Overview
Explore and experience numerous IBAs (Important Bird Areas) in Uganda on 15 days birding safari and stand a chance to discover interesting birds. From savanna to aquatic birdlife, this birding expedition is a big deal. Visit Mabamba Wetland, Kibale, Semuliki, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, Murchison Falls National Park and more for great birding safari in Uganda.
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Pick up at Entebbe Airport for your birding expedition in Uganda
Meet your driver at Entebbe Airport and he will take you through what 15 days birding Uganda safari is all about, then drop off at the hotel in Entebbe for relaxation. Dine and have an overnight stay at pre-booked lodge/hotel.
Day 2: Shoebill stork expedition at Mabamba Bay/Wetland
Take a canoe/boat for about half day searching for shoebill stork in Mabamba Bay plus several other birds. These include African marsh harriers, pygmy goose, white backed ducks, rufous bellied heron, etc, after proceed to Budongo Forest via Luweero-Masindi route.
Day 3: Birding at Royal Mile
Have memorable bird sight in Budongo Forest with the Royal Mile being your birding spot. The expected birds to sight include grey headed olive back, rufous crowned eremomela, chocolate backed kingfishers, Nahan’s francolin, spotted greenbul, red winged pytilia, foxy cisticola, Namaqua dove, Ituri batis, brown rumped buntings and more. After, transfer to your accommodation in the Northern section of Murchison Falls with visit to the top of the falls first.
Day 4: Game drive + birding & boat cruise for aquatic bird sighting -Murchison Falls
After breakfast, board a 4x4 vehicle and you will be driven through the Northern game tracks to sight some of amazing birds that make Murchison Falls National Park a home to over 451 bird species. Some large and small mammals will also be spotted including the Rothschild giraffes, buffaloes, elephants, lions, leopards, warthogs, antelopes and more. Retreat after 2-3 hours of birding combined with game viewing, have lunch and later, go for boat cruise along the Kazinga channel and here, your sightings include aquatic birds, animals such as hippos, crocodiles, etc.
Day 5: Kibale National Park trip with lunch at Gardens Restaurant- Fort Portal
Have breakfast, after meet your driver well-prepared for 7-8 hours’ drive to Kibale National Park. The expected towns to drive through include Hoima, Fort Portal (where lunch will be had) and you proceed to check in at your lodge. Kibale spreads up to 795sq.kms of land area in Kabarole district, Western Uganda and holds over 375 bird species.
Day 6: Green breasted pitta tour Kibale
Breakfast early and meet the park guide for briefing, then embark on a search for the African green breasted pitta in Kibale Forest for a long day. As you walk through the forest, lots of other species such as primates will be spotted plus other birds like chestnut winged starlings, red chested owlet, brown and scaly illadopsis, African wood owl, superb black bee-eaters, etc. Return and lunch will be provided at the lodge then drive to Semuliki National Park.
Day 7: Semuliki National Park bird watching
A long day birding expedition in Semuliki starts early, taking the Kirumia trail. Over 441 bird species make Semuliki an Important Bird Area and they include most of the Congo Forest species. Your bird sightings will include the Ituri batis, red billed dwarf hornbill, western bronze napped pigeon, capuchin babbler, long tailed hawk, maxwell’s black weaver, eagles and more.
Day 8: Queen Elizabeth NP with afternoon boat cruise
Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park expecting to enjoy bird watching at the Crater Lake area. The birds to sight in the Craters include Sabine’s spinetail, joyful greenbul, giant kingfishers, ross’s turacos, etc. Transfer to your lodge and relax, have lunch then proceed for 2 hours of launch cruise on Kazinga channel 40kms channel that connects Lake Edward and Lake George. Lots of aquatic birdlife will be at your display plus hippos, crocodiles, etc.
Day 9: Game drive + birding & drive to Ishasha sector
Exit the lodge before the sun rises, after drive through Kasenyi Plains expecting lots of birds including bustards, slender billed weaver, grey headed kingfishers, martial eagle, rufous napped, scaly francolin, bateleur etc. In addition, you will come across a range of antelopes, elephants, buffaloes, hyenas and more. You will transfer to Ishasha in the afternoon and this area is popular for tree climbing lion watching, birding etc.
Day 10: Ishasha birding, drive to Bwindi
Visit the Ishasha swamp for birding, a rich area with incredible birds such as shoebill stork, martial eagle, lappet faced vulture, etc. Settle for lunch at the lodge and proceed to Buhoma sector for overnight stay.
Day 11: Buhoma trailhead birding, Bwindi
Leave early for Buhoma trailhead briefing before you set foot in the forest for birding tour. The long day birding in Buhoma comes with amazing sightings of birds such as Kivu ground thrush, Chapins flycatchers, Willard’s sooty boubou, Neumann’s warblers, dusky blue flycatcher, black faced rufous warblers, Cassin’s grey flycatchers, etc.
Day 12: Mubwindi birding expedition
Head to the Eastern trailhead -Ruhija sector for birding and expect to come across lots of Albertine endemic species such as grauer’s rush warblers, regal sunbird, Rwenzori batis, African green broadbill, white browed crombec, black billed turacos, blue headed sunbird, dusky crimson wing and more.
Day 13: Lake Mburo National Park
After breakfast, leave Ruhija sector of Bwindi for 6 hours’ drive to Lake Mburo National Park. As you exit, enjoy sight of some birds and lunch will be had en-route to Mburo National Park a home to 350 bird species -resident, migratory and aquatic birds.
Day 14: Full day Lake Mburo birding
Wake up early and set off for woodland acacia birding expedition in Lake Mburo National Park. Expect to see birds such as red headed weavers, cuckoo shrikes, crested barbet, bearded wood pecker, red faced barbet, tabora cisticola, pearl spotted owlet, Sulphur breasted bush shrike, etc. In the afternoon, you have boat cruise combined with birding to sight aquatic birds and other species.
Day 15: Departure
Leave the lodge with pack of lunch and drive through Lake Mburo for more bird sightings early morning and also keep an eye on early risers. After, drive back to Kampala/Entebbe and it marks the end of 15 days birding Uganda safari.
