30 Days Uganda Birding itinerary

Upon your arrival at Entebbe international Airport, you will be met by your Around Africa Safari guide who will assist you with your luggage and transfer you to your hotel. Birders, who arrive in the early hours, will have a welcome birding afternoon at Botanical gardens. Look out for Orange tufted, red chested sun birds, orange, slender billed, northern brown throated, yellow backed, Jackson’s golden backed, black headed, vieillot’s black weaver and black headed gonolek in the dense scrub covering the head land. The Boma Guest house: is located only 4km from the International airport it is the ideal place to stay for the late and early flights due to its short distance. The Guest house has got 8 Rooms, all are self contained, with shower and toilet. It has good restaurant and a small bar for the in-house guests only overnight at boma Guest house. (BB)

Day 2 Mabamba swamp

This is about 50 km west of Kampala. The wetland is newly discovered home for the most sought after bird the shoebill. Birding is done on the canoes in marsh channels. Special birds include white winged warbler, Papyrus gonolek, Yellow backed weaver, Northern brown throated weaver, Blue headed coucal, and other swamp specialities. Continue to Mabamba swamp, most of the birding is from a canoe. Look out for the Shoebill stork both in the sky and down on the marsh. Also look out for the swamp flycatcher, African purple swamphen African water rail, common moorhen, lesser jacana African jacana, African pygmy goose, White faced whistling duck, Squacco heron, Blue breasted bee-eater, winding Cisticala, Goliath heron, and black crake. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay at

Overnight at boma guest house. (FB)

Day 3; Depart to Mabira Forest

This morning after an early breakfast, you will proceed to Mabira forest

Mabira forest is home to 315 species of birds including some rare ones like the Nahan’s francolin, Tit Hylia, Yellow and grey longbills, Purple-throated cuckoo shrikes, Illadopsises, Jameson’s wattle eyes. You can spot 46% of Uganda’s forest birds in Mabira Rainforest, that is alot more than any other forest in Uganda.

The remarkable thing about Birding in Mabira Forest is that you do not have a large area to cover on foot, meaning that the birds of Mabira Forest are concentrated in a relative small area.In one day, you will be able to identify a wide variety of bird species in this small forest.

Overnight at 2 friend Jinja (FB)

Day 4; Sipi Falls Mount Elgon National Park

After breakfast, you will leave for Mbale, lunch en route. Stop at Sipi falls-Mt Elgon National Park for a forest exploration around the park expecting to see the Tacazze sun-bird, bronze napped pigeon, Hartlaub’s turaco and a good number of wild animals. Overnight at Sipi river lodge (FB)

Day 5; Sipi Falls Mount Elgon National Park

Full Day birding in Mount Elgon/Sipi falls

Overnight at Sipi River lodge (FB)

Day 6: Transfer to Kidepo National park

After breakfast Transfer to Kidepo valley National Park: After breakfast drive to Savana lodge, built with comfort as the materials are local tents with natural canvas walls surrounded by a rocky kopje and endless views of the savannah. Lunch at Savana lodge and go for an evening game drive around the park expecting to see the, Kori bustard, Carmine and a variety of wild animals. Dinner and overnight stay at Savana lodge (FB).

Day 7: Full Day birding Kidepo Valley National Park

Birding and Game viewing in Kidepo :After breakfast advance to the Narus valley for the attractive silver bird, small bands of yellow-billed shrike and other wide spread species like the Vinaceous dove, Nubian woodpecker, magnificent starlings, little weaver and red-cheeked cordon-bleu, Hoopoe, Mosque swallow and some wild animals such as the tree climbing lions, elephants, leopards, bush duiker and jackal. Have lunch at the lodge and head to Morungule Mountain for forest exploration with a ranger guide to enable you fully witness all the birds such as the ostrich, kori bustard, verreaux’s eagle, Egyptian vulture and pygmy falcon plus other wild animals like buffaloes, bush pigs, and bush buck. Dinner and overnight stay at Savana lodge (FB)

Day 8: another Full Day birding Kidepo Valley National Park

Birding and Wildlife viewing : a cup of tea and leave for the morning game drive around the park where you will have a spectacular view of the bat-eared fox, striped hyena, hunting dogs, aardwolf, caracal, cheetah, chandlers mountain reedbuck, klipspringer, greater and lesser kudu, dikdik and bright gazelle, warthog, Rothschild giraffe, eland, cape buffalo, oribi and Jackson’s hartebeest. Return to the lodge for breakfast and rest. After lunch travel to Kidepo valley to view several bird species found there like the 4 species of hornbills that is red billed, yellow-billed, Jackson’s hornbill and giant Abyssinian ground hornbill. Dinner and overnight at Savana lodge (FB)

