10-day Uganda Birding Safari
This 10-day Uganda Birding Safari takes place in Western and Central Uganda. Explore Uganda’s top locations for bird watching, such as Ruhija, Mubwindi Swamp, and Bwindi Forest in South Western Uganda, which are the best locations to see some of the rarest and most sought-after birds in the country; Lake Mburo National Park, home to Acacia Birds; and Mabamba Swamp, the best place to see the rare and prehistoric looking Shoebill Stork. You can choose to undertake gorilla tracking on this trip in the famous Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, which is home to half of the world’s remaining mountain gorilla population.
Safari Highlights of the 10-day Uganda Birding Safari
Day 1: Arrival and Birding Entebbe environs
Day 2: Birding to Mabamba Swamp
Day 3: Birding Lake Mburo National Park
Day 4: Birding to Ruhija
Day 5: Birding to Mubwindi swamp
Day 6: Birding Ruhija to Buhoma
Day 7: Optional gorilla trekking or birding the Buhoma area
Day 8: Birding to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 9: Birding Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day10: Departure
Detailed Itinerary of the 10-day Uganda Birding Safari
Day 1: Arrival and Birding Entebbe environs
Meet a Journeys Uganda representative when you arrive at Entebbe International Airport, and they will arrange for a transfer to your chosen hotel. Early arrivals can enjoy birdwatching in the Botanical Gardens, which offers excellent views of the Great Blue and Ross’s Turacos, Red-chested, Klaas’s, and Diederick Cuckoos, Great Reed, Grey Capped, Greater Swamp and Eurasian Reed Warblers, Fain-tailed Widow bird. Black Bishop, Grey Woodpecker, Olive, Olive bellied, Red-chested, Superb, Green Throated, and Collard Sunbirds, Orange, Yellow-backed, Golden-backed, Slender-billed, and Black-headed Weavers, Lizard Buzzard, Grey Kestrel, Black Kite, Gaber Goshawk, African Paradise, Red-bellied Paradise, and Ashy flycatchers, are just a few of the creatures that can be seen while birding the Entebbe environs.
Day 2: Birding to Mabamba Swamp
Drive to Mabamba Swamp in the morning after breakfast to see the Shoebill Stork and other waterfowl. On our way to the swamp, keep an eye out for various species, including the Papyrus Gonolek, White-Winged Warbler, and Weyns Weaver. One of the greatest locations to see the amazing Shoebill Stork is this swamp. However, we shouldn’t ignore other species that call this area home, such as the migrating Blue Swallow and Pallid Harrier, the Grey, Purple, Rufous-bellied, and Goliath Herons, African and Lesser Jacanas, Squacco Herons, and a variety of egrets and ducks. Canoeing is the best way to take in the abundant bird life, and you may even be lucky enough to spot the elusive Sitatunga Antelope, which is accustomed to swampy environments. We shall then transfer to Lake Mburo National Park and check in to your lodge for meals and overnight stay
Day 3: Birding Lake Mburo National Park
Before breakfast this morning, we go on foot with an armed ranger to birdwatch and observe mammals on this day of our 10-day Uganda Birding Safari. We search the grasslands for the Brown-chested Plover, a species that migrates from West Africa to northern Tanzania and crosses into this park because of its proximity to the Tanzanian border. We also look for Red-faced Barbets, which also migrate from north Tanzania. Here, we may spot zebras, Eland, Topis, Impalas, and other wildlife. In the afternoon, we take a boat ride to search for African Finfoots, Giant Kingfishers, White-backed Night Herons, Little Bittern, Black Crowned Night and Green-backed Herons, African Open Billed Storks, African Fish Eagles, Madagascar, and common Squacco Herons. After this rewarding experience, you will be transferred to Rwakobo Lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 4: Birding to Ruhija
Following breakfast, we will travel to the Ruhija Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, where we will birdwatch in the bamboo for a variety of species, including the handsome Francolin White-starred Robin, Mountain Illadopsis, Grey Cuckoo Shrike, Augur Buzzard, Ayres’s and Cassin’s Hawk Eagle, Mountain Buzzard, Red-throated Alethe, Grauer’s Warbler, Mountain Masked, Collard, Chestnut-throated and Black-throated Apalis, Dusky and Shelley’s Crimson Wing, Dusky Tit, Stripe-breasted Tit, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, and numerous other birds. Dinner and overnight at Gorilla Mist Camp
