15 Days Uganda Birding Safari
15 Days Uganda Birding Safari takes you to Uganda’s different bird watching safari destinations that sounds as haven for birder’s hot spots like Semliki Valley, Mabamba Swamp, Lake Mburo National park, Murchison falls, Queen Elizabeth, Kibale forest as well as Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National park all these safari destinations brings out what you expect to encounter on your Uganda birding safari and Semuliki, Bwindi are one of the top birding spot in Africa. This trip starts and ends in Kampala /Entebbe Airport.
Trip Highlight of 15 Days Uganda Birding Safari
- Day 1: Pick up from Entebbe Airport
- Day 2: Birding to Mabamba Swamp
- Day 3: Birding to Lake Mburo NP
- Day 4: Birding in Lake Mburo-Boat cruise & Transfer to Bwindi NP
- Day 5: Birding in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
- Day 6: Birding Mubwindi Swamp-Bwindi NP &Transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP
- Day 7: Birding towards Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Day 8: Queen Elizabeth National Park –Birding
- Day 9: Whole Day Birding in Kasenyi Area-Queen Elizabeth NP
- Day 10: Birding to Kibale National Park
- Day 11: Whole Day Birding in Kibale Forest-Chimpanzee trekking
- Day 12: Birding to Hoima
- Day 13: Transfer to Murchison Falls NP –Birding
- Day 14: Birding in Murchison Falls National Park
- Day 15: Depart to Kampala
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Pick up from Entebbe Airport
Pick up from Entebbe Airport: On arrival, you will be picked up at Entebbe International Airport by our safari driver guide who will brief you about the safari program. Depending on your arrival at the Airport, if time allows we shall visit Botanical gardens a thrilling place for birding located in Entebbe few kilometres away from the Airport some of birds to encounter include African hobby, Ross’s Turaco, Brown and Grey Parrot, Speckled Pigeon, Dederick and Leivellants Cuckoo, White Chinned Prinia, Superb Sunbird, Orange Weaver, Black-headed Gonolek, Fort Tailed Drongo, Brown Crowned Tchagra among others, primates like monkeys. Then be transferred to Kampala to your hotel. Dinner and Overnight stay.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day2: Transfer to Mabamba Swamp-Birding
Transfer to Mabamba Swamp: After morning breakfast, our driver guide will pick you up from hotel in Kampala and be transferred to Mabamba swamp approximately 50 kilometres west of Kampala, a great location for birding. Upon arrival, you will lookout for papyrus specials like papyrus Gonolek, White –winged warbler, Northern Brown-throated, Weyn’s weaver many more. Then move to Mabamba swamps, birding here is best done on canoeing as we look out for the rare shoebill stork, African water rail, Goliath, Purple, Allen’s and Purple Gallinule Squacco, Grey Herons, a variety of Egret among other. You will also have chances of viewing the elusive Sitatunga Antelopes adapted to swampy habitats. Return back to your hotel in Kampala. Dinner and Overnight stay.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 3: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park-Birding
Transfer to Lake Mburo: After early morning breakfast, our driver guide will pick you up from the hotel and head to Lake Mburo national park the only close national park to Uganda’s capital ‘’Kampala’’ with a stopover at the Equator for photography, water experiment and craft shopping and we shall also have another stopover at the Igongo cultural centre to encounter in Ankole traditional culture, have lunch en route there. Then drive to the park for an evening game drive, the park is one of the Uganda’s smallest national park covering an area of about 260 square kilometres, a home to wide range of antelopes such as topis, eland, impala, zebras, among others. It is also haven for birders with over 313 species of birds recorded in the park such as African fin foot, Long tailed cristicola, Crested and Red faced barbet, Papyrus yellow warbler, Northern Brubru, Rufous-bellied and white backed night heron, white winged tit, Black-headed and Papyrus Gonolek, Northern brown throated weaver. Dinner and Overnight stay.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day4: Birding –Lake Mburo National park
Birding: Wake up early morning have breakfast, then go for nature walk on the shores of Lake Mburo in the park in search for wildlife species and notable species of birds such wildlife to see include; waterbuck, bushbuck, Reedbuck, dwarf mongoose, warthogs, eland, leopard among others, species of birds to encounter here are Black headed and Papyrus Gonolek, Coqui Francolin, Brown-chested Lapwing, Lilac-breasted Roller, rare shoe billed stork mentioned few. Back to the lodge for lunch and rest.
