12 Days Birding Tour Uganda

Day 1: Entebbe

Upon arrival at the Entebbe international Airport, you will be welcomed by our guide or company representative who will transfer you to your hotel in Entebbe.

Depending on your arrival time you can be able to go birding later on at the Botanical gardens.

The most common bird species which include Wood, Common, Marsh Sandpipers, Common Green Shank, Long-tailed and Great Cormorants, Madagascar Bee-eater, Green Crombec, Orange weaver, Entebbe Weaver (an endemic to Uganda that was recorded at the site only once), White spotted Flu tail. Dinner and overnight at Lake Victoria Hotel or Entebbe Travelers Hotel.  Meal plan: Half-Board.

Day 2: Mabamba wetlands

Have breakfast and later drive to the Mabamba bay, the unique site referred to as the best in Africa and the whole world, where the elusive Shoebill (Balaeniceps rex) can be spotted at any one time of the day.

Other bird species include; Rey-headed Gull, White Winged Terns, Madagascar Bee-eater, Yellow Billed Egret, Long toed Plover.

Have lunch and in the afternoon you could have a walk along the tracks on the main road in search of more birds then you expect to see the Black Crake, African Fish Eagle, African Jacana, Malachite and Pied Kingfishers, Cape Wagtail, Swamp Flightier, Winding Cisticola, Blue- Breasted Bee- eater, Red Chested Sunbird and many more. Dinner and overnight at Cassia Lodge or Capitol Palace Hotel. Meal plan: Full Board

Day 3: Kibale Forest

Early morning breakfast and drive to Fort Portal, stopover at Tanda village and Nakayima tree, local market for snacks. Lunch en-route in Fort portal town at mountain of the moon or Rwenzori view guest house.

Afternoon  bird watching in the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary that is found 5 km after Kibale Forest National Park on the road to Kamwenge.

Birding is a major activity around the swamp with paths cut and areas of the swamp board trails to give access to areas of the swamp that would be otherwise inaccessible.

Species for Bigodi include Great Blue Turaco, Black Billed Turaco and White Spotted Crake. Dinner and overnight at Kibale Primate Lodge or chimp nest and Nyinabulitwa Country Resort.  Meal plan: Full Board

Day 4: Kibale Forest-Queen Elizabeth
After breakfast, participate in the chimpanzee trekking in Kibale forest National park and along the way you will see a number of bird species which include: black-capped apalis, blue-headed sunbird, collared apalis, dusky crimsonwing, purple-breasted sunbird and red-faced woodland warbler.

Other Kibale specials include the African pitta, green breasted pitta, black bee-eater, yellow spotted nicator, yellow rumped tinker bird, little Greenbul, black-eared ground thrush, brownchested alethe, blue-breasted kingfisher, Abyssinian ground thrush, and the crowned eagle.

Have lunch and in the afternoon drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park which is home to total of 604 different bird species. Key species: African Skimmer, Black Rumped Button Quail, Verreaux’s Eagle Owl, Red Footed Falcon, Lesser Flamingoes, and Saddle-billed Storks, and numerous classes of Raptors. Birding in the evening.

Dinner and overnight at Mweya safari Lodge, Katara lodge, Enganzi lodge, Hippo hill lodge or Simba safari camp. Meal plan: Full Board

Day 5: Queen.

The whole day reserved for birding in the park while on a morning game drive but also see other wildlife like the mammals that include some big five Lions, Hippos, Buffaloes, Leopard, Spotted Hyena, Elephants and the elusive Giant Forest Hog in this park.

Primates like the chimps and monkeys and Reptiles. All these are regularly sighted around the tourist village on the Mweya Peninsula. In the afternoon go for the boat cruise along Kazinga Channel, with the concentration of water birds and photographs is extraordinary.

A variety of birds grace the grasses on the channel’s edge and these may include the Great White and Pink-Backed Pelicans, Great and Long-tailed Cormorants.

There is also a Bird Observatory here, which was set up with the aim of studying both migratory and resident birds. Since its inception in 1997 more new species have been identified, including Uganda’s first record of the Bar-tailed Godwit. Return to lodge for Dinner and overnight and dinner. Meal plan: Full Board

Day 6: Queen-Bwindi.

After breakfast, drive via Ishasha Sector with birding experience and the search of the tree climbing lions those enjoy lying on the top of fig trees during the hot hours of the day. Later proceed to Bwindi National park best known for gorillas; lunch en route.

Though the gorillas are its most famous inhabitants, Bwindi is also noted for its biodiversity and the richness of its flora and fauna. The diversity of birds in Bwindi National Park is extremely high, representing one of the forest’s avi-fauna in Africa.

The bird list for the park currently totals 334 species, 67 non-forest-dependent species, and 182 forest-dependent species. Thirteen of these species occur nowhere else in Uganda, seven are not known to occur anywhere else in East Africa, and 17 are known for East Africa only in Bwindi and one or two other East African forests.

The rare species include the spectacular globally threatened endemics like the African Green Broadbill and Shelley’s Crimson wing.

