Overview
Visiting Uganda and you feel you need more days? This 10 days birding and primate safari to Uganda will satisfy you and you will move back home when you have a smile on your face. On arrival be welcomed by a driver who will be directing you to the booked lodges and all trails. You will have several stop overs while on your way for stretching, photo taking, and picnic lunch. Different wild animals and birds will be spotted in different places as continue with safari in Uganda. Therefore, enjoy your great safari where you will visit both savannah and rain forested national parks to watch the birds and primates like chimpanzees, gorillas and golden monkeys.
Detailed safari itinerary
Day 1. Arrival and check in the hotel
Arriving at the airport, our driver guide will warmly welcome you and take you to the nearest hotel for lunch. Thereafter have a city tour around Kampala, you can opt visiting the palace of the Kabaka of Buganda or the Kasubi tombs. Visiting the local markets or craft shops and buying souvenirs is also a good option and after drive to the booked lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 2. Birding in Mabamba swamp
After an early breakfast, your driver will pick you from the lodge and drive to mabamba swamp which is few kilometers from Kampala city. Since this swamp is well known for its popular bird the shoe bill there are high chances of spotting it in this area. You will monitor may birds like papyrus gonolek, black eglet, Goliath heron, lesser jacana, orange weaver and many others. Spend the time as you can and after move back to the lodge for lunch and relaxation.
Day 3. Transfer to Kibale and birding in Isunga Community
Leave your place of accommodation in Kampala early morning after breakfast and transfer to Kibale national Park via fort portal the tourism city. You will have a stopover still on the way as soon as you reach the tea estates for photos and proceed with the journey to Kibale to the booked lodge for lunch. You will have an evening birding in Isunga Community with Isunga cultural community where the guide will take you to their organized forest which is also a home for 6 primates including the chimpanzees or around the crater for both water birds for example, Giant king fisher, black crake, pink backed pelicans, long crested eagle the green breasted pitta and many more. There is option of birding around lake Nyabikere, here you will spot birds like hammerkop, kingfishers, fish eagles, vultures and many more others. Retreat to the lodge for dinner and night stay.
Day 4 chimpanzees and birding in the forest.
Kibale national Park is well known for its chimpanzees and others primates of about 13 primates thus being the primate capital of the world. You will wake up early morning after your breakfast as your driver guide drives you directly to Kanyanchu visitors center where you will meet a ranger guide who takes you through a short briefing about the field. Thereafter, you will set off for the walk with the ranger guide who will be fully armed and start searching for the chimpanzees. Children below 15 years are not allowed to trek chimpanzees and other roles as they will be narrated by the guide.
Coming across any group of chimpanzees, only one hour is allowed while in presence with them. Retreat to the lodge for lunch and after have a simple forest walk alongside the road for evening birding. After move back to the lodge for shower, dinner and overnight stay.
Day 5 transfer to queen Elizabeth national Park and birding on Kazinga Channel
After your delicious breakfast in Kibale, you will drive towards queen Elizabeth national Park which is found in the western parts of Uganda and it takes the second position in being the largest national Park in Uganda. You will have a stop at the booked lodge for lunch and after switch to Kazinga channel for birding. There are two options for birding while here one is to walk around and another one is a boat ride which is the most common. With the help of binoculars, record many birds as you can such as African shoe bill, great white and pink backed pelicans, jacana, black crake, saddle billed stock and many others.
Day 6. Birding in the Savannah and transfer to Bwindi through Ishasha sector
Birding in Savannah is basically done on foot and to record a good number of birds you will need to wake up early morning. Therefore, after an early breakfast, you and a ranger guide who will be fully armed for protection set for the field. Spot and record many birds as you can like the black billed bustard, white tailed lark, flapped lark and many more. Have your lunch and after transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national Park through Ishasha sector where you will spot many wildlife including the tree climbing lions, forcing you to keep your cameras set.
Day 7. Gorillas trekking and nature walk
The driver guide will pick you at the lodge after your breakfast and drive heading to the headquarters in Bwindi impenetrable national Park. Meet a ranger guide who will take you through the briefing about how to handle and behave in case you get any group of gorillas, and you will be added in a group to make a total of 8 people who are required to trek a certain family of gorillas. Spend only one hour in presence of gorillas, after move back to the office and meet your driver guide then drive back to the lodge for lunch.
After your lunch, depending on where you trekked a group of gorillas if not tired, make a nature walk around in the forest where you be able to watch others primates like varvet monkey and any others. Birds, tall trees which are over 20 years and beautiful butterflies are also seen during this nature. After the walk move back to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 8. Birding in Ruhija sector (Mubwindi swamp) and transfer to Mgahinga national Park
Wake up early morning and have your breakfast. You will meet a tour guide who will lead you through all the trails starting with the Ruhija forest trail directly to Mubwindi swamp. This swamp is located in Ruhija sector one of the sectors in Bwindi impenetrable national Park in Uganda which is best for birders. A lot of birds are recorded during this nature walk for example montane Oriole, red chested flufftail, black billed turacos and the barbets. Retreat to the lodge for the picnic lunch and check out to Mgahinga national Park.
Day 9. Golden monkey trekking and birding around the lodge
Golden monkey trekking is only done in Mgahinga national Park in Uganda therefore, after being served with the breakfast move to the starting point at trekking center and a guide who will take you through a quick briefing about the dos and don'ts of where you are heading to and set off for the walk in search for these primates. In other words, it's not only gorillas and chimpanzees that needs a permit to trek them but also the golden monkeys. Immediately after trekking them you will spend one hour and move back to the lodge for lunch.
Due to either a long movement in search for golden monkeys, after enjoying your lunch you will bird around the lodge, and many birds will be recorded mostly the sun birds that come across the flowers in the gardens of the lodge. You will also feel the bird’s melodies while birding around the lodge mostly coming towards evening during rush hours. Move back to the lodge and prepare for tomorrow's departure and night stay.
Day 10. Departure
This day will Mark the end of your combined safari of birding and primate watching which will be in Mgahinga national Park with an amazing activity of golden monkey trekking. Therefore, you will wake up early in the morning and have your breakfast then switch off for the journey heading back to Kampala. Have a stopover at the equator for taking photos and refreshing your bodies by stretching and having a picnic lunch. There after proceed with the journey to the airport and fly back home.
