20 Days Birding Safari Excursion in Uganda

20 Days Birding Safari Excursion in Uganda takes you to Mabira virgin forest with 312 species, Ziwa rhino sanctuary with 250 bird species, Budongo forest with over 360 bird species including the endemic yellow tooted flycatcher and illadopsis puvelli.

Murchison Falls national park with 451 species of birds with the sight of the rare shoebill stork. Kibale forest national park with 375 species of birds with the endemic Kibale ground truth, Bigodi wetland sanctuary with 138 species of birds including the famous great blue Turaco.

Queen Elizabeth national park with over 600 species of birds making the habitant with many bird species in east Africa and second in Africa. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest national park with 350 species of birds including the endemic red-faced barbet. Entebbe botanical garden, Lutembe bay, and the famous Mambamba swamp. It is an adventure birding encounter for all seasoned worlds birders

Arrival day: Our representative will be eagerly waiting for you at Entebbe international airport or any one of the Uganda border posts in Mutukula, Busia, Malamba, and Elegu. You will be picked up and dropped to the agreed place of accommodation for overnight, dinner, and overnight on your first day.

20 Days Birding Safari Excursion in Uganda Highlights

11 Days Uganda Trip

Note:  

  • Gorilla permit cost $800.0
  • Chimpanzee permit costs $250.0 in Kibale Forest NP/$50.0 in Kalinju Forest & Kyambura Gorge in QENP
  • Golden Monkey permit costs $100.0 in Mgahinga National Park

Detailed 20 Days Birding Safari Excursion in Uganda

Day 1: Early morning arrives at Entebbe International Airport

Early morning arrives at Entebbe International Airport, and drive to Mabamba Bay on Lake Victoria to check on the “elusive Shoebill”. Other species can be seen like Common Moorhens, Caruthers Cisticolas, Pygmy Goose, the Lesser Jacana, White-winged Warbler, Papyrus Gonolek, and Grey-rumped Swallow.

Afternoon: Drive from Mabamba Bay to Mabira Forest through Kampala city on partly loose surface road and mostly on tarmac road
Overnight (O/N) at Griffin Falls campsite (Moderate) Rain Forest Lodge (Luxury)

Day 2 of 20 Days Birding Safari Excursion in Uganda: Drive to Mabira Forest

Early morning bird watching on the trails of Mabira Forest checking for Purple-throated cuckoo shrike, Forest wood hoopoe, Nahan’s Francolin, Sooty Boubou, Green-tailed Greenbul, Green coucal, pied hornbills, great blue and Black-billed turacos, Black-bellied seed crackers.
Afternoon: Visit Jinja town and take a boat trip to the Source of the Longest River Nile. On the Nile Pied Kingfishers, African Darters, Sacred Ibises, malachite kingfishers, Common Squacco herons, Pelicans, cormorants. Can be seen.

Drive back from Jinja town to Mabira Forest

O/N at Griffin falls campsite (Moderate) or at Rain Forest Lodge (Luxury)

Day 3: Transfer back to Lake Mburo national park via Kampala City from Mabira

Early morning drive from Mabira Forest again through Kampala city to Lake Mburo national park. This Masaka – Mbarara road is tarmac with some road rehabilitation s taking place. En route birding will be given priority to check for Black-headed weavers, Long-crested Eagles, Black-headed waxbills, and Ross’s Turacos. A stopover at the “Equator” is rewarding. This imaginary line is where the Northern and Southern Hemispheres meet. Here a camera can be put on maximum usage.

Drive from the equator through Masaka town to Lyantonde town.
O/N at Sky Blue Motel (Moderate) near Lyantonde town or Acadia cottages (Luxury)

Day 4: Birding in Lake Mburo National Park

Early morning drive from Sky Blue Motel to Lake Mburo – 15km enter by Nsheera gate. Among the many birds to be checked on will include; the scimitar bills, green wood hoopoes, the rare “Red-faced Barbet”, the Marico sunbird, the greater Blue-eared Starlings, African Scops Owls, Brown snake Eagles Green-winged pitiless, Violet-backed Starlings, the national bird “the Grey-crowned Crane”.

