- 3. LOWLAND SAFARIS
- 3.1 Three days queen Elizabeth
- 3.2 Three days Murchison
- 3.3 Two days lake Mburo national park
- 3.4 Ten days Uganda safari trip
- 3.5 East African safari
- 3.5 Uganda Kenya safari
3.1 Three days queen Elizabeth
Day one: After an early breakfast depart for a 5 to 6 hours drive to Queen Elizabeth national park via Mubende fort portal. A lunch branch off at Ruboni community camp in the foothills of Rwenzori. After lunch and site seeing, we head Queen for dinner and overnight at Simba safari camp (B, L, D)
Day two: After an early morning cup of tea at 6:30am, depart for a game drive on the northern part of the park along the Kasenyi track. This is the best time for opportunities of viewing the cats in action owing to the vast population of Uganda Kobs. Later, return for breakfast and the rest of the morning can be spent at the pool side. In the afternoon, take another boat cruise on the Kazinga for witnessing solitary Buffalo, Hippo and other animals at the edge of the channel as they cool off. Depending on the season European migrant birds like the terns and gulls congregate here in large flocks. Dinner and overnight either at Mweya Safari Lodge or Jacana Camp. (B, L, D)
Day three: After a relaxed breakfast, head back to Kampala. A game drive on the way out of the park is an option". Arrive in Mbarara Agip motel in time of lunch and after lunch continue to Kampala. Enroute make a stop over at the equator for a cup of coffee. Dinner and overnight at Namirembe guest house.
3.2 Three days Murchison
Day one: Morning pick up from Entebbe Airport or Kampala hotel. Start the tour with a 4 - 5 hour drive to Murchison falls National Park. Move on to the top of the magnificent falls where you will enjoy your picnic lunch as you marvel at the mighty Nile forced into a seven meter crevice to thunder 45 meters below in a series of cascades. The Nile can be viewed at different points up to the Baker's Summit. Dinner and overnight at the chosen hotel.
Day Two: After an early morning breakfast, embark on a half day game drive on the northern bank of the river Nile. Escorted by game ranger, you may opt for a game walk while trailing animals and studying animal spoors. Game in this area includes Giraffe, Elephant, Harte beest, Lion, Uganda Kob, Oribi and a variety of savannah and woodland birds. Return to the Lodge and enjoy the peace and quiet at the swimming pool. After lunch, take a boat cruise along the river Nile for game viewing at a close range. This is a paradise of the Hippo and Crocodiles. After the day activity, we shall head to the Boomu women?s campsite at the Kichumbanyumbo gate then retire for Dinner and overnight at Boomu.
Day Three: After an early breakfast, we shall take a community experience when we participate in the village walk and cooking tour. After a community experience, transfer to Kampala via Dinner and overnight at the chosen hotel in Kampala.
3.3 Two days lake Mburo national park
Day one: Kampala? Mburo In the morning peak you up from the airport and then for breakfast in Kampala. After breakfast, connect to Lake Mburo national park from Kampala. Driving around 228km from Kampala on Masaka road. After having Lunch in Masaka, we shall arrive in the late afternoon and do the game drive on our way to the accommodation.
Day ten: Mburo ? Kampala Today we shall do the morning game drive and a boat cruise in the mid morning then connect to Kampala where we shall take lunch and go to the crafts market to buy souvenirs. Dinner and overnight at Namirembe guest house with a panoramic view of Kampala city. Alternatively, we connect to the airport for a night flight.
3.4 Ten days Uganda safari trip
Day one: Arrival, Entebbe ? Kampala ? Jinja Driving for about two and a half hours via the lake shore town of Entebbe. We shall head to Jinja. Today the optional activities include. Visiting the bujagali falls, the source of the Nile, horse back riding in the villages, cycling, rafting or walking in the villages.
Day two: Jinja - Kampala - Kibale, Travel from Jinja to Kibale via Kampala-mubende and stay at primate lodge Kibale. Day three: After breakfast, start chimp tracking. Famous for its chimps, its high density of primates, and bird species. Spending an hour observing the group of chimps interacting is one of the most rewarding experiences you?ll have. Chimpanzee tracking offers a chance to see chimps habituated to human presence in their natural environment. This afternoon you will go for the swamp walk in the Magombe Swamp and Bird Sanctuary with a highly experienced local guide.
Day four: Kibale ? Ruboni After an early breakfast, transfer to Rwenzori, Ruboni community. On arrival at Ruboni Camp, mid morning, we walk through the small village of Nyakalengija, and enjoy the spectacular views of the Portal Peaks that envelope the Rwenzori. After a glass of juice do one of the community excursions (4-6 hrs) they include a village walk, forest walk or hill climb walk where you may be chanced to view the snow peaks of Rwenzori mountains if the weather is clear.
