Two Area Residents Partner to Offer African Birding Trip

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Shorewood – Two Shorewood residents, Chuck Hagner, editor of Birder’s World Magazine, and Anne Medeiros, owner of Ujuzi African Travel, have organized a Birding and Wildlife Safari to Uganda, February 7-20, 2010 for bird and wildlife enthusiasts.

“Uganda has more bird species per square kilometer than any other country in Africa,” commented Medeiros. The country is also a haven for other wildlife: elephants, antelope, chimpanzees, monkeys, hippos, and Uganda’s main attraction, the mountain gorilla.

“Travelers can expect to see all of these animals and over 250+ bird species,” adds Medeiros.

The February 2010 trip will be Hagner’s second time to Uganda. Hagner published an article about his 2006 trip in Birder’s World and recently posted a blog about the upcoming trip and an interview with Johnnie Kamugisha, Uganda bird guide, who will be co-leading the February 2010 trip with Hagner.

An abbreviated itinerary of the trip follows:

February 7: Depart the United States.

February 8: Arrive Entebbe, Uganda.

February 9: Birding excursion at the Mabamba Bay in dug-out canoes. In the afternoon, explore the nearby Botanical Gardens

February 10: Depart for Kibale National Park in Fort Portal town. Explore the bird life on private walking trails in the afternoon.

February 11: Track chimpanzees and other primates at the Kibale National Park and take a bird walk through the Magombe Swamp.

February 12: Depart for Queen Elizabeth National Park. Enjoy a leisurely boat cruise down the Kazinga channel.

February 13: Explore the national park and its diverse flora and fauna on a game drive, followed by a nature walk the Maramagambo Forest.

February 14: Depart for Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. The drive will take you through the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, famous for its tree-climbing lions.

February 15: Experience the thrill of tracking mountain gorillas! In the afternoon there will be an optional birding excursion on the Buhoma road towards the forest.

February 16: Depart for Ruhija, the highest point in the forest and the main site for many of the Albertine Rift Endemics.

February 17: Depart for Lake Mburo National Park. Explore the lakeside trail and take a boat ride which allows access to aquatic habitats around Lake Mburo.

February 18: Explore the national park by road. Proceed to Entebbe. You will then have a brief stopover at the equator for lunch.

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

February 20: Return to the U.S.

Roughly the same size as the UK or the state of Oregon, Uganda boasts a national list of 1008 bird 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.

Travelers will find themselves 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.

Tour extensions to Tanzania are also offered. More information on the trip can be found at: http://www.ujuzitravel.com/tours/BirdingWildlife_m.htm or contact 608/444-8122 or anne.medeiros@ujuzitravel.com.