UGANDA 18/10/ /11/2015. Dries Van de Loock & Sybryn Maes. (Ghent, BELGIUM)

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1 UGANDA 18/10/ /11/2015 Dries Van de Loock & Sybryn Maes (Ghent, BELGIUM)

2 INTRODUCTION A big thank you to Marijn Bauters, Kewan Mertens and Kristien De Frenne for very valuable pre-trip information. Doing fieldwork in Kenya (Taita Hills) for some years has allowed me plenty birding opportunities over there. Several reasons made Uganda the obvious next country for our trip in First and most importantly, the country holds a huge diversity of habitats and is at the centre of overlap between different biogeographical areas, hence boasting typical west as well as typical east African species. It also lies at the border of the Albertine Rift, home to numerous endemic and threatened birds. Next to the high natural diversity, being in one of the last Mountain Gorilla hotspots also appealed us strongly. Finally, Uganda is a densely populated country with different well-protected habitats relatively close to each other, which makes it a perfect country to travel quite easy, fast and cheap as an independent traveller. In preparing for our trip, I missed recent reports written by fully independent travellers who rented a self-drive car or used public transport for getting around. I hope this report may help those who want to travel similarly around Uganda. The party consisted of my non-birding girlfriend and myself. Birding was thus not always priority, but mainly restricted to pre-breakfast sessions, shorter sessions during the day or combined with forest hikes or other activities like gorilla tracking etc. Major parks were usually birded with a guide for a full morning or day, whilst Sybryn did alternative hikes or just something else. Because of that, I missed some easy birds and could not always search intensely or take time for difficult ones (like Cisticolas). In addition, I did not consequently write down bird species that I had seen already in Kenya or earlier on in the trip. Species written under the section Highlights for each location thus represent my personal highlights rather than a detailed list of must-see species in that area. The full trip cost about 2200 pp, flights Brussels - Nairobi not included. They were about 600 pp. Feel free to contact me at drieselvdl [at] gmail [dot] com in case of questions, errors or comments. All photo s by Sybryn Maes. 2

3 REFERENCES & EQUIPMENT I used the following books and trip reports: Birds of East Africa by Terry Stevenson and John Fanshawe (2004) Where to watch birds by Jonathan Rossouw and Marco Sacchi (1998). Although slightly outdated, it still holds very good info and reasonably accurate maps. Uganda Bradt Travel Guide 7th Edition by Philip Briggs (2013): Good guide, but prices for National Parks are seriously outdated. Reise Know-How map of Uganda (1/ ) Trip reports found through cloudbirders.com : Heylen (2005), Marques (2007), Richards (2003), Shouten (2010) and Vermeulen (2002). I obtained my birdcalls from Xeno-Canto and from the Claude Chappuis - African Bird Sounds collection. I used my phone on flight mode (Moto G with DoubleTwist music player app) with an X- mini speaker for playback. Both have built-in batteries, but I never experienced problems charging the phone or speaker. Most places we stayed at either had solar power, which is sufficient to charge your phone, or used a generator for some hours in the evening. Taxonomy follows IOC World Bird List v GETTING THERE AND AROUND We travelled overland with a direct bus from Nairobi to Kampala with Easycoach, a reliable Kenyan company (at least in reference to other ones). The drive was long, but comfortable and safe. Just make sure you don t lose sight of your bus when going for the long lunch break, or the bus might take off without you, but with your luggage. Quite shocking when we found out. The next 5 minutes consisted of screaming a lot, calling the bus driver, emptying the first taxi we could find and catching up with the bus. Crossing the border between Kenya and Uganda at Busia was straightforward and hassle-free. For the southern loop of our trip (Kibale NP, Nkuruba Crater Lake, Rwenzori NP, Lake Bunyonyi & Bwindi NP), we travelled with public transport & private hires. Large distances between well-connected places were covered with matatus (small, but seriously overloaded minibuses) or bigger buses. For small distances outside and within Kampala we used Boda Boda s or tried to stop the first vehicle that passed by. Public transport is cheap, but time-consuming and potentially nerve-wrecking before, during and after. Private hires will cost you more than public transport even after a lot of bargaining but they are convenient where public transport is irregular, impossible or too slow. For the northern loop, we rented a car (+ waterproof tent + (unwantedly) leaking mattresses). This region is more remote (Budongo, Mt Elgon) and you need a car when visiting a savannah park (Murchison Falls). Few companies let out self-drive vehicles and most (all?) of them are based in Kampala. We contacted Alfa Car rentals (Douglas ( ) ; alphabetarentals@gmail.com ; ) about 3 weeks in advance for a Toyota Rav4. All arrangements went very smoothly and they refunded us 3

4 partly when it turned out they rented us leaking (i.e. flat) mattresses. Rather than going back to Kampala, we conveniently had the car picked up by them at the border crossing at Busia and boarded a Nairobi bound bus from there. They charged reasonable : 50 $ a day rental (unlimited mileage + insurance). For the pickup at Busia, they charged a surcharge of 30 $ and fuel. For navigating, we used the MAPS.ME app (uses Openstreetmap) and the abovementioned roadmap. The printed roadmap was accurate and surprisingly, many roads were already digitalized on Openstreetmap (this proved particularly convenient in Murchison Falls). At important junctions, we usually also asked locals as signposts are not omnipresent. All major roads are sealed and very well-maintained (and surprisingly empty!) compared to our experience from Kenya. Getting out of Kampala unharmed can be challenging, so we asked Alfa Rentals to drop us at the edge, which they did for free. Driving in Uganda was easier and more straightforward than expected and you ll quickly pick up the local tips and tricks. One of them, for example, is to make sure you flash your right indicator before the oncoming car on a narrow or one-way road and you ll have right of way. ACCOMMODATION & MEALS Around and inside almost all National Parks, accommodation is plentiful and ranges from cheap and basic to expensive and luxurious. We mostly chose for low-budget and locally managed places but preferred those places closer to the parks over more distant options. In many places, camping is a valuable alternative so bringing your gear or renting it might be worth it. We usually booked few days in advance with our Kenyan phone number (local Ugandan SIM cards are ubiquitous as well) and never had issues with booking the places we wanted, except for the Red Chili at Murchison NP, which is popular at all times and should be booked earlier in advance.) Probably because we travelled in low season, we were the only visitors at some of the places. In general, you can always get meals in your accommodation. Our impression was that they assume most tourists don t like the local food, so they will not prepare it themselves unless you ask for it. Since we really like the Swahili dishes and wanted to try the local specialties, we often negotiated a very nice meal with good value-for-money at the places where we stayed. In most, except for the smallest villages, you can find a proper number of hoteli s which serve (local) food as well. Food stalls along the street serve fast food, with a Rolex being very tasty and filling. It consists of an egg rolled within flatbread (chapatti). The more luxurious accommodations are usually not open for bargaining about meals and will only serve what s on the menu. SEASONALITY & WEATHER I wanted to combine the trip with my fieldwork in Kenya, so there was not much choice of timing. 4