Day 9; Murchison Falls National Park

This morning after breakfast, you will transfer to Murchison falls national park

This is Uganda’s largest national park that protects a chunk of untamed African savannah and bisected by the mighty River Nile It is named for dramatic Murchison falls, where the world’s longest river explodes violently through a narrow cleft in the rift valley escarpment to plunge into a frothing pool 43m below.

Overnight at Murchison river lodge; (FB)

Day 10 Full Day Murchison Falls National Park

Take a boat along the Victoria Nile to the delta at Lake Albert. This is home to hippos, and many enormous Nile crocodiles as well as special birds which include Shoebill, secretary bird, Abyssinian Roller, and ground hornbill, pied kingfisher, Red throated bee eater, lining the banks, Goliath heron, saddle billed stork, sacred ibis, Fulvous Whistling duck, Senegal and water thicknee, Black headed and long toed lapwings, Little bitten, Osprey, Red necked falcon, Blue breasted bee eater, Vinacious Dove, and Grosbeak weaver,

In the afternoon cross for birding to the top of the falls, Look out for the white fronted black chat, rock pratincoles, white crested Turaco, Grey wood pecker, Darter and giant kingfisher, Red throated bee eater, Red shouldered cuckoo-shrike, Western violet-backed sun bird, black headed gonolek, Chestnut crown sparrow weaver, Brown twin spot, Bar-breasted fire finch, Red winged pytilia, and red winged grey warbler, Bruce’s pigeon and osprey.

Overnight at Murchison River lodge (FB)

Day 11; another Full Day in Murchison Falls National Park

Whole day Game drive on northern bank of the Victoria Nile, Birds recorded here include Egyptian plover, Shoebill, Red winged grey warbler, Rock pratincoles, Secretary bird, bat hawk, Denhem’s bustard, Pel’s fishing owl, White crested turacco, vinaceous dove, Senegal thick nee, Chestnut crowned sparrow weaver, Carmines bee eater, Night jars, (pennant winged and standard winged) White rumped canary.

Overnight at Murchison River lodge (FB)

Day 12; Budongo Forest

Start early to Budongo forest through the escarpment, looking for Fox’s cisticola White headed barbet, Northern cronbec, Singing cisticola Grey headed bush shrike, Black billed barbet, grey headed olive back, Black bellied Fire finch, Madagascar Heron, Lesser masked weaver and shikra.

Afternoon Birding at Budonga may be very productive. The forest is one of the largest and most beautiful forests in Uganda. It is home for African Dwarf Kingfisher, African crowned eagle, Olive camaroptera, Yellow and grey long bill, Chocolate-backed kingfisher Red tailed ant thrush, Velvet mantled Drongo, Rufous-crowned Eremomela, Ituri batis, and Nahan’s Francolin, Dinner and overnight stay at

Masindi Hotel (FB)

Day 13; Budongo Forest: Royal mile and Busingiro

Whole day Birding royal mile and Busingiro.

Key species include African dwarf and Chocolate-backed kingfisher, Chestnut crowned eremamela, White spotted fluff tail Yellow and grey long bills Olive bellied Crombec, Brown eared wood pecker, Dusky long tailed cuckoo, Blue breasted kingfisher, Crowned eagle, Forest flycatcher, Yellow browed camaroptera, and cabanis bunting, Brown backed scrub robin, Narina trogon, Golden crowned wood pecker, Rufous Flycatcher-thrush, Chestnut-capped flycatcher, Black headed paradise flycatcher, Little green sun bird, Both nigrofinches, western black headed oriole, Dusky long tailed cuckoo, African emerald cuckoo, Red tailed ant thrush, yellow long bill, Grey long bill, Forest robin, Scaly breasted illadopsis, Rufous crowned eremomela, the elusive lemon bellied crombec, Crested malimbe, and red headed blue bill.

