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WINGS Birding Tours – Itinerary

Uganda: Shoebills to Gorillas

Sunday 16 June to Friday 5 July 2024
Optional Gorilla Trek to Saturday 29 June
with Brian Finch and Paul Tamwenya as leaders
Sunday 15 June to Friday 4 July 2025
Optional Gorilla Trek to Saturday 28 June
with Brian Finch and Paul Tamwenya as leaders

2024 Price: $9,450*

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The odd Shoebill is a confiding resident of papyrus stands along the Nile. Photo: Brian Finch.

Uganda is the jewel in the crown of East Africa, generally recognized as having some of the best remaining forest in Africa and with it some truly remarkable birdwatching. Our first taste will be a search for the enigmatic Shoebill at the edge of Lake Victoria. We’ll continue our journey north to the town of Masindi. There will be roadside birding on the way, and we should arrive at our destination in the late afternoon. Here we visit Murchison Falls National Park for a good variety of mammals, as well as its rich avifauna and the magnificent Victoria Nile. Nearby is the spectacular Royal Mile in Budongo Forest with many forest species not met with on the rest of the tour. Heading southwards, we stay at Kibale Forest where we have the opportunity of a dedicated walk to view Chimpanzees. This forest is home to eleven species of primates, and of course more forest birding.  In Queen Elizabeth National Park, we’ll encounter a variety of habitats more typical of East Africa, along with an equally varied array of birds and mammals. Then, on to the wonderful Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. This is a magical place of mists, hanging mosses, and luxuriant vegetation, and it is also where we’ll see some of the rarest and most sought after birds of the trip. However, it will probably be a mammal that is uppermost in people’s minds here. Over half the world’s population of Mountain Gorillas can be found in this forest, and during our stay there will be the option to take part in a guided trek to search for a group of these magnificent animals. Finally,  we reach the papyrus-fringed lakeshore of Lake Mburo National Park, renowned for its mammals and birds, including both African Finfoot and White-backed Night-heron.

Day 1: The tour begins this evening in Entebbe, Uganda.

Day 2: After an early breakfast and carrying our picnic lunch– most days will begin this way – we’ll depart for the Mbamba Wetlands, a locally protected marsh area of Lake Victoria and home to the magnificent Shoebill. We have a very good chance of locating one or more of these birds standing motionless among the papyrus, as well as an excellent selection of waterbirds. This is a weaver paradise, and we should find Golden-backed, Slender-billed, Northern Brown-throated, Village, Vieillot’s, Black-headed, and Grosbeak, and—if we are really fortunate—the near endemic Weyn’s Weaver. Other species here include Great Blue Turaco, Black-and-White Casqued Hornbill, and an impressive collection of swallows. All in all, it should be an excellent introduction to birding in Uganda. Later we’ll continue north to Masindi for our overnight stay, with several stops along the way where we may find Saddle-billed Stork, White-crested Turaco and a variety of widowbirds and bishops. Night in Masindi.

Day 3: We’ll depart for the renowned Murchison Falls National Park, locally known as Kabalega Falls. On the way we‘ll stop to look for Puvel’s Illadopsis in the Kaniyo Pabidi section of Budongo Forest where there is a small and disjunct population of this bird, which is typically found far to the west. Soon after we enter the National Park, it will be worth checking the gate for a large, bright, orange-and-velvety-black agama, a fairly newly described species of Old-World lizard Agama finchi or Finch’s Agama, named after our leader. We’ll drive slowly and bird as we head to our accommodation, stopping to picnic along the way. Night at Murchison Falls National Park.

