16 Days Birding and Primates

16 Days Birding and Primates

$6,630 (Per Adult)

$414 (Per Adult) / Day

(Includes)

  • Meals
  • Transport
  • Accomodation
  • Sightseeing

Duration16 day(s)

LocationUganda

Start PointEntebbe

End PointEntebbe

AvailabilityNov 01 , 2023 to Dec 31 , 2024

No Add-ons for this package

Summary

Visit Uganda and embark on a journey to meet one of the world's most endangered species - the mountain gorilla-the gentle giants at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is home to half the world’s Gorillas estimated at 440 out of the 880.Encounter Uganda's birdlife, chimpanzees while hiking through the tropical forests with experienced guides. Enjoy your trip to the Zebra &Impala heartland, keep awake for the sightings of the tree climbing lions. Enjoy boat cruises on the marshlands and lake channels as you search for the elusive Shoebill and other aquatic wildlife. Your challenging treks will be rewarded with this action packed adventure.

Package Includes

• Accommodation facilities (the actual facility will depend on availability at the time of booking). • Gorilla tracking permit (Uganda). • Chimpanzee tracking permit. • Ground transport aboard a 4×4. • Boat rides as indicated in the itinerary. • Park entrance fees. • Services of an English-speaking guide and driver. • All meals during the safari period. • Game drives as mentioned in the itinerary.

Package Excludes

• Travel Insurance. Beverages,Optional activities. Meals not included in the itinerary. International airfare to/from Entebbe International Airport. Visa costs and charges. Tips and gratuities. • All Items of personal nature. Charges by porters during gorilla trekking if required.

Activities

  • Animal Tracking
  • Bird Photography
  • Boat Cruise
  • Canoeing
  • Scenic Drive
  • Wildlife Photography
  • Game drive
  • Bird Watching

Places

  • Lake Mburo National Park, Uganda
  • Entebbe, Uganda
  • Fort Portal, Uganda
  • Crater Lakes, Uganda
  • Kibale National Park, Uganda
  • Semuliki National Park, Uganda
  • Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda
  • Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda
  • Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda
  • Kampala, Uganda

Physical Condition

  • Normal Physical Condition

Connectivity

  • WiFi and phone coverage at lodges

Day-by-day Description

Day 1Arrival in Uganda.

Arrive at Entebbe International Airport and meet up with Rafiki Safaris's team. Depending on time and stamina levels, we can transfer to your accommodation and rest and/or visit the nearby Entebbe Botanical Gardens ,an excellent birding spot to get started on arrival.Stay Gately Inn Entebbe

Other Benefits (On Arrival)

  • Transfer

Location

Kampala, Central Region, Uganda

Travel Time: 1 hrs

Day 2Birding Mabamba Wetlands and afternoon transfer to L.Mburo NP

Activities Included

Canoeing Scenic Drive Bird Watching

Early breakfast, then out to nearby Mabamba Wetlands on the shores of Lake Victoria. This is one of the few remaining swamps in the country protected by the local communities – an extensive papyrus swamp with its labyrinth of channels and lagoons, classified as an Important Bird Area, and home to several pairs of Shoebills, Uganda’s most famous avian resident.In the afternoon, we head westwards to our first of many national parks, Mburo Lake. This park has varied habitats from open Acacia woodlands, to a number of papyrus-lined lakes and swamps.We’ll have the afternoon and the following day to cover several different habitats. Stay at Rwakobo Lodge

Other Benefits (On Arrival)

  • Transfer

Location

Mabamba Swamp Shoebill Bird Watching, Busiro, Central Region, Uganda

Travel Time: 7 hrs

Day 3Morning Birding including a boat trip, Afternoon transfer to Bwindi.

Activities Included

Boat Cruise Scenic Drive Bird Watching

Lake Mburo National Park contains multiple habitats, and our time will be divided between birding an extensive area of wetland and the lake, some forested areas, and open country with numerous mammals. No fewer than 300 different bird species have been recorded in the park, an indication of the high diversity present here. The more open acacia grassland particularly along the Zebra Track, is worth exploring for species such as Coqui Francolin, Red-necked Spurfowl, Blackbellied Bustard, Temminck’s Courser, and African Wattled Lapwing.Later we head southwards, to Bwindi Impenetrable forest. Birding on the road at Bwindi Forest is usually productive. Look for Sharpes Starling, Cinammon Chested Bee-eater, Mountain Buzzard, Mountane Oriole, Olive Wood pecker, Handsome Francolin, Mountain Masked Apalis, Chestnut Throated Apalis, Olive Pegion, Black Saw-wing.Stay at Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge

Other Benefits (On Arrival)

  • Transfer

Location

Lake Mburo National Park Gate, Nyabushozi, Western Region, Uganda

Travel Time: 6 hrs

Day 4Birding Mubwindi swamp

Activities Included

Bird Photography Hiking Bird Watching

Today we spend a whole day either walking down to the Mubwindi Swamp through the Mubwindi Trail, or the Bamboo area and the community trail. The 4km trail to Mubwindi Swamp is the best place for some of the most difficult to find of all the Albertine Rift endemics including Grauer's (African Green) Broadbill, the beautiful Regal Sunbird, and Archer's Robin-Chat. Mubwindi Swamp is also home to Dwarf Honeyguide, Stripe-breasted Tit, Ruwenzori Apalis.Stay at Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge

Location

Mubwindi Swamp Viewpoint, Rubanda, Western Region, Uganda

Day 5Gorilla Tracking

Activities Included

Animal Tracking Wilderness Trail Bird Watching

On this day, we set off early, with packed lunch, to the park headquarters for a briefing prior to Gorilla Tracking. This is the most exciting lifetime experience of all time. The gorillas are gentle animals and it is an unforgettable experience to photograph them as they interact. It is a wonderful experience to stare in to the eyes of these gentle giants; watch them in awe as they play and go about their daily activities. It is indeed a “once in a lifetime” experience that you must never miss.

