Albertine Rift Endemics & Gorillas in Uganda

Arrive at Entebbe International Airport, meet & greet by your driver guide and proceed to the accommodation about 7 minutes away. 

Dinner and Overnight at Jet Villas. (Bed & Breakfast)

After breakfast, bird as you head towards the Bumaga area, where you will be spending your nights. Look out for birds like, Great Blue Turaco, Black-&-White Shrike Flycatcher, African Blue Flycatcher, Purple-headed Starling, Splendid Starling, Compact Weaver, Red-headed Malimbe, Black Bishop, White-breasted Nigrita, Grey-headed Nigrita, among others. 

Dinner and overnight at The UWA Bandas (Full Board)

After breakfast, drive to Kirumia trail head for a whole day birding in the forest, coming back in the evening and trying the night birds at the camp. Look out for species like White-spotted Flufftail, Nkulengu Rail, Long-tailed Hawk, Western Bronze-naped Pigeon, Afep Pigeon, Yellow-throated Cuckoo, White-bellied Kingfisher, African Dwarf Kingfisher, White-crested Hornbill, Black Dwarf Hornbill, Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill, Piping Hornbill, Black-wattled Hornbill, Red-rumped Tinkerbird, Least Honeyguide, Wilcock’s Honeyguide, Cassin’s Honeyguide, African Piculet, Yellow-crested Woodpecker, White-throated Greenbul, Icterine Greenbul, Xavier’s Greenbul, Honeyguide Greenbul, Green-tailed Bristlebill, Western Nicator, Yellow-throated Nicator, Red-tailed Rufous Ant-Thrush, Fire-crested Alethe, Lowland Akalat, Forest Robin, Olive-green Camaroptera, Dusky Crested Flycatcher, Chestnut Wattle-eye, Jameson’s Wattle-eye, Many-coloured Bush-Shrike, Red-headed Bluebill. 

Dinner and overnight at The UWA Bandas (Full Board) 

Second day birding in Semuliki forest, trying to comb for species you may have missed or getting better views of those you may have seen but not well. Look out for species like White-spotted Flufftail, Nkulengu Rail, Long-tailed Hawk, Western Bronze-naped Pigeon, Afep Pigeon, Yellow-throated Cuckoo, White-bellied Kingfisher, African Dwarf Kingfisher, White-crested Hornbill, Black Dwarf Hornbill, Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill, Piping Hornbill, Black-wattled Hornbill, Red-rumped Tinkerbird, Least Honeyguide, Willcock’s Honeyguide, Cassin’s Honeyguide, African Piculet, Yellow-crested Woodpecker, White-throated Greenbul, Icterine Greenbul, Xavier’s Greenbul, Honeyguide Greenbul, Green-tailed Bristlebill, Western Nicator, Yellow-throated Nicator, Red-tailed Rufous Ant-Thrush, Fire-crested Alethe, Lowland Akalat, Forest Robin, Northern Bearded Scrub Robin, Olive-green Camaroptera, Dusky Crested Flycatcher, Chestnut Wattle-eye, Jameson’s Wattle-eye, Many-coloured Bush-Shrike, Red-headed Bluebill. 

Dinner and overnight at The UWA Bandas (Full Board)

After breakfast, bird along the road looking out for birds like Western Bronze-naped Pigeon, Afep Pigeon, White-crested Hornbill, Piping Hornbill, Black-wattled Hornbill, Orange-cheeked Waxbill, and then bird towards Fort Portal looking out for species like Banded Snake Eagle, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Red-throated Bee-eater, Cisticolas, Sunbirds, Cinnamon-breasted Rock Bunting, getting into Fort Portal in time for lunch.

After enjoying your meal, head towards Queen Elizabeth National Park, where you will break the journey, driving along the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains through Kasese, and crossing the Equator. Game drive en route to accommodation, getting there in time for a shower and dinner. Look out for birds like Raptors, Red-headed Lovebird, Cisticolas, Brown-backed Scrub Robin, Larks, Pipits, Yellow-throated Longclaw, Piapiac, Starlings, Sunbirds, among others. 

Dinner and Overnight at Enganzi Game Lodge (Full Board)

After breakfast, bird your way to Ruhija. Look out for species like Francolins, Raptors, Vultures, Pearl-spotted Owlet, Blue Malkoha, Cassin’s Flycatcher, Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher, Brown-backed Scrub Robin, White-winged Tit, Green Crombec, Trilling Cisticola, Moustached Grass Warbler, Stout Cisticola, Carruthers Cisticola, Orange-breasted Bush-Shrike, Common Scimitarbill, Green Wood-hoopoe, Black-headed Gonolek, Splendid Starling, Compact Weaver and many more. 

Dinner and Overnight at Agandi Uganda (Full board).

After breakfast, walk down to the Mubwindi Swamp looking out for species like the Cassin’s Hawk-Eagle, Handsome Francolin, Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, Montane Nightjar, Scarce Swift, Bar-tailed Trogon, Least Honeyguide, Willcock’s Honeyguide, Cassin’s Honeyguide, Yellow-crested Woodpecker, Elliot’s Woodpecker, Shelley’s Greenbul, Honeyguide Greenbul, Western Nicator, Grey-breasted Illadopsis, White-tailed Rufous Ant-Thrush, Red-throated Alethe, Brown-cheasted Alethe, Kivu Ground Thrush, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Olive-green Camaroptera, Dusky-crested Flycatcher, Chestnut Wattle-eye, Many-coloured Bush-Shrike, Lagden’s Bush-Shrike, Montane Sooty Boubou, Pink-footed Puffback, Grey Cuckoo-shrike, Narrow-tailed Starling, Stulmann’s Starling, Waller’s Starling, Red-headed Bluebill, Dusky Twinspot, among others. 

