8 Days
Daily Tour
6 people
English
Birding the Albertine Endemics – Embark on an immersive birding adventure in Uganda, exploring diverse landscapes ranging from Entebbe Botanical Garden, Mabamba Swamp and the Mgahiga Gorilla National Park. The highlight of the trip is Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, renowned as the heart and soul of Ugandan birding. With a checklist of 305 bird species, including 23 albertine endemics, the forest offers an unparalleled experience. Encounter rare species such as grauer’s swamp warbler, regal sunbird, and recently described Willard’s sooty boubou.
Upon your airport arrival, our company representatives will take you to accomadations in Entebbe. Depending on your arrival time, a bird walk at Entebbe Botanical Garden or Lutembe Bay may be arranged.
Early breakfast in Entebbe precedes a drive to Mabamba Swamp on Lake Victoria's fringes. This area, with a checklist of 260 birds, is renowned for the highly sought-after shoebill, rare Weyn's weaver, and birds restricted to the Lake Victoria basin biome. After birding, we proceed to Lake Mburo National Park for a late game drive.
Explore Lake Mburo National Park, characterized by a mix of dense savannah, swamps, dry hills, and rocky outcrops, boasting over 320 recorded bird species. Key birding areas include Warukiri and Rwongo swamp, offering rewarding sightings of various bird species.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, known as the heart and soul of Ugandan birding, offers a variety of species, including Albertine endemics. Birding in Ruhiija, Mubwindi, and Buhoma areas includes searches for Grauer's swamp warbler, Archer's ground robin, and Rwenzori nightjar.
Depart Bwindi for Entebbe to mark the end of our birding safari.
We have a minimum age requirement of 18 years old to join the tour. Group members aged 16-17 years old are welcome to join the tour but only with a family member that will act as their guardian whilst on tour. Aside from that, no age requirements at all!
On our birding and wildlife safari, we often begin birding early in the morning, usually having breakfast before dawn. Days will usually start at first light to catch activity in the morning before the day warms up and activity slows down. The pace will be relaxed and most of the birding will be from the vehicle. On some days, we may rest for a mid-day ‘siesta’. During leisurely dinners we discuss the day’s activities and review the day’s list of sightings, and make plans for the next day. There will be a few optional nocturnal outings, to search for owls and nightjars.
Most of the day will be spent in the vehicle viewing wildlife and birds. The vehicles are modified Toyota Land Cruiser, specifically designed for safaris, in which the roof pops up, allowing you to stand up fully and take unobstructed photos or view the wildlife. We will make frequent stops to clean toilet facilities throughout the day. Some days will include longer drives to get to the next destination. The roads can be bumpy and dusty.
East Africa is a diverse region, and we visit montane forests, huge grasslands, arid plains, coastal beaches and expansive wetlands. Short heavy rainfalls can happen at any time, and occasionally humidity can be an inconvenience.
Please note that the detailed itinerary cannot be guaranteed as it is only a guide and may be changed due to factors such as availability of accommodation, updated information on the state of accommodation, roads, or birding sites, the discretion of the guides and other factors.
We stay in mostly good quality accommodations, often in excellent birding localities. Some accommodations may be ‘tented camps’, which are very comfortable walled tents with proper beds and indoor plumbing.
Village Weaver Birding Tours comprises a team of expert bird guides specializing in personalized birding experiences across East Africa. With an in-depth knowledge of the region's birdlife, they design intimate small-group safaris and family adventures.
Member Since 2024
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