Birding with us for 12 days Uganda birding safari in a nice tempo in top IBA’s habitats with a specialised birding guide. This keen birding safari lets you bag top species in the south-west of Uganda. Like ticking off key species like the Great Shoebill Stork, Green Breasted Pitta, Papyrus Gonolek, White-crested Hornbill, Red faced Barbet, Sulphur breasted bush shrike, Rwenzori Batis, Regal Sunbird.
THIS 12 DAYS UGANDA BIRDING SAFARI Key Species to watch out for:
- Mabamba Swamp, Shoebill stork, Lesser Jacana, Weynes weaver.
- Kibale Forest, Green Breasted Pitta, Crowned eagle, Cassin flycatcher.
- Semliki National Park, White-crested Hornbill, Hartlaub’s duck.
- Queen Elizabeth National Park, African crake, white tailed Lark.
- Ishasha sector, Lappet-faced Vulture, Martial eagle.
- Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Many-coloured Bush-shrike.
- Lake Mburo National Park, Red-faced Barbet, Tabora Cisticola, Bearded Woodpecker.
Read more about birding in Uganda, Uganda’s national parks or gorilla trekking.
Day by day itinerary for our 12 days Uganda birding safari:
DAY 1: ARRIVAL AT ENTEBBE AIRPORT IN THE MORNING, TO MABAMBA FOR SHOEBILL STORK
Arrival at Entebbe airport in the morning. Head straight to the IBA wetland Mabamba Swamp for search for the Shoebill Stork. Chance to tick off some other sight localities like Lesser moorhen, lesser Jacana, white backed duck, some aquatic birds and marsh Harriers can be seen here. If time allow we search for the beautiful painted pygmy goose and try the Orange weaver. Then start driving through the villages to connect to the Fort Portal high way through Mpigi. Lunch in Mityana town and stop over at the forest edge near Sebitoli as we try the white naped pigeons before continuing to the lodge.
Overnight Kibale forest lodge.
DAY 2: BIRDING IN KIBALE N.P
Kibale forest is a rainy forest and a home to over 1500 Chimpanzees, plus 9 different species of Monkeys- red colobus, red tailed monkey and bush babies. Our target here is the Green breasted Pitta, green throated sunbird, Afep pigeon, Sooty flycatcher and our little friend the Red chested owlet, cuckoo shrikes. We can try the African black duck as we bird out towards the edge of the forest. Great sight of birds over the canopy.
Optional add on is chimps trekking in Kibale Forest in the afternoon, inform us when booking if you wish for this addition.
Overnight Lake Nkuruba Nature reserve
DAY 3: BIRDING TOWARDS SEMLIKI
We bird through Semuliki Valley to the camp by Semuliki Forest where the night is spent. Possible sightings include, Black-casqued Wattled Hornbill, Leaf-love, Orange cheeked waxbill, the resident African wood Owl, Nkulengu rail and the rare Bates Nightjar can be ticked off around the camp if lucky..
Overnight Bumaga Camp
DAY 4: FULL DAY BIRDING IN SEMULIKI FOREST FOR CONGO FOREST SPECIES
This day of the 12 days Uganda birding safari is spent exploring Semuliki national park, a great highlight as this is probably Uganda’s number 1 spot on IBA with Congo-forest species having this as their furthest reach eastwards. Along the way from Fort Portal we scan for various woodland birds like Horus swift, Yellow bellied hyliota, Black billed barbet and red throated bee-eater. Arrive at Semuliki national park for the and orange cheeked waxbill on the forest edge. We enter the forest for birding in Semuliki, Kirumya trail for at least half a day and visit the hot springs. It’s an experience starting early for the region endemic. The newly spotted resident on Uganda’s list Akun eagle owl, Blue billed Malimbe, Western Bronze-napped Pigeon, maxwell’s black weaver, Congo serpent eagle, red-billed dwarf hornbill, African dwarf kingfisher, the rare capuchin babbler, red-thighed and long-tailed hawk are some mega ticks we are hoping to grip to with the smallest relative of the woodpeckers the African piculet a great attraction for our stay.
Overnight L. Nkuruba nature reserve.
DAY 5: BIRDING TOWARDS QUEEN ELIZABETH NP
Transfer towards Queen Elizabeth NP with birding along the way. We continue through the grasslands as we delay arrival in Queen Elizabeth to try the Black cuckoo, Broad tailed warbler, Beaudouin’s snake-eagle and try the Swamp endemic Papayrus Gonolek. Evening try for the zebra waxbill, crimson rumped waxbill and displaying nightjars as square-tailed and black shoulder.
Overnight in Pumba Safari Cottages
DAY 6: BIRDING WITH GAME-DRIVE IN QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK
Explore Queen Elizabeth National Park with over 606 bird species we can take to explore the birds of the savannah along the rift valley in this area plus the fishing villages for water birds! Keen birding and Game viewing exposes us to diverse animals, Big 5 members elephants, buffaloes, possibly big cats- lions & leopard, warthogs- hunchback carnivals like hyenas are spotted along the circuits as we drive along. There is a rich bird life especially our version of storks in the wetland spots as we reach the flamingos in the salt lakes. Possible ticks include for example Kittlitz’s plover, Collared Pratincole, White tailed lark, red Capped lark, the skittish Button Quails, Flamingos and Papayrus Gonolek.
