Uganda Birds & Gorillas9th June to 25th June 2022 (17 days)Fox’s Weaver Extension25th June to 29th June 2022 (5 days) Shoebill with catfish by Markus Lilje
RBL Uganda – Birds & Gorillas Itinerary 2From the source of the White Nile on Lake Victoria to the snow-capped Ruwenzori Range, the montaneforests of the Virunga volcanoes, harbouring some of the last remaining Mountain Gorillas, to theextensive savannas around the awe-inspiring Murchison Falls, Uganda is an equatorial country ofastonishing contrasts! No other area in Africa can match its amazing diversity of habitats (in an areaapproximately the size of Great Britain!), and this richness is reflected in its incredible bird list of over1,000 species, making it arguably the richest African birding destination. Amongst these are many highlysought-after birds, including the unique Shoebill and the numerous spectacular endemics of the AlbertineRift Valley. This tour provides a comprehensive coverage of Uganda while staying at some great lodges,and aside from the birds (over 500 species of them!), it offers superb game viewing and the chance totrack Mountain Gorillas and Chimpanzees! THE TOUR AT A GLANCE…THE ITINERARY Day 1 Arrive in Entebbe and drive to Masindi via Mabamba Swamp Day 2 Budongo Forest - Royal Mile birding all day Day 3 Masindi to Murchison Falls NP via Kaniyo Pabidi section of Budongo Forest Day 4 Murchison Falls NP - Delta boat cruise & north bank game drive Day 5 Murchison Falls NP to Masindi via the Butiaba Escarpment & Busingiro Day 6 Masindi to Kibale NP Day 7 Kibale NP – Chimpanzee tracking & birding Day 8 Kibale NP to Queen Elizabeth NP Day 9 Queen Elizabeth NP: Kasenyi Track & Kazinga Channel boat cruise Day 10 Queen Elizabeth NP to Bwindi NP via Ishasha section of QENP Days 11 & 12 Bwindi NP - Gorilla tracking and biding at Buhoma Day 13 Buhoma to Ruhija via The Neck Day 14 Ruhija - birding Mubwindi Swamp Day 15 Ruhija to Lake Mburo Day 16 Lake Mburo - game drives and boat cruise Day 17 Lake Mburo to Entebbe and departureFOX’S WEAVER EXTENSION ITINERARY Day 1 Arrive in Entebbe Day 2 Entebbe to Jinja via Mabira Forest Day 3 Jinja to Soroti via Mabira Forest Day 4 Soroti Day 5 Soroti to Entebbe
RBL Uganda – Birds & Gorillas Itinerary 3 TOUR ROUTE MAP… THE TOUR IN DETAIL…Day 1: Arrive in Entebbe and drive to Masindi via Mabamba Swamp. This morning, we departEntebbe early and begin our Ugandan adventure in search of a very special bird. Our prime target fortoday is the legendary Shoebill and we will set off through small rural villages and homesteads toMabamba, which is a large wetland connected to Lake Victoria. This extensive papyrus swamp is hometo several pairs of Shoebill, Uganda’s most famous avian resident and the prime attraction to the nationfor most birders. This charismatic species, theonly representative of its family, is certainlyamongst the most highly prized birds in theworld! We will commission a boat from thenearby fishing village and search the maze ofchannels in an attempt to find this specialspecies. Other water birds abound and we shouldfind several species of herons, egrets andwaterfowl, the ever-present African Fish Eagle,Blue-breasted Bee-eater, African Marsh Harrier,Purple Swamphen, Long-toed Lapwing, Africanand the tricky Lesser Jacanas, MalachiteKingfisher, and African Pygmy Goose. Thepapyrus holds the endearing Swamp Flycatcher,Blue-headed Coucal, Greater and White-wingedSwamp Warblers, Grey-capped Warbler, the Papyrus Gonolek by Adam Riley
RBL Uganda – Birds & Gorillas Itinerary 4 indescribable Papyrus Gonolek, and the nomadic and unpredictable Weyn’s Weaver. If we are exceptionally fortunate, we may also see the rare Sitatunga, a shy swamp-dwelling antelope with splayed hooves. Thereafter, we will bird the surrounding grasslands, papyrus swamps and farm bush. Here we might expect to see the funky-looking Long-crested Eagle perched atop telephone poles, Wahlberg’s Eagle, Palm-nut Vulture, hovering Black-winged Kite, African Harrier- Hawk, Lizard Buzzard, the truly impressive Great Blue Turaco, raucous Eastern Plantain- eater, seemingly awkward Black-and-white Red-headed Lovebird by David Hoddinott Casqued Hornbill and floppy-flighted Crowned and African Pied Hornbills,dazzling-blue Woodland Kingfisher, Broad-billed Roller, Brown-throated Wattle-eye, Angola and theendangered Blue Swallows, Splendid and Rüppell’s Starlings, African Thrush, Northern BlackFlycatcher, Sooty Chat, gregarious Grey-backed Fiscal, Scarlet-chested, Superb and Red-chestedSunbirds as well as the comical Pin-tailed Whydah. Should we have missed it in the swamps, we haveanother chance to find the scare and nomadic Weyn’s Weaver before we continue onwards to the townof Masindi.We unfortunately have to pass through Kampala, Uganda’s bustling capital city, en route but once wereach open road it will become evident how birdy this country really is! We will be stopping in any likelylooking habitats en route. A small wetland at the roadside often supports the localised (Hartlaub’s) MarshWidowbird in addition to the abundant Yellow-mantled and Fan-tailed Widowbirds. Further along, aswe approach the town of Masindi, the countryside becomes drierand consists of fig-studded grasslands. In this habitat, we hope toencounter the shy but indescribably beautiful White-crestedTuraco (often considered the most beautiful representative of thisendemic African family), African and Bruce’s Green Pigeons,White-headed and Spot-flanked Barbets, the scarce Heuglin’sFrancolin, White-browed Sparrow-weaver, both Black-crownedand Brown-crowned Tchagras, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird,Yellow-bellied Hyliota, Black Bishop, the aptly named BeautifulSunbird, and several interesting short-tailed starlings (Lesser Blue-eared, Purple, and Bronze-tailed). Piapiac, a small corvid thatassociated with cattle and wild game, are usually fairly commonand are always interesting to watch. If there is time, we will alsovisit a small area of farm-bush, very near the town of Masindi,where we stand a good chance of finding the tricky Grey-headedOliveback and Brown Twinspot, in addition to the Black-rumpedWaxbill, Black and Northern Red Bishops, and Grey-cappedWarbler. Finally, we will arrive in Masindi for a two-night stay ata recently renovated colonial-era hotel. Brown Twinspot by Markus Lilje
