10 Days Uganda primates birding safari and Rhinos

10 Days Uganda Birding, Rhinos and Primates Safari

10 Days Uganda Birding, Rhinos and Primates Safari aims at introducing you to Uganda’s finest forests, rare Rhinos, Chimps and Gorillas. It involves birding in the rich furnished forests of Mpanga, Budongo, Kibale and Bwindi not forgetting Mabamba swamp.

It includes tracking the Rhinos at Ziwa sanctuary, tracking Chimpanzees in Kibale forest and trekking the mighty mountain gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park

You will start and end in Entebbe. With the safari 10 days tour, you will have a 10 days tour package taking you through Entebbe, Uganda and 14 other destinations in Uganda. 10 Days Uganda Birding, Rhinos and Primates Safari includes accommodation in a hotel as well as an expert guide, meals, transport etc

The birding safari includes

• Accommodation
• Guide Meals
• Additional Services
• Transport
• Guide/ driver
• Chimpanzee trekking permits
• Park entrance
• Gorilla permits

The birding safari excludes

• Tips
• Visa
• Drinks
• Flight tickets
• What not included in the package
• Insurance

Porter fee while trekking.

Detailed Itinerary day by day

Day 1: Birding in Mabamba swamp and Mpanga forest

The first day of the birding recreational trip is to search for ancient shoebill at Mabamba Swamp and forest birds at Mpanga forest.

Mabamba is a large wetland stretching through a long narrow bag, fringed with papyrus towards the western main Lake of Victoria in Mpigi District.  It has the status of unprotected area with different bird categories. This important Bird Area (IBA) is one of the best areas along the northern shores of Lake Victoria for bird watching, it is the closest place to Kampala.

While looking for the shoebill, boats are used to move through the channels of the swamp. It takes between two to three hours to locate the shoebill. The shoebill is usually seen standing while waiting to catch its prey such as frogs, lungfish and water snakes.

However other species of water birds such as the African Jacanas, Yellow billed Ducks, White faced Whistling, Purple swamphens, Northern brown throated weaver, Gull billed terns, White winged warbler, Papyrus Gonolek, African darter, Rufous bellied heron are seen.

After the memorable birding experience at Mabamba, you will proceed to Mpanga forest in search for forest birds such as Little Greenbul, Lesser Honey Guide, Grey headed Nigrita, White breasted Nigrita, Western spotted Fluff tail and Red tailed Bristtlebill etc.

Bird watching

These birds can be seen feeding, perching, displaying, mating while others can be seen establishing their colonies.

Mpanga Forest covers about 453 hectares of land and it has a small patch of natural equatorial rainforest. It is found in Mawokota-Mpigi District about 37 kilometers southwest of Kampala and it is located along the Kampala-Masaka highway.

It has 500species of trees and shrubs, 300 species of birds, 97 butterflies and 112 moths. The three species of monkeys can be seen in the forest such as Red-tailed monkey, Black and White colobus monkeys and Vervet monkeys.

You can have an opportunity to spot a number of small mammals including the Pottos, Pangolins and Bushabies.

After a busy day of bird watching, you will be driven to Kampala for your overnight stay.

Accommodation at Speke Hotel.

Start point

Entebbe International Airport, Entebbe, Wakiso, Uganda

Day 2: Travel to Masindi town for an overnight stay with enroute rhino track at Ziwa rhino sanctuary in and around Masindi.

After breakfast, you will travel to Ziwa rhino sanctuary for Rhino tacking and birding. Ziwa rhino sanctuary is the first sanctuary in Uganda with over 22 White Rhinos. As you travel you will enjoy the beautiful views of the varied landscapes and vegetation. Ziwa rhino sanctuary was founded in 2005 for the protection of the Rhinos and it is the only place in Uganda where rhinos are tracked in the wild.

In the afternoon, you will go for birding in the sanctuary. The expected birds to be spotted from this sanctuary include White crested Turaco, Bruce’s green pigeon, Thick billed cuckoo and White winged tit and so many other different species of birds.

After the day’s activities you will proceed to Masindi for dinner and an overnight stay.

Accommodation at Masindi Hotel

Day 3: Birding in Budongo forest and visit the top of Murchison Falls.

After breakfast you will drive to Budongo forest which is the largest forest in Uganda for birding expedition. Budongo forest is an ideal place for birding with lots of special species of birds which are found in Congo. The bird species found here include; Chocolate Backed Kingfisher, Dwarf Kingfisher, Shinning Blue Kingfisher, Blue breasted Kingfisher, Chestnut Wattle Eye, Ituri Batis, Chestnut capped Warbler, Lemon bellied Crombec, White thighed Hornbill and Eremomela.

This safari will take you to the top of the falls. This is an interesting spot for everyone to visit.