Afternoon boat cruise on Lake Mburo to search for the rare “African Finfoot”, Pied and Giant Kingfishers, Brown-chested plover, and White-winged Warbler. Animals like Crocodiles, Hippos, can also be seen. This park is also famous for the “Elegant Zebras”
O/N at Sky Blue Motel (Moderate) or Acadia cottages (Luxury)

Day 5: Drive from Lake Mburo to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

Early morning drive from Sky Blue Motel to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The road from here through Mbarara, Ntungamo to Rukungiri towns is tarmac with some rehabilitation, Driving from Rukungiri town to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is through the rolling hills of Kigezi area that show the effects of the ancient combination of tectonism forces. Enroute birding will be done to see the white-tailed blue flycatchers, augur Buzzards, Bronze sunbirds, Arrow-marked Babblers,
O/N at Bwindi View Bandas (Moderate) or Buhoma Lodge (Luxury)

Day 6 of 20 Days Birding Safari Excursion in Uganda: Bird Watching in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

Early morning birding on the Buhoma main trail in Bwindi Forest to scan for Albertine endemics; Short-tailed and Red-faced woodland warblers, Purple-breasted and Rwenzori Double-collared sunbirds, Stripe-breasted Tit, Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher.

Among other birds that can be seen include the African broadbill, Petit’s Cuckoo Shrike, Luther’s Bushshrike, Equatorial Akalat, Brown-capped, and Black-billed weavers…….
O/N at Bwindi View Bandas (Moderate) or Buhoma Lodge (Luxury)

Day 7: Birding in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

Early morning drive from Bwindi View Banda to Ruhizha the “Neck” of Bwindi Forest to check on grey cuckoo shrike, Montane Oriole, the Handsome Francolin, Red-throated Alethe, Chapin’s Flycatcher, Stulmann’s Starling, White-browed Crombec, Green-headed sunbird….
Afternoon / Evening: Drive from the Neck to Kihihi town
O/N at Rushunzu Guest House (Moderate) or Savanna Hotel (Luxury)

Day 8: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Early morning drive to Queen Elizabeth national park – Ishasha wilderness sector. On the tracks of the park, we see the Southern Red Bishop, Black-bellied Bustard, Ring-necked dove, Winding Cisticola, Swamp Flycatcher, Flappet Larks, White-backed and White-headed vultures, Brown snake Eagle….

Afternoon: Drive from Ishasha to Mweya (Queen Elizabeth). The 70 km stretch of the road is murram, bumpy, and under rehabilitation. Enter by Katunguru gate we drive the 20km stretch to see the Helmeted Guineafowl, Red-necked Spurfowl, Spot-flanked Barbet, African firefinch,
O/N at Albertine Hostel (Moderate) or Mweya Safari Lodge (Luxury)

Day 9 of 20 Days Birding Safari Excursion in Uganda: Birding in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Early morning on the tracks of Queen Elizabeth to see the Grey-backed and common Fiscals, Speckled and Blue-naped mousebirds, yellow wagtail, Black-headed Gonolek, Swamp flycatcher, Red-billed Quelea, Prime stone canary, Rupell’s long-tailed Starling, Angola Swallow, White-browed Robin-chat.

Afternoon: Boat cruise on Kazinga Channel. On it a lot of water birds watching is experienced some of them are migrants from Europe and Asia; Lesser-black backed Gulls, Gull-billed Terns, Temminck’s Coursers, European Marsh Harrier, other birds on the channel are; Saddle and yellow-billed Storks, the Black Crake, Goliath, Purple and Grey Herons.

