This 22 days UGANDA birding Safari Tour is will take you to the top birding destination of Uganda where you can get best opportunities to spot many bird species. These include Murchison Falls National Park together with Budongo forest, Kibale forest, semuliki national park, Queen Elizabeth national park and its Ishasha sector, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park , Mgahinga Gorilla National Park , Lake Mburo national park, Mabamba swamp known for its good sighting of the shoe bill stork, Mabira forest and the botanical gardens in the heart of Entebbe.
Highlights of 22 days Uganda birding Safari
- Birding walks in forests of Budongo, Semuliki national park, Kibale forest, Bwindi forest, Mgahinga national parks
- Boat rides in Mabamba swamp, on the Nile River in Murchison falls, Kazinga channel of Queen Elizabeth national park, and Lake Mburo national park.
- Birding and game drives in the savannas of Murchison falls national park, Queen Elizabeth national park with Ishasha sector known for its birds and rare tree climbing lions, and Lake Mburo national park.
- Gorilla tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable national park
- Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest national park
- Rhinoceros tracking in Ziwa Rhino sanctuary
Detailed itinerary for 22 Days Uganda birding Safari
Day 1-Arrival and transfer to the Hotel in either Kampala or Entebbe.
Upon arrival at Entebbe international Airport, your Uganda Birding Safari guide / driver will be there to receive you and transfer you to your Hotel for your overnight stay.
Day 2-Bird Mabamba Swamp and transfer to Lake Mburo national park
After breakfast, the guide will transfer you from your Hotel in Kampala and take you to mabamba swamp which is approximately 50 km west of Kampala city. The wetland is famous spot for a Shoebill stork and other birds, using a boat. You will look out for more bird species such as lesser jacana, white winged warbler, yellow backed weaver, swamp flycatcher, Blue headed coucal, Northern Brown throated weaver, African swamphen, African water rail, White faced whistling duck, Squacco heron, Blue breasted bee eater, Winding cisticola, Goliath heron, Black crake and many more. later you will transfer to lake Mburo national park for your overnight stay at LEOPARD REST CAMP/ RWAKOBO ROCK LODGE/ MIHINGO LODGE.
Day 3- Birding game drive and afternoon boat ride on Lake Mburo
Early morning after breakfast, head out for morning game drive in Lake mburo national Park and later in afternoon boat ride, Lake Mburo is special place for birding viewing and other wildlife species having different habitats for wild life like zebra, impalas, Tops Elands, buffalos are seen roaming around, Here the highlight is to look out for birds like, Green backed woodpecker, African fin foot, Brown chested plover, White winged warbler, Spot-flanked barbet, papyrus gonelek, Northern brown throated weaver, Red faced barbet special bird whose range is restricted to this area , Black collared barbet, southern ground hornbill, Black crowned night heron, White backed night heron, and little bittern, later we return back to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay at; LEOPARD REST CAMP/ RWAKOBO ROCK LODGE/ MIHINGO LODGE.
Day 4 – Drive to Kisoro Mgahinga national park
In the morning after breakfast, you will drive through different villages with stopover at any good spot for birding. We shall have lunch along the way and afterwards proceed to Kisoro town. This town will be our accommodation place because of being close to mgahinga national park. We stay here in preparation for the next birding at mgahinga national park. Dinner and overnight at; TRAVELERS REST HOTEL/ LAKE MULEHE SAFARI LODGE/ MOUNT GAHINGA LODGE
Day 5 – Uganda Birding Safari tour to Mgahinga national park.
After an early breakfast, you will head to Mgahinga national park, the Uganda’s smallest park located in the Virunga volcanoes mountain hosting variety of rare bird species and the sought after animal the mountain Gorilla. You will look out for birds such as Rwenzori turaco, Tambourine dove,and many more later you will return back to the lodge for your dinner and overnight stay at; TRAVELERS REST HOTEL/ LAKE MULEHE SAFARI LODGE/ MOUNT GAHINGA LODGE
Day 6 – Transfer to Ruhija area – Bwindi Forest national park en-route birding.
After your breakfast, you will transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park specifically in Ruhija eastern side of the park, this one of the best birding site around Bwindi with a lot of Albertine rift endemics including the rarest African green broadbill. You will do birding en-route and around the lodge in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight at; BROADBILL FOREST CAMP/ BAKIGA LODGE/ AGANDI UGANDA LODGE
Day 7 – Uganda Birding Safari Ruhija to Mubwindi swamp.
After your morning breakfast, the guide will take you for birding heading to Mubwindi swamp, target species here will be, Yellow eyed flycatcher, Ruwenzori batis, Grauer’s rush warbler, Grauer’s warbler, Black billed turacco, Chestnut throated apalis, Mountain illadopsis, Stripe breasted Tit, Montane sooty boubou, White tailed blue flycatcher, White headed wood hoopoe, Narina’s trogon, collared Apalis,Bar tailed Trogon, Handsome francolin, African green broadbill ,Ruwenzori hill barbler, Blue headed sunbird, Regal sunbird, and many more. Later you will head back to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay at; BROADBILL FOREST CAMP/ BAKIGA LODGE/ AGANDI UGANDA LODGE
Day 8 – Transfer to Buhoma with en route birding Bwindi forest.
