10 Days Birding Safari in Uganda – Overview

The 10 Days Birding Safari in Uganda (Savannah Birdwatching Tour in Uganda) enables birders to do on birding in Uganda to explore a range of birds thriving in varied Savannah Eco-habitats.

The 10 Days birding safari in Uganda takes you to Murchison Falls National Park which is listed as the ninth on the top ten birding spots in Africa with 460 species of birds, Kibale National Park which is a forested landscape with 375species of birds, the Bigodi wetland sanctuary with 200 species of birds, Queen Elizabeth National Park with 600 species of birds and the savanna landscapes of Lake Mburo National Park with a wide range of acacia associated birds counting to 350 species.

The combination of these makes your birding safari in Uganda memorable.

Day 1: Arrive in Uganda (Entebbe International Airport) & Transfer to Your Lodge.

Arrive at Entebbe International Airport which is the main gateway to Uganda after your long flight. You will be welcomed by our courteous guide who will then transfer you to your respective lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Imperial Botanical Resort (Upmarket/Luxury), Cassia Lodge (Midrange/Standard) or the Lodge (Budget/Basic).

Day 2: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park & Visit The Top of The Falls.

You embark on the transfer to Murchison Falls National Park in the morning after breakfast. The drive takes about 5 hours excluding en route stops to cover a 311km distance traversing the flat countryside of Nakasongora before crossing River Kafu to Masindi.

You will always make stops to view birds en route and have lunch in Masindi town before proceeding to Murchison Falls National Park.

On arrival you will visit the top of the falls and encounter the chanting birds that swing around the roaring falls and the magnificent scenery that will mesmerize you.

En route, birding exposes you to counts of birds like Cliff Chat, Grey-headed Bush-Shrike, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Singing Cisticola, Namaqua Dove, African Moustached Warbler, Green-winged Pytilia, Crested and Scaly Francolin, Red-backed Shrike, Grey-headed Bush Shrike, Black Bellied Firefinch, Northern and Black-winged Red Bishops, Marsh Tchagra and Black-faced Waxbill.

Accommodation: Paraa Safari Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Pakuba Safari Lodge (Midrange/Standard) or Heritage Safari Lodge (Budget/Basic).

Day 3: Encounter Birds in Murchison Falls National Park.

The encounter commences after breakfast and the day’s distribution of areas will depend on your guide. The encounter includes birding in the Savannah landscapes in the northern section, the Victoria Nile Delta, along the Nile launch cruise, and the forested landscapes of the south.

This encounter in Murchison Falls National Park might expose you to birds like; Silver Bird, Speckle-fronted and Golden-backed Weavers, Beautiful Sunbird, White Crested Turaco, Chestnut-crowned Sparrow Weaver, Bruce’s Green Pigeon, Pennant-winged Night jars, the Buff-bellied Warbler, White-rumped Seed Eater, Black Billed Barbet, Yellow-flanked Barbet and Bar-breasted Firefinch, Spotted Morning-Thrush, Red-winged Grey Warbler,  Shoebill Stork, Abyssinian and Rufaous Crowned Roller, Grey Headed and Striped Kingfisher, Abyssinian  Ground Hornbill, Red-throated and Northern Carmine Bee-eater, Saddle-billed Stork, Goliath Heron, Sacred Ibis, Senegal Thick-knee, Fulvous and white Faced Whistling-Duck, Water and Spotted Thick-knee, Long-toed Lapwing, Black-headed Lapwing, Little Bittern, Red-necked Falcon, Vinaceous Dove, Osprey and Blue-breasted Bee-eater among other bird species.

Accommodation: You will have dinner and overnight at your previous lodge.

Day 4: Short Bird Walks in Murchison Falls National Park & Transfer to Hoima.

After breakfast, embark on a short bird walk exploring the birding areas that you might have missed the previous day.

After this encounter, you will embark on the transfer to Hoima reaching there in the afternoon for relaxation and overnight.

Accommodation: Kontik Hotel

Day 5: Transfer to Kibale National Park & Do Bigodi Birding Walk

After breakfast, embark on the transfer to Kibale National park and the journey usually takes about 5 hours. You may bird en route before stopping for lunch in Fort Portal town.

Proceed to Bigodi Wetland for an afternoon bird walk. Bigodi has 200 species of birds thus it offers opportunities of encountering a range of birds including; great blue turaco, papyrus gonoleks, waxbills, hornbills, weavers, kingfishers, cuckoos, and flycatchers among others.

Accommodation: Primate Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Chimpanzee guesthouse (Midrange/Standard) or Kibale Forest Camp (Budget/Basic).

