12 Days Best of Uganda Albertine Rift Birding Safari

This safari is one of the kinds most interesting for our birding clients as destinations are Hot-spots Ecological sustainability which are relatively within the Albertine Rift Valley, richest zone for numbers of endemic and globally threatened species of birds and other animals like the Mountain Gorillas (Not only this but a host to more than 7,500 species of endemic plants and animals and approximately 35% of all Biodiversity in Africa).  The trip takes us to Mt Mgahinga, Bwindi national parks and most especially Ruhizha, one of the best birding sites in Africa, and in addition Mt Rwenzori and Semliki Valley National Parks. The following are the best birding spots in Uganda and do have different ecosystems thus attracting different species from each other.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and transfer to your hotel

On your arrival at Entebbe Airport, meeting with our tour guide and transfer to the hotel for an overnight (If your flight schedule is day time, we could go birding in Entebbe botanical garden for the Orange weaver, golden backed weaver and other master builders of the Ploceidae family, superb sunbird, green hylia, bat hawk, and several garden birds exploiting this transitional habitat.
Distance: 10km 
Medium accommodation: The Boma Entebbe /Karibu Guesthouse (BB)
High accommodation: No.5 Boutique Hotel/ Marriott Entebbe (BB)

Day 2: Entebbe – Kisoro

After your breakfast, depart in direction of Kisoro. On our way we pass the equator.  Later proceed, with lunch stop enroute and birding at Echuya forest to arrive your lodge in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight at your lodge on Full Board

Medium range accommodation: Kisoro Traveller Rest Hotel (FB)
High accommodation: Bwindi  Lake Mulehe Lodge (FB)

Day 3: Mgahinga National Park

After our breakfast and with picnic lunch, drive to Ntebeko Camp from where we shall start our birding as we trek to one of the most scenic areas in Uganda. Following  the gorge trail that loops half way up Mt. Sabinyo, through a variety of montane habitats habouring the Dusky Turtle Dove, Rwenzori Turaco, Cape Robin-Chat, Kivu Ground Thrush, White-eyed Slaty and White Tailed Blue Flycatcher, Olive Wood-pecker, White-starred Robin, Mountain Yellow Warbler, White-napped Raven, Lagden’s Bush-Shrike, Yellow-crowned Canary, Streaky and Thick Billed Seedeater on our birding today we shall have a bigger focus on the shy Shelly’s Crimson-wing among other birds
Medium range accommodation: Kisoro Traveller Rest Hotel (FB)
High accommodation: Bwindi  Lake Mulehe Lodge (FB)

Day 4: Kisoro- Ruhizha

After our breakfast, follow with a short drive toward Swamp near Echuya forest, our main aim is to look out for the Little Rush Warbler and the Grauer’s Rush Warbler, one of the rare Bradypterus Warblers within the Albertine rift zones and later we continue birding to Ruhizha with numerous stopovers expecting birds like the Augur and Mountain Buzzard, Yellow Bellied Waxbill, Dusky Crimsonwing, Dusky Twinspot, Common Stonechat among others birds. Towards the camp headquarters we look out for the Handsome Francolin, Olive Pigeon, Western Green Tinkerbird, Archer’s Robin-Chat, Chestnut Throated Apalis, White-browed Crombec, Stripe-breasted and Dusky Tit, Rwenzori Batis, Doherty’s Bush-shrike, Black-headed Waxbill and much more. 
Medium range accommodation: Trekker’s Tavern / Gorilla Mist Camp (FB)
High accommodation: Ruhija Gorilla Lodge (FB)

Day 5: Ruhija birding sector  : Mubwindi Swamp

After our early morning breakfast, we shall focus on the search of the  beautiful leafy looking broadbill, Black-billed Turaco, Olive, Elliot’s and Fine-banded Woodpecker, African Hill Babbler, Mountain Illadopsis, Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Mountain Greenbul, Grey Cuckoo Shrike, Red-faced Woodland and Mountain Yellow Warbler, Chestnut-throated Collard and Black Throated Apalis, Stripe-breasted Tit, African Green-Broadbill, Mountain, Shelley’s and Yellow-streaked Greenbul, Rwenzori Batis, Regal Sunbird among other birds. 
Medium range accommodation: Trekker’s Tavern / Gorilla Mist Camp (FB)
High accommodation: Ruhija Gorilla Lodge (FB)

Day 6: Ruhija -Buhoma birding sector

Following our program, we start our journey to Buhoma with birding en-route and  make many stopovers, expecting to see the Black Bee-eater, calling out the Red-throated Wryneck and finding it would be a great addition, Mountain Wagtail and the Cassin’s Grey Flycatcher, White-starred Robin, Olive Thrush, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Grauer’s Warbler, MacKinnon’s Fiscal, Collared, Mountain Masked Chestnut-throated, and Grey Apalis, Stripe-breasted Tit, Sharpe’s Starling, the elusive Regal and Purple-breasted Sunbird, Strange Weaver, Dusky Twinspot among others.
Medium range accommodation: Ride4woman / Haven Buhoma  (FB)
High accommodation: Buhoma Lodge / Mahogany lodge (FB)

