This 8-days Uganda birding tour is an amazing birdwatching safari in Uganda that takes you to the wonderful must-see Uganda birding spots/destinations.
This 8-day birding tour in Uganda has been perfectly structured to ensure a high bird species count and, more importantly, focus on the species that are endemic, near-endemic, or ones not easily seen anywhere else.
This trip also offers stunning and varied landscapes and fantastic mammal sightings. Our first birding site will be Mabamba Swamp, a Ramsar site and an Important Bird Area on Lake Victoria shore, to catch a rare glimpse of the unique and incredible, prehistoric Shoebill.
You will visit Lake Mburo National Park to encounter many of the 350 Uganda bird species here, including the Red-faced Barbet (only seen here) and the endemic African Finfoot.
The wonderful Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, hosts the most exciting selection of forest birds in Africa. More than 350 bird species have been recorded in Bwindi, with 23 special species that are endemic to the Albertine Rift Ecosystem, including the rare, elusive, and gorgeous African Green Broadbill, the beautiful regal sunbird, the handsome francolin, the colorful Rwenzori turaco, and Shelly’s Crimsonwing.
Bwindi National Park is also where almost half of the world’s mountain gorillas live. We continue to Queen Elizabeth National Park, a birdwatcher’s paradise with over 600 Ugandan bird species across various habitats, including rolling savannah grasslands, tropical rainforest, moist acacia woodland, and beautiful saline crater lakes, freshwater lakes, and wetlands. Over 95 species of animals/mammals in Uganda also live here.
Finally, before our 8-day Uganda birding tour draws to a close, we’ll visit Kibale National Park. This famous home of Chimpanzees offers up to 375 bird species, including the precious Green-Breasted Pitta. This wonderful trip will end with a walk in the community-run Bigodi Wetland, which is home to over 200 bird species, including the Great Blue Turaco.
Day 1: Entebbe
Day 2: Mabamba Swamp & Lake Mburo National Park.
Day 3 & 4: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 5: Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Day 6 & 7: Kibale National Park & Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary
Day 8: Departure
Day 1: Arrive in Uganda via Entebbe International Airport & transfer to the hotel
Day 2: Bird Mabamba Swamp in search of Shoebill & transfer to Lake Mburo National Park.
Day 3: Morning boat ride on Lake Mburo, bird in the savannah & proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park-—Ruhija sector
Day 4: Birding in Mubwindi Swamp, transfer to Buhoma sector & birding en route at the neck
Day 5: Half-day birding in Buhoma & transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Day 6: Game viewing & birding in savannah, afternoon Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise & transfer to Kibale National Park
Day 7: Birding in Kibale Forest National Park & wetland walk in Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary
Day 8: Short birding stop in Sebitoli sector as you transfer back to Entebbe Airport for departure
On arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you’ll be met by the Prime Uganda Safari representative who will warmly welcome you to Uganda and transfer you to a nearby hotel. Entebbe town is situated on the shore of Lake Victoria about 40km away from Kampala, the capital of Uganda.
The town is incredibly “birdy,” and if time allows, we’ll make an afternoon visit to the beautifully landscaped Entebbe Botanical Gardens right on the Lake Victoria shore. Along with a bounty of more common species, our first birds here could include- Orange Weaver, Palm-nut vulture, African fish eagle, Gray Parrot, Ross’s Turaco, and Great blue turaco, a perfect introduction to the trip with easy birding in an open environment.
The highlight of the day: Viewing the serene waters of Lake Victoria as you touch down at Entebbe International Airport.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Serena Lake Victoria Resort/Protea Hotel Entebbe
Midrange: 2 Friends Beach Hotel Entebbe/Lake Heights Hotel Entebbe/Boma Hotel Entebbe
Budget: Acacia Boutique Hotel/Airport Guesthouse Entebbe
Meal Plan: Lunch & Dinner
Drive Distance & time: – Approx. 3-5km or 10-20 minutes
Activities & services of the day include:
Optional activities you can choose to do on this day include:
After breakfast at around 6.30 am, we’ll grab our cameras and binoculars and embark on an amazing birding journey to Mabamba swamp, a Ramsar site, and an Important Bird Area on the shore of Lake Victoria. On reaching the swamp, we’ll embark on a canoe ride in search of the Shoebills (Balaeniceps rex). We hope to see at least one of these prehistoric-like beasts standing in the swamp or soaring overhead.
