22-Day Uganda Bird Watching Tour

Overview

This tour will give a chance to see more than 500 bird species and over 50 Mammal species, including elephants, zebras, lions, leopard, cheetah, hippo, crocodile etc. The tour covers a multitude of habitats from lush rain-forests, wild savannas, dry acacia forests, to wetlands some with papyrus reed beds and others with open water - the case of Lake Bisina which is a renowned location of Uganda’s only endemic bird; the Fox’s Weaver.

Important to know

• This tour can't be booked by solo travelers.
• This group tour requires a minimum of 2 people to run.
• Rates are per person and exclude the international flight from/to your home country.

Rates per person - Must be paid in United States Dollar (USD)

*n/a = not available. This tour can't be booked by solo travelers

Included

• Park fees (for non-residents)
• All activities (unless labeled as optional)
• Meals (as specified in the day-by-day section)
• All accommodation (unless listed as upgrade)
• Accommodation on the day before the tour departs
• Roundtrip airport transfer
• A professional driver/guide
• All transportation (unless labeled as optional)
• All Taxes/VAT

Excluded

• Government imposed increase of park fees and/or taxes
• Accommodation on the last day
• International flights (from/to home)
• Tips (tipping guideline US$10.00 pp per day)
• Personal items (souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
• Some meals (as specified in the day-by-day)
• Drinks

Itinerary details

Day 1: Arrivals at the Airport

Arrivals late this evening meet your driver and transfer to your nearby hotel in Entebbe for dinner and overnight stay. Early arrivals will give a chance to bird the nearby Entebbe Botanical Gardens (EBG).

EBG is a beautiful place situated on the northern shores of Lake Victoria, filled with colourful butterflies, birds and primates in an area of 40.7 ha. The gardens house a collection of species of plants of the tropical, sub-tropical and temperate zones, besides several shrubs and other plants which regenerated naturally over the years. The habitat has attracted a diverse array of birds – 206 species (both forest and shorebirds) and monkeys; Black and White Colobus and Vervet Monkeys.

The bird walk here is more leisurely and relaxed with an introduction to some Afro tropical species of birds.

• Main destination: Entebbe International Airport
• Accommodation: Lake Victoria ViewMid-range guest house located in or near Entebbe Airport
• Meals & drinks: Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included) Drinks not included

Day 2: Mabamba Wetland and Lake Mburo

We start early, check out our hotel and bird to Mabamba wetland in the morning and continue to Lake Mburo in the afternoon. On the way to Mabamba, we shall have numerous stops to look at some species that are normally encountered. While at the swamp, we shall aboard a canoe driving through a channel of lagoons into the marsh. We look out for the shoebill.
Besides the shoebill, there is a selection of common wetland species that we are likely to encounter here including, Lesser Jacana, African Jacana, Papyrus Gonolek, White-winged Warbler, Gull-billed Terns, White-winged Black Terns, Whiskered Terns, common moorhen, swamp flycatcher, Goliath and purple Herons, Spur-winged and Pygmy Geese, African snipe, blue-headed coucal, carruther’s cisticola, northern brown-throated weavers, winding cisticola, white-faced whistling ducks etc.
We shall be here till late morning hours; we continue to L. Mburo NP stopping over at the Equator for Lunch.

• Main destination: Mabamba Swamp
• Accommodation: Rwakobo RockMid-range cottage located in or near Mabamba Swamp
• Meals & drinks: All meals included Drinks not included

Day 3: Whole day birding in the park

Morning nature walk in the woods, afternoon boat ride and spend the rest of the day on a game drive. L. Mburo is the only wooded savannah only NP in Uganda where tourists enjoy freely grazing with wildlife on foot! Most sought-after species here include tabora cisticola, red-faced barbet, possibilities of the rare Crested Barbet which are only known in the remote north-eastern Tanzania, Rwanda and here, brown-chested lapwing, chinspot batis etc.
The boat ride merits for specials like the white-backed and black-crowned night herons, rufous-bellied heron, African Finfoot, African darter, water thicknee, kingfishers etc. You will also encounter pools of hippos, crocodiles, and buffalos.
Birding here is a delightful experience, with beautiful scenery and a markedly different fauna from other reserves. This is a great place to see game animals such as Eland, Zebra, Topi, Impala, and acacia-associated birds
Birding here is a delightful experience and with beautiful scenery.