Dinner and Overnight at Agandi Uganda (Full board).

After breakfast, walk down to the School trail and then later bird along the main road looking out for species like the Cassin’s Hawk-Eagle, Handsome Francolin, Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, Montane Nightjar, Scarce Swift, Bar-tailed Trogon, Least Honeyguide, Willcock’s Honeyguide, Cassin’s Honeyguide, Yellow-crested Woodpecker, Elliot’s Woodpecker, Shelley’s Greenbul, Honeyguide Greenbul, Western Nicator, Grey-breasted Illadopsis, White-tailed Rufous Ant-Thrush, Kivu Ground Thrush, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Olive-green Camaroptera, Chestnut Wattle-eye, Many-coloured Bush-Shrike, Doherty’s Bush-Shrike, Montane Sooty Boubou, Pink-footed Puffback, Grey Cuckoo-shrike, Narrow-tailed Starling, Stulmann’s Starling, Waller’s Starling, Red-headed Bluebill, Dusky Twinspot, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, 

Dinner and Overnight at Agandi Uganda (Full board).

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is one of those nature's unspoiled National Parks found in south western Uganda, covering an area of 331 sq. km. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has a vast diversity of mammals and bird species and a home to several endangered wildlife species.  Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to half the world's rare apes, the Mountain Gorillas. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is the only protected area in the world where Mountain Gorillas and Chimpanzees live together. 

Today we transfer to Buhoma, getting there in time for gorilla tracking.  We recommend you  wear good/comfortable walking boots and carry good rain gear and enough drinking water. Trekking can be tough and challenging and so we trust you are in reasonably fit condition. You will carry a picnic lunch with you into the forest, and you will be thrilled to have seen these rare primates and the return journey could be easier.

Dinner and Overnight at Ride 4 a Woman. Full board

After breakfast with your packed lunch, bird your way to Lake Mburo National Park looking out for birds like Handsome Francolin, Black-billed Turaco, Western Green Tinkerbird, Dwarf Honeyguide, Blue Malkoha, Tullberg’s Woodpecker, Archer’s Robin Chat, Rwenzori Hill Babbler, African Shrike Flycatcher, Sooty flycatcher, White-tailed Blue Flycatcher, Rwenzori Batis, Eastern Mountain Greenbul, Strip-breasted Tit, Mountain Yellow Warbler, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Grauer’s Warbler, Mountain Masked Apalis, Rwenzori Apalis, Chubb’s Cisticola, Trilling Cisticola, Short-winged Cisticola, Doherty’s Bush-shrike, Sharp’s Starling, Mountain Sooty Boubou, Regal Sunbird, Blue-headed Sunbird, Strange Weaver, White-breasted Nigrita, Dusky Crimsonwing, Kandt’s Waxbill, Western Citril, among others. 

Dinner and Overnight at Rwakobo Rock (Full Board)

This is one of the small National Parks in Uganda, covering 260 sq. km, but still special in its own way. It got the name from the lake that has an interesting story behind it. Ask your guide to tell you this story. Lake Mburo National Park is home to 320 bird species and 68 mammal species. The park’s special birds include African Finfoot, Brown-chested Plover, Red-faced Barbet, Crested Barbet, Black-collared Barbet, and Long-tailed Cisticola, among others. Whole day birding Lake Mburo National Park, including an afternoon boat ride.

We will be looking for species like the Red-headed Lovebird, Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike, Red-faced Barbet, Crested Barbet, Lilac-breasted Roller, Brown-backed Scrub Robin, Trilling Cisticola, Short-winged Cisticola, Long-tailed Cisticola, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Yellow-throated Leaflove, White-winged Tit, Slate-coloured Boubou, Brubru, Splendid Starling, and more. 

Dinner and Overnight at Rwakobo Rock (Full Board). 

After breakfast with your luggage, proceed for the journey to Nkima forest, birding en route, arriving in the late afternoon.  Look out for birds like the Bateleur, Crested Francolin, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, Meyer’s Parrot, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Blue-napped Mousebird, African Grey Hornbill, Spot-flanked Barbet, Green Wood-hoopoe, among other birds. 

Dinner and Overnight at Nkima Forest Lodge (Full Board)

Early breakfast and then drive down to Mabamba landing site where you will be taken in a motorized boat through the wetland, looking for the mighty Shoebill and other birds like White-faced Whistling-Duck, Blue-headed Coucal, Black Crake, African Jacana, Lesser Jacana, Sandpipers, Gulls and Terns, Cormorants, Hamerkop, Purple Heron, Egrets, Squacco, African Marsh Harrier, Malachite and Pied Kingfisher, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Swamp Flycatcher, Winding Cisticola, Northern Brown-throated Weaver, Fan-tailed Widowbird, among others. Lunch at Nkima Forest Lodge and then drive to Entebbe. 

Dinner and Overnight at Airport Link GH. (Full Board).

Breakfast at leisure and head to Entebbe International Airport in time for your departure flight.