Day 7: Buhoma Birding sector

After early breakfast,  we explore the Buhoma sector searching for  the Black Bee-Eater, Yellow Billed Barbet,  Pink-footed, Puffbuck, Bar-tailed Trogon, Bocage’s Bush-Shrike, Cassin’s and Scaly throated Honey Guide, White-headed Wood-hoopoe, Western Green Tinkerbird, Short Tailed Warbler, African Broadbill, White-bellied Robin-Chat, Red-throated Alethe, Mountain Illadopsis, Black Billed Turaco, Red-fronted Antpecker, Magpie Mannikin, Petit’s Cuckooshrike, Blue Throated Brown, Blue-headed, Northern Double Collard and Green Sunbird, Black-billed Weaver, Red Faced Woodland Warbler, Equatorial Akalat, Chapin’s Flycatcher, Black Faced Rufous Warbler, Mountain Masked Apalis, Dusky Tit, Many Coloured and Luhder’s Bush-shrike among others.
Medium range accommodation: Ride4woman / Haven Buhoma (FB)
High accommodation: Buhoma Lodge / Mahogany lodge (FB)

Day 8: Buhoma – Foot of Mountain of the Moon

Early morning breakfast, proceed through the Queen Elizabeth National Park, with packed lunch, to arrive the Rwenzori National Park. Continue with our birding experience in search  of  the purple breasted sunbird, Abyssinian, Red faced, Shelly’s and Dusky Crimson-wing, Red-bellied seed cracker, Woodhouse Antipecker, Stripe-breasted Tit, Forest Flycatcher, Grey Apalis, Ayres and Cassin’s Hawk-eagle and many others.
Medium range accommodation: Rwenzori View Guesthouse (FB)
High accommodation: Mountain of the Moon Hotel (FB)

Day 9: Rwenzori – Kabarole (Tourism Town)

Another wonderful morning session of birding then later proceed to Kabarole (Fort Portal) another habitat of rare and highly localized birds may be found like African Long-eared Owl, sometimes considered nonspecific with the Holarctic Long-eared Owl. This is one of only two sites in East Africa [the other being Mt. Kenya] where this bird has been recorded. Similarly the Greater Double-collared Sunbird [sometimes considered a separate species, Stuhlmann’s Double-collared Sunbird] is endemic to the Rwenzori Mountains and is reportedly fairly common in areas of bamboo and heath; Rwenzori Turaco is also common within this region and easily seen here than elsewhere.
Medium range accommodation: Rwenzori View Guesthouse (FB)
High accommodation: Mountain of the Moon Hotel (FB)

Day 10: Kabarole -  Semiliki National Park

After an early breakfast, transfer to Semiliki National Park, birding experience along the trails, around the Hot Springs. Thus enhancing us a great introduction to the Semliki Valley birds such as the Black Bellied Seed Cracker, Chestnut Breasted Negro Finch, and Hornbills among others then precede for an overnight stay Bundibugyo. 
Medium range accommodation: Rainbow or Vanilla Hotel. FB
High accommodation: Semiliki Game Lodge (FB)

Day 11: Semiliki National Park: Full day birding Kirumia Trail

Today, have a full day birding on the Kirumia trail. Depending on the weather condition today we have some of the best birding within the East African region as many species are of West African Origin. Search  out for birds like Rufaous Sided Broadbill, White thighed, Piping, Red-billed dwarf, Blue Billed and Crested Malimbe, Black-casqued wattled,  White crested and Black dwarf Hornbill, Blue-headed Crested-flycatcher, Leaf Love, Swamp palm Bulbul, rarely seen are the Capuchin Babbler and African Piculet small bird of its own related to the woodpeckers and the Lyre Tailed Honey Guides among other birds. 
Medium range accommodation: Rainbow or Vanilla Hotel. FB
High accommodation: Semiliki Game Lodge (FB)

Day 12: Semiliki Valley National Park- Entebbe

After breakfast and experience of the Uganda Albertine Rift Birding Safari, please do not forget encounter some of rare bird on your way back to Entebbe. 
End of the trip 

Medium range accommodation

USD         per person for group of 6 persons 
USD         per person for group of 4 persons

High range accommodation

USD         per person for group of 6 persons 
USD         per person for group of 4 persons

The tariff includes:

Airport transfers
Full board accommodation with meals mentioned    
Ground transportation in modified safari car 
English-speaking Driver with specialized birding guide
Entrance fees to the national park and other sites on the itinerary
Local government taxes 

The tariff does not include

Air ticket.
Tourist insurance health insurance
Entrance visas: Uganda 50 USD directly from Entebbe International Airport
Optional activities, $ 700Gorilla or $200 chimpanzee permits per person per tracking
Personal natures and tips