• Main destination: Lake Mburo National Park
• Accommodation: Eagle's NestMid-range tented camp located outside Lake Mburo NP
• Meals & drinks: All meals included Drinks not included

Day 4: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest - Ruhiija Sector

Today, we shall check out our Camp, have an early morning breakfast and drive slowly as we bird on the way to the Ruhiija section of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. We may have lunch in Mbarara or Kabale depending on our pace and later continue to Ruhiija. Early arrivals will give a chance to bird along the main road. Our first encounter with the Albertine Rift Endemics begins here. Bwindi is generally at a higher altitude and therefore is cooler. Temperatures range between 10-18°C. Forest birding at Bwindi ranks the best in Uganda and Africa as well. It is home to 23 highly localized Albertine Rift Endemics.

• Main destination: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
• Accommodation: BroadbillMid-range tented camp bordering Bwindi NP without fences
• Meals & drinks: All meals included Drinks not included

Day 5: Birding in Ruhiija – Mubwindi Swamp

After breakfast, we shall carry our picnic lunch and head for a whole day birding following the famous trail through the forest up to Mubwindi Swamp. The 4km trail to Mubwindi Swamp drops from 2350m to 2050m ASL and is the best place for some of the most difficult to find of all the Albertine Rift Endemics including; the rare and localized Grauer's Rush Warbler, African Green Broadbill, the beautiful Regal Sunbird, and Archer's Robin Chat. Mubwindi Swamp trail is home to Dwarf Honeyguide, Stripe-breasted Tit, Rwenzori Apalis and African / Rwenzori Hill Babbler, and Carruthers' Cisticola.
Other key species here include Fraser's Eagle-Owl, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Blue-headed Sunbird, Eastern Mountain-Greenbul, Strange Weaver, Black-headed Waxbill, Bar-tailed Trogon, White-headed Wood-hoopoe, Waller's Starling, Stuhlmann's Starling, Ludher's Bush-shrike, Handsome Francolin, Montane Oriole and Montane Nightjar.

• Main destination: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
• Accommodation: BroadbillMid-range tented camp bordering Bwindi NP without fences
• Meals & drinks: All meals included Drinks not included

Day 6: Ruhiija ‘NECK’ birding and transfer to Buhoma

We shall travel to Buhoma sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park while birding on the way – we do the popular “NECK” birding in the morning. The neck is a relatively narrow stretch separating the two sections of the Bwindi Impenetrable forest. It is characterized by riverine forest vegetation.
Some of the species we are likely to see here include; Mountain Wagtail, Red-tailed and Shelley's Greenbul, Cassin's Flycatcher, Black Duck, Banded Prinia, Grey-throated Barbet, Common Buzzard, Black-billed Turaco, Fine-banded Woodpecker, Dwarf Honeyguide, Red-tailed Greenbul, Black Bee-eater and Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Many-coloured Bush-shrike, Ayres's Hawk-eagle, Bronze-naped Pigeon, Honeyguide Greenbul, Red-throated Alethe, Gray Apalis, African Shrike-flycatcher, Red-headed Malimbe, Dusky Twinspot etc.
Today we shall carry picnic lunch. We arrive at Buhoma late this afternoon. Dinner at Buhoma Community Camp.

• Main destination: Buhoma
• Accommodation: Buhoma CommunityBudget tented camp located in or near Buhoma
• Meals & drinks: All meals included Drinks not included

Day 7: Birding or Gorilla Tracking at Buhoma

For those who chose to do the optional Gorilla trek, we set off early after breakfast, carry packed lunch and gather at the park headquarters for briefing prior to the activity. Trekking up the hillside to view a family of gorillas nestled in casual, frolicking play is a fascinating, once-in-a-lifetime experience.
For the others we start birdwatching early after breakfast, carry picnic lunch and begin a whole day birding along the main trail at Buhoma.
Key species here include Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Black-faced Apalis, Black-throated Apalis, Mountain Masked Apalis, Red-throated Alethe, Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Ashy Flycatcher, Dusky-blue Flycatcher, Chapin's Flycatcher, Chin-spot Batis, Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher, Dusky Tit, Blue-throated Brown Sunbird, Northern Double-collared
Sunbird, Sooty Boubou, and Pink-footed Puffback.

• Main destination: Buhoma
• Accommodation: Buhoma CommunityBudget tented camp located in or near Buhoma
• Meals & drinks: All meals included Drinks not included

Day 8: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Start early after breakfast for Queen Elizabeth National Park. This is a rather long journey that may take most of our time this day. We shall have a few stops for stretching legs, to have our packed lunch and birding on the way. We drive through Ishasha section famed for its tree climbing lions. Some likely encounters include red-collared, white-winged widow birds, white-headed barbets, and stout cisticola. We arrive late this evening at our camp.

