11-day Uganda Forest Birding Trip
This 11-day Uganda forest birding trip takes you through Uganda’s top forests and wildlife habitats. A trek into Uganda’s forests for birding is a magical way to experience the heart of Africa’s bird paradise. Uganda’s bird variety, with over 1,066 species identified, is evidence of its special location at the nexus of the semi-desert in the north, East African savannas, and West African rainforests.
The crown jewels of birdwatching, especially for those who are already familiar with typical East African birds, are Uganda’s rainforests. The Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Kibale, and Echuya are the three most fascinating woodlands for birdwatching on this particular 11-day Uganda Forest Birding trip. Kibale Forest is particularly well-known for its knowledgeable guides and proximity to the Magombe Swamp and Sebitoli Wetland. It makes a variety of species visible to birdwatchers, including the elusive Green-breasted Pitta.
Our 11-day Uganda Forest birding trip will start with the vibrant Entebbe Botanical Gardens, where one can spot woodland and lakeside birds, including the Orange Weaver and the Great Blue Turaco. The journey continues to the lush Kibale Forest, a haven for forest birds and the Sebitoli wetland, known for its rich biodiversity. We shall also visit the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park to catch the different Albertine rift endemics and other montane forest bird species.
Trip Overview of the 11-day Uganda Forest Birding Trip
Day 1: Arrival and Birding Entebbe Botanical Gardens
Day 2: Birding to Kibale Forest with stopovers at Sebitoli Wetland
Day 3: Optional chimp tracking and birding Kibale Forest and the Bigodi walk
Day 4: Birding to Buhoma via northern Queen Elizabeth National Park Ishasha
Day 5 and 6: Optional Gorilla trekking or birding Buhoma
Day 7: Birding to Ruhija via the neck
Day 8: Birding to Ruhija Mubwindi Swamp
Day 9: Birding to Mgahinga via Echuya Forest
Day 10: Birding Mgahinga
Day 11: Birding to Entebbe
Detailed Itinerary of the 11-day Uganda Forest Birding Trip
Day 1: Arrival and Birding Entebbe Botanical Gardens
Upon arrival, you will be welcomed by a Journeys Uganda representative, who will transfer you to your hotel. Early arrivals will later enjoy birding the Entebbe Botanical Garden, which is home to various bird species such as the Orange and Yellow-backed Weaver, the Black and White Casqued Hornbill, Pale-throated Leaf Love, Great Reed Warbler, Pied and Crowned Hornbill, Sedge and Grey-capped Warbler, Northern-brown Throated Weaver, and the Great Blue and Ross’s Turaco, among others. Dinner and overnight stay at Papyrus Guest House.
Day 2: Birding to Kibale Forest with stopovers at Sebitoli Wetland
On day 2 of this 11-day Uganda forest birding trip, we will transfer to Kibale Forest while birding after breakfast, with a stopover at Sebitoli Wetland for a guided nature walk that will expose you to various bird species, such as Crowned Hornbills, among others. You will be transferred to the Chimpanzee Forest Lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 3: Optional chimp tracking and birding Kibale Forest and the Bigodi walk
After an early breakfast on day 3 of the 11-day Uganda Forest Birding Trip , we will head out into the forest to search for the elusive Green–breasted Pitta. Other bird species to look out for include the globally threatened White-naped Pigeon, Afep Pigeon, White-headed Wood Hoopoe, Red-chested Owlet, Black-headed Paradise Flycatcher, Red-headed Malimbe, African Shrike-flycatcher, Black Bee-eater, Yellow-billed, Spotted and Hairy Barbet, Great Blue and Ross’s Turaco among others. Later, after your lunch, you will visit Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary for a guided nature walk which is a rewarding birding experience. Keep an eye out for the Papyrus Gonolek, various kingfisher species, and Great Blue Turacos among others.
Alternatively, you can also embark on Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest, which is also an interesting and rewarding experience. You will be transferred back to Chimpanzee Forest Lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 4: Birding to Buhoma via northern Queen Elizabeth National Park Ishasha
After your early morning breakfast, we will transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Buhoma, passing via the Ishasha Sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is home to tree-climbing lions. Expect to see different bird species along the way at Ishasha, such as the Brubru, Orange-breasted Bushshrike, White-headed Barbet, Common Scimitarbill, Twilling Cisticola, and Marsh Tchargra, among others. You will also see various animal species, such as lions, antelopes, and zebras, among others. On arrival at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, you will be transferred to Ride 4 a Woman for dinner and an overnight stay or Buhoma Haven Lodge.
