15 day Rwanda Uganda Birding Safari
The 15-day Rwanda-Uganda Birding Safari is an extraordinary adventure designed for avid birders. Explore the diverse landscapes, bird species in these ecosystems. From lush forests to savannahs, wetlands to mountain peaks, this journey offers unforgettable encounters with feathered wonders. On this exciting 15-day Rwanda Uganda Birding Safari expect to see different bird species including the Albertine rift endemics, savannah grassland species, water species and high altitude montane species.
Detailed Itinerary of our 15 day Rwanda Uganda Birding Safari
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali, Rwanda
Arrive at Kigali (Kanombe) Airport for our 15 day Rwanda Uganda Birding Safari. Transfer to the Hotel Intercontinental for an overnight stay.
Day 2: Nyungwe Forest, Rwanda
Scenic drive southwest to Nyungwe Forest. Birdwatching along the way. Keep an eye out for the Marabou Storks, Egrets and the rolling hills of Rwanda. Overnight at Nyungwe Forest Lodge.
Days 3 and 4: Birding in Nyungwe Forest
Explore Nyungwe Forest for endemic and rare species for two days. The forest is home to a variety of bird species that are endemic to the Albertine Rift Valley. Look out for Handsome Francolin, Rwenzori Turaco, Rwenzori Night Jar, Short-tailed Warbler, Rwenzori Double-collared Sunbird, Lagden’s Bushshrike, Red-chested Owlet, the striking Red-collared Mountain Babbler, the elusive Chapin’s Flycatcher, and the Rockefeller’s Sunbird. Overnight stays at Nyungwe Forest Lodge.
Day 5: Transfer to Uganda
Drive to Uganda via the escarpment to Ruhenjeri and use the Cyanika border point to finally reach Kisoro, which is 10km from the border. Overnight at Travellers Rest Hotel.
Days 6 and 7: Birding in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Uganda
On these 2 day of our 15 day Rwanda Uganda Birding Safari, we shall first drive to Ntebeko Camp, where you will begin your journey to one of Uganda’s most picturesque protected regions, after breakfast and with your packed lunch. You’ll follow the gorge trail, which winds through a variety of montane environments as it arcs around half of Mount Sabinyo. Keep an eye out for the following birds: White-starred Akalat (Robin), Mountain Yellow Warbler, White-naped Raven, Lagden’s and Doherty’s Bush-shrike, Bronzy, Regal, Malachite and Rwenzori-blue Headed Sunbird, Yellow-crowned Canary, Streaky Seedeater, Cape Robin-Chat, Kivu Ground Thrush, White-tailed Blue and White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher, Rwenzori Turaco, Rwenzori Batis, Archer’s Robin-chat, Cinnamon-bracken and Ever-green Forest Warbler, Dusky and the elusive Shelley’s Crimsonwing which is one of the bird species every birder would like to find on this trail.
Dinner and overnight stay at Kisoro Travelers Rest Hotel.
Day 8: Birding to Ruhija, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Following breakfast, bird the Echuya Forest that offer great opportunities for the Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, Strange Weaver, Rwenzori Hill Babbler, Remeron Dove, Abyssinina Ground Thrush, Doherty’s Bush-shrike, Rwenzori Apalis, Rwenzori Batis, Olive Woodpecker, Regal Sunbird, Dusky Crimsonwing, Thick-billed Honeyguide, Yellow-streaked Greenbul before continuing to bird Ruhija, making a stop at the almost completed papyrus swamp that runs alongside Lake Bunyonyi’s outlet to observe birds such as the Greater Swamp Warbler, Papyrus Yellow Warbler, and Papyrus Canary, which are occasionally seen here.
Carruthers Cisticola, Little Rush Warbler, and Fawn-breasted Waxbill, among other species. Proceed with the drive to Ruhija, keeping an eye out for various birds such as the Dusky-blue Flycatcher, Black-faced (Mountain Masked) Apalis, the road is always good for the Handsome Francolin once the traffic is slow, Remeron (Olive) Pigeon, Western-green Tinkerbird, Archer’s Robin-Chat, Abyssinian (Olive) Thrush, White-browed Crombec, Stripe-breasted Tit, Rwenzori Batis, Doherty’s Bush-shrike, Montane Oriole, White-napped Raven, Dusky Crimsonwing, Black-crowned Waxbill, and Black-headed Waxbill, Red-throated Alethe, Grauer’s Warbler, Mountain Yellow Warbler, Chubb’s Cisticola, Yellw-eyed Black Flycatcher, Narina Trogon, Grey-chested Illadopsis, Augur Buzzard, Ayres’s and Cassin’s Hawk-Eagle are always over the forest among other birds. Staying the night at Bakiga Lodge with dinneron this day of our 15 day Rwanda Uganda Birding Safari.
