12 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari

Our guide will warmly welcome and transfer you to your hotel for a briefing about your tour. Those who will arrive early will have the opportunity of going birding in Mabamba Wetlands to look for the endangered Shoebill stork and other birds such as the four globally threatened species and other species of regional significance, i.e. the Pallid Harrier, Papyrus Gonolek, White-winged Warbler and the Blue Swallow amongst other species. Overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast drive back to Mabamba for further opportunities to find Shoebill and other species of interest missed on the first day. There are seasonal migrants such as Gull-billed Terns, White-winged Black Terns and Whiskered Terns, and residents such as Grey-headed Gulls. Other interesting species found in the marsh include good numbers of Goliath Herons, Spur-winged and Pygmy Geese, Papyrus Yellow Warbler, Papyrus Gonolek and a number of migratory waders. Later we proceed to Lake Mburo National Park, and have a stopover at the Equator. Enroute, we will have a stopover at Kaku Swamp to lookout for more spectacular species like the Rufous-bellied Heron and Hottentot Teal among other species such as: Striped Kingfisher, Bateleur eagle, Levaillant’s Cuckoo, Augur Buzzard, Coqui Francolin, Lilac-breasted Roller, and many more. Overnight stays at Mantana Tented Camp or the Bandas.

After an early breakfast, we go birding in L. Mburo National Park where we hope to spot a number of species such as the Crested Francolin, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, Spot-flanked Barbet, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Black-headed Gonolek and we will take a boat to look for the African Finfoot on the lake. After lunch we start the drive to Kabale, the “Switzerland of Africa” where we will have a good view of beautiful scenery blended with tea plantations. Lookout for birds such as Lesser Masked Weaver and Common Scimitar-bill amongst others as we travel. Over night at the hotel.

After an early breakfast with picnic lunch we start birding enroute Ruhija. We may be lucky and spot Black-fronted duiker and Yellow-backed duikers along the road while birding. Keep eyes open for especially the Long-crested Eagle, Mountain Buzzard, Handsome Francolin, Grey Crowned Crane, Olive Pigeon amongst others.

After another early breakfast, we start birding Bwindi Impenetrable Forest looking for species such as African Crowned Eagle, Bat Hawk, African Harrier-hawk, African Goshawk, Wahlberg’s eagle, Ayre’s Hawk-eagle, Red-chested Flufftail, Temminck’s Courser, Great Blue Turaco, Black-billed Turaco, Ross’s Turaco, a variety of sunbirds and many more. Keep eyes open especially for Albertine rift endemics such as the Dusky and Shelleys crimsonwings, Regal sunbird, Rwenzori batis amongst others.

Another early rising and breakfast. For those who opted for tracking, start the gorilla tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. For tracking, we will head to the briefing point at the park headquarters for a briefing on the dos and don’ts while in the jungle with the gorillas. You will be provided with walking sticks and you are also advised to have your lunch parked with enough drinking water. These treks to find the Mountain Gorilla can be quite strenuous depending on the locations of the gorillas from the start point. But with scouts, guides and porters, if we are lucky, we shall be rewarded with views of one of the most awesome creatures in Africa. Overnight at Gorilla Forest camp or lake Kitandara or Buhoma Homestead.

After breakfast we embark on our journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park. We engage into a game drive upon arrival to look out for birds like the Goliath Heron, Palm-nut Vulture, Brown Snake Eagle, Martial Eagle, African Crake, Senegal & Water Thickness, Kittlitz’s Plover amongst others. Overnight and dinner at Mweya Safari Lodge or Jacana Safari Camp.

We start with an early game drive where we hope to spot the Lion, Spotted Hyena and the rare Giant Forest Hog as well as the various birds in this extraordinary park with a list of over 600 bird species. More birding after breakfast and a return to the lodge for lunch overlooking the Kazinga channel where many species of animals including Elephant and Buffalo come to drink. We can also expect to see Weavers and Robin-chats by the restaurant and sometimes Swamp flycatcher in the restaurant itself. In the afternoon we shall have a launch cruise to explore the Kazinga Channel between Lakes Edward and George; we will see a variety of wildlife and a plethora of birds. Overnight and dinner at Mweya Safari Lodge or Jacana Safari Camp.

To enable an early start we shall take a packed breakfast, and proceed to bird maramagambo forest area around Lake Nyamusingiri looking for: Black Bee Eater, Shining Blue Kingfisher, Blue–breasted Kingfisher, Red-collared Widowbird Honeyguide Greenbul, Snow capped Robin-Chat together with Barbets, Tinker Birds, Woodpeckers and Apalises. After lunch we then go birding to Kibale National Park where we shall see the Kibale Ground-thrush, found once and never found again, and it is the best place in Africa to see Chimpanzee. The forest holds 13 different primate species including Red Colobus and L’Hoest’s Monkey. Overnight at Ndali Lodge or Primate Lodge or primate lodge.

Today we bird the Kibale Forest and Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary looking for birds like Black-billed Turaco, Yellow-spotted Barbet, Hairy-breasted Barbet, Grey-winged Robin-Chat, Papyrus Gonolek, White-collared Oliveback, Superb Sunbird, Grey-headed Sunbird. Overnight at Ndali Lodge or Primate Lodge.

After breakfast we visit Kibale Forest National Park, which is reputed to have the greatest variety and highest concentration of primates in East Africa. The most famous of its 13 species is the Chimpanzee, our closest relative. Kibale 1450 Chimpanzee represent Uganda’s largest population of this endangered primate. Kibale is also a home to the rare L’Hoest’s monkey. Other primates include the black and white Colobus, Blue monkey, Grey cheeked mangabey, Red tailed monkey, Olive baboon to mention but a few. So you will enjoy a guided nature walk in the tropical rainforest in search of the wild chimpanzees, red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys and many others. After lunch we explore the Crater Lake region, which has many crater lakes. Dinner and overnight at either Primate Lodge or Ndali Lodge.

Budget Accommodation: Buhoma community Rest camp or Wagtail Eco-safari camp.

Luxury Accommodation: Silverback lodge, Buhoma lodge or Lake Kitandara Tented camp