16 DAYS OF BIRDING, GORILLA TREKKING, AND CHIMPANZEE

16 DAYS OF BIRDING, GORILLA TREKKING, AND CHIMPANZEE

16-day Birding Uganda, Gorilla trekking, and Chimpanzee safari will be an educative, interesting, and journey that will always be remembered amidst your safaris. During the 16 days safari, you will be able to visit various birding and wildlife destinations which include: Mabamba Island, Murchison falls national, for the rare shoe bill stork, pelican bee-eaters, shallow, sprawls, warbler among others, and other activities like the game drives, boat ride, chimpanzee and Gorilla trekking.

HIGHLIGHTS OF 16-DAYS BIRDING, GORILLA TREKKING, AND CHIMPANZEE SAFARI

  • Bird-watching safari in national park Sites
  • A boat trip to Lake Mburo National Park
  • Private transport in an open roof 4×4-wheel drive vehicle
  • Services of an English – speaking guide
  • launch cruise on Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park
  • 15 nights’ accommodation Gorilla & chimpanzee trekking Uganda
  • Delicious meals
  • Big Game viewing in Uganda National Park
  • Mabamba swamp Bay Birding Adventure

DETAILED ITINERARY

DAY 1: TRANSFER BOOKED ACCOMMODATION TO ENTEBBE OR KAMPALA

 Upon arrival at Entebbe international airport, the company driver will welcome you and then transfer you to the booked hotel for dinner and overnight.  Entebbe airport view guest house for dinner and overnight. you can have a city tour around the botanical gardens where you will be able to spot the slender-billed weaver, Brown-throated weaver, and Golden-backed weaver. long-tailed cormorant, common Hornbill, open-billed stork, swamp flycatcher, and Broad-billed roller among others.

Accommodation options

  • Fairway hotel Kampala/Two friends(mid-range)
  • Via via/pond view hotel(Budget)
  • Protea/hotel No.5(luxury)

DAY 2: MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK

 After your breakfast, you will transfer to Murchison falls National Park with a stop at the Ziwa Rhino sanctuary for Rhino tracking and some birding during the tracking, looking out for some birds like the white-crested Turaco, speckled breasted woodpecker, African cuckoo, blue-spotted dove, Abdim’s stork among others along the way to Murchison falls national park. Dinner and Overnight.

Accommodation options

  • Fort Murchison(mid-range)
  • Hornbill bush lodge(Budget)
  • Paraa safari lodge(Luxury)

DAY 3: GAME DRIVE IN MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK

After an early breakfast, you will set out for a game drive on queen’s mile to view various wild game and savannah birds. You will later return to your lodge for a delicious warm meal and get some time to relax before resuming your birding adventure on a boat cruise on the waters of Victoria Nile up to the bottom of Murchison falls, a good chance to see a lot of aquatic birds lie the dwarf kingfisher, pied kingfisher, white-thighed horn-bill among others. The boat is an ideal platform to take photos of high resolution for photographic travelers/birders. Return to the lodge for Dinner and overnight.

Accommodation options.

  • Fort Murchison(mid-range)
  • Hornbill bush lodge(Budget)
  • Paraa safari lodge (Luxury

 

DAY 4: TRANSFER FROM MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK TO HOIMA

 After your breakfast, we will have an adventure in the Bundongo forest, and explore the forest birds for a full day with your packed lunch. during your adventure in the forest you will be able to spot the white-crested Turaco, Ross’s Turaco, White-Helmet-shrike, Bat Hawk, Black-shouldered Nightjar, African wood-owl, crowned Eagle. Later return to the lodge for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.

Accommodation Options

  • Crown Hotel(Luxury)
  • Hotel Kon Tiki(Mid-range)
  • African village guesthouse(Budget)

DAY 5: TRANSFER FROM HOIMA TO KIBALE FOREST NATIONAL PARK

After Breakfast, we will drive to Kibale national park. On our way to Kibale, we shall go to Royal mile for the rare Nahan’s Francolin, Banded Snake-eagle, African pied Hornbill, Brown-backed Scrub-robin, Black Bishop among others you will have an en route lunch at Hoima. you will check into your safari lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation options

  • Crown Hotel(Luxury)
  • Hotel Kon Tiki(Mid-range)
  • African village guesthouse(Budget)

