Short Primate and Birding safari 7 days
DAY 1: Birding to Kibale Forest National Park.
On this day, we drive to Kibale National Park. Kibale forest is about 760sq km, at an altitude of about 1230m above sea level, and is divided into 7zones for management purposes; research, natural reserve, civic-cultural functions, recreation, harvest, community conservation, and protection. Kibale forest national park is one of the most marvelous forests in Uganda. It is the most popular habitat for closest living relatives to man - the chimps.
This park is one of the most accessible of Uganda’s major rainforests. Kibale ranks the best on primates of Uganda with a remarkable 13 primate species, including the much localized red Colobuses and L’Hoest’s Monkey, Red Colobus, Gallegos, Blue Monkey, red-tailed and Velvet Monkey. Kibale’s major attraction, however, is the opportunity to track habituated chimps. These delightful apes are more closely related to humans than to any other living creature, and they are tremendous fun to watch as they squabble and play in the fruiting trees. Stay at Primate, Ndali or Nature Lodges. For two nights.
DAY 2: Primate and Birding walk in the forest.
After an early breakfast we’ll head off to the visitor center in Kibale for the briefing prior to Chimpanzee Tracking. The activity may last for a few hours. The forest is home to 13primates of Uganda. Other primates that may be found include Red & Guereza Colobus, Olive Baboon, Grey-cheeked Mangabeys, L’Hoest’s Blue, Velvet and Red-tailed Monkey. Bush Pig and Buffalo, Bushbuck, Blue, Harvey’s and Peter’s Duikers are other shy inhabitatnts of the forest interior. A morning walk through the forest combines chimp trekking with a selection of forest birds. In this excellent medium-altitude forest we’ll search for the many dazzling sunbirds this area supports. Birding here produces Black-throated Apalis, Forest Robin, Dusky-blue Flycatcher and African Shrike-Flycatcher amongst Illadopsis and Alethe, Black-bellied Seed cracker inhabits the forest edge, while the canopy holds malimbes, Grey-throated, Yellow-spotted & Yellow-billed Barbets, White-naped & Afep pigeons, Red-chested Owlet and White-headed Wood-hoopoe.
Day 3: Birding to Queen Elizabeth National Park, game drive and afternoon boat cruise.
Today, we shall start early after breakfast and drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. This is the second largest national park in Uganda. In terms of diversity this park ranks amongest the best birding destinations in Uganda with over 610 species recorded, and a one day record of 296 species almost more than any destination in the whole world. You will be treated to special birds of this park that include Harlequin Quail, Blue Quail, Small [Common] Button quail, African Crake, White winged Warbler, Martial Eagle, African Skimmer, Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Papyrus Gonoleks, Amur Falcon, Ovampo Sparrow hawk, Lowland Akalat, Greater and lesser Flamingo, Terek Sandpiper, and Temminck’s Courser. Mammals include African Elephant, Spotted Hyena, Leopard, Lion, Ugandan Kobs, Side-striped Jackal, Baboons, Chimpanzees, Bush and Water Bucks, Warthogs, Giant Forest Hogs to mention but a few. Dinner and over night stay Jacana, Mweya Safari Lodge, Kingfisher Lodge or Institute of Ecology.
Day 4: Birding to Bwindi.
On this day, we begin our journey birding to Bwindi. If weather conditions allow, we will bird through Ishasha properly known for its tree climbing lions.
Forest birding in Bwindi ranks the best in Uganda. It is home to 23 highly localized Albertine Rift Endemics. Special birds include Black-faced Rufous Warbler,, Banded Prinia, Black-faced Apalis, Mountain Masked Apalis, Red-throated Alethe, Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Ashy Flycatcher, Dusky-blue Flycatcher, Chapin’s Flycatcher, Chin-spot Batis, Rwenzori Batis, Black-and-White shrike Flycatcher, White-bellied Crested Flycatcher, Pale-breasted and, Mountain Illadopsis, African Hill Babbler, Dusky Tit, Blue-throated Brown, Blue-headed, Northern Double-collared and Grey-headed Sunbird, Mackinnon’s Fiscal, Sooty Boubou, Pink-footed Puff back, Doherty’s Bush Shrike, White-napped Raven, Montane and African Golden Oriole, Stuhlmamm’s and Narrow-tailed Starling, Waller’s Starling, Strange, Brown-capped and, Black-billed Weaver, Dusky Crimson wing, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Magpie Mannikin, Yellow-crowned Canary, Ayer’s Hawk Eagle, Handsome Francolin, Black-billed Turcco, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, African wood Owl, Scarce Swift, Bar-tailed Trogon, Cinnamon-chested and Black-Bee-eater, Western Bronze-napped Pigeon, Red-chested Owlet,Tullberg’s and Elliot’s Wood pecker, African Broadbill, Western Green Tinker bird, , Lagden’s Bush Dhrike, Pettit’s Cuckoo Shrike, Archer’s Ground Robin, Toro Olive Greenbuls, Ansorge’s Greenbuls, Equatorial Akalat, White-bellied Robin Chat, White-tailed Ant Thrush, Grauer’s Rush Warbler, short-tailed Warbler, Neumann’s Warbler, and Red-faced Woodland Warbler and many more. Dinner and overnight stay at Gorilla Resort or Buhoma Community Bandas.
Day 5: Gorilla tracking in the forest.
On this day, we set off early, with packed lunch, to the park headquarters for a briefing prior to Gorilla Tracking. This is the most exciting lifetime experience of all wildlife adventures in Africa. The gorillas are gentle animals and it is an unforgettable experience to photograph them as they interact, it is a wonderful experience to stare into the eyes of these gentle giants; watch them in awe as they play and go about their daily activities. It is indeed a “once in a lifetime” experience that you must never miss. Each encounter is different and has its own rewards; you are likely to enjoy the close view of adults feeding, grooming and resting as the youngersters frolic and swing from vines in a delightfully playful display.
Day 6: Birding to Lake Mburo National Park
After breakfast, we drive to Lake Mburo National Park. We shall reach the park late in the afternoon and we have a game drive through, we expect to encounter herds of Zebras, Topis, Elephants, Elands, Impalas, Buffaloes and primates like the Velvet Monkey and the Olive Baboons. This park offers the best birding within the southern hemisphere of Uganda, expect to see the African Finfoot, Giant Kingfisher, White Backed Night Heron, African Darter, Little Bittern and Papyrus Gonolek on the boat. Birding on the savannah produces the Tabora Cisticola, Coqui Francolin, the seasonal Brown Chested Plover, Red Faced Barbet, Green Backed Eremomela, Uganda Spotted and Green Backed woodpecker, Buff Bellied Warbler, Pearl Spotted Owlet, Red Billed Wood Hopoe, Lilac Breasted Roller and much more. Dinner and over night stay at Mihingo, Mantana or Arcadia Cottages.
Day 7: Birding to Entebbe.
This day winds up our safari. After an early breakfast, we bird to Entebbe via Kampala arriving in time for your departure flight back home.