Uganda is a prime destination for combining gorilla trekking and Uganda birding safari due to its rich biodiversity, diverse ecosystems, and well-developed tourism infrastructure. With over half of the mountain gorilla world population and over 1070 bird species, 4 days of birding and gorilla trekking is a unique combination offering an unforgettable experience. Expect to see the elusive shoebill, grey-crowned crane, lesser jacana, papyrus gonolek, orange weaver, black egret, black crake, goliath heron, warblers, little grebe, pigeons, cuckoos, nightjars, African finfoot, great snipe, African green broadbill, Rwenzori turaco, black bee-eater, regal sunbird, shelley’s crimsonwing, handsome francolin, black collared apalis, blue-headed sunbird, yellow-eye black flycatcher, black-billed turaco; mammals like mountain gorillas, blue monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, baboons, pottos, side-striped jackal, red-tailed monkeys, duikers, bush pigs, giant forest hogs and many more. The trip starts and ends in Kampala.
You will be picked up by our driver guide from Glory Summit Tours at an agreed point, you will go to your hotel and check-in for the night then you will head out to Mabamba Swamp, a Ramsar site located on the shores of Lake Victoria and renowned for its population of the elusive shoebill stork. While at Mabamba you will take a boat ride through the swamp, guided by an expert local guide who can help you spot a wide range of species, including the iconic shoebill. Expect to see birds like grey-crowned crane, lesser jacana, papyrus gonolek, orange weaver, black egret, black crake, goliath heron, warblers, little grebe, pigeons, turacos, cuckoos, nightjars, African Finfoot, great snipe together with the elusive shoebill and many more which will take 2-3hours. Once done, you will head back to Entebbe town, have lunch then find your way to the Botanical Gardens for beautiful sceneries and some more birding. While at the Botanical gardens, you will see birds like the oink-backed pelican, yellow-billed stork, grey plantain-eater, purple-banded sunbird, African jacana, lesser jacana, malachite kingfisher, crowned hornbill, little weaver, cormorants, herons and more with butterflies, different plant species and primates like monkeys. Once the birding is done, you will also get to enjoy the sun setting as it’s a beautiful view since the gardens are located along the shores of Lake Victoria. You will then head back to your lodging in time for dinner and then retire at will.
You will wake up, have breakfast, check out of your lodging, and set off for Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and the journey will be about 8-9 hours. We shall stop over at the Equator mark for picture moments and to ease yourselves, another stop will be at a hotel in Mbarara for lunch then we continue to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and will reach in the evening. In time for dinner and then you will check into the hotel and retire for the day so you can rest enough and be ready for the trekking to be done the next day.
After breakfast, you will be picked up by the driver guide and head out to the Buhoma sector which is home to about 300 birds with endemics and migratory birds and the magnificent mountain gorillas. After briefing at 7:30 am for the guidelines and safety precautions to be followed by a guide to ensure a smooth trek you will head out into the forest and depending on the targeted Gorilla families given to you to trek, the trekking will take between 30minutes-6hours, it’s in this time that we shall get to see the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat, how they live, care for each other, care for their young, how and when they eat will be observed by you with a guide and armed ranger on route with you. During the trek you will also spot different birds in the sector including red-headed bluebill, great blue turaco, bar-trailed trogon, African cuckoo, tinker bird, grey crowned crane, blue-headed sunbird, cape wagtail, Rwenzori batis, African hill-babbler, flycatchers, handsome francolin, dusky twin spot, Ross’s turaco, barbets and more. When done birding, you will be picked up and taken back to your lodging for some freshening up, then enjoy your lunch. Once lunch is done you will head out for the Batwa cultural tour. With the help of a local guide, you will be involved in different community activities like music, dance and drama, crafting, and honey harvesting. Storytelling will also be key as a way to learn the Batwa people’s history and what makes them an interesting group of people. You will then return to the hotel, have dinner, and rest for the night in preparation for the next day.
You will wake up to a beautiful breakfast, and then check out of the lodge and prepare for your departure for Kampala, which will take about 9 hours. You will have one stop over at the equator, for lunch, picture-taking moments, and exploring the craft village after which you will continue to Kampala and will be dropped off at the agreed-upon point which will mark the end of the 4-days of birding and gorilla trekking in Uganda.