Overnight stay Masindi Hotel (FB)

Day 14; Kibale Forest National park

Leave earl for Kibale national park. This is rather a longer drive, but there are few birding spots. Kibale forest birds include, Grey winged robin, Blue shouldered robin chat, Yellow spotted barbet, Black billed Turacco, White-napped pigeon, Green breasted pita, Joyful green bull, Cabanis Green bull, Grey throated flycatcher, White-bellied crested Flycatcher, Masked apalis Nahan’s Francolin, Tiny sun bird, White collared olive back etc. Also, this forest is home to 13 primate species Dinner and overnight stay at Primate lodge standard cottages (FB)

Primate Lodge: Is a new first class accommodation, nestle in the middle of the rain forest (Kibale national park), with eight luxurious tents which gives comfort in the wilds of Africa. It is less than three minutes, walk able distance to the park offices Pre-to your Chimpanzee trekking and birding walks.

Overnight at primate lodge Standard cottages (FB)

Day 15; Whole day birding in the forest

Other specials include. White-tailed Ant thrush, Purple headed Glossy-starling, Brown illadopsis Green breasted pita, White napped pigeon, Masked Apalis, Toro olive green bull, Black billed turaco, Buff spotted wood pecker, and green crombec. After lunch, proceed to Bigode wetland swamp. The swamp is excellent place to find some of the endemics to this habitat such as Marsh chagra, Papyrus Gonolek, Papyrus canary, white winged warbler, other distinct possibilities are white spotted fluff tail, and Blue headed coucal, Spectacular yellow barbet and scaly-throated honey guide.

Overnight at Primate lodge Standard cottages (FB)

Day 16; Semliki National Park.

Drive to semliki National park for the whole day birding in the forest. Semliki is known for its most sought after rarities and these include Congo serpent eagle, Black throated coucal, Grey throated rail, Nkulengo rail, Long tailed hawk, spot breasted Ibis, Capuchin babbler, Yellow throated nicater, Northern beaded scrub robin, Red chested owlet, Western bronze napped pigeon, Black collared love bird, White-bellied Kingfisher, Red ramped Tinker bird, Lyre-tailed Honey guide, Zenker’s honey guide, White throated blue swallow, Bate’s nightjar, Yellow throated cuckoo, Orange tuft’s sun bird, Black-winged Oriole, Red billed Helmeted shrike, Lemon-bellied crombec,, Rufous sided Broad bill, Icterine Greenbul, Swamp palm Greenbul, Crested malimbe, and blue billed malimbe, Fiery breasted bush shrike, Pale fronted Nigrofinch, Piping, Red billed, Dwarf, white crested, Black casqued, watt led and white thighed horn bills. Overnight at Semliki safari lodge (FB)

Day 17; Semliki National Park

Whole day birding in the forest. Kirumira trail has become the most popular trail for its richness in diversity of bird species. Overnight at Semliki safari lodge (FB)

Day 18; Queen Elizabeth National Park

Drive south words to Queen Elizabeth National Park This is the second largest national park in Uganda. Serious birders May be interested in knowing that the one day record for Queen Elizabeth is 296 species, out of the 612 recorded in the park. An excellent variety of birds can be seen and these include pelicans, Skimmers, Kingfishers, Thick-knees, storks, Martins, Swallow, Weavers, Canaries, Kites, and many grassland specialities. Evening birding is usually very productive. The park covers total area of 1978km2 and is deservedly Uganda’s most popular protected area. It enjoys a stunning location on the rift valley floor between lakes George and Edward Birds enroot and arrive in the early time for dinner.

Overnight at Marafiki lodge. (FB)

Day 19; Queen Elizabeth National Park

Whole day birding in the park. An early game drive in the open savannah makes ideal for savannah birds. The afternoon launch cruise on the Kazinga channel that connects lakes George and Edward in among the best known in the region for its high diversity of bird species. Special birds include African skimmer, Green backed heron, African spoon bill, African crake, Water thick-knee three banded plover, Marsh, Green Wood and Common sand piper Gray headed gull, Plain martin lesser swamp-warbler, and yellow billed oxpecker.