Day five: Ruboni - Queen In the morning, after breakfast, we head to QENP. We shall do a mid morning boat cruise viewing the animals like the hippos and Buffalos and a wide range of bird species (optional, taking an evening game drive to look for more animals) Dinner and over night.
Day six: Queen An early morning cup of tea and we take morning game drive retreat for lunch and relax for lunch after lunch, we head to Ishasha sector for dinner and overnight) dinner and overnight at Ishasha campsite.
Day seven: Queen - Bwindi: after a very early cup of tea, we go for the search of the tree climbing lions. We shall then return for breakfast after the game drive. After lunch, we shall head to Buhoma, the base camp for the gorilla tracking. Transfer to Bwindi National Park. Bwindi National Park is home to around 330-mountain gorilla, almost half of the world's population of mountain gorilla.
Day eight: Bwindi: From Buhoma, After breakfast and briefing by the ranger guides with picnic lunch, embark on a 30minute ? 8 hours trek to find the mountain gorillas. The tracking starts at the area where the gorillas ware the previous day. After a full hour with the gorillas, return to the camp for dinner and overnight.
Day nine: Bwindi ? Mburo In the morning after breakfast, connect to Lake Mburo national park arriving Mbarara in time of lunch at Agip motel. We shall arrive in the late afternoon and do the game drive.
Day ten: Mburo ? Kampala Today we shall do the morning game drive and a boat cruise in the mid morning then connect to Kampala where we shall take lunch and go to the crafts market to buy souvenirs. Dinner and overnight at Hotel diplomat on muyenga hill with a panoramic view of Kampala city.
Day eleven: Kampala ? Entebbe: this morning after an early breakfast, we start from Kampala heading to the airport for the flight at 10:30am.
3.5 Uganda Kenya safari
Day 1 Entebbe ?Kampala: today we arrive at Entebbe airport. We shall connect via the Entebbe lake side town to go to Kampala for dinner and over night. Entebbe is located on the shores of Lake Victoria (1hr)
Day 2 Kampala ? Murchison: After breakfast Morning pick up from Kampala. Start the tour 4 -5 hours drive to Murchison Falls national park. We shall have a stopover at Boomu women?s campsite then transfer to the magnificent top of the falls where you will enjoy your picnic lunch as you marvel at the mighty Nile forced into a seven crevice to thunder 45 meters bellow in a series of cascades. The Nile can be viewed at different points up to the baker?s summit. Dinner and over night at red chili campsite inside the park.
Day 3 Murchison: After an early morning breakfast, embark on a half-day game drive on the northern bank of the river Nile. Escorted by game ranger, you may opt for a game walk. While trailing animals and studying animal spoors. Game in this area includes Giraffe, elephant, Harte beest, lion Uganda kob, Crib and a variety of savannah and woodland birds. Return to the lodge and the rest of the time can be spent at the swimming pool. After lunch, take a boat cruise along the river Nile for game viewing at close quarters. This is a paradise of the hippo and crocodiles. After the game activities, we shall go to the accommodation place to relax
Day 4 Murchison ?Kibale: After an early breakfast, transfer to Kibale national park. This day we shall go via Bugungu gate. Here you will view the shores of Lake Albert and drive through and up the escarpment, which is part of the western leg of the east African rift valley and a series of human settlements with unique traditional African architecture to Kibale national park for diner and overnight accommodation in primate lodge sky tree house.
Day 5 Kibale ? Ruboni: basing on the booking, either in the morning or after noon the primate walk can be done. We shall head for Kibale forest national park for a half-day walk in the search of primates during the walk. Black and white Columbus monkey, red tailed monkey, baboon, Gray-cheeked mangabeys or the chimpanzee are a common sight. After lunch, we take the community swamp walk at Bigodi wetland sanctuary for up to three hours then transfer to the Ruboni community camp in the base of Rwenzori mountains of the moon for dinner and over night
Day 6 Queen ?Elizabeth: After an early breakfast, we clear our bills and head for one of the community activities say the hill climb walk, village walk or pipeline walk to get some community experience. After the morning activity, we head to queen Elizabeth national park and arrive in time of the boat cruise. After the boat cruise, we shall take the evening game drive through one of the short trails while heading to our accommodation.