5 We travelled during the rainy season which means it rained for at least some hours on most days. Particularly in the Rwenzori, rains where heavy. There, hiking sometimes felt like swimming with clothes on and carrying a backpack. Luckily, it rained mostly in the afternoon when heading back to, or already inside of, our overnight place. We never experienced a full rain day. The period was not good for Green-breasted pitta and Grauer s broadbill, as both are not nesting and extremely hard to see. Other birds do have the tendency to nest in the rainy season, so I therefore think it s not such a bad period apart from the fact of course that during actual rains, bird activity drops. Positive effects of the rainy season is that huge discounts apply on Gorilla tracking during the low season (see later). Because of the altitude at most places (Bwindi, Lake Bunyonyi), the nights could be quite chilly. During the day, it was mostly hot, except Rwenzori which was cold all the way. PARK ENTRIES & GUIDES The UWA, or Uganda Wildlife Authority, is the organization that manages many of the National Parks. To enter a park, you need an entry permit for 24h. In addition, you need to be accompanied by a ranger in some parks. The UWA charges this through a so called activity like birding or a nature walk. This means that birding in a forest like Bwindi NP or Kibale NP will cost 40 $ per person per day for entry + 30 $ pppd for bird watching. In savannah parks, you don t need to pay for a ranger (but you do for your car ). In Kibale, the rangers told us that an activity normally lasts about 3 hours and that you need to top-up with 10 $ for every hour spent more in the forest. We had not read this anywhere and it thus came as a surprise when leaving the forest after 6 hours or so. We had quite a discussion with the rangers during which they claimed it was mentioned in their booklet. We leafed through it from front to back and did not find this anywhere obviously, they still claimed it was a rule. After discussing long enough, they finally stopped being pushy and we were able to leave without paying. Make sure you check this in advance when paying the fees (or ignore it but consider the consequences). For special tracking activities like Gorilla or Chimp tracking (see below), an all-inclusive fee is charged. Also beware that residents of Uganda or a country within the East African community get discounts. For more information on rates, see the UWA online document. (NB : apparently, they have increased their low-season Gorilla tracking permit with 150 $ to 450 $ at the start of 2016!) Some of the UWA rangers are very good bird guides, allowing you to save some money on a private guide. In some areas however, knowledgeable guides are lacking and a private guide might be useful. Competent private bird guides can easily charge you 20 to 50 $ a day (some even up to 100 $!). Note that, even when going with a private guide, you still need to pay for a ranger in the UWA forest parks through the birdwalk activity. It s also the habit of tipping your rangers/guides that were not privately hired. Depending on the duration and services, we gave them between UGX. 5

6 Specific info on our bird guides/uwa rangers can be found in the site report sections. SAFETY Apart from a pick-pocket incident on a matatu in Kampala, we did not encounter any hazards or problems and felt very safe during our stay. Be cautious with almost completely empty matatus in Kampala. In our case, it was a setup in which everybody in the matatu was involved. People are in general very friendly and approachable. MONEY ATMs are widely available in all medium-sized to large towns. We withdraw money with VISA and Maestro (make sure you activate it for international purposes). Not all ATM s accepted our VISA cards, though, and the daily withdraw limit appeared to be different everywhere (from 800,000 UGX in some ATM s in Kampala up to 2,000,000 UGX in Kasese). We sometimes needed to withdraw with all our cards at different ATMS when we needed plenty of cash at once (for Rwenzori tracking and car rental). The UWA states it s prices for tourists in dollars and define a monthly exchange rate based on the previous month. If you thus enter a park at the end of the month, the exchange rate can be relatively bad (and is non-negotiable). Bringing some dollars might thus be convenient for paying park entrances or other permits. VISA We used an East-African Tourist visa, which allows travelling in Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya with unlimited re-entries for 90 days (non-extendable). I picked up the visas at the Kenyan Embassy in Brussels, which went smoothly as I could collect the visas on the same day of application. OTHER WILDLIFE Apart from birds, we were also attracted by seeing Gorilla s and Chimpanzee s. Since we heard there was a possibility we might see Chimps during bird watching in Kibale, we opted not to pay for Chimp tracking (150 $ pp). For the Gorilla tracking, we called the UWA 3 weeks in advance and were able to reserve two places at the location and date of our choice. We then paid upon arrival in Kampala at the UWA main office. Against all expectations, this went very smooth. Tracking was in November, when low-season rates apply. At that time they were 300 $ pp. You can book Gorilla tracking permits for several locations in Bwindi and Mgahinga NP. Since the Mgahinga groups can wander off to Rwanda or Congo, I don t know if the 6

7 possibility of tracking Gorilla s there can be guaranteed. The UWA holds 8 tracking permits per Gorilla group per day. At the longest established (and most touristic) location for Gorilla tracking at Bwindi Buhoma 3 groups can be visited and thus 24 permits are available each day in Buhoma. The number of habituated groups varies per location, but I think that you could book your permits not too long in advance if you visit in the low season. Apart from Kampala, the UWA also has offices in other big towns so you technically do not need to pay in Kampala. It s technically not possible to book permits at the park gates itself, but it might be possible when not all places are filled. When you are planning to visit the forests for birding anyway, you can consider not paying for the tracking. In Ruhija, we encounter a group (Sybryn saw a silverback walking over the path) when bird watching and I encountered another group (no silverback seen) along the main track in Buhoma. On both occasions, it was just us with a ranger and guide, which was a totally different experience then in the big tourist group. I ve read in another trip report of a Gorilla group being close to the forest edge at Buhoma. This was also the case when we were there, so you might just be lucky and bump into them. The Chimps were encounter similarly in Kibale. We saw some in a tree early in the morning when looking for the Green-breasted pita. 7