Day 4: During our time at the Park, we’ll drive a track which heads along the Victoria Nile river towards the Lake Albert delta where the west-flowing Victoria Nile makes an abrupt turn and becomes the north-flowing Albert Nile. In the afternoon we’ll take a boat to the foot of Murchison Falls, where the mighty Nile is squeezed through a twenty-three-foot gap. An abundance of waterbirds occupy the well-wooded banks of the river, and we’ll hope for another encounter with Shoebill. Others we’ll also hope to see include the well-named Goliath Heron, Hamerkop on their enormous stick nests, yodeling African Fish-Eagle, and the regal Grey Crowned-Crane, which is Uganda’s National bird. Senegal Thick-knee, Long-toed and Spur-winged Lapwings, African Jacana, and African Skimmers all rest on sandbanks, and riverine vegetation provides perches for solitary and stately Giant and the gem-like Malachite Kingfishers. Burrows in the cliffs represent colonies of astounding Red-throated Bee-eaters or vociferous Pied Kingfishers. With luck we may see the rare Pel’s Fishing-Owl, as well as the dashing Red-necked Falcon that frequents the palm trees lining the riverbanks. In addition to the profusion of birds, we’ll see large numbers of the impressive Nile crocodile, hippopotamus, African buffalo, vervet monkey and olive baboon at close range, and herds of African elephants sometimes bathe in the river shallows. The scenic area north of the Nile holds a number of birds typical of dry savanna and we‘ll search here for Abdim’s Stork, Secretary Bird, Black-breasted Snake-Eagle, Shikra, Dark Chanting-Goshawk, Heuglin’s Francolin, Black-headed Lapwing, with both Swallow-tailed and Northern Carmine Bee-eaters, Black Scimitar-bill, Black-backed Cisticola, Shelley’s Rufous Sparrow, and Black-faced Quailfinch. A few birds—with their ranges centered on the Sahel region to the north—reach their southern limits here including the ponderous Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill, Vinaceous Dove, scarce White-fronted Black-Chat, excitable Red-winged Grey Warbler and somber White-rumped Seedeater. Mammals are well represented and we’ll watch for the shy patas monkey, bushbuck, Rothschild’s giraffe, Uganda kob, oribi, Jackson’s hartebeest, and Defassa waterbuck. This is also one of the best places in Uganda to find lions. The moist, grassy woodland to the south of the Nile is very different from that of the north bank and supports a host of localized birds including the unusually proportioned Purple Glossy-Starling, Red-winged Pytilia, Black-bellied Firefinch, both Cabanis’s and Brown-rumped Buntings, and, if we are fortunate, White-breasted Cuckooshrike and Yellow-bellied Hyliota. Night at Murchison Falls National Park.

Day 5: We’ll bird our way back to Masindi but by a different route to that of our arrival, and our goal is to reach the Butiaba escarpment overlooking the mighty Lake Albert. This area holds a number of interesting species including Black-billed Barbet, Lesser Blue-eared Starling, Green-backed Eremomela, Foxy Cisticola, Flappet Lark and Mocking Cliff-Chat.  From here we’ll drive slowly on our way back to Masindi, birding as we go.  Night in Masindi.

Day 6: We’ll depart for a full day to the Royal Mile section of the Budongo Forest Reserve, a wide forestry track considered to be Uganda’s premier forest birding location. It’s certainly rich in birds but many are concealed in the forest’s dense undergrowth, and others live in the high canopy, requiring our perseverance to spot them. We’ll also investigate more open habitat in cultivated areas, where an entirely different range of species may be found. Among the many we hope to find are White-spotted Flufftail, Blue Malkoha, three species of forest kingfisher—Chocolate-backed, Blue-breasted and Dwarf, impressive White-thighed Hornbill, barbets including Hairy-breasted and Yellow-billed, cryptic Green Hylia, Grey and Yellow Longbills, and local specialties Rufous-crowned Eremomela, Lemon-bellied Crombec, African Forest-Flycatcher, Chestnut-capped Flycatcher and Ituri Batis. Other birds to find include Purple-headed Glossy-Starling, the aberrant Grey-headed Sunbird, Yellow-mantled Weaver, and Crested Malimbe. Greenbuls are abundant, and we’ll work slowly through any flock that we encounter, looking for Honeyguide, Red-tailed, and the striking Spotted. The near endemic and spectacular Nahan’s Partridge is often heard but requires luck and patience to see. We’ll search the undergrowth alongside the track for numerous understory skulkers, which may include three Illadopsis species, Fire-crested Alethe, Red-tailed Ant-Thrush, Yellow-browed Camaroptera, and Grey-throated Flycatcher. We’ll keep an eye on any openings in the forest canopy, as Cassin’s and Crowned Hawk-eagles, and Cassin’s, Mottled, and Sabine’s Spinetails are all possible. Spinetails occasionally drink from a nearby forest pond, and here we’ll also hope to find a pair of brilliant Shining-blue Kingfishers. Night in Masindi.

