Birding Safaris in Uganda

Day 1: Arrival in Uganda

You will be met by our representative on arrival at Entebbe International Airport and transferred to Kampala. Check-in will be at the accommodation facility of your choice (budget or luxury); where you will relax till dinner and overnight.

Day 2: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi (8-9)

You will have an early breakfast, followed by a check-out and a drive to Lake Bunyonyi, in the South-Western part of Uganda arriving in the evening, lunch and Equator stopovers en route. Check in will be at the accommodation facility of your choice (budget or luxury); where you will also have dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Full Day in Lake Bunyonyi

Lake Bunyonyi offers superb birding opportunities with over 300 avian species.

After bre akfast take a boat ride around the Islands to the villages. These typical African villages normally regarded as “Switzerland of Africa” because of its undulating cultivated hills and alpine weather around the area offers unique birding and sightseeing opportunity; including a number of water birds that endemic to this Afro-alpine region.

During the village tours, you will also be treated to some of Uganda’s amazing cultural exposures from the Bakiga community. After this excursion you will return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 4: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (3 -4hrs)

You will have an early breakfast, followed by a checkout and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable forest arriving in time for lunch. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park offers some of the finest montane forest birding in Africa and is a key destination to any birder visiting Uganda. At least 23 of Uganda’s 24 Albertine Rift Endemics are resident in Bwindi. Among these they include, spectacular globally threatened species such as African Green Broadbill and Shelley’s Crimsonwing.

Check-in, dinner and overnight at the accommodation facility of your choice (budget or luxury)

Day 5: Full Day in Bwindi

After breakfast you will be taken to the ranger station at Ruhizha at an altitude of 2300 m, with breath-taking views over steep, forested valleys towards the distant Virunga Volcanoes from here you will begin bird watching. This is a good spot for excellent birding; birds are both plentiful and easy to see. You cannot miss birds such as the Handsome Francolin, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eaters, Western Green Tinker bird, Mountain and Yellow-streaked Greenbuls, Red-faced Woodland warbler, African Hill Babbler, Collard Apalis and Mountain illadopsis, among others.

In the evening as you enjoy a voluptuous meal you will be treated to a cultural extravaganza from the Batwa (pygmies) community. This is an awesome experience as you will see the pygmies (3 feet tall humans) demonstrate their lifestyles. You will then relax and later retire to your room at your will.

Day 6: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP (3hrs)

After a relaxed breakfast, you will go on a nature walk to the 33m high waterfalls trails along the Munyaga River. The general scenery is awesome with an excellent opportunity to spot a variety of primates including: Olive baboons, Red-tailed monkeys, Vervet monkeys, Black & White Colobus monkeys, Bush baby and Chimpanzees.

You will then return to the lodge and checkout then transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP via the Ishasha Sector, which is famous for its tree climbing lions. You may be lucky and spot these lions resting on top of the Fig trees, such an inspiring sight. Lunch will be at the Savannah Hotel, there after you will proceed to your hotel, check-in the accommodation facility of your choice (budget or luxury) for dinner and overnight.

Day 7: Full Day in Queen Elizabeth NP (3hrs)

This park has a large variety of bird species such as pelicans, black crake, heron, cormorant and fish eagle, Emerald-spotted Wood, Crested Francolin, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Lilac-breasted Roller, Spot-flanked Barbet, Nubian Woodpecker, Brown parrot, Trilling Cisticola, Northern Black Tit, Marico Sunbird, Chin-spot Batis, Blue-eared Starling, Coqui Francolin, Black-bellied Bustard, Temminck’s Courser, African Wattled Plover, Rufous-chested swallow, Rufous-naped and Flappet Larks, Yellow-throated Longclaw, and Southern Red Bishop.

After an early cup of coffee you will set off for a morning game drive (6.00am), during which you expect various attractions in their natural habitats including elephants, solitary cape buffaloes, hyenas, lions, leopard, antelopes, warthogs and beautiful birds of prey such as vultures, ox-peckers, cattle egrets, whydahs, sparrows etc. This park has spectacular sceneries including crater lakes and rolling savannah plains overlooking the snow capped Mt. Rwenzori. After the game drive you will return to the lodge for a late breakfast. You can relax and enjoy the lodge’s facilities until lunch time.

In the afternoon slope to the boarding area and take a relaxing boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel, a great experience for bird watching, as well as crocodiles, hippos and elephants.

Return to the hotel for a relaxing evening, dinner and overnight.

Day 8: Transfer to Kampala (7-8hrs)

A relaxed breakfast followed by checkout and a drive to Kampala en route you will make a stopover for lunch, arriving in the late afternoon. Check-in dinner and overnight at the accommodation facility of your choice (budget or luxury)

Day 9: Mabira Forest (half day)

Pick up after a relaxed breakfast followed by a drive to Mabira Forest (1hr). This forest provides a habitat for over 280 species of birds which are mainly forest dwelling species. It is one of the best places for birding in Uganda’s tropical rainforests while birding in this forest canopy quick spots can be yellow crested woodpecker, yellow horn bill, tinker bird, red headed blue bill, African pygmy kingfisher, woodland kingfisher, starlings, and European honey buzzard. Lunch will be at the Rain Forest Resort.

After this proceed to the historical town of Jinja to see the Source of the Nile. Take a boat to very source, then come and relax at the serene garden overlooking the Nile as you enjoy Basoga Cultural dancers. Here you can also pick up some handcrafted souvenirs to take back with you from Uganda. There after you will drive back to Kampala for dinner and overnight.

Day 10: Departure.

This day marks the end of your safari. Depending on the time of your flight, you may make a stopover at the African crafts village in Kampala to pick up souvenirs, before a leisurely transfer to Entebbe Airport for a flight.

End of safari.