29 Days Birding, Gorilla Trekking, Wildlife Uganda
THE GOLDEN CIRCLE TOUR
WELCOME TO OUR GOLDEN CIRCLE TOUR.THIS TOUR IS FULL OF GOLDEN OPPORTUNITIES, AMONG WHICH YOU WILL CIRCLE AROUND SITES FAMOUS FOR THE RARE AND ENDANGERED AFRICAN WILDLIFE TO INCLUDE : AFRICAN WILD DOGS,SHOEBILL STORK,BLACK RHINO, CHEETAH AND MOUNTAIN GORILLAS.THIS IS OUR GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY FOR DISCOVERING OUR OWN NEW ” big five”
African wilddog, Cheetah, BlackRhino, Shoebillstork and the Mountain Gorillas
Day 1: Arrive Dar es Salaam Air port, meet and Transfer to New Africa Hotel. Dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Early departure with packed lunches for Ruaha National Park. Afternoon birding and Game viewing in the Park. We expect to look out for the rare Blue wax bill, Crested Barbet and many other southern dry Country species. Mammal list will include Sable and Roan Antelopes restricted to the South. Dinner and overnight at Mwagusi Safari camp / Ruaha wild life Lodge.
Day 3: Morning game drive and Birding in the Park, return to the Camp for lunch and Drive to Udzungwa . Accommodation in the Udzungwa Mountains is basic . Overnight at Udzungwa Mountain View lodge.
Day 4: The Morning is Spent in the forest where we search for the southern Banded Snake Eagle, Crested Guinea fowl, Red capped Robin chat…. Return to the lodge for lunch. PM drive to Kilombero flood plains looking out for the Endemic Kilombero Weaver, Kilombero Cisticola and the un named Melodious Cisticola, other specialities here include the Coppery tailed Coucal and Black egret may also be spotted. Return to Udzungwa Mountain view lodge for dinner and over night.
Day 5: Morning Drive to Mikumi National Park , doing the park the rest of the day, overnight will be in a basic Lodge at Genesis Lodge Mikumi.
Day 6: Early morning doing the Kilosa woods for the Miombo wood lands species to include Red necked Wryneck, Kurichane Thrush, and a variety of many other Miombo woodland specialities. Return to Mikumi for an early lunch and drive to Morogoro town for over night at Kulo Hills Hotel at the foot of the Uluguru Mountains.
Day 7: Drive Morogoro to Mkomazi Game reserve stopping at various breaks en route sampling Bushes for birds and late evening settle at Mkomazi Tented Camp.
Day 8: Full day Mkomazi game Reserve birding and Viewing the endangered African Wild dog, over night.
Day 9: Drive Mkomazi Game Reserve to Tarangire National Park over night Sopa Tarangire Lodge.
Day 10: Full day Birding and Wildlife Photography in Tarangire National Park, over night Sopa Lodge.
Day 11: Drive Tarangire to Ngorongoro Crater passing through the Scenic Lake Manyara Rift Valley escarpment and Picturesque Villages of Karatu into the Ngorongoro Highlands.Bird the Crater rim for the Schallow`s Turaco, Broad bill and Negro finch. Rest of the day on the Crater Tour expecting to view Tanzania’s only Black Rhinos,Cheetahs,Lions and may be Leopards may be spotted Over night Ngorongoro Sopa lodge.
Day 12: After Breakfast drive to the Serengeti plains via the historic site of Olduvai Gorge visiting the pre- historic Museaum where the famous archaeologist Dr. Leaky discovered the first remains of Man. Continue to the Serengeti following the Wildebeest Migration Routes towards your Lodge, overnight Serena Lodge.
Day 14: Full day on the Serengeti plains searching for the endemic Grey breasted spurfowl and the Fischer’s love bird. Your Mammal list should be growing as you add up a wide range of carnivores and Grazers on the Serengeti plains. Over night Serena Lodge.
Day 15: Drive to Mwanza, arriving at Tilapia Hotel for lunch. After lunch, we will bird around the lake Victoria shores were we expect to spot fresh water birds including the African skimmers and pink backed Pelicans .Overnight at Tilapia Hotel.
Day 16: Optional Ferry crossing in the morning from Mwanza to Bukoba or an alternative to take a scheduled flight from Mwanza to Bukoba. Depending on the crossing mode chosen, we will meet up our Ugandan counterpart at the and transfer to Bukoba Guest house, relaxing the rest of the afternoon in anticipation for the next day’s drive into Uganda.