Day 7: We’ll visit a different part of Budongo Forest where we’ll search particularly for species we missed yesterday, and given the huge variety of species in Budongo, we’ll certainly have missed a number. Night in Masindi.

Day 8: Departing immediately after breakfast, we’ll set off on the long drive to the Kibale Forest. While there may be odd stops along the way this is by necessity a driving day. In the afternoon, as we arrive on the outskirts of Fort Portal and pass through the highest section of the Kibale Forest, we’ll look for species not encountered elsewhere such as Joyful Greenbul, Masked Apalis, as well as the hyperactive Tiny Sunbird, and Narrow-tailed Starling. In addition we have at least a chance of hearing Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo. As we get closer to our accommodation, and if time permits, we’ll bird along the road until dusk. Night in Kibale Forest National Park.

Day 9: Our two major targets for today are an early morning search for the very rare Green-breasted Pitta and an afternoon forest trek for chimpanzees (see ** below). The towering Kibale Forest has the highest primate concentration and species diversity of any reserve in East Africa. Primate highlights might include the localized Central African red colobus monkey, L’Hoest’s monkey (Uganda’s rarest monkey), and the scruffy grey-cheeked mangabey. In addition, our chances of finding chimpanzees here are excellent. The birds are typical of medium-altitude forest, with some good mixed species flocks and specials such as Afep and the globally threatened and rarely encountered White-naped Pigeon, Red-chested Owlet, White-headed Woodhoopoe, Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher, African Shrike-flycatcher, Superb, Green-throated, and Green-headed Sunbirds and Chestnut Wattle-eye. Greenbuls are well represented and includes the scarce Toro Olive among the more widespread forest species. Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoos hide well but are a noisy forest inhabitant and Grey Parrots frequently feed in roadside trees here. Night in Kibale Forest National Park.

Day 10We’ll travel to Bigodi, a swamp forest reserve managed by the local community to protect the primates and birds living in this area. It abounds in birds from the very large Black-and-White Casqued Hornbill, Ross’s and Black-billed Turacos, and Eastern Grey Plantain-eater to the very small with many sunbird species, estrildid finches, and various warblers. As we walk the only trail that circumnavigates the swamp, we’ll hope for good views of Brown-eared, Buff-spotted, and Yellow-crested Woodpeckers, dazzling Double-toothed and unusual Grey-throated Barbets, as well as their smaller cousins—Yellow-throated and Speckled Tinkerbirds. Hopefully, we’ll also spot the comical Black-and-White Shrike-Flycatcher noisily protecting its territory, as well as the furtive Snowy-crowned and Blue-shouldered Robin Chats and the conspicuous Vieillot’s Black and Yellow-backed Weavers. From here we have a relatively short drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park (QEP) and will arrive at our lodge in the afternoon, having  explored the local bushland. Night at Mweya Safari Lodge, QEP.