• Main destination: Queen Elizabeth National Park
• Accommodation: Dave The CaveBudget cottage located just outside Queen Elizabeth NP
• Meals & drinks: All meals included Drinks not included

Day 9: Birding in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Start early this morning after breakfast, we carry our lunch packs and drive for about 20min to the park. We do birding drive in the Savannah area for the whole morning; and in the
afternoon, we go for a birding Launch Cruise along the famous Kazinga Channel. Kazinga Channel is a narrow neck of water body connecting lakes Edward and George.
Following one of the numerous trails in the park on a game / birding drive will produce interesting sightings of such species as Harlequin Quail, Blue Quail, Small (Common)
Buttonquail, African Crake, Martial Eagle, Stout Cisticola, Black-crowned Tchagra, Trilling Cisticola, Speckle-breasted woodpecker, African Skimmer, Verreaux's Eagle-Owl, Pallid and Montagu’s Harriers, African crake, marsh tchagra, black coucal etc.
Our Kazinga Channel launch cruise is the most luxurious in the region; plying these waters with comfort, elegance and attentive service, affording superb wildlife viewing from your
observation deck, is far much re-assuring!

• Main destination: Queen Elizabeth National Park
• Accommodation: Dave The CaveBudget cottage located just outside Queen Elizabeth NP
• Meals & drinks: All meals included Drinks not included

Day 10: Travel to Fort - Portal while birding on the way

After and early morning breakfast we check out lodge and travel to Fort-Portal. This afternoon we spend some time birding along the craters in fort-Portal Nyakasura Hills. The hills are famous for the singing cisticola. Along Lake Kigere, we look out for the Great-crested Grebe.

• Main destination: Fort Portal
• Accommodation: DutchessMid-range guest house located in or near Fort Portal
• Meals & drinks: Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included) Drinks not included

Day 11: Birding in Semliki National Park along the famous Kirumia trail

We drive for about 1.5 hrs to the park.
Semliki forest is one of the richest for lowland forest birds in Uganda and marks the eastern extension of the great Ituri Forest. A large number of Guinea-Congo biome species reach their eastern limits here.
We shall start at dawn after an early breakfast and set off with our packed lunch. We spend the whole day bird watching the Kirumia trail or any other part of the forest depending
on the reliable information from our site guides. Key species include Red-billed, Black-
wattled, Black-billed and White-crested Hornbills, African Piculet, Zenkel Honey-guide,
Black-chested Cuckoo, Red-rumped Tinkerbird, Rufous-sided Broadbill, Nkurengu Rail, White-bellied, Dwarf, and Pygmy Kingfishers, Piping, White-thighed, and African Pied Hornbills, Fire-crested Alethe, Red-bellied and Blue-billed Malimbe, Swamp Palm Bulbul, Lowland Akalat, Forest Scrub Robin, Green-tailed Bristlebill, Leaf Love, Chestnut-breasted Negrofinches, Black-winged Oriole, etc.

• Main destination: Semuliki National Park
• Accommodation: DutchessMid-range guest house
• Meals & drinks: All meals included Drinks not included

Day 12: Birding to Kibale Forest National park

We start early after an early morning breakfast, check out the hotel, and bird on the way up to Kibale Forest. We shall check in our lodge shortly before lunch, bird around the lodge premises or have siesta.

This afternoon we bird in the Bigodi Papyrus Swamp. Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary is a community owned and managed nature reserve. A 4km trail has been created in the wetland adjacent to the forest. The habitat here consists of a swamp surrounded by low, scrubby secondary forest and cultivation. Key species include among others; White-spotted flufftail, Green-backed Twinspot, Cabanis's and Joyful Greenbuls, Scaly-breasted Illadopsis, Olive-green Camaroptera, White-collared oliveback, white-winged warbler, white-chinned Prinia, Blue-shouldered Robinchat, Lesser honeyguide, Uganda Spotted and speckle-breasted Woodpeckers, White-tailed Ant-thrush, Red-capped Robin Chat, Rufous Flycatcher-Thrush, Great Sparrow-hawk, Red-headed Bluebill, and Luhdher's Bush Shrike.

