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Uganda and Rwanda Uganda Highlights and Extensions Tour Leaflet 2024

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Uganda and Rwanda Uganda Highlights and Extensions Tour Leaflet 2024 BIRDING AFRICA THE AFRICA SPECIALISTS Uganda and Rwanda Uganda Highlights and Extensions Tour Leaflet 2024 Green-breasted Pitta © Mayur Prag 1 – 7 June 2024 (Rwanda) 7 – 17 June 2024 (Uganda Highlights) 17 – 22 June 2024 (Murchison Extension) Uganda and Rwanda 2024 BIRDING Tour leader: Michael Mills AFRICA THE AFRICA SPECIALISTS Birding Africa Tour Summary Tour Africa Birding Summary Tour Africa Birding Focus on top �irds • small group size • three mornings for Green- breasted Pitta • boat trip for Shoebill • African Green Broadbill in Uganda and Red-collared Mountain Babbler in Rwanda Michael's incredible focus, dedication and ability to • chance for Chimpanzee and locate and show Africa's toughest birds is probably Mountain Gorilla unequalled on the continent. He has led dozens of African Green Broadbill © Mayur Prag • six participants in a safari 4x4 tours across Africa and his experience in locating birds on just the soft est of calls or briefest of views Our three back-to-back tours of Rwanda, Uganda Tour Focus • includes transfers, drinks + tips impresses those who travelled with him. (Uganda Highlights) and Northern Uganda (Murchison Extension) off er a comprehensive Uganda off ers a great list of specials for world Green-breasted Pitta © Mayur Prag overview of the best birding to be had in these listers and a wide array of species and other Dates (2024) small, bird-rich countries. During the tour we wildlife for those with a more general interest, Rwanda 1 – 7 Jun focus on fi nding the most special birds of the including opportunities to see Eastern Gorillas Uganda Highlights 7 – 17 Jun region, namely Red-collared Mountain Babbler at and Chimpanzee. Th is trip has a strong focus on Murchison Extension 17 – 22 Jun Nyungwe Forest in Rwanda, and African Green watching birds, but there are good opportunities Broadbill at Bwindi, Green-breasted Pitta at Kibale for photography and mammal watching (we Forest and Shoebill at Mabamba Swamp and normally see more than ten species of primates). Murchison Falls in Uganda. Despite this focus Th e tour is timed to coincide with peak breeding Pro�isional Prices + Single we expect to see a great number of other species, season of birds. We expect to encounter a small totalling over 500, including a large number of Rwanda $3650 + $390 amount rain. Weather will mostly be warm, Albertine Rift endemics. Sites to be visited are Uganda Highlights $5850 + $580 although is cooler in the highlands and it can be the Nyabarongo Wetlands, Nyungwe NP and Murchison Ext $2480 + $480 hot at Murchison Falls. Akagera NP in Rwanda, and Lake Bunyoni, Ruhiza and Buhoma in Bwindi Impenetrable We will travel in specially converted safari 4x4 Book online NP, Queen Elizabeth NP, Kibale NP, Bigodi with six window seats. More details about what Wetland, Mabamba Swamp and Entebbe Botanical to expect, how to prepare and what to pack are Visit www.birdingafrica.com Gardens on the Uganda Highlights Tour, and provided in our Tour Instructions. Deposit ($150) by credit card Budongo Forest including the Royal Mile, Butiaba Email [email protected] Escarpment and Murchison Falls NP on the Murchison Extension. 2 | Uganda and Rwanda 2024 Uganda and Rwanda 2024 | 3 Accommodation and meals very slowly over the whole day, and there will be someone to walk back slowly with you if you feel INTRODUCTION We stay in comfortable accommodation located as it is too tough, or you want to make an early start Uganda and Rwanda, two tiny countries near In Rwanda we'll spend most of our time in the close as possible to the best birding areas. Although back. Two of the half-day walks in Nyungwe are the equator, are among the birding gems of the bird rich forests of Nyungwe, where highlights hot water and electricity supply can be intermittent also on narrow trails and require a good level of continent. With over 1000 bird species recorded will include Red-collared Mountain Babbler, in Central Africa, all rooms offer hot showers fitness. here, the region has the highest concentration of Ruwenzori Turaco, Purple-breasted Sunbird and and private ablution facilities. Meals are generally bird species in Africa and is the most accessible Dusky Crimsonwing. A short visit to Akagera Western-style. Please advise if you are vegetarian Birding Africa Tour Leaflet Tour Africa Birding place to see the legendary Shoebill, one of the will allow us to search for Red-faced Barbet, and Leaflet Tour Africa Birding so that we can forewarn our caterers. Water is not Gorillas and chimps (optional) world's most bizarre birds. The misty peaks and at Nyabarongo Wetlands we hope to find Papyrus safe