Day 6: Have a Whole Day Birding Encounter in Kibale National Park

The forested landscapes of Kibale Forest National Park offer great encounters with 375 species of birds.

It starts early in the morning after breakfast and stretches for the whole day. Birds that may be encountered on this activity include among others; Blue-headed bee-eater, Nahans francolin, masked apalis, White-naped Pigeon, Cassin spine tail, Crested flycatcher, Green- breasted Pitta, Red Winged Francolin, Joyful Greenbul, Abyssinian Ground Thrush, Red-chested fluff tail, Grey-winged Robbin, Yellow-spotted Barbet, Yellow-billed Barbet,  Hairy-breasted Barbet, Western Nicator, White-spotted Flufftail, White-tailed Ant-thrush, Brown-backed Scrub-robin, Black Bishop, Grey-winged Robin-chat,  Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher, White-breasted Negrofinch, Superb Sunbird, Brown-crowned Tchagra, Bocage’s Bush-shrike, Black-crowned Waxbill and Brown-throated Wattle-eye.

Accommodation: You will have dinner and overnight at your previous lodge.

Day 7: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park & Bird Along The Kazinga Channel.

After breakfast, you transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park 157km about 4 hours drive. You will drive through the great scenic views of the Rwenzori Mountains towering to 5,109m above sea level with magnificent streams of glaciers flowing from snow cover on the top of this mountain range.

You will arrive at Mweya early for lunch after which you will embark on the birding encounter along the 45m long Kazinga channel using the launch.

The two-hour launch cruise will not only expose you to over 60 species of birds but also other Uganda safari offerings like Hippos, Nile Crocodiles not forgetting elephants, buffaloes, and other antelopes drinking on the channel side. the birds that might be encountered include; the African Skimmer, African Spoonbill, Striated Heron, Herring Gull, Water Thick-knee, Lesser Black Backed Gull,  Three-banded Plover, Green, Marsh, Wood, and Common Sandpiper, Plain Martin, Gray-headed Gull, Lesser Swamp-Warbler among others.

Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Enganzi Lodge (Midrange/Standard), or Pumba Safari Cottages (Budget/Basic).

Day 8: Encounter Birds in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Have a whole day’s encounter with birds in the varied ecosystems of Queen Elizabeth National Park. The birding encounter can be conducted in the Mweya peninsular, the environs of Lake Kikorongo, the Maramagambo forest, the Savannah plains of Kasenyi, and the Katunguru bridge Area among other areas.

Queen Elizabeth National Park exposes you to birds like; Temminck’s Courser, Rupell’s Griffon, Martial Eagle,  White Headed, Lappet Faced Vultures, Blue Quail, Harlequin Quail, Small (Common) Buttonquail, African Crake, African Skimmer, Black Headed Gonolek, Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Amur Falcon, Lowland Akalat, Ovambo Sparrowhawk, Greater, and Lesser Flamingo among others.  The sights of wildlife like elephants, buffaloes, spotted Hyena, side-stripped jackals, and Antelopes among others may not be missed.

Accommodation: You will spend an overnight at your previous Lodge.

Day 9: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park & Do an Evening Bird Walk

After breakfast, embark on the transfer to Lake Mburo National Park 180km about 4 hours of drive. You will traverse the scenic landscapes of southwestern Uganda encountering birds en route before making a lunch stop at Igongo cultural center 12km past Mbarara.

After lunch, proceed to Lake Mburo National Park 33km after which you will undertake an evening bird walk around the Rwonyo Area to view a range of bird species or you can opt for a boat cruise on Lake Mburo that might expose you to African fish eagle and Kingfishers.

Accommodation: Mihingo Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Arcadia Cottages (Midrange/Standard) or Eagles Nest (Budget/Basic).

Day 10: Do a Morning Bird Walk & Transfer to Kampala.

After breakfast, undertake a bird walk in any of these birding areas; the Miriti and Warukiri swamps, Rubanga forest, and the salt lick.

The encounter offers you chances of spotting Rufous-bellied Heron, Bateleur, Coqui Francolin, Grey Crowned Crane, Brown-chested Lapwing, Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove, Black-bellied Bustard, Red-headed Lovebird, Ross’s Turaco, Brown Parrot, Green Wood-hoopoe, Common Scimitarbill, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Red-faced Barbet, White-headed Barbet, Long-tailed Cisticola, Nubian Woodpecker, Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike, Finfoot, White-winged Tit and Yellow-breasted Apalis among other birds.

Return from the activity and embark on the transfer to Kampala 240km about 3 – 4 hours’ drive.

End of The 10 Days Birding Safari in Uganda