This exciting 12 Day Eastern Uganda Birding seeks to expose one to a collection of species unique to the Somali-Masai savanna, L. Victoria biome and Afro-tropical highland. On our transfer to the east, we will bird the heavily cultivated rice fields where several waders occur among them the African Spoonbill, Saddle-billed and Yellow-billed Stocks and depending on season numerous migrant waders. At Mt. Elgon, we bird the forest edge and the low elevation rainforests extending onto the bamboo zone where quality restricted species occur across these evergreen tropical forests.
Down in the flooded grassland plains and woodlands of Pian Upe reserve, the main highlights will be the Uganda’s only Endemic, the Fox Weaver that favors to nest acacia stands within the grasslands. The sparsely populated Karamoja region, is both scenic with inspiring landscapes dotted with rocky outcrops and inselbergs. The semi-arid thorny bush, dry scrub, combretum woodland, bushland and tree/shrub steppe vegetation is characteristic to the Somali-Masai biome that host several Horn of Africa species on their easterly range limit. While here, we will bird the slopes of Mt. Moroto, work well the Matheniko reserve and the wilderness savannas of Kidepo Valley NP in the far north-east. Driving through the low-lying northern Uganda landscape we will come into Murchison Falls NP, to pick up a diversity of Sudan-Guinea biome specialists here. Here we will take a cruise on the Nile, birding out for wetland specialists before we will bird our way back to Entebbe.
12 Day Eastern Uganda Birding Special tour Includes
- A 4-WD tour car with a bird-guide driver
- All park and site entrance fees and activity fees
- All accommodation and meal plan as mentioned
- Bottled drinking water in the car
12 Day Eastern Uganda Birding Special tour Excludes
- Tips and gratuities
- Laundry and other items of personal nature
- Personal insurance
- Other drinks and meals other than mentioned
- Accommodation of the last day
- Flights and Visa to Uganda
Detailed Itinerary for 12 Day Eastern Uganda Birding Special
Arrival: Meet and Greet
Upon your arrival at Entebbe airport, you will be met by our representative to transfer you the hotel. Depending on your time of arrival, you will meet and greet your bird guide who will brief you on the upcoming birding safari. Accommodation: Booma Lodge, FB
Day One: Birding on transfer to Mt. Elgon
Early this morning, our birding quest begins by a transfer drive to our base hotel on the volcanic slopes of Mt. Elgon. On driving east, we will make several birding stops on several rice fields and wetlands for waders and other species. A hot lunch stop shall be in the city Mbale overlooking the towering Mt. Elgon before checking in at our accommodation that evening. Accommodation: Sipi River Lodge, FB
Day Two: Birding Mt. Elgon NP, Kapkwai Trailhead
With an early start this morning we transfer to Kapkwai visitors center set on the edge of the montane forests on slopes of Mt. Elgon, where we will be joined by a local bird-ranger to lead us birding on this location. Excellent trails lead out across an afro-tropical highland zone with quality species including an Elgon race of White-starred Robin, African Hill Babbler and Abyssinian Ground Thrush while other highlights include colorful Golden-backed Sunbird, Bamboo Warbler, Barred-tailed Trogon, Baglafetch, Black-billed Weaver, Green-throated Sunbird, Ayres’s Hawk eagle, Jackson’s Francolin, Hartlaub’s Turaco and more. African Spotted Creeper is known here but rare. With a parked lunch we will bird here till late. Accommodation Sipi River Lodge, FB
Day Three/Four: Birding to and in Pian Upe Reserve
After an early breakfast, we bird on transfer to Pian Upe where we continue with an evening birding drive for a good dry country species. Our highlights here will include Uganda’s only endemic, the Fox Weaver that occurs on flooded grassland plains along the characterful Karamoja Apalis, Buff-bellied Warbler, Stone Partridge, Nyanza Swift, Chestnut-headed and Speckle-fronted Weavers, White-browed Scrub-Robin, Spotted Palm-Thrush and Grey-capped Social Weaver. White-headed Barbet, Little Rock Thrush, Cliff Chat, Lesser-masked, Vitelline and Golden-backed Weavers, Wing-snapping, Stout and Foxy Cisticola, Eastern Chanting Goshawk, Bateleur, Red-fronted Barbet, Black-chested Snake Eagle, Fox Kestrel, Common Ostrich and more.