Day 17: After Our early Breakfast, our Ugandan Driver picks us up from the Guest house and straight drive to the Tanzania / Uganda Border. Clear Border formalities and straight drive to Lake Mburo National Park, arriving for late lunch. Rest of the after noon Game driving and Birding around Lake Mburo. Overnight Montana Tented camp.
Day 18: Dawn game drive in Lake Mburo National Park,return for Breakfast and checkout. Drive to Bwindi Forest, lunch at White Horse inn Kabale ( depending on time,we may have chance to visit the neighbouring lake Bunyonyi – a little crater lake locally named the “lake of little birds” . Continue with your Drive to Buhoma, Bwindi Impenetrable Gorilla forest. Afternoon Birding the area around Munyaga River. Overnight Buhoma Tented Camp.
Day 19: This day marks one of out highlights on the trip,Gorilla Tracking , return to camp, rest and evening bird around the waterfalls area in the Forest. Bird life may include western Honey Buzzard, Cassin’s hawk, Blue Quail, Scarce swift, Broad billed Roller, Black wood hoopoe, Green backed wood pecker, White winged warbler, Yellow browed camaroptera and the African sooty flycatcher and many western Forest species. Over night at your Camp.
Day 20: Depart Bwindi Gorilla forest to Mweya in Queen Elizabeth National Park . Lunch at Mweya safari lodge. PM, Boat Cruise on Kazinga channel expecting to spot a variety of Birds along the river and the Swamp Beds. Dinner and overnight Mweya safari lodge.
Day 21: Morning optional birding around the Mweya Lodge grounds. Breakfast and depart for Kibale forest: The afternoon will be spend exploring Bigodi Swamp expecting to spot the Western Black headed Oriole, Greensun bird, Rusty faced Warbler, Whistling Cisticola… Overnight at Ndali lodge.
Day 22: The day will be spent birding in Kibale forest National, Where we expect our list to grow as we find more bird species with our Kibale resident Forest local guide.birds here will include the Viellots black weaver and the Afep Pigeon. The endemic Kibale Thrush will be a highlight here too. Over night Ndali lodge.
Day 23: Depart Kibale forest through the Tea plantations, past the scenic town of Fort Portal, heading for the Murchisons falls. The afternoon will be spent birding the top of the mighty Murchison falls where a number of Rock Pranticoles, Banded snake eagles and a variety of other Raptors, Transfer to Para Sarova lodge on the northern Bank of River Nile for Dinner and overnight.
Day 24: Morning boat cruise expecting to spot the gigantic Shoe bill stork- another trip highlight, the Red throated Bee eater,compact weaver and PiacPiac will be a common sight. Return to the lodge for lunch and Drive in the Afternoon to Kampala . Overnight at the Kampala Sheraton Hotel.
Day 25: Today’s excitement begins with a drive to Mabamba swamp a very productive swamp in bird life, we expect views of the Shoe bill stork – if missed earlier – Mabamba Swamp is a new site less than an hours drive from Kampala city where the shoe bill stork has been recorded in very recent months we then divert back to our main itinerary, driving East words to words Jinja town – the source of River Nile. Dinner and overnight at Jinja Nile Resort.
Day 26: This morning before we finally leave the area, we will try out our luck on the endemic Fox weaver, then Drive through to the East of the Country bordering western Kenya, We will drive skirting through swamps, meandering Rivers, Forest patches and Rocky out crops which all indicate super Country habitat for birding. Our destination will be Mount Elgon, where we expect to arrive in the evening with some time birding the forested slopes. Dinner and overnight at Sipi falls camp.
Day 27: The day begins with an early breakfast so as to catch up with the forest birds. We should expect a Majority of Western Kenyan specialities as we quietly bird the slopes as Mount Elgon. After the morning exploration of the area, we will return to our camp for an early lunch and depart for Kampala, our final destination will be Entebbe, over night Entebbe Windsor lake Victoria Hotel.
Day 28: The day will be spent birding the Entebbe area searching for endangered Entebbe weaver and Brown Parrots etc. this will include the exploration of Entebbe Botanical gardens, Lake Victoria shores at the Entebbe pier, Entebbe wildlife Education Centre, Entebbe sewerage pond and later sum up the day with a visit to Bugungu fish Landing site. Dinner and Overnight at Windsor Lake Victoria Hotel.
Day 29: Depending on flight timings, you may choose to sleep at your Hotel or do a day Kampala city Tour and transfer in time for your outbound flight.
End of Service