Arrival in Entebbe

Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you meet your birding safari Guide who will transfer you to your hotel and brief you about 20 days Bird watching adventure in Uganda. After that have some relaxation and later dinner and overnight stay.

Meal Plan: Dinner

Accommodation option:

 Standard: Papyrus Guesthouse

Comfort Boma hotel

Luxury: Hotel No5

Day1: Birding Mabamba Wetland

After your early breakfast, you’ll start your Ugandan Birding Safari and set off to the Mabamba swamp on the shores of Lake Victoria. This is one of the few remaining wetlands in Uganda protected by the local communities. It is an extensive papyrus wetland, with a complex of channels and lagoons, and is home to several pairs of the rare Shoebill species, Uganda’s most famous bird resident. This charismatic monotypic genus species is certainly among the most liked birds OPTION birds to spot along the way like Pink backed Pelican, , Squacco Heron, Yellow billed Duck, Long tailed Cormorant, Malachite Kingfisher, Long toed Plover, , Blue breasted Bee eater, Blue headed Coucal among other. Transfer back to Entebbe botanical gardens in search for birds like African open billed Stork, African Green Pigeon, Grey Kestrel , Great Blue Turaco, Ross’s Turaco, Swifts, Sunbirds, Red-headed Lovebird, Weavers, Finches and other birds. Transfer back at the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

 Day2: Rhino tracking in zziwa Rhino Sanctuary

After your early morning breakfast, start another day of the Uganda birding safari with a transit to Ziwa Rhino sanctuary, upon arrival check in and have lunch and some relaxation, set out for the rest of the afternoon looking out for birds like Western Banded Snake Eagle, Long crested Eagle, Lizard Buzzard, Crested Francolin, Blue naped Mousebird, White crested Turaco, Grey headed Kingfisher, Woodland Kingfisher, White headed Barbet, Nubian Woodpecker, Cardinal Woodpecker, Double toothed Barbet , Grey Woodpecker, Brown throated Wattle eye, Black headed Gonolek, Sulphur breasted Bush shrike, Hartlaub’s Marsh Widowbird, Tropical Boubou among other birds.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation option:

Standard: Naju guest house

Comfort: Kabalega Hotel

Luxury: Amuka Lodge

Day3: Birding in the northern Bank of Murchison national park

After your breakfast, today start your birding safari day in Ziwa Rhino sanctuary with a look out for birds like Western Banded Snake Eagle, Bateleur, Long crested Eagle, , Lizard Buzzard, Crested Francolin, White-crested Turaco, Bruce’s Green Pigeon, Thick billed Cuckoo, Black Cuckoo, African Scops Owl, Pearl spotted Owlet, Red chested Cuckoo, Square tailed Nightjar, Swamp Nightjar, Black shouldered Nightjar, Blue naped Mousebird, Slender tailed Nightjar , Green Wood hoopoe, Woodland Kingfisher, African Hoopoe, White headed Barbet, Double toothed Barbet, Grey headed Kingfisher, Nubian Woodpecker among other bird species. Have lunch and depart Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary bird as you travel to Murchison Falls National Park via the top of the falls. Have a short tour around the top of the falls from where you can walk down to the river’s bank and see the waters as they are forced through a narrow gorge and plunge down 45 meters in a majestic cascade into the Victoria Nile. Looking for birds like Raptors, Rock Pratincole, White crested Turaco, Crested Francolin, White-headed Barbet, Red-throated Bee-eater, Silverbird, Narina Trogon, Red-cheeked Cordon blue, Finches, Sunbirds, Waxbills, Canaries and other birds.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation option:

Standard Budongo Eco Lodge

Comfort: Pakuba Lodge

Luxury: Para safari Lodge 

Day4: Game drive and Boat cruise on the Victoria Nile

After an early morning breakfast, proceed for a game drive and birding drive getting back during the lunch hour. Immediately after lunch, transfer to Paraa northern bank for the boat cruise towards the bottom of the fall, and there is an opportunity to spot hundreds of hippos, Nile crocodiles, and a variety of avian life. Anticipate seeing birds like Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Rock Pratincole, Swallow tailed Bee Eater, Black headed Plover, Black billed Barbet, Spotted Morning Thrush, Red throated Bee eater, White-browed Sparrow Weaver, Speckle fronted Weaver, and other bird species, alonside animals like the graceful Rothschild Giraffe, mpalas, Jackson’s Hartebeest, olive baboons, Uganda Kob, Defassa Waterbuck, Cape Buffaloes, African Elephants, Warthog, Hippos, Oribi and cats like leopard, Lion and many more.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

DAY5: Birding Rift valley Escarpment in Murchison falls 

After your breakfast, embark on your way back to Masindi driving via the rift valley escarpment where you will have good scenic views of Lake Albert. We shall have a birding walk at the escarpment before continuing to Busingiro Forest Centre if time allows. Do birding around the vicinity and the road, expect to see birds like Striped Kingfisher, Cliff Chat, Spotted Morning Thrush, Swallow tailed Bee-eater, Northern Crombec, Rattling Cisticola, Red-winged Grey Warbler, Red-faced Crombec, Black-headed Batis, Red-winged Ptyalin, Black-faced Waxbill , Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-Weaver, and other birds. Continue to Hoima town for dinner and overnight.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation option:

Standard: Hoima Cultural Lodge.

