Trip Overview
Day 1: Birding in Entebbe and the environs.
Day 2: Kampala - Lake Mburo National Park
Day 3: Birding in Lake Mburo National Park. Nature Walks and Game Viewing
Day 4: Birding in Lake Mburo - Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 5: Birding in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Day 6: Birding Immaramagambo forest
Day 7: Birding Queen Elizabeth National Park. Return Trip to Kampala
Day 1: Birding in Entebbe Botanical Gardens
Go birding at the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (U.W.E.C), Botanical gardens and other areas in Entebbe. Formerly started as an animal orphanage and Zoo in the 1920s, the UWEC has gradually grown to be a show place of various flora and fauna. Here you will be able to sight a variety of birds such as Ostrich, Parrots, crowned cranes, pelican and a variety of weaver birds; orange weaver, the northern masked weaver and the shoe bill storks. Have lunch and then proceed for an avi-fauna sighting in the botanical gardens - started by A. Whyte, the first curator of Ugandas Museum. The gardens were started as a natural forest to be used as research grounds for the introduction of various ornamental plants and exotic fruits to Uganda. Birds in this place include, the great blue Turaco, the yellow-throated leaf love, the black and white casqued hornbill, Rosss Turaco, the pied hornbill, orange weaver, the Yellow backed weaver, brown-throated weaver and the fish eagle.Spend the night at the Golf Course Hotel/ The Lodge
Day 2: Kampala To Lake Mburo Np
After an early morning breakfast transfer to Lake Mburo National Park en route making a stop-over at the Equator for photography. Lake Mburo's savannah vegetation is an excellent birding area. With over 315 bird species recorded, Lake Mburo is the best place in Uganda to see acacia-associated birds. Rwonyo Camp is the best place for mosque swallow, black-bellied bastard, bare-faced go-away bird and Rupell's long-taioled starling. A prethora of birds recorded in Lake Mburo national park are essentially southern species at the very northern limit of their range, for instance, the southern ground hornbill, black-collared and black-throated barbets, anmd green-capped eremomela. The swamps are of special interest to birders since they harbour six papyrus endemics which include brilliantly cloured papyrus gonolek, the striking blue-headed coucal, and the highly localized, white-winged and papyrus yellow warbler.Break off for lunch at Rwonyo and move to the lake side for a boat ride. This gives you an opportunity to view water birds such as black tailed bustard, brown chested lapwing, Lilac breasted roller, papyrus yellow warbler, papyrus gonolek, herons, Kingfisher, African water rail the lesser and greater swamp warbler and many others. Rest and spend a night at Mantana Superior Tented Camp / Lake View Hotel - Mbarara.
Day 3: Nature walk to the salt lick
Very early in the morning after breakfast go for a nature walk. Watch out for Lead Coloured fly catcher, African Drongo, the Bare faced go-away Bird, Blue Eared Glossy starling, the Yellow-billed ox-pecker and the Verreauxs Eagle Owl. Dinner and Over-night at Mantana Superior Tented Camp / Lake View Hotel - Mbarara.
Day 4: Lake Mburo NP Game Drive
Wake up to the morning sounds of the dove and go aboard for a game drive along the Zebra Trail as you watch out for bird species such as narina's trogon, deidric cuckoo, temmricks courser, African Wattled plover, Nahan's Francolin, rufous chested swallow and many others.After a late breakfast transfer to Queen Elzabeth National Park. The Park is an excellent place for bird watchers with over 550 species. This is one of the richest and best managed parks in Africa and supports an amazing density of flora and fauna. Have dinner and an overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge / Hippo Hill Camp
Day 5: Launch cruise along the Kazinga channel
After an early morning cup of tea undertake a game drive to catch up with early risers. Through the Kasenyi tracks and the Kikorongo crater area, you will be able to view various bird species like the rupell's griffon vulture, martial eagle, and weavers. Have lunch and then embark on the launch cruise along the Kanzinga channel to look out for the myriad water birds such as pallid harrier, African skimmer, Madagascar pond heron, great snipe, gull billed tern, papyrus gonolek, lesser kestrel and the rare shoe bill stork. Watch out also for other animals such as Hippos, leopard, elephants and the comical warthog. Dinner and overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge / Hippo Hill Camp
Day 6: Nature walk in the Maramagambo forest
Early in the morning after breakfast head to Maramagambo for a forest walk. Bird species such as the brown eared woodpecker, bat hawks, Sulphur breasted bush shrike, fawn breasted Waxbill, the dark capped yellow warbler, Eurasian golden oriole, red headed blue bill, and the African Finfoot. This provides an opportunity to view the black and white colobus monkeys. Overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge / Hippo Hill Camp
Day 7: Return to Kampala
Leave the park for Kampala through Lake Katwe crater area. While traveling to Katwe you may be able to sight warblers, wagtails and swallows. Have a glimpse of traditional methods of salt manufacturing. Then proceed to Kampala with several stop-overs to sight birds such as the African harrier and the southern red bishop.
