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Uganda & Rwanda - Tour Destinations
Click here for Trip Reports of previous tours
Uganda - Photo Gallery
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tour name & date for 2011 |
VENT Uganda: 14 Jan - 2 Feb (20 days)
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tour cost 2011 |
VENT Uganda: US$ 10,995 pp from Entebbe; Discounted fee is US$ 9,995 pp from Entebbe (valid if you join tour before August 15 2010)
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top birds |
Shoebill, Nahan's Francolin, Ruwenzori Turaco, Pennant-winged Nightjar, Grauer’s Broadbill, Red-faced Barbet, Green-breasted Pitta, Neumann’s Warbler, Papyrus Gonolek, Red-collared Babbler, Red-throated Alethe, Ituri Batis |
Uganda is an equatorial country of astonishing contrasts. No other area in Africa can match its amazing diversity of habitats, and this richness is reflected in its incredible bird list of over 1,000 species. Amongst these are many highly sought-after birds, such as the unique Shoebill and the numerous endemics of the Albertine Rift Valley. The huge bird list is even more remarkable given the small size of the country making it, arguably, the richest African birding destination. Rockjumper is proud of our incredible depth of experience in Uganda; we have successfully arranged and guided over 30 tours to this country in the past ten years.
Our 18-day Comprehensive Uganda tour is a very popular departure that showcases the most famous and productive birding sites of the country. We spend time at four core rainforest sites. These include Kibale, which protects an array of primates from minuscule galagos to our closest living relative, the Chimpanzee (and is also the best site for the mythical Green-breasted Pitta). We marvel at the towering trees of the fabled Royal Mile, one of the premier forest birding sites in Africa, and five days are enjoyed in Bwindi Impenetrable Gorilla NP, home to more than half the world’s surviving Mountain Gorillas and 23 Albertine Rift endemics. We routinely record twenty of these localized birds, including one of the world’s rarest species, Grauer’s Broadbill. Although the gorilla trek can be strenuous, staring into the eyes of a Mountain Gorilla from a few feet away is nothing short of a life-changing experience. A single Mountain Gorilla survives per ten million people, and to have the opportunity to meet these gentle giants and be part of their family for an hour is a rare privilege indeed, rated by many to be the greatest wildlife experience on the planet!
In drier country, we visit Murchison Falls NP, where the Nile is forced through a tiny gap, forming the most powerful water surge on the planet. Boat cruises allow us to watch and photograph birds and animals that throng the banks. Here we can expect to find one of the world’s most wanted birds, the bizarre Shoebill. Straddling the Equator is the vast Queen Elizabeth NP, boasting impressive crater-lake scenery, grasslands and forests, huge herds of Elephant and Buffalo, Lions and Leopards. The boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel is one of the most productive birding excursions on the planet! Over 500 species of birds and a diverse array of mammals can be expected on this unbeatable tour.
Our unique Uganda Mega-Birding Tour is a 29-day complete coverage of Uganda. In addition to all the Comprehensive tour’s birding sites, we drop into the Semliki Valley, its humid forests forming part of the great Congo Basin. Semliki targets include core lowland forest specialities such as Yellow-throated Cuckoo, African Piculet, the long-tailed White-crested Hornbill, Grey Ground Thrush and Grant’s Bluebill. We also climb the volcanoes of Mgahinga Gorilla NP for additional Albertine Rift endemics, including the strange Ruwenzori Turaco and the colorful Ruwenzori Double-collared Sunbird. We range east to lovely Mt Elgon and explore remote lakes for Uganda’s only true endemic, the little known Fox’s Weaver, and scarce papyrus endemics including the elusive Papyrus Yellow Warbler.
Rwanda is a fascinating add-on to Uganda and in a jam-packed week, we cover this small nation from north to south and east to west. In the vast and beautiful Nyungwe Forest we will seek additional Albertine Rift endemics (notable targets include Red-collared Babbler, Kungwe Apalis, Shelley’s Crimsonwing and Albertine Owlet).
In Akagera NP we bird broad-leafed woodlands and papyrus swamps for Shoebill and many other specials. Last but certainly not least, we have the opportunity to track the large Virunga race of Mountain Gorilla. Rwanda’s gorillas are generally easier to find and observe in their mostly open bamboo habitat. We will not ignore the recent tragic history of Rwanda and we pay our respects at some of Rwanda’s genocide memorials. This Rwanda tour is highly recommended.
| max group size | VENT Uganda - Max group size: 6 & 1 leader
Uganda - Birds & Gorillas: 9 & 2 Rockjumper leaders Rwanda - Gorillas & Albertine Rift Endemics: 6 & 1 Rockjumper leader |
| tour leader 2010 |
Uganda - Birds & Gorillas: Rainer Summers & Livingstone Kalema |
| tour leaders 2011 | VENT Uganda: Rainer Summers
Uganda I & II: David Hoddinott & Livingstone Kalema Rwanda: Rainer Summers |
| habitats covered | lowland and montane forest, bamboo, woodlands, Acacia savanna, grasslands, wetlands, papyrus swamp |
| climate | tropical with some rain expected, cooler in highlands |
| tour pace & walking | moderate pace with some longer walks and drives |
| accommodation | comfortable to luxurious guesthouses and hotels with some more basic facilities |
| ease of birding | moderate with some challenging species |
| no. of species expected | Uganda Birds & Gorillas: 500 - 550; Rwanda Bird & Gorillas: 250+ |
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top birds |
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| top mammals | Mountain Gorilla, Chimpanzee, Giant Forest Hog, L’Hoest’s Monkey, Leopard |
| othr attractions | Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Nile & Kazinga cruises, Murchison Falls, African art |
| photographic opportunities | excellent |