RBL Uganda – Birds & Gorillas Itinerary 5 Day 2: Budongo Forest - Royal Mile birding all day. Today will be our first introduction to central African forest birding, and a good portion of the day will be spent in the vast Budongo Forest Reserve – the largest natural forest area in East Africa. We will concentrate much of our attention on “The Royal Mile,” a wide forestry track considered to be the country’s premier forest birding locality. Among the numerous specials we hope to find are the Blue Malkoha (a skulking forest coucal), three forest-dwelling kingfishers (Chocolate-backed, Blue-breasted Puvell’s Illadopsis by Daniel Danckwerts and African Dwarf), White-thighed Hornbill, Yellow-spotted, Hairy-breasted and Yellow-billed Barbets and their diminutive cousins, the tinkerbirds (Speckled, Yellow-throated and Yellow-rumped all being likely), Western Oriole, Green Hylia, the rarely encountered and difficult-to-seeUganda Woodland Warbler, Grey, Buff-throated, Black-throated, and the stunning Black-cappedApalises, Rufous-crowned Eremomela, Green and the elusive Lemon-bellied Crombecs, Fraser’s ForestFlycatcher, Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, Purple-headed Starling, Little Green, Grey-chinned, Collared,Olive-bellied and the aberrant Grey-headed Sunbirds, and Crested and Red-headed Malimbes. Greenbulsare abundant, and we will work slowly through any flock that we encounter looking for Little Grey,Yellow-whiskered, Slender-billed, Honeyguide, White-throated, Red-tailed and the striking SpottedGreenbuls. We will search the undergrowth alongside the track for the numerous understorey skulkers,which may include Pale-breasted Illadopsis, Fire-crested Alethe, Fraser’s Rufous Thrush, Red-tailed Ant(Rufous) Thrush, Red-capped and the difficult Blue-shouldered Robin-Chats, Yellow-browed and Olive-green Camaropteras and Grey-throated Tit-Flycatcher. The beautiful Nahan’s Partridge is also sometimesheard, but we will require luck and a lot of patience to see this secretive and near-endemic species.Openings in the forest canopy will be carefully watched as Crowned Eagle, White-throated Bee-eaterand Cassin’s, Mottled and Sabine’s Spinetails are all possible over the tall forest. The Budongo Forestalso supports a number of interestingprimate species and we may encounterChimpanzee, Blue Monkey, OliveBabboon, and Guereza during the courseof the day.En route to and from the forest, we willbird some farm bush. Here we stand ourbest chance at the tricky Brown Twinspotand Grey-headed Oliveback, while alsoenjoying Marsh Tchagra, Brown Babbler,Red-headed Lovebird, African YellowWarbler, Holub’s Golden and CompactWeavers, Blue-spotted Wood Dove,Hartlaub’s Francolin, Black-bellied and Chimpanzee by Daniel Keith Danckwerts
RBL Uganda – Birds & Gorillas Itinerary 6 African Firefinches, Red-headed Quelea, and Senegal Coucal while Grey Parrot is sometimes also seen overhead. Day 3: Masindi to Murchison Falls NP via Kaniyo Pabidi section of Budongo Forest. This morning, we will bird the Kaniyo Pabidi sector of the Budongo Forest, situated within the southern section of the Murchison Falls NP. This is the only known site in East Africa for Puvel’s Illadopsis and we stand a good chance of finding this special bird. Another big target for the morning is Rufous-sided Broadbill, but this species is somewhat tricky to track down. Flocks of Crested Guineafowl, Rock Pratincole by Jonathan Rossouw sporting their “punk hairdo's” are, however, more regularly encountered. A healthyChimpanzee population also survives, though these animals are more often heard than seen here, and thegiant Chequered Elephant-Shrew fairly common in the undergrowth.After birding the Ironwood-dominant rainforest, we will drive further north into the woodland section ofthe park. Here, Vinaceous Dove, Black-billed Wood Dove, Senegal Coucal, Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat, Whistling Cisticola, Buff-bellied Warbler, the elegant Silverbird, Western Black-headed Batis,Orange-breasted and Grey-headed Bushshrikes, White-crested Helmetshrike, Western Violet-backed andBeautiful Sunbirds, and Fawn-breasted and Black-rumped Waxbills may be encountered.Murchison Falls is Uganda's largest national park and is famous for its big game and spectacular scenery,as well as the spectacular falls after which the park was named. Later in the afternoon, after checkinginto our accommodations, we will make our way to the falls. The vista point at the top of MurchisonFalls offers incredible views of the Victoria Nile boiling down the narrow gorge – 45m long and just 9mwide. Bare, rocky islets are favoured perches and breeding sites of Rock Pratincole. We should see goodnumbers of these attractive waders wheeling in the spray of the falls. Thick riverine forest in this vicinityis home to the magnificent White-crestedTuraco, Double-toothed Barbet, Yellow-throated Leaflove, Spotted Palm Thrush,Brown-throated Wattle-eye, the localisedRed-winged Grey Warbler and Purple-banded Sunbird.Day 4: Murchison Falls NP - Delta boatcruise & north bank game drive. Wehave a full day for exploration of the park.We will take a launch trip along theVictoria Nile down towards the LakeAlbert Delta, where the west-flowingVictoria Nile makes an abrupt turn andbecomes the north-flowing Albert Nile. Black-headed Lapwing by Daniel Danckwerts