We’ll also see a variety of other special birds, including Africa Pygmy goose, Lesser jacana, Gull-bellied tern, Blue-breasted bee-eater, Carruther’s cisticola, Papyrus Gonolek, White-winged Warbler, Blue swallow, Pallid harrier, Swamp flycatcher, Palm-nut vulture, Carruther’s cisticola and Viellot’s, Grosbeak, Black-headed, Northern brown-throated, and Clarke’s weavers.
We may have the opportunity to encounter the elusive swamp-dwelling Sitatunga Antelope. You will retire from the activity and then transfer to Lake Mburo National Park. Stop at the Uganda Equator crossing Kayabwe for amazing photoshoots.
The highlight of the day: Canoe ride in Mabamba Swamp in search of the incredible Shoebill.
Accommodation:
Luxury/Upmarket: – Mihingo Safari Lodge/Matana Tented Camp
Mid-range/Moderate: – Rwakobo Rock/Emburara Farm Lodge/Arcadia Lodge Mburo
Budget/Basic: – Eagles Nest Mburo
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive Distance & time: – Approx. 280km or 4-5 hours
Activities & services of the day:
We will have breakfast at around 7.00 am. We’ll transfer to Rwonyo jetty for a 2-hour boat ride on Lake Mburo, which starts at 8.00 am. Observe the vibrant kingfishers, majestic African fish eagles, and the rare, elusive, yet stunning African finfoot. You will also have a chance to see hippos, crocodiles, and hippos.
After the boat cruise, we’ll embark on a 3-hours birding encounter by vehicle in the savannah landscapes of Lake Mburo for chances of spotting birds like Rufous-bellied Heron, Bateleur, Coqui Francolin, Grey Crowned Crane, Brown-chested Lapwing, Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove, Black-bellied Bustard, Red-headed Lovebird, Ross’s Turaco, Brown Parrot, Green Wood-hoopoe, Common Scimitarbill, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Red-faced Barbet, White-headed Barbet, Long-tailed Cisticola, Nubian Woodpecker, Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike, White-winged Tit and Yellow-breasted Apalis, among other birds.
This driving experience also offers an opportunity to explore counts of wild game, including the Rothschild giraffes, the Topis, elands, waterbucks, Buffaloes, Burchell’s Zebra, Impala, and Warthogs among other species. From the activity, set off for the transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park—Ruhija 235 km, about 5 hours’ drive, enjoying the views of the countryside landscape, arriving in the evening for relaxation dinner and overnight.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a designated UNESCO World Heritage site, is a true African jungle. With its misty peaks and fern-loaded forests, this 321km2 park is indeed an amazing biodiversity hotspot hosting almost half of the world’s Mountain Gorillas along with 120 other species of mammals. Bwindi hosts more than 350 bird species, including 23 species that are listed in the IUCN Red Data Book and/or endemic to the Albertine Rift.
The highlight of the day: The evening birding adventure in Ruhija Sector
Accommodation:
Luxury/Upmarket: Gorilla Forest Camp/Buhoma Lodge/Mahogany Springs
Midrange/Standard: Gorilla Mist Camp/Bakiga Lodge/Haven Lodge Buhoma
Budget/Basic: Buhoma Community Rest Camp/Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive Distance & time: – Approx. 235km or 4–5 hours
Activities & services of the day:
Optional activities you can choose to do on this day include:
After breakfast at around 7:00 am, we’ll embark on the birding encounter to Mubwindi swamp, arguably the top birding walk in Bwindi’s Ruhija sector. We’ll either have a packed lunch somewhere in the forest today or return to the lodge for lunch before birding in the afternoon again. We’ll descend several meters from the Mubwindi Swamp Trailhead to a swamp area.
