14-day Uganda Birding Trip
This 14-day or 2-week birding trip takes you around the top birding sites in Uganda. Expect most days to be warm to hot, dry, and sunny depending on your timing. There will be cloudy circumstances because Uganda is surrounded by freshwater bodies and tropical rainforests, where rain can fall at any time of the day, month, or year. At higher elevations, the temperature will fluctuate between warm and cool. It’s advised to bring excellent, sturdy, waterproof footwear and a lightweight rain jacket, even though we’ll attempt to avoid birdwatching in anything more than a drizzle. Walking conditions should be quite easy. We will ride in a 4WD vehicle for this birdwatching excursion.
To optimise our chances of seeing animals, we will travel on our birding excursion in a safari Omnibus or 4WD land cruiser with an open roof hatch. Bring clothing that will keep insects at bay and insect repellent because, depending on the weather, pests can be a threat. It will be essential to pack sunscreen and a hat.
Safari Highlights of our 14-day Uganda Birding Trip
Day 1: Arrival for our 14-day Uganda Birding trip and birding Botanical gardens
Day 2: Birding to Mabamba
Day 3: Birding to Lake Mburo National Park
Day 4: Birding Lake Mburo National Park
Day 5: Birding to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 6: Birding Ruhija Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 7: Birding to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 8: Whole day birding
Day 9: Birding to Kibale National Park
Day 10: Birding Kibale National Park
Day 11: Birding to Murchison Falls National Park
Day 12: Birding Murchison Falls National Park
Day 13: Birding to Kampala
Day 14: Departure
Detailed Itinerary of our 14-day Uganda Birding Trip
Day 1: Arrival for our 14-day Uganda Birding trip and birding Botanical gardens
Arrival, welcome and check-in at your lodging. Given the variety of habitats in this small area, the Entebbe Botanical Gardens provides an excellent starting point for any birding trip to Uganda. If you go birding, you can expect to see species like the African hobby and the seasonal Euroasean Hoopoe, Great Blue and Ross’s Turaco, Brown and Grey Parrot, African Emerald, Klaas’s, Levaillant’s, Diederik, and Red-Chested Cuckoo, Fork Tailed Drongo, Brown Crowned Tchagra, White-chinned Prinia, Northern-black Flycatcher, Black-headed Gonolek, Bat Hawk, the nearly Lake Victoria basin endemic which is a crucial and extremely shy species of bird that we keep an eye out for here is the Orange Weaver, not to be confused with its counterparts, the lyrical Snowy-crowned and White-browed Robin-Chat, the Village, Golden-backed, Slender-billed, Grosbeak, Black-headed, Black-necked, and Vieillot’s Black Weavers
Day 2: Birding to Mabamba
After an early breakfast, travel 50 kilometres west of Kampala to the Mabamba Swamp. When travelling through the marshes, keep an eye out for papyrus specialities such the Papyrus Gonolek, Greater and Lesser-swamp Warbler, White-winged Warbler, Northern-brown Throated, Weyns’s, Golden-backed, and Orange Weaver, to name but these. the small forested areas and garden parches can produce Double-toothed barbet, Yellow-throated Tinkerbird, Sooty Chat, Gaber Goshawk, Ross’s Turaco, Browne-throated Wattle-eye, the seasonal White-throated and Olive Bee-eater, Red-headed Lovebird, Copper, Marico, Scarlet-chested and Red-chested Sunbird, Lizard Buzzard, Grey Kestrel, the striking small Long-crested Eagle, Western Banded Snake-Eagle among others. Travel to Mabamba marshes, where canoeing or using small motorized boats is the primary method of birdwatching, as we search for various species such as the rare Shoebill Stork a major highlight of our 14-day Uganda Birding Trip, African Water Rail, Allen’s and Purple Gallinule, Squacco, Goliath, Purple, and Grey Herons, Lesser Jacana, White-backed Duck, Rufous-bellied Heron, Saddle-billed Stork, Fan-tailed Widowbird, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, the globally threatened Papyrus Gonolek, Northern-brown Throated Weaver, Winding Cisticola, Malachite Kingfisher, Swamp Flycatcher and many more.
