Mabamba Bay Shoebill Birdwatching tour | 4 Days

1 Day Entebbe bird watching Tour Uganda

From.
2pax: per person sharing

Destinations: Mabamba  Bay, lake Victoria, Kibale Forest.

What to Expect

  • Uganda birdwatching highlights to see.
  • Search for rare shoebill by canoe.
  • Spot the Green breasted pitta, one of Uganda’s most sought after bird specie.
  • Check out stunning tropical birds.
  • meet overwhelming species of monkeys.
  • Bigodi Swamp birding trail & reconnect with unique local community experiences.

Route Map

4 Days Mabamba Bay Shoebill & Green Breasted Pitta Birdwatching Tour.

Experience Uganda’s most thought after bird watching species. You will head out peddle canoeing in search of the pre historic Shoebill which usually hides in the mash on Mabamba Bay on Lake Victoria. You will walk in Kibale Forest national park, looking for elusive Green breasted Pitta. The Pitta is one of the most ‘sought after bird specie’ in this country. A very uncommon bird restricted to forest interiors and active very early morning.

Day 0: Arrival at Entebbe airport.

Day 1: Birding Mabamba Bay Shoebill & Guided transfer to Kibale Forest National Park

Day 2: Kibale Forest National Park – Bird watching highlights; Green Breasted Pitta

Day 3: Birding watching at Bigodi Swamp Sanctuary & Community life tour experiences.

Day 4: Guided transfer to Entebbe Airport.

4 Days Mabamba Bay Shoebill & Green Breasted Pitta Birdwatching Tour – detailed Itinerary.

Day 0: Arrival at Entebbe

Arrival at Entebbe airport, meet and great and transfer to your hotel in Entebbe City .

Dinner and overnight as per the standard and type of accommodation option requested.

Day 1: Mabamba Wetland Bay highlight –  Shoebill. Guided transfer to Kibale Forest National Park

Early breakfast and then with packed picnic lunch, meet your private guide at your hotel. You will transfer by private car to Mabamba bay on Lake Victoria. This Swamp is one of the best places to spot the exceptional Shoebill. At Mabamba Swamp, most of the birding is done on a canoe. At the start the canoe is powered by engine, later engine is turned off, paddling is by our local guide.

You will board wooden boats with engine and there after traditional peddle canoeing in search of mainly the Shoebill which usually hides in the mash to looking for fish.

Getting on a motorized canoe in search for this pre-historic bird is a great experience. Mabamaba bay is a must-visit place for birders who come to Uganda ‘ the pearl of Africa’.

Local guides continue scanning around the mash for this amazing bird to behold and certainly one of the world’s most iconic. The bird’s massive beak and brilliant large eyes are usually noticed first. Shoebills like this bay because there is plenty of fish and the area has an extensive marsh which local people have been passionate to protect. Listen to Amazing stories.

Look out for the Shoebill both in the sky and down in the marsh. Right by the shores is a tree with a massive amount of nesting village weaver birds. On a canoe tour, look out for Harmer kop, papyrus gonolek calling, yellow billed ducks, Spur winged goose, purple and Squacco Herons, Palm-nut vultures, purple swampen, African Jacana, African Marsh – Harrier, Intermediate Egret, Wood Sandpiper, Malakite Kingfisher, Long-toed Lapwing, African Black Crake, Gargany, and White-faced Whistling Duck.

Rare sightings may include Black Crake, African Green Pigeon, Common Moorhen, Blue-headed Coucal. Later today you will set off on guided transfer to Kibale Forest national park.  Approximate Shoebill excursion duration: 3 hours

Approximate transfer time: 6 hours.

Dinner and overnight as per the standard and type of accommodation option requested.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Included.

Day 2: Kibale Forest National Park: Bird watching highlight – Green Breasted Pitta

After a very early breakfast we transfer 10 minutes to Kibale National Park visitor center, for orientation. We head out into the forest. Our morning focus while birding will be to search for the elusive Green breasted Pitta. The Pitta is one of the most sought after bird species in this country. A very uncommon bird and restricted to forest interiors and active very early morning.  With guidance of our guide and park rangers we are hopeful to boost our chances of finding the Green breasted Pitta.

There are chances of spotting White-throated Greenbul, Thick-billed Honeyguide up in the canopy, Brown-chested Alethe. Yellow-billed Barbet, Yellow-mantled Weaver along route to the lodge.

