Birding in Uganda

Uganda is a hub of birds, there are many colored bird species present with a list of more than 1073 bird types, the big stretch of bird list is contained within a few regions of the country mostly within the protected conservation areas, the biodiverse environment shares Africa’s majority of species most of which are restricted to the Albertine rift valley region and the Virunga massif,  in brief there are birds everywhere in Uganda, you will experience birds right as soon as you land at the Entebbe international airport flying up in the sky’s and along the Lake Victoria locally known as the Lake Nalubale

There are important birding areas of the country that are a must visit when looking at birding, the activity is done all year round but best during the wet season , it is fruiting time , with so many birds coming into the country, birding begins in Entebbe at the Mabamba swamp, the wet land area is home to over 300 species of  birds but best known for Shoe bill, the rare bird is seen along the marshy swampy papyrus rides, on wooden mortised boats visitors go looking out for the rare bird, it is at most times termed as an ugly bird because of its shoe shaped like mouth  however it is beautiful in its own way. Other species encountered here include African harrier hawk, martial eagles, pink backed pelicans, herons, sunbirds, fish eagles , Malachite king fisher among others.

Semliki national park and Game reserve in the western part of Uganda are epic points to see birds, the region is the has the most birds of Uganda, the conservation area has survived over time with physical evidences like hot springs, the park hosts including biomes of the Congo basin, expect to see birds like pygmy falcons, vultures, Nahan’s francolin, piapiac, yellow breasted sunbirds, tinker birds, shoe bill stock along the banks of Lake Albert. There are birds of the forest ,savannah species and a combined view of animals for example the Uganda Kobs,elephnats, buffaloes to mention a few.

Birding in Queen Elizabeth national park, the conservation area hosts half of the population of Uganda’s birds, there are 600 species found here in the several sectors of the park, popular bird sighting points include the Mweya peninsular, along the Kazinga channel, Kyambura gorge and in the Kasenyi plains and in the southern sector of Ishasha, birds of Queen Elizabeth national park include Abyssinian ground horn bills, Rwenzori turaco, great blue turaco, king fishers, goliath herons, pink backed pelicans to mention a few, birding in the protected conservation area is combined together with Game drives, guided nature walks and boat cruise safaris.

In conclusion, other places to view birds in Uganda include the Bwindi impenetrable national park in the south western corner of Uganda, it is a known home to Mountain gorilla species toppled with over 350 species of birds, some of these are restricted to specific regions for example the Ruhija sector is the only place to see the African green broad bill.

Batwa cultural experience

The Batwa people are known for their settlements in the forests, They present a unique culture along the slopes of the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park, The Bwindi is home to half the population of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas, These roam throughout the park freely and not in captivation together with other forest creatures, the park was gazette in the 1994 and declared a UNESCO world heritage site as a way of protecting the critically endangered species, the Batwa lived in the forest however due to conservation purposes they were evicted and continued living along the slopes of the highly areas of Bwindi, they are a group of the last short structured people in the country.

The Batwa people are some of the first settlers of Africa, they are known as the keepers of “the forest” Experiencing the community is an amazing time, the intriguing visit gives you a close feel of the forest, they are historical when it comes to the forest tell they give a detailed description of how they used to live while in the forest, they have a rich traditional music and dance preserved and has been passed on to new generations, their performance is quite energetic and thrilling. This experience typically starts with visitors learning the way of life of these special people, guests are allowed to participate in the dance in case they are interested as a way of appreciating their culture.

Visitors experience a perfect forest walk if in Nkuringo the Buninga forest walk is one of the best experiences as you get to see the forest at large as well as the people of the forest, the guides are usually community members or even the Batwa who will show you the forest through their eyes, going to the Batwa community is blended with the famous gorilla trekking safari experience in the Bwindi impenetrable national park, There are habituated gorilla families that have been made used to human presence for guest visits, and tracking is done beginning in the morning at 8:00 am it takes 2-8 hours doing the activity depending on how far the gorilla families have moved, birding is also done while at the destination and guided nature walks, these are guided by the Uganda wildlife authority team.

Bwindi impenetrable national park can be visited all year round but is best during the dry seasons between June-September and December-February, it is approximately +/-9 hours’ drive to the destination, and flights can be arranged to the Kisoro airstrip they can be charter by scheduled flights through the domestic flight handling companies, it takes 2hr 30 minutes to fly to the destination. It is important to pack right when thinking of visiting the national park including warm clothes, long-sleeved shirts and trousers, waterproof covers for phones and Cameras, rain gear, and any other items of a personal nature.

Trips to Bwindi impenetrable national park can be combined with other national parks, like the Queen Elizabeth national park, Lake Mburo national park, and Kibale forest national park.