8 ITINERARY Map visited places (red) and accommodation used (blue). Click on map for link. 8

9 Day Date Activities Overnight Transport 1 18/10/2015 Travel Nairobi to Kampala Kampala PU Backpackers 2 19/10/2015 Kampala + birding Mabamba swamp Kampala PU Backpackers 3 20/10/2015 Travel Kampala to Kibale NP Safari Hotel PU 4 21/10/2015 Birding around hotel + afternoon birding Bigodi Wetlands Safari Hotel PU 5 22/10/2015 Birding Kibale forest Kibale primate PU lodge tree house cabin 6 23/10/2015 Birding Kibale primate lodge & main track Nkuruba Nature PU + travel to Nkuruba Crater Lake Reserve 7 24/10/2015 Birding Nkuruba + Mahoma waterfalls + Rwenzori PU travel to Rwenzori Backpackers Backpackers 8 25/10/2015 Rwenzori tracking Kalalame Camp PU 9 26/10/2015 Rwenzori tracking Mutinda Camp PU 10 27/10/2015 Rwenzori tracking Samulira Camp PU 11 28/10/2015 Rwenzori tracking Rwenzori PU Backpackers 12 29/10/2015 Travel to Lake Bunyonyi Bunyonyi Overland Camp PU 13 30/10/2015 Walk around lake Bunyonyi + travel to Gorilla Friends PU Ruhija (Bwindi NP) Resort 14 31/10/2015 Birding Ruhija (Mubwindi Swamp) Gorilla Friends PU Resort 15 01/11/2015 Travel to Buhoma via The Neck Bwindi View Lodge PU 16 02/11/2015 Gorilla tracking + birding entrance road Bwindi View Lodge PU 17 03/11/2015 Birding Buhoma + nightbus to Kampala Nightbus PU 18 04/11/2015 Travel to Budongo Nyabyeya Forestry RAV4 College 19 05/11/2015 Birding Budongo Royal Mile + travel to Murchison Shoebill Camp RAV /11/2015 Birding Shoebill Camp + Murchison Top of Falls RAV4 southern sector game drive Campsite 21 07/11/2015 Drive to northern sector + afternoon UWA campsite RAV4 game drive northern sector 22 08/11/2015 Game drive northern sector + afternoon Lacam Lodge Sipi RAV4 travel to Sipi Falls (Mt. Elgon) 23 09/11/2015 Walk Sipi falls Lacam Lodge Sipi RAV /11/2015 Travel to Busia + overnight bus to Nairobi Nightbus RAV4 PU = public RAV 4 = Rented Toyota Rav 4 9

10 Below is a list of public transport we used, the time it took us and the money paid Date From To Details 19/10/2015 Kampala Entebbe Matatu from main stage in town; 1h going, 2.5h back; 5000? UGX pp one way 20/10/2015 Kampala Fort Portal Bus (Kalita); 7h (waiting included); UGX pp 20/10/2015 Fort portal Kibale Private hire; 1h; private hire Forest (Kanyanchu ) 23/10/2015 Kanyanchu Nkuruba crater lake Shared taxi until Rweetera + boda boda until Nkuruba; 2h; 2000? UGX pp UGX 24/10/2015 Nkuruba Kilembe Private hire; 3h; UGX (Rwenzori) 29/10/2015 Kilembe Kasese Private hire; 30min; UGX 29/10/2015 Kasese Kabale Matatu until Mbarara + bus (Jaguar); 7h; ? UGX pp 29/10/2015 Kabale Rutinda Private hire; 1h; UGX (Bunyonyi) 30/10/2015 Rutinda Ruhija Private hire; 3h; UGX (Bwinda) 01/11/2015 Ruija Buhoma Private hire; 3h; UGX 03/11/2015 Buhoma Kampala Nightbus (Highway coach); 12h (waiting included); ? UGX pp Below is a list of travel details when self-driven Date From To Details 04/11/2015 Kampala Buhoma App. 8hrs, driving relaxed. Mostly over tarmacked road. 05/11/2015 Buhoma Shoebill App. 4hrs, driving relaxed. Mostly small dirt tracks. camp 08/11/2015 Murchison Sipi App. 8hrs, driving fast. Completely over tarmacked roads. 10/11/2015 Sipi Busia App. 3hrs, driving relaxed. Completely over tarmacked roads. 10

11 VISITED SITES We did not visit Semliki NP because it is a bit of a hassle to get there and perhaps for non-birders just another forest. Neither did we visit Mbura NP or Queen Elisabeth NP. We did not want to rent a car for the full trip, so it was more practical to skip these when travelling with public transport. In case you do want to visit these and are travelling in a similar way, you could ask a private hire to take you around for one or more days or book a tour with a local tour operator. Chartering a private hire will be cheaper but then you get a saloon car which is less fun and not the best to use on roads in bad conditions. Booking with a local tour operator will cost you more, but the vehicle will be better and more safe. The drivers also usually know the good spots of the parks, so you ll probably see more animals. MABAMBA SWAMP Instead of visiting the swamp via the traditional northern route (taking the junction at Mpigi along the Kampala Masaka highway), we decided to charter a boat from the jetty at Entebbe. A bigger boat took us to the swamp, where they transfer you into a smaller boat that takes you through the small swamp channels. I discussed with our captain that he should also arrange for the small boat (with bird guide) without us paying both guides separately. This way, we only paid him one fee, which is interesting, because negotiating takes time, so the less people you have to do it with, the more relaxing your time of day is We paid UGX for the whole trip. It takes about 45 min at full speed from the jetty at Entebbe to the mouth of the swamp. Apart from the swamp itself, the fringes of lake Victoria around the jetty (and the airport) also contain plenty of shore birds. On the lake, millions of white-winged terns can be seen. HIGHLIGHTS : A greater swamp warbler responded well to tape, although we only caught a glimpse of it. Deeper in the swamp, we saw a shoebill and a couple of lesser jacana s. Other good species were : blue-breasted bee-eater, swamp flycatcher, and blue-headed coucal. We tried taping the papyrus gonolek multiple times but had no response. Apparently it s very shy and retiring during the hot hours of the day so the best chances of seeing it are (very) early in the morning. Guides / Rangers Our captain was not knowledgeable about birds but he was very enthusiastic to go around every corner to look for waders. Our guide within the swamp was knowledgeable to some extent and knew where to find all the specialties. I have not noted down any names or phone numbers but believe that most bird guides at Mabamba are familiar with the good sites for shoebill anyhow. 11

12 Accommodation We visited the swamp as a day trip from Kampala. Many matatu s go back and forth between Kampala and Entebbe and one-way should be possible in about 1 h, but can be dramatically longer during rush hour. It could be relevant in my opinion to look for accommodation in or around Entebbe and then combine the swamp with a visit to the botanical gardens in the morning for example. KIBALE NATIONAL PARK Kibale is a big lowland evergreen rainforest protected and managed by the UWA. The main road that passes through the forest between Fort Portal and Kamwenge is great for birding. Since this is a public road, you do not need to pay to walk this stretch. At the Kanyanchu visitors centre (at the eastern side of the forest, where the Kibale primate lodge and their campsite is also situated), you can also bird for free. It is at this centre where you have to pick up a ranger to enter the forest. However, beware that you need to pick up your entry permit and pay at the Isunga UWA gate a couple of kilometres before entering the forest. Another opportunity for free birding in the forest is by staying in the Tree House of the Kibale Primate Lodge (see accommodation section). It is situated next to a swamp, relatively deep in the forest. For specific target species like the green breasted pitta, you need to enter the forest, while many others can be seen along the road. I found the birding inside the forest not that rewarding since few birds were calling and very difficult to see. In addition, neither 12

