (Budget)
Day 2: Transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park for Birding
We start the day with an early breakfast before heading to the south western corner of Uganda for an exceptional birding encounter in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is the smallest but most beautiful national park in Uganda.
We will stop at many places in specific swampy areas and agricultural lands to see rare bird species. We will the head back to our hotel in the evening to get some rest and prepare for another day of bird watching in Mgahinga gorilla national park for the Albertine rift endemics.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Mt Gahinga Lodge (luxury), or Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge (Mid-range), or Travellers Lodge (Budget)
Day 3: Birding in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Mgahinga gorilla national park has documented over 180 different bird species that also include the Albertine rift endemics. We shall hike through a number of montane habitats through the Gorge trail looking for a variety of bird species specific to this area.
The species to look out for are the Cape Robin, Dusky Turtle Dove, Malachite Sunbird, Cape Robin-chat, Western Green Tinkerbird, Olive Pigeon, Brown-crowned Tchagra, Black headed waxbill, Bronze Sunbird, Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, Archer’s Robin Chat, Black-headed Waxbill, Shelly’s Dusky Crimsonwing, Streaky Seedeater, White Starred Robin, Rwenzori Batis, Rwenzori Turcaco, Handsome Francolin, Greater Double collard Sunbird, and the Kivu Ground Thrush.
Other species you could search for in the forested habitat include Scarlet-tufted Sunbirds, White-starred Robin, Malachite, Brown Woodland Warbler, as well as the striped breasted Tit.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Mt Gahinga Lodge (luxury), or Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge (Mid-range), or Travellers Lodge (Budget)
Day 4: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable forest for Albertine rift endemics.
Bwindi Impenetrable forest is the most abundant forest in East Africa in terms of its diverse wildlife as well as its trees. Over 360 mountain gorillas reside in this forest which is half of the population of this endangered species in the whole world. It is also a home to over 347 different bird species today. Bwindi Impenetrable forest is a home to ten of the twenty six globally endangered species in Uganda with five of these being vulnerable and also inhabits 24 of Uganda’s 25 Albertine Rift endemics.
While we are in Ruhija, the birds to look out for include Sharpe’s Starling, Rwenzori Batis, Willcock’s Honey guide, Collared Apalis, Dusky Crimsonwing, Montane Sooty Boubou, Black headed Waxbill, Banded Prinia, Purple-breasted Sunbirds Abyssinian Crimsonwing, Mountain and Yellow-streaked Greenbul, Northern Olive Thrush, Shelley’s Crimsonwing, Mountain Illadopsis, Regal Sunbirds, Archer’s Robin-chat, Blue headed, White-starred Robin as well as the Strange Weaver.
We shall stop by Echuya forest which is a great spot for bird watching and provides you with the chance to see the Albertine rift endemics.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Bakiga Lodge (Mid-range), or Broadbill Forest Camp (Budget)
Day 5: Birding in Bwindi Impenetrable national park
After an early breakfast, we head to Mubwindi swamp where the track takes a sharp downward slope through the thick forest and then bends through the soggy forest. At first the birds you will come across are like all the others you’ve seen before and then you will start seeing unique and localized birds like the African Green Broadbill which is also called Grauers Broadbill. It resides next to the Mubwindi swamp and can be a little bit hard to see while on this tour however with experienced and qualified guides, you will be able to find them.
You may also come across the Rwenzori Nightjar, Yellow-billed Barbet, Think-billed and Streaky Seedeaters, Black-billed Turaco’s, Dusky Twinspot, Bar-tailed Trogon, Grey-headed Sparrow, White-headed Hoopoe, Red-headed Malimbe, Doherty’s Bush-Shrike, Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Oriole Finch, Montane Oriole, Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk, Pink-footed Puffback, Dwarf Honey-Guide, Lagden’s Bush-Shrike, localized Grauer’s Rush Warbler as well as Waller’s Starling.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Bakiga Lodge (Mid-range), or Broadbill Forest Camp (Budget)
Day 6: Transfer to Buhoma- Bwindi for Birding
We set off from Ruhija section of Bwindi for Buhoma for Gorilla tracking and more birding experiences. We make a stopover at “The Neck” to observe the birds in this area which is very vital because you will get to see birds like the pink footed puffback, black bee-eaters, Cassin’s grey flycatcher, Toro-Olive Greenbul, Mountain wagtail, Cassin’s Hawk Eagle plus the unique Chapin’s Flycatcher.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Buhoma lodge (luxury), or Buhoma Haven Camp (Mid-range), or Buhoma community Rest Camp (Budget)
Day 7: Gorilla trekking and Birding at Buhoma
The Buhoma part of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is made up of trails that go through the forest therefore providing you with the perfect bird seeing points. The different bird species to search for are Olive Green and Grey-backed Camropteras, Brown Sunbirds, White-chinned Prinia, Blue-headed Sunbirds, Cape wagtail, Northern Double-collared Sunbirds, White-bellied Robin-chat, Grey headed Sunbirds, Handsome Francolin, Black Bee-Eater, Streaky Seedeater, Kivu Ground Thrush, Thick-billed Seedeater, African Golden Oriole, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Montane Oriole, Common Stonechat, African broadbill, Black throated Robin chat, Rwenzori Batis, Barred Long tailed Cuckoo, Chin spot Batis, Black throated Apalis as well as Mountain Masked Apalis.