RBL Uganda – Birds & Gorillas Itinerary 7 A plethora of waterbirds throng the well- wooded banks of the river and today, we have another opportunity of spotting Shoebill. This species usually stands motionless on the edge of channels waiting for a hapless lungfish and sometimes allows close approach. In the heat of the day, Shoebills may be seen soaring over the Nile – an impressive sight indeed. Other water birds abound and we hope to see African Darter, Intermediate Egret, Goliath and Purple Herons, Woolly-necked and Yellow- billed Storks, Hamerkop, Egyptian and Spur-winged Geese, Western Osprey, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill by Daniel Danckwerts African Fish Eagle, Black Crake, African Swamphen, the regal Grey Crowned Crane(Uganda’s national bird), Senegal Thick-knee, Long-toed and Spur-winged Lapwings, African Jacana,Malachite and Giant Kingfishers and the dashing Wire-tailed Swallow. Burrows in the river banksrepresent colonies of either colourful Red-throated Bee-eater or querulous Pied Kingfisher, the latter isparticularly abundant here, while elegant Red-necked Falcon frequent palm trees which line the banks.In addition to the birds, large numbers of huge Nile Crocodile, Hippopotamus, African Buffalo, TantalusMonkey and Olive Baboon are often seen at very close range, and herds of African Elephant sometimesbath en masse in the willows.The scenic area north of the Nile holds a number of birds typical of dry savanna. We will search here forSecretarybird, Black-chested Snake Eagle, Tawny and Martial Eagles, Shikra, Dark Chanting Goshawk,Harlequin Quail, Heuglin's Francolin, Helmeted Guineafowl, flocks of Collared Pratincole, Black-headed Lapwing, Swallow-tailed and Northern Carmine Bee-eaters, Black Scimitarbill, Short-wingedand Black-backed Cisticolas, Speckle-fronted Weaver, Shelley’s Sparrow, Bar-breasted Firefinch andQuailfinch. A few birds with their ranges centred on the Sahel reach their southern limits here, and wehope to find the stately Abyssinian Ground Hornbill and White-fronted Black Chat. Mammals are wellrepresented here, and we should seeBushbuck, Giraffe (belonging to theendangered form known asRothschild’s Giraffe), AfricanBuffalo, Uganda Kob, Oribi andDefassa Waterbuck. If we are lucky,we may see groups of the shy PatasMonkey, while this is one of the bestplaces in Uganda to find Lion.The moist, grassy woodlands to thesouth of the Nile are very differentfrom those of the North bank andsupport a host of localised birdsincluding Brown-backed Pennant-winged Nightjar by Daniel Keith Danckwerts
RBL Uganda – Birds & Gorillas Itinerary 8 Woodpecker, Brown Babbler, Red- winged Warbler, the unusually proportioned Purple Starling, Chestnut- crowned Sparrow-Weaver, Black-bellied Firefinch, Cabanis’ and Brown-rumped Buntings, and if we are fortunate, Bat Hawk, African Cuckoo-Hawk, White- breasted Cuckooshrike and Red-winged Pytilia. Other species that we will search for here are African Cuckoo, African Grey Hornbill, Grey Woodpecker, Northern and Red-faced Crombecs, African Paradise Flycatcher (often of the spectacular white morph), Northern Puffback, Black- crowned and Brown-crowned Tchagras, Great Blue Turaco by Daniel Danckwerts Tropical Boubou and Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu.In the evening, we will embark on a night drive in search of one of Africa’s most sought-after birds, thePennant-winged Nightjar. Witnessing a male Pennant-winged Nightjar fluttering up from the track, hisregal pennants trailing behind him, is likely to be a highlight of the trip. Other possibilities includeSpotted Thick-knee, Greyish Eagle-Owl, Northern White-faced Owl and Slender-tailed, Long-tailed andSwamp Nightjars. Nocturnal mammals which we may encounter include Leopard, Serval, White-tailedMongoose, African Civet, Crested Porcupine, Blotched and Common Genets and Uganda Grass-Hare.Day 5: Murchison Falls NP to Masindi via the Butiaba Escarpment & Busingiro. After some finalbirding in Murchison Falls National Park, we begin our journey back to Masindi. En route we’ll makean effort to locate the rare Dusky Babbler and localised White-rumped Seedeater before arriving at thedry Butiaba Escarpment, at the head of the Albertine Rift Valley. This productive birding site mayproduce Namaqua Dove, Pearl-spotted Owlet, Black-billed Barbet, White-shouldered Black Tit, Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike, Mocking CliffChat, Green-winged Pytilia, Foxy Cisticola,Little Weaver and Cinnamon-breastedBunting. Cut-throat Finch, a new bird forUganda, was also found here in 2016 and hasbeen seen several times on our tours!The dry scrub soon changes to moistrainforest as we again approach the BudongoForest Reserve, this time at Busingiro. If timeallows, we will bird a section of this forestwhere the elusive canopy-dwelling Ituri Batisis a possibility, and will make a concertedeffort to find this and other species beforecontinuing to Masindi where we will checkinto our now familiar hotel. Black Bee-eater by David Hoddinott
