Chuck Hagner is the editor-in-chief of Birder's World magazine, the author of two books about birds and birdwatching, and an experienced world traveler who has visited some of the world’s greatest birding destinations, including East Africa. He is a member of the American Birding Association, American Ornithologists' Union, Audubon Society, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Nature Conservancy, Wilson Ornithological Society, and Wisconsin Society for Ornithology. He has written about birdwatching for Nature Conservancy and other national publications, and his articles appear regularly in Birder’s World. His account of a birding trip to Uganda, “Crowned Beauties in the Pearl of Africa,” appeared in the February 2008 issue. Mr. Hagner added 307 bird species to his life list.

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Ujuzi African Travel brings you wildlife, cultural, and service tourism in East Africa. No zoo can compare to the savanna and bush, where exotic animals run wild in their natural surroundings hunting, mating, and playing. And there is nobody like the people of East Africa. Marvel at their resilience, culture, and way of life. You will gain a new perspective as you interact and engage with people in local communities and develop a new appreciation for the little things in life. This experience will change your life.

For more information please contact Ujuzi African Travel Owner, Anne Medeiros at anne.medeiros@ujuzitravel.com or 608/444-8122.

February 7 - 20, 2010

Uganda has more bird species per square kilometer than any other country in Africa. Roughly the same size as the UK or the state of Oregon, the country boasts a national list of 1008 species! This figure represents more than half the bird species that can be found in the whole of Africa. The key to Uganda’s diversity is its variety of habitats: arid semi-dessert, rich savannahs, lowland and montane rainforests, vast lakes, rivers and wetlands, volcanoes and an Afro-alpine zone. This trip, lead by Chuck Hagner, will take you on one great eco-adventure through the most dramatic and spectacular natural scenery in Africa, to remote and beautiful places with few other tourists and plenty of unique birds and wildlife.

Please view the detailed itinerary for birding and wildlife activities, including a description of the hundred of birds you may see. An abbreviated itinerary with wildlife activities follows:

February 7: Depart the United States.

February 8: Arrive Entebbe. Overnight at Golf View Inn.

February 9: In the morning you will have a birding excursion at the Mabamba Bay. Birding will be carried out in a dug-out canoe taking you deeper into the swamp. Return to the hotel for lunch. In the afternoon, you will explore the nearby Botanical Gardens. Dinner and overnight at the Golf View Inn.

February 10: After breakfast, you will depart Entebbe for Kibale National Park in Fort Portal town. Arrive at the Chimps' Nest lodge just in time for lunch. Explore the bird life on their private walking trails in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight at Chimps' Nest Lodge.

February 11: Track chimpanzees and other primates at the Kibale National Park. Return to the lodge for lunch. After lunch you will take a bird walk through the Magombe Swamp. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight at the Chimps' Nest Lodge.

February 12: Depart Fort Portal for Queen Elizabeth National Park. Arrive for lunch at the Mweya Lodge. At 3:00pm you will have a leisurely boat cruise down the Kazinga channel, which offers an excellent platform for photography, bird watching and game viewing. Dinner and overnight at Kingfisher Lodge.

February 13: In the morning, you will explore more of the national park and its diverse flora and fauna on a game drive. Return to the lodge for lunch. After lunch you will have a nature walk the Maramagambo Forest in the southeastern part of the park. Return to Kingfisher Lodge for dinner and overnight.

February 14: After a leisurely breakfast, depart for Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. The drive will take you through the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, famous for its lions, one of the few populations in Africa that customarily climb trees. A packed lunch will be provided. Dinner and overnight at Buhoma Lodge.

February 15: In the morning, experience the thrill of tracking mountain gorillas! Approximately half of the world’s 700 mountain gorillas live in Bwindi. You will see them foraging and playing. A picnic lunch will be provided. In the afternoon there will be an optional birding excursion on the Buhoma road towards the forest. Dinner and overnight at the Buhoma Lodge.

February 16: Depart for Ruhija, the highest point in the forest and the main site for many of the Albertine Rift Endemics. A packed lunch will be provided. Dinner and overnight at Trekkers' Heaven Lodge.

February 17: Depart Ruhija for Lake Mburo National Park. Arrive in time for lunch. After lunch, you will explore the lakeside trail and take a boat ride which allows access to aquatic habitats around Lake Mburo. Dinner and overnight at Mihingo Lodge.

February 18: After an early breakfast, you will explore the national park by road. Proceed to Entebbe. You will then have a brief stopover at the equator for lunch. Continue the journey to Kampala, where you will be dropped off for dinner and overnight at Golf View Inn.

February 19: After breakfast, take an optional walk through the nearby Botanical Gardens. Lunch at the Golf View Inn. Later in the day you will be transferred to the airport for your departure flight.

February 20: Return to the U.S.