13 our ranger nor myself were familiar with the birdcalls. I saw a greater abundance of birds around the campsite and along the main road. Because of a miscommunication with the rangers the evening before we entered the forest, we only arrived at the pita spot at around 7:15 am. This was far too late as they only call for a very short time at (or even before) first light. They then descend from their branch and might be seen on the forest floor. When you fail to hear them however, locating them is extremely hard (but not impossible). We searched the area intensely for about 2h without hearing or seeing a single GBP (nor any other birds) and gave up. HIGHLIGHTS : dusky tit, crested guineafowl, speckled tinkerbird, yellow-throated tinkerbird, green hylia, great blue turaco, grey-headed nigrita and honeyguide greenbul. White-thighed hornbill was seen flying over the canopy from the wooden lookout point in the forest (recommended viewpoint!). Shining blue kingfishers were seen several times at a wet area next to the main road. I also spotted an otter in that swampy area, but could not clinch the id. I also birded the farmlands adjacent to the forest for some hours, which was fun and rewarding. Guides / Rangers We chose not to hire a private guide but asked for the ranger with the best bird knowledge. Gerald ( ) was a friendly older man with excellent knowledge on the whereabouts of the GBP. His knowledge and enthusiasm about other species was only mediocre though. But, he had only just received birdcalls from a friend, so might become better in the future. I don t know if there are any UWA rangers around familiar with the species and calls, so it might be worth the extra cost of going with a private guide. Our bird guide at Bigodi Wetlands (Alex, see guide section at that site below) was very knowledgeable and I had the impression that he, and possible also other guides around, knew the Kibale birds quite well. Accommodation We stayed in Safari Hotel, which is one of the first plots on the right along the main road after exiting the forest. It s basic, but good value for money. On the negative side, it s still quite a walk (about 45min to 1h) along the road through secondary vegetation before reaching good forest interior. When you don t have a car yourself, the Kibale Primate Lodge is perfectly situated but their normal rooms very expensive (> 100$ pp). Their earlier-mentioned treehouse is affordable (30$ pp, breakfast included) and situated next to a moist grassland/swamp, 10 minute s walk inside the forest from the lodge. It s very nicely situated and cosy, but not very practical if you want to spend more than 1 night there. Also since you always need to have a guard with you, walking to the tree house. You can however just walk around the tree house and the swamp and do some birding in the morning, which is a plus point. Another plus is the fact that it s an amazing experience to be inside Kibale Forest and hear all the night sounds of the forest. More importantly and more relevant maybe to budget travellers, the lodge also has a nice and convenient campsite, which I strongly recommend for early birding trips. 13

14 BIGODI WETLANDS Bigodi Wetlands is situated along the Fort Portal Kamwenge road, a bit after exiting Kibale Forest in the direction of Kamwenge. The wetlands contain a nice papyrus section, good for the typical papyrus species and some riverine forest. It borders plantations and small scale agricultural fields. You visit the wetlands with a guide from the visitors centre. The walk takes you around and through the papyrus section and can easily take a full morning if birding intensely. In contrast to some reports I have read, I found the area very rewarding with a healthy mix of forest species, papyrus species, woodland, secondary growth and scrub species. They charge a small entrance fee. We birded the area from late morning till late afternoon and had great burrito s at the visitors centre afterwards. According to our guide, Papyrus gonolek, and other papyrus species, can also be seen at the swamp next to the main road. We tried taping but got no response. HIGHLIGHTS : speckle-breasted woodpecker, Hairy-breasted barbet, doublet toothed barbet, snowy-crowned robin-chat, white-chinned prinia, red-bellied paradise flycatcher, grey-chinned sunbird, superb sunbird, marsh tchagra, compact weaver, red-headed malimbe and green crombec. White spotted flufftail responded to tape and a female was seen well at the edge of the swamp. White-winged swamp warbler was seen in Papyrus section after it responded to tape. Because it was too late in the day, we missed Papyrus gonolek again. White-collared oliveback, magpie mannikin and blue-throated roller are reported from the area, but not seen by us. Guides / Rangers A guide is obligatory here and I had the impression that there were a number of competent bird guides around. We birded with Alex Masiko ( ), who was not only a very good bird guide, but also a very nice person. If we understood correctly, he may quit his guiding activities because of disparities with his boss, however I would still encourage contacting him. He might also be a good guide for Kibale, perhaps in combination with ranger Gerald (see above). Accommodation We walked to the visitors centre from Safari Hotel along the wide, newly tarmacked and extremely obtrusive road. NKURUBA CRATER LAKE & SURROUNDINGS The Nkuruba Nature reserve is a very small community-run nature reserve surrounding the crater lake with the same name. It contains some indigenous forest bordering the lake and a small patch outside the crater. The forest itself is nothing special, although I came across a small Papyrus area in the middle of the patch. I did not explore this area too much, but most species in the forest were species you could also see in Kibale. You 14

15 can walk (and bird) freely around the nature reserve when staying in one of the two accommodations that surround the lake. The Nkuruba crater lake is one of many crater lakes in the surroundings. On the fringes of these lakes, leftovers of indigenous forest can be found. In between all the lakes you ll find small- to medium-sized agricultural fields, which are good for farmland species. The wider area is best explored on foot or by bike, with relatively good roads connecting the different lakes. Some of the lakes are privately owned by lodges and cannot by accessed when not staying in that lodge. The farmlands can be accessed freely. There are some touristic spots in the area you can visit, like Mahoma Falls and the top of the world viewpoint. Mahoma Falls is a waterfall of not very impressive proportions. It is surrounded by a minuscule portion of forest, not worth the special visit we did in my opinion. The hike was fun and zigzagged through numerous shamba s and banana plantations. In the nature reserve I saw crested guineafowl singing from a tree (great fun), green hylia, white-chinned prinia, red-bellied paradise flycatcher, crowned hornbill, African green pigeon, lühder s bushshrike, velvet-mantled drongo, copper sunbird, great blue and ross s turaco. When walking to Mahoma Falls alongside the road, a brown-backed scrub robin and woodland kingfisher were spotted, next to some common species like yellow-throated longclaw, Eastern plantain-eater, African thrush, brimstone canary, tropical boubou, black-crowned waxbill, Western citril and African blue flycatcher. Guides / Rangers The area is perfect for walking/biking around independently. A young student accompanied us as a guide to Mahoma Falls (see Bradt guide for details on where to get your entrance ticket). She did not know any birds, but knew the way and 15