RBL Uganda – Birds & Gorillas Itinerary 9 Day 6: Masindi to Kibale NP. Today will be our longest travel day as we head south from Masindi to the expansive Kibale National Park. Our first birding stop will be in an area of rich farm bush where Red-headed Lovebird, African Yellow Warbler, Ross’s Turaco, African Blue Flycatcher, Brown- backed Scrub Robin, Compact Weaver, Orange-tufted Sunbird, Orange-breasted Waxbill, Brown Twinspot and the beautiful Grey-headed and White-collared Olivebacks may be found. Further on, papyrus swamps hold the stunning Papyrus Gonolek and Black-crowned Waxbill by Daniel Keith Danckwerts skulking White-winged Swamp Warbler; the latter species requiring patience to see.In the mid to late afternoon, we will reach the northern section of Kibale Forest known as Sebitole. Ourtarget species will include Joyful Greenbul, Lowland Masked Apalis, Dusky Long-tailed and AfricanEmerald Cuckoos (the latter fairly common and conspicuous at this site), Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher, Many-coloured and Lühder's Bushshrikes, Narrow-tailed and Chestnut-winged Starlings,Tiny and Blue-throated Brown Sunbirds and Dark-backed Weaver. Thereafter we will continue to ourlovely accommodations within Kibale National Park.Day 7: Kibale NP – Chimpanzee tracking & birding. The towering Kibale Forest has the highestprimate concentration and species diversity of any reserve in East Africa. Primate highlights mightinclude sightings of localised Central African Red Colobus, handsome L'Hoest's Monkey and the scruffyUgandan Grey-cheeked Mangabey. We will also embark on a Chimpanzee trek and our chances offinding these, one of our closest living relatives, are excellent! The birds are typical of the medium-altitude forest, with excellent mixed species flocks and specials such as Afep and the rare and globallythreatened White-naped Pigeon, Red-chested Owlet, Blue-throated Roller, Narina Trogon, AfricanShrike-flycatcher, Scaly-breasted and Bro wn Illadopsis, Superb and Green-headed Sunbirds, Black-billed Turaco, Plain Greenbul, Chestnut Wattle-eye and Black-and-white Mannikin. The stunning Green-breasted Pitta also occurs in this forest, however, a pre-dawn start and a good deal of luck andperseverance will be needed to locate thismythical low-density understoryinhabitant! At night we may encounterDemidoff’s and Thomas’s Galagos (morecommonly known as bushbabies) andAfrican Wood Owl; all of which areusually resident around ouraccommodations in the forest.Day 8: Kibale NP to Queen ElizabethNP. This morning, we pay a visit to thebirdy swamp forest and wetland habitat atthe nearby Bigodi Wetland. A number ofgood birds can be seen here, including Lühder’s Bushshrike by Markus Lilje
RBL Uganda – Birds & Gorillas Itinerary 10 Yellow-billed Barbet, the rare Speckle-breasted Woodpecker, White-tailed Ant Thrush, Honeyguide and Joyful Greenbuls, White-spotted Flufftail, Shining-blue Kingfisher, Dusky-blue Flycatcher, Red-headed Bluebill, Grey-winged and Snowy-crowned Robin-Chats, Black-crowned Waxbill and Bocage’s Bushshrike. After lunch back at our lodge, we will bid farewell to these enchanted forests and head for the open savannas of Queen Elizabeth National Park. After passing beautiful crater lakes and the foothills of the mighty Ruwenzori Mountains, we arrive at our accommodations close to the famous Queen Elizabeth National Park, formerly known as Kazinga National Park but renamed in the Queen’s honour after her visit in 1954. Green-breasted Pitta by David HoddinottDay 9: Queen Elizabeth NP: Kasenyi Track & Kazinga Channel boat cruise. We will spend themorning birding in the spectacular Crater area in the foothills of the Ruwenzori Mountains and the maingame-viewing area along the Kasenyi track. The area can be particularly productive for raptors andspecies that will be the focus of our search include Rüppell's Vulture, Bateleur (one of Africa’s mostspectacular raptors), Brown Snake Eagle, Peregrine Falcon and Grey Kestrel. Queen Elizabeth NationalPark also offers a wonderful variety of grassland-dominated habitats which hold Red-necked Spurfowl,Harlequin Quail, Kurrichane and the rarely encountered Black-rumped Buttonquail, African Crake,Temminck’s Courser, Senegal and Crowned Lapwings, the marsh-dwelling Black Coucal, Flappet,Rufous-naped, Red-capped and the scarce White-tailed Larks, Plain-backed Pipit, Fan-tailed Grassbird,Croaking, Red-faced, and Stout Cisticolas, Marsh Tchagra, Southern Red Bishop, flocks of Red-billedQuelea and Quailfinch while Black-lored Babbler, Greater Honeyguide and Red-billed Firefinch occurin the surrounding woodlands. Mammals will also be a highlight in this area and we may see Lion, African Skimmer by Markus Lilje
RBL Uganda – Birds & Gorillas Itinerary 11Leopard, Spotted Hyaena, Uganda Kob, Bushbuck,Common Warthog and the spectacular Giant ForestHog, the largest and undeniably ugliest pig on Earth!A highlight of the tour is the afternoon launch trip onthe Kazinga Channel, which allows a close approach toBuffalo, Elephant and Hippopotamus, as well asnumerous waterbirds. Amongst many others, we hopeto find African Skimmer (which sometimes flocks inlarge numbers here), Pink-backed and Great WhitePelicans, White-breasted Cormorant, African Openbill,Saddle-billed Stork, Glossy Ibis, African WattledLapwing, Water Thick-knee, Grey-hooded Gull,White-winged and Gull-billed Terns, SwampFlycatcher, Lesser Swamp Warbler and WindingCisticola.This evening we will also embark on a short nightdrivein the hopes of finding Pennant-winged Nightjar Mountain Gorilla by David Hoddinott(arguably one of Africa’s most spectacular birds),along with the more-common Square-tailed, Swamp and Black-shouldered Nightjars. Verreaux’s Eagle-owl, one of Africa’s largest owls, is also regular in the park and we will do our best at finding thisspectacular species.Day 10: Queen Elizabeth NP to Bwindi NP via Ishasha section of QENP. Today we depart QENPand head for the famous Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a