Uganda: Shoebills to Gorillas

Uganda is the jewel in the crown of East Africa, generally recognized as having some of the best remaining forest in Africa and with it some truly remarkable birdwatching. Our first taste will be a search for the enigmatic Shoebill at the edge of Lake Victoria. We’ll continue our journey north to the town of Masindi. There will be roadside birding on the way, and we should arrive at our destination in the late afternoon. Here we visit Murchison Falls National Park for a good variety of mammals, as well as its rich avifauna and the magnificent Victoria Nile. Nearby is the spectacular Royal Mile in Budongo Forest with many forest species not met with on the rest of the tour. Heading southwards, we stay at Kibale Forest where we have the opportunity of a dedicated walk to view Chimpanzees. This forest is home to eleven species of primates, and of course more forest birding.  In Queen Elizabeth National Park, we’ll encounter a variety of habitats more typical of East Africa, along with an equally varied array of birds and mammals. Then, on to the wonderful Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. This is a magical place of mists, hanging mosses, and luxuriant vegetation, and it is also where we’ll see some of the rarest and most sought after birds of the trip. However, it will probably be a mammal that is uppermost in people’s minds here. Over half the world’s population of Mountain Gorillas can be found in this forest, and during our stay there will be the option to take part in a guided trek to search for a group of these magnificent animals. Finally,  we reach the papyrus-fringed lakeshore of Lake Mburo National Park, renowned for its mammals and birds, including both African Finfoot and White-backed Night-heron.