BIRDING
SAFARI IN UGANDA: KAMPALA AND ENVIRONS PLUS LAKE MBURO NATIONAL
PARK
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Discover
birders paradise in
the
Pearl of Africa! This
birding
safari takes you from
Kampala
to the Mabamba
Swamps
and
from Jinja to
Lake
Mburo National Park.
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Day 1: ARRIVAL
You will be welcomed by a representative of Great Lakes
Safaris who will transfer you to your hotel in Entebbe.
Depending on the time of arrival you might spend the afternoon
at UWEC, home to captive animals and over 170 species of
birds. This includes 7 species of weavers, such as the rare
Northern Masked Weaver and Orange Weaver. Dinner and overnight
at Imperial Botanical Beach Hotel.
Day
2: HERITAGE TRAILS
After
a delicious breakfast transfer to the Heritage Trails, situated
about 10 km from Entebbe. Here you will enjoy 4 hours of
birding on the best trails around Kampala, with over 170
species of birds! Look out for the Brown Twin Spots, Moustached
Warbler, Fain tailed Widow bird, White headed Barbets, Blue
Monarch, Striped Kingfisher, Black Bishop, Black headed
Gonolek, Klass’, Diederik’s Cuckoo and many
more. Lunch at the park, relax while birding and later in
the afternoon return to your hotel. Dinner and overnight
at Imperial Botanical Beach Hotel.
Day 3: MABAMBA SWAMP
Early
transfer to Mabamba Swamp, 50 km west of Kampala. Look out
for many different birds on our way to the swamp, like the
Papyrus Gonolek, White winged Warbler, Northern Brown throated
Weaver and Weyns Weaver. Mabamba Swamp is one of the best
places to spot the rare Shoebill Stork. But also many other
species can be found here, like the Allen’s Gallinule,
Purple Gallinule (swamp hen), Grey herons, African Water
Rail, Squacco, Goliath, Purple and a variety of egrets and
ducks. The best way to enjoy the rich birdlife is by canoe
and you might even have the luck to encounter the elusive
Sitatunga Antelope, adapted to swampy habitats. Later in
the afternoon continue to Kampala to your hotel. Dinner
and overnight at Speke Hotel.
Day
4: MABIRA FOREST & SOURCE OF THE NILE
After
breakfast we transfer towards Jinja, the famous origin of
the mighty river Nile. About an hour drive from Kampala
we will stop at Mabira Forest for a walk through the tropical
rainforest. Species such as the Toro Greenbul, Yellow whiskered
Greenbul, Leaf love, Forest Robin, Buf spotted Woodpecker,
Grey spotted Woodpecker, White spotted Fluff tail, Red headed
Blue Bill, Yellow spotted Barbet, Grey throated Barbet,
Yellow rumped Tinker bird, Yellow throated Tinker bird,
Blue breasted Kingfisher, African Pygmy, Shining Blue, Woodland
Kingfishers, Red tailed Ant Thrush, Chin spot Batis, Banded
Wattle Eye, Chestnut Wattle Eye, Brown capped, Yellow mantled,
Black Billed, Weyn’s Weavers, Red headed Malimbe,
Purple headed Starling, Violet backed Starling and many
more fascinating species that are living in this forest.
We continue to Jinja for lunch and a visit to the Source
of the Nile. Here we will make a boat trip to the genuine
origin of the famous river. Besides the many water birds
like the African Fish Eagle, Open billed Stork, Long tailed
Cormorant, Grey Heron, White Egret and Pied Kingfisher,
you might see monitor lizards hiding in the bushes. In the
afternoon return to Kampala for dinner and overnight at
Speke Hotel.
Day
5: KAMPALA – LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK
Today
we leave the capital city and head towards the southwest.
After a 4 hours drive we will reach Lake Mburo National
Park, popular with birders and the only park in Uganda where
you can find the zebra. As we enter the park and head towards
the accommodation it is likely you will see some wildlife
like impalas, topis, zebras and buffaloes. Look also for
birds such as the Crested Francolin, Emerald spotted Wood
Dove, Bare faced Go-Away bird, Green Wood Hoopoe, Common
Scimitarbill, Spot-Flanked Barbet, Lilac breasted Roller,
Northern Black Tit, Trilling Cisticola, Greater Blue Eared
Starling, African Grey Hornbill and Brown Parrot. We will
make an evening game drive along the Kigambira loop. Species
that may be seen are the localized Red Faced Barbet, Black
Collared Barbet, Red Headed lovebird, Lead colored Flycatcher
and Green capped Eremomela. Dinner and overnight at Mihingo
Lodge.
Day
6: LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK
Early
start of the day as we will go for a nature walk guided
by a ranger. Lake Mburo is the only national park where
you can experience a safari on foot. You will encounter
several species of wetland and savannah birds, impalas and
other wildlife. After breakfast you will go on a boat ride
on the lake and enjoy the rich birdlife and the hippos that
are cooling off.
Late in the afternoon a game drive along the Zebra Track
may reveal bird species such as Coqui Francolin, Black Bellied
Bustard, Temmricks Courser, African Wattled Plover, Rufous
napped and Flappet Lark, Rufous Chested Swallow, etc. Also
look out for the elusive leopard and other nocturnal species.
Dinner and overnight at Mihingo Lodge.
Day
7: LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK – ENTEBBE – DEPARTURE
On
our way out of the park we will go for an early game drive
along the Lakeside Track. This will give you the chance
to spot some water birds like the Lesser and Great Swamp
Warbler, White Winged Warbler, Papyrus Gonolek, Papyrus
Yellow Warbler and at times the elusive Shoebill. We transfer
towards Kampala with lunch en route and a stop at the equator
for photos and some shopping. Continue to Entebbe where
you will be dropped at the airport for your flight home.
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