Day 5: Birding to Mubwindi swamp
On day 5 of our 10-day Uganda Birding Safari, we will go birding in Mubwindi Swamp after an early breakfast in search of African Green Broadbill, Grauer’s Rush Warbler, Purple-breasted, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Grey Cuckoo-shrike, Mountain Greenbul, Mountain Illadopsis, Chestnut, Grey, Buff-Throated, Collared, Mountain Masked, Black-throated, Blue-headed, and Regal Sunbirds, among other birds. You will be transferred back to your Lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Birding Ruhija to Buhoma
After waking up early to continue birding Ruhija in quest of any species we may have missed the day before, we will travel to Buhoma in search of numerous birds, including the Handsome Francolin, Rufous-chested Fluff tail, Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo, Red-chested Owlet, Neumann’s Warbler, Bar-tailed Trogon, Coloured Bush-shrike and Kivu ground thrush, among others. You will be transferred to Ride for a Woman for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 7: Optional gorilla trekking or birding the Buhoma area
The Buhoma area on our 10-day Uganda Birding Safari offers optional gorilla trekking and birdwatching opportunities. Birdwatchers can anticipate seeing the Rufous-chested Fluff tail, Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, Pink Footed and Northern Puff Back, Red-tailed, Honey Guide, Toro Olive, Cameroon Sombre, Slender Billed, Little, Little Grey, and Pink Foxes. Eliots, Cardinal, Yellow Crested, Fine-banded Woodpeckers, Shelley’s, Cabani’s White Throated and Yellow-whiskered Greenbuls, Red-throated Alethe, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Black-faced Woodland Warbler, White-headed Wood Hoopoe, Waller’s, Stulman’s, and Narro Tailed Starlings, Dark-skinned Bee-eater Green, Olive, Olive-bellied, Rwenzori Double Collared, Blue-throated, Brown, Blue-headed, Northern Double Collared, Collared, Banded and White-chinned Prinia, and Green-headed Sunbirds Returning late to the resort for dinner and an overnight stay are the Bar-tailed Trogon, Kivu Ground Thrush, African Broadbill, Red-chested Owlet, Neumann’s Warbler, Pale-breasted Illadopsis, and White-tailed Blue Flycatcher.
For those opting for gorilla trekking, you will wake up early in the morning with a packed lunch and head to the park headquarters for a general briefing about the activity. You will then be assigned a ranger and guide, and you will be advised to hire a potter in case you need one. You shall then start hiking while tracking down the gorillas, which you will spend one hour with after tracking them.
Day 8: Birding to Queen Elizabeth National Park
On this day of the 10-day Uganda Birding Safari, we leave early today and travel via the Ishasha sector to Queen Elizabeth in the north-west. Depending on the size of the group, we either take the boat cruise at 5:00 pm or, if we skip the game drive in Ishasha, we take the boat cruise at 3:00 pm across the Kazinga Channel. This 40-kilometre-long, 8-metre-deep natural water canal links Lakes George and Edward. It offers great vantage points for photographing birds of prey near the water and a plethora of hippos. African Skimmer, African Spoonbill, Striated Heron, Herring Gull, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Water Thick-knee, Three-banded Plover, Marsh, Green, Wood, and Common Sandpiper, Grey-headed Gull, Plain Martin, Lesser Swamp-Warbler, and many more are among the birds you might see. Transfer to Buffalo Safari Lodge for dinner and overnight
Day 9: Birding Queen Elizabeth National Park
To enjoy a wildlife drive and spend the entire morning birdwatching in the expansive grassland area, you get up early. Our search is focused on spotting various wildlife, including lions, Uganda Kob, numerous bird species such as African Moustached and Grey-capped Warblers, Hollub’s Golden Weaver, White-winged Window Bird, Common and Button Quil, African Crake, Arrow-marked Bablers, and, on a lucky day, leopards. We then take a car via Fort Portal back to Kampala. Dinner and overnight at Papyrus Guest House.
Day10: Departure
You will be transferred to the airport, and that will mark the end of our 10-day Uganda Birding Safari.
10-day Uganda Birding Safari includes: All meals, Ground transfers, Entry fees and Accommodation