THE GRAND TOUR 28 Days

WELCOME TO THE GRAND TOUR.THIS TOUR TAKES US TO EXPLORE THE SOUTHERN TANZANIA SITES OF RARITIES AND ENDEMICS AND PASSES THROUGH THE USAMBARA MOUNTAINS FOR THE USAMBARA MOUNTAIN FOREST SPECIALITIES AS WELL AS ENDEMIC SITES,THEN CIRCLES TANZANIA'S FAMOUS NORTHERN WILDLIFE DESTINATIONS AND FINISHING WITH THE MOUNTAIN GORILLAS AND THE SHOE BILL STORK SITES IN UGANDA.

Day 1: Fly in Dar-es Salaam Airport, meet and Transfer to Peacock Hotel for Dinner and over night.

Day 2: Drive Dar es Salaam to Kilombero flood plains for the Endemic Kilombero weaver and the un named Cisticola. Overnight Udzugwa Mountain View Lodge.

Day 3: Morning Forest birding around Udzungwa Mountain Forest ,Drive on to Mikumi,Arrive at Genesis Mikumi Lodge for lunch .Rest of the afternoon in Mikumi National Park. overnight Genesis Mikumi Lodge.

Day 4: Early Morning drive to Kilosa area doing to Miombo woodland specialities. Return to Genesis Lodge for lunch. After lunch drive to Morogoro Town for dinner and overnight at Kolu Hill Hotel at the foot of the Uluguru ranges.

Day 5: Drive Morogoro to East Usambara Mountain arriving in the afternoon and birding the lower Mountain forest and the tea plantations for the Usambara Endemics and specialities at Amani Information Centre Rest House.

Day 6: Full day Birding East Usambaras Mountain forest.Over Night at Amani information Centre Rest House.

Day 7: After breakfast we transfer to the West Usambara Mountain forests afternoon birding in the area. overnight at Muller’s Mountain Lodge.

Day 8: Full day Birding the West Usambara Mountain Forest for the more Usambara endemics and specialities. Overnight at Muller’s Mountain Lodge.

Day 9: Drive out of the Usambaras to Arusha stopping at the site for the Taveta Golden Weaver, skirting the slopes of Mountain Kilimanjaro into Arusha and Continue to Tarangire National Park.Arriving at Tarangire Safari Lodge for Dinner and Overnight.

Day 10: After an early break Embark on the Tarangire Tour Birding for the Tarangire Endemics and wildlifeviewing and photography. Rest of the day exploring Tarangire National Park. dinner and overnight at Tarangire Safari Tented Lodge.

Day 11: After a leisurely breakfast we will drive out of Tarangire Passing by the Manyara Ranch area birding and continue to Ngorongoro crater. The rest of the afternoon will be spent doing the Ngorongoro Crater Tour. Dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge.

Day 12: Early breakfast, descend the crater floor again for a couple of hours before departing for Serengeti National Park. Arrive at Seronera Wildlife Lodge.

Day 13: Full day on the Serengeti plains birding and Wildlife Photography. Overnight at Ikoma Bush Camp.

Day 14: 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 . Over night at Tilapia Hotel.

Day 15: 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 16: 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 17: 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 18: 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 19: 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 20: 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... Over night at Ndali lodge.

Day 21: 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 22: 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 23: 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 24: 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 over night at Jinja Nile Resort.

Day 25: 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 26: The day begins with an early break fast 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 27: 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 Over night at Windsor Lake Victoria Hotel.

Day 28: Depending on flight timings, you may choose to sleeping at your Hotel or do a day Kampala city Tour and transfer in time for your outbound flight.

End of Service.

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