 

DAY 6: BIRD WATCHING IN KIBALE FOREST NATIONAL PARK

 After your breakfast, you will head for Chimpanzee tracking, and while for the tracking, you will also look out for the  370 bird species which include Black-bellied seed cracker, Green-backed Twin-spot, Bicolored Mannikin, white-napped pigeon, Marsh Tchagra, Afep Pigeon, Narina’s Trogon among others with packed lunch. still, looking out for birds as we go along with a lunch stop on the way. Upon your arrival to Kibale, you will check into your safari lodge and get some refreshments before setting off for an evening birding adventure, you will be looking out for some forest birds and trying to get a few off your list before the next day’s full day birding. After your birding, you will return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation options

  • Truco tree top (mid-range)
  • Rwetera Safari lodge(Budget)
  • Primate lodge(Luxury)

DAY 7: ANOTHER DAY BIRDING IN KIBALE FOREST NATIONAL PARK

 After early morning breakfast and then transfer to Kibale and Sebitoli region for birding for a half-day till later in the evening when you will transfer to Semliki National Park after lunch. Semliki is one of the top birding destinations in Uganda with 450 bird species. Upon your arrival, you will visit the Sempaya Hot Springs and have a nature walk into the Ituri jungle for birding and also view the different wildlife species like the elephants, leopard, and hippopotamus among others, Check into your safari lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation options

  • Truco tree top (mid-range)
  • Rwetera Safari lodge(Budget)
  • Primate lodge(Luxury)

DAY 8: TRANSFER FROM SEMLIKI NATIONAL PARK TO FORT PORTAL

 After your early morning breakfast, you will head out to look for some Semliki birds, enjoy exploring the beauty of this place while looking out for some interesting species of birds that have found a home in Semliki over the years. After your lunch, we will transfer to Semliki Wildlife Reserve in the afternoon for Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Leaf love and Black-chinned Quail-Finach, Eastern Grey plantain eater, Mouse birds, Kingfishers among others, and then to Fort portal. Upon your arrival, check into your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation options

  • Rweteera safari lodge(mid-range)
  • Crater safari lodge(luxury)
  • Kyaninga Royal cottages(Budget) 

DAY 9: TRANSFER FROM FORT PORTAL TO QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK

 After breakfast, we will drive to Queen Elizabeth national park, Enjoy the beautiful scenery as you travel to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Upon your arrival, you will check into your safari lodge and have lunch. Later in the afternoon, you will set out for a game drive in the Kasenyi sector, a good chance to view various big games like elephants, buffaloes, lions, spotted hyenas and so much more. You will then return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation options

  • Elephant Hub(Mid-range)
  • Pumba safari lodge(Budget)
  • Elephant primates(luxury)

DAY 10: BIRD WATCHING IN QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK

After early morning breakfast, you will begin your birding adventure in search of savannah birds like the open-billed stork, Long-tailed cormorants among others, and later return to your lodge for lunch. In the afternoon you will head out to the Kazinga channel, and look out for the aquatic birds such as pied kingfisher, African shoebills, Yellow-billed stork, African skimmer, Falcons, Darters, Black crake, jacana among others, and lots of hippos and Nile crocodiles while enjoying the boat cruise. Return to the lodge for Dinner and overnight. Meal plan: Full-Board.

Accommodation options.

  • Elephant Hub(Mid-range)
  • Pumba safari lodge(Budget)
  • Elephant primates(luxury)

DAY 11: TRANSFER FROM QUEEN ELIZABETH TO BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST NATIONAL PARK

 After your early morning breakfast, you will go for another round of birding in Queen Elizabeth national park leading to Maramagambo Forest home of several unique birds like Bar-tailed Godwit, Martial Eagle, Chapin’s Flycatcher, African Broadbill, White-winged Warbler, Verreaux’s Eagle Owl among others. You will then have Lunch and thereafter transfer via Ishasha southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park where you will have to spare time to search for the rare tree climbing lions and a variety of savannah bird species will be spotted and reaching Bwindi impenetrable national park in the evening and after to Buhoma for the pink-footed puff back, grey crowned cranes, Waller’s starling, Ameson’s antpecker, great blue turacos among others.