Day 11: After early breakfast overlooking the alluring Kazinga Channel, we’ll depart for the morning’s birding in the spectacular crater lakes area in the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains and for the main game-viewing area along the Kasenyi track. A few of the species that are possible here include Bateleur, arguably Africa’s most spectacular raptor, Grey Kestrel, Red-necked Spurfowl, Common and the rarely encountered Black-rumped Buttonquail, African Crake, Senegal Lapwing, the marsh-dwelling Black Coucal, Rufous-naped, Red-capped, and the scarce White-tailed Larks. Of the ten species of cisticolas we’ll look and listen for Croaking, Wing-snapping, Trilling, Carruther’s and Stout. In rank grass we may find Marsh Tchagra and in reed beds Southern Red Bishop. Mammals will also be a highlight of today’s excursion, and we’ll have a good chance of finding lion, leopard, spotted hyena, African elephant, African buffalo, Ugandan kob, bushbuck, hippopotamus, common warthog, and the spectacular giant forest hog. We’ll return to our lodge for lunch, then embark on our launch trip on the Kazinga Channel. Highlights of the voyage include our close (and safe) approach to African buffalo and hippopotami, as well as to numerous waterbirds. Among a multitude of others, we’ll hope to find African Open-billed, Yellow-billed, Saddle-billed, and Marabou Storks, Glossy Ibis, Wattled Lapwing, Water Thick-knee, Swamp Flycatcher, and Lesser Swamp Warbler, as well as several species of gulls, terns, and pelicans. Night at Mweya Safari Lodge, QEP.

Day 12: If conditions allow, we’ll drive through the extensive southern Ishasha section of Queen Elizabeth National Park. We’ll likely see a large variety of savanna bird and mammal species, and we may be fortunate in sighting the area’s famous tree-climbing lions. We’ll have our picnic lunch at Ishasha where we can start on our Democratic Republic of the Congo bird list while gazing over the narrow, shallow river! Finally, we’ll reach the headquarters of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Buhoma. Night in Buhoma.

NOTE: Days 13 and 14 may be reversed depending on space availability for gorilla permits

Day 13: We’ll walk the Buhoma trail for the entire day. This is a particularly beautiful piece of forest in the valley, and our walking is on a mainly flat and well-maintained broad path. Species we’ll hope to encounter include Bar-tailed Trogon, rarely seen Oberlander’s Ground-Thrush, White-bellied Robin-Chat, Red-throated Alethe, White-bellied Crested-Flycatcher, Bocage’s Bushshrike, Northern Double-collared Sunbird, Black-billed Weaver, and Magpie Mannikin. High exposed perches are favored by the dazzling Black Bee-eater, Blue-throated Roller, Sooty Flycatcher, and forest starlings including Waller’s, Stuhlmann’s and Narrow-tailed, while the tiny, vocal and highly secretive Neumann’s Warbler is buried in the undergrowth! Other understory birds could include African Broadbill, Banded Prinia, and the surprisingly bright male Black-faced Rufous-Warbler. The mid-story and canopy support Elliot’s and Fine-banded Woodpeckers, Cabanis’s, Shelley’s, and Ansorge’s Greenbuls, the strange Grauer’s Warbler, and White-browed Crombec. The tiny Jameson’s Antpecker can be found at any level, probing under moss on dead branches or gleaning warbler-like in the canopy. Overhead, Scarce Swift forages over the forest. Other wildlife that we may be fortunate enough to find includes the huge yellow-backed duiker antelope, Guereza colobus, L’Hoest’s, blue and red-tailed monkeys, as well as chimpanzees. We’ll also no doubt find several species of squirrel, including fire-footed rope, Carruther’s’ mountain and Ruwenzori sun. Both the exceptional birding and the sightings of exotic mammals make visiting Buhoma truly memorable. Night in Buhoma.

Day 14: Today is devoted to an optional but unforgettable trek to see Eastern Mountain Gorillas in their mountain refuge (see * below). This adventure could take anywhere from three to six hours in the field, depending on where the gorillas are located. We’ll leave the lodge early to reach the park’s Registration Center, where the trek will start after introductions and a briefing from the guide on what to expect and how to act in the presence of the gorillas. Viewing the gorillas is a profound experience, but because the trek may be too difficult for some participants, we are leaving it as an optional activity, not included in the tour price. For those who opt not to take the trek, there will be a birding excursion into the adjacent forest with a picnic lunch. Later in the day we’ll return to Gorilla Forest Camp for some optional leisurely birding. Night near Buhoma.

