The 15 Days Uganda Birding Safari Tour takes you to Uganda’s birding magical sites, which sound like a haven for birders’s hot spots are; Semliki Valley, Mabamba Swamp, Lake Mburo National Park, Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth, Kibale Forest as well as Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National park among others. All these listed birding destinations sound among the few top birding spots in Africa. This trip starts and ends at Kampala /Entebbe Airport.
Trip Highlight of 15 Days Birding Safari Tour
Day 1: Pick up from Entebbe Airport
Day2: Birding to Mabamba Swamp
Day3: Birding to Lake Mburo National Park
Day 4: Birding in Lake Mburo-Boat cruise & Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Day5: Birding in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day6: Birding Mubwindi Swamp-Bwindi National Park &Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day7: Birding towards Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day8: Queen Elizabeth National Park –Birding
Day9: Whole Day Birding in Kasenyi Area-Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day10: Birding to Kibale National Park
Day 11: Whole Day Birding in Kibale Forest-Chimpanzee trekking
Day12: Birding to Hoima
Day13: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park–Birding
Day14: Birding in Murchison Falls National Park
Day15: Depart to Kampala
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Pick up from Entebbe Airport
Pick up from Entebbe Airport: On day 1 of the 15 Days Uganda Birding Safari Tour, upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport you will be picked up by our safari driver guide who will brief you about the safari. Depending on your arrival at the Airport, you can go visit the Botanical Gardens a thrilling place for birding sites in Entebbe a few kilometers away from the Entebbe Airport. You will be able to encounter some birds including 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 driven to Kampala to your booked hotel. Dinner and Overnight stay.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day2: Transfer to Mabamba Swamp-Birding
Transfer to Mabamba Swamp: On day 2 of the 15 Days Uganda Birding Safari Tour, after morning breakfast, our driver guide will pick you up from your hotel in Kampala and set off to Mabamba Swamp which lies 50 kilometers west of Kampala, a perfect location for birding. Upon arrival, you will search for papyrus specials such as papyrus Gonolek, White –winged warbler, Northern Brown-throated, Weyn’s weaver many more. Then move to Mabamba swamps, birding is best done by canoeing as you search for the unique shoebill stork, African water rail, Goliath, Purple, Allen’s and Purple Gallinule Squacco, Grey Herons, a variety of Egret many more. You will also have opportunities to view the elusive Sitatunga Antelopes adapted to swampy habitats. After returning 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: On day 3 of the 15 Days Uganda Birding Safari Tour, you will wake up and have breakfast, our driver guide will pick you up from the hotel and embark on Lake Mburo National Park the closest game park to Uganda’s capital ‘’Kampala’’ with a stopover at the Equator for photography, water experiment and craft shopping, continue to drive to the park with lunch en- route. The park is one of Uganda’s smallest national parks covering an area of about 260 square kilometers home to a high concentration of antelopes including topis, eland, impala, zebras, among others. It is also paradise for birders with over 313 species of birds recorded. Dinner and Overnight stay.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day4: Birding –Lake Mburo National Park
Birding: After early morning have breakfast, then go for a nature walk along the shores of Lake Mburo in the park in search of wildlife species and rare species of birds to see including 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 among others. Return to the lodge for lunch and rest.
Afternoon Boat cruise: Later on at 2 pm, go for an afternoon boat cruise on Lake Mburo for more views of water bird species and wildlife such as hippos, crocodiles many others. Back to the lodge. Dinner and Overnight stay
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day5: Lake Mburo NP & Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Transfer to Bwindi: On day 5 of the 15 Days Uganda Birding Safari Tour, wake up, have breakfast served at the lodge, check out and drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park the best safari destination for bird watchers on Uganda birding safari, it harbors with over 350 bird species and contains 90% Albertine rift endemic such as 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 in Mubwindi Swamp-Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Birding: After morning breakfast, you will be driven to ‘’UWA Offices’’ to pay for birding activity. After, you will be given skilled ranger guide to lead you to Mubwindi Swamp the best birding site. You can opt to do Gorilla trekking. Reaching at Mubwindi swamp we shall start looking out for Albertine rift endemic and specialties like 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 National Park
Transfer to Queen Elizabeth: On day 7 of the 15 Days Uganda Birding Safari Tour, wake up have breakfast, and check out of the lodge. Then, head to Queen Elizabeth National Park where you will be able to spot bird species that may have been missed to see we from Ruhija of Bwindi. Some of the bird species to spot 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. Have lunch en route and later continue to Queen Elizabeth National Park entering the park through the Ishasha sector a home for unique tree-climbing lions within the park. Arrive and check in at the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day8: Queen Elizabeth National Park
Explore the Park: After breakfast, drive to the park to look out for several birding hotspots through game drive in the Ishasha sector where you will be able to adventure the tree-climbing lions and savannah specialties like 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 and others. Back to the lodge for lunch
Birding: In the evening, take a walk to the northern sector in search for the beautiful species like African Hoopoe, Southern Red Bishop, Red Collared Widowbird. Drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
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. Go 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. Thereafter, 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 lions and other wildlife animals like waterbuck, bushbuck and elephants many others. Along the road we may spot out birds such as 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 an afternoon boat cruise down on the Kazinga channel where you will be offered spectacular 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, try to search for the nightjars like 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 many others. Dinner and overnight.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day10: From Queen & Transfer to Kibale National Park
Transfer to Kibale National Park: After breakfast followed by checkout of the lodge. Then drive to Kibale national park for birding. Arrive at the park in time for lunch enjoy it and rest at the lodge.
Afternoon birding: In the evening, go for birding in kibale forest to encounter variety of birds and later return to the lodge. Dinner and overnight stay
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day11: Birding /Chimpanzee tracking –Kibale National Park
Birding: Today, after breakfast, go to the park for a full day of activities with our packed lunch boxes mainly birding or chimpanzee tracking. But before we head out to the forest we shall first go for a briefing to learn about the required procedures. Kibale Conservation Area holds a perfect list of both birds and special primates including Chimpanzees, 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
Day12: Transfer to Hoima-Birding
Transfer to Hoima; Wake up have breakfast, check of the lodge with our packed lunch boxes, then travel to Masindi-Hoima with some stopover for birding along the way which is very rewardable passing through traditional homesteads, rolling hills of Tooro and Bunyoro Kingdoms. You shall have our picnic lunch at Kagadi. After, continue on to Hoima. You will arrive in the evening, followed by check in at the lodge/hotel. Dinner and overnight stay
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day13: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park
Transfer to Murchison falls: After breakfast, check out of the lodge and start the journey to Murchison Falls National Park with birding activity at Kaniyo –pabidi, Budongo forest a thrilling location for birding while on a birding safari in Murchison Falls National Park. Drive to your lodge check in, dinner and overnight stay.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day14: Murchison Falls National Park
Birding : After breakfast , proceed for a boat cruise at the bottom of the falls to view the splashing waterfalls for birding we shall drive on the northern side of the park along River Nile where we will be able to see amazing key species of birds like 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
Day15: Depart back to Kampala or Entebbe Airport
Depart back to Kampala: On your last day, you will have breakfast, check out of the lodge, and leave the park. Depart back to Kampala to be dropped off at your hotel in Kampala or Entebbe Airport for your flight departure back home.
End of the 15 Days Uganda Birding Safari Tour.