You will return to the lodge in the evening for an overnight stay at Masindi Hotel

Day 4: Travel to Kibale forest National Park

Early morning, you will travel to Kibale forest taking Hoima- Kagadi road. It is a 7 hours’ drive up to Kibale forest National Park. As you travel you will have occasionally stop overs to view the beautiful rift valley escarpments as well as farming plantations along the way. Have lunch enroute in Fort Portal town.

You will reach Kibale forest in the evening, check in at your hotel for dinner and an overnight at Kibale Forest Camp

Day 5: Birding and Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale forest national park

Early in the morning, you will be picked by our ranger and guide from Kibale’s special- the Green breasted Pitta and chimp tracking. On a lucky day, you can see the pitta displaying.

Chimp tracking is an adventurous activity that is part of this day. Chimpanzees are the closest relatives to man with 98.7 DNA. When chimps are located, you are allowed to spend a maximum of one hour within their vicinity and then after exist the forest.

In the afternoon, you will go for Bigodi Swamp walk which is an amazing excursion. The expected birds of this activity include Green Crombec, Little Greenbul, Tooro olive greenbul, Grey capped pigeon, olive pigeon, Cassin’s grey flycatcher.

However apart from the Chimpanzees, other primates that can be seen during the Bigodi swamp walk include Red colobus, Black and white colobus, Uganda Mangabey, olive baboon, Blue monkey, vervet monkeys etc

Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable forest

After an early morning breakfast, you will be driven to Bwindi forest taking Kasese- Queen Elizabeth route through the Ishasha sector. This route consists of areas that are habitats of wildlife including the tree climbing lions. Along the way, you will make stop overs for some birding to enrich your birding list.

When you arrive at Bwindi-Buhoma you will check in at your accommodation for an overnight stay and you will prepare for the next day’s activities of gorilla trekking and birding.

Bwindi impenetrable National Park lies in southwestern Uganda on the edge of the rift valley covered with hillsides that are blanketed by one of Uganda’s oldest back over 25000 years and contains almost 400 species of plants. This forest also protects over 400 mountain gorillas including habituated groups which can be trekked.

This region provides shelter to 120 mammals including several primate species such as baboons and chimpanzees as well as elephants and antelpoes.There are around 350 species of birds hosted in this forest.

You will have your accommodation at Ride for woman

Day 7: Gorilla trekking and birding in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park

After your briefing you will walk through the large bush to trek for these endangered animals. This wonderful and memorable activity takes a duration of 4-7 hours while searching in the jungle.

The time allowed for you to trek the Gorillas is one hour for conservation purposes. This is an awesome experience which is not worthy forgetting. After you will return to your lodge and have a rest.

In the afternoon, you will go for birding in Bwindi forest in search of Albertine rift endemics such as Chapin’s Flycatcher, Black billed weaver. Short tailed Warbler, Bar tailed trogon, Black faced Rufous Warbler, Red throated Alethe, mountain illadopsis, Dusky long tailed cuckoo, Tulbergs wood pecker, Banded Prinia, Elliot’s wood pecker, Dwarf honey guide, Brown capped weaver, pink footed puff back, purple breasted sunbird, Blue shouldered Robin etc.

Accommodation at Ride for woman

Day 8: Birding in Buhoma-Ruhijja sector

Buhoma –Ruhijja sector is another great birding zone and its part of impenetrable forest. The day’s activity involves birding along the route that lies between Buhoma and Ruhija.

On your way to Ruhijja you will encounter different bird species and these include Black collared Apalis, mountain Apalis, African black duck, Black bee eater, Grey cuckoo shrikes, many colored  bush shrikes, Black billed Turaco, White tailed Blue Flycatcher, Regal sunbird etc.

In the afternoon you will arrive in Ruhijja and have lunch, later you will go for an evening Birding

Day 9: Travel to Lake Mburo National Park

Early in the morning, you will depart from Bwindi and head to Lake Mburo National Game Park for another wonderful encounter with the wild of Uganda.

Lake Mburo National Park is a habitat to more than 60 species of mammals including impala which only lives in this park, the Burch ell’s zebras, Buffalos, Warthogs, Hippos, Leopard, Topis, Elands and Hyenas etc. It is also a home to 350 bird species which include the rare Shoe bill stork, African fin foot, Saddle- billed etc.

On your arrival you will go for an afternoon boat cruise on Lake Mburo. This lake is rich with animal and plant species which can only be viewed clearly while on the boat trip. These include crocodiles, Hippopotami and birds like African Fin foot, Pelicans, Black crake, Heron, Cormorant and fish eagle. You will also see the rare Shoebill stork.

Later on you will have an accommodation at Eagles Nest

Day 10: Transfer to Entebbe International Airport with a brief stopover at the Equator monument.

After a tasty breakfast you will be driven by our guide driver to Entebbe Airport. On your way to the Airport you can stop and take a visit to the Equator that runs through Uganda. It’s wonderful and memorable to take pictures underneath the Equator sign. Hence this makes the end of the birding tour or experience.