Overnight at Marafiki lodge. (FB)

Day 20; Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Buhoma

Special birds include Black faced rufous warbler, Grauer’s warbler, Banded prinia, Black faced apalis, Black throated apalis, mountain masked apalis, Red throated alethe, Yellow-eyed black flycatcher, Ashy flycatcher, Dusky blue flycatcher, Chapin’s flycatcher, Chin-spot batis, cassin’s grey flycatcher, Rwenzori batis, Black and whit shrike flycatcher, White bellied crested flycatcher, pale breasted illadopsis, Mountain illadopsis, African hill babbler, Dusky tit, Blue throated sun bird, Blue headed sun bird, Northern double collared sun bird, Grey headed sun bird, MacKinnon’s fiscal shrike, Sooty boubou Pink-footed puff back, Doherty’s bush-shrike, White napped raven, Montana oriole, African golden oriole, Stuhlmann’s starling, Narrow tailed starling, Waller’s starling, Strange weaver, Brown capped weaver, Black billed weaver, Dusky crimson wing, Oriole finch, Mountain Buzzard, Ayres’s hawk-eagle, Handsome Francolin, Black billed turaco, Barred-long tailed cuckoo, Shelly’s crimson wing. Yellow bellied wax bill, Magpie manikin, yellow crowned canary, Thick billed seed eater, streaky seed eater, Green broad bill, African wood owl, Rwenzori nightjar Scarce swift, bar tailed trogon, Cinnamon chested bee eater, Black bee eater, (western) Bronze napped pigeon, Red chested owlet, Tullberges wood pecker, Elliot’s woodpecker, African broad bill, Western green tinker bird, Lag dens Bush shrike, Pettit’s cuckoo shrike, Grey cuckoo shrike, Archer’s Ground robin, Toro Olive greenbul, Ansorge’s green bull, Equatorial akalat, White bellied robin chat, Olive thrush, White tailed ant-thrush, Grauer’s rush warbler, Short-tailed warbler, Neumann’s warbler and red faced wood land warbler.

Overnight at Haven lodge (FB)

Day 21; Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Optional/extension

Whole day Gorilla Tracking

Overnight at Haven lodge (FB)

Day 22; Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Birding buhoma sector

Overnight at Haven lodge (FB)

Day 23; Buhoma- Bwindi Ruhija

Overnight at Ruhija Gorila lodge (FB)

Day 24; Ruhija Mubwindi swamp

The 4 km to Mubwindi Swamp Drops from 2350m-2050m and is the best place for some of the difficult to find of all rift endemics including, Graur’s (African green) broad bill The beautiful regal sun bird, and archer’s robin chat, .

Mubwindi swamp at an elevation of 2050m, /6725ft holds dwarf honey guide, Stripe breasted tit, Rwenzori apalis, and African hill babbler, Some times treated as separate species Renoir hill babbler, The rare and localised Grauer’s scrub warbler, and Caruthers’s cisticola, including a very difficult to see species Fraser’s Eagle owl and rwenzori double collared sun bird, we should also come across the green broad bill, Grauer’s rush warbler, Purple breasted, Blue headed and regal sun bird. Grauer’s Broad bills, Archer’s Robin-chat, Eastern mountain green bull, strange weaver, black headed wax bill Bar-tailed trogon, White headed wood hoopoe, Waller’s Stuhlmann’s starling and luehder’s Bush shrike and handsome francolin, Montana nightjar.

Overnight at Ruhija gorilla lodge (FB)

Day 25; transfer to Mgahinga National Park via Ichuya forest

After early morning breakfast, we will proceed to Mgahinga national park through Echuya forest. Lookout for birds such as Archer’s Robin-Chat, Kivu Ground Thrush, Mountain Masked Apalis, Stripe-breasted Tit, Rwenzori Batis, White-napped Raven, Black-crowned Waxbill and other AREs that we had missed in Mughinga. Later continue to Ruhija via Nyamuriro Swamp for Papyrus Endemics . Dinner and overnight at travelers rest kisoro (FB)

Day 26; Drive to Mgahinga National Park

After breakfast with your packed lunch, drive to Ntebeko camp from where we will start our trek to probably the most scenic protected area in Uganda. We will take the gorge trail that loops half way up to Mt Sabinyo through a variety of montane habitats. Handsome Francolin, Dusky Turtle Dove, Western Green Tinkerbird, Rwenzori Doubler Collered Sunbird, Dwarf Honey guide, Mountain Burzard, Olive Thrush, Archers’s Robin,Brown Wood Warbler, Doherty’s Bush shrike, Rwenzori Turaco, Rwenzori Nightjar, Malachite Sun bird, Kivu Ground Thrush, White-tailed Blue Flycatcher, Lagden’s Bush shrike, Scarlet-tufted Malachite Sunbird, Malachite Sunbird, Montane double-collared Sunbird, Cape Robin, Rwenzori Batis,Red Faced Woodland Warbler,Mt.Masked Apalis,Rwenzori Apalis,Black Headed Waxbill etc .Dinner and overnight at travelers rest kisoro (FB)

Day 27; Drive to Lake Mburo National Park.