In the early morning you will have an option to trek mountain gorillas
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Buhoma lodge (luxury), or Buhoma Haven Camp (Mid-range), or Buhoma community Rest Camp (Budget)
Day 8: Transfer to Mt. Rwenzori National Park
After an early breakfast, we pack lunch and head towards Rwenzori Mountains National Park. We travel through Queen Elizabeth national park where we shall have many chances to stop at different places for bird viewing before proceeding to the hotel for the night. You should watch out for lions that climb trees in Ishasha where they usually are spotted while travelling through Ishasha on your way to Rwenzori Mountains NP.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Equator Snow Lodge (luxury), or Sandton Hotel (Budget)
Day 9: Birding in Rwenzori Mountains NP
We wake up early in the morning so that we can catch up with the rare Rwenzori birds like Willcock’sHoneyguide, Rwenzori Double-collared sunbird, Kivu Ground Thrush, Red faced, Grey Apalis, Cassin’s Hawk-eagle, Bamboo warbler, the Abyssinian, Dusky and Shelly’s Crimsonwing, Grauer’s Cuckoo-shrike, Rwenzori Turaco, Sooty Flycatcher, Woodhouse Antipecker, Rwenzori Batis, Cassin’s grey fly catcher, Banded Prinia, Rwenzori Nightjar, the Rwenzori Hill-Babbler plus many others.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Equator Snow Lodge (luxury), or Sandton Hotel (Budget)
Day 10: Transfer to Semuliki National Park
We go bird viewing on our journey to Semuliki national park for a number of central African bird species which are specific to East Africa. We will make a couple of stops to see a few birds on the way to the hotel/lodge where we will spend the night. We will arrive in the evening prepared to tour the park.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Semuliki safari lodge (luxury), or Mountains of the Moon (Mid-range), or Rwenzori view guesthouse (Budget)
Day 11&12: Enjoy Birding in Semuliki National Park
While in Semuliki national park, we will be searching for a variety of primarily Central African species which are not in any other counties than East African countries for example the Western Nicator, Long-tailed Hawk, Yellow-throated Nicator, Congo Serpent Eagle, Mountain Greenbul, White-starred Robin, Toro Olive Greenbul, Lyre-tailed Honey guide, Little Grey Greenbul, the Black-Casqued Wattled, Grey Ground-Thrush, Piping, Oberlaender’s Ground-Thrush, Red-billed Dwarf Hornbills, Common Stonechat, White-crested Hornbills, White-tailed Robin-Chat, Abyssinian Ground-Thrush, Capped Wheatear, Blue Swallow, Northern Bearded Scrub-Robin, Red-eyed Puffback, White-throated Blue Swallow, Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat, Swamp Palm Bulbul, Snowy-headed Robin-Chat, Fire-crested Alethe, Red-throated Alethe, Spotted Greenbul as well as Lowland Akalat among others.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Semuliki safari lodge (luxury), or Mountains of the Moon (Mid-range), or Rwenzori view guesthouse (Budget)
Day 13: Transfer to Entebbe
We set off for Entebbe after spending a number of days looking and searching for the Albertine rift endemics. We shall make stops at a number of places for bird watching on our way to Entebbe. We shall reach the hotel in the evening slightly tired from watching birds for many days but satisfied with the numerous bird species that we came across. We shall have dinner and rest for the night and prepare to head back home the following day.
Meal plan: Breakfat, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Imperial resort hotel (luxury), or The Boma (Mid-range), or African Roots GH (Budget)
Day 14: Departure to Airport, end of Birding Safari
Today is the last day of your Uganda Safari for Albertine endemics. We hope that we met and surpassed all your expectations for this trip watching the different bird species in Uganda. We hope you appreciated the beauty of the Pearl of Africa as you travelled as well as loved the food and the hospitality offered by the locals. We would love to host you again to explore the other parts of the country so please come again. Have a safe trip back home.
Tour Includes:
- Full board accommodation as detailed in itinerary
- Service of an English-speaking driver guide
- Ground transport in a 4WD safari Vehicle
- Bottled water in the car
- Birding fees
- Boat trips
- Park entrance
Tour excludes
- Personal expenses on drinks, telephone, laundry etc.
- Tips to porters and driver/ guide
- Insurance
- All activities listed as optional (gorilla trekking)
- Flight Tickets
- Visas
- Covid Tests