Tour Overview

Uganda, often referred to as the “Pearl of Africa,” boasts an extraordinary diversity of bird species within its borders. From the lush forests of the Albertine Rift to the expansive savannas of Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda offers an unparalleled opportunity for bird enthusiasts to witness an astonishing array of avian life. This 28-day birding safari is designed to immerse the visitors in Uganda in the rich biodiversity of Uganda, providing a day-by-day itinerary that showcases the country’s most iconic birding destinations.

Tour Highlights

28 Days Birding Diversity of Uganda Safari: Detailed Itinerary

 Day 1. Arrival and transfer to your hotel

Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be greeted by their guide and transferred to their accommodation. Depending on the time of arrival, there may be an opportunity for some introductory birdwatching in the vicinity of Entebbe, where species such as the African fish eagle, pied kingfisher, and malachite kingfisher can be spotted along the shores of Lake Victoria. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.

Accommodation options:

• Protea Hotel Entebbe
• 2 friends beach hotel(Entebbe).

Destination:  Entebbe

Day 2. Mabamba swamp and afternoon transfer to Lake Mburo National Park

The day begins with an early morning breakfast and departure for Mabamba Swamp, a renowned haven for the elusive shoebill stork. Birding en route where you’re likely to encounter a number of bird species that include: purple Swamp hen, the Red-headed Lovebird, Black-headed Oriole, Tawny franked Prinia, African marsh Harrier, Black Bishop, Lizard Buzzard, Ruppel’s long-tailed Starling, and the Broad-billed Roller among others. On arrival, you will embark on a guided boat excursion through the swamp, scanning the dense vegetation for sightings of this iconic bird, along with other wetland species such as the African jacana, lesser jacana, and various herons and egrets. Have lunch and later, we transfer to Lake Mburo National Park arriving in the late afternoon and enter the Park with a short game drive and later check in to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation options:

• Rwakobo Rock
• Mihingo lodge

Destination:  Lake Mburo National Park

Day 3. Game drive and boat cruise in Lake Mburo NP

After early morning breakfast, embark on morning game drive in search of wildlife that includes the Zebras, Buffaloes, Impalas, Elands, Klipspringers, Topis, Warthogs, Waterbucks, Bush Bucks, Dwarf Mongoose and Leopards among others. We also look for birdlife that includes the Emerald-spotted Wood-dove, Short-toed Snake-Eagle, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Double-toothed, Red-faced, Spot-flanked and Crested barbets, African Snipe, Water Thick-knee, White-winged Tit, Brown-backed Scrub-robin, Broad-tailed Whydah, Brown Parrot and Coqui Francolin among others. We go back to the Camp and have lunch, relax around and later in the afternoon go for a boat cruise on the lake in search of other wildlife that includes the Crocodile, Hippos and the Black-headed, Lesser-masked, Golden-backed, Red-headed and Little Weavers, African Finfoot among others. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.

Day 4. Transfer from lake Mburo to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest national park.

Wake up and have morning breakfast thereafter, check out and transfer to Bwindi impenetrable forest. You will have en-route lunch in Mbarara town and brief rest. Embark on the journey and drive to Ruhija sector of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park while birding en route in search of the Handsome Francolin. Proceed and check in to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation options:

• Broadbill camp, Trekkers Tervan Cottages, Rushaga Haven Lodge (budget)
• Ichumbi Gorillla lodge or Gorilla Mist Camp or Buhoma haven lodge(Mid-range)
• Chameleon Hill lodge or Ruhija Gorilla Safari lodge or Clouds Mountain Gorilla lodge or Bwindi lodge (luxury)

Destination:  Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

Day 5. Birding the Mubwindi swamp, Ruhija

After an early breakfast, with your packed lunch, you will trek down the Mubwindi swamp where you will have a full day birding in search of some of the Albertine Rift endemics and specialties including the Green broadbill, the Grauer’s Rush Warbler, Archer’s Robbin Chat, Strange Weaver, Grey Cuckoo-shrike, Chestnut-throated, and Mountain-masked Apalis, Yellow-streaked, Shelley’s, Red-tailed, Yellow-throated, Mountain and Honeyguide Greenbuls, Rwenzori Batis, Mountain Yellow Warbler, Great Blue, Black-billed and Rwenzori Turaco, Mountain Illadopsis, African Hill-Babbler, Purple-breasted, Regal, Rwenzori Double Collared and Blue-headed Sunbirds among others.
Later evening, you will return to the lodge for dinner and Overnight stay.