16 stories about the area. You are not required to take a guide with you to the falls, but it is advisable as the path is not straightforward and they know the shortcuts. Accommodation We stayed in a basic banda at Nkuruba Nature reserve campsite (adjacent to, but different from (!), Enfunzi campsite), bordering the crater rim and the small indigenous forest. It is very good value for money and you can rent bikes and have a decent meal there. Beware they give you tons of rice/potatoes/matoke, so ask in advance to lower the proportion or order one plate for two. RWENZORI MOUNTAINS Rwenzori NP encompasses the Ugandan side of the Rwenzori Mountains and is home to many Albertine rift endemics. To visit all the vegetation zones and its associated birds, you will need to book a hike of several days. Two major routes are possible : one starting from Kilembe (west of Kasese), called Kilembe trails and operated by the Ruwenzori Trekking Service (RTS) and one starting from Nyakalengiha trailhead (north of Kasese), directly connecting with the central route and operated by Rwenzori Mountaineering service (RMS). The Bradt is sceptical about the services provided by RMS and judging by some stories, with good reason. Hiking in the Rwenzori is not cheap and apart from the hike itself, you also need to pay an entrance fee for the days spent in the park. Organised hiking trips include the meals, porters, guides and accommodation. It is not possible to hike independently and just camp with your tent in the park. I believe those two companies own and maintain most trails, so other companies need to use theirs and pay them as well. Hence, it may be better to just book with RTS/RMS first-hand. Until the edge of the National Park, you will find coffee plantations and other small to medium-sized agricultural fields. When you enter the park, you first pass the cloud forest zone, next the bamboo and then the heather zone, where you find the Lobelia gardens. The mountain zone only starts from about 4000m a.s.l. Usually, a one-day hike takes you from one camp to the next. Depending on the distance some huts are noticeably closer than others the hikes can be long and physically demanding, not allowing much time for birding. But, rough weather conditions might limit bird activity anyhow. 16

17 Within Rwenzori NP, it is also possible to do smaller hikes even from different starting points. But, these will probably never pass all vegetation zones interesting for bird watching. Check with local travel companies based at Fort Portal mentioned in Bradt. Most (all?) of the forest birds can be seen at more accessible and physically lessdemanding sites (Bwindi) as well, where you can get to higher altitudes (bamboo zone) by car. Only for some high altitudinal (ex. malachite sunbirds) species, visiting Rwenzori is essential. Also, some others (ex. Rwenzori turaco, Rwenzori double-collared sunbird) can be seen more easily here. Daily log We booked a 4 day, 3 night hike (3 x 24h in the park). We left from the Rwenzori backpackers (1700m) at around 9am the first day and because it was raining heavily and relatively early when we arrived at the first overnight camp (Sina Camp) at 2400 m, we decided to continue walking up to the next overnight camp. We thus passed through the most diverse part in one rainy, foggy day, as the next overnight camp was situated at 3100m. Birding was restricted to some occasional birds seen along the way : redheaded bluebill, blue-headed crested flycatcher, black-billed turaco and a presumed purple-breasted sunbird. Handsome francolin was seen on the trail close to the bamboo zone. Ruwenzori Turaco, Ruwenzori double-collared sunbird, African olive pigeon and brown woodland warbler were seen around Kalalame camp (3100m). The second day, we ascended up to 3600 m where we spent the night at Mutinda camp. This was, apart from the smelly tents, a nice camp under an overhanging rock. We could dry our cloths and boots to the fire and felt like real cavemen, sheltering from the rain. The Lobelia gardens we passed were not flowering, and as a result we missed any 17

18 malachite s. We saw Ruwenzori apalis, Regal sunbird and brown-chested alethe. Cinnamon bracken warbler s were heard constantly and Ruwenzori turaco and Ruwenzori double collared sunbird were frequently encountered. The third day, we went to Mutinda lookout (3900 m). At the top, a group of long-tailed sunbirds (malachite spec.) flew overhead. We returned using the same route and diverted to Semulira overnight camp (3100m) just before reaching the first overnight camp again. We saw Alpine swift and slender-billed starlings. On the fourth day, the guides literally ran back down to the gate. So, we passed the most diverse area again in one half day, not allowing much time for birding. They do this because they want to be back at the gate at the time you entered, avoiding starting a fourth day in the park and paying an extra day entrance fee. It is annoying that they don t communicate well about this in advance. In the end, you think you will be 4 days in the Rwenzori, but actually you are only there for 3 full days, so beware of this when communicating about the hike and prices. Good species were red-faced woodland warbler, blue headed sunbird, black-faced rufous warbler and regal sunbird. I also saw a mountain buzzard around the camp in the morning. We paid 425 $ pp for the full hike and 25 $ (resident discount) / 35 $ pp per day for entrance. We had a very good experience with RTS (good food (vegetarian!), nice overnight camps, well maintained trails, good and adequate guides and no-nonsense communication to arrange everything. The atmosphere in our group was really good, so we definitely recommend this company! The Rwenzori was very wet, with many showers during the day and night. We hardly saw any blue sky over the 4-day period. Temperatures were OK during the day for hiking, but dropped significantly during the night. Make sure to pack warm clothing (in waterproof bags)! Guides / Rangers We arranged everything through the Rwenzori Trekking Service (RTS), associated with Kampala Backpackers Hostel (you can book through there as well). The mountain guides are trained for mountaineering and are not necessarily familiar with the birds. Accommodation The night before going up, we stayed in the Rwenzori Backpackers hostel at Kilembe, situated in old mine-labourers houses. It s owned by the RTS and the starting point for their hikes. Getting there is probably easiest with a private hire or boda boda from Kasese. The hike was duly arranged by the RTS. We slept twice in cabins and once in tents. 18

