9 days Albertine Rift Endemics Birding Safari
9 days Albertine Rift Endemics Birding Safari in Uganda is an exciting and rewarding bird-watching safari since it involves visiting Ecological hotspots that are relatively within the wealthy Albertine Rift Valley which is Africa’s richest zone for most endemic and globally threatened wildlife species such as Mountain Gorillas, Golden Monkeys and the Dusky Crimsonwing among others. This area also hosts more than 7500 endemic flora and fauna species which is approximately 35% of all biodiversity in Africa. Our 9 days Albertine Rift Endemics Birding Safari will take us to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park especially the Ruhija sector of the park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Mountain Rwenzori National Park and finally to Entebb. These different destinations have different ecosystems, attracting different wildlife species, making it one of the best birding destinations.
9 days Albertine Rift Endemics Birding Safari Highlights
Day 1: Arrival for the 9-day Albertine Rift birding safari.
Day 2: Transfer to Kisoro, Birding in Echuya Forest.
Day 3: Birding Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Day 4: Birding to Ruhija
Day 5: Birding to Mubwindi Swamp
Day 6: Birding to Buhoma Via the Neck
Day 7: Birding Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 8: Birding to Kasese
Day 9: Birding to Entebbe.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival for the 9 days Uganda Albertine Rift birding safari
On arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you shall be welcomed and picked up by a Journey’s Uganda representative who will transfer you to your hotel for relaxing and over night.
Meal plan: Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Traveler’s Rest Hotel
Day 2: Transfer to Kisoro with stopovers to spot birds.
After early breakfast, we shall transfer to the Kisoro district in southwestern Uganda. Along the way, we shall stop over at numerous swamps to find some waders such as the elusive and prehistoric Shoebill Stork, Saddle-billed Stork, the Rufous Bellied Heron, and the Grey Crowned Crane in the swamps towards the Uganda equator at Kayabwe. We shall proceed to Echuya Forest a fantastic birding destination in Kisoro where we shall be introduced to the Albertine Rift endemic avian species such as the Regal Sunbird with its dazzling plumage, the slim pretty and long-tailed Collared or Rwenzori Apalis and the Strange Weavers among others. Expect to see some high-altitude species such as the shy Doherty’s Bushshrike, Rwenzori Hill Warbler, Mountain Buzzard and the Barred long-tailed Cuckoo among others.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Traveler’s Rest Hotel
Day 3: Birding Mgahinga National Park
After an early breakfast, we shall drive to Ntebeko camp with our picnic lunch and start birding as we trek to one of the most beautiful parts
of Uganda. We shall hike the Sabinyo Gorge Trail. This hike shall take us through different montane vegetation zones such as the bamboo forest which also inhabits the endangered Mountain Gorillas and the Hagenia Hypericum forest which is home to various bird species such as the colourful Rwenzori Turaco, the Dusky Turtle Dove, Cape Robin-chat, the ground-dwelling Kivu Ground Thrush, Mountain Yellow Warbler, White-starred Robin, Olive Wood Pecker, the agile White-eyed Slatty and White-tailed Blue Flycatcher, the secretive and melodious Lagden’s Bush-Shrike, the Handsome Francolin, Yellow-crowned Canary and the Shy Shelley’s Crimson-wing among others. You shall transfer to your lodge for dinner and overnight
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Travelers Rest Hotel
Day 4: Birding to Ruhija
Early in the morning after breakfast, we shall start our birding in the Rift Valley area, there will be a stopover in a nearby swamp close to Echuya Forest. Keep an eye out for the Grauer’s Rush Warbler which is a rare and endangered species in the Albertine Rift montane zones. We shall continue birding to Ruhija with several stopovers expecting to see different Albertine rift species such as the Shy Dusky Crimson-wing, Common Stonechat, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Dusky Twinspot, the Augur and Mountain Buzzard among others. As we head towards the camp headquarters, keep your eyes peeled for the Stripe-breasted and Dusky Tit, Olive Pigeon, the delightful and melodious Archer’s Robin-Chat, Western Green Tinkerbird, Doherty’s Bush-shrike, Chestnut Throated Apalis, Black-headed Waxbill, the Rwenzori Batia and the elusive Red-tailed Greenbul. Transfer to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Meal plan:Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Trekker’s Tavern.
Day 5: Birding to Mubwindi Swamp
After early morning breakfast, we shall bird to Mubwindi Swamp a bird’s haven. Today, we shall be focused on spotting a variety of bird species such as Olive Elliots’s Woodpecker, Fine-banded Woodpecker, Mountain Illadopsis, Cassin’s Grey Flycatcher, Mountain Greenbul, African Green Broadbill, Grey Woodland Warbler and Grauer’s Warbler, Collared, Mountain Masked, Grey and Chest-nut Throated Apalis, Mountain Wagtail, Grey Cuckoo Shrike, Shelley’s and Yellow-streaked Greenbul and the Red-faced Woodland and Mountain Yellow Warbler among others. Transfer to Lodge for dinner and overnight.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Trekker’s Tavern
Day 6: Birding to Buhoma via Neck
We shall have early breakfast and drive to Buhoma which is the southern part of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. While on our drive, expect many stopovers where you will be able to spot a variety of avian species such as the Red-throated Wryneck, Black Bee-eater, the elusive Regal and Purple-breasted Sunbird, Sharp’s Staling, Grauer’s Warbler, Mountain Wagtail, and the Dusky Twinspot among others. You will be transferred to the Buhoma Community Homestay for dinner and overnight.
Meal plan:Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Buhoma Community Homestay
Day 7: Birding Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Today, we shall explore the Buhoma Area of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. We should look out for birds of Buhoma such as the Yellow-billed Barbet, Bar-tailed Trogon, White-headed Wood Hoopoe, Bocage’s Bush-shrike, African Broadbill, Mountain Illadopsis, the beautiful Great Blue Turaco, Yellow-Rumped Tinkerbird, the elusive Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, Amenson’s Antpecker, and the Blue-headed, Northern Double Collared and Green Sunbird among others.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Buhoma Community Homestay.
Day 8: Birding to Kasese
After breakfast with a packed lunch, we transfer to Mount Rwenzori National Park where we shall look out for unique and special Albertine Rift species such as the striking Rwenzori Turaco with a vibrant plumage, the ground-dwelling Handsome Francolin, the agile and insectivorous Rwenzori Batis, Dusky Crimson-wing, the melodious Red-throated Alethe, the elusive Rwenzori Nightjar listen to its calls during twilight, the charming Strip-breasted Tit among others. we shall stay in the basement of Mount Rwenzori.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Equator Snow Lodge
Day 9: Birding to Entebbe
After Breakfast, Bird your way to Entebbe. End of 9 days Albertine Rift Endemics Birding Safari
Meal plan: Breakfast