bastion for gorilla conservation and ahotspot for Albertine Rift Endemics. If conditions allow, we will drive through the extensive southernIshasha section of Queen Elizabeth National Park en-route to Bwindi. Savanna bird and mammal speciesare likely to be seen and we may be fortunate in sighting Ishasha’s famous tree-climbing Lions. Theelusive Scaly Francolin is another species that we hope to find on this route.After a long drive, we will reach the headquarters of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park at Buhoma,where we will be based for three nights. The Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is home to approximately half of the world population of 800 Mountain Gorillas. This vast reserve offers arguably some of the most productive montane forest birding in Africa and supports almost the entire suite of Albertine Rift endemic bird species. Once part of a much larger forest that included the Virunga Volcanoes in neighbouring Rwanda, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is now an ecological island within a sea of human cultivation and therefore of immense conservation importance. Buhoma lies in the valley of the Munyaga River at 5,100 feet and is flanked by steep, forested hills. Excellent Black-fronted Duiker by Daniel Danckwerts
RBL Uganda – Birds & Gorillas Itinerary 12forest birding, not least the prospect ofnumerous rare and localised Albertine Riftendemics, makes this a true birding Mecca.Days 11 & 12: Bwindi NP - Gorillatracking and birding at Buhoma. From ourcomfortable base, those departing on anoptional gorilla trekking adventure willsearch for a habituated family group ofEastern (Mountain) Gorillas. Spending anhour with these gentle giants is, without adoubt, one of the greatest wildlifeexperiences on Earth!We will spend the balance of our time here Black-faced Rufous Warbler by Daniel Danckwertsbirding the trails leading out from the camp.Species we will search for include Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo, Bar-tailed Trogon, Dusky Tit, Abyssinian(Kivu) Ground Thrush, White-bellied Robin-Chat, Equatorial Akalat, rare Grey-chested Babbler, Red-throated Alethe, White-bellied Crested Flycatcher, White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher, Northern Double-collared Sunbird, Willco*cks’s Honeyguide, newly described Willard’s Sooty Boubou, Black-billedWeaver and Magpie Mannikin. High exposed perches in the open forest are favoured by AfricanGoshawk, the dazzling Black Bee-eater, Sooty Flycatcher and forest starlings including Waller’s,Stuhlmann’s and Narrow-tailed. One of Bwindi’s star avian attractions is the diminutive, pitta-likeNeumann’s Warbler, a vocal yet very secretive bird! We will require luck and patience to see this skulker– one of the Albertine Rift endemics. Other understorey birds we hope to see include displaying AfricanBroadbill, Black-faced Prinia and the handsome but shy Black-faced Rufous Warbler. The mid-storey and canopy support Elliot’s and Tullberg’s Woodpeckers, Cabanis’s, Kakamega and Ansorge’s Greenbuls, the enigmatic Chapin’s Flycatcher and White-browed Crombec. The rare Jameson’s Antpecker may also be seen probing under moss on dead branches or gleaning warbler-like in the canopy, though finding this localised species requires immense luck, while Scarce Swifts forage over the forest. Birding at Buhoma is a truly magical experience! Other wildlife that we may be fortunate enough to find here includes Black-fronted and the huge Yellow-backed Duiker, Guereza Colobus, L’Hoest’s, Blue and Red-tailed monkeys, Chimpanzee and several species of squirrels, including Fire- footed Rope, Carruthers’ Mountain, Ruwenzori Sun and Red- legged Sun Squirrels. Day 13 : Buhoma to Ruhija via The Neck. Although the distance is not large, we will spend the entire day on this route due to the superb birding it provides. In scrubby areas beyond Buhoma, we will search for Ross’s Turaco, Red-throated Narrow-tailed Starlings Wryneck, Brown-backed Scrub Robin, Bronzy, Copper and by David Hoddinott
RBL Uganda – Birds & Gorillas Itinerary 13Variable Sunbirds, Baglafecht, Black-neckedand African Golden Weavers, Yellow Bishop,Village Indigobird, Red-headed Bluebill andBlack-throated Canary. Further along the road,we will pass through Kitahurira or “The Neck,’another well-known birding locality. Here wewill search for species that could include BlackSparrowhawk, Western Bronze-naped Pigeon,Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Cassin’sHoneybird, Petit’s Cuckooshrike, White-chinned Prinia, Mountain Wagtail, Pink-footedPuffback, the rare Tiny Sunbird and theattractive Brown-capped Weaver. If we areincredibly lucky, we may also encounter therare and little-known Lagden’s Bushshrike Regal Sunbird by Adam Rileyhere!Even further up the road, cultivated areas provide feeding opportunities for many seedeaters. Our maintargets here will be the highly sought-after Dusky Twinspot and Yellow-bellied, Kandt’s and Black-crowned Waxbills, African Stonechat, Streaky and Thick-billed Seedeaters, Western Citril and Yellow-crowned Canary. The noisy Chubb’s Cisticola will mock us from deep within the bracken, and thebeautiful Doherty’s Bushshrike can be lured out from the dense vegetation. Mackinnon’s Shrikes surveythe road from high, exposed perches and will be a constant feature throughout today.Finally, we will reach the seldom-visited higher camp in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The rangerstation at Ruhija is situated at an altitude of 7,500 feet, with breathtaking views over steep, forestedvalleys toward the distant Virunga Volcanoes. Ruhija is likely to be one