19 LAKE BUNYONYI Lake Bunyonyi is a large high-altitudinal lake located in Southern Uganda, close to Rwanda. It has a very irregular shape and contains many small islands. The lake is surrounded with small- to medium-sized non-intensive agroforestry fields. You can easily reach Rutinda, the capital with a private hire or boda boda from Kabale. In and around Rutinda, you have different options for accommodation, a number of places to eat and shops for buying some fruit and veggie s. It also serves as a hub for transporting tourist to the numerous island-hotels and for redistributing produce from the islands. Before arriving in Rutinda, a large Papyrus swamp borders the lake. I did not go birding around the edge, but think it is interesting. The main road and the connected side roads along the edge of the lake are also good for birding. Some The lake fringes are not always accessible as hotels sometimes own that land. We only stayed for one night and one morning so did not have lots of time for exploration. Anyhow, I found birding around the lake fun, but not spectacular. It is probably good for highland species. I also liked the garden from Bunyonyi overland camp, where we spent the night. HIGHLIGHTS : Grey-capped warbler (seen very well in the garden around Bunyonyi overland camp), Mackinnon s fiscal, black-headed weaver, brown-throated wattle eye, yellow-throated leaflove and white-tailed blue flycatcher. Guides / Rangers No guides are needed to walk around the lake. We did not look for one either. 19

20 Accommodation We stayed at Bunyonyi Overland Resort, which is a huge camp with several different options to sleep. They occasionally have overland trucks with lots of guests so it can be a bit crowded. The property borders the lake and has a nice garden for birding. They serve food, but we preferred to eat at local alternatives in Rutinda, which is within walking distance. Camping is possible and recommendable. They have spots right next to the lake When walking around, we came across Edirisa ( ). It is situated a bit further from Rutinda and also borders the lakeside. You follow the main road, pass Rutinda and all the resorts, until you see the sign about 2km further to go right (in the direction of the lake s shore). This is an organisation supporting local projects and organising hikes and canoe tours. You can rent a room, join the staff at diner for a very fair price and use their boat for free. It s relatively far from Rutinda, but still possible to walk. Camping might be difficult as the property is built on steep land. Friends of us stayed in Bugombe Island Gateway (not 100% sure about the name), situated along the same road and also bordering the lake, but just behind Bunyonyi Overland Resort. It is less popular than Bunyonyi Overland Resort, so cheaper and more quiet. BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST Bwindi is a huge mid-altitudinal (about m) evergreen forest home to one of the last populations of Mountain Gorilla s and many of the Albertine rift endemics. The park can be visited through 4 gates, two in the south and two in the north. Birding is traditionally done at the two northern localities, Ruhija and Buhoma, and at the section of forest along the road connecting both locations, known as the Neck. Both sections of the forest are at different altitudes and hold different species. The forest is quite remote and getting there is difficult with public transport. Self-drive vehicles are apparently not available in Kabale, and a car with driver was about 100$ per day according to a local Kabale travel company. We went with a private hire, which was by far the cheapest option. When accommodation is chosen wisely, every good birding opportunity within Ruhija and Buhoma is within walking distance. I ve read in other 20

21 reports that a 4x4 is necessary to negotiate your way through the forest, but we managed with a regular saloon car. A nightbus goes every evening at 4 pm (Highway Coach) from Buhoma direct to Kampala very convenient indeed. The same bus probably also goes from Kampala to Buhoma, but we didn t enquire about that. Ruhija Ruhija used to be almost exclusively visited by birdwatchers, but tourism has increased since two habituated families of Gorilla s are now also accessible for Gorilla tracking. The road connecting Kabale and Ruhija first climbs up to the bamboo zone, before dropping a bit to the rangers post at Ruhija. The birding hotspot is Mubwindi swamp, an extremely rich and productive area. It is situated deep inside the park and can be birded on a day trip from the rangers post. Around the swamp it is relatively easy to see the Grauer s broadbill when nesting, but almost impossible when not. Grauer s swamp warbler can be seen in the swamp from the edge. The main road and the school trail are also very productive and can be birded for free. The trail diverts at the right hand side from the main road, a bit after leaving the Ruhija rangers in the direction of Ruhija village and Buhoma. It is indicated by a sign towards a what s-in-a-name school. We birded the forest interior, descending to the Mubwindi swamp for almost a full day. HIGHLIGHTS : Narina trogon (along the main road), white-headed wood-hoopoe, grey-throated barbet, Tullberg s woodpecker, cape wagtail, grey cuckooshrike, Archer s ground robin (responded to tape), Grauer s swamp warbler (responded to tape when at the edge of the swamp), red-faced woodland warbler (along the main road), banded prinia, grey apalis, chestnut-throated apalis, Ruwenzori apalis, mountain masked apalis, yellow-eyed black flycatcher (at the swamp), Ruwenzori batis (responded to tape along the main road), mountain illadopsis (responded to tape), stripe-breasted tit (along the main road), regal sunbird, northern puffback, strange weaver and brown-capped weaver (the latter around the swamp). We heard grauer s warbler (did not respond to tape) and red-chested owlet. The Neck The neck is a small stretch of forest connecting the big continuous southern and smaller northern part of forest. It is bisected by the road connecting Ruhija and Buhoma and is therefore usually birded en route. The bridge at the river crossing offers good birding. HIGHLIGHTS : Petit s cuckooshrike, Cassin s flycatcher, dusky-blue flycatcher, mountain wagtail, black bee-eater and bocage s bush shrike. Buhoma Buhoma is the most touristic part of Bwindi, largely because of its habituated Gorilla groups, established for tracking long ago. In contrast to the rangers post at Ruhija, the 21

22 gate at Buhoma is at the end of the village, at the edge of the forest. You bird freely without paying the entrance fee and guide around the main road going inside the forest until the sign just past the bridge. There is also a small trail (river trail) just before you reach the bridge on the left side, going along the river. This trail is occasionally closed when Gorillas are close, since they want to avoid people from seeing them without paying. Inside the forest, you bird along the main road and some smaller trails. The main road is as wide as a car and cuts through the forest. The waterfall trail starts on the left after some kilometres and is particularly good for the Abyssinian ground thrush (race tanganjicae ; Kivu ground thrush), Neumann s warbler and white-bellied robin-chat. In addition, it s probably one of the nicest parts of indigenous forest I ve ever seen. I ve birded the entrance road to the forest a couple of times, and birded one long morning inside the forest along the main trail up to, and a small piece of, the waterfall trail. Highlights were grey-winged robin-chat (can be seen along the entrance), Lühder s bushshrike, Bocage s bushshrike, brown-capped weaver; Levaillant s cuckoo (around the lodge), bar-tailed trogon (a couple seen at the waterfall trail), black bee-eater (along the river trail), Petit s cuckooshrike (along the entrance road), honeyguide greenbul, red-tailed greenbul, red-tailed bristlebill, Plain greenbul, Kakamega greenbul, Toro olive greenbul, Ansorge s greenbul, redthroated alethe (responded well to callback), red-faced woodland warbler, greycapped warbler (around the lodge), black-throated apalis, grey-throated titflycatcher, Chapin s flycatcher (a couple was seen high up on a dead tree above the main trail), black-and-white shrike-flycatcher, chestnut wattle-eye, scalybreasted illadopsis, blue-throated brown sunbird, grey-chinned sunbird, little green sunbird, pink-footed puffback, many-colored bushshrike and red-headed malimbe. Equatorial akalat was heard and responded to tape but was not seen. White-bellied robin chat, Neumann s warbler and Kivu ground thrush were never heard and did not respond to tape. A small honeyguide seen along the main road reacted to Willcocks s tape, so could be this species rather then dwarf. Olive-green camaroptera was heard but did not respond to tape. Guides / Rangers At Ruhija, UWA ranger Meddie ( ) was our birdguide. He was extremely competent, knew all birdcalls and good sites for the specialities. He even helped getting us a good rate for our accommodation at Buhoma. At Buhoma, there are no good birdguide UWA rangers, so when wanted, you need a private guide. Christopher ( ) was advised by Meddie. He is a keen birder, but was in the end not available. I would have paid him about 15 to 25 dollar for a long morning birding. Matthew Kajungu ( twongigeirwematthew@yahoo.com) was equally great. He was extremely friendly, enthusiastic and new his birds very well. He is not as known as Christopher. I think I paid him around UGX for one long morning. 22

