Day 1: Arrivals at Entebbe International Airport

Arrivals at Entebbe Airport and transfer to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay. Early arrivals will give a chance to bird Entebbe botanical gardens. We shall have a chance for a leisurely birding walk at the archetypal tropical rainforest of National Botanical Gardens of Uganda along Victoria shores in Entebbe as we get over jetlag. Likely encounters: Bat-hawk, Southern White-faced Scops-Owl, African Cuckoo-hawk, Orange Weaver, Golden-backed Weaver, Black & White Casqued Hornbill, African Pied and Crowned Hornbills.

Overnight: Papyrus Guesthouse B&B

Day 2: Drive to Murchison Falls National Park

Stopover at Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary for tracking Rhinos, Search for shoebill and other birds.

Murchison Falls National Park is Uganda’s largest national conservation area, and it is famous for its big game, spectacular scenery and the falls for which the park was named.

Overnight: Bamboo Village Safari Lodge FB

Day 3: Explore Murchison Falls National Park

Visit the northern sector of the park in the morning for birding and big game. Afternoon boat cruise along the river Nile up to the bottom of the falls where the Nile narrows, squeezes and plunges spectacularly over the escarpment with unfathomable might!

Overnight: Bamboo Village Safari Lodge

Day 4: Transfer to Kibale National Park

This is a long trip to western Uganda. Lunch break will be in Fort Portal Town and we spend the rest of the afternoon on a walk along the famous Bigodi community wetland

Kibale is an extensive National Park, protecting a large block of rainforest that is most celebrated for its greatest variety and concentration of primates than any other reserve in East Africa; the most prominent being the Chimpanzee. The forest protects a remarkable 13 primate species, including the very localized Red Colobus and L’Hoest’s Monkey, Galagos, Blue monkey, Black and White Colobus, Red-tailed and Vervet Monkey.

Overnight: Chimpanzee Forest Lodge

Day 5: Morning Birding in the Forest and Optional Chimp trekking

Start very early for the special bird of this forest – the green-breasted Pitta, plus several other encounters with occasional chimpanzees. Look out for Red-chested Owlet, Yellow-spotted Barbet, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Hairy-breasted Barbet, White-throated Greenbul, Red-tailed Bristle bill etc. Afternoon transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park direct to our Lodge.

Overnight: Bush Lodge Banda FB

Day 6: Game drive and birding along Kasenyi

Game drive long the Kasenyi tracks, afternoon boating safari on the Kazinga Channel. Along the Kasenyi tracks, we look out for Temmincks Courser, Common button Quail, African Quailfinch, Rufous-naped Lark, Crowned Lapwing etc.

The boat trip is the most popular activity at Mweya. Kazinga Channel is a natural narrow neck of water body connecting lakes Edward and George; measuring up to 40km long and is the most luxurious in the region. Along the Kazinga Channel, there are chances of Giant Nile crocodiles basking in the sun, elephants, hippos, and giant forest hog are rarely missed.

Overnight: Bush Lodge Banda FB

Day 7: Transfer to Ishasha

Start early and transfer to Ishasha (Queen Elizabeth National Park – Southern distant segment of the park)

On our way, we shall pay a visit to one of the fishing villages along the Kazinga channel. Spend the rest of the day in Ishasha on a game drive. Birds here include Stout Cisticola, Red-collared Widowbird, Black Cuckoo, Red-throated Wryneck, black coucal, Diederick cuckoo etc.

Overnight: Ishasha Pride Lodge FB

Day 8: Game drive and birding in Ishasha

You will explore Ishasha, considered by some experts as one of the most alluring game viewing area of East Africa, famous for the largest concentration of hippos along the Ishasha River, large herds of Elephant… Birding is mostly exciting along the road to the communities where we expect broad-tailed grassbird, black bishop, Yellow Bishop, Southern Red bishop, greater honeyguide and many others.

We return to the lodge for a lunch break, and short siesta, and later drive to Bwindi.

Overnight: Bakiga Lodge FB/Ride 4 a Woman Rest House FB

Day 9: Optional Gorilla tracking in Bwindi

Bwindi has a unique rich and varied ecosystem and has lowland rainforest and afromontane forest. It’s considered as one of the most unique and important forests of Africa. UNESCO declared it as a Natural World Heritage Site for Humanity for his many values and because it is vital to the survival of many endangered species. Gorillas are a hot cake here! Those who choose the Gorilla trek will be required to pay an extra USD800

After here, drive to Kisoro.

Overnight: Travellers’s Rest Hotel Kisoro FB

Day 10: Transfer to Rwanda

Today we start off and cross to the Land of a thousand hills through the Cyanika Border in Kisoro. We drive through the tranquil southwestern part of the country via Ruhengyeri with a view of the Virungas up to the most protected forest in Africa, Nyungwe forest. The drive will take most of our day.

Overnight: EAR Ken Barham Guest House FB

Day 11: Bird Nyungwe Forest

We spend the whole day birding in the forest. Optional Canopy Walk. Nyungwe is the biggest mountain rain forest, and the most preserved forest on the African continent! It is by far the most important site for biodiversity in Rwanda inhabiting several species of fauna and flora. Nyungwe is also very well known for a good number of Albertine Rift Endemics. The Handsome Spurfowl, Blue-headed Sunbird, Grauer’s Warbler, Grauer’s Swamp Warbler, Rwenzori Turaco, Rockerfeller’s Sunbird, Lagden’s Bush Shrike etc are easy to see here.

Overnight: EAR Ken Barham Guest house

Day 12: Transfer to Akagera National Park

Today we start very early and transfer to Akagera National Park through the Most beautiful City in Africa; Kigali City. Akagera National Park is famous for its varied biomes protecting a multitude of habitats and associated species of flora fauna. These include swamps and Lakes that flow into river Akagera.

Overnight: Akagera Transit Lodge FB

Day 13: Whole day game drive and birding in Akagera

Besides being home to the Big Five; Lion, Leopard, Rhino, Buffalo and Elephant. Akagera National Park in Rwanda is a fantastic destination for birdwatching! The park boasts a diverse range of habitats, from savannas to wetlands, which attract a variety of bird species including Papyrus Gonolek, Beaudouin’s Snake Eagle, Cabanis Bunting, Short-tailed Pipit, Brown-chested Lapwing etc.

Overnight: Akagera Transit Lodge FB

Day 14: Transfer to Kigali for your flight back home