of the highlights of any trip toUganda with excellent birding in spectacular surroundings.Day 14: Ruhija - birding Mubwindi Swamp. We will concentrate our birding on the trails to the uniqueMubwindi Swamp and along the main access roads. This area is the most accessible site on Earth for therare and localised Grauer’s Broadbill, one of Africa’s most sought-after birds. This globally threatened species is only known from two sites in the world, the other being a remote forest in eastern Congo. Carruthers’s Cisticola and the localised Grauer’s Swamp Warbler are resident in Mubwindi Swamp and if we are very fortunate we will see the shy Red-chested Flufftail and African Rail. Today’s other target species include Mountain and Augur Buzzards, Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk, the furtive Handsome Francolin, African Olive Pigeon, Black-billed Turaco, tricky though sought-after Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, White-headed Wood Hoopoe, Western Tinkerbird, Olive Woodpecker, Thick-billed and Lagden's Bushshrike by David Hoddinott
RBL Uganda – Birds & Gorillas Itinerary 14the elusive Dwarf Honeyguide, Black Saw-wing, Grey Cuckooshrike, Olive-breastedand Yellow-streaked Greenbuls, AbyssinianThrush, White-starred Robin, Archer'sGround Robin, Stripe-breasted Tit,Mountain Illadopsis, Ruwenzori HillBabbler, Mountain Masked, Ruwenzori, andChestnut-throated Apalises, CinnamonBracken, Mountain Yellow, Red-facedWoodland and Grauer’s Warblers, White-tailed Blue Flycatcher, Yellow-eyed BlackFlycatcher, Ruwenzori Batis, the recentlydescribed Albertine Sooty Boubou, the rareLagden’s Bushshrike, Sharpe’s Starling,Mountain Oriole, Strange Weaver, and L’Hoest’s Monkey by Daniel DanckwertsOriole Finch. Flowering trees attract theincredible Blue-headed, Regal Sunbird and scarce Purple-breasted Sunbirds – all three being beautifulAlbertine Rift Endemics. Dusky, Red-faced and the super elusive Shelley’s Crimsonwing – amongst themost beautiful and sought-after of African seedeaters – are all possible at Ruhija. At night, we may searchfor Ruwenzori Nightjar and African Wood Owl, and if we are exceptionally fortunate, the rare Fraser’sEagle-Owl may be seen.Day 15: Ruhija to Lake Mburo. After a spot of further birding at Ruhija, we will depart the montanerainforests and begin our journey to Lake Mburo to the north-east. Our long travel day will take usthrough the highlands, ravaged by the high human population density, before arriving at the Acaciawoodlands and wetlands of Lake Mburo National Park. Here, we will spend the next two nights.Day 16: Lake Mburo - game drives and boat cruise. We have a full day to explore the incredible LakeMburo National Park, a superb wetland and Acacia savanna sanctuary that hosts some very specialspecies. Raptor watching will be a major feature and potential targets will include African Marsh Harrier,White-backed, Lappet-faced and White-headed Vultures, Brown Snake Eagle and African Hawk-Eagle. Lake Mburo’s woodlands are the northern- most example of the southern savanna system and are therefore home to several species at the edge of their range. Most sought-after of these is the elusive and highly-localised Red- faced Barbet, known only from remote north- eastern Tanzania, Rwanda, and here, while other specials include the aptly-named Long- tailed Cisticola and Green-capped Eremomela. We will also search for Crested and Coqui Francolins, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, Red-chested, Jacobin, Levaillant’s, and African Cuckoos, Blue-naped Mousebird, Lilac-breasted Roller, Striped Kingfisher, African Finfoot by David Hoddinott
RBL Uganda – Birds & Gorillas Itinerary 15Green Wood Hoopoe, Common Scimitarbill,Spot-flanked Barbet, Bearded and theuncommon Golden-tailed Woodpeckers,several swallows including Lesser Striped,Red-breasted, Mosque, Red-rumped andWhite-headed Saw-wing, BlackCuckooshrike, White-browed Scrub Robin,Trilling Cisticola, the meadowlark-likeYellow-throated Longclaw, Chinspot Batis,Yellow-billed Oxpecker, Grey Penduline Tit,Arrow-marked Babbler, Brubru, WattledStarling, Greater Blue-eared Starling, MaricoSunbird and Red-headed Weaver. Papyrusswamps and other overhanging vegetationalong the edge of Lake Mburo may yieldsightings of Black-crowned and the shy Grauer’s Broadbill by David HoddinottWhite-backed Night Heron, confidingAfrican Fish Eagle, African Finfoot and Greater Swamp Warbler.Mammals we may find include foraging groups of Banded and Dwarf Mongooses surveying the worldfrom atop their adopted termite mounds, Plains Zebra, Hippopotamus, Common Warthog, Eland (theworld’s largest antelope), Defassa Waterbuck, Bohor Reedbuck, Impala, Oribi, and Topi. Just outsidethe park, we will come across some of the world-famous long-horned Ankole cattle – always a highlightto see.Day 17: Lake Mburo to Entebbe and departure. After final early morning birding at Lake Mburo, wewill make our way back to Entebbe. If time allows, we may visit an area of grassland en route to Entebbewhere the beautiful, but vulnerable Blue Swallow might be found. A good site for hirundines, we mayalso encounter Angola, Barn and Grey-rumped Swallows and Banded Martin, while other avianpossibilities include Quailfinch, Winding, Zitting and tiny Wing-snapping Cisticolas, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, African Marsh Harrier and Black-chested Snake Eagle. Patches of stunted woodland provide goodcover for roosting Square-tailed Nightjar, and with luck, we may find one of these birds tucked in theleaf-litter. Once back in Entebbe, those departing this wonderful country will have some time to freshenup before transferring to the airport.