Day 9: Birding Mubwindi swamp in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Following breakfast, head to the Mubwindi Swamp with your packed lunch in hand to spot a variety of birds that are high altitude rarities and birds Endemics to the Albertine Rift on the Uganda side including the Grauer;s (African Green)-Broadbill, Rwenzori (Collared) Apalis, Stripe-breasted Tit, Rwenzori Batis, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Rwenzori-blue Headed Sunbird, Dwarf Honeyguide, Archer’s Robin-chat, Red-throated Alethe, Grauer’s and Grauer’s Swamp Warbler the other special bird species here include the Black-billed Turaco.
Western Green Tinkerbird, Fine-banded Woodpecker, Eastern Mountain Greenbul, Yellow-streaked Greenbul, Rwenzori Hill Babbler, Mountain Illadopsis, Mountain Yellow Warbler, Chestnut-throated Apalis, Montane Sooty Boubou, Lagden’s and Doherty’s Bush-shrike, Chestnut-winged Starling, Black-tailed Oriole, White-starred Akalat, White-bellied Crested Flycatcher, Mackinnon’s Fiscal, Black-throated Apalis, Pink-footed Puffback, Red-chested Owlet, Grey-chested Illadopsis among other birds. Taken carefully, this physically demanding walk can be fairly achievable, and it is undoubtedly one of the highlights of any birding trip in Uganda.
After dinner and during the night as previously.
Days 10: Birding to Buhoma
During your 15-day Rwanda-Uganda birding trip, begin your drive to Bwindi (Buhoma) after breakfast. While you make your way there, bird through the neck a rich area that connects Bwindi Ruhija to Buhoma and can offer bird species like the Mountain Wagtail, Cassin’s and Dusky-blue Flycatcher, African Black Duck and Shining Blue Kingfisher at the river and pond, continue birdwatching and look for a variety of species, including Chubb’s Cisticola, Banded Prinia, Black-faced (Mountain Masked) Apalis, Chestnut-throated Apalis, Rwenzori (Collared) Apalis, Stripe-breasted Tit, Grey Cuckoo-shrike, Sharpe’s Starling.
Regal Sunbird, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Strange Weaver, Black-bee-eater, Ansorge’s Greenbul, Green-throated, Grey-headed, Little-green and Northern-double Collared Sunbird, Yellow-spotted and Hairy-breasted Barbet, Western Bronze-naped Pigeon, Waller’s Narrow-tailed and Stuhlmann’s Starling, Dwarf Honeyguide, Cabanis’s, Joyful, Red-tailed, Honeyguide and Toro-olive Greenbul as you exit the forest the dry parches and swamps attract the Dusky Twinspot, Yellow Bishop, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, African Firefinch, Brown-crowned Tchagra, African-blue Flycatcher, Augur Buzzard is always flying over the scenic landscapes, African Harreir-Hawk, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, African Golden-breasted Bunting, Tawny-flanked Prinia, African Stonechat, Baglafecht Weaver and Black-throated Seedeater among the many bird species for today. Stay at Buhoma Haven Lodge or Ride 4 A Woman, dinner and overnight reserved.
Day 11: Birding Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
On the 11th day of our 15 day Rwanda Uganda Birding Safari, you will start your birding journey in the impenetrable Bwindi forest after an early breakfast, keeping an eye out for species such as the African Goshawk, Black Bee-Eater, Western Bar-tailed Trogon, White-headed Wood-hoopoe, Yellow-throated, Speckled and Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Yellow-billed, Hairy-breasted and Yellow-spotted Barbet, Fine-banded, Elliot’s, Buff-spotted and Olive Woodpecker, African Broadbill, and several Greenbulls including Red-tailed, Kakamega, Toro-olive, Cabanis’s, Ansorge’s, Little, Plain and Honeyguide, Red-throated Alethe, Chapin’s Flycatcher, Grey, Black-throated and Buff-throated Apalis, Dusky Tit, Pink-footed Puffback, Petit’s Cuckooshrike, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Neumann’s (Short-tailed) Warbler, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, White-bellied Robin-Chat, Equatorial Akalat, Mountain Illadopsis, Grey-winged, Red-caped and Blue-shouldered Robin-chat, Jameson’s Antpecker, Sooty Flycatcher, Western Bronze-napped Pigeon, White-bellied Crested Flycatcher, Many-coloured Bush-shrike, Red-chested Owlet, Olive-green Camaroptera, Olive Long-tailed and Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo among the birds are the Magpie Mannikin, Black-billed and Brown-capped Weaver to mention but some
Dinner and overnight stay as day 10.