23 Accommodation At Ruhija, we stayed at Gorilla Friends Resort inside the village. They have several tents overlooking the valley and the forest edge. It takes about 10 min on foot through the village to the main road, and from the junction another 20 min to the rangers post. Good value for money. The small guesthouse next to the rangers post is not operative anymore. Apart from the disused (?) accommodation at the Institute for Tropical Forest conservation (ITFC), which is at the beginning of the village, all other accommodation is situated inside the village. At Buhoma, we stayed at Bwindi View Lodge. The lodge is perfectly situated inside the park, just passed the gate and well-priced for its location. The staff was friendly and willing to prepare food on request and negotiate about meals. Plenty of other options are available, but, apart from another budget option opposite the View Lodge, they might be very expensive, or located further from the forest. Camping is allowed on both locations. BUDONGO FOREST Budongo forest lies east of lake Albert and south of Murchison NP and is managed by the national forest authority (NFA). The forest is traditionally visited (birded) at three different sites : Busingiro eco-tourism site, the Royal mile and Kaniyo Pabidi. We didn t visit the latter, so cannot provide details on that. 23

24 Both the Busingiro eco-tourism site and the Royale mile are reached from Masindi via the road going West in the direction of lake Albert. Along the road, you first pass two junctions on the right going to the Nyabyeya forestry college (signpost!) and the Royale mile before reaching the eco-tourism site at the edge of the forest. This road continues further to the escarpment at the lake Albert and eventually to Murchison NP. Directions from Masindi were not always straightforward, but asking helped. At Busingiro eco-tourism site, there are hardly any noteworthy facilities to accommodate visitors. There is one restored banda with no furniture and two other buildings which can function as shelter. It is possible to pitch a tent. To visit this site, it is therefore best to contact a guide or the local NFA post at the forestry college in advance. Birdlife is to an extent complementary to the Royal mile and some species are more easily seen here. It is a 25min drive between both sites. General map of the Forestry college area and connecting roads. The road to Biso passes by Busingiro eco-tourism site. 24

25 Detailed map on how to get to the Royal Mile from the Forestry college. The Royal mile is a straight stretch of fantastic forest with plenty of exclusive birds. The gate to the entrance of the forest (and the Royal mile) is behind the forestry college (see map on how to get there). Just as at the Busingiro site, it is best to arrange everything in advance at the forestry college if you don t want to lose time at the gate. They charge a small entrance fee. Francise NFA superviser? at the College : Mozes NFA section manager head of Budongo forest : As we needed to arrange everything whilst waiting at the gate, I only birded the Royale mile for one relatively short morning from 8 to 13 before heading off to Murchison, but saw a great number of species. I recommend a longer stay in this area to visit both sites thoroughly. HIGHLIGHTS : Grey parrot (a flock seen + heard flying overhead), crested guineafowl, a flock of spinetails were seen overhead with Cassin s spinetail and according to the guide also Sabine s, but did not see it clearly enough. Blue-breasted kingfisher and Chocolate backed kingfisher (both call constantly, but are more difficult to see they slightly respond to tape). African dwarf kingfisher, African pied hornbill, Browneared woodpecker, yellow-crested woodpecker, little grey greenbul, whitethroated greenbul (responded to tape), red-tailed greenbul, forest robin (seen extremely well at the edge of the understory clearing no callback used), Fraser s rufous thrush (seen without using callback), rufous-crowned eremomela, olivegreen cameroptera, yellow-browed cameroptera, Fraser s forest flycatcher (high 25

26 up in the canopy), black & white shrike flycatcher, Jameson s wattle-eye, chestnut wattle-eye, red-bellied flycatcher, chestnut-capped flycatcher (very common), superb sunbird, dusky tit and blue-throated brown sunbird. Fire-crested alethe, lemon-bellied crombec, scaly-breasted illadopsis were heard, but did not respond to tape. We used the magnificent road along lake Albert to Murchison NP. Just after Biso, you have a fantastic view from the escarpment on lake Albert and Congo s Blue mountains and have good opportunities for birding. We didn t stop for birding, but saw cinnamonbreasted buntings along the road. It takes about 1h30min 2h to drive along the road towards the entrance of Murchison. Guides / Rangers I m not sure if a guide is obligatory for the Royal Mile, as you cannot get lost anyway. The resident birder, Raymond Ogen ( and ), lives close by and is familiar with other areas in Budongo as well. He is a keen birder and good guide and I paid him UGX (?) for the morning. Vincent ( ) is another resident birder, who lives a bit further back in the direction of Masindi. If you want to bird with him, arrange well in advance! You can then either pick him up at his home, or pay for his transport. Accommodation The Nyabyeya forestry college has cheap and nice guestrooms. Chapati s are always available and other food can be prepared on request. It should also be possible to pitch a tent. At this time, it is probably the only practical option to spend the night in the area. Contact Ivan, the College Guesthouse manager : When fully equipped (stove, water, ), camping at Busingiro is also possible. I don t recommend staying at Masindi, as it is still quite a distance to both sites. 26

