9 Days Uganda Birding Safari – Overview

The 9 Days Uganda birding safari is a week-long Uganda birdwatching tour that takes you through the amazing key birding destinations of Uganda including Entebbe botanical gardens, UWEC, Mabira forest reserve, Mabamba swamp, Lake Mburo, Queen Elizabeth National Park and forested landscapes of Kibale.

The encounter in UWEC exposes you to a range of birds that thrive in captivity while Mabamba to swamp-dwelling birds including the rare shoe bill stork.

Mabira, Maramagambo, and Kibale forests offer perfect avenues for spotting a range of forest birds while the Savannah landscapes of Queen Elizabeth and Lake Mburo offer a great deal of Savannah birds.

Day 1:  Encounter Birds in Entebbe Botanical Gardens, UWEC, and Lake Victoria shores.

Embark on this activity after breakfast and have an encounter in UWEC, the Botanical Gardens, and the shores of Lake Victoria.

You have the opportunity of spotting about 170 bird species of which there are 10 species of weavers like the rare Northern Masked Weaver, African paradise, Golden Backed, Baglafect Grosbeak, Black Necked, and Northern Brown Throated; 5 flycatcher species like Red-bellied, Lead colored, crested shrike flycatcher, Swamp flycatcher among others.

Species of Raptors like the Gabar Goshawk, Shikra, small banded snake Eagle, African Goshawk, African Hobby, and African Fish Eagle among other birds. Retire overnight.

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

Day 2: Bird-Watching Encounter in Mabira Central Forest Reserve

Mabira forest which is within close distance to Kampala ion Jinja road is a mature rainforest that acts as a habitat to a range of forest birds. Birding in Mabira does not only expose you to these birds but also impressive flora species that will combine to make the encounter memorable.

Birds that can be encountered in Mabira include;  Cassin’s Hawk Eagle, Leaf love, Nahans Francolin, Yellow Spotted, Buff Spotted and Yellow Crested Wood Pecker, Grey Throated and Yellow Billed Barbet, Yellow-Rumped, violet backed starling, Yellow Throated and Speckled Tinkerbird, Olive Green Cameroptera, and Grey and Yellow Long bill, among other birds. You will return to Kampala after the activity.

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

Day 3: Encounter Birds in Mabamba Swamp and Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park

After an early breakfast, embark on the transfer to Mabamba swamp for a memorable birding encounter. The canoe ride on Mabamba water-logged area will expose you to magnificent flora and counts of birds that enjoy the naturally given food of snails and other water organisms.

The rare shoebill stork is the major spot of the day while other species like Squacco, long Toed Plover, African Water Rail, Goliath, Purple, Pygmy Goose, Herons, Yellow Billed Duck, Grey and Black Headed Heron, White Faced Whistling Duck, Moorhen, Black Crake, Allen’s Gallinule and African Jacana may be spotted in the area.

The wildlife like elusive Sitatunga Antelope can also be spotted. After this activity, embark on the transfer to Lake Mburo National Park arriving in the evening for dinner and overnight.

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

Day 4: Whole Day Birding Experience in 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 5:  Transfer to Queen Elizabeth and Bird Along The Kazinga Channel on Boat.

After breakfast, embark on the transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park 180km about 4 hours of drive. You will traverse the scenic landscapes of southwestern Uganda encountering birds en route before arriving in Queen early for lunch.

In the afternoon, you will embark on the Kazinga Channel Launch cruise where you will have a chance of encountering a range of birds that dwell on the channel shores and the sights of abundant wildlife like Hippos, Nile crocodiles, and wild game drinking on the shores. Retire overnight.

Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Enganzi Lodge (Midrange/Standard) or Kazinga Channel View Resort (Budget/Basic).

Day 6: Encounter Birds in Imaramagabo Forest

The mature tropical forest of Maramagambo can be explored starting early in the morning after breakfast in search of its range of forest birds.

The forest offers you bird sights like;  African Finfoot, Red-chested Cuckoo, Little Grebe, African Emerald Cuckoo, Yellow bill, Black Cuckoo, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Black Bee-eater, Black Coucal,  Barbets, Blue-throated Roller, Red-throated Wryneck, Honeyguide Greenbul, Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike, Brown-eared Woodpecker, Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat, Green Crombec, Dark-capped Warbler, African Moustached Warbler, Croaking Cisticola, Broad-tailed Warbler, Black-headed Batis, Chestnut Wattle-eye, Black-and-white Shrike Flycatcher,  African Paradise Flycatcher, Marsh Tchagra, Brown Illadopsis, Brubru, Black Bishop, Sulphur-breasted Bush-shrike, White-breasted Negrofinch, and Western Black-headed Oriole.

Day 7: Bird in The Savannah Landscapes of Queen Elizabeth National Park & Transfer to Kibale National Park

Depart after an early breakfast to undertake the bird-watching experience in the Savannah landscapes of Kasenyi and the water environs of Lake Kikongoro before proceeding to Kibale National Park.

This encounter also exposes you to a range of wildlife including lions, elephants, buffaloes, Kobs, and water bucks among others.

The birds that might be encountered include; Palm-nut Vulture, African White-backed Vulture, Hooded Vulture Ruppell’s Griffon Vulture, Brown Snake Eagle, Lappet-faced Vulture, Wahlberg’s Eagle, Long-created Eagle, Bateleur, Martial Eagle, Grey Kestrel, Black-bellied Bustard, Crowned Plover, Temminck’s Courser, Senegal Plover, Rufous napped Lark, African Wattled Plover, Kittlitz’s Plover, White-tailed Lark, Flappet Lark,  Brown-backed Srub-Robin, Croaking Cisticola, Zitting Cisticola,  Black-lored Babbler, Grey-capped Warbler, Black-crowned Tchagra, Fork-tailed Drongo Pin-tailed Whydah, and Black-headed Gonolek.

The Lake Kikorongo environs expose you to Common Squacco Heron, Saddle-billed Stork, Shoebill, Sacred Ibis, Black Crake, Knob-billed Duck,  African Jacana, Yellow Wagtail, White-winged Warbler, Lesser Swamp Warbler, Greater Swamp Warbler, Carruthers Cisticola and Papyrus Gonolek.  Continue on the drive to Kibale 157km about 4 hours of drive arriving in the even9g for relaxation for dinner and overnight.

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

Day 8: Whole Day Birding in Kibale National Park

The forested landscapes of Kibale Forest National Park offer great encounters with 375 species of birds. More than 138 species thrive in the nearby Bigodi wetland.

It starts early in the morning after breakfast and stretches for the whole day. Birds that may be encountered in 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 9: Transfer Back to Kampala.

After breakfast, embark on the drive back to Kampala 358km about 7 hours’ drive. You will drive with a keen eye to spot a range of birds en route.

End of The 9 Days Uganda Birding Safari