Day 12: Birding to Fort portal
After breakfast, pack your lunch and continue driving through Queen Elizabeth National Park in the direction of Fort Portal. the savannahs of Queen Elizabeth can offer Green-winged Pytilia, African Golden Breasted Bunting, Black Coucal, Fan-tailed Grassbird and Grassland-moustached Warbler, Black-headed Batis, Spot-flanked Barbet, Temminck’s Courser, Flappet, Rufous-naped, Red Caped and the heavily streaked blackish White-tailed Lark, Caspian, Crowned, Kittlitz’s, African-wattled and Senegal Plover, African Crake, the white face patterned Harlequin Quail, Common, Common Button and Blue Quail, Red-necked Spurfowl, African Mourning Dove, Fawn-breasted, Crimson-rumped, and Common Waxbill, Martial, Wahlberg’s Brown Snake and Short-toed Snake Eagle, Rupell’s Griffon, Palm-nut, White Backed and Lappet Faced Vulture , Lesser Striped Swallows, Short-winged and Zitting Cisticola, Black-lored and Arrow-marked Babbler, Grey-backed Shrike, Northern Fiscal, Starlings, and Widowbirds among others, we later checkin at the Mountains of the Moon Hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 13 and 14: Birding to Semuliki National Park and the environs – Kirumia Trail, Semulik National Park
On these two days of our 15 day Rwanda Uganda Birding Safari, You will have early breakfast and then head to Semliki National Park which has most of the Guinea-Congo biome endemics, main birdwatching activities are done on the Kirumia trail. Keep an eye out for the following birds: Black-headed Crested-flycatcher, Crested Malimbe, Red-bellied Malimbe, Blue-billed Malimbe, Piping Hornbill, White-crested Hornbill, Red-billed dwarf Hornbill, Black dwarf Hornbill, Black Bee-eater, If you’re fortunate enough there are many chances of the Capuchin Babbler and open your eyes wide, you might just happen to spot an African Piculet Yellow-eyed Bristlebill, Western and Yellow-throated Nicator, Black-headed and African Paradise Flycatchers, Forest Robin, Blue-breasted, Chocolate-backed and African Dwarf Kingfisher, Hartlaub’s Duck, Icterine and Xavier’s Greenbul, Red-tailed Ant-thrush, Dusky-crested Flycatcher, Orange-cheeked Waxbill, Black-bellied Seed-cracker, Grant’s and Red-headed Bluebills, Brown Illadopsis are among other bird species After our rewarding activity, dinner and overnight at Bumaga Bandas.
Day 15: Birding to Entebbe and Departure
After breakfast, get ready to bird to Entebbe. Along the way, keep an eye out for the different avian species you will come across on your way to Entebbe including but not limited to the White-collared Oliveback, Forest Weaver, Many-coloured Bush-shrike, Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo, Joyful Greenbul, Masked Apalis, White-chinned Prinia, Green-headed, Blue-throated Brown, Green-throated, Little Green, Tiny and Olive Sunbird, African Emerlad Cuckoo, Black Bee-eater, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Western-back Headed Oriole, Grey-headed Barbet, Petit’s Cuckoo-shrike, Pink-footed Puffback, Waller’s, Purple-headed, Narrow-tailed and Stuhlmann’s Starling, Afep, Remeron and White-naped Pigeon all expected around the Sebitoli area north of Kibale Forest National Park and the river here can offer us the African Black Duck, Mountain Wagtail and Cassin’s Flycatcher. You shall have lunch and be transferred to the airport for departure or your hotel room. This will be the end of our 15 day Rwanda Uganda Birding Safari.