27 MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK Murchison Falls NP is a low-altitudinal savannah park bordering the Albert Nile in the East and bisected by the Victoria Nile, splitting the park in a northern and a southern section. Both sections differ in habitat and are only linked by a ferry at the Paraa crossing (close to Red Chili Rest camp). The ferry is managed by the UWA ( (30k?) UGX one-way) and runs from 7 am (maybe 6) to 7 pm every hour. The park is named after the spectacular waterfall, where the Nile is forced through a 6m wide gap. Main roads were sealed well, but smaller tracks can become muddy after downpours and a 4x4 might be convenient for those. All small game viewing tracks are digitalized, so MapsME was a fantastic tool for navigating and (mis)judging distances. We entered the park along the Western side, using the scenic route along the border of Lake Albert. Although the logical chose when coming from, or going to Busingiro and the Royal Mile, it is a big detour when coming from Masindi or Kaniyo Pabidi (another Budongo sector, interesting for birding (see above)). Northern section The Northern section is open grassland savannah with Borassus palms in the north and shrubs around the Nile delta. The richest and most productive bird spots are the tracks towards, and the area of, the Nile delta. You are obliged to stay inside the car, but can bird the area around the UWA campsite and the Paraa lodge on foot. In total we did one game drive in the late afternoon of 07/11 and one early morning on 08/11. HIGHLIGHTS (unless stated otherwise, most were seen around the delta area): African openbill, knob-billed duck, dark chanting goshawk, grey kestrel, red-necked falcon, Denham s Bustard, thick-knee spec (seen too short to clinch ID but either spotted or Senegal), Black-billed wood dove, swallow-tailed bee-eater, redthroated bee-eater, Northern carmine bee-eater, Abyssinian ground-hornbill, black-billed barbet, croacking cisticola, Silverbird, Piapiac (common), specklefronted weaver, chestnut-crowned sparrow-weaver (common). Southern section The Southern section is dense woodland and is bad for spotting wildlife, but not so for birding. Sadly, the amount of Tsetse flies does not permit driving around with open windows. They are extremely attracted by cars and will fly inside and bite the moment you stop. They are not so aggressive when outside on foot, so birding is most convenient at the Red Chili camp (very close to the ferry) and the area around the top of the falls parking area and campsite (very nice campsite see below). The view at the falls is nicest from the southern side. At the top, there is a bat-cave, which is frequented by a bat-hawk. From there, you can take a (paid) walk down to the base of the falls, where a roosting Pel s fishing owl is reported. Alternatively, you can board a boat to the base of the falls from the Paraa ferry crossing. That boat can either drop you there, or take you back to the ferry crossing. The first obviously requires a driving waiting for you at the top of the falls. 27

28 In total we spent one afternoon (on 06/11) and a morning (07/11) in the southern sector. HIGHLIGHTS : African darter (along the Nile), rock pratincole (at the rocks near the top of the falls), Verreaux s eagle-owl (when waiting at dusk at the top of the falls for the bat hawk), yellow-billed shrike. Outside park The area around the accommodations on the Southern bank of the Nile, just outside the park in the west, is also interesting for birding. Here, there are no wild animals and no tsetse flies, so you can walk around freely. Shoebill camp for example borders a (very) small riverine forest and white-crested turaco is reported from the area. Although you will be able to see some of the specialities, you ll still need to enter the park for others. In total, I birded a short time in the morning on 06/11. HIGHLIGHTS : Vinaceous dove (easily identified from ring-necked by call), red-throated bee-eater, black-headed gonolek (common), orange-breasted bushshrike, blackrumped waxbill. An interesting trick to avoid paying for the southern sector: enter the park from the above mentioned area and try using the most northern route. By doing so, you somehow avoid the main gate and pass a small gate. There, they let us pass without paying when we said our destination was Red Chili. From Red Chili, you can either go north to the crossing, or go south to the top of the falls. When going to the crossing, you pass another gate where you pay for the ferry and the entrance. But, as there are no gates in the south, you can explore that area for free. We spend the night at the top of the falls campsite, drove back to the gate at the crossing the next morning and only paid for the day that followed. 28

29 Guides / Rangers You do not need to be accompanied by a UWA ranger to enter the park (although they will constantly try to remind you how unsafe it is and necessary to be accompanied). They do know where to find Lions, but asking around when passing other cars helps as well. Accommodation On the northern side, close to the delta, there are only two options to stay. The Paraa lodge is extremely expensive, while the alternative is an extremely basic UWA campsite, about 5 min drive from the ferry. You can get meals at The Paraa lodge and in the canteen of the UWA staff quarters next to the entrance gate of the lodge. You can also get fuel at the Paraa lodge, but at a slightly higher cost. From the ferry crossing to the Nile delta, it is a 45 min drive. Considering this, and the timetable of the ferry, it is almost impossible to be at the birding hotspot in good time without staying on this side of the Nile. As an alternative, you can put your car on the northern bank the night before and charter a smaller boat earlier in the morning. On the southern side, very good value for money is the Red Chili Rest camp. It s situated just before the gate going to the ferry crossing. The disadvantage is that it s extremely popular and always fully booked. Camping is allowed and it is also possible to grab a meal (fair prices and delicious). We however camped at the UWA Top of Falls campsite. Very nicely situated, it s completely isolated and very quiet. You need to bring your own food, as the closest opportunity (Red Chili) is at least 1h away. Outside the park, we pitched our tent at the fabulous Shoebill camp. It boarders, and offers magnificent views of, the Nile. You can eat at the adjacent lodge (Nile River lodge) connected by a small trail. Very worth it! MT. ELGON NATIONAL PARK Mt. Elgon is high-altitudinal volcano situated in the west of Uganda on the border with Kenya. The National Park (UWA) encompasses the top, starting from about 2000 m (?). We didn t visit the park itself, but stayed at lower altitudes near Sipi. The lower slopes below the NP borders, are dominated by small-scaled agricultural fields and coffee plantations. Sipi is a small town with several waterfalls and some caves in the area. You can do guided walks around the waterfalls and have a coffee experience. They explained and perform all the steps in creating coffee, which ends with having a cup yourself. Apart from some birds I saw on the walk and around the lodge, I didn t do any birding. You can reach Sipi from Mbale by driving up North and diverting right just past Muyembe. Look for UWA and other signs. From Sipi, it s still a couple of kilometres further along the main tarmacked road until you see the UWA sign on the right towards the gate. From that sign, it s still a couple a kilometres up on ruff road before you are at the park boundary. I tried getting there, but seized this attempt when I was halfway up. The roads where in horrible condition steep, muddy and extremely slippery. 29

30 For good birding, you ll need to go up to the gate/edge of the park though, as indigenous forest only persists from that point onwards. HIGHLIGHTS : Gambaga flycatcher (at the top of the fall at Lacam lodge) and brown parisoma. Guides / Rangers We did the walk around the area and the waterfalls with a guide from the lodge. Accommodation We stayed at Lacam lodge at Sipi. Great views and very cosy wooden buildings. Camping is allowed. 30