Day 6. Gorilla trekking, Bwindi

After breakfast, you will go to the park offices for registration and briefing about the rules and regulations for gorilla trekking. After, you will be accompanied by ranger to begin the trek in the forest. The activity can last between 2-8 hours, so you need to prepare yourself both physically and mentally. This may be a bit hectic since the gorillas live in highland areas. So, it’s advisable to carry with you good walking boots and rain jackets and some energy snacks. When you have found the Gorillas, you will be allowed one hour with them as you watch them play, feed and go about their daily activities. After you will return to the lodge for rest.

Day 7. Birding in Ruhija sector of Bwindi

After breakfast, you will go birding along the main trail, in search of the species that we might have missed during the previous day experience. You will do both morning and afternoon, birding with break for lunch. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.

Day 8. Transfer to Buhoma sector of Bwindi NP

Wake for morning breakfast and thereafter, you will transfer to Buhoma en route birding at the neck of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, in search of the Dusky and Cassin’s Grey Flycatcher, Stripe Breasted Tit, Cinnamon-chested, White-throated and Black bee-eater, many-colored Bush-shrike, Cassin’s Hawk Eagle Olive and Western Bronze Napped Pigeon among others. Arriving in the afternoon and check in to the service of Buhoma Community Rest Camp for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation options:

• Buhoma Community Rest Camp

Destination:  Buhoma sector

Day 9. Birding in the Buhoma main trail

After breakfast, you will go birding on the main trail to the waterfall from which you will encounter several bird species that include the White-bellied, Red-caped and Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat, Bar-tailed Trogon, Red Chested Owlet, Neumann’s and Black-faced Rufous Warbler, White Tailed Flycatcher, Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo, Pale breasted Illadopsis, Red-throated and Fire-crested Alethea, Collared, Yellow-breasted and Black-throated Apalis, Baglafecht, Yellow-mantled, Black-billed and Brown-caped Weavers, Narrow-tailed and Stuhlmann’s Starlings among others. You come back to the Camp, have lunch and later in the afternoon go for a farm walk in search of the Rufous-chested Fluff tail, and the Bat Hawk among others. In the evening you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 10. Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast, you will transfer to the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, Ishasha sector famous for the tree climbing Lions, on rival, you will do birding en route where you will see birds including the Brown Chested Lapwing, Violet-backed and Wattled Starling, Garden, Broad-tailed, Brown and Western Banded Snake-Eagles. Drive and check in to the loge for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 11. Game drive/birding in Ishasha area and transfer to Mweya

After breakfast, with your packed lunch, you will do a game drive searching for the famous tree-climbing Lions and other wildlife as well as birding. You later transfer to the northern sector of the park, arriving in the evening in the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation options:

• Mweya safari lodge
• Enganzi Game lodge (Mid-range)
• Parkview safari lodge (Budget).

Destination:  Queen Elizabeth National Park

Day 12. Game drive/birding in the Kasenyi plains

You will start your day with morning breakfast and thereafter, drive to the park for game drive towards the Kasenyi plains in search of wildlife. You will encounter several mammal species including; Buffaloes, Water Buck, Kobs, Hyenas, Warthogs, Lions, and Leopards among others. This sector too is a bird watchers paradise with sprawling birdlife than any Park in the World. Among the birds we expect here are the Black and Black-Shouldered Kite, Black-chested Snake-Eagle, African Marsh, Montagu’s and Pallid Harriers, Black-Belied Bustard, Temminck’s Courser, Levaillant’s, Black-chested, Diederik and Klaas’s Cuckoo, Black and White-browed Coucal, Blue-napped and Speckled Mousebird, Rufous-napped and Flappet Lark, Plain-backed and Grassland Pipit, Buff-belied, Wing-snapping and Croaking Cisticola, Fork-tailed Drongo, Grey-caped Warbler, African White-backed, Ruppell’s Griffon and Lappet-faced Vultures, Grey-backed and Common Fiscal, Black-headed and Papyrus Gonolek among others.
Return to the lodge for lunch and later in the afternoon at about 2:00 pm, we go for the boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel for yet another but different view of the wildlife at close quarters as they come to cool off at the shores of the channel. Here we expect to see a lot that includes the Giant, Malachite, Woodland and Pied Kingfisher, Pink-back and Great White Pelican, Yellow-billed, African Open-billed, Saddle-billed Stork, African Spoonbill, Lesser Flamingo, Curlew Sandpiper, and African Skimmer among others.
Later evening, return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 13. Explore Maramagambo forest in Queen Elizabeth

