Our Uganda tours
are Special Value Tours, giving maximum birding
value for money.
Uganda, a tiny country straddling the equator, is one of the birding
gems of the continent. With over 1000 species having been recorded
here, it has the highest concentration of birds in Africa and is
the most accessible place to see the legendary Shoebill,
one of the world's most bizarre birds.
The misty peaks and fern-laden forests of the Bwindi Impenetrable
National Park, Uganda's best birding hotspot, are an apt setting
to search for a host of exciting Albertine Rift endemics.
It is even suggested that at least one undescribed species might
yet lurk in the park! Furthermore, these mountains offer what is
probably one of the greatest wildlife experiences on earth: the
opportunity to come face to face with one of our closest relatives,
the Mountain Gorilla, in its natural habitat. We'll
also search for Shoebills on small boats in a papyrus swamp, giving
us an excellent chance of a close encounter with this extraordinary
bird.
Offering 24 of the 26 Albertine Rift endemics recorded in Uganda,
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, spans an ecotone from Buhoma's
lowlands ato Riuhija's highlands. At Buhoma, pitta-like Short-tailed
Warblers and Kivu Ground Thrushes skulk
in the mossy undergrowth. African Grey Parrots
fly overhead and groups of Chimpanzees shriek from
deep in the forest. At Ruhija (also spelled Ruhiza), the cloud-swathed
Virunga volcanoes (of Diana Fossey fame) loom in the distance. Here
we'll search for the near mythical African Green Broadbill
and Grauer's Rush Warbler. It is even
suggested that at least one undescribed species might even be lurking
in the park!
During some years,
we also run a Northern Uganda tour to Murchison Falls,
Budongo and Mabira Forests. This
tour is run before or after the Southern tour and allows you the
flexibility either to sneak away for a short break or to enjoy a
longer visit.
For our the detailed
itinerary of our July 2012 tour, please scroll down.
Uganda Green-breasted
Pitta Tour: Fri, 27 July 27 2012 [Birders to y into Entebbe]
Sat, 28 July 2012, Day 1: Uganda tour starts: drive Entebbe to Shoebill
swamp.
Sun, 29 July 2012, Day 2: Entebbe to Kibale Forest.
Mon, 30 July 2012, Day 3: Kibale Forest: First morning for Green-breasted
Pitta at Kibale Forest National Park.
Tue, 31July 2012, Day 4: Kibale Forest: Second morning for Green-breasted
Pitta at Kibale Forest.
Wed, 1 Aug 2012, Day 5: Kibale Forest: Third morning for Green-breasted
Pitta at Kibale Forest. To morning for Green-breasted
Pitta at Kibale Forest (border of).
Thu, 2 Aug 2012, Day 6 Queen Elizabeth National Park
southwards via Ishasha QENP (border of).
Fri, 3 Aug 2012, Day 7 To Bwindi, birding en-route The Neck
and Ruhija at Bwindi Impenetrable ForestNP.
Sat, 4 Aug 2012, Day 8 Full day Ruhija down African
Green Broadbill trail (note: this trail quite strenuous).
Sun, 5 Aug 2012, Day 9 Second day Ruhija, possibly
African Green Broadbill trail, optional GORILLA trek for some.
Mon, 6 Aug 2012, Day 10 Ruhija to Kabale.
Tue, 7 Aug 2012 Day 11 Kabale to Kigali; Uganda
tour ends. [Uganda-only birders drive from Kabale to Entebbe if
they cannot y back from Kigale; not recommended] Rwanda tour starts,
drive Kigali to Nyungwe
Rwanda tour:
Tue, 7 Aug 2012, Day 1 Rwanda tour starts: drive Kigali
to Nyungwe.
Wed, 8 August 2012, Day 2: Nyungwe.
Thu, 9 August 2012, Day 3: Nyungwe.
Fri, 10 August 2012, Day 4: Nyungwe.
Sat, 11 August 2012, Day 5: Nyungwe to Kigali;
Rwanda tour ends.[Depending on ights, some might have to y
back to Entebbe and onwards on this day.]
Detailed
Itinerary
DAY 1: Entebbe provides the ideal start to our Uganda Tour. Leafy
suburbs and tranquil lakeside scenes get us in to the swing of Uganda's
birding. Colossal fig trees in the Botanical Gardens draw a number
of spectacular species, which may include our first Black-and-white
Casqued Hornbill, Splendid Starling and African Pied Hornbill. We'll
also watch out for Shikra, African Hobby, Red-headed Lovebird, Broad-billed
Roller, Green Crombec, Double-toothed Barbet, Western Grey Plantain-eater,
Ross's Turaco, Palmnut Vulture and Black-and-white Flycatcher.
