This 10 Day Uganda Birding Safari Tour takes you through some of the best birding sites in the country. For example Bwindi impenetrable National park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, and the famous Mabamba swamp. Expect encounters with rare and endemic birds. For example the Shoebill stork, vibrant Green-breasted Pitta, and other Albertine Rift endemics. This program will provide you with a fantastic birding experience without downplaying the incredible landscape and wildlife of Uganda. Uganda is a world-class birding destination with over 1000species of birds. These are scattered across different ecosystems, from wetlands and savannahs to dense tropical rainforests.
Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe for the 10 Day Uganda Birding Safari Tour
Your 10 Day Uganda Birding Safari Tour begins at Entebbe International Airport. Our professional driver guide will pick you up and transfer you to your Hotel. After check-in at your hotel, there will be a small amount of time to freshen up before experiencing an afternoon’s birding adventure. The Botanical Gardens close to Entebbe, which boasts a lake-side setting on the shores of Lake Victoria, offer a wonderful platform for an introduction to Uganda’s avifauna. The gardens feature a variety of open woodland, woodland patches, and lakeside habitats, making them ideal for observing birds. When strolling through the gardens, take note of the African Grey parrot, Great Blue Turaco, woodland Kingfisher and palm-nut vulture. Some other birds commonly observed are the Black and white Casqued Hornbill, Eastern plantain-eater, and Olive-bellied Sunbird.
Having enjoyed a fulfilling birding experience, one can walk to the Lake Victoria shores in order to sight water birds including the Spur-winged lapwing, African Open bill, and Pied Kingfisher. Depending on time, you also get a chance to sight the resident colony of fruits bats and velvet monkeys within the gardens. Later in the evening, return to your hotel for well-deserved rest. Your guide will brief you on the itinerary for the following day before you dine and retire for the night.
Meal plan; lunch and dinner
Accommodation: Protea Hotel Entebbe (luxury), 2 Friends Beach Hotel (midrange), Airport Guest House (budget)
Day 2: Birding in Mabamba Swamp
Your second day of the 10 Day Uganda Birding Safari Tour begins early with transportation to Mabamba Swamp after your breakfast. The swamp is the most significant birding destination, on the northern edge of Lake Victoria. Mabamba is a large wetland made up of papyrus and lily covered waterways that contain the exclusive shoebill stork, one of Africa’s most highly prized birds. You will go canoeing guiding by a seasoned local guide, upon arrival.
Gliding down these narrow watercourses, you shall keep an open eye out for the Shoebill stock, often seen standing motionless before it captures its prey. Paired with this prehistoric –like bird, you can also see a number of wetland species such as Malachite Kingfisher, papyrus Gonelek, African Jacana, Blue-breasted bee-eater, and African Pygmy Goose. The swamp is also a prime ground for Lesser Jacana, white-faced whistling duck, and long toed lapwing.
Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park
With an exciting morning of birding, you will head back to the mainland for an afternoon break before a stunning drive to Lake Mburo National Park. The journey is suitable for en-route stopping for birding to view species like the lizard buzzard, grey-crowned crane, and also the shy white headed Barbet.
Upon arrival at Lake Mburo National Park, you will be checked into your lodge prior to going for an evening birding tour. The park’s acacia dotted savannah and rolling hills provide a perfect habitant for birds like the Red-faced Barbet, created francolin, and spot-flanked Barbet and Green wood Hoopoe. In the night, you will return to your lodge for supper and a pre-brief of the activities of the following day before going to bed.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Mihingo lodge (luxury), Rwakobo Rock lodge (midrange), Mburo Eagle’s Nest (budget)
Day 3: Full day Safari in Lake Mburo National Park – 10 Day Uganda Birding Safari Tour
Your day begins with an early morning drive in Lake Mburo National Park woodlands and grassland mosaic accommodates a variety of birds, including the red-faced Barbet, white-headed Barbet, brown-chested lapwing and coqui francolin. You will also spot mammals such as zebras, elands, and impals.
In the afternoon, you will have a boat cruise, where you will get chance to spot the shy African Fin foot, white-backed Night heron, and Malachite kingfisher. Hippos and crocodiles are also often seen. In the evening, guided night walk in search of nocturnal birds such as the verreaux’s eagle-owl, black-shouldered nightjar and the African scoops owl.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodations: Mihingo lodge (luxury), Rwakobo Rock lodge (midrange), Mburo Eagle’s Nest (budget)
Day 4: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable national park
Depart early morning for an exhilarating birding safari to Bwindi Impenetrable forest, a UNESCO World Heritage site located in the southwest Uganda. The Uganda trip will be over picturesque landforms with chances of sighting various bird species along the way. During the trip to Bwindi, keep an eye out for lizard buzzard, African harrier-hawk, Ross’s turaco. Upon arrival in the Buhoma area of Bwindi impenetrable National Park, take a short birding walk to explore the surrounding grasslands and forests. This evening walk to explore the surrounding grasslands and forests. This evening walk gives you chance to spot the African Broadbill, white-tailed blue flycatcher and MacKinnon’s shrike before you have an overnight stay at one of the lodges in Bwindi National Park where you will have dinner and relaxation.