Day 15: We’ll start the uphill drive to Ruhija. Although it is not a long way, we’ll spend the entire day on this route to take advantage of the superb birding. In scrubby areas beyond Buhoma, we’ll search for Ross’s Turaco; Red-throated Wryneck; Brown-backed Scrub-Robin, as well as Bronze, Copper and Variable Sunbirds, Black-necked and Holub’s Golden Weavers; Yellow Bishop and Black-throated Seed-eater. Further along the road, we’ll pass through Kitahurira, or “The Neck,” another well-known birding site. Here we’ll search for the likes of Western Bronze-naped Pigeon, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Willcox’s Honeyguide, Petit’s Cuckoo-shrike, Chapin’s Flycatcher, Mountain Wagtail, Pink-footed Puffback, and the rare Tiny Sunbird. Even further up the road, cultivated areas provide feeding opportunities for many seedeaters, which will hopefully include Dusky Twinspot and Yellow-bellied and Black-crowned Waxbills. African Stonechat, Thick-billed Seedeater and Yellow-crowned Canary may also be found. We’ll also seek out the noisy Chubb’s Cisticola providing cheerful song from deep within the bracken, the stunning Doherty’s Bushshrike appearing from the dense vegetation, and Mackinnon’s Shrike surveying the road from high, exposed perches. Night in Ruhija.

Day 16: We’ll undertake a full day of walking along the road at Ruhija. At this altitude the vegetation is quite different from what we experienced in Buhoma and will now include giant heather, giant lobelia, and extensive bracken. Bird species that we’ll hope to see here include Black-billed Turaco, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, Western Green Tinkerbird, Olive Woodpecker, Dwarf Honeyguide, Eastern Mountain and the wing-waving Yellow-streaked Greenbuls, Archer’s Robin-Chat, Stripe-breasted Tit, Mountain Illadopsis and the beautifully voiced Grey-chested Illadopsis—now renamed Grey-chested Kakamega, as it is not an Illadopsis after all. In addition, we’ll hope to spot African Hill Babbler (the local form often treated as a full species, Rwenzori Hill Babbler), Mountain Masked, Rwenzori, and Chestnut-throated Apalises, all noisy and active, Red-faced Woodland-Warbler, Yellow-eyed Black-Flycatcher, Rwenzori Batis, Mountain Sooty Boubou, the rare Lagden’s Bushshrike, Strange Weaver and Oriole Finch. Flowering symphonia trees attract the glorious Purple-breasted Sunbird, as well as Blue-headed and Regal Sunbird—all three being breathtakingly gorgeous Albertine Rift endemics. Dusky and Red-faced Crimsonwings—amongst the most striking and sought-after of African seedeaters—will also be possible. At night we’ll set out to search for Rwenzori Nightjar and African Wood-Owl. Night in Ruhija.

Day 17: We’ll set off for the steep descent to Mubwindi Swamp and the seemingly steeper ascent back the same way! This will be our only chance to encounter the exceedingly rare and amazingly cryptic African Green Broadbill, which lives near the bottom of the trail close to the swamp. Because of the steep trail, walking sticks are recommended.  The option of borrowing walking sticks and of hiring porters to carry everything other than binoculars and cameras will be available. This will be another all-day excursion, and it will hopefully give us an opportunity to observe another Albertine Rift endemic, the Grauer’s Rush Warbler that inhabits the swamp vegetation here. Night in Ruhija.

Day 18: Our destination is Lake Mburo. On our way out of the forest, we’ll of course be on the lookout for any missed species, as we pass through the bamboo zone. These may include Handsome Francolin, Cinnamon Bracken-Warbler, Mountain Yellow Warbler, and possibly the highland Kandt’s Waxbill. As we head eastward, the birds en route will now be familiar, but it won’t stop us from looking in any interesting habitat. In the afternoon we’ll arrive at Lake Mburo National Park where the birding will be in open savanna and scrubby forest. Night in Lake Mburo.