After an early breakfast, we'll wind our way along the shores of
Lake Victoria towards Mabamba Swamp. Here we'll board a makoro,
a traditional wooden fishing boat, and make a foray into the surrounding
swamps. Swamp Flycatcher and Slender-billed Weaver are usually very
confiding. A number of other waterbirds can be found, but we'll
concentrate our efforts on spotting a large grey object, standing
statuesque among the papyrus - Shoebill! However, we don't like
to count our Shoebills… and it is not impossible to miss it
here. We return to Entebbe for the night.
DAY 2-5: This morning we'll start our journey towards Fort Portal
and Kibale National Park, arriving in the late afternoon. We'll
stay three nights near the park. Kibale is perhaps most famous for
its primates, not least Chimpanzees, which we stand a very good
chance of seeing. We will have three mornings here, to increase
our chances to find Green-breasted Pitta on dedicated
searches. We will also spend some time birding along the main forest
road, which allows clear views of the forest canopy. The number
of possibly species is very impressive, and may include African
Crowned Eagle, Crested Guineafowl, White-spotted Flufftail, Afep
and the rare White-naped Pigeon, African Grey Parrot, Great Blue
and Black-billed Turacos, Red-chested Owlet, Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo,
Blue-breasted and Shining Blue Kingfishers, Black Bee-eater, Speckled
and Yellow-throated Tinkerbirds, Yellow-spotted, Yellow-billed and
Hairy-breasted Barbets, Buff-spotted and Yellow-crested Woodpeckers,
White-headed Sawwing, Western Nicator, Little, Slender-billed, Yellow-whiskered,
Cameroon Sombre, Cabanis's, Joyful and Honeyguide Greenbuls, Rufous
Flycatcher Thrush, Green Hylia, White-chinned Prinia, Olive-green
Camaroptera, Buff-throated Apalis, Grey-throated, Sooty and Dusky-blue
Flycatchers, Scaly-breasted Illadopsis, Superb Sunbird, Red-headed
Malimbe, African Emerald Cuckoo and Dusky Tit. Primates could include
Central African Red Colobus, Red-tailed and Blue Monkeys and the
handsome Grey-cheeked Mangabey, sometimes also called Uganda Mangabey.
DAY 5: Today we'll head to the open savannas of Queen Elizabeth
National Park. With over 600 species recorded, this conservation
area has the longest bird list of any in Africa! Open grasslands
support Long-crested Eagle, Grey Crowned Crane, Sooty Chat, Yellow-throated
Longclaw, Marsh Tchagra, Grey-backed Fiscal, and, with some luck,
Broad-tailed Warbler. Euphorbia thickets are common in some areas.
Grey-capped Warbler, Black-headed Gonolek and Black-lored Babbler
are regular, but skulking. We may find Spotted-flanked Barbet, Red-chested
Sunbird and Northern Brown-throated Weaver. We'll also keep an eye
out for Beaudouin's Snake Eagle, a rare bird in East Africa and,
in papyrus swamps, the striking Papyrus Gonolek. Mammals to look
for include Uganda Kob, Lion and Giant Forest Hog.
DAY 6: Today we head southwards, Qeen Elizabeth National Par's Ishasha
area, where we'll look out for the famous tree-climbing lions. En
route we'll listen out for the characteristic song of Trilling Cisticola
and watch for Senegal Lapwing.
DAY 7: We head to Uganda's most famous park, Bwindi Impenetrable
NP. Thehigher altitude forests of Ruhiza are where most of the Albertine
Rift endemics are found. We wind our way up steep mountain slopes,
stopping on route for Regal Sunbird, Chubb's Cisticola, Brown-backed
Scrub Robin, Scarce Swift and Doherty's Bush Shrike. We may see
Bar-tailed Trogon, Western Bronze-naped Pigeon and Olive Long-tailed
Cuckoo. Dusky Twinspot is sometimes seen here. at the high altitude
area of Ruhija. For the full list of species we saw during our 2011
trip, please contact us.