After breakfast, we drive to Maramagambo Forest for a Nature walk/birding and also you will encounter several wildlife that includes the Black & White Colobus, Red-tailed and Velvet Monkeys, Splendid Starling, Red-headed Bluebill, Beland’s Flycatcher, Red-caped Robin-Chat, and Red-tailed Bristalbill among others. During the walk, we also visit the bat cave that houses millions of Egyptian Fruit Bats. After, you will drive to your lodge for lunch, in the afternoon, you will return to the forest for more birding. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.

Day 14. Transfer from Queen Elizabeth national park to Kibale National Park

After breakfast, check out and transfer to Kibale National Park driving through the Crater Lakes region and driving northwards along the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountain Ranges. With en route lunch at Kasese, arriving in the afternoon, checking in to the lodge and have a free afternoon, dinner and overnight.

Accommodation options:

• Primate lodge
• Chimpanzee Forest lodge

Destination:  Kibale Forest National Park

Day 15. Birding Kibale forest National Park

Wake up and have morning breakfast and after, head out to the park headquarters for registration and briefing before the trek in the Forest. with trees as high as 50 meters. The Trekking may take about three hours in search of Habituated Chimpanzees. The forest also a habitat to 13 other primate species that include the Black and White Colobus, Red Colobus, Red-tailed, Lhotse’s Monkeys and Grey-cheeked Monkeys. It is also home to a variety of bird species including the rare Green-breasted Pita among others. When you have found the chimps, you will be allowed one hour with them. After you will return to the lodge for lunch.
In the afternoon, you will go for a nature walk in the Bigodi wetland swamp, which is also very rewarding while here, you will encounter several primate species as well and wide arrays of bird species including the Green-breasted Pitta, Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher, Yellow-spotted and Yellow-billed Barbet, Willow and Black-capped Yellow Warbler, Olive-bellied, Red-Chested, Collared, Superb Sunbird among others. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.

Day 16. Birding Kibale Forest National Park

After breakfast, you will go birding along the main road in kibale forest. Have lunch and in the afternoon, you will explore the Kanyanchu area of Kibale for more bird viewing. Bird species sighted here include; the Green-breasted Pitta, Grey-headed, Red-chested, Collared, and Olive Sunbird. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.

Day 17. Transfer to Masindi (Budongo Forest)

Rise up and have morning breakfast thereafter, check out of the lodge and drive to Masindi town with enroute birding. You will have stop over for lunch in Kagadi. Embark on your journey arriving Masindi in the afternoon, proceed and check in to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation options:

• Masindi Hote
• New court View hotel

Destination:  Masindi

Day 18. Birding in Budongo Forest

After an early breakfast, with your packed lunch, go for birding in the Royal Mile in the morning in search birds. While here, you will spot several bird species including; Jameson’s and Chestnut Wattle-eye, Ituri, Chin-spot, and Black-headed Batis, Scaly-breasted, Brown and Puvel’s Illadopsis, Lead-coloured, Sooty, Forest, Yellow-footed, Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, African Shrike-flycatcher, Green and Lemon-bellied Crombec, Grey-backed and Yellow-browed Camaroptera, Little Green, Olive-bellied and Collared Sunbird, Yellow-crested and Brown-eared Woodpecker, Red-tailed Bristlebill, Slender-billed, Yellow-whiskered, Yellow-throated, Little, Spotted and Honeyguide Greenbul, Western Nicator, White-headed and Black Saw-wing, Black-and-white Casqued and White-thighed Hornbill, African Emerald, Dusky Long-tailed and Klaas’s Cuckoo, Crowned Eagle, Blue-throated Roller, Narina Trogon, Blue-breasted, Chocolate-backed, African Pygmy and African Dwarf Kingfisher among others. You go back to the Hotel in the evening for dinner and overnight.

Day 19. Masindi – Murchison Falls National Park (Kanio-Pabidi)

After breakfast, we start our journey heading for Murchison Falls National Park. We enter the park through the Kichombanyobo gate and go birding at Kanio Pabidi, the eastern side of Budongo forest, bird species here include; Puvel’s Illadopsis and fire-crested Alethe among others. We have our lunch and later visit magnificent Murchison falls where you will enjoy and marvel at the mighty River Nile squeezing through 7 meters gorge and dropping down at about 45 meters below the series of rapids that can be seen from different points up to the summit with a thunderous roar. Drive and check in to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation options:

• Paraa safari lodge (Luxury)
• Pakuba safari lodge (Mid-range)
• Parkside safari lodge (Budget).