Day 19: Lake Mburo National Park is a superb wetland and Acacia savanna sanctuary that hosts many sought-after species. Raptor watching will be a major feature of our day. Potential sightings include African Marsh-Harrier, enormous Lappet-faced and White-headed Vultures, and the trio of Brown, Banded, and Beaudouin’s Snake-eagles. Lake Mburo’s woodlands are the northernmost example of the southern savanna system and are home to several species at the edge of their range. The most sought-after of these is the elusive Red-faced Barbet, known only in remote northeastern Rwanda and here. We’ll also search for Coqui Francolin, Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove which in Uganda is restricted to this region, Levaillant’s, Klaas’s and Dideric Cuckoos, Lilac-breasted Roller, Green Woodhoopoe, Common Scimitar-bill, Nubian and Bearded Woodpeckers, several swallows, including Lesser Striped, Rufous-chested, Mosque and White-headed Saw-wing, White-browed Scrub-Robin, Rattling and Tabora Cisticolas, Yellow-billed Oxpecker, African Penduline-Tit, the noisy Arrow-marked Babbler, Wattled and Greater Blue-eared Starlings, and Red-headed Weaver. On our afternoon boat excursion on the lake, we’ll have a good chance to see the much-desired African Finfoot and possibly the White-backed Night-Heron. Mammals that we’ll hope to encounter are foraging groups of banded and dwarf mongooses, common zebra, impala, eland, bushbuck, oribi, hippopotamus, and common warthog, In the evening we’ll look for nightjars, with the options being the bizarre Pennant-winged, or the more standard Black-shouldered, Square-tailed, Swamp and Freckled. Night in Lake Mburo.

Day 20: We’ll depart for a final chance to enjoy Lake Mburo before settling in for the drive back to the city of Entebbe. Hopefully we’ll spot a few more species that we may not yet have encountered. In the afternoon we’ll arrive in Entebbe where we’ll have day rooms for repacking and showering then an evening meal before we catch our flights home. The tour concludes this evening in Entebbe.

Updated: 24 July 2023

Prices

  • 2024 Tour Price : $9,450
  • Single Occupancy Supplement : $1,030
  • Optional Gorilla Trek* : $700

Notes

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Questions? Tour Manager: Stephanie Schaefer. Call 1-866-547-9868 (US or Canada) or (01) 520-320-9868 or click here to email.

* Tour invoices paid by check carry a 4% discount. Details here.

This tour is limited to 8 participants with two leaders.

**Chimpanzee Tracking Permit at Kibale (Day 9): Beginning in July 2024 this permit costs US$250 per person and is included in the tour cost. This permit is included because a morning chimpanzee tracking session is also our best chance for Green-breasted Pitta. We’ll start with a pre-dawn visit to a known site for the pitta, and if our luck holds we’ll encounter this bird before moving down the trail to look for chimps (likely following their vocalizations). The chimp trek is another that involves an indeterminate length of walk over uneven terrain. The chimps range widely in their habitat and may move while the tour group is with them, in essence forcing the group into a hike behind the chimps at their walking speed. Or, the chimps may stay in one spot once found, making for a shorter walk. The habitat tends to not be as steep as for the gorilla trek, but hikers should be prepared anyway.

*Gorilla Tracking Permit at Bwindi (Day 14): Beginning in July 2024, permits for visiting the gorillas cost US$800 per person. The Gorilla Tracking Permit price is subject to change and is not included in the tour price, partly due to the possibility of pricing changes but also because the trek can be rigorous and not everyone will chose to do it. This optional trek can take anywhere from 3 or 6 hours and the off-trail terrain can vary from moderate to difficult, depending on where the gorillas are that day. The hike will likely be between 1-4 miles roundtrip and may lose and regain an elevation of 1000 feet or more. There is an option to hire porters at an extra cost of about USD $15 to carry your bags and help you to negotiate the more difficult parts of the trek. Please be sure to let us know when you register if you want a permit, as we need to obtain it at the time of booking. The final cost of the permit will be billed to you when the tour is invoiced. It’s worth noting that neighboring Rwanda has recently doubled its gorilla permit cost, but so far, Uganda hasn’t followed suit. If you opt out of gorilla tracking you will be able to go birding with one of the leaders.

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