In the morning after your breakfast, you will transfer to Buhoma which is the northern sector of Bwindi forest National park also rich for birdlife, you will do en route birding along the neck of the forest targeting species like, Black bee eaters, strange weaver, Magpie mankins, Tamborine dove, mountain wagtail, dusky twin spot, mountain masked Apalis, among others later check in to your lodge, you will afterwards do short birding walk around the lodge, Dinner and overnight stay at; BUHOMA COMMUNITY REST CAMP/ BUHOMA LODGE/ MAHOGANY SPRINGS
Day 9 – Whole day birding Buhoma Main trail – Bwindi forest.
In the morning after breakfast, go for birding Buhoma area. Here our target species are; Mountain illadopsis, White tailed blue flycatcher, Red faced woodland warbler, wood peckers, White headed wood hoopoe, Brown capped weaver, Chapins flycatcher, Blue throated roller. Bar tailed Trogon, Grey capped warbler,African blue bill, Brown capped weaver, Black necked weaver, Short tailed warbler, Black bee eater and many more. Later head back to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay at; BUHOMA COMMUNITY REST CAMP/ BUHOMA LODGE/ MAHOGANY SPRINGS.
Day 10 –Gorilla trekking and evening birding around the lodge
A relatively early morning start, after your early breakfast, you will be taken to the park office ready with packed lunch and drinking water and in tracking attire, be briefed and head out for Mountain gorilla tracking adventure which will take you approximately 4 -8 hours, and one hour viewing plus photography once you come across them. Then you will later after a memorable adventure with Gorillas return back to the lodge, relax a bit then do short birding walk around. Return to the lodge afterwards for your dinner and overnight stay at;BUHOMA COMMUNITY REST CAMP/ BUHOMA LODGE/ MAHOGANY SPRINGS.
Day 11 – Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park via Ishasha sector
After morning breakfast, here you will transfer to Queen Elizabeth N.P via Ishasha southern sector of this Park where you will have game drive with chances to see variety of game including the famous Tree climbing lions, Elephants, Uganda Kobs, buffaloes, Warthogs, Topi, hippopotamus lucky enough leopards. You will continue birding trying to find Blue quail, Red headed lovebird, African white backed vultures, Eagles, African crake, African hoopoe, pipit, Black headed gonolek, little bee eaters, Rollers, tinker birds, sooty chat, fork tailed Drongo and many more. Later you will continue to the northern sector and check in to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay at; BUSH LODGE/ ENGANZI LODGE/ MWEYA SAFARI LODGE.
Day 12 – Birding game drive and afternoon boat cruise on Kazinga channel
After your breakfast, you will head out for morning game drive as you do birding, A variety of game animals here will be sported including Lions, Elephants, Uganda Kobs, Defassa Water bucks, Buffalos, leopards if lucky, warthogs together with lots of Savannah birds like African wattled lapwing, wood doves, Eagles, vultures, Ruppell’s long tailed starlings, Black headed weavers, slender billed weaver, yellow throated long claws, Grey backed fiscal ,common fiscal, Black lored babbler, Arrow marked babbler, Black headed batis, when you return , have lunch break later do afternoon boat cruise along Kazinga channel that hosts a huge concentration of Hippopotamus and crocodiles . You will be able to spot variety of water bird species like skimmers, pelicans, yellow billed stork, squacco heron, African fish eagle, malachite king fisher, African pied king fisher and many more after two hours you will return back and go for a short evening birding . After all return back to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay at; BUSH LODGE/ ENGANZI LODGE/ MWEYA SAFARI LODGE.
Day 13 – Transfer to Kibale and afternoon birding Bigodi wetland
Early morning after breakfast, you will be transferred to Kibale forest National Park and do afternoon birding in Bigodi wetland sanctuary which is located few meters away from the main forest you will be able to see birds of forest edge like Great blue turacco, Black and white casqued hornbill, sunbirds Papyrus gonolek, White winged warbler. African pygmy kingfisher and several monkey species including Grey cheeked mangabeys and Red colubus monkey. Thereafter return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay at; CHIMPANZEE FOREST GUEST HOUSE/ KIBALE FOREST CAMP/ PRIMATE LODGE-KIBALE.
Day 14 – Birding in the morning and Chimpanzee tracking in the afternoon
On this day after breakfast, you will go out for birding in the forest looking out for White spotted fluff tail, Narina trogon, Brown eared wood pecker, Crested guinea fowl, Black and white shrike fly catcher, yellow billed barbet, Black billed turacco, White napped pigeon, Blue throated roller, Green breasted pitta, Red tailed Anti –thrush, Chestnut wattle eye among others later after lunch around 2 pm you will report to the ranger station well prepared for Chimpanzee tracking which takes approximately 3 hours afterwards return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay at; CHIMPANZEE FOREST GUEST HOUSE/ KIBALE FOREST CAMP/ PRIMATE LODGE-KIBALE.