The Kibale forest environment also boasts 325 bird species, including 6 that are endemic to the Albertine Rift region. They include; the Black capped Apalis, Blue-headed Sunbird, Collared Apalis, Purple-breasted Sunbird and Red-faced Woodland Warbler.

Other species include: Narina Trogon, African Emerald Cuckoo, Grey Parrot, Black-billed Turaco, Yellow-billed Barbet, Red-tailed Ant Thrush, Blue-shouldered Robin-chat, Chestnut Wattle eye, Narrow-tailed Staring among other birds.

Rare sightings include, Black Bee-eater, Yellow-spotted Nicator, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Little Greenbul, Black-eared Ground-Thrush, Blue-breasted Kingfisher.

Into the forest, the main bird species we also scan  for; Rufous Flycatcher-thrush, Red-tailed Ant-Thrush Purple-headed, Glossy-Starling, Brown, Pale and Scaly Breasted Illadopsis, White-naped and Olive Pigeon, Masked Apalis, Toro-Olive-Greenbul, Black-billed Turacao, Buff-spotted Woodpecker and Green Crombec.

Dinner and overnight as per the standard and type of accommodation option requested.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Included.

Day 3: Birding watching at Bigodi Swamp Sanctuary

Today  we shall head out birding around Bigodi wetland looking out for Red-headed Bluebill, Scaly-breasted Illadopsis, Uganda Spotted Woodpecker, Afri-can Emerald Cuckoo, Petit’s Cuckooshrike, Red-capped Robin Chat and Ru-fous Flycatcher-Thrush, Luhdher’s Bush-shrike. Cabanis’s and Joyful Greenbul as well as White-spotted Flufftail, Yellow spotted barbet, yellow billed barbet, western nicator, black and white shrike-flycatcher, brown throated wattle eye, superb sunbird, black crowned waxbill, white breasted negrofinch. Note: it is possible to search for the Green Breasted Pitta one more time at extra cost, in the event that you’re unable to find one yesterday.

Primate species sightings expected: Besides Kibale forest being famous for Chimpanzees, you have chances of seeing other monkey species that live here; the guereza colobus, red-tailed monkey, grey-cheeked mangabey, and olive baboons. It is also home to the rare L’hoest’s Monkey and East Africa’s largest population of the threatened Red Colobus Monkey

Dinner and overnight as per the standard and type of accommodation option requested.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Included.

Day 4: Kibale Forest to Entebbe Airport- Departure.

Today after early morning bird watching, we transfer to Entebbe, birding along the road.

End of Services.

Price Includes

  • Meet and greet on arrival.
  • 1 Park Entrance.
  • Private transfer from Entebbe airport to Hotel.
  • Guides and rangers in the park.
  • Transportation in 4×4 Toyota Safari Vehicle
  • English speaking driver guide.
  • Accommodation in self-contained rooms.
  • All private transfers from & back to Entebbe International Airport.
  • All activities/ tours as noted in the itinerary:
  • X1 Mabamba swamp shoebill canoe tour.
  • X1 Forest birding to search for Green Breasted Pitta
  • X1 Bigodi swamp birding & Village walking tour.
  • Full Board (Dinner, Breakfast, Lunch as on indicated on itinerary)

Price Excludes

  • Air ticket.
  • Drinks
  • Uganda Visa.
  • Tips to guides.
  • All optional activities; Night walk around Kibale ($25 per person)
  • Chimpanzee tracking permit – Kibale forest (Optional)
  • Any meals not indicated on itinerary
  • Items of personal nature, entertainment, any other optimal activity,
  • The first & last nights in hotel in Entebbe.

Accommodation:

Private en-suite rooms in carefully selected small boutique Lodges. Standards of the lodgings are generally very comfortable. Internet access is available but wifi access can be slow.

Accommodation in self-contained rooms as indicated.

3 nights at Kibale Forest Camp or Chimpanzee Forest Guest  with breakfast, lunch & dinner daily.

Cancellation policy:

Tour deposit money paid will be refunded on early cancellation, less bank charges.

Cancellation before 28 days to trip departure, no cancellation fee charged

  • 27 – 15 days to trip departure, 25% cancellation fee is charged
  • 14 – 0 days to trip departure, 100% cancellation fee is charged

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