Destination:  Murchison Falls National Park

Day 20. Murchison Falls National Park

After early morning breakfast, we drive down to the Northern area of the park where you will do the game drive. While on the game drive, you will have an opportunity to see several animal species including the Elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks, giraffes, oribis, hart beasts, kobs, warthogs, lions, jackals, leopards according to the luck of the day and a variety of savannah and woodland birds can be seen. The drive normally takes 3-4 hours. We drive back to the lodge and relax for a while, have lunch and then at 2:00 pm, we go for the boat cruise in close quarters as the animals draw down the river bank to cool off. Here you get a chance of seeing many largest groups of hippos, crocodiles, buffaloes, elephants and a variety of water birds. The boat takes about 2-3 hours where you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 21. Transfer from Murchison Falls to Kidepo Valley National Park

After breakfast, check out of the lodge and exit the park with enroute game drive and after, continue and start your journey to Kidepo Valley National Park, through Gulu and Kitgum with birding en route. You will have brief stop for lunch. Embark on your journey arriving in the evening and checking in to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation options:

• Apoka Lodge

Destination:  kidepo Valley National Park

Day 22. Birding in Narusi valley, Kidepo National Park

After breakfast, you will go birding in the Narusi valley where you will encounter several bird species including; Swallow-tailed Kite, Superb, Wattled and Red-winged Starlings, Hartlubs, Black-bellied and Kori Bustard, Common Rock Thrush, Black Eagle, Red-pate Cisticola, Northern White-crowned Shrike, Common Redstart, Nightingale, Green-backed Eremomela, Red-fronted Warbler and Fan-tailed Raven among others. We come back to the Lodge for lunch, relax and later in the afternoon go for another game drive in Narus valley for more bird watching experience. Return to the Lodge in the evening for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 23. Birding in the Kidepo valley, Kidepo National Park

After breakfast, you will go for a full day birding in the Kidepo valley searching for birds. Birds associated to this area include; the Black-breasted and d’Arnaud’s Barbet, Pale Flycatcher, Grey-headed Batis, Brown Babbler and Rufous Chatterer, White-bellied Tit, Abyssinian Roller, Eurasian Hoopoe, Abyssinian Scimitarbill, Bruce’s Green Pigeon, Common Ostrich, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Purple Grenadier, Eastern Paradise Whydah, Harlequin Quail, Quail-plover, Clapperton’s and Ring-necked Francolin, Verreaux’s Eagle, Common and Fox Kestrel, Pygmy Falcon, Stone Partridge and Karamoja Apalis among others. You later come back to the Lodge in the evening for dinner and overnight.

Day 24. Walking Safari in Kidepo valley National Park

After breakfast, you will go for a nature walk to search for the birds that you could have missed during the previous game drives. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.

Day 25. Transfer to Soroti

After breakfast, you will transfer to Soroti passing through Kit-gum and Lira with lunch en route, arriving in the evening and checking in to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation options:

• Soroti hotel

Destination:  soroti

Day 26. Boat cruise on Lake Bisina

After breakfast, you will go and do a boat cruise on Lake Bisina in search of the Fox’s Weaver and the Lesser Jacana among others. You will have lunch and drive back-to-back to the Hotel in the afternoon and spend the afternoon at leisure. Dinner and overnight stay.

Day 27. Transfer to Jinja

After breakfast, you will transfer to Jinja, birding en route, arriving in the evening and checking in to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation options:

• Jinja Nile Resort

Destination:  Jinja

Day 28. Activities in Jinja and transfer to Entebbe

After breakfast, you will visit the Source of the Nile where you do water rafting. Have lunch and after the driver guide will drop you off at the Entebbe Airport for your flight home. Marking the end of the 28 days birding safari in Uganda.

End of Tour

Includes & Excludes

Getting There

The trip will start from Kampala or Entebbe to Lake Mburo National park to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park to queen Elizabeth national park to kibale forest national park to murchison falls national park to kidepo valley national park to jinja and you will be dropped off at your hotel in Kampala or Entebbe international airport after the trip.

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You can also reach us on Whats-app Number: +256753750983 for urgent requests.