Day 5&6: Optional Gorilla trekking or birding Buhoma
On these two days of the 11-day Uganda Forest Birding Trip, you will mainly carry out two activities, which will be either gorilla trekking or birding in the Buhoma sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. For those opting for gorilla trekking, you will wake up for an early morning breakfast and then move to the park headquarters for a general briefing about gorilla trekking. You will be advised about the dos and don’ts while gorilla trekking. You will be assigned a ranger and advised to hire a porter. You will track the gorillas for roughly 1–4 hours, depending on their location. You will also spend only one hour with the gorillas after finding them. One can also embark on a second gorilla trekking experience if interested.
For those opting for birding Buhoma, we shall wake up early in the in the morning to have breakfast and enter the forest with our packed lunch in search of the Bar-tailed Trogon, African Broadbill, White-headed Wood Hoopoe, Equatorial Akalat, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Fine Banded, Elliot’s and Buff Spotted Woodpecker, Blue-throated, Blue-headed, and Little Green Sunbird, and Kivu Ground Thrush, among others. You will be transferred back to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 7: Birding to Ruhija via the neck
After an early morning breakfast, we shall start our journey to Ruhija, the upper part of the park, by birding via the neck. Keep an eye out for various bird species such as the Black Bee-eater, Grauer’s Broadbill, Handsome Spurfowl, Rwenzori Apalis, Montane Oriole, Kakamega Babbler, Mountain Wagtail, Dusky Turtle Dove, Casin’s Grey Flycatcher, Red-throated Wryneck, Regal Sunbird, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Grauer’s Swamp Warbler, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Mountain Masked, Chestnut-throated and Collared Apalis, and Ayre’s Hawk Eagle. Chubb’s Cisticola, Dusky Twinspot, Dusky Crimsonwing, Strange Weaver, and Yellow Bishop, among others. You will be transferred to Gorilla Mist Camp or Bakiga Lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 8: Birding to Ruhija Mubwindi Swamp
On this eighth day of the 11-day Uganda Forest Birding Trip, we will wake up early in the morning, have breakfast, and bird to Mubwindi Swamp in Ruhija, looking out for birds like Western Green Tinkerbird, Black-billed Turaco, Fine-banded Woodpecker, African Green Broadbill, African Hill Babbler, Montane Greenbul, Mountain Illadopsis, Grauer’s Warbler, Montane Yellow Warbler, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Rwenzori Batis, Montane Sooty Boubou, and the Blue-headed and Regal Sunbird, among others. After this tiresome day of the 11-day Uganda Forest Birding Trip, you will be transferred to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 9: Birding to Mgahinga via Echuya Forest Reserve
After early morning Breakfast, we will transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, passing Echuya Forest, which is an Important Birding Area. While at Echuya Forest Reserve, keep an eye out for the Dwarf Honeyguide, Strip-breasted Tit, Rwenzori Turaco, Rwenzori Hill Babbler, Red-throated Alethe, Archer’s Robin-Chat, White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher, Doherty’s Bush-shrike, Rwenzori Batis, the Kakamega Greenbul, Montane Oriole and the Olive Woodpecker, among others. We will then proceed to Mgahinga National Park and transfer to Kisoro Travellers Rest Hotel for an overnight stay and dinner.
Day 10: Birding Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Today, we will spend the entire day birding at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, which is home to various bird species given the many bird habitats in the park. While at Mgahinga, keep an eye out for the Rwenzori Turaco, Rwenzori Double-collared Sunbird, Shelley’s Crimsonwing, Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, Lagden and Doherty’s Bush-shrike, among others. You will be transferred back to your Lodge for overnight stay and dinner.
Day 11: Birding to Entebbe
After breakfast, you will be transferred to Entebbe International Airport for departure. Expect to see bird species on your back. That will mark the end of the 11-day Uganda Forest birding trip.