Comfort: Hb hotel

Luxury: Mileho  

Day6: Birding in Royal mile and transfer to kibale

After an early morning breakfast, and head out for the birding expedition around the Royal mile. We shall look out for birds like the African Crowned Eagle, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, Heuglin’s Francolin, Dwarf Kingfisher, White thighed Hornbill, Yellow crested Woodpecker, Brown eared Woodpecker, a Selection of Tinkerbirds and Barbets Greenbuls, Fire crested Alethe, Lemon bellied Crombec, Rufus crowned Eremomela, Red tailed Ant thrush,Whistling Cisticola, Black throated Apalis, Black capped Apalis, Forest Flycatcher, Ituri Batis, Red bellied Paradise Flycatcher, Chestnut capped Flycatcher, Grey throated Flycatcher, Purple headed Starling, Brown Twinspot Western Black headed Oriole, among other birds. Primates like Blue Monkey, Black and white Colobus Monkey, Red tailed Monkey, among others. Continue to Kibale National Park via fort potal town.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation option

Standard: Kibale Forest Camp

Comfort: kibale Forest Lodge

Luxury: Primate Lodge 

DAY8: Birding Day in kibale forest National park

After an Early breakfast, you’ll go birding in the vicinity of the dense Kibale Forest looking out for the Green breasted Pitta and other avian life like Yellow billed Barbet, Black-billed Turaco, Narina Trogon, African Emerald Cuckoo, Blue-shouldered Robin-chat, Chestnut Wattle eye, Narrow-tailed Staring, Sabine’s Spinetail, among other bird species and primates like Red Colobus, Grey-cheeked Mangabey, Olive Baboon, Black and white Colobus, Red-tailed Monkey, L’Hoest’s Monkey and many more. After that continue with your birding activity to Bigodi wetland and later return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

DAY9: Birding in Kihingami wetland and Transfer to semulik National park

On this day after breakfast, your birding safari guide will drive you to Kihingami Wetland 12km from Fort Portal town for the wild nature walk around the Swamp. This is a home to the White spotted fluff tail a very shy bird species. Other birds to be seen include Red headed bluebill, Red bellied paradise flycatcher Black and white shrike fly catcher. Continue to the Semliki Valley National Park for the afternoon nature walk within the park. Birds to be seen are White tithed

 hornbill, White crested hornbill, Black casqued wattled hornbill, and Dwarf hornbill and later proceed to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation option:

Standard kirumia Guest House

Comfort: ntoroko Game Lodge

Luxury : Semulik safari Lodge

DAY10:Birding In Semulik National Park

Wake up early in the morning for the Nature walk and birding adventure within the Semliki National Park. In case the shoebill stork was not successfully seen in Mabamba Swamp, it would be possible to again look out for this species in the Semliki -Toro Game Reserve at Ntoroko valley.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

DAY11: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth and (birding in maramagambo Forest Reserve)

The 20 days best of Uganda birding safari will take you for another 3 hour roadtrip to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The Park is the most visited in Uganda and largest national park in Uganda, and ranks highest with respect to overall diversity, with a bird species list of about 600 species. The park has a range of habitats from moist forest at Maramagambo to wild savannah excellent for Lions, Leopards, African Elephants, Hyenas, Ugandan Kobs, olive Baboons, Giant Hogs, Warthog, cape buffalos among others. Look out for bird species like White spotted Fluff tail, African Emerald Cuckoo, Yellow-billed Barbet, Black-billed Turaco, Kingfishers, Cisiticolas, Shrikes, Lesser Striped Swallow, Starlings, and Widowbird among other bird species.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation option:

Standard: Bush Lodge

Comfort : Kasenyi safari Lodge

Luxury: Elephant Hub

DAY12:Game Drive and Boat Cruise in Queen Elizabeth ( kazinga channel)

On this day immediately after your breakfast, we will head out for a game drive and birding adventure coming back in time for lunch and in the afternoon set for the boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, to spot a variety of wildlife species, hundreds of hippos, Nile crocodile and avian life. Look out for bird species like Pelicans, Storks, African Spoonbill, Green-backed Heron, Kittlitz’s Plover, Senegal Plover, Larks, Yellow-throated Longclaw, Wattled Plover, Babblers, Sunbirds, Weavers, Widowbirds, Weavers, among others. Look out for wildlife species like Uganda Kob, Bushbuck, Defassa Water buck, Cape Buffaloes, Nile Elephants, Warthog, and cats leopard, spotted Hyena and Lion among others.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