Day 7 Queen ? Bwindi: After a morning cup of tea at 6:30am, depart for a morning game drive on the northern part of the park along the kasenyi track. This is the best time for opportunities of viewing the cats in action. Later, return for breakfast; take a boat cruise on the Kazinga for herds of buffalo, hippo and other animals at the edge of the charnel as they cool off. Depending on the season, European migrant birds like the terns and gulls congregate here in large flocks. After the game drive, transfer to the gorilla sanctuary through this beautiful mountain scenery referred to as the Switzerland of Africa or through Ishasha if the road is ok. Dinner and overnight at Buhoma community rest camp. Depending on where the gorilla ticket has been bought, since they can be bought either in Bwindi, Mgahinga, Congo or Rwanda, we shall proceed to the area where the gorilla tickets have been bought.
Day 8 Bwindi - Bunyonyi: where ever the tickets have been bought, after breakfast, briefing by the ranger guides. Later with picnic lunch, start a thirty minutes to eight hours (30min. - 8hrs) trek to find the mountain gorillas. The tracking starts at the area where the gorillas ware the previous day. After a full hour with the gorillas, return to the camp and spend a night or if there is still time travel to Bushara is land camp in Lake Bunyonyi.
Day 9 Lake Bunyonyi ? Lake Mburo: After breakfast, we take the morning sunrise views and take photos on one of the most beautiful lakes in Uganda then transfer to Lake Mburo national park and arrive in Mbarara in time of lunch. On arrival in the park, we connect to the lake side camp for the rest of the day.
Day 10 Lake Mburo ? Kampala: in the morning after a morning cup of teak, we take a game drive viewing game, which may include zebras, impalas, cobs, waterbucks, Topis, buffaloes, Elands and others. In the afternoon, we shall go for the boat cruise on the lake Mburo and then connect to Kampala this afternoon. Tonight, we shall go to see the local artist?s /musicians presenting music at the national theatre.
Day 11 Kampala - Samburu or Amboseli: today we shall catch the bus, the private car or the plane, all depending on the arranged transport means, we shall start the journey to Samburu or Amboseli.
Day 12: Pick up from the Akamba bus terminal or airport and transfer to the hotel for overnight Bed and breakfast
Day 13: After breakfast, joining a tour, pack your bags into the safari van and drive towards Masai Mara with a stop over at Rift valley view point an then at Narok town for lunch. Proceed to Masai Mara arriving in late afternoon. Check in at the campsite and then proceed for an evening game drive. This is the best time to see some of the animals grazing while others are hunting. Also you will see the sun set and back to the camp whereby you have dinner before breaking to bed.
Day 14: This day is spent on full day basis whereby you leave after breakfast and explore the greater Massai Mara where you do the game drive to the Mara river to see the place where the migration takes place as well as seeing the various families of the hippos and some of the greatest crocodiles on earth. You will have a guided walk along the Mara river by an armed ranger. Afterward you will be driven to a good place where you will have a picnic lunch. Then drive towards your camp as you do the game drive looking for the animals that you had not seen arriving back at lodge in the evening. A visit to the Maasai village can be organized at an extra cost. Dinner and overnight at the campsite.
Day 15: Today, you will have a pre-breakfast game drive before coming back for your breakfast and then pack your bags into your van and depart after breakfast and drive to Lake Nakuru to arrive in the evening for sun downer game viewing. Overnight in a campsite at Lake Nakuru inside the park.
Day 16: Early morning game drive in Lake Nakuru National Park, which has a fantastic array of bird life including flamingoes, white pelicans, marabou stork, and all water birds that breed in the lakes alkaline waters. You may spot white and black rhinos and the rare Rothschild giraffe that has five horns instead of the usual three and clear instead of spotted shanks. A visit to the baboon cliff offers a scenic panorama of the lake below, surrounded by a vast track of euphorbia and acacia forest before you proceed through Nairobi to Amboseli for over night.( or Samburu)
Day 17: Full day in Amboseli with a morning and evening game drives having a better view of animals and Mt. Kilimanjaro with a hike on observation hill. All meals and overnight at the campsite.( or Samburu)
Day 18: Early morning breakfast then pack your luggages into the van and after packing leave the camp with game drive on your way to Nairobi to arrive in the evening and drive to back to the hotel.
Day 19: A resting day in Nairobi for shopping and the preparation for the transport back to Kampala.
Day 20: Take a morning bus or any transport means arranged for the transfer back to Kampala to wait the flight from Kampala the following day. For those flying from Nairobi, this will be the end of the trip.
