22 Days Uganda Birding Tour
Uganda Birding tour, Starts/Ends: Kampala | Budongo, Semiliki, Kibale, QENP, Bwindi, Mgahinga, Mabamba
Uganda Birding Tour - Bird Watching Safari
Uganda Birding tour for 22 Days Start: Kampala End: Kampala Budongo, Semiliki, Kibale, QENP, Bwindi, Mgahinga, Mabamba
Overview of Uganda birding tour
This 22 days Uganda Birding tour is an exciting trip that suit interest of travelers intending to fulfill African birding passion in best bird watching spots. It includes the most important birding spots of Uganda covering areas of, Murchison falls national park together with Budongo forest, Kibale forest, semuliki national park, Queen Elizabeth national park and its Ishasha sector, Bwindi Impenetrable national park, Mgahinga national park, Lake Mburo national park, Mabamba swamp known for its good sighting of the shoebill stork, Mabira forest and the botanical gardens in the heart of Entebbe.
Highlights
- Birding walks in forests of Budongo, Semuliki national park, Kibale forest, Bwindi forest, mgahinga national parks
- Boat rides in Mabamba swamp, on the Nile River in Murchison falls, Kazinga channel of Queen Elizabeth national park, and Lake Mburo national park.
- Birding and game drives in the savannahs of Murchison falls national park, Queen Elizabeth national park with Ishasha sector known for its birds and rare tree climbing lions, and Lake Mburo national park.
- Gorilla tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable national park
- Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest national park
- Rhinoceros tracking in Ziwa Rhino sanctuary
Included in the package
- Airport transfers
- Kampala city tour
- Source of Nile visitation fees
- Rhinoceros tracking in Ziwa sanctuary
- Chimpanzee Tracking permit
- Park entry fees
- Community/cultural visits
- Birding Nature walks
- Birding Game drives mentioned in the itinerary
- Bigodi wetland sanctuary walk
- Boat cruises on the Nile to Murchison fall, Kazinga Channel, and in Jinja source of Nile
- Transport costs in a 4wd vehicle with pop up roof
- Full time English speaking knowledgeable bird guide/ driver and his allowance
- Accommodation and meals
- Drinking water during the tour
- Government local tax on Accommodation
Itinerary
22 Days Uganda Birding Tour Itinerary:
Day 1-Arrival and transfer to the Hotel in either Kampala or Entebbe.
Upon arrival at Entebbe international Airport, your Uganda birding tour guide will be there to receive you and transfer you to your Hotel for your overnight stay at
- ENTEBBE PROTEA HOTEL
- CASSIA LODGE
- AIRPORT GUEST HOUSE
Day 2 - Bird Mabamba Swamp and transfer to Lake Mburo national park
After your breakfast, the guide will transfer you from your Hotel in Kampala and take you to ,Mabamba swamp which is approximately 50 km west of Kampala city. The wetland is famous spot for sought after bird called shoebill stork and other birds, using a boat, look out for more bird species such as lesser jacana, white winged warbler, yellow backed weaver, swamp flycatcher, Blue headed coucal, Northern Brown throated weaver, African swamphen, African water rail, White faced whistling duck, Squacco heron, Blue breasted bee eater, Winding cisticola, Goliath heron, Black crake and many more, later you will be transferred to lake Mburo national park for your overnight stay at;
- MIHINGO LODGE
- RWAKOBO ROCK
- LAKE MBURO SAFARI LODGE
Day 3 - Birding game drive and afternoon boat ride on Lake Mburo
Early morning after breakfast, head out for morning game drive in Lake Mburo national Park and later in afternoon boat ride, Lake Mburo is special place for birding viewing and other wildlife species having different habitats for wild life like zebra, impalas, Tops Elands, buffalos are seen roaming around, Here the highlight is to look out for birds like, Green backed woodpecker, African fin foot, Brown chested plover, White winged warbler, Spot-flanked barbet, papyrus gonelek, Northern brown throated weaver, Red faced barbet special bird whose range is restricted to this area , Black collared barbet, southern ground hornbill, Black crowned night heron, White backed night heron, and little bittern, later we return back to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay at DAY 2.
Day 4 – Drive to Kisoro Mgahinga national park
In the morning after breakfast, you will drive through different town, lunch along the way and head to Kisoro, the town close to Mgahinga national park for an overnight stay in preparation for the next birding in the Mgahinga Park, birding around the lodge in the evening stay at
- BWINDI JUNGLE LODGE
- KISORO TRAVELERS REST HOTEL
Day 5 - Birding Mgahinga national park
After an early breakfast, you will head to Mgahinga national park, the Uganda’s smallest park located in the Virunga Volcanoes mountain hosting variety of rare bird species and the sought after animal the mountain Gorilla. You will look out for birds such as Rwenzori turaco, tambourine Dove, and many more later you will return back to the lodge for your dinner and overnight stay at DAY 4.
