8 days Uganda birding and primate safari
8 days Uganda birding and primate safari is a perfect safari that combines birding and tracking some wildlife, like chimpanzees, since these activities appear to have the same areas of research in Uganda’s lush forests. This 8 days Uganda safari will help us have the most adventurous safari in some national parks and forests.
Highlighted 8 days Uganda birding and primate safari
Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe
Day 2: visit Mamba swamp and kibale national park
Day 3: chimpanzee tracking/ Bigodi swamp birding
Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 5: transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 6: Gorilla trekking and birding
Day 7: transfer to Lake Mburo national park
Day 8: morning game drive/return to Entebbe
Detailed itinerary of 8 days Uganda birding and primate safari
Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe
On your 1st day, you will meet our representative at the Entebbe international airport, who will welcome you, brief you on the 8 days Uganda birding and primate safari and then drive you to your booked hotel in Kampala for the night.
Day 2: visit Mamba swamp and kibale national park
On your second day, you will wake up after your breakfast; you will meet the guide/driver who will take you through the birding session, which is along Lake Victoria. Mabamba forest is well known for shoebills, and it’s said to have 300 birds as its habitat. After the birding, you will come to your hotel, have lunch, check out of the hotel and set off for Kibale National Park.
Kibale National Park
After your lunch, you will set off to Kibale National Park, which is located in the southwestern Uganda in the Fort Portal district. This takes about a 5-6 hour drive from Kampala. On your way, you will have a stopover in Mubende town for relaxation and refreshments. Continue to Kibale National Park, arriving in the late evening; check in at the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 3: chimpanzee tracking/ Bigodi swamp birding
Chimpanzee tracking
On the morning of the 3rd day of the 8-day Uganda birding and primate safari, you will meet your guide, after your breakfast, the guide will take you to the headquarters before the briefing, where you will be told about the dos and don’ts of chimpanzee tracking in kibale national park, after the briefing, you will be divided into a group of 5 people with your senior guide as you start your tracking, tracking normally takes about 1-5 hours according to the primates location since they normally move from one place to another. After spotting these primates, you will be given one extra hour for pictures, studying their way of feeding and the route to the lodge for lunch as you wait for birding in the early evenings.
Bigodi swamp birding
Later in the evening, you will meet with your guide again, who will take you through the Bigodi swamp, where you will be able to carry out the birding activity. During this activity, different bird species can be spotted, which include the papyrus Gonolek, great blue Turaco, shoebill, yellow-billed Barbet, African emerald, western nicator, white-spotted flutter and some primates like Lhotse’s monkey, black-and-white colobus, and red-tailed monkey, and after spotting them, you will be taken back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
On your 4th day, you will wake up, have your leisure breakfast, check out of the lodge and set off to Queen Elizabeth National Park, located in Kasese district and well-recognised as the second largest national park in Uganda. On your way, you will pass via fort portal town for lunch, visit the crater lakes, Amabere ng’ayiina mwiru, lake cater for salt exploitation, then later proceed to Queen Elizabeth national park in early evening, you can opt to do an evening game drive where different mammals can be seen, like elephants, buffalos, giraffes, elands, warthogs, and some bird species after game drive, you will be taken to your booked lodge for dinner and overnight.
Morning game drive
In the morning, you will wake up early, have your breakfast, and then meet your guide for the best game drive. We are always excited to see the cat family, which includes leopards and hyenas that can be spotted during the day. During this game drive, many families of different mammals can be seen, like elephants, buffalo, leopards, hyenas, elands, warthogs, giraffes, antelopes, and many others that graze in the savannah grasslands.
Evening boat cruise
In the evening of the 4th day, you will meet your guide after your lunch, who will take you for a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, which separates Lake George and Lake Edward. During this activity, you will spot various animals such as crocodiles, hippos, elephants, giraffes, elands, antelopes, and other species that frequently come to the water in the afternoon. After the boat cruise, you will be driven back to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 5: transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
On your 5th day, you will wake up early on your leisure, check out of the lodge and then prepare to set off to Bwindi impenetrable national park, on your way to Kisoro district, you will pass via mbarara city were you will have your lunch as you enjoy the breath of the city, then continue to kigezi region with the viewing of the landscapes and hills of kigezi region through different towns in the region as you proceed to kabale town, have some stopovers to refresh and relax, then continue to the park, arriving in the late evenings, and check in for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 6: Gorilla trekking and birding
On your 6th day of 8 days of Uganda birding and primate safaris, you will wake up early, have breakfast, and then meet your guide, who will take you to the headquarters for a briefing on rules and regulations and expectations of gorilla trekking. This activity takes about 1-4 hours, depending on the location of the primates. After spotting the primates, you can be given one extra hour for a moment of pictures, and some bird specials can also be spotted, like the African Green Broadbill, Rwenzori Batis, black bee-eater, bar-tailed Tragon and many others. After your long day, you will be taken back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: transfer to Lake Mburo national park
On your 7th day, you will be transferred to Lake Mburo National Park, located in Kiruhura District and well known as the smallest national park in Uganda and next to the president’s village home in Rukiga, Kiruhura District. You will be arriving in the early evening, and then continue to have a boat cruise on the lake
Evening boat cruise
As soon as you arrive in the park, you will continue with your boat cruise. During your boat cruise, certain mammals can be spotted, which include elephants, hippos, giraffes, buffaloes, and others that normally come closer to the lake in the early evening or afternoon hours for water. Also, some birds can be spotted, like the grey-crested crane, parrots, egrets, and many others
Day 8: morning game drive/return to Entebbe
Morning game drive
On the morning of the last days, you will wake up, check out of the lodge, and then go for a game drive in the park. During game drive, mammals can be seen, including zebras, antelopes, elephants, and buffaloes, antelopes. After your game drive, you will check out of the park and drive straight on the Mbarara-Kampala highway, heading back to Entebbe Airport for your next flight.
End of the 8 Days Uganda birding and primate safari
Safari includes
Golden monkey trekking permit
Gorilla trekking permit
Chimpanzee trekking permit
Meals
Accommodation
Bottled Mineral water
4 x 4 safari vehicle
English-speaking driver guide
Pick up and drop off
Park entrance fees
Safari excludes
Alcoholic beverages
Airfare
Visa fees
Life insurance
Personal expenses