3.6 21 days western and central Uganda birding trip
Day 1 Pick up at Entebbe International Airport and drive through to Jinja: After landing at Entebbe, on the shores lake Victoria, we shall drive to the source of the Nile River at Jinja via Kampala. Birding at strategic stops along the way, including the beautifully landscaped Botanical Garden,. we shall look for our first Lake Victoria specials including Northern Brown-throated and Orange Weaver, Orange-tufted and Red-chested Sunbird. The surrounding bush holds Eastern Grey Plantain Eater and the enormous Black and White Casqued Hornbill is conspicuous around Kampala. Later we will drive through to Jinja for the overnight in Hotel triangle.
Day 2-3 - Mabira Forest: These two days are best spent enjoying the dawn chorus at the brilliant Mabira forest near Jinja, which although small, allows access to some fine primary and good secondary forest as well as forest-edge. We will search for Little Olive, Blue-throated Brown and Superb Sunbirds. The parties hold the magical Black-throated Apalis, Forest Robin and Common Wattle-eye amongst plethora of illadopses and ground robins. The forest edge supports the superb Red-headed Bluebill and Blackbellied Seedcracker while the canopy harbors the excellent African Shrike Flycatcher and Red-headed Malimbe amongst others. The dead trees support hole-nesters such as the Grey-throated, Yellow-spotted and Yellow-billed Barbets. The fruiting figs attract the cartoonesque Great Blue Turaco and Pied Hornbills. Proceed for overnight at the chosen accommodation.
Day 4 - Jinja - Mbarara: Early this morning, we shall make our way through Kampala to Mabamba Swamp on the fringes of Lake Victoria, looking for many of the Victoria specials, including White-winged Warbler, Carruther's Cisticola and Papyrus Gonolek. Other wetland birds abound and we will keep our eyes peeled for Swamp Flycatcher, Blue- breasted Bee-eater, herons, egrets, ducks, plovers gulls, Malachite and Pied Kingfishers and the greatest prize of all, the incredible Shoebill, which is seen here from time to time. In the afternoon we will make our way to Masaka and Mbarara, where we shall have an overnight at he chosen hotel
Day 5 - Lake Mburo N. P. - Kabale: Leaving Mbarara early this morning, we make our way to Lake Mburo National Park and bird the Lakeside Track and Kigambira Loop to look for Savanna and Acacia woodland species including Blue-naped Mousebird, Spot-flanked Barbet, Nubian Woodpecker, Northern Black Tit, Red-headed Lovebird, Green-capped Eremomela, Ross, Turaco and the highly sought-after Red-faced Barbet. In the afternoon we shall make our way towards the town of Kabale, birding suitable patches of savanna in between overnight at Bushara island camp lake bunyonyi.
Day 6 ? 10 Bwindi Impenetrable Forest: The next five days will be spent at the magical and enchanting Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, in the rugged Kigezi Highlands of southwestern Uganda. Highly diverse, this park supports 24 of 26 Albertine Rift Endemics that occur in Uganda. Once continuous with the forests of the Virunga Volcanos (Dain Fossey's stomping ground), Bwindi is now an ecological island, surrounded by cultivation on the rich volcanic soils. We shall start at Buhoma, overnight at Lake Kitandara Luxury Tented Camp. In the valley of the Munyaga River, at 1550 m. There are many birds in this area, but we will be on the look out for key endemics such as Red-throated Alethe, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Montane Masked Apalis, Neumann's Warbler and Ruwenzori Batis. Other non-endemic specials include Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Dusky Tit, Black Bee-eater, White-bellied Robin-chat and Sooty Flycatcher as well as hole- nesting Waller's and Narrow-tailed Starlings in the dead tree snags. The mid- storey is home to Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo,Black-necked Weaver, Lühder's Bush-shrike and Bar-tailed Trogon. Buhoma deserves several days of exploration before we make our way towards Kitahurira, the neck of forest linking Buhoma to Ruhiza. This is the best site for Toro-Olive Greenbul, Cassin's Grey Flycatcher and Western Bronze-naped Pigeon. At least one day will be spent exploring the highland forest at Ruhiza, some 800m higher than Buhoma, on a clear day one can see all the way to the Virungas. It has a dramatically different nature and avifauna; it is also the site with most of the Albertine endemics. The star attractions here are Collared Apalis, Ruwenzori Hill Babbler, Grauer's Warbler,Shelly's Crimsonwing,Dusky Crimsonwing, Archer's Robin-chat, Regal Sunbird, Blue-headed Sunbird, Dwarf Honey guide and many others. The trail to Mubwindi Swamp promises to reveal some of the most difficult of all rift- endemics including the mythical African Green Broadbill. Mubwindi Swamp holds Graur's Rush Warbler and Carruther's Cisticola. Sometime has been set a side for Gorilla trekking (optional) or catching up on more of Bwindi's avian delights. Have an overnight at Buhoma community rest camp and at Ruhiza we shall use mobile luxury tented camp.
