The search for the Shoebill Stork is a special day trip that blends adventure, patience, and the quiet beauty of nature. Guided by our experienced birders, you explore the calm waterways of Mabamba Wetland—a vast papyrus swamp that has earned its reputation as one of Uganda’s top birding destinations.
Home to an impressive range of bird species, Mabamba attracts both avid birders and adventurous travelers. Yet all eyes are on one remarkable resident: the Great Shoebill Stork. With its prehistoric appearance and unique presence, encountering this elusive bird is a moment that stays with you long after the journey ends.
Pro tip: Make it a weekend get away or safari extension by adding a night or two at Tilapia Lodge at the shores of Lake Victoria.
Itinerary ref: MS02
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the SHOEBILL day tour INCLUDES:
- Mabamba Swamp
- Mabamba wetland swamp Shoreline
- Tilapia lodge gardens
Read more: Learn more about Great Shoebill Stork in Uganda
Day excursion to Mabamba wetland
Get ready for a truly special experience on your Uganda journey as we head out in search of the prehistoric-looking Shoebill Stork—one of Africa’s most sought-after bird sightings. This excursion also brings you onto the shores of Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest lake, where calm waters, papyrus channels, and rich birdlife create a peaceful yet exciting setting for the day ahead.
Our Shoebill stork tour in the Ramsar site of Mabamba wetland swamp:
DAY 1: MABAMBA SWAMP FOR GREAT SHOEBILL STORK EXPERIENCE
Your guide picks you up in Entebbe or Kampala the morning as we start the journey toward Mabamba Swamp a bit south of Entebbe for our Shoebill stork in Mabamba Swamp day trip. Setting out for birding with the transitional habitats including Mature patch forests, Lake Victoria shore, dense papyrus forests, rank grass and manicured gardens with interesting sightings of birds along the way, that can scoop you An Ovambo sparrow hawk, Black sparrow hawk, the little accipiters – Shikra, Gabar goshawk, the Handsome Double-toothed barbet, and the diminutive African Hobby hawking in the skies.
On arrival to the estuaries in the wetlands of Mabamba swamp we go out in motorized canoes to search for the rare Shoebill stork. For an avid birder the Swamp hosts the Big 3 including the Lesser Jacana, with the greatest number of Blue swallows recorded each year here from around July! the tufts of grass and higher standing reed give cover to the Rufous bellied herons, we search special areas for the illusive Allen’s gallinule, Blue-headed Coucal, African Marsh harriers, African pygmy-goose, whistling ducks, White backed ducks, Blue breasted bee eater plus many more aquatic birds of Uganda. Hopefully we can finish the experience off with having made a sighting of the Great shoebill stork. Along the Shores flowering plants can give us the Superb sunbird, colonies of Vieillot’s Black Weavers, as we hope to bag in the Nomadic Weyns’s Weaver foraging on the huge Sapium trees and bushes. Your guide then takes you back as we come to the end of the Shoebill stork tour of Mabamba wetland Swamp.
Make it an Entebbe weekend getaway!
Escape to Tilapia lodge for a weekend getaway! Combine Shoebill Stork spotting with lake views, boat cruises and relaxation in the mature tropical gardens of Tilapia Lodge across the bay from Entebbe.
At this peaceful safari style lodge you stay close to nature with views of Lake Victoria from the restaurant. Resident Superb sunbirds, Klaas’s cuckoo, African grey Parrots, Gray capped warblers, and the illusive White backed night herons plus healthy flocks of the Great blue turacos will light up your stay!
From the lodge you can take a car or an exciting boat-cruise on Lake Victoria over to Mabamba Swamp.
‘IN CONSERVATION WE TRUST- DISCOVER YOUR TRAVEL DREAMS’
Map showing the route
Discover the shoebill stork on a day trip WITH US!
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Useful Information
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Tailor-made safaris: We work with private safaris that can be tailor-made to fit your wishes. Contact us and we adjust the itinerary to your preferences.
Price: The price depends on number of people and accommodation level. Contact us with your inquiry to get the best price for your safari.
Included: Accommodation, meals, safari car, fuel, guide, park entries, gorilla permits (if applicable) and activities mentioned in the itinerary. Plus water in the car and a couple of fruits along the way.
Excluded: International flights, visas, drinks, tips and personal expenses.
Accommodation: In general accommodation mentioned in the itinerary is good places on budget to mid-range level (with the exception of luxury safaris). The accommodation can be adapted to your price range of budget, mid-range or luxury. Of-course a mix is also possible. Take a look on the website’s of the lodges we regularly work with: Good accommodation in Uganda.
Payment options: We accept international bank transfer, card payment through PesaPal (adds 3,5% charge) and cash payment if you are in Uganda.
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Photo Gallery | Shoebill Tour
Get inspired for your Mabamba Wetland excursion with highlights from our past visitors.
Facts about Shoebill Stork & Mabamba wetland swamp.
How do I get to the Mabamba Wetland swamp for the Shoebill Stork?
The search for the Shoebill in Mabamba swamp will have two lead routes.. the Mabamba bay is connected to a cord on the mainland from the Nakiwogo-Buwaya ferry and Mpigi and can also be accessed with speed boats, motorized canoes from Nakiwogo landing site in Entebbe and Tilapia lodge restaurant dock.
What other birds can be seen at Mabamba Wetland?
In 2006 Mabamba wetaland swamp was listed as a Ramsar site a city In Iran during the big wetland convention of great importance to water fowl.
The Mabamba bay being among the 33 Important bird areas in Uganda hosts resident and Migratory birds with a consistent count of more than 100 blue swallows year in year out!. It hosts the Papyrus Gonolek a beautiful bush shrike among the top ten birds of Uganda.. The Lesser Jacana, Microparra capensis, The Weyns’s weaver Ploceus weynsi a nomadic forest canopy, secondary growth and papyrus habitats around L. Victoria, The Rufous- bellied heron Ardeola rufiventris, Allen’s Gallinule porphyrio alleni, African pygmy-goose, Blue breasted bee eater, Malachite kingfisher.
How long is the excursion to spot the Shoebill stork?
The birding excursion in Mabamba wetland swamp, takes between 1 Hour and half to 3 hours.
If you take a Boat from Tilapia lodge, the cruise takes 30 minutes to the heart of the wetland, and connect to the narrower canoes in exchange to our birding scouts for between 15-45 minutes birding towards the main Target and ticking off other species, after seeing the shoebill, watching and photography is for 30-45 minutes depending on best viewing poses…
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TIlapia Lodge by Entebbe
Tilapia Lodge is a safari style lodge at the shores of Lake Victoria. The perfect place to spend a night and have as starting point for your Shoebill Stork at Mabamba swamp adventure.