Day 6 – Transfer to Bwindi Forest national park – Ruhija Area
After your breakfast, you will transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park specifically in Ruhija eastern side of the park, this one of the best birding site around Bwindi with a lot of Albertine rift endemics including the rarest African green broadbill. You will do birding en route and around the lodge in the afternoon stay at
- RUHIJA GORILL LODGE
- GORILLA MIST CAMP
- BAKIGA LODGE
Day 7 – Birding Ruhija to Mubwindi swamp
After your morning breakfast, the guide will take you for birding heading to Mubwindi swamp, target species here will be, Yellow eyed flycatcher, Ruwenzori batis, Grauer’s rush warbler, Grauer’s warbler, Black billed turacco, Chestnut throated apalis, Mountain illadopsis, Stripe breasted Tit, Montane sooty boubou, White tailed blue flycatcher, White headed wood hoopoe, Narina’s trogon, collared Apalis, Bar tailed Trogon, Handsome francolin, African green broadbill ,Ruwenzori hill barbler, Blue headed sunbird, Regal sunbird, and many more. Later you will head back to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay at DAY 6.
Day 8 – Transfer to Buhoma with en route birding
In the morning after your breakfast, you will transfer to Buhoma which is the northern sector of Bwindi forest National park also rich for birdlife, you will do en route birding along the neck of the forest targeting species like, Black bee eaters, strange weaver, Magpie mankins, Tamborine dove, mountain wagtail, dusky twin spot, mountain masked Apalis, among others later check in to your lodge, you will afterwards do short birding walk around the lodge. You will stay at
- MAHOGANY SPRING
- BUHOMA LODGE
- BUHOMA COMMUNITY REST CAMP
Day 9 – Whole day birding Buhoma Sector
In the morning after breakfast, go for birding Buhoma area. Here our target species are; Mountain illadopsis, White tailed blue flycatcher, Red faced woodland warbler, wood peckers, White headed wood hoopoe, Brown capped weaver, Chapins flycatcher, Blue throated roller. Bar tailed trogon, Grey capped warbler, African blue bill, Brown capped weaver, Black necked weaver, Short tailed warbler, Black bee eater and many more. Later head back to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay at DAY 8.
Day 10 – Gorilla tracking and evening birding around the lodge
A relatively early morning start, after your early breakfast, you will be taken to the park office ready with packed lunch and drinking water and in tracking attire, be briefed and head out for Mountain Gorilla tracking adventure which will take you approximately 4 -8 hours, and one hour viewing plus photography once you come across them. Then you will later after a memorable adventure with Gorillas return back to the lodge, relax a bit then do short birding walk around. Return to the lodge afterwards for your dinner and overnight stay at DAY 9.
Day 11 – Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park via Ishasha sector
After morning breakfast, here you will transfer to Queen Elizabeth N.P via Ishasha southern sector of this Park where you will have game drive with chances to see variety of game including the famous Tree climbing lions, Elephants, Uganda Kobs, buffalos, Warthogs, Topi, hippopotamus lucky enough leopards. You will continue birding trying to find Blue quail, Red headed lovebird, African white backed vultures, Eagles, African crake, African hoopoe, pipit, Black headed gonolek, little bee eaters, Rollers, tinker birds, sooty chat, fork tailed Drongo and many more. Later you will continue to the northern sector and check in to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay at
- MWEYA SAFARI LODGE
- ENGANZI LODGE
- QUEEN ELIZABETH BUSH LODGE
Day 12 – Birding game drive and afternoon boat cruise on Kazinga channel
After your breakfast, you will head out for morning game drive as you do birding, A variety of game animals here will be sported including Lions, Elephants, Uganda Kobs, Defassa Water bucks, Buffalos, leopards if lucky, warthogs together with lots of savannah birds like African wattled lapwing, wood doves, Eagles, vultures, Ruppell’s long tailed starlings, Black headed weavers, slender billed weaver, yellow throated long claws, Grey backed fiscal ,common fiscal, Black Lored babbler, Arrow marked babbler, Black headed Batis, when you return , have lunch break later do afternoon boat cruise along Kazinga channel that hosts a huge concentration of Hippopotamus and crocodiles . You will be able to spot variety of water bird species like skimmers, pelicans, yellow billed stork, Squacco heron, African fish eagle, malachite king fisher, African pied king fisher and many more after two hours you will return back and go for a short evening birding . After all return back to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay at DAY 11.
