A 1 Day Shoebill Tour in Uganda offers a unique visit to Uganda’s most popular birding site, such as Mabamba Swamp, a Ramsar site known for its high concentration of shoebill storks. This trip focuses on a boat ride through a natural habitat. The tour starts from Kampala or Entebbe, which usually includes hotel pickup and drop-off.
Key aspects of the tour;
Mabamba swamp is found on the shores of Lake Victoria, west of Entebbe. It is easily accessible from both Kampala and Entebbe. Home to various shoebills and other water birds like kingfisher, heron, among others.
Transportation: The tour involves a drive from your hotel to the Mabamba landing site, followed by a canoe ride through the swamp.
Shoebills are known as a large, prehistoric-looking bird that is a major draw for birdwatchers.
Expert guides: Skilled birding guides will lead the tour, providing a great view into the local ecosystem and helping you identify different bird species.
Birdwatching is an amazing opportunity for bird enthusiasts to add the shoebill and other wetland species to their list.
Detailed Itinerary
Start your day trip as early as 6 am, drive from Kampala or Entebbe to Mabamba, which takes 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes, but you will take a little bit more time as you shall go birding along the road, which goes along cultivated lands, bushland, small swamps, and settlements. You will be excited to see several birds along the way.
On arrival at the Mabamba, start by birding the fringes of the wetland before getting into a motorized dugout canoe/boat and going out into the dense papyrus to look for the shoebill and other papyrus specialists like Papyrus Gonolek, swamp Flycatcher, and white-winged swamp Warbler. Birding at Mabamba Swamp can produce over 50 bird species. Birding can take 1 to 2 hours, and the experience is rewarding.
The swamp experience best rewards from September to May when it hosts large colonies of Palearctic migrants.
You will then drive away to the nearby Mpanga forest, located along the Masaka highway. Expect to first bird view at the forest edge and the vicinity of the visitor’s information Centre before getting onto the main trail, which runs through the forest, expecting a great view into the different parts of the forest from the canopy to the undergrowth.
During your birdwatching at Mpanga forest, you will look out for some birds, like Narina Trogon, Blue-Breasted kingfisher, Black and white Shrike-flycatcher, African Grey Parrots, Weyn’s weaver, Black and white, Crowned, African Pied Hornbills, Little Green, Yellow-whiskered and Slender-billed Greenbuls, Blue-throated Roller, Red-tailed Leatherback cuckoo, Fire-crested Alethe, among others. Other species to watch around include the Red-tailed Monkeys and a number of beautiful butterflies.
After an amazing bird spot around the wetland, forest, and garden. Depart the Masaka highway back to Kampala, a journey of at least one hour.
End of the 1 Day Shoebill Tour in Uganda.
What to carry with you;
- A pair of binoculars
- Walking boots or sneakers
- A Rian jacket or poncho
- Hat and sunscreen
- Insect repellent
- Camera and batteries
Tour Includes;
- Pick up and drop off at your hotel in Kampala or Entebbe
- A professional English-speaking driver guide
- Access fees
- A boat trip at Mabamba swamp
- Bottled drinking water and lunch
Excludes;
- Personal insurance
- Tips
- All personal expenses like laundry, phone bills, and curio purchases
