Albertine Rift Endemics and Shoebill birding tour - Uganda

Itinerary details

Day 1: Birding Entebbe Botanical gardens and transfer to Mabamba shoebill wetland

Established in 1898 as a research site for preserving valuable flora, the approximately 40.7ha garden is situated in Entebbe City; just 5minutes drive from the Airport. It adjoins about one mile along the shores of Lake Victoria and is currently under the management of Uganda Wildlife Authority. The gardens house a diverse collection of plant species both indigenous and exotic – with over 300 species which support birdlife of over 250species, Vervet Monkeys, Black and White Colobus and squirrels are also found here.

Spend the whole morning here and in the afternoon drive to Mabamba shoebill swamp.

Overnight: Nkima Forest Lodge FB

Day 2: Bird Mabamba Wetland in the morning and afternoon transfer to Lake Mburo National Park

We start very early after breakfast and drive for a few minutes to the swamp from our lodge in the morning to look for the shoebill. We be here till mid-morning, have lunch at our lodge and later drive to Lake Mburo NP in the afternoon – we stay at Rwakobo Rock just outside the park as a stopover. Birding in the Swamp will be on a canoe.

Overnight: Rwakobo Rock Safari Lodge FB

Day 3: Lake Mburo National Park to Kisoro

Today, we shall check out the the lodge, have an early morning breakfast and drive as we bird on the way. We shall have a chance to bird along the main road at Echuya forest, or Muchuya Swamp which is famous for the Malachite sunbird, African Black Duck, Abyssinian thrush, white-starred robin, Rwenzori Batis, plus so many other Albertine rift endemics and high-altitude forest birds. Our ultimate stop will be Kisoro town.

Overnight: Mucha Riverside FB

Day 4: Bird to Mgahinga NP for the whole day

Mgahinga merits a visit to appreciate scenery and abundant flora and avifauna. We do gentle strolls along slopes covered with a series of distinct altitudinal bands of vegetation. From grass and bushland on the lower slopes, to montane woodland followed by the bamboo zone, montane forest and the ericaceous zone. Our intuition will only be satisfied when we encounter such species as the endemic Rwenzori turaco, evergreen forest warbler, western green tinkerbird, malachite sunbird, cape robinchat, dusky turtle dove, Dwarf honeyguide, lemon dove, Doherty’s bush shrike, Albertine boubou, Rwenzori hill babbler, white-starred robin, barred-long-tailed cuckoo, white-browed crombec, Abyssinian Crimson-wing, mountain yellow warbler, dusky crimson-wing, Archer’s Robinchat, Stulmann’s Sunbird, bamboo warbler; plus any other interesting creature that may come our way.

We shall do picnic lunch and be here till 5:00pm. We drive back later to our hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Overnight: Much Riverside Lodge FB

Day 5: Birding to Ruhiija sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

We leave Kisoro and drive to Bwindi Impenetrable forest. Spend the whole afternoon on the community trail in Bwindi Forest – very good location for most of the Albertine rift endemics like the Strange weaver, Grauer’s Warbler, Rwenzori Batis, Rwenzori Hill Babbler, Stripe-breasted Tit, Rwenzori Apalis, yellow-streaked greenbul, Mountain-masked Apalis, red-faced woodland warbler etc.

Overnight: Bakiga Lodge FB

Day 6: Birding in Ruhiija sector to the Mubwindi Swamp

After breakfast, we shall carry our picnic lunch and head for a whole day birding following the famous trail through the forest up to Mubwindi Swamp. The 4km trail to Mubwindi Swamp drops from 2350m to 2050m ASL and is the best place for some of the most difficult to find of all the Albertine Rift Endemics including the rare and localized Grauer’s Rush Warbler, African Green Broadbill, the beautiful Regal Sunbird, and Archer’s Robin Chat. Mubwindi Swamp is home to Dwarf Honeyguide, Stripe-breasted Tit, Rwenzori Apalis, African/Rwenzori Hill Babbler and Carruthers’ Cisticola. Other key species here include Fraser’s Eagle-Owl, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Blue-headed Sunbird, Eastern Mountain-Greenbul, Strange Weaver, Black-headed Waxbill, Bar-tailed Trogon, White-headed Wood-hoopoe, Waller’s Starling, Stuhlmann’s Starling, Ludher’s Bush-shrike, Handsome Francolin and Montane Nightjar.

Overnight: Bakiga Lodge FB

Day 7: Bird to Buhoma Sector of Bwindi Forest via the Neck

We shall spend some time birding along the main road in the forest along the “NECK” – a narrow stretch of Bwindi forest connecting the northern sector to the broader main body in the south comprising of riverine forest vegetation crossed by River Ihihizo.

There species can be easily seen here compared to other parts of the forest. The many-coloured bush shrike, dwarf honey guide, black bee-eater, red-throated Alethe, Narina and bar-tailed trogon, Doherty’s bush shrike, Cassin’s flycatcher, dusky blue flycatcher, mountain wagtail etc are quite common here. Birding is along the main road.

Overnight: Ride 4 a Woman Guest House FB

Day 8: Birding Buhoma main trail

Starting at 6:30am with packed lunch, head for the whole day in the most celebrated forest for hosting over 90% of Albertine Rift endemics. Amongst those that we look for here are equatorial Akalat, grey-winged Akalat, red-capped robin chat, bar-tailed trogon, Ant-pecker, African broadbill, oriole finch, Tullbergs’ woodpecker, olive woodpecker, pink-footed puff back, yellow-footed flycatcher, to mention but a few.

Overnight: Ride for a Woman Guest House

Day 9: Transfer to Kibale National Park via the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park

Ishasha is the southern distant segement of Queen Elizabeth National Park, famed for tree climbing lions – we pass through here along the main road, which is a birdy area. The black coucal, Stout Cisticola, plain-backed Pipit, croaking Cisticola, etc are usual encounters. We have lunch in Fort Portal Town and later continue driving to Kibale.

Early arrivals here will give a chance to do an afternoon walk along the Bigodi Community wetland famous for different species of monkeys – red colobus, grey-cheeked Mangabey, white-nosed, black and white colobus etc.

Overnight: Chimpanzee Forest Lodge FB

Day 10: Birding in Kibale forest looking for the pitta

The Pitta normally displays from 5:00am – 6:30 as a way of communicating to its mate and then later come together and stay on the ground for the rest of the day feeding. We go to the forest very early morning in order to catch up with the display time which makes it easy to locate it in the forest. We do this for till late morning.

In the afternoon, we shall spend time birding along the main road in the forest, or otherwise bird the famous Bigodi community swamp – optional.

Overnight: Chimpanzee Forest Lodge FB

Day 11: Transfer to the Airport

Today, there is no major activity. We may bird around the lodge for a couple of hours before traveling to Entebbe Airport. The airport is just 5hours drive from here, so we have plenty of time.