DAY 8: The legendary Mabwindi Swamp
is the focus of this day. We'll take it easy as we descend the long,
quite strenuous, winding trail to the lake's edge. Perhaps the most
famous bird here is the legendary African Green Broadbill,
which we will need considerable luck to find. But other noteworthy
species may include Dwarf Honeyguide, Mountain Yellow Warbler, Mountain
Buzzard, Handsome Francolin, Ruwenzori Nightjar, White-headed Woodhoopoe,
Grey-throated Barbet, Yellow-streaked Greenbul, White-starred Robin,
Archer's Robin-Chat, Grauer's Rush Warbler, Grauer's Warbler, Grey,
Chestnut-throated, Collared and Mountain Masked Apalis, Ruwenzori
Batis, Mountain and Grey-chested Illadopsis, African Hill Babbler,
Stripe-breasted Tit, Mountain Black Boubou, Pink-footed Puffback,
Montane Oriole, Strange and Brown-capped Weaver, Dusky Crimsonwing
and Black-headed and Yellow-bellied Waxbills.
DAY 9: Although on a birding trip,
Gorilla tracking will be the highlight of most visitors' trip to
Uganda. This day is devoted to these great apes! We thus have a
second full day at Ruhija, for optional gorlla tracking
and as a back-up plan, a second chance to find African Green Broadbill
if it hasn't appeared yet.
DAY 10: After some early morning birding we head to Kabale.
DAY 11: We head from Kabale to Kigali; the Uganda tour ends. [Uganda-only
birders drive from Kabale to Entebbe if
they cannot y back from Kigale; not recommended] Rwanda tour starts,
drive Kigali to Nyungwe]
* Cost per person sharing a room, ** Single room supplement.
* Included in the above price: Birding Africa tour leader, Birding
Africa printed booklet with species lists, activities as indicated
on the itinerary, road transport, guide fees, entry fees for the parks,
reserves and botanical gardens, full board accommodation and drinking
water on the bus. Not included: international flights, drinks, optional
tips, and items of a personal nature are not included.
* Cost per person sharing a room, ** Single room supplement.
* Included in the above price: Birding Africa tour leader, Birding
Africa printed booklet with species lists, activities as indicated
on the itinerary, road transport, guide fees, entry fees for the parks,
reserves and botanical gardens, full board accommodation and drinking
water on the bus. Not included: international flights, drinks, optional
tips, and items of a personal nature are not included.
Please click this link for more
detailed information, dates and costs about our upcoming tours to
Uganda or Rwanda.
Focus
For keen birders and mammal enthusiasts. Designed
to see as many as possible endemic birds, but while on the walks
we spend a lot of time looking for other wildlife such as mammals
(including the more than 10 species of primates) and butterflies.
We can also customise any itinerary to suit to the keen birder,
the wildlife enthusiast or both.
Photography
Many participants on our trips are amateur wildlife photographers.
And when we get excellent views of a bird or mammal, some time
is usually spent watching and photographing it. However, this
is not a photographic tour and once the majority of the people
have felt that they have absorbed the animal or bird to their
satisfaction, then we move on in search of the next encounter.
Thus, while the photographic opportunities
are very good, the group will only occasionally wait for somebody
who wants to spend even longer getting better photos.
Fitness
A small degree of fitness is required. The few walks are generally
in relatively flat areas with occasional small inclines. The
terrain during the optional gorilla tracking can never be predicted
and can be very steep.
Timing
Most of our Uganda tours take place during December - January
or July - August.
Climate
Cool at night in the highlands, warm to hot in the lowlands.
Comfort
A good standard of accommodation in guest houses,
lodges and small hotels.
Transport
We travel by minibus or four wheel drive vehicle.
Group Size
This depends on the specific tour. Please enquire.
Your
booking can be secured with a booking
form and deposit of USD 400. You will receive
confirmation and our tour information pack with practical information
on what to expect and how to prepare for the tour. The balance
is due 3 months before the tour. Email
us about availability.
About Birding Africa
Birding Africa is a specialist birding
tour company customising tours for both world listers and more relaxed
holiday birders. We combine interests in mammals, butterflies, dragonflies,
botany and other natural history aspects and will guide you to Africa's
and Madagascar's most diverse birding destinations. Our guides'
knowledge of African birds and birding areas is our greatest strength
and together we have rediscovered species, shared exciting observations
with the birding community and had a fun time exploring our home
continent. We've even written two acclaimed guide
books on where to find Southern Africa's and Madagascar's best
birds. Birding is more than our passion, it's our lifestyle, and
we are dedicated to making professional, best value trips filled
with endemic species and unique wildlife experiences. Since 1997,
we've run bird watching tours
in South Africa and further into Africa for individual birders,
small birding groups and top international tour companies. We've
run Conservation Tours
in association with the African Bird Club and work with and consult
for a number of other top international tour companies and the BBC
Natural History Unit.
