We were delighted to plan and lead a private tour to Uganda, working with Bird Uganda Safaris as our in-country tour operator, and the incomparable Crammy Wanyama as our guide. Uganda provides a rich African safari experience, with a mix of classic East African savannah habitat with forested mountains. Trips here mix game drives with walks and boat rides for a nice variety of activities. Here is a gallery with some highlights from this trip.
UGANDA, JAN/FEB 2020
On the first morning we visited the Mabamba wetlands.
We saw lots of water birds here, such as this African Jacana.
The rare and remarkable Shoebill is the prize find here.
It's a huge, primitive, stork-like bird.
Papyrus Gonalek
Female Village Weaver at nest
That afternoon we visited the Entebbe Botanical Gardens, finding this Ross's Turaco.
Mantled Guereza, a primate formerly known as the Black-and-white Colobus.
Black-and-white-casqued Hornbill
Water Thick-knee
Next we traveled to Lake Mburo; en route Crammy stopped to show us how bricks are made in the Uganda countryside.
We arrived at our lodge in time for sunset.
Lake Mburo National Park is great for large mammal viewing. Here, left to right: Zebra, Defassa Waterbuck, Impala.
The boat trip on Lake Mburo was full of great sightings.
We found several African Finfoots, nortoriously shy birds.
Malachite Kingfisher
African Fish Eagle
Hippos
The next destination was Buhoma in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Here we hiked to see Mountain Gorillas.
After more than two hours, and a thousand feet of uphill, our guides led us to the Muyambi group of 7 gorillas.
Here's the group's silverback (dominant male).
This young one, less than a year old, was especially active.
Here's the youngster's mother. Those eyes!
Posing with guides and porters after the trek.
Great birding at Buhoma: Red-headed Bluebill (l), Vieillot's Weaver (r).
Many beautiful butterflies at Buhoma.
We drove north to Queen Elizabeth Naitonal Park, seeing herds of Topi, Olive Baboons, and many birds, like this Arrow-marked Babbler.
Birding was great on a morning drive through the park: l to r, Red-necked Francolin, White-headed Vulture, European Roller.
Queen Elizabeth Park is great for seeing big mammals: Uganda Kob at left, confrontation between lion and African buffalo at right.
A few sightings from our afternoon boat trip on the Kazinga Channel at QE Park. L to r, Squacco Heron, African Buffalo with Yellow-billed Oxpecker, Hamerkop, Yellow-billed Stork. Back at the lodge (below), we posed for a group photo after watching warthogs and Black-headed Gonoleks.
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Our next destination, Kibale National Park, featured a successful trek to see Chimpanzees.
Our lodge at Kibale was great for birding.
White-browed Robin-Chat
Double-toothed Barbet
Palm-nut Vulture
Next stop: Murchison Falls National Park, traveling by road and ferry.
The mighty Nile River. We enjoyed two boat trips along with wildlife drives.
Murchison Falls National Park is loaded with wildlife, a sample shown here. L to r, Hippo, elephant, Nile crocodile, giraffe.
Just a few of the many birds at Murchison Falls, clockwise from upper left: Rock Pratincole, Red-throated Bee-eater, Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill, Northern Carmine Bee-eater, African Darter, Goliath Heron.
Murchison Falls from below
Murchison Falls from above
The Nile River feeding into the falls.
Big thanks to our amazing leader, Crammy Wanyama.
Thanks also to his able assistant, Mark Bankunda.