Dinner and overnight at Gorilla forest camp, Mahogany springs, Bwindi Engagi Lodge or Gorilla resort or Buhoma Community Tented Camp. Meal plan: Full Board

Day 7: Bwindi Forest.

Today you will go, gorilla tracking in Bwindi Forest National park; the most exciting wildlife experiences. The activity starts with a briefing from the ranger guides after which you proceed with the trekking.

Bwindi forest in Uganda has a population of about 370 gorillas, which is half the world population according to 2007 gorilla population surveys. It is not predictable the time you will spend to encounter the gorillas but it normally takes between 2 – 6 hours.

You have an hour to observe the primates and their behaviors, while taking photographs. Do not forget to carry your lunch boxes and water, insect repellent, sun screen, rain gears, hut and walkable shoes. Return to lodge for dinner and overnight. Meal plan: Full Board

Day 8: Ruhija Sector-Lake Bunyonyi
Have breakfast and proceed to Ruhija sector which is found in the southern part of the park for birding the whole day. Ruhija is likely to be one of the highlights of any trip to Uganda with excellent birding in spectacular surroundings.

Birds are both plentiful and easy to see; many species associating in mixed feeding flocks that are active throughout the day.

An early start offers the best chance of finding the striking handsome Francolin, Cinnamon-chested bee-eater, western Green Tinker bird, Mountain and yellow-streaked Greenbul, Mountain marked and chestnut-throated Apalises, red-faced woodland Warbler, Rwenzori batis, white-tailed crested Flycatcher and many more. Dinner and overnight at Arcadia cottages, Heritage Lodge or Jajama lodge. Meal plan: Full Board

Day 9: Lake Bunyonyi-Lake Mburo

After morning breakfast, take a motor boat ride on Lake Bunyonyi for birding. The lake is one of the most popular destinations for birding and the guide will help you spotting birds over different islands.

Bird species include: Pied kingfisher, Malachite kingfisher, Cinnamon chested bee eater, Bronzy sun bird, Knobed coot.

Very rara, Pied wagtail, Black clake, Common stone chat, Grey shrike, Grey crowned crested crane, Hadada ibis, Swamp fly catcher, Black heron, Great cormorant, Fan tailed widow bird, Streaky seed eater, Speckled mouse bird, Pin tailed whyder, Bronze manikin, Black headed weaver.

Have lunch in Kabale and from there proceed to Lake Mburo where you will have a game drive as you enter the park. Dinner and overnight at Mihingo Lodge or Mburo lodge, Arcadia Cottages Mburo. Meal plan: Full Board

Day 10: Lake Mburo

Have breakfast and then go for a morning game drive to intangibly consumer birding experience.

The park has about 313 different bird species which include the rare Shoebill stork, White-winged Warblers, Black-billed Barbet, Crested Francolin, Brown Parrot, Red necked Spur, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, Temminck’s Courser, common Quails, Greenwood Hoopoe, Blue-napped Mouse bird, Barefaced Go-away bird, African-grey Hornbill, Nubian Woodpecker, Trilling Cisticola, Lilac-breasted Roller, Coqui Francolin, Red necked spur fowl, Black Bellied Bustard, African-wattled Plover Rufous napped and Flappet larks, Rufous chested Swallow , Southern Red Bishop and Yellow-throated Long claw among others.

Return to lodge for lunch and thereafter afternoon drive to Mpanga forest the eco science research forest and here expect to spot a lot of unique birdlife species, but before you reach have amazing stopover at the equator to take awesome photos and shop some souvenirs’ and edible snacks. Dinner and overnight at Mpanga eco camping sites. Meal plan: Full-Board

 Day 11: Mpanga Forest – Entebbe

After breakfast, we shall enter into the forest to spot different types of birds, floras and faunas and this adventure is so much awesome. Return to lodge for lunch and after visit the Buwama crocodile farm as you leisure along Lake Victoria.

Then in evening set off to Entebbe for our dinner and overnight at Entebbe botanical gardens or Entebbe airport view guest house. Meal plan: Full-Board

Day 12: Entebbe – Ngamba Island

After breakfast you will be transferred to Entebbe at water front club and board your speed boat to Ngamba chimpanzee sanctuary to indulge in quite big list of informative activities like chimp feeding, bird watching and you will have lunch at the island.

Thereafter drive back Entebbe with free entrance to the Uganda wildlife education centre and watch some big five caged and other species, birds.

Evening you will be transferred to airport for your home flight. End of services, Meal plan: Half-Board.

The safari package includes:

• Airport transfers.
• Transportation by a 4wd vehicle
• Accommodation and meals as per itinerary
• Park fees
• Gorilla permits, one per person to be paid in advance.
• Visit Ngamba chimp sanctuary
• Visit Mabamba wetlands
• Visit Nakayima and Tanda village.
• Allowances of driver-guide.
• En-route lunches
• Game drives

The package excludes:

Expenses of personal nature like: Visa, drinks, laundry, tips to local guides, telephone, personal insurance and cigarettes.