February 5th – Arrival to Entebbe, Uganda.  Transfer to a hotel near the shores of Lake Victoria.  For those who arrive early enough we will have an afternoon trip to the botanical gardens which is a great place to photograph a variety of birds including African Grey Parrot, Ross’s Turaco and Black-headed Paradise Flycatcher.  The bottle brush bushes here attract a wide variety of beautiful sunbirds.  Accommodation: K Hotel, 4 star

February 6th – We will spend the morning photographing at the Botanical Gardens.  The lake edge usually has White-throated Bee-eaters and we will look for various sunbirds.  Then we will check out and drive down to the west side of Lake Victoria to the Mabamba Wetlands.  After we check in to our lodge, we will take a boat trip where we have a very good chance to photograph the iconic Shoebill Stork.  We will also photograph a wide variety of waterbirds as well as some kingfishers and bee-eaters on the boat trip.  Lodge: Nkima Lodge

February 7^th – This morning we will have another boat trip at the Shoebill location.  In addition to the amazing Shoebill, we photograph African Jacanas, Malachite and Pied Kingfishers and many other species.  In the afternoon we will photograph around the lodge trying for some special birds such as White-spotted Fluff-tail, Snowy-crowned Robin Chat, Western Nictator and others.  Lodge: Nkima Lodge

February 8th – A bit of morning bird photography around the lodge then we will check out and transfer to Lake Mburo National Park.  In the afternoon we will have a game drive to photograph Rothschild’s Giraffes, Zebra, Eland and other mammals as well as raptors, francolin and other birds.  Accommodation: Mihingo Lodge.

February 9th – In the morning we will visit a waterhole which attracts both birds and mammals.  Bare-faced Go Away Birds, African Green Pigeons, Zebras and Giraffes come to drink here.  In the afternoon we will have a boat trip to photograph Hippos and various waterbirds including the elusive African Finfoot.   Accommodation: Mihingo Lodge

February 10^th – We will spend another morning at the waterhole photographing various mammals and birds, it’s a good spot for Wattled and Senegal Lapwings, Spotted Thick-knees and other shorebirds.  After lunch we will check out and then we have about a five-hour transfer to the mountainous Bwindi region of Uganda.  On the way we will stop at some papyrus swamps for specialty species there such as Papyrus Canary, Gonolek and Yellow Warbler.  We will arrive at our lodge in the late afternoon.  Accommodation: Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge

February 11^th – Today is our day for trekking to photograph the beautiful African Golden Monkey.  We will have to do some walking to find them but when we do, these animals are habituated and easy to photograph.  On the way during our walk, we will try to find some difficult birds such as Ruwenzori Turaco and Kivu Ground Thrush.  We will return to our lodge in the afternoon.  Accommodation: Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge

February 12^th – Morning bird photography around the lodge, this is a good location for African Paradise and White-tailed Flycatchers, African Citrils and Sunbirds.  Then we will check out and head to our next lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Camp.  We will do some afternoon bird photography around the lodge calling Scarlet-chested, Bronzed, Ruwenzori and other Sunbirds.  Accommodation:  Rushaga Gorilla Camp

February 13th – Today is our Mountain Gorilla trekking day.  Many people have described photographing and being amongst these gentle giants as a highlight in their lives.  We have requested to photograph a troop which is usually reasonably close to the headquarters but there will be some walking involved to get to them.  Accommodation: Rushaga Gorilla Camp

February 14th – Today you have the option of going on another Gorilla trek or doing forest bird photography looking for Albertine Rife endemics including Regal Sunbird, Banded Prinia and more.  The bird photography right outside the lodge is excellent for White-tailed Blue Flycatcher and many Sunbirds including Bronze and Scarlet-chested.  Accommodation: Rushaga Gorilla Camp

February 15^th – We will check out early and visit a lake which is very good for a variety of waterbirds such as Hammerkop and that also has bottle brush bushes for Sunbirds.  Then we will transfer to our next lodge on beautiful Lake Bunyoni, Birdnest Resort.  In the afternoon we will take a boat trip to photograph Pied and Malachite Kingfishers and various waterbirds.  Accommodation: Birdnest Resort

February 16th – We will do morning bird photography near to the lodge then after lunch check out and transfer to the Kibale National Park area.  In the afternoon we will look for several species of Monkey along the road including Red as well as Black and White Colobus.  We will also search for Crowned Eagle.  Accommodation: Kibale Forest Cottages

February 17th – We will spend the morning photographing around the lodge.  The open forest here is excellent for a wide variety of birds including raptors, hornbills and turacos.  There is often an African Pygmy Kingfisher in the area.  In the afternoon we will have our Chimpanzee trekking experience.  This is always exciting.  In the late afternoon we will return to our lodge. Accommodation: Kibale Forest Cottages

February 18th – Today we will visit Bigodi Swamp in the morning.  On this walk we have chances to photograph difficult species such as Red-headed Malimbe, Seedcrackers, Fluff-tails and more.  In the afternoon we will photograph at the lodge.  The open forest here attracts a lot of raptors such as African Goshawk, Lizard Buzzard and African Harrier Hawk.  The Black and White-casqued Hornbills are usually around.  Accommodation: Kibale Forest Cottages

February 19th – Morning bird photography in Kibale, the lodge has a lot of sunbirds, turacos and other birds as well as monkeys.  Then check out and either head on the the extension to Murchison Falls or return to Entebbe.  Accommodation: K Hotel, Entebbe

February 20th – Depending on your departure time we will spend the morning at the botanical gardens.  Then transfer to the airport for your trip home.