Location

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Western Region, Uganda

Day 6 to Day 7Birding to Queen Elizabeth National Park and Boat ride on Kazinga Channel

Today, we shall start early after breakfast and drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Our route to the park will be determined by road conditions, either passing through the Ishasha sector, well-known for its climbing lions, or alternatively drive through the beautiful sceneries of Rukungiri district. The park, which is named after Queen Elizabeth who visited it in 1954, is the second largest national park in Uganda, and ranks highest with respect to overall diversity, with over 600 bird species listed.Stay at Mazike valley Lodge

Location

Queen Elizabeth National Park, Western Region, Uganda

Travel Time: 4 hrs

Day 8Birding to Kibale Forest National Park

After breakfast, we will drive to Kibale forest arriving in Fort Portal in the late afternoon. Kibale forest national park is the best safari destination for chimpanzee tracking in East Africa. It contains one of the loveliest and most varied tracts of all tropical forests in Uganda. It hosts 13 species of primates including the chimpanzee. It has 1450 chimpanzees and these represent Uganda’s largest population of this endangered primate. It is also home to the rare L’hoest’s monkey and East Africa’s largest population of the threatened red colobus monkey. Other primates that you may see include the black and white colobus, blue monkey, grey cheeked Mangabey, red tailed monkey, olive baboon, bush baby and pottos.Stay at Chimpanzee Guest House

Other Benefits (On Arrival)

  • Transfer

Location

Fort Portal, Western Region, Uganda

Travel Time: 3 hrs

Day 9Chimpanzee tracking in the forest

Activities Included

Animal Tracking Bird Photography Bird Watching

After an early breakfast we drive to Kibale National Park visitor center for briefing and chimp tracking. The activity may last from a few hours to several hours. Kibale forest is home to 13 primates of Uganda. Birding in the afternoon along the main road may be productive. Depending on the weather predictions, birding Bigodi wetland is also productive with riverine forest birds. Kibale National Park is a good site for a number of birds that are hard to find elsewhere including Speckle-breasted Woodpecker, Cabanis's Greenbul and Joyful Greenbul.Stay at Chimpanzee Guest House

Location

Kibale Forest National Park, Western Region, Uganda

Day 10 to Day 12Kibale Forest National Park - Semuliki National Park

Activities Included

Animal Tracking Hiking Bird Watching

Today travel to Semliki National Park.Go for chimpanzee tracking in the Rainforest. This is done in the morning or in the evening due to the fact these playful primates disappear in the middle of the day. Semuliki is a habitat of over 250 bird species that are melodious in the forest. Later go for a game drive to view the parks' game and birds. Stay at Semliki Safari Lodge

Other Benefits (On Arrival)

  • Transfer

Location

Semuliki National Park, Bundibugyo, Western Region, Uganda

Travel Time: 3 hrs

Day 13Travel to Murchison Falls

Activities Included

Hiking Scenic Drive Photo-safari

Today depart early for Murchison Falls. Stop by Top the falls after park entry and watch the falls force its way through the narrow gorge to form a rainbow.Stay at Bakers' Lodge

Other Benefits (On Arrival)

  • Transfer

Location

Murchison Falls National Park, Amuru, Northern Region, Uganda

Travel Time: 7 hrs

Day 14Game drive and Boat ride

Activities Included

Bird Photography Boat Cruise Scenic Drive Bird Watching

Enjoy a 3hour boat ride to the foot of Murchison Falls. Enjoy the sightings of Hippos, crocodiles, elephants, buffaloes, Hartebeests. Notable birds seen along the Nile include; Love birds, African Fish Eagles, Pied Kingfishers the elusive Shoebill. Continue later for another boat ride. It takes about four hours. It is also a rewarding trip with a variety of animals and birds to the Delta where Victoria Nile meets Lake Albert.Stay at Bakers' Lodge

Location

Murchison Falls National Park, Amuru, Northern Region, Uganda

Day 15Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary -Kampala

Activities Included

Animal Tracking Scenic Drive

Travel to Kampala en-route the Rhino Sanctuary. Rhino tracking will be enjoyed in the afternoon. The resident rangers will guide you to the tracking activity. Get close to them, at a very safe distance. It is such a memorable experience to see them at close range. Tracking lasts between 1-2 hours. After tracking proceed to Kampala city.Stay at Emin Pasha hotel

Other Benefits (On Arrival)

  • Transfer

Location

Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Buruli, Central Region, Uganda

Travel Time: 7 hrs

Day 16Kampala to Entebbe

Activities Included

Scenic Drive

End of tour and enjoy you transfer to Entebbe international Airport. Depending on your flight time you can take a tour of Kampala attractions.

Other Benefits (On Arrival)

  • Transfer

Location

Entebbe International Airport, Entebbe, Uganda

Travel Time: 2 hrs

Offical Visa Regulations and Health Requirements

For personalized details on health and visa requirements please check the IATA travel centre here

https://www.iatatravelcentre.com

A Visa to Uganda can be obtained on arrival at point of entry. It costs US$50 per person. However a single East Africa Tourist Visa (Kenya,Uganda, Rwanda) at US$100 is also available. Yellow fever vaccination certificate is the common record required at the point of entry. However if you have any other records of vaccinations please carry them with you. All visitors should take Malaria drugs before and after as preventive measure .It is advisable to drink bottled rather than tap water. It is also advisable to seek information from your National Health office or travel websites for the latest Uganda travel health information.

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$6,630 Duration: 16 day(s)

Children Not Allowed

Destination

Uganda