From here you see birds especially the Yellow-billed Ox-pecker interact with game-like hippos, buffaloes, elephants, and crocodiles.
O/N at Albertine Hostel (Moderate) or Mweya Safari Lodge (Luxury)

Day 10: Drive from Queen Elizabeth National Park to Kibale Forest National Park

Early morning drive from Queen Elizabeth to Kibale National Park. The drive is on tarmac road through Kasese town to Fort portal. The road from here is murram and 42km to Kibale forest.
Afternoon: Birding the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary to see the Black and White Shrike Flycatcher, White-spotted flufftail, Tambourine dove, Grey-backed camaroptera, African paradise flycatcher, Snowy headed Robin-chat, Ashy Flycatcher.

O/N at CVK Cottages (Moderate) or Primate Lodge Kibale (Luxury)

Day 11: Birding Kibale Forest National Park

Full day bird watching on the grid system of Kibale forest to see the Black Bee-eaters, African Pitta? Forest francolin, Afep pigeon, Yellow-crested Woodpecker, Buff-throated Apalis, African shrike flycatcher, Jameson’s and Chestnut wattle eye, Vieillot’s Black and yellow mantled Weavers.
O/N at CVK Cottages (Moderate) or Kibale Forest Lodge (Luxury)

Day 12: Transfer to Semuliki National Park

Early morning drive from CVK to Semuliki Forest via the Mabere ga Nyina Mwiru Craters for en-route birding. Here we can see Foxy Cisticola, Bronze sunbirds, and Wood sandpipers. The sceneries here are fantastic. The road from Fort portal to Semuliki forest is partly tarmac and loose surface under construction and it meanders through the Rwenzori Mountains.
O/N at Bumago Camp (Moderate) or Vanilla Lodge (Luxury)

Day 13 of 20 Days Birding Safari Excursion in Uganda: Birding in Semuliki National Park

Full-day bird watching on the Kirimia trail that straddles the Kirimia River. The trail runs to Semuliki River which borders Congo DR.
Broad-billed Roller, Green Wood-hoopoe, Common Scimitar bill, African Grey, piping and White-thighed Hornbills, African Mustached Warbler, Marsh Tchagra, and Violet-backed Starling Xavier’s greenbul, rufous-sided broad bill, cup chins babbler, Eastern bearded Greenbul, Eastern Bearded Scrub robin can be seen. The famous Pel’s Fishing Owl can be seen on the River Trail.
O/N at Bumago Camp (Moderate) or Vanilla Lodge (Luxury)

Day 14: Drive to Hoima Town from Fort Portal

Early morning drive from Semuliki Forest to Fort portal town, drive to Kyenjojo town on a tarmac road, branch off the highway, and drive through Kagadi town to Hoima town. The road is a long stretch on a bumpy murram road.
O/N at Eco Gardens (Moderate) or Kolping Hotel (Luxury) in Hoima town

Day 15: Transfer from Hoima Town to Budongo Forest

Early morning drive from Hoima to Budongo Forest, bird the trails of Busingiro sector to see Red-Bellied Flycatcher, Yellow-spotted and yellow-billed Barbets, Scaly-breasted illadopsis, Sooty Boubou, Little and yellow whiskered Greenbuls, Red-tailed, Buff-throated Apalis, Sooty Flycatcher, Dusky tit….
O/N at Nyabyeya Guest House (Moderate) or New Court View Hotel (Luxury)

Day 16 of 20 Days Birding Safari Excursion in Uganda: Bird Watching in Budongo Forest

Full day birding on the Royal mile of Budogo Forest to see the rare Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, White thighed Hornbill, Puvel’s illadopsis, Nahan’s francolin, Olive green camaroptera, Green throated sunbird, Little grey Greenbul, Fork-tailed drongo, White-headed and Forest wood hoopoes, Crowned Hornbills……
O/N Nyabyeya Guest House or at New Court View Hotel (Luxury)

