12 Days Uganda Birding Safari – Overview

The 12 Days Uganda Birding Safari is an interesting Uganda birdwatching tour that takes you through the Mabamba wetland with counts of Shoebill Stork, Kibale National Park with sightings of green-breasted Pitta, Queen Elizabeth National Park with great bird species in Uganda (600 species), Bwindi Impenetrable National Park listed as the number one birding spot on the African continent with Afromontane forest and savannah landscapes of Lake Mburo National Park with sights of the endemic Red-Faced Barbet.

The Birding in Uganda safari tour is well packaged to derive an ultimate experience featuring wetland, forested, and savannah ecosystems.

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: Sheraton Kampala Hotel (Upmarket/Luxury), Cassia Lodge (Midrange/Standard) or Buziga Country Resort (Budget/Basic).

Day 2: Encounter Birds in Mabamba Swamp & Transfer to Kibale National Park

After breakfast, embark on the birding journey to Mabamba swamp on the shores of Lake Victoria in the west of Kampala. The magical offering of this destination is the endangered shoebill stork.

The canoe paddle along the narrow channels of the swamp will give you chances of sighting other bird species like; Lesser Jacana, Black-Shouldered kite, Blue Swallow, Blue Breasted Bee-Eater, White Winged Warbler, Papyrus Gonolek, Carruthers Cisticola, Spotting Swamp Flycatcher, Papyrus Gonolek, ducks, gulls, plovers, egrets, Malachite and Pied Kingfishers.

You will retire from the activity during lunchtime after which you will transfer to Kibale National Park arriving late in the evening for dinner and overnight.

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

Day 3 & 4: Encounter Birds of Kibale National Park & Bigodi Wetland

These two days are designed to enable you to explore the birds of Kibale Forest National Park in detail. The 375 species of birds and 200 species that thrive in Kibale and the adjacent swamps of Bigodi respectively present unique and ideal birding encounters.

Birders have chances of spotting the Green Breasted Pitta along with other species like;  African Pitta, Afep Pigeon, Crowned Eagle, Red-chested Owlet, White-naped Pigeon, Black Bee-eater, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Western Nicator, Little Greenbul, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Brown-chested Alethe, African Grey Parrot, Brown Illadopsis, Scaly-breasted Illadopsis, Black-capped Apalis, Collared Apalis, Dusky Crimsonwing, Blue-headed Sunbird,  Purple-breasted Sunbird, Yellow Spotted Nicator, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Little Green Bul, Abyssinian Ground-thrush and Black-eared Ground Thrush.

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

Day 5: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park & Bird Along The Kazinga Channel

After breakfast, embark on the transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park 157km about 4 hours drive. You will be birding en route before arriving in Mweya early for lunch after which you will embark on the birding encounter along the Kazinga Channel.

The 45m long Kazinga channel offers two hour launch cruise that 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 6: Encounter Birds of 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, 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 7: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After breakfast, you can take a short bird walk in Imaramagambo forest to encounter a range of forest birds like; Little Grebe, African Finfoot, Red-chested Cuckoo, Black Cuckoo, African Emerald Cuckoo, Yellow bill, Black Coucal, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Black Bee-eater, Blue-throated Roller, Barbets, Red-throated Wryneck, Honeyguide Greenbul, Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike,  Brown-eared Woodpecker, Dark-capped Warbler, Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat, Green Crombec, Broad-tailed Warbler, African Moustached Warbler, Croaking Cisticola, Black-and-white Shrike Flycatcher, Black-headed Batis, Chestnut Wattle-eye, Brown Illadopsis, African Paradise Flycatcher, Marsh Tchagra, Brubru, Black Bishop, Sulphur-breasted Bush-shrike, White-breasted Negrofinch, and Western Black-headed Oriole. Return from this activity and then embark on the transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Ruhija) 218km arriving in the evening for relaxation and overnight.

Accommodation: Ruhija Gorilla Safari Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Gorilla Mist Camp (Midrange/Standard) or Broadbill Forest Camp (Budget/ Basic).

Day 8: Bird in Umubwindi Swamp

After breakfast, you head to birding encounters in Umubwindi swamp where you might have chances of encountering; the beautiful leafy-looking broadbill, Olive, Elliot’s and Fine-banded Woodpecker, Black-billed Turaco, African Hill Babbler, Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Mountain Illadopsis, Mountain Greenbul, Red-faced Woodland, Grey Cuckoo Shrike, Chestnut-throated Collard and Black Throated Apalis, Mountain Yellow Warbler,  Stripe-breasted Tit, Mountain, Shelley’s and Yellow-streaked Greenbul, African Green-Broadbill, Regal Sunbird and Rwenzori Batis among other bird species.

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

Day 9: Encounter Birds in The Hilly Forested Landscapes of Ruhija

The Ruhija sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a true birders’ paradise with great bird counts per square Kilometer.

The hilly forested landscapes of Ruhija offer sights of birds like; Macknon’s Fiscal, Augur Buzzard, Tropical Boubou, Ayre’s Hawk Eagle, Cassin’s Grey Flycatcher, Mountain Buzzard, Wagtail, Western Bronze Naped Pigeon, Barred and Dusky Long Tailed Cuckoo, Black Faced Rufous Warbler, White Headed Wood Hopoe, Ducky Tit, Ludhur’s and Lagden’s Bush-Shrike, Grey Cuckoo-Shrike,  Grey-Green Bush-Shrike, White-Eyed Slaty Flycatcher, Chestnut Throated Apalis, Streaky Seed-Eater, White Starred Robin, Stripe Breasted Tit among others.

Accommodation: Ruhija Gorilla Safari Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Gorilla Mist Camp (Midrange/Standard), or Broadbill Forest Camp (Budget/Basic).

Day 10: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park

After breakfast, embark on the transfer to Lake Mburo National Park 235km passing through the scenic hillsides of southwestern Uganda before making a lunch stop at Igongo Cultural Center 12km past Mbarara town.

After lunch, you will proceed to Lake Mburo for an evening bird walks along the Rwonyo area before retiring overnight.

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

Day 11: Encounter Birds of Lake Mburo National Park

After an early morning breakfast, embark on the full-day search for birds in the Savannah landscapes of Lake Mburo National Park.

Explore the park on foot following the respective trails in the company of an armed ranger to save you from attacks by wild animals. Explore 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. The boat ride on Lake Mburo in the afternoon exposes you to counts of Kingfishers and African Fish Eagle.

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

Day 12: Transfer to Kampala

After an early morning breakfast, take a bird walk in the park to encounter some of the birds that you might have missed on the previous days or have another encounter with the birds that were spotted on the previous walk. After this short walk, you will transfer back to Kampala.

End of The 12 Days Uganda Birding Safari