Day 3: Birding to Lake Mburo National Park
After breakfast, we shall transfer to Lake Mburo National Park. This park features a diverse range of habitats, including woods, galleries, wetlands, open and forested savanna, dry slopes, and rock outcrops. 313 bird species, including the Red-faced Barbet, Long-tailed Cisticola, Papyrus Yellow Warbler, African Finfoot, Brubru, Rofous-bellied Heron, Black-collared Barbet, Brown-chested Lapwing (Plover), White-winged Black Tit, Northern Brown-Throated Weaver, and White-winged Warbler, have been recorded in the park due to a variety of habitats. You shall bird the Lake Mburo Savannah, looking out for specialities such as the Red-faced Barbet, Black-bellied Bustard, White-headed Vulture, Lailarc-breasted Roller and the Bare-Faced Go-Away Bird among others. You will then be transferred to your Lodge for dinner and overnight stay at Eagle’s Nest Lodge
Day 4: Birding Lake Mburo National Park
After early morning breakfast, we shall embark on a boat cruise on Lake Mburo, where we expect to see special and interesting species such as the African Finfoot, Giant King Fisher, African Fish Eagle, White-backed Night Heron and Rufous-bellied Heron.
Day 5: Birding to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
On the 5th day of our 14-day Uganda Birding Trip, we shall have an early breakfast, and transfer to Bwindi Buhoma. We shall start birding on the main trail, which runs from Buhoma and Nkuringo. Expect to see different bird species along this trail, such as the Mountain Illadopsis, Red-throated Alethe, often hunting ants, White-bellied Robin-chat, the Equatorial Akalat, Elliot’s and Tullberg’s Woodpeckers, the Red-tailed Bristlebill, the Bar-tailed Trogon, Black-billed and Brown-capped Weavers, Green, Grey-headed, Blue-headed and Northern Double Collared Sunbirds, Kivu Ground Thrush, African Broadbill, and the Coloured Bushshrike, among others
Day 6: Birding Ruhija Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
After early morning breakfast, we shall walk to Mubwindi Swamp, looking out for the African Green Broadbill. The Ruhija sector is situated at a higher altitude than Buhoma, hence the presence of different vegetation such as giant Lobelia and extensive bracken. Keep an eye out for the African Green Broadbill, the striking Dusky and Red-faced Crimsonwing, the gorgeous Blue-headed and Regal Sunbird, Western Green Tinkerbird, Yellow-streaked Greenbul, Dwarf Honeyguide, Barred and Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, Fine-banded and Olive Woodpecker, Rwenzori Apalis, Doherty’s and Lagden’s Bushshrike, Kakamega Babbler, Montane Oriole, Papyrus Gonolek, Eastern Mountain Greenbul, Handsome Spurfowl, Candit’s Apalis and the Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, among others. You will then be transferred to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay at Gorilla Mist Camp
Day 7: Birding to Queen Elizabeth National Park
We will travel to QENP, which has several birding sites, after breakfast and arrive in time for lunch at the Buffalo Safari Lodge. Later, after starting our birdwatching tour in the park, we’ll head back for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 8: Whole day birding Queen Elizabeth National Park
We spent the entire day birdwatching in the park, keeping an eye out for species such as the Brimstone Canary, Yellow-fronted, Lesser Masked, Black-headed, Grey-capped Warbler, Black-headed Gonolek, and Grey-headed Kingfisher. We go on a morning game drive in the direction of the well-known Kasenyi Track, which winds past crater lakes and grasslands with occasional trees. Finding lions and other mammals—such as buffalo, and Uganda kobs, which resemble impalas—as well as family groupings of African elephants is our primary goal. Scaly Francolin, Red-necked Spurfowl, many plovers, Harlequin Quail, and Common Button-quail are among the birds that we might spot along the route. Red-capped, Rufous-napped, Flappet and native White-tailed larks are among the many species of larks. Martial Eagles, Banded Snake Eagles, and Bateleurs are examples of raptors
In the afternoon, we set out to cross the Kazinga Channel by boat. Saddle-billed, African Open-billed, and Yellow-billed Storks, Hamerkop, African Spoonbill, Water Thick-knee, African Skimmer, and over-summering Palearctic migrants can all be seen in this amazing location for waterbirds. If you’re staying on the peninsula, we’ll attempt going for a night drive in the evening before dinner to look for owls, Gabon and Slender-tailed Nightjars.