Day 13 – Transfer to Kibale and afternoon birding Bigodi wetland
Early morning after breakfast, you will be transferred to Kibale forest National Park and do afternoon birding in Bigodi wetland sanctuary which is located few meters away from the main forest you will be able to see birds of forest edge like Great blue turacco, Black and white casqued hornbill, sunbirds Papyrus gonolek, White winged warbler. African pygmy kingfisher and several monkey species including Grey cheeked mangabeys and Red colobus monkey. Thereafter return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay at
- CRATER SAFARI LODGE
- PRIMATE LODGE
- CHIMPANZEE GUEST HOUSE
Day 14 – Birding in the morning and Chimpanzee tracking in the afternoon
On this day after breakfast, you will go out for birding in the forest looking out for White spotted fluff tail, Narina trogon, Brown eared wood pecker, Crested guinea fowl, Black and white shrike fly catcher, yellow billed barbet, Black billed turacco, White napped pigeon, Blue throated roller, Green breasted pitta, Red tailed Anti –thrush, Chestnut wattle eye among others later after lunch around 2 pm you will report to the ranger station well prepared for Chimpanzee tracking which takes approximately 3 hours afterwards return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay at DAY 13.
Day 15 –Transfer to Budongo- Masindi for a night
In the morning after your breakfast, you will be driven to Masindi town which is located adjacent to Budongo forest, another good site for Birding. You will continue and check in to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay in preparation for the next day’s birding. Stay at
- MASINDI HOTEL
- NEW COURT VIEW HOTEL
Day 16 – Birding Nyabyeya - royal mile and transfer to Kaniyo babidi Budongo
On this day after your breakfast, you will drive to do Birding in Nyabyeya around the guest house and in the royal mile, look out for birds such as, White crested Turacco, Chestnut capped frycatcher, Ituri Batis, Nahans francolin, Forest frycatcher, Tit hylia, lemon bellied crombec, Roufous crowned Elemomera, Spotted greenbul, Forest robbin, Yellow crested woodpecker, Dwarf kingfisher and many more. Later you will come and drive to Kaniyo pabidi in budongo for an overnight stay at
- BUDONGO ECO LODGE
Day 17 – Half day Birding Kaniyo pabidi and transfer to Murchison falls national park
A relatively early morning start after breakfast, you will go for a half day birding in Budongo forest in search of birds like, Puvels illadopsis, Nahans fraancolins, crested guinea fowls Rufous sided broad bill Narinas trogon and many other forest species, you will return back to the lodge for lunch, thereafter drive to Murchison falls national park for an overnight stay at
- PARAA SAFARI LODGE
- PAKUBA LODGE
- FORT MURCHISON
Day 18 – Birding game drive in the morning and afternoon Boat cruise to the bottom of the falls
After your early breakfast, you will head out for early birding, here look out for Vinaceous dove, shoe bill, Abyssinian roller, pied king fisher, red throated bee eater, sacred ibis, grosbeak weaver, carmine bee eaters, fulvous whistling ducks, chestnut crowned sparrow weaver, Denham’s bustard among others later you will return to the lodge for lunch break, after your lunch you will go for a boat cruise upstream to the bottom of the falls. Return to your lodge for overnight stay at DAY 17.
Day 19 – Transfer to Kampala via the top of the falls with en route visit to Rhinoceros in Ziwa sanctuary
In the morning after breakfast, you will visit the top of Murchison falls thereafter exit the park and continue to Ziwa rhino sanctuary. You will visit the Rhino and later proceed your journey to Kampala for an overnight stay at
- CASSIA LODGE
- LE PETITE VILLAGE
- SOJOVALO HOTEL
Day 20 – Transfer to Jinja visit Sezibwa falls, the source of the Nile, Speke monument
On this day after your breakfast, you will drive to Jinja, the adventure town of Uganda on the way visit Sezibwa falls continue and visit the source of the World’s longest River thee Nile as well as Speke monument later lunch and visit the local markets check in to your hotel for overnight stay at
- JINJA NILE RESORT HOTEL
- 2FRIENDS GUEST HOUSE
- SURGIOS GUEST HOUSE
Day 21 – Birding mabira forest and drive back to Kampala
After breakfast drive to Mabira and do birding there, birds to see here are many including Hoopoe warbler, Crombec, Weavers and many later drive and spend your night in Kampala stay at
- CASSIA LODGE
- LE PETITE VILLAGE HOTEL
- SOJOVALO HOTEL
Day 22 – Kampala city tour and Departure, end of the trip.
On this day, you will have breakfast and do city tour or go birding Entebbe botanical gardens as you end your birding trip. You will be transferred to the Entebbe Airport or to your desired place of stay that will mark the End.
End of 22 Days Uganda Birding Tour.
Note that accommodation will be in either budget: mid- range: or luxury; according to your choice as selected



However the tour excludes:-
- Any domestic or International flights
- Visa fees
- All optional activities
- Medical and travel Insurance
- Tips and gratuities to the guide/driver and hotel staffs.
- Any item not mentioned in the itinerary of personal nature like laundry and beverages, souvenirs and telephone bills.