15-Day Classic Rwanda and Uganda Birding Safari

15-Day Classic Rwanda and Uganda birding safari starts in Rwanda and ends in Uganda, featuring over 1,050 bird species. Participants can spot more than 500 species in various habitats like protected areas, agricultural lands, wetlands, forests, and savannahs. The trip aims to appreciate this biodiversity with skilled naturalist guides who are experts in bird calls and spotting wildlife.

Detailed Itinerary of 15-Day Classic Rwanda and Uganda Birding Safari

Day 1: Arrival at Kigali International Airport

Arrive at Kigali International Airport, meet and greet by your guide, and transfer to the hotel for an overnight. Overnight at Hotel Intercontinental.

Day 02: Drive down Southwest to Nyungwe Forest.

Wake up early, have your delicious breakfast with your luggage, and start the drive to Nyungwe with an en route lunch in Huye. After lunch, proceed with the drive through the rolling hills and valleys to the dense Nyungwe Forest, where you will get to see several unique birds.
Dinner and overnight at Nyungwe Forest Lodge.

Day 03: Bird Nyungwe Forest-15-Day Classic Rwanda and Uganda Birding Safari

Have your breakfast and then go birdwatching in Nyungwe forest. Look for birds like the Handsome Francolin, Rwenzori Turaco, Tit, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Blue-headed Sunbird, Rwenzori Double-collared Sunbird, Regal Sunbird, Dwarf Honeyguide, Red-throated Alethe, Archer’s Robin-Chat, White-bellied Robin-Chat, Kivu ground thrush, Short-tailed Warbler, Mountain Masked Apalis, Lagden’s Bush-shrike, and many others. Enjoy dinner and stay overnight as before.

Day 04: Second day Bird Nyungwe Forest

After breakfast with your packed lunch, spend the whole day birding in Nyungwe forest. Look for bird species like Handsome Francolin, Rwenzori Turaco, and Red-chested Owlet, Red-collared Mountain-Babbler, Strip-breasted Tit, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Red-throated Alethe, Archer’s Robin-Chat, White-bellied Robin-Chat, Kivu ground thrush, Short-tailed Warbler, Mountain Masked Apalis, Grey-chested Illadopsis, Blue-headed Sunbird, Rwenzori Double-collared Sunbird, and Regal Sunbird, among others.
Dinner and overnight as before.

Day 05: Transfer to Uganda-15-Day Classic Rwanda and Uganda Birding Safari

Have your breakfast, and after proceed for the drive to Uganda, which has to be via Kigali, Ruhengeri, and finally Kisoro town, which is 10 km from the border post
Dinner and overnight at Travellers Inn.

Day 06: Bird Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

After breakfast with your packed lunch, drive to Ntebeko Camp to start your trek in one of Uganda’s most scenic protected areas. You will take the gorge trail halfway up Mt. Sabinyo, seeing various montane habitats. Look out for birds like the Lagden’s Bush-Shrike, Dusky Turtle Dove, Rwenzori Turaco, Cape Robin-Chat, Kivu Ground Thrush, Bronze Sunbird, Yellow-crowned Canary, Streaky Seedeater, Dusky Turtle Dove, and Shelly’s Crimson-wing, among others.
Dinner and overnight at your lodge

Day 07: Birding in the Ruhija sector of Bwindi-15-Day Classic Rwanda and Uganda Birding Safari

After breakfast, visit Echuya forest and then head to Ruhija, stopping at the nearly finished papyrus swamp by Lake Bunyonyi. Look for birds such as the Greater Swamp Warbler, Papyrus Yellow Warbler, Papyrus Canary, Carruthers’ Cisticola, Little Rush Warbler, and Fawn-breasted Waxbill. On the drive to Ruhija, watch for sightings of Western Green Tinkerbird, Archer’s Robin-Chat, Kivu Ground Thrush, Dusky Blue Flycatcher, Mountain Masked Apalis, White-browed Crombec, Stripe-breasted Tit, Rwenzori Batis, Handsome Francolin, Olive Pigeon, and many other bird species, including Archer’s Robin-Chat and Dusky Blue Flycatcher, and others.
Dinner and overnight at the Trekker’s Haven.

