11 Days Uganda Forest Birding Holiday Trip

Within 11 days of the 11 Days Uganda Forest Birding Holiday Trip, our clients shall enjoy one of the most thrilling and captivating adventures. This Uganda Forest Birding Holiday trip shall take you to learn about many bird species in addition to various animal species including primates like Gorillas, all found in their natural beautiful habitats.

Most Important Bird Areas shall be visited including Kibale Forest National Park – The Primate Capital of the World, Lake Mburo National Park – Where varied habitats support impressive varieties of Wildlife, Semuliki National Park – the True Birders’ Haven, The Impenetrable Bwindi Forest – Home to Gorillas, Lake Bunyonyi – the deepest water body in Uganda, among other tourist destinations.

11 Days Uganda Forest Birding Holiday Trip Highlights

Day 1: Botanical Gardens Birding

Day 2: Forest Birding, Mabira Forest

Day 3: Budongo Forest, Birding in the Busingiro sector

Day 4: Budongo Forest – Royal mile

Day 5: To Kibale Forest National Park – Forest Species

Day 6: Bigodi Swamp Walk, Kibale Forest National Park

Day 7: Semuliki National Park, Semuliki Rarities

Day 8: To Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – Biding safari

Day 9: In Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – Albertine Rift Endemics

Day 10: Transfer to Bunyonyi

Day 11: Return to Kampala

Detailed 11 Days Uganda Forest Birding Holiday Trip

Day 1: Botanical Gardens Birding

The Uganda forest birding safari begins with an introductory birding at the botanical beach of Lake Victoria and the Kajansi ponds. Birds in these points include the White & Black casqued Horn bills, Grey crowned crane, compact weaver, Hadada Ibis, Open billed stork, Woodland Kingfisher, Papyrus Gonolek, Great blue Turaco, Grey heron and Pied King fisher. Form here you will then be transferred to the hotel in either Kampala or Entebbe for your dinner and overnight stay.

Day 2: Forest Birding, Mabira Forest

This morning you will go to the Mabira forest centre where you will register and later enjoy a full day forest birding. Species Mabira forest include the Purple throated cuckoo shrike, Nahan’s francolins, Forest wood hoopoe, Green tailed bristle bill, Joyful green bul, Tit hylia, Grey long bill, Great blue turaco, Weyns weaver, African harrier-hawk, Hairy breasted barbet, Brown eared woodpecker, White-headed saw-wing.

Day 3 of 11 Days Uganda Forest Birding Holiday: Budongo Forest, Birding in the Busingiro sector

Budongo forest, transfer from Kampala to Busingiro section of Budongo forest for an afternoon forest birding, depending on time of arrival, start birding from visitor centre areas and continue along the main road.

Dinner & overnight in Masindi town Forest birds: African Dwarf Kingfisher, chestnut capped flycatcher, western black headed oriole, Sabine’s spine tail, white breasted Negro finch, Yellow crested woodpecker, Yellow footed flycatcher, Lemon bellied crombec, Piping hornbill, Sabine’s spine tail.

Day 4: Budongo Forest – Royal mile

This morning after breakfast you will leave for Budongo forest together with a parked lunch and head for the royal mile. Here you will enjoy a full day bird watching along the forest road ending at the Forest Bridge.

On this Uganda Forest Birding Holiday Trip, you will be able to see the Ituri Batis, Nahan’s francolin, Chocolate backed king fisher, Brown twin spot, White spotted fluff tail, Jameson’s wattle eye, white breasted negro finch, Grey headed sunbird, Red headed bluebill, green sunbird and Little green sunbird. Return to the hotel for dinner and breakfast.

Day 5: To Kibale Forest National Park – Forest Species

In the morning you will transfer from Budongo to Kibale Forest National Park and check in at the hotel. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon birding around the hotel gardens. Kibale forest birds include the Black billed turaco, Yellow billed barbet, Great blue turaco, Haily breasted barbet, Vanga fly catcher, Brown throated wattle eye, Western Nicator, Yellow bill, Red bellied paradise fly catcher. Dinner and overnight at lodges around the forest.

Day 6 of 11 Days Uganda Forest Birding Holiday: Bigodi Swamp Walk, Kibale Forest

Early morning walks in Bigodi swamp, Chimpanzee tracking and forest birding in Kibale Forest National Park in the afternoon. Forest species; White colored Olive back, Red Tailed Bristle bill, Yellow billed barbet, White bellied crested fly catcher, Joyful greenbul, Black billed Turaco, Blue shouldered robin chat, Green breasted Pitta, white spotted Fluff tail.