to drink; we supply unlimited, free bottled Please confirm with us whether or not you would fern-laden forests of the Bwindi Impenetrable Canary and Papyrus Gonolek. water in the vehicle, also for use in your rooms. like to track chimpanzee or gorilla; permits are not National Park and Nyungwe National Park, In Uganda we start off by looking for Papyrus included in the price of the tour. Tracking permits Uganda and Rwanda's best birding hotspot, Yellow Warbler at Lake Bunyoni, before visiting are strictly limited in number and sold on a first- respectively, are an apt setting to search for a International flights Ruhiza in Bwindi Impenetrable forest where come-first-served basis. Uganda Wildlife Service host of exciting Albertine Rift endemics. African African Green Broadbill and Lagden's Bushshrike Please plan to arrive at Kigali in Rwanda by the only issues permits that are paid for in full. If you Green Broadbill and Red-collared Mountain would be popular finds. At Queen Elizabeth we'll night of 1 June 2024 for the start of the Rwanda think you might want to see gorillas but are unsure, Babbler are among the birding highlights here. enjoy some savanna birding before immersing Tour, at Kigali in Rwanda by the night of 7 June then we can recommend it! Gorilla tracking Furthermore, these mountains in Uganda offer one ourselves in Kibale forest to search for Green- 2024 for the start of the Uganda Highlights Tour permits currently costs $625 (this is 600 + 25 local of the greatest wildlife experiences on earth: the breasted Pitta and a host of mid-altitude forest and at Entebbe in Uganda by the night of 17 June booking fee). In Rwanda, the permit has already opportunity to come face to face with one of our species. Bigodi wetland provides some open- 2024 for the start of the Murchison Extension. risen to $1500. Uganda is expected to follow but closest relatives, the Eastern Gorilla, in its natural hopefully in later years). We recommend hiring a country birding nearby. We'll end off with a Departure is possible from Kigali in Rwanda from habitat. We'll also search for Shoebill on small porter; they charge about US$20 cash. We stand morning at Mabamba Swamp to search for the 9 pm on 7 June 2024 at the end of the Rwanda boats in a papyrus swamp, giving us an excellent an excellent chance of seeing chimpanzees while incomparable Shoebill, alongside Weyns’s Weaver. Tour, from Entebbe in Uganda from 7 pm on 17 chance of a close encounter with this extraordinary birding in Kibale Forest (we have had a 100% June 2024 at the end of the Uganda Highlights bird. And we allocate three full mornings to Finally, our Murchison Extension commences success rate over the last four years). However, it is Tour and from Entebbe in Uganda from 10 pm searching for Green-breasted Pitta and Kibale NP. along the Royal Mile for some excellent lowland possible to do chimpanzee tracking with the parks forest birding with Ituri Batis, Nahan's Francolin on 22 June 2024 at the end of the Murchison The tour is conveniently split into three, the main staff for $125 (this is 115 + 10 local booking fee). and Jameson's Wattle-eye as top targets, before Extension. tour focussing on the Uganda Highlights, preceded Tracking gorillas can be tough as the terrain may visiting the bird-rich woodlands and savannas at by six days in Rwanda and followed by five days at Please email the Birding Africa office with your be steep. Tracking chimpanzees can be quite fast- Murchison Falls where a great variety of species is Budongo and Murchison Falls in northern Uganda. proposed flight details before booking your flight. paced as the chimpanzees are often on the move. on offer, including another chance for Shoebill. White-winged Swamp Warbler © Mayur Prag Group size Six participants only in Uganda. Maximum 9 participants in Rwanda. Most trails are quite broad. Walking Walking is generally easy; slow with regular stops, generally along rather broad forest trails and roads. Trekking to see gorillas in Uganda and hiking in Rwanda (Nyungwe) can be quite tough and tracking chimpanzees can be fast-paced. These do require one to be reasonably fit. The terrain where gorillas are is often steep, and sturdy walking boots are advised here and in Rwanda. Otherwise, comfy walking shoes are adequate. In Uganda the hike down to the African Green Broadbill is quite tough and does require one to be fit, although we do it 4 | Uganda and Rwanda 2024 Uganda and Rwanda 2024 | 5 ITINERARY AND MAP Rwanda Itinerary Day R1 1 Jun 2024 Arrive. Overnight in Kigali. Day R2 2 Jun 2024 Kigali to Nyungwe via Nyabarongo wetlands. Overnight at Nyungwe. Birding Africa Tour Leaflet Tour Africa Birding Day R3 3 Jun 2024 Full day at Nyungwe Forest. Overnight at Nyungwe. Leaflet Tour Africa Birding Day R4 4 Jun 2024 Full day at Nyungwe Forest.
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