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UTB takes global birders on farm trip ahead of African Birding Expo
International birders on a familiarisation trip organised by Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) on a birding excursion on Mabamba Swamp, situated off Entebe Road. The swamp is one of the sure places to see the sought-after shoebill. Photo by EDGAR R. BATTE
In its efforts to promote birding on the international scene, Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) is hosting 10 international birders on a familiarization trip to different birding destination around Uganda.
UTB is the marketing agency for the country as a preferred tourism destination. Uganda is home to 1, 080 birds. The trip will culminate into the African Birding Expo (ABE) that is slated to take place from December 6 to December 8.
The event will be hosted at Uganda Wildlife Education and Conservation Centre (UWEC) and Entebe Botanical Gardens, both birding destinations too.
The theme of the three-day expo is “celebrating birds and people to conserve Fox’s Weaver”.
“The objective of hosting the buyers is to offer them the birding experience in Uganda so that they can share their personal Ugandan experiences to their respective clients and interest them into visiting Uganda,” Herman Olimi, a marketing officer with Uganda Tourism Board (UTB).
There birders are split into two groups and have been on birding excursions and going to more. They have been to Mabamba Swamp which was an exciting experience on canoes as we searched for the sought-after shoebill.
We proceeded to Lake Mburo National Park in Mbarara, western Uganda which proved a rich excursion for both birds and wild animals both on land and on the lake.
It was a birding and Mountain Gorilla tracking day in rainy, steep and muddy Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, then a sunny expedition in Queen Elizabeth National Park where they saw both wildlife and birds on foot as well as on a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel that connects fresh water lakes George and Edward.
Kibale Forest offered both a birding and chimpanzee tracking experience on a rainy morning and afternoon in the tropical destination. We were able to see and follow some chimpanzees until they settled and relaxed up in tree branches of their home.
Today, we are headed to see what the ‘Birding Royal Mile’ in Budongo has to offer. We are anticipating yet another birding excursion in Murchison Falls National Park, which also had a medley of wildlife, the energetic falls as they nestle through a cubical as well as fauna and flora.
The birders hail from United Kingdom, Israel, United States of America, Greece, Australia, Philippines, Netherlands and Columbia.