Afternoon Boat cruise: Later on at 2pm, we shall go for boat cruise on lake Mburo for more view of water bird species and wildlife like hippos, crocodiles among others. Back to the lodge. Dinner and Overnight stay
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Lake Mburo National Park & Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National park
Transfer to Bwindi: You will wake up ,have breakfast served at the lodge ,check out and be transferred to Bwindi Impenetrable national park a best safari destination for bird watchers on Uganda birding safari ,it boosts with over 350 bird species and contains 90% Albertine rift endemic like the Neumann’s ‘’short tailed’ ’Red faced woodland and Grauer’s Rush Warblers ,Bar-tailed Trogon ,Wilcock’s Honey-guide ,Yellow-eyed black Fly-catcher,Kivu Ground Thrush ,Dusky crimson wing ,White –tailed Blue Flycatcher many more. Dinner and overnight stay
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 6: Birding Mubwindi Swamp-Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Birding: After morning breakfast, your driver will drive you to UWA Offices to pay for birding activity. You will be given a ranger guide who knows the proper birding location around the park, you will move towards Mubwindi swamp, besides birding here, we can also have an optional for Gorilla trekking depending on traveller’s choice. Reaching at Mubwindi swamp we shall start searching for Albertine rift endemic and specialties such as Mountain-masked ,Chestnut-throated, Stripe-breasted and Dusky Tit,Grey-throated Barbet ,Red-faced woodland ,Mountain –yellow, Grauer’s Rush and Grauer’s ,White-bellied Crested ,Yellow-eyed Black ,Blue-headed and Regal Sunbirds ,Bared Long tailed Cuckoo, White-eyed Slate and Dusky Flycatcher ,Ludher’s,Grey-headed and Doherty’s Bush-shrike, Scaly-breasted and Mountain IIIadopsis,Yellow-streaked and Mountain Greenbul ,Banded Prinia and Dusky crimson wing many more. Dinner and Overnight stay.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 7: From Bwindi & Transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP
Transfer to Queen Elizabeth: Wake up have breakfast, checkout of the lodge. After be transferred to Queen Elizabeth national park to spot out bird species that we may have missed to see from Ruhija of Bwindi. Some of bird species to encounter here include Black-billed, Brown-capped and Strange Weavers, Cinnamon-breasted and Black Bee-eaters, Dusky-blue and Cassin’s Grey Flycatchers, Black Cuckoo, Yellow Bishop, Narrow-tailed, African Hill Barbler and Cubs Cisticola, Stullumann’s and Waller’s Starlings many more. We shall have lunch en-route and later proceed on to Queen Elizabeth national park entering the park through Ishasha sector a home for tree climbing lions with in the park. Arrive and check in at the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 8: Queen Elizabeth National Park
Explore the Park: After breakfast, we shall drive to the park to lookout for several birding hotspots through game drive in Ishasha sector where you will be able to watch out tree climbing lions and savannah specialties such as Violet-backed and Wattle Starlings, Brown-chest and Senegal Lapwings, Spot-franked, Double-toothed and White-headed Barbets, White-Backed, Yellow-fronted Tinker bird, Lappet-faced Vultures among others. Back to the lodge for lunch
Birding: In the evening, proceed to the northern sector in search for the notable species like African Hoopoe, Southern Red Bishop, Red Collared Widowbird. Drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 9: Whole Day Birding in Kasenyi Plain-Queen Elizabeth
Whole Day Birding: After our morning breakfast with our packed lunch. Then we will start birding along the Kasenyi plains in the park that protects about 95 mammal species and over 612 species of birds which include; the Grey-headed kingfisher, African Reed and Siege Warbler, Swamp Flycatcher, Black-headed and Papyrus Gonolek, White-winged, Grey-capped, Greater Swamp, Lesser Swamp, Slender –billed Weaver and Brimstone Canary these can be spotted near katungulu Bridge. We shall then drive towards the famous Kasenyi Track for birding or game drive go winding through dotted grassland with Acacia and Cactus trees close by the matting ground of kobs where we will have a chance to locate to lions and other wildlife animals like waterbuck, bushbuck and elephants among others. Along the road we may spot out birds like Scaly Francolin, Red-necked Spur fowl, Harlequin Quail and Common Button-quail, Martial Eagle, flap pet and Red-capped Lark, Black-chested and Brown Snake Eagles and Bateleur.Back to the lodge lunch and relaxation.