RBL Uganda – Birds & Gorillas Itinerary 16 Fox’s Weaver Extension Day 1: Arrive in Entebbe. Today we will explore the areas immediately surrounding Entebbe, while we wait for those joining us on this extension. We’ll start at the nearby Entebbe Botanical Gardens where we hope to find Orange Weaver, scarce Orange-tufted Sunbird, Ross’s and Great Blue Turacos, Grey Parrot, Black-and- white Casqued Hornbill and a plethora of waterbirds along the edge of Lake Victoria. From there, we will drive to the nearby Mpanga Forest. This excellent patch of lowland swamp forest supports an incredible diversity of forest species, in spite of its isolation. We will search for the tricky Blue-shouldered and Red-capped Robin- Blue-bellied Seedcracker by Dubi Shapiro chats, Forest Robin, Red-tailed and Yellow-lored Bristlebills, Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, ChestnutWattle-eye, White-spotted Flufftail, Black-billed Turaco, Honeyguide and Toro Olive Greenbuls,Lowland Sooty Boubou, Red-headed Bluebill and the tricky Black-bellied Seedcracker.Day 2: Entebbe to Jinja via Mabira Forest. We will depart Entebbe early this morning. Though weonly have a short distance to cover, we hope to beat the worst of the Kampala traffic and arrive in thetown of Jinja with sufficient time to still visit the nearby Mabira Forest. This protected forest supportsover 300 bird species, some of which are very difficult to see elsewhere in Uganda. One of the first sitesthat we will visit is a small forest pond where a wonderful selection of very secretive forest birds regularlycomes down to drink. Targets here include Red-tailed and the elusive Yellow-lored Bristlebills, Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat, Forest Robin, Dusky Crested Flycatcher, Brown-chested Alethe, Scaly-breastedIlladopsis, and two glowing seedeaters: Black-bellied Seedcracker and Red-headed Bluebill. Some of theother specials we will search for are GreyParrot, the highly localised Forest WoodHoopoe, uncommon Cassin’s Hawk-Eagle, Grey-throated Barbet, Buff-spotted, Brown-eared and Yellow-crestedWoodpeckers, Grey and YellowLongbills, Purple-throated Cuckooshrike,Velvet-mantled Drongo, Toro OliveGreenbul (one of nine greenbuls speciesfound here), Western Nicator, the strikingJameson’s Wattle-eye, Blue-headedCrested Flycatcher (scarce but possible),Green-throated Sunbird, Red-belliedParadise Flycatcher, Lowland SootyBoubou, Yellow-mantled and thenomadic Weyns’s Weaver, the rare Tit- White-spotted Flufftail by Daniel Danckwerts
RBL Uganda – Birds & Gorillas Itinerary 17Hylia and White-breasted and Grey-headed Nigritas. Day 3: Jinja to Soroti via Mabira Forest. We have a little extra time this morning to visit the Mabira Forest, where we shall focus on any species that we may have missed previously. This added time will give us our best chance at several of the more challenging species including the Forest Wood Hoopoe, Blue-shouldered Robin-chat, Yellow- lored Bristlebill, and Black-bellied Seedcracker. After a quick lunch break in Jinja, we will then drive through to the village of Aturtur where we plan to spend the next two nights. Fox’s Weaver by David Hoddinott Day 4: Soroti. A pre-dawn start fromAturtur will see us at prime position in the Soroti area at first light. We will spend the entire day exploringthis remote region, scouring the Whistling Thorn savannas for two very special birds: the recently re-discovered Ugandan endemic Fox’s Weaver and the highly localised Karamoja Apalis. The latter isfortunately quite common here and is best located by its distinctive piping call. Fox’s Weaver couldprove considerably more challenging though we stand an excellent chance at finding this mega. It is theonly true-endemic bird species in Uganda but remains extremely elusive and is poorly known. It isrecorded in the vicinity of Lake Bisina, Lake Opeta and Lake Kyogo but the species totally disappearedfor several years and was thought to be in dire straits; surveys conducted in 2015 completely failed tofind this species after five years in which the species was apparently lost! A small population was thendiscovered in 2018 and our reconnaissance trip in 2019 was successful – in fact, we found the birdsbreeding!Other species we expect to see in these arid areas include the huge Yellow-billed Shrike, Northern RedBishop, Trilling Cisticola, Shelley’sSparrow, Dark Chanting Goshawk,Silverbird, Cardinal Quelea, MarshTchagra, Striped and WoodlandKingfishers, Flappet Lark and Grey-backedFiscal. Flocks of Mottled Swifts are alsosometimes seen overhead.Day 5: Soroti to Entebbe. Today, we willdepart Aturtur and slowly meander our wayback to Entebbe where our epic EastAfrican adventure will sadly come to anend. As before, those departing this eveningwill have sufficient time to quickly freshenup our familiar hotel in Entebbe before Karamoja Apalis by David Hoddinotttransferring to the airport.
