The 4 days Uganda Bird watching safari in Murchison Falls National Park, which is one of Uganda’s most popular parks for both game viewing and birding. Birding through this amazing park on game drives, launch trips along the river Nile and on nature walks. This will offer you an opportunity to come across distinct birdlife. Over 450 bird species have been recorded to be existing in the protected area classified in broader categories of Savannah, Forest and Water birds. The most common of the large birds found in the plains include Abyssinian Ground Hornbills, Denham’s Bustard, Black Kites, Open-billed Storks, Bateleur Eagle, White-backed, Ruppel’s, Hooded and Lappet Faced Vultures, Martial Eagle and many more.
Closer to the river where are more thickets and woodlands, the most common bird species include Black, Red-throated and Northern Carmine Bee-eater, Woodland, Malachite, Pied and Giant Kingfishers, Woodpeckers, Doves, Flycatchers, Weavers, Queleas, Crombecs, Spurfowls and many more. The areas close to the rivers are home to Plovers, Stilts, Geese, Ducks, Lapwings and many more. Uganda has a total number of 1097 of bird species recorded, of which one is Endemic to Uganda that’s Fox’s Weaver and 66 are vagrants. This makes Uganda, a country of remarkable Avian Diversity, which is credited to her location between the East African Savannah, West African rainforests and Semi-deserts of the north.
Detailed itinerary.
Day 1: Birding in Mabamba Swamp and transfer to Murchison Falls National Park.
On this day, very early in the morning, you will be met by your allocated birding safari guide to meet and greet, have all your travel bags loaded into the Safari vehicle, check out of your lodge and then start your drive to Mabamba Swamp in Mpigi District which is an Important Birding Area (IBA) located on the fringes of Lake Victoria, the second biggest Fresh water lake in the world.
On arrival at Mabamba Swamp, you will be briefed about the day’s activity, get on the motorized dug-out canoe with the site guide and the start your tour in search of the rare Shoebill stork which is often seen standing still in the marshes when in hunting mode or flying in the air above the papyrus reeds.
There are variety of the other water bird species like Purple Swamphen, Northern Brown-throated and Village Weavers, White-faced Whistling and Yellow Billed Duck, White-winged Terns, Squacco, Purple, Grey and Striated Herons, Long Tailed and Great Cormorants, Common and Wood Sandpipers, Spur Winged and Long Toed Lapwings, African and Lesser Jacana, and many more.
After bird spotting in Mabamba swamp and start your drive to Murchison falls national park have an en route lunch. While on the way, you will visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary found in Nakasongola district for Rhino Tracking Sanctuary. The Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is the only place in Uganda where you can see White Rhinos in the wild. During Rhino tracking, you will have a chance to see them close on your feet with the help of the UWA ranger and spend a maximum of one hour with them. Later, proceed with the drive to Murchison falls national falls while birding along the way like the Kafu-Masindi stretch.
Day 2: Full Day Birding in Budongo Forest- Visit the Top of the Falls- Transfer to the Northern Sector of Murchison Falls National Park.
Today after breakfast with packed lunch and refreshments, drive to Budongo Forest to continue bird spotting. Budongo forest is located in the southern sector of Murchison falls national park at Kaniyo Pabidi and the other part is located outside of the national park as a forest reserve. This forest is home to various primates including Chimpanzees, several tree species and bird species. There is a popular Birding Spot called The Royal Mile- a stretch of 0ne mile that the King of Bunyoro enjoyed spending time while hunting. Together with the site guide and your bird guide, you will look forward with your expectations raised high for the bird species including: Cassin’s Hawk, Ayres’s Hawk and Crowned Eagle, Spotted, Toro Olive and Joyful Greenbul, Nahan’s Francolin, Puvel’s Illadopsis, Cassin’s and Sabine’s Spinetail, Black-collared Lovebird, Chocolate-backed, Blue-breasted and African Dwarf Kingfishers, Ituris Batis, Brown Twinspot, Grey-headed Olive back, Jameson’s Wattle-eye, Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, Lemon-bellied Crombec and many more.
Later in the evening, you drive to the Top of the Falls to enjoy the breathtaking views and great sounds as water squeezes itself through the narrow gorge of only 7 meters wide, then drop 43 meters down into a pool that creates a strong thunderous sound that is lovely. Then later transfer to the northern sector of the park crossing the Nile River to check in at the lodge of stay.
Day 3: Morning Game Drive and Afternoon Boat Cruise.
Wake up early morning 0530 am), have a cup of coffee, get your packed breakfast and at 0600 am start the drive to the park to meet the early raisers of the jungle both birds and mammal’s species. Murchison falls national park was voted No. 9 best birding spot in Africa with over 459 bird species and best wildlife sighting destination with over 76 mammal species including Lions, Leopards, Elephants and Lake Chad Buffalo which makes it superb game drive.
During the game drive safari, your safari guide will help you to spot several wildlife species that you will spot like Elephants, Uganda Kobs, Lelwel’s Hartebeest, Nubian Giraffe, Oribis, Lion Common Warthog, and some primates such as Patas and Vervet monkeys. Then later return to the lodge for hot lunch and drive to Paraa gathering for an afternoon boat cruise safari on the Nile River which starts at 02:00pm. The boat cruise goes to the Albert Delta to search for the giant Shoebill one of the most loved birds in Uganda which provides a higher chance than any other place in Murchison falls national park. This will offer you an opportunity to see the following gem such as Nile Crocodiles, Hippopotamus and numerous bird species like Saddle-billed Stork, African Finfoot, Painted Snipe, Little and Dwarf Bitterns, White-backed Night Herons, Little Grebe, African Darter, Northern, Southern Carmine and Red-throated Bee-eaters, Giant Kingfishers, African Skimmers, Wattled Lapwings, African Spoonbills, Yellow-billed Stork, Goliath Heron, Rock Pratincoles and many others.
And after that head back for a short evening game drive in search of the following such as African Rock Martin, Angola, Red-rumped and Rufous-chested Swallow, Isabelline Wheatears, Whinchat, Sooty Chats and many more.
Day 4: Chimpanzee Tracking Experience and Transfer Back to Entebbe.
After an early morning breakfast, check out of the lodge and drive to Budongo forest reserve for Chimpanzee tracking experience. The Budongo Forest Reserve is among most significant chimpanzee tracking destinations in Uganda and the largest natural forest in Murchison Falls national park with three tourism sites i.e., Kaniyo Pabidi, Sonso and Busingiro sections. During the chimpanzee tracking, you may encounter other primates such as Olive Baboons, Black-and-White Colobus, Blue, Red-tailed Monkeys and Grey-cheeked Mangabeys. Once you meet the chimpanzees, you will be allowed to stay with them a maximum of one hour. After the chimpanzee experience, you will be allowed return to the starting point to relax for a while and then drive to Masindi for hot Lunch and later proceed to Entebbe for your safe flight back home and this will be the end of your 4 days safari to Murchison Falls national park.
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