Uganda Birding Safari

12-Day Uganda Birding Safari: An Excellent Opportunity to See Over 1,000 Species of Birds in the Albertine Rift Region

Uganda is a birders paradise and is home to over 1000 species. This 12-day Uganda birding safari will take you to some of the best birding destinations in the country.

This safari is designed for general birders who are keen to see a variety of birds, including some of Uganda's rarest species. If you are an avid birder, we can also design you a custom safari that takes you off the beaten path locations to see a variety of birds, including some of the most unique and exciting species on the continent.

The below itinerary can be added to or changed to suit you in terms of budget and days available.

Day 1: Entebbe

• On arrival at Entebbe Airport, you will be met by your guide and transferred through to your hotel for the night.
• A quick yet to the point talk on what we can expect over the next 12 days.
• A tour to the Entebbe Botanical Gardens is on the cards in the afternoon.
• Here we have the chance of spotting Orange and Golden-backed Weavers, Pied Hornbill, Ross's Turaco, Snowy-headed Robin-chat, Great Blue Turaco, Yellow-throated Leaflove, Gymnogene and perhaps an African Goshawk or a Shikra.
• Our Uganda Birding Safari has started off spectacularly.
• Meals: Bed and Breakfast
• Accommodation: Lake Victoria Hotel

Day 2: Lake Bunyoni "Place of many little birds"

• Breakfast and an early start to the day.
• Heading west we leave Entebbe in the direction of Lake Bunyoni.
• We stop a few times in the Mburo area hoping for a chance to spot a few birds in the surrounding acacia woodlands.
• Our home for the night is a rather special one at that, a 9km boat ride takes us to our own private island on Lake Bunyoni.
• Waterbirds abound in this area.
• Meals: Full Board
• Accommodation: Bushara Island Camp

Day 3: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (350 species)

• Another early start to the day awaits us all.
• Our route takes us through Buhoma via Ruhija.
• We stop often along the way with the goal of spotting as many Albertine Rift endemics as we possibly can.
• Meals: Full Board
• Accommodation: Buhoma Lodge

Days 4-5: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (350 species)

• For the next two days, we are in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
• Birding here is nothing short of spectacular, home to over 23 highly localized Albertine Rift endemics.
• Mornings and afternoons are spent tracking and attempting to photograph the numerous species on offer.
• Optional Gorilla tracking is a must-do when in this area of Uganda.
• Meals: Full Board
• Accommodation: Buhoma Lodge

Day 6: Queen Elizabeth National Park (500 species)

• Queen Elizabeth National Park is the direction we head in today.
• Other than some of the best birding in Africa this National Park is famous for its "tree climbing lions".
• Optional afternoon walk in the Maramagambo Forest.
• Meals: Full Board
• Accommodation: Jacana Safari Lodge

Day 7: Queen Elizabeth National Park (500 species)

• An early start to the day after a hearty breakfast.
• The entire day is spent within the National Park to maximize our time here.
• We have the chance for a boat cruise on the Kasinga channel, with the aim of spotting those amazing Shoebills.
• Meals: Full Board
• Accommodation: Jacana Safari Lodge

Day 8: Kibale Forest (325 species)

• The Kibale Forest is our destination today.
• In the afternoon we take a walk in search of birds along road and forest trails, there is a good chance of bumping into a primate to two.
• Kibale equatorial rainforest offers up the highest concentration of primates in the world.
• This enchanting park is full of lakes, marshes and grasslands and its slopes contain several distinct types of forests (lowland tropical rainforest, deciduous forest and montane forests), perfect for its arboreal inhabitants.
• Meals: Bed and Breakfast
• Accommodation: Kibale Forest Camp

Day 9: Masindi

• Today's drive is a long one, six hours in total.
• Masindi provides a welcome break to get last-minute supplies.
• Explore the market and catch up on some news.
• Meals: Full Board
• Accommodation: Masindi Hotel

Day 10: Murchison Falls National Park (450 species)

• In the morning we head in the direction of Murchison Falls National Park, our home for the next two nights.
• Afternoon walks and drives to spot as many animals and birds as well possibly can.
• This National Park offers up the Shoebill Stork.
• Home to Elephant, Buffalo, Uganda Kob, Oribi, the big cats.
• Meals: Full board
• Accommodation: Nile Safari Camp

Day 11: Murchison Falls National Park (450 species)

• Today we explore this magnificent park.
• In the afternoon we board a private launch to get a close up of the falls.
• Whilst on the launch be on the lookout for Shoebill, African Skimmer, Rock Pratincole, Long-toed Plover and Red-throated Bee-eaters.
• Meals: Full board
• Accommodation: Nile Safari Lodge

Day 12: Uganda Birding Safari ends

• After breakfast, we head for the top of the Falls.
• This is where the mighty Nile River forces its way through an 8-metre gap and into the pools below.
• Leaving Murchison behind us we head back to Entebbe.
• Meals: Breakfast

Enquire and book as soon as possible for this fantastic safari today and experience Uganda's incredible birdlife! You will most certainly not be disappointed.