RBL Uganda – Birds & Gorillas Itinerary 18FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTSTour dates, prices, single supplement rates, approximate flight costs and spaces available for thistour are displayed on our website. Please see under IMPORTANT NOTES below.This includes: • All meals from lunch on day 1 to lunch on day 17 of the main tour; and from dinner on day 1 to lunch on day 5 of the extension; • Bottled drinking water throughout the tour; • Accommodations as stated in the itinerary; • Ground transportation during the tour; • All boat excursions mentioned in the itinerary; and • All guiding services (including gratuities for local guides and services).The tour fee does not include: • ANY flights; • Passport and visa fees; • Airport departure taxes; • The optional gorilla trek permit (see above); • Any drinks; • Special gratuities; and • Telephone calls, laundry and other items of a personal nature.Single Supplement: The single supplement cost for this tour will be charged if you wish to have singleaccommodation. If RBL cannot provide you with a rooming partner for these nights although you chooseto share, the single supplement will become applicable. We will make all reasonable efforts to ensure thata rooming partner is found if you do wish to share.IMPORTANT NOTES:a) Due to constantly fluctuating exchange rates, we quote our tours in 4 currencies. The tour priceis however fixed only in the currency printed in bold, and the actual cost in the other currencieslisted will be adjusted according to prevailing exchange rates at the time of final invoicing (usually4 months before the tour.) The same applies to approximate flight and single supplement rates,which are also quoted in the respective fixed currency.b) Rates are based upon group tariffs; if the tour does not have sufficient registration a small partysupplement will have to be charged.c) Furthermore, these costs are subject to unforeseen increases in tour related costs and may haveto be adjusted as a result.d) Lastly, we may be forced to change or alter the itinerary and / or the designated Rockjumperleader at short or no notice due to unforeseen circ*mstances; please be aware that we will attemptto adhere as close to the original program as possible.Tipping: As noted above, gratuities (drivers, hotel staff, restaurants etc.) are included on this tour.However, this does NOT include your Rockjumper leader/s. If, therefore, you feel that he/they have givenyou excellent service, it is entirely appropriate to tip them.
RBL Uganda – Birds & Gorillas Itinerary 19Please Note:• Although Uganda is an equatorial nation, much of the country is situated on a plateau at roughly 1000 metres above sea level, and as a consequence, the climate is relatively mild. However, in some areas (e.g. Murchison Falls and Lake Mburo NP’s), it can be hot (more than 30oC).• At times, we may be walking on narrow and/or steep forest trails (entirely optional) to find a few special birds. Our pace will, however, be slow as we bird in the forests.• Although this Uganda tour does not require a high level of fitness, participants should be in good general health as much of the forest birding will be done on foot and may require walking for several hours at a time. There will be a few lengthy drives and many of the days will be long with early starts. Should you have any physical limitations, please notify us in advance of departure.• The optional gorilla trek at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest generally involves several hours of strenuous walking on steep slopes, often off-trail. The chance of finding the gorillas is very high, but not guaranteed. New regulations have meant that family group permits will be allocated on the morning of the trek. It is also possible that we well be split up into a few different trekking parties.• The optional walk down to Mubwindi Swamp entails hiking along a long trail (roughly 10 km return) which is steep and at times muddy. As the pace is often slow, we will be walking for a considerable amount of time on this day. Please note that should you have any physical limitations, then it is not recommended that you partake in this activity, however, alternative birding arrangements will be made for you on this day should you opt not to do this walk.• The vehicles used are comfortable stretched Landcruiser 4X4’s with open roof-hatches.ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE DETAILSThis tour does not include ANY airfares. On the first day of the tour we have a full day’s birding and itis therefore required that you arrive a day before the tour starts. The tour will conclude in the afternoonof day 17 at Entebbe International Airport.The Fox’s Weaver Extension departs Entebbe International Airport on day 1, and as this is an arrivalday, you are free to arrive at any time. The extension will end in the late afternoon of day 5 at EntebbeInternational Airport.The above information in respect of arrivals and departures is a guide only. Precise arrival and departureinformation will be sent to you in your Tour Confirmation package once the tour has been officiallyconfirmed. If you wish to arrive early and/or depart late and would like assistance in this regard, kindlycontact the Rockjumper office.FLIGHTSEntebbe International Airport, Entebbe (IATA: EBB) is the main port of entry for international flightson this tour and is well serviced by most of the world’s major airlines. Please DO NOT book any flightsuntil you have consulted the Rockjumper office for confirmation on the status of the tour.