Day 7: Semuliki National Park, Semuliki Rarities

Birding in Semuliki forest starts early morning driving down the Semuliki valleys for forest experience, visit Ssepaya hot spring and bird Kirumia trails the rest of the day. Birds here include the Spot breasted ibis, Grey throated rail, Capuchin babbler, Congo serpent eagle, Piping Hornbill, Red billed dwarf horn-bill, White crested horn-bill, African Piculet, and Red bellied Malimbe, Zenker’s honey guide. Return late afternoon to Fort portal town at the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 8: To Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – Biding safari

This day you will move Bwindi Impenetrable National Park at the Buhoma surroundings. You will reach in the afternoon and species such as Banded prinia, Narinatragon, Magie Manikin, Grey headed Negro finch, Black billed weaver, Black necked weaver, Stuhl Mann’s starling, Pink footed puff back, Bocage’s bush-shrike, Ludher’s bush shrike Narinatragon, banded prinia, blue headed sunbird, Ross’s Turaco, Black billed Turaco can be spotted here. Dinner and overnight at Buhoma rest camp.

Day 9 of the 11 Days Uganda Forest Birding Holiday: In Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – Albertine Rift Endemics

Trekking Mountain Gorillas at a fee is optional, otherwise you will take a full day bird watching along the water fall loop searching for rarities and Rift valley endemics: Red throated alethe, Black bee eater, Short tailed warbler, Purple breasted sun bird, yellow eyed black fly catcher, Red faced woodland warbler, Blue headed sunbird, Brown capped weaver, strange weaver.

Day 10: Transfer to Bunyonyi

This morning you will start with birding in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, starting with the neck, Ruhiija surroundings and Bamboo zone before transferring to Bunyonyi. Albertine rift species include Mountain wagtail, Black bee eater, bar tailed trogon, regal sunbird, olive pigeon, white tailed ant-thrush, Banded prinia, Mountain capped apalis, handsome francolin, Chapin’s flycatcher, sooty flycatcher. Dinner and overnight at Bunyonyi overland camp.

Day 11: Return to Kampala

Depart Lake Bunyonyi early morning birding at interesting point’s enroute to Kampala and check in at a booked hotel for a night stay as you prepare for your flight back home.

End of 11 Days Uganda Forest Birding Holiday

Safari Inclusions and Exclusions

Price includes:                                                                         

• All accommodation and meals as indicated in the itinerary on FB & BB basis
• Gorilla permit fees/permit purchased NET from UWA each $700.0 per person per visit
• Full time exclusive use of a 4 x 4 Safari Jeep/Toyota Land cruiser
• Full time services of experienced English-speaking drive/guide
• All services in national parks i.e., park entrance fees, guided nature walks, hikes & game drives
• Boat trips in Queen Elizabeth National Park
• Bottled drinking mineral water, coffees, teas or soft drinks while on Uganda Safaris, game drives, walks, hikes or transfers
• All Nature/Safari & Community walks as indicated in the itinerary-safari program
• All airport pickups and drop off from Entebbe & back to Entebbe airport
• All activities indicated & mentioned in the itinerary
• A $5.0 per pax off as donation to orphanage homes whose parents’ death are/were as a result of animal conflicts within conservation areas
• All government related taxes

Price Excludes:                

• Laundry service in different hotels we stay
• Bar bills, phone calls
• Personal insurance and medical bills
• Air fares
• All other services of a personal nature
• All services marked as Optional in the itinerary
• Driver/guides/hotel staff or any other person’s gratuity

Booking Terms and Conditions

Reservations

• We require a deposit of 50% of the total tour cost for the clients to safeguard the reservations and gorilla and Chimpanzee tracking permits in case they are involved.
• The balance should be paid 1 month prior to the arrival.
• For bookings coming one month before departure, we shall require the full payment of the tour costs.
• The payment is made by international money transfer to the company bank account in Uganda.

Important Information

• Tour tariffs are based on all known costs and rates of exchange at the time of the transfer, any significant changes beyond will be immediately communicated to our clients.
• We also retain the right to alter any arrangements due to local conditions. We also retain the right to refuse any person from participating or continuing any tour if that person causes or is deemed to cause hazard or inconvenience to other clients and to our environment and ecosystems.
• Please note that in Uganda US dollar banknotes series before year 2006 are accepted only with a low exchange rate, therefore clients are advised to travel to Uganda with more recent banknotes series.  The same applies to banknotes below 50 USD.