12 Days Birding Uganda Safari

Day 1: Arrival

Guide from Ndegeya Safaris will transfer you to hotel but if you arrive early enough, he will take you for birding afternoon around Entebbe Botanical Gardens or in the Uganda wildlife education center and look out for the Slender-billed Weaver, Brown-throated Weaver¸ Golden-backed Weaver, Yellow-backed Weaver, Grey-headed Gull, Long-tailed Cormorant, ,Yellow-billed Duck, Pied Kingfisher, Giant Kingfisher, , Broad-billed Roller, Black-and-white Casqued Hornbill, Orange Weaver, , Red-chested Sunbird, Ross’s Turaco, Pied Hornbill, , Open-billed Stork, Great Reed Warbler, Grey-capped Warbler, among others.

Day 2: bird watching

After break fast in the morning, you will go for birding in the Lincoln Trail which was established by some local bird guides in 2000 and has got more than 170 species and those serious birders may be able to see over 110 bird species in a day. This trail is currently suggested as the best birding site near to Kampala and Entebbe as you can see the White-headed Barbet, Red-headed Lovebird, Double-toothed Barbet, Brown Twin spot, Tambourine Dove, Black-headed Bush-shrike, Scaly Francolin, Tropical Boubou and many others.

Day 3: To Mamba swamp

You will drive to Mabamba Swamp 50km west of Kampala. You may stop at Mpigi Swamp for papyrus where you will see the White-winged Warbler, Papyrus Gonolek, Yellow-backed Weaver, Northern Brown-throated Weaver, Blue-headed Coucal and other species in the swamp before you continue to Mabamba Swamp. It is import to note that mostly birding is done while on a canoe in Uganda as you look for the Shoebill both in the sky and down on the marsh. look out for Swamp Flycatcher, Purple Swamphen, African Water Rail, Common Moorhen, Lesser Jacana, African Jacana, African Pygmy-goose, White-faced Whistling-duck, Squacco Heron, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Winding Cisticola, Goliath Heron and Black Crake to mention but a few. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 4 & 5: transfer to Queen Elizabeth

Depart for Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP) birding en-route. Your lunch will be in Mbarara and proceed to Queen which is a home for over 600 bird species. The species will include the pelicans, skimmers, kingfishers, thick-knees, storks, martins, swallows, weavers, raptors, canaries, kites, and many grassland specialties. Birding in the park begins early in the morning on the open savannah. You will have to go to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon enjoy birding the Kazinga Channel on the boat. your dinner and night will be at either of the below lodges depending on your budget.
Budget – Mweya Hostel /samba lodge (BB)
Mid range – Bush Lodge (BB)
Luxury –Mweya safari lodge/ Jacana lodge (FB)

Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi

After an early breakfast, you chose to check out some of the birds around the hotel before you check out and drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Stop over for lunch in Kihihi town, enjoy bird en-route and your dinner will be at your lodge in the noiseless jungle except from the sound of the birds singing. You will wake to the morning songs of the Snowy-capped Robin-chat and the Grey-capped Warbler also see the Grey-green Bush-shrike, Black Bee-eater and Narina’s Trogon around the lodge.
Budget- Buhoma Community bandas or Bwindi View bandas
Midrange – Engagi lodge or Buhoma lodge
Luxury – Gorilla Forest Camp or Bwindi safari Lodge

Day 7: Birding in Bwindi

Bwindi is one of the best birding areas in the world as it begins right away from morning as you take breakfast to evening when you go to bed. You will carry packed lunch when you go for birding in the jungle which has over 300 species of bird species among which are the Red-throated Alethe, Equatorial Akalat, Forest Robin, Montane Oriole, Grey-throated Barbet, Hairy-breasted Barbet, African Broadbill, Black Bee-eater, Pale-breasted Illadopsis, Narina’s Trogon, Pettit’s Cuckoo-shrike, Shelley’s Greenbul, Ansorge’s Greenbul, White-bellied Robin-chat, Black-faced Rufous-warbler, Kivu Ground-thrush, Short-tailed Warbler, Red-fronted Antpecker, Oriole Finch, to mention but a few. Return for dinner and overnight at the previous lodge

Day 8: Gorilla tracking

most of the birders that have visited Bwindi have done gorilla tracking but this is an optional activity which you may do if you are interested but the decision has to be made early enough so that you can get your gorilla tracking permit early enough as they are bought from Kampala.
We will go with packed lunch and dinner at the lodge, Otherwise you can go for a nature and community walk .

Day 9: transfer to Lake Mburo national park

After breakfast will travel eastwards through the terraced mountains of Kigezi to the open plains and rocky hillsides of Ankole. Stop for lunch in Mbarara town and you will see those Long-horned Ankole cattle during your birding and then later on proceed to the park region. you will have the birds wake you up in the morning, enjoy the songs of Morning Dove, Dideric Cuckoo, Grey-capped Warbler, Black-headed Weaver and Ring-necked Dove.
Dinner and overnight at:
Budget; Rwonyo.
Midrange; Sky Blue Hotel
Luxury; Agipi Hotel

Day 10: Birding

You will have to wake up early to go see the African Fin foot at Lake Mburo as it usually hides into the papyrus which is floating on the lake. You will search for the Brown-chested Lapwing, Lilac-breasted Roller, Black-bellied Bustard, Helmeted Guinea fowl, Coqui Francolin, Rufous-napped Lark plus many raptors and this is the only park where you can find the Eland, Burch ell’s Zebra and Impala in the whole of this region. After this you will go back to the lodge for lunch and you may chose to rest at the lodge in the afternoon.

Day 11: game drive and nature walk

early morning game drive, later at mid morning return for breakfast and relax at the lodge and after your lunch, you will go for a nature walk and so you will have a chance to see the different tree species and wildlife.

Day 12: travel back to Kampala.

After your breakfast we drive back to Kampala. stop at the equator for photos, The guide will drop your to your hotel in Kampala if you still have some time in Uganda otherwise he will have to drop you at the airport to catch your plain back home.
Bird watching Safari in Uganda

End of 12 days Bird watching Safari in Uganda