Meal plan: breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla lodge (luxury), ichumbi lodge (mid-range), chameleon Hill lodge (budget)
Day 5: Birding in Bwindi (Buhoma sector) – 10 Day Uganda Birding Safari Tour
Bwindi impenetrable national park is one of Uganda’s richest regions, and the Buhoma sector is particularly renowned for its thick avifauna. A birding day in Buhoma presents opportunities to observe some of Uganda’s mot valued bird species such as the African Green Broadbill, black bee-eater, many –colored bush-shrike, and handsome francolin. Also, there opportunities of spotting mountain gorillas on the trek, so today will be a thrilling mix of birding and primate tracking. The forest, with its varied altitude and vegetation, is a good birding experience. After a hectic day, the overnight will be back at the lodge.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla lodge (luxury), ichumbi lodge (mid-range), chameleon Hill lodge (budget)
Day 6: Transfer to Ruhija sector (Bwindi)
Following an early breakfast, your 6th day of the safari will kick off with a morning birding experience along “the neck”, a forest corridor that links Buhoma to Ruhija and is only a mile wide. This transition zone is a great birding spot because of the transitional habitant. Some of the bird species to look out for along the corridor include the bar-tailed trogon, a majestic bird with its bright red and green plumage, the Dusky twin spot, a shy finch-like bird that can be caught sight of trees. The transfer continues to Ruhija, a high altitude section of Bwindi, where the afternoon is spent birding in the montane forest.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla lodge (luxury), ichumbi lodge (mid-range), chameleon Hill lodge (budget)
Day 7: Mubwindi Swamp birding (Ruhija sector) – 10 Day Uganda Birding Safari Tour
This day entails an exciting full day trek to Mubwindi swamp, which is the most famous birding destinations in Bwindi. The swamp is home to some of the rarest and most localized birds in the Albertine rift. The walk to the swamp is scenic, with spectacular visitas over the Albertine rift valley. Grader’s Rush warbler, an endangered bird, is a highlight of this area. The Dwarf honeyguide, an elusive species dependent on beehives, and the stripe-breasted Tit, which can commonly be seen foraging in mixed groups, are also a target sighting. After productive day of birding, the evening is spent resting in Ruhija reflecting on the amazing species encountered.
Meal plan; Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation. Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla lodge (luxury), ichumbi lodge (mid-range), chameleon Hill lodge (budget)
Day 8: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
We will have an early morning transfer after your breakfast that will take birders from the montane rain forest of Bwindi Impenetrable forest National Park to the savannah country of Queen Elizabeth National park. Birding is done along the way in the Ishasha sector, an area famously known for its tree-climbing lions and prolific birdlife. Some of the common bird species observed include the white-winged tem, collared pratincole, Grey-headed Gull, African Wattle Lapwing, African skimmer and white-backed vulture. The Ishasha regions offers an exciting experience of observing tree-climbing lions resting in fig trees. The ride here provides sightings of raptors such as Bateleurs and Lappet-faced vultures, open country birds such as Senegal Lapwings and African Cuckoo-Hawks, before retiring to your lodge for your lunch and relaxation.
After tour refreshments, you will set out for an afternoon boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel, a perfect place to out for water birds. The African Skimmer, with its unusual feeding behavior, can be observed gliding above the water. Grey-headed Gulls and White-winged terns add to the richness of sightings. Hippos, Nile crocodiles and elephants are also spotted along the shores, making for an unforgettable wildlife experience. You will retire the evening back to the lodge, where you will have dinner and rest as you prepare for the next day adventure.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation: Ishasha wilderness camp (luxury), Kyambura gorge lodge (midrange), bush lodge (budget)
Day 9: Birding in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Birding and a game drive in the Kasenyi Plains are done the morning, a wide savannah terrain that is teeming with birds and wildlife where the marital Eagle, temminck’s course, Black-rumpled Buttonquail, Black-crowned tchagra, Rufous-napped Lark, and the yellow-throats Long claw among many others are spotted.
The Kasenyi plains are also home to vast herds of Uganda kobs, buffalos, and warthogs. Therefore providing enough prey for the lions and leopards and a touch of spices to your safari. Late morning to afternoon of the next day after your lunch, the birding will be taken out to Maramagambo forest. This is a mature tropical forest with specialists such as Narnia Trogon, yellow-billed barbet, and forest Robin. Baboons and chimpanzees might also be met along trails as you transfer to Kibale National Park.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation: Ishasha wilderness camp (luxury), Kyambura gorge lodge (midrange), bush lodge (budget)
Day 10: Birding in Kibale Forest and Departure.
You final day of the tour will start with a delicious Breakfast. And then followed by a short birding excursion in Kibale National Park. It is one of the best places to go birding In Uganda, with its rich forest birdlife as well as primate fauna. Kibale is also one of the best birding and primate places in Uganda. Additionally, it is home to more than 375 bird species and the highest primate density in East Africa. The park’s wet evergreen and semi-deciduous forest is an excellent habitant for broad range of avifauna. The forest trails in Kibale offer perfect opportunities to spot the elusive Green-breasted Pitta. Which is one of the most sought-after species by birders. The Blue-Breasted Kingfisher and Narnia Trogon add splashes of color to the dense canopy.
Other birds of note include the African Grey parrot, western Nicator, Dusky long-tailed Cuckoo, and Brown-chested Alethe. Aside from birdwatching, Kibale is a primate paradise with 13 species being recorded. It varies from chimpanzees to L’Hoest’s monkeys, red colobus, and black and white colobus monkeys. Forest elephants and bushbucks could be spotted rarely along the track. In about mid-morning, the journey back to Entebbe will begin after taking your lunch. Hence marking the conclusion of an exciting birding tour. This itinerary has provided the conclusion of this exciting birding tour.
Meal plan: Breakfast, and lunch
Package includes
- Transportation
- Accommodation for 9 nights on Full board
- Entry fees.
- All activities
- Meals and packed drinking water
- An English speaking guide
- Airport pickups and drop offs.
Package excludes
- Flights
- Visas.