Things to do while in Uganda

Uganda is a vast land of beauty in East Africa, it is known for its stunning landscapes, mountains, forests and wildlife, and it is one of those amazing places to include on your travel bucket list annually. The country’s major entry point Entebbe international airport with the most hospitable natives who speak a variety of languages, this said there are uniform languages spoken by each one these include English or Swahili. There are lots of things to do while in Uganda below is a top list of must do’s! Mountain Gorilla trekking , chimpanzee tracking , wildlife game drives, mountain climbing, Guided nature walks, Birding in the important birding areas of Uganda, Boat cruises and launches along the many rivers and lakes.

Mountain gorilla trekking is a key thing to do in Uganda, gorilla species are found in the Bwindi impenetrable national park and the Mgahinga national park, these are a subspecies of the eastern gorilla beringei, gorillas stand out as the world’s largest living primates who can only survive in highland areas living in families of upto 20 members led by a male silverback, in a group there is always females , juveniles, black backs  and babies who make the team, they are herbivores characterized by their social character, the gentle brown eyed species do nest on the ground which is sometimes used to do an animal count.  Trekking Gorillas requires you to have a gorilla trekking permit which is usually obtained before you go to the park through a registered Ugandan tour operator.

Game drives in the savannah conservation areas of Uganda including Queen Elizabeth national park, Kidepo valley national park, Lake Mburo national park, Semliki national park, Murchison falls national park, these are animal points to spot the so called big four of the wilderness (lions, leopards, buffaloes, elephants),other present species include , birds, antelopes, giraffes, zebras, warthogs. Game drives are conducted using open roof safari 4 wheel safari vehicles which give room to view animals, and take pictures while on Safari these are guided by an experience guide who is knowledgeable and conversant with national parks and the routing, accessing these parks requires to pay park entrance fees directly to the Uganda wildlife authority.

The Mountainous regions of the country give adventurous chances to travelers who love to hike for example the Rwenzori mountain, a block mountain in the western part of Uganda covered in snow, it is also termed as mountains of the moon, this is the high mountain boasting a growth of different vegetation zones, the Mountain Elgon national park is  eastern Uganda is fit for hikers on both sides of Uganda and Kenya as the park straddles along boarders with Kenya, to reach the summits the walk can take days depending on the speed of the last person.

Chimpanzee tracking in Uganda takes place in a few ecosystems of the Kibale forest national park, Murchison falls national park and the Kibale forest national park, the primates have been scientifically proven to share up to 98% of the human DNA , they live in troops led by a male alpha, the Kibale forest national park hosts most of the population with higher chances of seeing them , travelers need to purchase permits in order to be allowed to do the chimpanzee tracking in any of the national parks. The list to Uganda’s things to do is endless, the country can be visited any time of the year however it is best during the dry seasons between December-February and June to early September. It is important to note proper travel documents when planning to visit Uganda.

Best Time to visit Uganda.

Uganda is a heavenly location in Africa, it is popularly known as the pearl is Africa due to its natural compositions, from a diverse biodiverse ecosystems these are unique and ach on eof which presents a different setup, there pre primates destinations of the Kibale forest national park , Bwindi impenetrable national park and the Mgahinga national park which have got key highlights of visiting the country, when it comes to primates the country stands as a number one destination and most sought of there are other savannah conservation areas stretching along the floor of the great Albertine rift valley including the Murchison falls national park , Queen Elizabeth national park, Lake Mburo national park , Semliki national park, Kidepo Valley national park and mountain regions of the Mountain Elgon national park and the Rwenzori national park.

Uganda experiences 2 seasons of weather although these have been largely affected by the global weather conditions and climatic change, the seasons include the dry season which ranges from late June – early September , December to February this is the best time to visit the country it is also regarded as a high tourism season because most travelers  come in during these months it is during this time that the savannah grassy lands tend to be shorter, the animals are visible and gather around the water areas for example in the Queen Elizabeth national park most of the mammals can be sighted along the Kazinga channel while they come to drink water and have a taste of fresh pastures, tracking primates is best done when the forest trails are less slippery accessibility is best when there is quite sunshine and warmth, the same as climbing through the volcanic rocks of mountain Elgon national park and the block mountain of the Rwenzori mountain an interesting fact of having a snowcapped mountain in an equatorial climatic zone.

The wet season on the other hand may not be best however it also has got its own merits it comes with less crowd , the grasses are greener and for the live of botany it is experiential, it is the best time to go birding while on a Ugandan safari, there are over 1050 species of birds that have been recorded in the country to date some of these are endemics of the great Albertine rift valley region, there are a lot of migratory species that come into the region more so to the important birding areas for example the Mabamba Swamp in Entebbe. With some on the most stable climate even during the wet season, Uganda can be visited all year round.

It is a landlocked country which can be accessed through its only international airport in Entebbe, or through Rwanda via Cyanika border, in order to be permitted into the country one would require to have Visa which can be applied for online on the portal of the government of Uganda. These applications require to have mandatory requirements which include a valid passport of at least 6 months to expiry date , yellow fever vaccination card, recent passports photograph, and an itinerary to the destination.