DAY13: birding in Queen Elizabeth Ishasha Sector 

After an early morning breakfast, head out for birding maramagambo area around Lake Nyamusingiri looking out for bird species like Black Bee Eater, Shining Blue Kingfisher, Hairy-breasted Barbet, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Yellow-spotted Barbet, Speckled Tinkerbird, Brown-eared Woodpecker, Yellow-rumpled Tinker bird, Snowy-capped Robin-Chat, Honey guide Greenbul, Red-colored Widowbird, Buff-throated Apalis, among other bird species. Dinner and overnight stay in Ishasha Sector

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation:

Standard: Ishasha Jungle Lodge

Comfort: Enjojo Lodge

Luxury: Ishasha wilderness camp

DAY14:Birding in Bwindi forest

After your breakfast, your birding safari guide will transfer you to Bwindi Impenetrable national park. This vast reserve offers the most productive montane forest birding in Africa and is a home to 23 of Uganda’s 24 Albertine valley endemic bird species. Once part of a larger forest that included the Virunga Volcanoes in the neighboring Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Look out for bird species like Raptors, Bee Eaters, Barbets, Tinkerbirds, Kingfishers, Woodpeckers, Apalises, Swallows, Larks, Honeyguide Greenbul, Cisiticolas, Pipits, Chats, Shrikes, Starlings, Widowbirds, Shrikes, among other birds.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation option:

Standard: Ride 4 awoman

Comfort: mahogany Springs

Luxury: Buhoma haven Lodge

DAY15: Walking birding safari from Buhoma to Nkuringo

On this day, with your birding Safari guide, commence with traverse of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park on 14km walk from the Buhoma trail towards Nkuringo sector. This walk is for the birding enthusiast and a must do activity in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Look out for bird species like bee-eater, Bar-tailed trogon, and Western green tinker bird among others. After the activity you will embark on the 1 hours drive Rushaga sector for your overnight stay.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Standard: Rushaga Gorilla Camp

Comfort: 4gorilla Lodge

Luxury: Ichumbi Lodge

DAY16: Birding in bwindi impenetrable and waterfall experience

On this day drive with your guide  around Rushaga sector of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park Forest around the waterfall trail within the Park, this is a unique birding spot in a gorgeous wrap of the dense forest, Here you are able to spot the Yellow eyed black flycatcher, Regal sunbird, Banded prinia, Short tailed warbler which is Albertine rift valley endemic.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

DAY17: Birding in Nombe pocket forest and Buniga Trails

After Breakfast, drive to the Nombe pocket forest near Nkuringo sector to take on another birding safari experience in another sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. The location has been well appreciated by guests looking for Bwindi Forest specialties. Here you will be able to spot the Purple breasted sunbird, Stripe breasted tit, Doherty’s bush shrike and Rwenzori double collared sunbird. After you lunch have an evening bird watching along the road adjacent the nearby Buniga pocket forest outside the village of Nkuringo and later Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

DAY18: Transfer to lake and short birding experience in echuya forest

After your breakfast, transfer to Lake Mburo National Park. You will have a chance to stop at Echuya Forest for another birding adventure and later we proceed to Lake Mburo national park. This park has a wide range of vegetation cover from open Acacia woodlands to various papyrus lined lakes and swamps. We will continue with our adventure this afternoon in Lake Mburo National Park where we will be looking out for bird species like Bateleur, Crested Francolin, Brown Parrot, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove,Blue-napped Mouse bird, African Grey Hornbill, Yellow-breasted Apalis, White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher, Spot-flanked Barbet, White-napped Raven, Black-crowned Waxbill, Black-headed Waxbill and Fork tailed Drongo, among other birds.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation option

Standard Eagles Nest Lodge

Comfort: Rwakobo Rock Lodge

Luxury mihingo Lodge

DAY19 Bird watching in Lake Mburo national park

Whole day birding in Lake Mburo National Park looking out for bird species like the Bateleur, Crested Francolin, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, Brown Parrot, Black-bellied Bustard, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, African Grey Hornbill, Spot-flanked Barbet, Blue-napped Mousebird, Long tailed Cisticola, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Long tailed Cisticola, among other birds. Alongside mammals like the gorgeous Eland, Impala, Cape Buffalo, zebras, Reedbuck, Waterbuck Bushbuck, Topi, Hippos, Oribi, Bush-duiker, giraffes and others.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

DAY20: Transfer to kampala or Entebbe

Transfer to Kampala or Entebbe, after breakfast with your luggage, arrive in Entebbe in the afternoon. Look out for birds like Bateleur, Crested Francolin, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, Lilac-breasted Roller,Brown Parrot, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, , African Grey Hornbill, Spot-flanked Barbet, Blue-napped Mousebird Striped Kingfisher, Golden-backed Weaver and many more. Drive to the lodge in Entebbe for refreshments before we proceed to Entebbe international airport for our departure flight.

Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch