Uganda Birdwatching Safari
TOU\B119 KAMPALA - QUEEN ELIZABETH PARK BIRDING TRAIL (5 DAYS /4 NIGHTS)- DAY 1
Depending on the time you arrive at the airport, you will be taken to the Entebbe Botanical Gardens for bird viewing. You shall see Orange-tufted and Red-chested sunbirds, orange weavers and slender build weaver. On the lake and around the shore we shall look for Black headed Herons, Hamerkop, African Open-billed Stork, Kingfishers and Swamp Fly-catchers. Two highly vocal and conspicuous species you should find in the gardens are African fish eagle and eastern grey plantain eater, the latter constantly making strange chimp-like calls. Other species to watch for include Hadada Ibis, Palm Nut and Shikra, to mention but a few.
- DAY 2
Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park, where we shall arrive in time for the afternoon launch cruise on the Kazinga Channel. The channel is a natural magnet for water birds, and in the vicinity of Mweya, acts as a migrant track for birds moving along the Albertine rift. There are a wide variety of species, including the Great White and Pink-backed Pelicans, Common Squacco Heron, African open-billed stork, African Fish Eagle, Black Crake, African Jacana, Pied Kingfishers, White Winged Terns, Sands Martins, Yellow Wagtail to mention but a few. Dinner and overnight at Mweya/Jacana Lodge.
- DAY 3
After breakfast, morning game drive, birding en route, heading for the Kasenyi track which is one of the best game viewing areas, but also has much to offer a birder. The northern part of this 30km circuit supports large flocks of White and Abdims Storks, Saddle-billed Storks and Raptors such as the Brown-snake Eagle, Martial Eagle and Grey Kestrel. Kyambura Gorge is an excellent place to see the spectacular Black Bee Eater, Blue-breasted Kingfishers, Croaking Cisticola, Broad-tailed Warbler, White-tailed Lark, Papyrus Gonalek, Papyrus Canary, African Emerald Cuckoos to mention but a few. Transfer to Kibale National Park late afternoon.
- DAY 4
Early in the morning you will be transferred to Kibale National Park. This is a rainforest that offers some excellent forest birding. The best birding is along the main road from the Kanyankyu visitor centre. Before we enter the forest we shall watch out for species such as the Scaly Francolin, Marsh Tchagra, and the scarce Grey-headed Olive-back as well as seed eaters such as the Fawn Breasted and Black Crowned Wax-bills and Green-backed Twin Spot, among others. While in the forest we shall watch out for flocks of the rare and localised White-naped Pigeon in flight overhead or sunning themselves on the tree tops in the early morning.
The secondary forest and thicket around Kanyanchu is also a productive birding area for the African Goshawk, the Majestic Ground eagle and Masked Apalis. Large, noisy flocks of Grey Parrots fly over the campsite to their roosts in the evening.
There is an observation tower which overlooks a small forest in the park giving you the opportunity to see the Red-chested flufftail and a host of forest elephants.
The Bigodi wetland sanctuary in Kibale National Park is also an excellent place to see some of the special birds endemic to this habitat such as Papyrus Gonolek, White-winged Warbler and Papyrus Canary among others. Return to Ndali for dinner and overnight. There are other mid-range accommodation facilities such as Rwenzori View Guest house and Fort Motel.
- DAY 5
After an early morning breakfast you will set off for Kampala and then be transferred to the airport, depending on your departure time.