Day 9: Birding to Kibale National Park
We will travel to Kibale National Park this morning after breakfast, birdwatching along the way. Since it’s only a few hours’ journey, birding in the forest or along the way in the afternoon is a satisfying experience. A variety of bird species, including the highly sought-after Green-breasted Pitta, White-naped Pigeon, Black Bee-eater, Great Blue and Ross’s Turaco, Sooty Flycatcher, and Yellow-billed Barbet, are among those you can expect to encounter. You transferred to Chimpanzee Forest Lodge for dinner and your overnight stay
Day 10: Birding Kibale National Park
On this day of our 14-day Uganda Birding Trip, we have a full day scheduled for bird watching and chimpanzee tracking at Kibale National Park today. We go birdwatching in the forest after breakfast. The following animals can be found in the forest: Black Bee-eater, Blue-headed Coucal, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Roufous Flycatcher Thrush, Brown and Scaly-breasted Illadopsis, Green-backed Twinspot, Bicolored Mannikin, White-naped, Green and Afep Pigeon, Narina’s Trogon, Joyful Greenbul, Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo, Black Bee-eater, Blue-headed Coucal, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Green-backed and Scaly-breasted Illadopsis, and, on a lucky day, the Green Breasted Pitta. We gather at the chimp tracking briefing area after lunch, where we will be instructed on all necessary protocols. It is not difficult, but depending on our luck, it could take longer at times.
With 13 different species of primates living in the Kibale Conservation Area—both nocturnal and diurnal—it surpasses the global record for the highest concentration of any forest. To name a few, these are chimpanzees, blue and white colobus monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, red-tailed monkeys, chimpanzees, olive baboons, velvet monkeys, Galagos, and pottos.
Day 11: Birding to Murchison Falls National Park
After breakfast, pack a lunch and head to Murchison Falls National Park, where you may go birdwatching. There are several birding sites throughout this lengthy trip. We spend two nights at either Pakuba game Lodge or Hornbill wilderness Lodge.
Day 12: Birding Murchison Falls National Park
We will be birdwatching in Murchison Falls National Park all day today. We cross the river for a game and birdwatching drive on the northern portion of the formidable River Nile after breakfast. There’s a considerable chance of sighting Nightjars, as well as other species like plain, pennant-winged, and swamp ones. Owls and cats, like lion civets and leopards, are also likely to be spotted. We’ll have a picnic for lunch, and then we’ll take a boat ride to the base of the falls. The African Black Scimitarbill, Splendid and Ruppel’s Long-tailed Starling, Bat Hawk, Red-necked Falcon, African Black Scimitarbill, Spotted Morning Thrush, Silverbird, Bronze-tailed, Beautiful Sunbird, Northern Red Bishop, Rock, White-rumped Seedeater, Black-billed Barbet, Grey-headed Olive back, and White-crested Turaco.
The following birds are frequently seen on the water: Cabanis’s and Brown-rumped Bunting, Egyptian Plover, Bruce’s Pigeon, Pel’s Fish-owl, Carmine, Swallow-tailed, Little, Blue Cheeked and Red-throated Bee-eater, Brown-backed Woodpecker, Black-rumped and Fawn Breasted Waxbill and Bar-breasted, Firefinch, Abyssinian, Broad-billed and Rufous-Crowned Roller, and many more.
Day 13: Birding to Kampala
Early morning breakfast is followed by a transfer to Kampala, where we go birdwatching along the way to look for savannah birds like the African Green Pigeon, African Moustached Wabler, African Paradise Flycatcher, White Headed Barbet, Cardinal and Nubian Wood Pecker, White Crested Turaco, and Yellow-Bellied Hyliota, among others. You will be transferred to Papyrus Guest House or Jet Villas
Day 14: Departure
After Breakfast, you will be transferred to the Airport for departure and that will mark the end of our 14-day Uganda Birding Trip