This short trek to this swamp is a must-do pilgrimage for avid birdwatchers, as it is home to the highly sought-after African Green Broadbill, an endemic bird of the Albertine Rift that is only found there. This globally threatened species is only known from two sites in the world, the other being a remote forest in eastern DR Congo.
Other Bwindi specials to look for here include Carruthers’s cisticola, Grauer’s swamp warbler, Neumann’s Warbler, Yellow-eyed black flycatcher, Chapin’s flycatcher, Blue-headed Sunbird, Regal Sunbird, Rwenzori double-collared sunbird, Purple-breasted sunbird, Dusky Crimsonwing, Red-Faced Woodland Warbler, Grey Cuckooshrike, Mountain Illadopsis, Mountain Greenbul, Red-chested flufftail, Cinnamon-chested bee-eater and Chubb’s cisticola, plus much more. Retire from the activity in the afternoon drive to Buhoma, birding along the neck.
The highlight of the day: Encountering the rare and beautiful African Broadbill.
Accommodation:
Luxury/Upmarket: Gorilla Forest Camp/Buhoma Lodge/Mahogany Springs
Midrange/Standard: Haven Lodge Buhoma/Silverback Lodge
Budget/Basic: Buhoma Community Rest Camp
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive Distance & time: –
Activities & services of the day:
Optional activities you can choose to do on this day include:
After an early breakfast at around 7.00 am, we’ll transfer to the forest following the waterfall trail for birding. Special bird species to look for include Bar-tailed Trogon, Black Bee-eater, Handsome francolin, Olive long-tailed cuckoo, Dusky tit, Northern Double-collared Sunbird, Abyssinian/Kivu Ground Thrush, Banded Prinia, Grauer’s swamp Warbler, White-bellied Robin-chat, Equatorial akalat, Grey-chested iladopsis, Red-throated alethe, White-bellied crested flycatcher, White-eyed slaty flycatcher, the enigmatic Chapin’s flycatcher, White-browed crombec, Neumann’s warbler, Black-faced Prinia, Jameson’s ant pecker, Black-faced rufous warbler, Willcock’s honeyguide, black-billed weaver, magpie mannikin and newly described Willard’s sooty boubou.
Key your eyes at the snags and canopy contours for sooty flycatchers and forest starlings—including Waller’s, Stuhlmann’s, and narrow-tailed. Other wildlife that we may be fortunate enough to find includes Black-and-white colobus, L’Hoest’s, and blue- and red-tailed monkeys. We will either have a packed lunch somewhere in the forest today or return to the lodge for lunch and a siesta before birding in the afternoon again. We’ll retire from the activity for a relaxation dinner and overnight.
From the activity, we’ll have our lunch and then transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park, 160 km, about a 7-hour’ drive.
The highlight of the day: Birding in the Buhoma sector of Bwindi for a chance to see several Albertine Rift endemic bird species.
Accommodation:
Luxury/Upmarket: Mweya Safari Lodge/Mazike Valley Lodge/Katara Lodge
Midrange/Standard: Enganzi Game Lodge/Bush Lodge/Kasenyi Safari Camp
Budget/Basic: Pumba Safari Cottages/Park View Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive Distance & time: Approx. 160 km, about 7 hours
Activities & services of the day:
Optional activities you can choose to do on this day include:
We’ll have our breakfast at around 7 a.m. and embark on a 3- to 4-hour game viewing and birding encounter in the varied habitats of Queen Elizabeth National Park. The birding encounter can be conducted in either Mweya Peninsula, the environs of Lake Kikorongo, the savannah plains of Kasenyi, the Katunguru bridge Area among other areas.