Day 17: Drive from Budongo Forest to Murchison Falls National Park

Early morning drive from Budongo forest to Murchison falls national park through Bbiso town and make en route birding in Albertine escarpment to see the Cinnamon-breasted rock bunting, Red-winged Warbler, African spotted Thrush, Beautiful Sunbird, Laughing and Mourning doves….
Pass Buliisa town and enter Murchison by Kigumba gate see silver birds, Papias, yellow wagtail, Helmeted Guinea Fowl….
O/N at Red Chilli camp (Moderate) or Sambiya River Lodge (Luxury)

Day 18 of 20 Days Birding Safari Excursion in Uganda: Birding in Murchison Falls National Park

The early morning Ferry crosses the Nile River to the Paara sector of Murchison Falls Park. During the drive, we see the African Hoopoe, Abyssinian Ground and African grey Hornbills, Carmine Bee Eaters, Northern Red bishops, Steppe, Tawny and Wahlberg’s eagles, Palm-nut Vulture, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Black-winged pratincole, Wire-tailed swallow, Other birds that can be seen at the delta where the Nile River enters Lake Albert are the ”elusive Shoebill”, the white-faced and fulvous ducks, Pink-backed and Great white pelicans, Great and White Egrets…
O/N at Red Chilli camp (Moderate) or Sambiya River Lodge (Luxury)

Day 19: Adventure in Murchison Falls National Park

Early morning drive to the top of Murchison falls but as we drive, we can see Yellow-Billed Ox-peckers, grey kingfishers…

Midmorning: Visit the thunderous falls and the magnificent view of the Rainbow. Here maximum camera usage is important.
Afternoon: Boat cruise on the Nile to visit the Falls from downstream. On the trip, we see the African Fish Eagle, Collared and Rock Pratincole, Egyptian Goose, Common Squacco Heron, Common Sand Pipers, African Darters,
O/N at Red Chilli Camp (Moderate) or Sambiya River Lodge (Luxury)

Day 20: Drive Back to Kampala

Drive back to Kampala via Kichumbayo gate. Drive through Masindi town, Nakasongola and Luweero towns to Entebbe international airport

End of 20 Days Birding Safari Excursion in Uganda

20 Days Birding Safari Excursion in Uganda Inclusions and Exclusions               

Price includes:                      

  • All accommodation and meals as indicated in the itinerary on FB & BB basis
  • Gorilla permit fees/permit purchased NET from UWA each $700.0 per person per visit
  • Chimpanzee permit fees/permit purchased NET from UWA each $200.00 per person per visit
  • Full time exclusive use of a 4 x 4 Safari Jeep/Toyota Land cruiser
  • Full time services of experienced English-speaking drive/guide
  • All services in national parks i.e park entrance fees, guided nature walks, hikes & game drives
  • Boat trips in both Murchison falls, Queen Elizabeth
  • A 3-hour guided night game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park (optional – depending on one’s strength and interest)
  • Bottled drinking mineral water, coffees, teas or soft drinks while on Safaris, game drives, walks, hikes or transfers
  • All Nature/Safari & Community walks as indicated in the itinerary-safari program
  • All airport pickups and drop off from Entebbe & back to Entebbe airport
  • All activities indicated & mentioned in the itinerary
  • A $15.0 per pax off as donation to orphanage homes whose parents’ death are/were as a result of animal conflicts within conservation areas
  • All government related taxes

Price Excludes:                     

  • Mgahinga Golden Monkeys permit fees Purchases NET from UWA each $60.0 per person per visit
  • Optional Forest walks each at $20.0 plus entry of $40.0 park entry fees
  • Optional Batwa community visit in Bwindi or Mgahinga or Nyakabade and the entertainment each at ($25 per person)
  • Laundry service in different hotels we stay
  • Bar bills, phone calls
  • Personal insurance and medical bills
  • Air fares
  • All other services of a personal nature
  • All services marked as Optional in the itinerary
  • Driver/guides/hotel staff or any other person’s gratuity

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