7-day Murchison Falls Birding Safari
7-day Murchison Falls Birding Safari: Journeys Uganda is offering a 7-day birding safari to Murchison Falls in north-western Uganda. During this birdwatching tour, you will see birds in the Murchison Falls Conservation Area, keeping an eye out for rare species as well as others endemic to the Guinea-Congo biome. Explore the breathtaking savanna grasslands of Murchison Falls National Park, the Royal Mile, the Albertine Escarpment, and other spotting spots for different bird species. The protected area is home to about 650 bird species, which are categorised into three main groups: water birds, Savannah forest birds, and Albertine endemics. The most prevalent large birds in the plains include black-bellied bustards, secretary birds, ground hornbills, and marabou storks.
Outlined Itinerary of the 7-day Murchison Falls Birding Safari
Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe Airport. Bird through Entebbe environs.
Day 2: Birding to Murchison Falls National Park. Bird to the Top of the Falls
Day 3: Birding Murchison Falls National Park
Day 4: Birding the northern Sector of Murchison Falls National Park
Day 5: Bird through the Albertine Escarpment
Day 6: Birding the Royal Mile
Day 7: Birding to Kampala and departure
Detailed Itinerary of the 7-day Murchison Falls Birding Safari
Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe Airport. Bird through Entebbe environs.
Meet a Journeys Uganda representative upon your arrival at Entebbe International Airport, and they will arrange for a transfer to your chosen hotel. Early arrivals can enjoy excellent birding opportunities, including seeing the Great Blue and Ross’s Turacos, Red Chested, Klaas’s and Diederik Cuckoo, Great Reed, Grey Capped, Sedge, Greater Swamp and Eurasian Reed Warblers, Fain-tailed Widow bird, Striped, Malachite, Giant, Woodland and Pygmy Kingfishers, Black Bishop, Grey Woodpecker, Olive, Olive-bellied, Red-chested, Superb, Green-throated, and Collared Sunbirds, Orange, Yellow Backed, Golden Backed, Slender Billed and Black Headed Weavers, Lizard Buzzard, Grey Kestral, Black Kite, Gaber Goshawk, African Paradise, and many others.
Day 2: Birding to Murchison Falls National Park. Bird to the Top of the Falls
After breakfast, we shall transfer to Murchison Falls National Park. birdwatch along the way for White-crested Turacos. We shall stop over at Masindi for lunch. After entering the park, drive to the top of the falls to try out for the Pel’s Fishing Owl, Rock Pranticoles, Bat Hawks, and a variety of night owls. Dinner and overnight stay at Sambiya River Lodge.
Day 3: Birding Murchison Falls National Park
We start our birding early on this particular day. Puvell’s Illadopsis, Grey, and Yellow Longbills will be the primary focus of today’s observation. Other species that may be found in this forest include Fire-crested Alethe, Narina Trogon, Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, Xavier’s, Ictrine, Plain and Little Greenbul, Yellow-billed and Yellow-spotted Barbet, Green, Olive Bellied and Olive Sunbird, Crested Guinea Fowl, Speckled, Yellow-rumped and Yellow-throated Tinkerbird, Brown Eared and Yellow Crested Woodpecker, along with other forest birds. You will then later head north to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay at Pakuba Game Lodge
Day 4: Birding the northern Sector of Murchison Falls National Park
We begin our morning drive this morning and head across the ferry to the Delta region for a wildlife drive in search of Shoebill storks and other waterfowl. We anticipate seeing several nocturnal birds on our morning trip, primarily nightjars and owls. Occasionally, we may even spot cats along the way. Once you cross, head to the northern section of the park for a game and birdwatching drive. Here, you can see animals like lions, leopards, and sometimes even cape buffalo. The birds that are typically spotted on this drive are African Quil Finch, White-fronted Black Chat, Northern Carmine, Swallow-tailed and Red-Throated Bee-Eater, Silver Bird, Stanley’s Bustard, Black-billed Barbet, Rufous-crowned and Abyssinian Roller. We take a boat ride up the Victoria Nile in the afternoon to witness a variety of waterfowl, schools of hippos, and crocodiles at the base of the Falls.
Day 5: Bird through the Albertine Escarpment
Birding the escarpment in the early morning hours may yield rewarding results, such as seeing the Striped Kingfisher, Black-billed and Spot Flanked Barbet, Foxy Cisticola, Red-chested Cuckoo, Red-winged Grey Warbler, Black-headed Batis, Cliff Chat, Green-backed Eremomela, Yellow-bellied Hyliota, Green-headed Sunbird, Red-winged Pytilia, Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-Weaver, and birding the pond for the Shining Blue Kingfisher, Sabine’s, and Cassin’s Spinetail on this day of the 7-day Murchison Falls Birding Safari. dinner and overnight stay at Masindi Hotel
Day 6: Birding the Royal Mile
Explore the Royal Mile in search of: Fraser’s and Red-tailed Ant Thrush, Nahan’s Francolin, Chocolate-backed and Dwarf Kingfishers, White-thighed Hornbill, Narina Trogon, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Yellow-crested and Brown-eared Woodpecker, Forest Flycatcher, Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, Cassin’s Hawk Eagle, and many Tinkerbirds and Barbets. Following our picnic lunch, we depart in the afternoon and head to the Busingiro sector, where we will be observing the Ituri Batis, Lemon-Bellied Crombec, Tit Hylia, Uganda Woodland Warbler, and Jameson’s Wattle Eye. We will stay overnight and have dinner at our hotel.
Day 7: Birding to Kampala and departure
Today, we travel to Kampala while birdwatching. There are several different grassland birds here today. We arrive in Kampala in the late evening, contingent upon the timing of your return flight. This will mark the end of our 7-day Murchison Falls Birding Safari.