Adrive to lake mburo. White-winged Warblers, Black-Billed Barbets, Crested Francolin, Brown Parrot, Red-necked Spur, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, Temmincks Courser, Common Quails, Green Wood hoopoe, Blue-napped Mousebird, Bare-faced Go-away Bird, African Grey Hornbill, Nubian Woodpecker, Trilling Cisticola, Lilac-breasted Roller, Coqui Francolin, Black-bellied Bustard, African Wattled Plover, Rufous-naped and Flapper Larks, Rufous-chested Swallow, Southern Red Bishop, and Yellow-throated Longclaw among others. The fringing swamps in the park also hide secretive papyrus specialties such as the Papyrus Gonolek. Common conspicuous birds we may encounter on our journey to Lake Mburo include Crested Francolin, Common Scimitar Bill, Spot-flanked Barbet, Trilling Cisticola, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Northern Black Tit, Chin-spot Batis, Great Blue-eared Starling, and Marico Sunbird. The woodland in the immediate vicinity of Rwonyo also supports many of these widespread species.

• The more open grassland north of the Rwonyo Camp, particularly along the Zebra Track, is worth exploring for species such as Coqui Francolin,Red-necked Spurfowl, Black-bellied Bustard, Temmincks courser, African Wattled Plover, Rufous-napped and Lapped Larks, Rufous-chested Swallow, Yellow-throated LongClaw, and Southern Red Bishop. A small number of the migratory Brown-chested Plover is regularly observed. Spot lighting along the entrance road may produce interesting nocturnal species such as the African Scops Owl, Verreaux's Eagle, and Fiery-necked, White-tailed, and Pennant-winged Nightjars. Overnight at Rwakobo Lodge. (FB)

Day 28: Game Drive and Birding on Boat

Morning birding on foot along the park trails with an armed ranger then back to our lodge for breakfast, after this we proceed for a game and birding drive which gives us higher chances of viewing mammals like the Zebras, Impalas, Elands, Topis, Buffaloes among others, as we bird we focus our attention on the search for the Red Faced Barbet, Coqui Francolin, Brown Chested Plover, Tabora Cisticola, Lesser Blue Eared Starling, Buff Bellied Warbler, Red Headed Weaver, Black Shouldered Cuckoo Shrike, Sulpher Breasted Bush-shrike, Green Capped Eremomela, Bare faced Go-away-bird, Red Billed Wood Hope and more acacia associated birds, in the afternoon we go for a boat ride in search for the African Finfoot, White Backed and Black Crowned Night Herons, Giant Kingfisher etc back to the lodge for dinner and overnight At Rwabobo Rock (FB)

Day 29; Lake Mburo- Entebbe

Today we will wind out our birding and after lunch we will drive back to Entebbe. Overnight at Boma Guest house (HB)

Day 30; Transfer to Entebbe International Airport.

After breakfast at the lodge, your Around Africa Safaris guide will transfer you to Entebbe International Airport for your outbound flight.

Please note that check-in for international flights should be done 2 hours prior to departure of the flight. In the departure hall (after check-in) you will find a small restaurant, a sitting area and several duty-free shops for your convenience.

..........End of tour ..............

The package price includes:

*Cost of the chimps and gorilla trek, 1 gorilla permit per person

*All accommodation

*All ground transportation in private 4 x 4 Safari Land Cruiser, airport transfers and fuel

*Full- time experienced safari guide (English speaking) and his associated expenses

*All meals (except where B&B is denoted)

*Water, in the vehicle

*Fees in National Parks for rangers, park entrances and activities as indicated in the itinerary

*All applicable taxes, administration and banking fees

All Boat Safaris

The package price excludes:

*International flights

*Any items of personal nature i.e. drinks, laundry, telephone, souvenirs, porters at the gorilla trek

*Travel / medical insurance

*Gratuities for Guide/driver / hotel staff

*Any extras not mentioned in the itinerary

* PCR covid-19 test fees

Vehicle / driver guide:

The 4 x 4 Land Cruiser and safari guide will be at your exclusive use throughout the safari which provides you with great flexibility. Your guide will accompany you throughout your safari, assist you with check-in at your accommodation and share his knowledge with you on flora and fauna of Uganda.