8 Days shoebill watching And Wildlife safari Uganda

8 Days shoebill watching And Wildlife safari Uganda is one of the best birding tours to spot shoebill storks in a number of travel destination in the Pearl of Africa. We will visit several places in search for a shoebill and other unique bird species such as Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Budongo forest, Murchison Falls National Park and Mabamba Swamp.

The shoebill stork is among the most iconic bird species in Uganda and this safari offers many sighting experiences of this weird and wonderful bird in wetland areas of Mabamba and river Nile in Murchison falls national park. On your 8 Days shoebill watching And Wildlife safari Uganda, you will have an opportunity to encounter the Big 5 safari game animals and other wild animals.

8 Days shoebill watching And Wildlife safari Uganda highlight

• Day 1: Arrival
• Day 2: Rhino tracking – Evening birding – Night Walk
• Day 3: Full Day Birding Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
• Day 4: Birding The Royal Mile
• Day 5: Full day birding in Murchison Falls National Park.
• Day 6: Game Drive – Boat Cruise- Hike to the top of the falls
• Day 7: Budongo Forest Bird Watching.
• Day 8: Shoebill Safari in Mabamba Swamp

Day 1: Arrival

Meet and greet our company representative and your birding guide for a transfer to your booked hotel. Have briefing and spend your time birding around the lodge as you get ready for an exciting 8 days shoebill watching safari Uganda. Dinner and overnight stay at Via Via hotel.

Day 2: Rhino tracking – Evening birding – Night Walk

After a morning breakfast, head northwards through the farmlands and swamps of central Uganda, arriving at your lodge set in acacia woodland in time for lunch. Take a few minutes to tour around the camp or relax before going for Rhino tracking at Ziwa Rhino sanctuary. This tour takes approximately 2 hours walking to and watching the rhinos. Although guarded all the time, the rhinos live as wild and it is a unique opportunity to spend some time with these giants while supporting their reintroduction to the wild in Uganda. After Rhino tracking tour, take a birding tour of the sanctuary to spot over 300 species of woodland, savannah and wetland species like; palm nut vultures, White-crested Turaco, barbets, speckled breasted woodpecker, African cuckoo, blue-spotted dove, shoebill stork, Abdim’s stork, Ross’s Turaco, African black crake, giant kingfisher, Coqui Francolin, Eastern Grey Plantain Eater, Crowned Hornbill, Curlew Sandpiper, Eurasian Nightjar, Dark-caped Yellow Warbler, Double-toothed Barbet, Dusky Tit, Egyptian Goose, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, Eurasian Hobby, Crested Francolin, European Bee-eater, Fan-tailed Widow Bird among others.

Later take a night walk to spot nocturnal animals like leopards, aardvark, porcupine among others, listen to the night sounds and wild whispers in the sanctuary for great everlasting memories. Dinner and overnight stay at Ziwa Rhino Camp.

Day 3: Full Day Birding Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Wake up early morning for breakfast and start a full day birding tour to Ziwa rhino sanctuary to spot birds like; African Broad Bill, Bat Hawk, Bateleur, African Citril, African Crowned Eagle, African Goshawk, African Darter, African Golden-breasted Bunting, African Golden Oriole, African Green Pigeon, African Grey, African Grey Hornbill, African Hawk Eagle, African Hoopoe, Barn Swallow, Barred Warbler, Black-and-white Shrike Flycatcher, African Fish Eagle, Black-and-white Casqued Hornbill, Black-and-white Cuckoo, Brown-throated Wattle-eye, Black-and-white Manikini, Black-bellied Bustard, Black-crowned Tchagra, Black-crowned Waxbill, Brown-backed Srub Robin, Northern Carmine Bee-eater, Brown-crowned Tchagra, Brown Parrot, Buff-spotted Flufftail, Cardinal Woodpecker, Red-necked Falcon, Ring-necked Dove, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, Eurasian Hobby, Eurasian Nightjar, European Bee-eater, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Flappet Lark, Fork-tailed Drongo, Foxes Weaver, Giant Kingfisher, Goliath Heron, Grassland Pipit, Grey Heron, Yellow-fronted Canary, Grey Kestrel, Grey Woodpecker, Fan-tailed Widow Bird, Violet-tipped Courser, Wahlberg’s Eagle, Hadada Ibis, Helmeted Guineafowl, Heuglin’s Francolin, Intermediate Egret, Isabelline Shrike, Klass’s Cuckoo, Knob-bellied Duck, Large Brown Snake Eagle, Long-crested Eagle, Long-tailed Cormorant, Long-toed Lapwing, Cattle Egret, Malachite Kingfisher, Marabou Stork, Marico Sunbird, Hammerkop, Martial Eagle, Namaqua Dove, Northern Black Flycatcher, Northern Wheater, White-headed Saw Wing, Nubian Woodpecker, Red-rumped Swallow, Red-throated Wryneck, Red-winged Starling, Ross’s Turaco, White-headed Barbet, White-headed Mouse Bird, Ruff, Rufus-billed Heron, Rupell’s Long-tailed Starling, Sacred Ibis, Vinaceous Dove, Chinspot Batis, Wattled Lapwing, Western Banded Snake Eagle, Western Black-headed Oriole, White-backed Night Heron, White-bellied Tit, Yellow-backed Weaver, Yellow-billed Shrike, Yellow-billed Stork, Yellow-rumped Tinker Bird, Yellow-throated Longclaw, Yellow Wagtail among others. Later transfer to Masindi for dinner and overnight stay at Masindi Hotel.