Overnight Pumba Safari Cottages
DAY 7: MORNING BOAT-CRUISE ON KAZINGA CHANNEL & TRANSFER TO ISHASHA
In the morning we get ready for the classic highlights of the Boat cruise on the famous Kazinga channel, a 36kms natural channel linking Lake George and Lake Edward. Here you can see hippos, buffaloes, crocodiles and birds along the banks. With your Binoculars along the peninsula you have a magnificent view of Birds, probably the greatest density of Birds and big mammal on the shore. The African Skimmers could be a key specie on this boat-cruise during our 12 days Uganda birding safari. We then continue on to the southern Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth NP birding along the way as we drive through the park. We head into Ishasha where possible ticks include Lappet faced Vulture, Marshal eagle, larks, Greyish eagle owl and Verreaux eagle owls. We also have a chance to see the famous tree-climbing lions of Ishasha.
Overnight Topi Lodge
DAY 8: GORILLA TREKKING IN BWINDI
We have now reached a great highlight of this 12 days Uganda birding safari that is not birding related, the mountain gorilla trekking. Have early breakfast before being taken over to the starting point of the Gorilla trekking. You go in a group with a specialised guide to the point where the gorillas are and spend one hour with them. If time allows in the afternoon birding around Buhoma. In Buhoma there is chance for the Short-tailed warbler, a member of the Uganda top ten, Willards sooty boubou, Oriole-Finch, Chapin’s Flycatcher and Bar tailed trogon.
Overnight: Haven Lodge
DAY 9: BIRDING THE NECK OF BWINDI FOREST
Birding through Bwindi Forest from Buhoma to Ruhija via the famous neck of the forest. As we start to ascend up to our possible 2600 M above sea level through the impenetrable forest for the, Black bee eater, the rare Motacila Clara, Brown illadopsis and Black billed weaver. We stop over at the neck for trying out the rare Cassin grey flycatcher, Dusky blue flycatcher, the Shinning blue kingfisher and the Tiny Sunbird.
Overnight: Broadbill Forest Camp
DAY 10: BIRDING ALONG THE SCHOOL TRAIL IN BWINDI THEN TRANSFER TO LAKE MBURO
With our packed lunch head out to bird along the school trail in Ruhija. Birding along will hopefully lead us to grip on to some of the Albertin rift endemics. The hike could get you the best views and great nature over 2500 meters above sea level with the Mist where the Gorillas live in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. As we check out some soaring buzzards, flocks of Stuhlmanns starlings with their aerial display. We then make the drive to the lodge by Lake Mburo NP.
Overnight Rwakobo Rock
DAY 11: MORNING BIRDING IN LAKE MBURO NP & THEN TRANSFER TO ENTEBBE
We try the savannah for our last chance to tick off some more birds like the Stripped Pipit, seasonal Brown Chested Lapwing- zebras, waterbucks, birds buffaloes in there day break jungle life! Get back to the lodge for breakfast and drive to Entebbe. We swing to the kako Swamp when if wet for some aquatic birds, Snipes, black crakes, flocks of cranes, weavers, teals, Rufous Bellied Heron could be a tick and geese with many more in this swamp and gardens around.
Overnight Tilapia Lodge
DAY 12: FLIGHT DAY after our 12 DAYS UGANDA BIRDING SAFARi
Transfer to the airport in time for your flight as we have reached the end of our 12 days Uganda birding safari. If it’s a late flight we could go birding in Entebbe botanical garden for the orange weaver, golden backed weaver and other master builders of the Ploceidae family, Superb Sunbird, Green hylia and bat hawk.
‘IN CONSERVATION WE TRUST- DISCOVER YOUR TRAVEL DREAMS’
CLICK ON THE MAP TO ZOOM AND FOLLOW THE ROUTING OF THE SAFARI. EXACT ROADS USED CAN DIFFER DEPENDING ON THE GUIDES DECISIONS FOR BEST ALTERNATIVES AT THE TIME.
Useful Information
Reviews: See what our visitors think on TripAdvisor & Safaribookings
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 here for links to the website’s of the lodges we regularly work with.
Payment options: We accept international bank transfer, card payment through PesaPal (adds 3,5% charge) and cash payment if you are in Uganda.
For more info see our terms & conditions.
7 DAYS uganda birding safari with gorillas
Combine two of Uganda’s great highlights, birding & mountain gorillas, during this 7 days Uganda birding safari. Explore some of the great birding locations of Uganda together with a specialised birding guide.
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Cover most of Uganda’s different birding habitats with top IBA’s as well as have time for classic safari and optional gorilla trekking. Go with our specialised birding guide to discover the amazing birds Uganda has to offer during this hardcore birding safari.
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Here we mainly focus on woodland and forest species but also include some great wetland and savanna locations. You have the chance to tick off top species like the Green Breasted Pitta, Nkulengu rail, Papyrus Gonolek and Great Shoebill Stork.
For more itinerary options take a look under “safaris” in the menu at the top of the site.