• Main destination: Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary
• Accommodation: Chimpanzee ForestMid-range guest house
• Meals & drinks: All meals included Drinks not included

Day 13: Morning birding in the Forest and afternoon Chimp tracking

Kibale is an extensive National Park, protecting a large block of rainforest that offers excellent birding with 335 species recorded. Kibale protects a remarkable 13 primate species, including the very localized Red Colobus and L'Hoest's Monkey, Galagos, Blue monkey, Black and White Colobus, Red-tailed and Vervet Monkey.

After an early morning breakfast, carry our picnic lunch and make very early start for the forest. Our target today should be among many other species, the most sought-after bird; the Green-breasted Pitta. Today we should also be treated to the numerous treasures of this forest, to mention but a few; African Crowned Eagle, Afep Pigeon, Red-winged Francolin, Black-billed Turaco, Narina Trogon, Black Bee-eater, White-headed Wood Hoopoe, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, African Pitta, Grey-winged Robin-chat, African Broadbill, Willcock's, Scaly- throated & Thick-billed Honeyguides.

• Main destination: Kibale Forest National Park
• Accommodation: Chimpanzee ForestMid-range guest house
• Meals & drinks: All meals included Drinks not included

Day 14: Travel to Masindi Town

We wake up this morning; have breakfast and set off for the Budongo area. This is another long journey on a dirt road that may take the whole day with chances of birding on the way. Stopovers will be done at strategic points to provide opportunities for birding, stretching legs and enjoying our picnic lunch. Arrival in Masindi will be late this evening.

• Main destination: Masindi
• Accommodation: Kolping MasindiMid-range hotel located in or near Masindi
• Meals & drinks: All meals included Drinks not included

Day 15: Birding in Budongo Forest Reserve along the celebrated “Royal Mile”

We shall have an early morning breakfast, carry picnic lunch and drive to one of “Uganda's bird watching hotspots”, the Royal Mile. This is the Uganda's historically known leisure spot for the traditional King of Bunyoro, hence the name “Royal”. This forest comprises of very huge mahogany trees. Here the forest has been cut back a few meters along the sides of the main trail providing an excellent viewing area. Birds cavort and skulk in the canopy and in the under-storey – most of these being the most challenging Allethes, illadopses and Greenbuls.

Key species include; African dwarf and Chocolate-backed kingfisher, Yellow and grey Long bills, Olive-bellied Crombec, Brown-eared Woodpecker, Crowned Eagle, Forest Flycatcher, Yellow-browed Camaropera, African Emerald Cuckoo, Yellow-mantled Weaver, yellow-browed Camaroptera, Green Crombec, Crested and Red-headed Malimbe, red-headed bluebill, White-thighed hornbill, Yellow-spotted and Yellow-billed Barbets, Sabine's and Cassin's Spinetail.

• Main destination: Budongo Forest Reserve
• Accommodation: Kolping MasindiMid-range hotel
• Meals & drinks: All meals included Drinks not included

Day 16: Birding in Murchison Falls National Park

This day we shall have an early morning breakfast, check out the lodge and transfer to Murchison Falls National Park as we bird on the way through the park up to the top of the falls. Lunch will be at our lodge. This afternoon, we shall do a launch cruise along the Nile River up to the bottom of the falls

This is Uganda's largest National Conservation area and it is famous for its big game, spectacular scenery and the falls for which the park was named. Abundant Hippos, Crocodiles, Elephant, Buffalo, Uganda Kob and Waterbuck can be seen along with occasional Lions, Leopard and Patas Monkeys.

Amongst a huge variety of widespread African bird species in the wetlands and various dry savanna and open woodland habitats are more special birds: Stanley's Bustard, Saddle-billed Stork, Rock Pratincole, Little Sparrowhawk, Bruce’s Green-Pigeon, Red-necked Falcon, Senegal Thick-knee, Long-toed Plover, Blue-headed Coucal, White-crested Turaco, Heuglin's Francolin, & Abyssinian Ground Horn bill.

• Main destination: Murchison Falls National Park
• Accommodation: Murchison RiverMid-range tented camp located inside Murchison Falls NP
• Meals & drinks: All meals included Drinks not included

Day 17: Birding the northern sector of Murchison Falls National Park

Birding the Northern bank of the park and afternoon Launch cruise along the Nile River. After an early morning breakfast this day, we check out this camp, carry packed lunch and cross the Nile for birding in the northern bank of the park. The northern part of the park provides prime wildlife viewing.