Our birding drives will afford us spectacular scenic views of the entire landscape dotted with rock outcrops and Inselbergs and incredible game including the Cheater, Mountain Reedbuck, Eland and the Oryx of several occur only here. Accommodation: UWA Banda, FB
Day Five/Six: Birding to and around the foothills of Mt. Moroto
From the grassland lands of Pian-Upe reserve we bird our way to Moroto stopping to pick up several characters. Birding on the foothills of Moroto, we explore for more of this dry bush and scrub habitat that is characteristic of a typical Masai-Somali Biome where highlights will include; Yellow-necked Spurfowl, Abyssinian and Purple Roller, Cut-throat Finch, Orange-winged Pytilia, Eastern Paradise Whydah, Blue-capped Cordon Blue, Red-winged Lark and White-tailed Lark. Clapperton’s Francolin, Singing Lark, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, African Silverbill, Blue-capped Cordon-blue, Quail Finch, Red-necked Falcon, Abyssinian Scimitarbill, Northern White-faced Owl, Hartlaub’s Bustard, Rufous Chatterer, Superb Starling with Hunter’s Sunbird among a rich checklist. Accommodation: Kara-Tunga Camp, FB
Day Six: Birding Matheniko Reserve
From our base hotel in the cool town of Moroto, we start early birding into the Matheniko wildlife reserve for excellent dry-scrub, thorn-bush specialists including Purple Grenadier, Shining and Beautiful Sunbird, Red-fronted Barbet, Steel-blue Whydah, Eastern Paradise-Whydah, Northern-Red-billed Hornbill, Buff-crested, White-bellied and Denham’s Bustards, Jacksons Hornbill, d’Arnuad’s Barbet, Red and Yellow Barbet, Blue-capped Cordon-blue, White-bellied Go-away-bird, Heuglin’s Wheatear, Familiar Chat, Brown-tailed Rock Chat, Red-winged Bush Lark, Pink-breasted Lark, Golden Pipit, Red-winged Lark and lots more. As the sun gets hotter, we will take a lunch rest at the UWA camp before we birding back to Moroto town for a night. Accommodation: Kara-Tunga Camp, FB
Day Seven: Birding onto Kidepo National Park
On transfer to Kidepo Valley National Park, we will drive birding through the same Matheniko reserve further collecting more species also appreciating the remoteness, wild and spectacular scenery of the Karamojong region. We check in at the park late afternoon. Accommodation: Savanna Lodge, FB
Day Eight-Nine: Birding in Kidepo Valley NP
Here at Kidepo Valley national park we bird across diverse habitats adding onto our checklists; Pale-chanting Goshawk, Lichtenstein’s and Four-banded Sandgrouse, Yellow-necked Spurfowl, Denham and Buff-crested Bustard, Secretary Bird, White-bellied Go-away-Bird, Northern Yellow-billed Hornbill, Three-streaked Tchagra, Taita Fiscal, Rufous Chatterer, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Gambaga Flycatcher, Black-throated Barbet, Brown-backed Woodpecker, Northern and Red-faced Crombec, Brown Parisoma, Foxy and Red-pate Cisticola, Boran Cisticola, Rock-loving Cisticola, Pale Prinia, African Grey Flycatcher, Pale Flycatcher, Pygmy Batis, Rufous Chatterer, Three-banded Courser, White-bellied and Somali Tit, Mouse-colored Penduline-tit and Pygmy Sunbird. The dry-bush hosts Eastern Violet-backed and Amethyst Sunbird, Yellow-billed Shrike, Slate-colored Boubou, Northern White-crowned Shrike, White-crested Helmet Shrike, Fan-tailed Raven, Magpie and Superb Starling, Chestnut Sparrow, Bruce’s Green Pigeon, Parrot-billed Sparrow, Yellow-spotted Petronia, White-browed Sparrow Weaver while Kori Bustard occur. Accommodation: Savanna Lodge, FB
Day Ten/Eleven: Birding to and within Murchison Falls NP
Today we will drive west wards to Uganda’s biggest national park, the Murchison Falls. Named after the falls where the mighty Nile crashes through the escarpment rock creating Africa’s most powerful water falls. The parks diverse habitats will further give us more savanna, woodland and wetland species. We look out for Martial Eagle, Silverbird, Dusky and Brown Babbler, Western Black-headed Batis, Grey-headed and Striped Kingfisher, Black-headed Plover, Spotted and Senegal Thick-knee, Green and Red-fronted Bee-eater, Ruppel’s and Griffin vultures, Speckle-fronted Weaver, PiacPiac, Brown Babbler, Grey, Cardinal and Nubian Woodpecker, Goliath Heron and if we are lucky a Shoebill. Accommodation: Pakuba Lodge, FB
Day Twelve: Transfer to Kampala via Top of the falls.
Early this morning we will bird through the Budongo Forest where the highlight will be the local specialist, the Puvell’s Illadopsis that occurs near the eco-center and also several good forest specialists. Thereafter, bird our way to Entebbe arriving later in the early afternoon. Drop off to the Lodge or Airport depending on your flight plan.
End.