Day 4: Birding The Royal Mile

Have breakfast and head to the royal mile for bird watching. You will spot the following bird species at the Royal Mile; African Forest-Flycatcher, African Pygmy-Kingfisher, Red-chested Cuckoo, Toro Olive-Greenbul, Great Blue Turaco, African Palm-Swift, Brown-eared Woodpecker, White-spotted Flufftail, Crowned Eagle, Yellow-throated Tinkerbird, Wahlberg’s Eagle, African Pied Hornbill, White-thighed Hornbill, African Dwarf Kingfisher, Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, White-throated Bee-eater, Spotted Greenbul, Grosbeak Weaver, Yellow-spotted Barbet, Gray Greenbul, Golden-crowned Woodpecker, Western Black-headed Oriole, Barn Swallow, Slender-billed Greenbul, Black-and-white Mannikin, Magpie Mannikin, Ambourine Dove, Chestnut Wattle-eye, Black-headed Paradise-Flycatcher (Red-bellied), Lemon-bellied Crombec, Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, Rufous-crowned Eremomela, Red-headed Malimbe, Green-backed Camaroptera, Buff-throated Apalis, Gray-headed Nigrita, Red-tailed Bristlebill, Uganda Woodland-Warbler, Rufous Flycatcher-Thrush, Ashy Flycatcher, Little Green Sunbird, Green Sunbird, Superb Sunbird, White-breasted Nigrita, Bronze Mannikin, Olive Sunbird among others. Retire and drive to your booked lodge for an overnight stay and dinner at Pakuba Safari Lodge

Day 5: Full day birding in Murchison Falls National Park.

Wake up for an early morning breakfast, and head to the park for full day bird watching in search for a shoebill and other birds like; Murchison African Darter, Giant Kingfisher, Osprey, Long-toed Plover, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Veracious Dove, Black-headed Lapwing, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Rock Pratincole, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Black-billed Barbet, Long-tailed Nightjar bird, Weaver Birds, Yellow-billed Stork, Martial Eagle, Silver bird, Gray-crowned crested crane, Sandpipers, Pied Kingfishers, Standard-winged Nightjar, Malachite Kingfishers, Blue-headed Coucal, Denham’s Bustard, Birding Swamp Flycatcher, Giant Heron, African Jacana, Secretary Bird, Read-throated Bee-eater, Saddle-billed stork, Senegal Thick-Knee, Red-winged Grey Warbler. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay at Pakuba Safari lodge.

Day 6: Game Drive – Boat Cruise- Hike to the top of the falls

Today is a highlight of your 8 Days shoebill watching And Wildlife safari Uganda! Have an early morning breakfast and later start your morning game drive / bird watching trip. You will see several birds and animals such as giraffe, buffalo, lion, elephant, leopard, hyena, hartebeest and more. Have a short break for lunch and later go for a boat cruise and hike to the top of the falls to see a number of birds like the Blue-headed Coucal, Swamp Flycatcher, Squacco Heron, African Jacana, Sandpipers, Denham’s Bustard, Speckle-fronted Weaver and African Quail-Finch among others. Drive to Budong forest for dinner and overnight stay at Budongo Eco Lodge.

Day 7: Budongo Forest Bird Watching

Have breakfast and go for a 3hour guided walking bird watching safari in Budongo forest to see various forest bird species such as African dwarf kingfisher, Lemon-bellied crombec, Black-eared ground thrush, Brown twinspot, Cassin’s hawk eagle, White-thighed hornbill, Blue-breasted kingfisher,Yellow-crested woodpecker, Cassin’s spinetail, Chestnut-capped flycatcher, Chocolate-backed kingfisher, White-spotted flufftail, Puvel’s illadopsis, Little green sunbird, Crowned eagle, Grey-headed sunbird, Ituri batis, Olive-breasted greenbul, Plain greenbul, Crested guineafowl, Sabine’s spinetail, Yellow-footed flycatcher. On a lucky day, you may meet some primates including the chimps, black-and-white colobus, blue monkey, red-tailed monkey, and olive baboon. Have lunch and drive back to Entebbe for overnight stay at 2 friends beach hotel.

Day 8: Shoebill Safari in Mabamba Swamp

Have breakfast and drive to Mabamba Swamp for shoebill tracking by a canoe. Mbamba Swamp is the best site to spot Shoebills at a closer range so if you’ve had no luck so far on this trip, this is a fabulous opportunity to see a shoebill. You will also encounter other birds in Mabamba like Orange weaver, Papyrus Gonolek, Black Egret, Lesser Jacana, Black Crake, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Goliath heron among others. Have lunch and drive to Entebbe international airport to end your 8 Days shoebill watching And Wildlife safari Uganda with lots of memories.

8 Days shoebill watching And Wildlife safari Uganda includes;

• Full board accommodation as per above itinerary
• All ground transportation with all fuel
• Full time driver/guide with all his associated expenses
• Any other items included in the above itinerary

8 Days shoebill watching And Wildlife safari Uganda excludes;

• International Air tickets and airport taxes
• Visa fees
• Personal insurance
• Personal expenses such as drinks, tips, telephone calls, etc
• Any other items which are not included in the above itinerary