Afternoon boat cruise :Later on ,go for boat cruise down on the Kazinga channel where you will be offered with rewarded views of Saddle-billed stork, Pink-backed Pelican, African Spoonbill ,Yellow-billed stork ,Water thick-knee, African Skimmer ,then in the late evening before dinner we will try to lookout for the nightjars such as Black-shouldered ,Freckled ,Square-tailed ,Pennant-winged and Slender –tailed Nightjars as well as owls like White faced Scoops ,African Scoops and the African Wood owls among others. Dinner and overnight stay
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 10: From Queen & Transfer to Kibale National Park
Transfer to Kibale National Park: After breakfast, checkout of the lodge. Then head to Kibale national park for birding. Arrive at the park in time for lunch enjoy it and rest.
Afternoon birding: In the evening, go for birding in kibale forest to spot variety of birds and later return to the lodge. Dinner and overnight stay
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 11: Birding /Chimpanzee tracking –Kibale national park
Birding: On this day, after breakfast, we will go to the park for a full day activities with our packed lunch boxes mainly birding or chimpanzee tracking. But before we embark to the forest we shall first go for briefing ground to learn all the required procedures. Kibale Conservation Area holds a good list of both birds and special primates, these include Chimpanzee, Red Colobus Monkeys, Grey-cheeked Mangabey, Red Tailed Monkeys and Galagos.Some of bird lists to encounter here include Scaly Francolin, Marsh Tchagra, Black-billed Seed cracker, Green-backed Twin spot, Bicoloured Manikins, Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo, Black Bee-eater, Blue-breasted kingfisher, Scaly-throated Honeyguide and Black-faced Rufous Warbler. Dinner and overnight stay
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 12: Transfer to Hoima-Birding
Transfer to Hoima; After breakfast, checkout of the lodge with our packed lunch boxes, then drive to Masindi-Hoima with some stopover for birding on the way which is very rewardable passing through traditional homesteads, rolling hills of Tooro and Bunyoro Kingdoms. We shall have our picnic lunch at Kagadi. After proceed on to Hoima.You will arrive in the evening and check in at the lodge/hotel. Dinner and overnight stay
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 13: Transfer to Murchison Falls National park
Transfer to Murchison falls: After breakfast, check out of the lodge and set off the journey to Murchison falls national park with birding activity at Kaniyo –pabidi, Budongo forest a great location for birding while in Murchison falls national park. Drive to your lodge check in, dinner and overnight stay.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 14: Murchison Falls National Park
Birding :On this day after breakfast , we shall proceed for boat cruise at the bottom of the falls to view the splashing waterfalls and for birding we shall drive on the northern side of the park along River Nile where we will be able to see beautiful key species of birds such as rare shoe bill stork ,Red –necked Falcon, White-crested Turaco ,Bruce’s Green pigeon ,Bat Hawk,Pel’s Fishing –owl, Standard –winged ,and Long-tailed Nightjar ,Swallow tailed and Northern –carmine Bee-eater, Spotted Morning thrush ,Silverbird,Greater Blue-eared ,Violet-backed and Bronze-tailed Starling ,Northern Red Bishop ,Beautiful Sunbird ,Rock pratincole,Cabaniss’s and Cinnamon ,Foxy Cisticola and Bar-breasted Fire finch many more. Dinner and Overnight stay
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 15: Depart back to Kampala or Entebbe Airport
Depart back to Kampala: Wake up have breakfast, check out of the lodge go to cross the Victoria Nile by the ferry and leave Murchison falls national park and drive back to Kampala to be dropped to your hotel in Kampala or Entebbe Airport for your flight home.
End of the 15 Days Uganda Birding Safari Tour
