7-day Queen Elizabeth National Park Birding Safari
This 7-day Queen Elizabeth National Park Birding Safari takes you on an exclusive birding excursion in Queen Elizabeth National Park and Entebbe environs. With a checklist that includes over 600 bird species, Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is situated in the centre of Uganda, is a birder’s dream come true. This makes it Uganda’s national park with the greatest variety of bird species and a must-see location for avian enthusiasts across Africa.
Many birds thrive in the park’s diverse ecosystems, including lowland woods, wetlands, and savanna. Queen Elizabeth National Park provides an unmatched birding experience, from the majestic raptors soaring overhead to the colourful songbirds fluttering through the underbrush.
The park has various areas that birders can visit, each with a special opportunity to see birds, like the Kasenyi Area: In addition to being well-known for its abundant wildlife, the Mweya Peninsula is home to vulture species such as the Palm-nut Vulture, African White-backed Vulture, and Martial Eagle. This location, which overlooks the Kazinga Channel, is ideal for seeing African Mourning Doves, Swamp Flycatchers, and other sunbirds. The vast Marabigambo forest is home to a variety of woodland creatures, including the African Finfoot, the Black Bee-eater, and the elusive African Emerald Cuckoo. Katwe Area Here, the crater lakes are home to a variety of kingfishers and lesser flamingos, among other aquatic birds.
Outlined Itinerary of the 7-day Queen Elizabeth National Park Birding Safari
Day 1: Arrival and Birding Entebbe Botanical Gardens
Day 2: Birding to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 3: Birding Mweya Peninsula and Kazinga channel
Day 4: Birding Kasenyi sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 5: Birding Kyambura Gorge and the Ishasha sector
Day 6: Birding to Entebbe
Day 7: Departure
Detailed Itinerary of the 7-day Queen Elizabeth National Park Birding Safari
Day 1: Arrival and Birding Entebbe Botanical Gardens
After landing at Entebbe International Airport, you will be welcomed by a Journeys Uganda representative, who will transfer you to the guesthouse for check-in. We bird Entebbe Botanical Gardens, depending on when we get there, looking out for the Bat Hawk, Malachite, Pygmy and Giant Kingfishers, Bare-faced Go-away Bird, Grey Woodpecker, Klaas’s and Diederick Cuckoos, Black Bishop, Fan-tailed Widowbird, Orange Weaver, Ross’s and Great Blue Turacos, Red-chested Cuckoo and Great Reed Warbler. Dinner and overnight at Papyrus Guest House
Day 2: Birding to Queen Elizabeth National Park
We bird to the home of 606 bird species after an early breakfast. We make multiple stops along the route to potentially encounter various bird species, which accounts for our delayed arrival. You will be transferred to Pumba Safari Cottages for dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Birding Mweya Peninsula and Kazinga channel
On this day, we bird the Mweya Peninsula in the morning and take a boat to the Kazinga Channel in the afternoon. Grey-capped Warbler, African Skimmer, Malachite and Pied Kingfishers, White-winged Terns, Swamp Flycatcher, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Collard Pratincole, African Jacana, Pin-tailed Whydah, Martial Eagle, Gabon and Slender-tailed Nightjars, the magnificent Black-headed Gonolek, Great and Long-tailed Cormorants, Common Squacco Heron, African Fish Eagle, Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Sedge Warbler, White-winged Warbler, Papyrus Gonolek, Papyrus Canary, Great White and Pink-backed Pelicans, African Mourning Dove, African Open-billed Stork, Black-rumped Buttonquail, Great White and Pink-backed Pelicans.
Day 4: Birding Kasenyi sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park
After breakfast, we bird to the northern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park in search of the Rufous-necked Lark, Red-capped Lark, Black-bellied Bustard, Brown-snake Eagle, Sooty Chat, Common Rock Thrush, Pied Wheatear, Whinchat, Common Redstart, White-fronted Black Chat, Sooty Chat, Isabelline Wheatear, Common Bulbul, Cameroon Sombre Greenbul, Martial Eagle, Yellow-throated Greenbul, Black, White-breasted, Lappet-faced Vulture and Red-shouldered Cuckoo Shrikes, Black and Penduline Tits, Arrow-marked, Black-lored, and Brown Babblers, among hundreds of other Savannah species, can be found today while birdwatching the Kasenyi trail and its craters. Black Scimitarbill, Green Wood Hoopoe, Brown-backed, Nubian, Cardinal, and Scaly-throated Woodpeckers; many Buzzards, Rollers, Harriers, Vultures, Eagles, Warblers, Bee-eaters, and Barbets. After a full day of birding, you will be transferred back to your Lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Birding Kyambura Gorge and the Ishasha sector
We bird these stunning areas of Queen Elizabeth game park for hundreds of bird species, such as the following: Marsh Tchargra, Grey-headed Sparrow, White-headed Barbet, Brubru, Orange-breasted Bush-shrike, Red-headed Lovebird, Spur-winged Lapwing, African, Red-eyed, and African Morning Doves, the Winding, Croacking, and Zitting Cisticolas, African Thrush, Ruppell’s Long-tailed Sterling, Black-headed Gonolek, Slender-billed Weaver, Little Weaver, and Black-headed Weaver, among others. Dinner and overnight at Pumba Safari Cottages.
Day 6: Birding to Entebbe
After breakfast, you will be transferred back to Entebbe. Keep an eye out for various avian species along the way. You will be transferred to Papyrus Guesthouse for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 7: Departure
After breakfast, you will be transferred to Entebbe International Airport for Departure. This will mark the end of the 7-day Queen Elizabeth National Park Birding Safari.