Day 11Bwindi - Queen Elizabeth N. P: After breakfast we make our way north along the Rift Valley shifting past Lake Edward and the imposing Ruwenzori Mountains enroute to Queen Elizabeth N. P. In the afternoon we shall stop off at Maramagambo Forest south of the Kazinga Channel to look for some more typical Lowland forest birds. The mosaic of grasslands, wetlands and forest mosaic make this area incredibly rich in birds. The grasslands are home to waxbills, queleas, bishops, Broad-tailed Warbler, Singing Cisticola, Marsh Tchagra and other rank grassland species. The night will be spent at Jacana Lodge.
Day 12 Queen Elizabeth N. P: Today we will explore the Kasenyi Track and the Kazinga Channel. The late ris famous for its water bird concentrations awash with palearctic waders, herons, Storks, plover, Water Thick-knee, king fishers, terns, ducks and geese, cormorants, ibises and Pelicans. The Kasenyi track supports many raptors, with Brown Snake Eagle Bateleur and Martial Eagles being common, as are the vultures. Other typical savanna birds including shrikes, bee- eaters, kingfishers. The night will be spent at Jacana Lodge.
Day 13 Queen Elizabeth N. P ? Kibale: Heading north, we shall explore Lake Kikorongo and the Shoebill Swamps before making our way to Kibale area. overnight primate lodge.
Day 14 Kibale national park area: today, we shall ecplore the Kibale national park areas. Early in the morning we shall take one of the walks inside the park. In the afternoon, we shall take the magombe swamb walk managed by KAFRED. This swamb is home to over ??.. specie of birds.
Day 15 Kibale N. P - Masindi: Heading north, a full day of driving to Masindi. On arrival, we shall relax for overnight at Boomu women?s campsite at the kichumbanyumbo gate to Murchison falls national park.
Day 16 - Budongo Forest: An early start should get us to Budongo's Royal Mile by dawn. A site for several specials, it is the best place in Uganda for Nahan's Francolin, Cassin's Spinetail and Chestnut-capped Flycatcher. We shall also search for Chocolate-backed and African Dwarf Kingfishers. Fruiting trees attract White- thighed and Black and White Hornbills, western Black-headed Oriola and Purple- headed Glossy Starling. Greenbuls abound, and this is one of the only sites holding Spotted, Xavier's, White-throated and Honeyguide Greenbuls. Canopy flocks support Brown-crowned Eremomela and the elusive Lemon-bellied Crombec and Yellow-mantled Weaver, Rufous Thrush, Green Hylia, Grey Longbill and Uganda Woodland Warbler. We return to Masindi for the evening overnight Masindi Hotel.
Day 15 - Budongo-Murchison Falls: Returning to the northern sector of Budongo for the early morning we shall head to Kaniyo Pabidi, the sector of the forest en-route to Murchison Falls. Several species are more easily found here including many of the lowland akalats, particularly Puvel's Akalat. Other specials here include Sabine's Spinetails, Piping Hornbill, Fire-crested Alethe, Brown-chested Alethe, Black-capped Apalis, Jameson's and Chesnut wattle-eyes. In the afternoon we shall make our way to Murchison Falls N.P. overnight Paraa Lodge.
Day 17 - 19 - Murchison Falls N. P: The better part of three days shall be spent exploring the many tracks and trails around Murchison Falls Park. The park HQ at Paraa holds some excellent species including the Blue-naped Mousebird, Silverbird, Buff-bellied Warbler, Black-headed Batis, Black-headed Gonolek, Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-weaver and the highly localised White-rumped Seedeater. The riverine thickets hold Yellow-throated Leaflove, Red-winged Grey Warbler, White-crested Turaco, Double-toothed Barbet, Grey Kestrel, Heuglin's Francolin and many others. Crossing the Victoria Nile of the ferry, one might encounter Stanley's Bustard and Absyssinian Ground Hornbill. The grasslands support Bar-breasted Firefinch, Fawn-breasted, Black-faced and Black-rumped Waxbills. A boat trip will be taken to the magnificent falls and abundant waterbirds shall be viewed on the way, as well as the parties of Red-throated Bee-eaters breeding along the sandy river cliffs and the famous Rock Pratincoles on the exposed rocks below the falls overnight Paraa Lodge.
Day 20 Murchison Falls - Kampala: We make our way back to Kampala, stopping for birding at Suitable sites. On arrival, we shall go to the crafts market in the evening and then to the hotel for overnight.
Day 21 flight: this morning, the clients will go to catch their flight at Entebbe
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