Queen Elizabeth National Park exposes you to birds like Temminck’s Courser, Rüppell’s Griffon, Martial Eagle, White Headed, Lappet Faced Vultures, Blue Quail, Harlequin Quail, Small (Common) Buttonquail, African Crake, African Skimmer, Black Headed Gonolek, Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Amur Falcon, Lowland Akalat, Ovambo Sparrowhawk, Greater and Lesser Flamingo, among others. The sights of wildlife like elephants, buffaloes, spotted hyenas, side-striped jackals, and Antelopes among others, may not be missed.
We retire from the activity for lunch. In the afternoon, we will embark on a stunning 2-hour birding boat cruise along the 40km long Kazinga Channel, which connects lakes Edward and George. Highlights of the voyage include our close (and safe) approach to African buffalo, Elephants, Hippos, and Crocodiles. We’ll see several fantastic waterbirds such as African Open-billed, Yellow-billed, Saddle-billed and Marabou Storks, African spoonbill, Glossy Ibis, Wattled Lapwing, Water Thick-knee, and Pelicans. We’ll return to the lodge for relaxation dinner and overnight.
The highlight of the day: The birding boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel.
Accommodation:
Luxury/Upmarket: Mweya Safari Lodge/Mazike Valley Lodge/Katara Lodge
Midrange/Standard: Enganzi Game Lodge/Bush Lodge/Kasenyi Safari Camp
Budget/Basic: Pumba Safari Cottages/Park View Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive Distance & time: 157km or 3 hours
Activities & services of the day:
Optional activities you can choose to do on this day include:
This day of our fantastic 8-day Uganda birding safari starts with an early morning breakfast, after which we transfer to the Kanyanchu area for a wonderful birding experience. We’ll have a chance to encounter the very secretive Green-breasted Pitta, one of Africa’s ultimate avian prizes. As the pittas tend to display most reliably at sunrise, we’ll be out well before first light (at around 7.00 am) to position ourselves in a known and active territory.
As we search for these gorgeous birds, we’ll encounter a host of other birds, including African pitta, African grey parrots, Afep pigeon, Great blue turaco, Abyssinian ground thrush, Black bee-eater, Black-capped Apalis, Black-eared ground thrush, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Blue-headed bee-eater, Crowned eagle, Dusky Crimsonwing, Little greenbul, Masked Apalis, Purple-breasted sunbird, Red-faced woodland warbler, Ruwenzori Apalis, Scaly-breasted illadopsis, Western nicator, White-naped pigeon and Yellow-rumped tinkerbird. You will also have opportunities to see a variety of primates, including Uganda red colobus, the rare’ L’Hoest’s monkey, Black-and-white colobus, Red-tailed monkeys, Blue monkeys, Grey-cheeked mangabeys, Olive baboon, Bushbabies, and Pottos.
After our birding encounter in Kibale, we have a picnic lunch in the forest and in the afternoon we go birding in the nearby community-run Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, where a wide selection of new birds is on offer, including White-spotted Flufftail, Joyful Greenbul, Red-headed Bluebill, Speckle-breasted Woodpecker, Black Bishop, Shining-blue Kingfisher, Yellow-billed Barbet, Orange-tufted Sunbird, and Black-crowned Waxbill. Other birds at Kibale could include Cassin’s Flycatcher, Red-headed Malimbe, and Sabine’s Spinetail. We settle for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
The highlight of the day: Encountering several special bird species in Kibale, such as the Green-breasted pitta.
Accommodation:
Luxury/Upmarket: Crater Safari Lodge/Kyaninga Lodge/Primate Lodge Kibale
Midrange/Standard: Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse/Kibale Forest Camp/Turaco Tree Tops
Budget/Basic: Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse/Kibale Forest Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activities & services of the day:
Optional activities you can choose to do on this day include:
After breakfast, set off for the transfer to Entebbe, 366 km, about a 7-hour’ drive, making a short birding stop at Sebitoli—an extension of Kibale Forest en route.
The highlight of the day: – Birding in Sebitoli sector
Meal Plan: – Breakfast & Lunch
Activities & services of the day:
Cate
Samuel
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