The Pearl of Africa – From Papyrus Swamps to Albertine Forests’
Bird species potential: 650-800 plus
Key ecosystems: Wetlands, savannah, tropical rainforest, Albertine Rift, Congo biome
Travel style: Private 4×4, specialist birding guide, early starts & flexible timing
DAY 1 – ARRIVAL IN ENTEBBE
Habitat: Lake Victoria shoreline, gardens
- Arrival at Entebbe International Airport
- Meet professional birding guide
- Transfer to hotel
- Late afternoon birding at Entebbe Botanical Gardens
- Great blue turaco
- African grey parrot
- Woodland kingfisher
- Black-and-white casqued hornbill
- Evening briefing and checklist review
- Overnight: Entebbe
Meals: Dinner
DAY 2 – MABAMBA SWAMP (SHOEBILL EXCURSION)
Habitat: Papyrus swamp (IBA)
Early morning transfer to Mabamba Wetlands
Dugout canoe birding excursion
Target species:
- Shoebill
- Papyrus gonolek
- White-winged warbler
- Blue-breasted bee-eater
- Afternoon birding along Lake Victoria shoreline
- Sunset birding at hotel gardens
Overnight: Entebbe
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 3 – ENTEBBE → LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK
Habitat: Acacia savannah, wetlands
Drive to Lake Mburo NP
En-route birding stops
Afternoon game drive with birding focus
Target species:
- Red-faced barbet
- African finfoot
- Brown-chested lapwing
- Tabora cisticola
Overnight: Lake Mburo area
Meals: Full board
DAY 4 – LAKE MBURO (FULL DAY BIRDING)
Early morning bush walk (optional)
Boat safari on Lake Mburo
Key species:
- African fish eagle
- Giant kingfisher
- Carruthers’s cisticola
- White-winged terns (seasonal)
- Afternoon savannah birding
Overnight: Lake Mburo
Meals: Full board
DAY 5 – LAKE MBURO TO BWINDI (RUHIJA SECTOR)
Habitat: Montane forest
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Scenic drive to Bwindi Impenetrable NP
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En-route birding in highland areas
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Evening forest edge birding
Overnight: Ruhija
Meals: Full board
DAY 6 – BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST (ALBERTINE RIFT ENDEMICS)
Full day birding on forest trails
Target species:
- African green broadbill
- Handsome francolin
- Grauer’s rush warbler
- Rwenzori batis
- Regal sunbird
- Mountain masked apalis
Overnight: Ruhija
Meals: Full board
DAY 7 – BWINDI FOREST BIRDING / OPTIONAL GORILLA TREKKING
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Morning birding or optional mountain gorilla trekking
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Afternoon swamp & bamboo zone birding
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Continued search for endemics
Overnight: Ruhija
Meals: Full board
DAY 8 – BWINDI TO ISHASHA (QUEEN ELIZABETH NP)
Habitat: Open savannah, riverine forest
Drive to Ishasha sector
Afternoon birding & game viewing
Target species:
- Saddle-billed stork
- African crake
- Martial eagle
Overnight: Ishasha
Meals: Full board
DAY 9 – QUEEN ELIZABETH NP (MWEYA PENINSULA)
Habitat: Savannah & wetland mosaic
Morning birding drive
Afternoon Kazinga Channel boat cruise
Key species:
- African skimmer
- Pink-backed pelican
- Malachite kingfisher
- Yellow-billed stork
Overnight: Mweya area
Meals: Full board
DAY 10 – QUEEN ELIZABETH NP (FULL DAY)
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Early morning game drive & birding
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Afternoon crater lakes birding
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Evening checklist update
Overnight: Queen Elizabeth NP
Meals: Full board
DAY 11 – QUEEN ELIZABETH TO KIBALE FOREST
Habitat: Mid-altitude rainforest
Drive to Kibale Forest NP
Afternoon forest edge birding
Target species:
- Black bee-eater
- White-naped pigeon and many more
Overnight: Kibale
Meals: Full board
DAY 12 – KIBALE FOREST (PITTA DAY)
Full day forest birding
Key targets:
- Green-breasted pitta
- Nahan’s francolin
- African grey parrot
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Optional chimpanzee trekking
Overnight: Kibale
Meals: Full board
DAY 13 – KIBALE TO SEMULIKI NATIONAL PARK
Habitat: Lowland Congo forest
Transfer to Semuliki NP
Afternoon Congo biome birding
Target species:
- White-crested hornbill
- Blue-headed coucal
- Lyre-tailed honeyguide
Overnight: Semuliki
Meals: Full board
DAY 14 – SEMULIKI TO FORT PORTAL
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Morning forest birding
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Afternoon crater lakes exploration
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Relaxed evening birding
Overnight: Fort Portal
Meals: Full board
DAY 15 – FORT PORTAL TO MURCHISON FALLS NP
Habitat: Savannah & riverine forest
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Long scenic drive north
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En-route birding stops
Overnight: Murchison Falls NP
Meals: Full board
DAY 16 – MURCHISON FALLS NP (NILE DELTA)
Early morning game drive
Boat cruise to the Nile Delta
Key species:
-otoe
- Vultures
- Northern carmine bee-eater
- Abyssinian ground hornbill
Overnight: Murchison Falls NP
Meals: Full board
DAY 17 – MURCHISON FALLS NP
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Birding along riverbanks & woodland
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Visit top of the falls
Overnight: Murchison Falls NP
Meals: Full board
DAY 18 – MURCHISON TO KIDEPO VALLEY NP
Habitat: Semi-arid savannah
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Fly or drive to Kidepo Valley NP
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Afternoon birding
Overnight: Kidepo
Meals: Full board
DAY 19 – KIDEPO VALLEY (FULL DAY BIRDING)
Morning & afternoon birding
Key species:
- Karamoja Apalis
- Fox’s weaver
- Black-breasted barbet
- Ostrich
Overnight: Kidepo
Meals: Full board
DAY 20 – KIDEPO TO ENTEBBE / DEPARTURE
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Early morning birding
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Domestic flight or drive to Entebbe
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Departure