• Main destination: Murchison Falls National Park
• Accommodation: Fort MurchisonBudget tented camp located just outside Murchison Falls NP
• Meals & drinks: All meals included Drinks not included

Day 18: Travel to Kidepo Valley National Park

We start early after breakfast, check out here and embark on a rather long, teeth-jeering journey to the remote Karamoja area. Nestled in the extreme northeastern corner of Uganda, bordering with Sudan and Kenya, Kidepo Valley National Park is Uganda’s wildest and most spectacular conservation area. We shall have lunch in Soroti town and continue driving on the rough roads all the way to park.

• Main destination: Kidepo Valley National Park
• Accommodation: ApokaBudget banda located inside Kidepo Valley NP
• Meals & drinks: All meals included Drinks not included

Day 19: Game drive / birding in Kidepo Valley NP

The park is famed for protecting remarkable wildlife that is not represented in any other Ugandan protected area. Much of the flora and fauna in the park is typical of northern Kenya.
The birdlife is rich with a recorded bird list of 468. There over 60 bird species listed here and have not been recorded in any other Ugandan national Park. The park is outstanding for its birds of prey. Of 58 species recorded 14 are believed to be endemic to the region. Among those are Verreaux’s eagle, Egyptian vulture, lesser Kestrel and pygmy falcon. Other interesting species include birds like the karamoja apalis, kori bustard, red-billed hornbill, yellow-billed and Jackson’s hornbill, heuglin’s weaver, cut-throat finch, sand grouses etc. Various and unique antelopes like greater kudu, lesser kudu, Guenther’s dik-dik and mountain reedbuck are found nowhere else in Uganda. Primates like the localized Patas monkeys are abundant and five species have been recorded.

• Main destination: Kidepo Valley National Park
• Accommodation: ApokaBudget banda located inside Kidepo Valley NP
• Meals & drinks: All meals included Drinks not included

Day 20: Travel to Soroti

We shall check out Kidepo and drive to Soroti with some limited birding on the way. This is such a very long journey that may take most of our time in the day. The route we shall take will entirely depend on reliable information about the nature of the road.

• Main destination: Soroti
• Accommodation: SorotiMid-range hotel located in or near Soroti
• Meals & drinks: All meals included Drinks not included

Day 21: Birding in Awoja Wetland or Lake Bisina the whole morning

Today we shall start early, have breakfast and drive to Awoja swamp. We shall take a canoe on Lake Bisina or take a walk along Awoja Swamp or any other site along the Lake Kyoga basin depending on reliable information from our local site guides.

The special trip today is to look for Uganda’s only endemic, the Fox’s Weaver. Other species that may be of interest include; the Knob-billed Coot, lesser Jacana, Northern Brown-throated weaver, occasional shoebill, papyrus canary, white-winged warbler, papyrus gonolek, carruther’s cisticola, purple swamphen etc.

we have lunch in town and later transfer to Jinja town.

• Main destination: Lake Bisina
• Accommodation: Nile hotel Jinja. Mid-range hotel located in or near Lake Bisina
• Meals & drinks: All meals included Drinks not included

Day 22: Morning birding in Mabira Forest Reserve and afternoon transfer to Entebbe Airport for your flight

This is the only semi-deciduous tropical rainforest remaining in central Uganda protecting a big chunk of the lowland forest species. The forest is just 25km from Jinja Town.

Key species here include among others Nahan’s francolin, Cassin’s hawk eagle, Green tailed bristlebill, Grey longbill, Leaf love, Paradise flycatcher, Sooty boubou, sooty flycatcher, yellow-breasted, buff-throated and black-throated Apalis, Purple-throated cuckoo shrike, Red-headed bluebill, black-bellied seedcracker, speckle –breasted woodpecker, African blue Flycatcher and Grey-crowned Negrofinch, Forest Robin, Snowy-headed Robin-Chat, Grey-capped warbler, Black-and-white Flycatcher, Dusky Tit, common Wattle Eye, African emerald cuckoo, olive green camaroptera, tit hylia, western-violet backed sunbird, black and white shrike flycatcher, dusky blue flycatcher, Jameson’s wattle-eye, hairy-breasted barbet, dusky long-tailed and red-chested cuckoo, yellowbill, blue-shouldered robinchat etc.

• Main destination: Entebbe
• Accommodation: End of tour (no accommodation)
• Meals & drinks: Breakfast & lunch (Dinner not included) Drinks not included

End of tour