Day 08: Bird Mubwindi Swamp

After breakfast, with your packed lunch, visit the Mubwindi Swamp to look for various birds, including Rwenzori Batis, Montane Sooty Boubou, Black-billed Turaco, Fine-banded Woodpecker, African Green-Broadbill, Mountain Greenbul, Yellow-streaked Greenbul, African Hill Babbler, Mountain Illadopsis, Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Grauer’s Warbler, Mountain Yellow Warbler, Chestnut-throated Apalis, Collared Apalis, Stripe-breasted Tit, African Green-Broadbill, and Regal Sunbird. This birding trip in Uganda is a highlight, though it can be physically challenging. However, if done slowly, it becomes flexible.
Dinner and overnight as before.

Day 09: Bird to Buhoma Sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park via the Neck

After breakfast, drive to the Buhoma sector of Bwindi while birding along the way. Look for birds such as the White-starred Robin, Olive Thrush, Cassin’s-grey Flycatcher, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Grauer’s Warbler, Chubb’s Cisticola, Banded Prinia, Grey Cuckoo-shrike, Sharpe’s Starling, Regal Sunbird, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Strange Weaver, Dusky Twinspot, Mountain Masked Apalis, Tambourine Dove, Black Bee-eater, Red-throated Wryneck, Mountain Wagtail, and many others, including various sunbirds and warblers.
Dinner and Overnight at The Gorilla Resort.

Day 10: Bird Bwindi Impenetrable National Park-15-Day Classic Rwanda and Uganda Birding Safari

After an early breakfast, start birding in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Look for various bird species like African Goshawk, African Broadbill, assorted Greenbuls, White-bellied Robin-Chat, Red-throated Alethe, Chapin’s Flycatcher, Luhder’s Bush-shrike, Pink-footed Puffback, Petit’s Cuckooshrike, Starlings, Blue-headed Sunbird, Black-billed Weaver, Brown-capped Weaver, Red-fronted Antpecker, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Bar-tailed Trogon, Black Bee-Eater, and many more, including Woodpeckers, Greenbuls, and Sunbirds, along with others like Pink-footed Puffback and Red-fronted Antpecker.
Dinner and overnight at the lodge.

Day 11: Bird as you transfer to Fort Portal

After your delicious breakfast with your packed lunch, bird as you head towards Fort Portal via Queen Elizabeth National Park. Look out for birds like Common Fiscal, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Zitting Cisticola, Babblers, Grey-backed Shrike, Lesser Striped Swallows, Starlings, Widowbirds, among other birds.
Dinner and Overnight at the Mountains of the Moon Hotel.

Day 12: Bird to Semuliki National Park

Wake up and have your breakfast, bird to Semuliki National Park, getting there in time to bird the trails around the hot springs. After you will proceed to Bundibugyo township, where you will spend two nights.
Overnight at the Mountains of the Moon Hotel.

Day 13: Whole day birding Kirumia Trail

After breakfast, spend the day birdwatching on the Kirumia trail. Look for birds such as the Blue-billed Malimbe, Swamp palm Bulbul, White-thighed Hornbill, White crested Hornbill, Red-billed dwarf Hornbill, Black dwarf Hornbill, Black Bee-eater, Blue-headed Crested-flycatcher, Crested Malimbe, Red-bellied Malimbe, Black-casqued Wattled Hornbill, and others like the Black Bee-eater and Blue-headed Crested-flycatcher. Keep an eye out for the African Piculet and more.
Dinner and overnight as before.

Day 14: Bird your way to Entebbe-15-Day Classic Rwanda and Uganda Birding Safari

Wake up and have your delicious breakfast, bird your way to Entebbe, where you will spend your last night in Uganda.
Dinner and overnight at the Papyrus Hotel.

Day 15: Transfer to Entebbe International Airport for Departure

Wake up and have your breakfast, and transfer to Entebbe International Airport in time for the return flight.