 Accommodation options

  • Silver back safari lodge(luxury)
  • Broad bill forest camp(budget)
  • Bakiga lodge(mid-range)

DAY 12: GORILLA TRACKING IN BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST NATIONAL PARK

After your breakfast, you will head to the park headquarters for a briefing about the dos and don’ts while Gorilla tracking. You will then be ready to set off for the tracking experience inside the heritage jungle and while there, your guide will help you identify various birds like the African green pigeon, African harrier hawk, Cinnamon-chested bee-eater, crown hornbill, Giant kingfisher among others. Carry with you your packed lunch and enough drinking water, a rain jacket, walkable boots, hut, insect repellent, and a good camera to capture your beautiful memories with the gentle giants. The rangers will provide you with a walking stick should you need one. Return from your tracking adventure and later in the evening, you will go for the Batwa trail where you will experience the typical day-to-day lives of the Batwa people that live in Bwindi as you continue looking out for the various species of birds with your guide and later return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation options

  • Silver back safari lodge(luxury)
  • Broad bill forest camp(budget)
  • Bakiga lodge(mid-range)

DAY 13: BIRDING ADVENTURE IN RUHIJA

 After breakfast, we will depart to Ruhija for a Birding Adventure. This region is famous for its unique bird species like lots of Albertine endemics like the Kivu ground thrush, white-bellied Robin-chat, slender-billed starling, African pygmy kingfishers, and black bee-eaters among others. You will have packed in the sector then come back in the evening for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation options.

  • Silver back safari lodge(luxury)
  • Broad bill forest camp(budget)
  • Bakiga lodge(mid-range)

DAY 14: TRANSFER FROM MUBWINDI SWAMP TO LAKE BUNYONYI BIRDING

 After your early morning breakfast, we will head to Mubwindi swamp for the handsome francolin, stripe-breasted tit, dusky crimson wing, arches robin chat, purple breasted sunbird, mountain greenbul, chestnut winged starling, and duikers among others then transfer to Bunyonyi which is the deepest and most beautiful lake in Uganda. This lake has various stunning islands where you will spend your leisure time viewing various bird species.

Accommodation options

  • Bunyonyi overland resort(Budget)
  • The Garden Place Hotel(Mid-range)
  • Lake chahafi resort(luxury)

 DAY 15: TRANSFER FROM LAKE BUNYONYI TO LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK

 After your breakfast, you will get into a canoe to head to the islands for bird watching some of these islands include Akampene known as the punishment island, Bwana, and Kyahugye islands among others, and the birds there are grey crowned crane, the white-tailed blue Monard, the herons, African harrier hawk among others. You will have an en-route lunch as you transfer to Lake Mburo and have a game drive upon your arrival. upon reaching the park, you will check in to the lodge and later in the evening have a boat cruise for the aquatic bird species like the pied kingfisher, rare shoebill, yellow-billed duck, saddle billed stork among others, and animals like the hippos, crocodiles to also been seen during the boat cruise.

  Dinner and overnight

Accommodation options

  • Mihingo lodge(luxury)
  • Mantana Tented Camp(Budget)
  • Mburo safari lodge(Mid-range)

 DAY 16: LAKE MBURO TO MABAMBA SWAMP THEN TO ENTEBBE AIRPORT.

After your breakfast, you will check out of your safari lodge and the journey to Entebbe will begin with a stopover for lunch at Mabanba swamp overlooking lake victoria with the adventure of the rare shoebill, blue swallow, black-shouldered nightjar, Afep pigeon, blue breasted bee-eater, papyrus Gonolek, African water rail among others then in the evening you will for the flight at Entebbe international airport.

End of the Safari.

Tour Inclusions and Exclusions

The cost of the 7 days Uganda wildlife safari will include: –

  • A Full-time 4X4 safari vehicle for your use
  • Fuel for your safari
  • Gorilla Permits
  • Chimpanzee Permits
  • Game drives
  • A boat cruise
  • Meals and Bottled drinking water when traveling
  • Accommodation for 6 nights with meals
  • All Activities mentioned such as visiting lake Katwe, Maramagambo forest, and Kyambura Gorge.
  • Pickup and drop-off in Entebbe or Kampala
  • Visiting the Batwa people

The cost of the 7 days Uganda tour excludes flights, visas, tips, beverages, wines and insurance.