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Explore the birds – 14 days - Day by Day Day 1 – Arrival – Upon your arrival you will be met by your guide and transferred to a hotel, depending on time of arrival, you will go for a walk through the Botanical gardens located at the shores of Lake Victoria. The gardens are on a large scale natural with lots of fruit trees that are a habitat of fruit eating birds; like the Ross’s Turaco and the Black & White Casqued Hornbill or an optional boat trip to Ngamba island chimp sanctuary which has more than 300 recorded bird species. Return and overnight at the hotel BB Day 2 – Depart for Mabira forest for birding most of the day with a packed lunch, Mabira is one the large forests in Uganda covering about 7kms long. The forest with various tree species, is a home to various forest bird species and as well herbs used for curing various human diseases. Among the bird species you will be watching include, Sunbirds, Weavers Apalis and the Forest Wood Hoopoe and many more. You will then overnight in the overnight at a lodge FB. Day 3 – Depart for Budongo area, the trip takes you through villages giving you the opportunity to see the different landscape and the beauty of this part of the country. You will then arrive at Masindi town in time for lunch at the hotel where you will be staying for these two nights. This afternoon, you will go bird watch at “The Royal Mile” which is the country’s premier forest birding locality; the Chocolate backed, Blue backed and African dwarf Kingfishers are found here and it’s the best place to find these species. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight. Day 4 – After an early breakfast, you will go out to Busingiro in Budongo forest. A picnic lunch today, as you continue birding through the day. Budongo forest lies at the edge of the Albertine Rift Valley to the south of the Murchison Falls National park and protects the largest natural forest area in East Africa. Recorded are over 350 bird species, among which you will spot the Fish Eagle, Harrier, Bee-eater, Nahan’s Francolin, Black & White Hornbill and Purple Headed Glossy Starling. The canopy flocks support the Brown-crowned Eremomela and the elusive Lemon-bellied Crombec. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight. Day 5 – This morning you will re visit the Royal Mile with more chances of watching more species as the Brown-backed Scrub Robin, Marsh Tchagra. Black Bishop Brown Twinspot, Cassins Hawk-Eagle and the Crowned Eagle. On the way to the lodge you will visit the top of the falls, view the Nile waters as they fall down the narrow gap, naturally giving a spectacular view. Over night at the lodge FB.. Day 6 – After an early breakfast you will depart for a combined game drive and birding, mammals here include giraffe, lion, buffalo, elephant and the various antelopes. Murchison falls has recorded about 450 species among which you get the forest, water birds & woodland species. Among which you will find the ground hornbill, vultures, bee eaters, eagles, brown parrot and white-crested turaco and the Ituri Batis. After lunch will be time for the boat cruise on the Nile to the bottom of the falls this afternoon, viewing birds, crocodiles and hippos. Return to the lodge for the night FB. Day 7 – Today you will depart for Kibale NP, the journey through the beautiful landscape bordered by the ranges of Mt Rwenzori from a distance. Lunch will be served at your moderately run hotel in Fort Portal town. This after noon you will go for the swamp walk, were you will birding with an opportunity to see the great blue turaco, White-spotted Flufftail, Blue-headed Coucal, Yellow-billed Barbets and both Green-throated and Green-headed Sunbirds. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight. Day 8 – After breakfast, you will go for a forest walk through the Kibale Forest with chances of viewing primates like the vervet monkey, l’hoest monkey, the baboon and mammals like the sitatunga ,bush pig and the forest elephants. The Pied Hornbill, Fine-banded Woodpecker, Black & White Flycatcher and African & Green-breasted Pittas are among the birds you will get to spot while on the walk. Overnight as above. Day 9 – After breakfast you will depart for QENP, you will check in at a lodge, after lunch you will go on the boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel were you will see a myriad of birds, like Great-white and Pink Pelicans, Open-billed Stork, African Skimmer and Knob-billed Ducks among the many Along with hippos and often an elephant or buffalo drinking water. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight. Day 10 – Early breakfast then depart for a combined game drive and birding, in QENP there are about 600 bird species recorded, among which is the famous shoebill stork, African fish eagle, martial eagle, papyrus gonolek and more. The mammals include elephant, various antelopes, hyena, lion, leopard and buffaloes. For the afternoon you will visit the crater lakes, and most famous of the all the salt lake – Lake Katwe. Return to the lodge for the night FB. Day 11 – Depart for Bwindi, through the southern part of Queen Elizabeth NP – with opportunities of citing the famous tree climbing lions resting on the huge tree branches. You will have a late lunch at the lodge in Bwindi, and a late afternoon forest walk. The walk takes you through the thick forest, with water falls and a variety of birds as the Handsome Francolin, Rufous-chested fluff tail, Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo and the Red-chested Owlet, among the many. Day 12 – Gorilla Trek (optional) or a trek through Mubwindi Swamp birding for most of the day, birds recorded are about species of which 184 are forest species and 23 Albertine Rift endemics. The Green Broad Bill, Grauer’s Rush Wabler, Purple-breasted, Blue-headed and Regal sunbirds, will be some of the species you will come across in the area. Overnight at the lodge FB Day 13 – Depart for Entebbe today, a lunch stop en route, a stop over the Mabamba swamp so that you can look for the Shoe bill stock and continue on to Entebbe. Overnight at the hotel BB Day 14 – Depending on the flight time, you may go for a half day birding around Entebbe; otherwise you will be transferred to the airport in time for departure flight. Price 2009: Up Market Safari Activities: Included: Accommodation and meals as per the Itinerary; activities in the areas visited as included, transport in a 4x4 land cruiser, driver guide services, and all park entry fees. Excluded: Air tickets, visas, items of personal nature, gratuities/tips drinks and curio shopping.
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