Day 15 –Transfer to Budongo- Masindi for a night
In the morning after your breakfast, you will be driven to Masindi town which is located adjacent to Budongo forest, another good site for Birding. You will continue and check in to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay in preparation for the next day’s birding. dinner and overnight at; NEW COURT VIEW HOTEL/ MASINDI HOTEL
Day 16 – Birding Nyabyeya- royal mile and transfer to Kaniyo babidi Budongo
On this day after your breakfast, you will drive to do Birding in Nyabyeya around the guest house and in the royal mile,look out for birds such as, White crested Turacco, Chestnut capped frycatcher, Ituri Batis, Nahans francolin, Forest frycatcher, Tit hylia, lemon bellied crombec, Roufous crowned Elemomera,Spotted greenbul, Forest robbin, Yellow crested woodpecker, Dwarf kingfisher and many more. Later you will come and drive to Kaniyo pabidi in budongo for an overnight stay at; BUDONGO ECO LODGE.
Day 17– Half day Birding kaniyo pabidi and transfer to Murchison falls national park
A relatively early morning start after breakfast, you will go for a half day birding in Budongo forest in search of birds like, Puvels illadopsis, Nahans fraancolins, crested gunea fowls Rufous sided broad bill Narinas trogon and many other forest species, you will return back to the lodge for lunch, thereafter drive to Murchison falls national park for an overnight stay at; FORT MURCHISON LODGE/ PAKUBA SAFARI LODGE/ PARAA SAFARI LODGE.
Day 18 – Birding game drive in the morning and afternoon Boat cruise to the Falls
After your early breakfast, you will head out for early birding, here look out for Vinaceous dove, shoe bill, Abyssinian roller, pied king fisher, red throated bee eater, sacred ibis, grosbeak weaver, carmine bee eaters, fulvous whistling ducks, chestnut crowned sparrow weaver, Denham’s bustard among others later you will return to the lodge for lunch break, after your lunch you will go for a boat cruise upstream to the bottom of the falls, Dinner and overnight at; FORT MURCHISON LODGE/ PAKUBA SAFARI LODGE/ PARAA SAFARI LODGE.
Day 19 – Transfer to Kampala with en route visit to Rhinoceros in Ziwa sanctuary
In the morning after breakfast, you will visit the top of Murchison falls thereafter exit the park and continue to Ziwa rhino sanctuary. You will visit the Rhino and later proceed your journey to Kampala for an overnight stay at; CASSIA LODGE/ HUMURA RESORT/ SHARATON HOTEL
Day 20 – Transfer to Jinja visit Sezibwa falls, the source of the Nile, Speke monument
On this day after your breakfast, you will drive to Jinja, the adventure town of Uganda on the way visit Sezibwa falls continue and visit the source of the World’s longest River thee Nile as well as Speke monument later lunch and visit the local markets check in to your hotel for overnight stay at; 2 FRIENDS GUEST HOUSE/ SOURCE OF SMILE
Day 21 – Birding mabira forest and drive back to Kampala
After breakfast drive to Mabira and do birding there, birds to see here are many including Hoopoe warbler, Crombec, weavers and many later drive and spend your night in Kampala Overnight at; CASSIA LODGE/ HUMURA RESORT/ SHARATON HOTEL
Day 22 – Kampala city tour and Departure end of Uganda birding Safari.
On this day, you will have breakfast and do city tour or go birding Entebbe botanical gardens as you end your birding trip. You will be transferred to your Hotel/ Entebbe Airport for departure flight to nest destination.
End of 22 Days Uganda birding safari
The cost of the above itinerary will include the following;
The price includes;
- Transport in comfortable 4WD Safari vehicle with pop up for easy game viewing
- Service of Experienced English speaking Tour bird guide/ driver
- 21 Nights’ Accommodation, 22 Days with Meals as per itinerary
- Chimpanzee tracking
- Gorilla trekking permit for Bwindi forest.
- Airport transfers, pick and drop at the end
- Mineral water all days provided in vehicle
- Community birding walks
- Boat cruise as mentioned in the itinerary
- Game drives as mentioned
- Nature walk in Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary
- Park entry fees as per itinerary
The Price excludes;
- Visa for Uganda
- Personal travel/medical insurance
- Any meals not specified in the itinerary (i.e. meals in Kampala booked on B&B basis)
- Any accommodation upgrades and supplements
- Optional activities or excursions not mentioned
- All items of a personal nature e.g. telephone calls, internet, and laundry services
- Tips and gratuities for hotel/camp/lodge staff, driver guides
- Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks (unless complimentary at camps/lodges)
- Any domestic and international flights
- Applicable government taxes, imposed after the date of quotation
- Any other items not specified in this itinerary.