Birding Safari in Uganda |Bird watching Tour |Mabira forest tours | Kibale Safaris

21 Days Birding Safari in Uganda
Day 1
Early in the morning after breakfast you will be picked from the hotel by the tour guide to head towards eastern Uganda. Travel through Mabira forest via Jinja road for a forest walk in search for birds.  The forest ranks as one of the most important ornithological sites in Uganda with more than 300 species recorded. Here you should expect birds like the Great Blue Turaco, African Pitta , Nahan’s Francolin, African Grey parrot, Hornbill species and a variety of sunbirds. The forest is one of the two places in East Africa where the pretty Tit hylia  has been recorded and this rare bird is seen here with surprising regularity.  Have a picnic lunch in the forest.

Have dinner and spend the night at Mabira forest Lodge / NFA Headquarters.

Day 2
In the morning after breakfast go for a full day walk through the forest to search for more and new birds that you did not spot the previous day. Have a picnic lunch in the forest and then proceed with birding. This birding offers you an opportunity to see animals like monkeys and antelopes.

Retire from birding for dinner and over night at Mabira forest lodge / NFA Headquarters.

Day 3
After breakfast, early in the morning, drive west through Busingiro to Budongo forest reserve in Masindi. The journey offers you a panoramic view of sugarcane plantations, lush vegetation and traditional homesteads. Budongo forest also has a great ornithological significance with over 366 bird species recorded. You will reach late in the evening.

Dinner and over night at Nyabyeya Forestry College/ Busingiro Tourist site.

Day 4
Very early in the morning after breakfast go for a full day birding in the forest to begin with the Royal mile area of the forest. The Royal mile is referred to as the country’s premier forest birding locality that harbours a number of species of which some include, Banded Snake eagle, crowned and African pied hornbill, and Bat hawk seen at dusk, the chocolate backed blue breasted and African dwarf kingfisher, white-thighed hornbills, yellow-billed barbets, western black –headed Oriole and purple-headed starling, Green buls such as Cameroon sombe. You will have picnic lunch in the forest as you bird.

Have diner and over night at Nyabyeya Forestry College/ Busingiro Tourist site.

Day 5
After breakfast drive to the Kaniyo Pabidi sector of the forest for more birding. This area also offers an opportunity to see chimpanzees, as  you proceed to Murchison falls NP.  In this area of the forest you should watch out for birds like Puvel’s Illadopsis, a bird that has been recently discovered, rare green breasted Pitta, African wood and African scops owls enroute. You will drive towards the top of the falls as  where the Nile perfects its beauty.- here the wide , languid Nile is transformed  into an explosive foam of thunderous wide water as it funnels through a narrow cleft in the Rift valley escarpment offering the most inspiring sight of its type in east Africa. Here you will be able to see birds like the Red-winged grey warbler, chest-nut crowned and Pel’s fishing Owl. You will then be transferred on the Ferry to Paraa  Safari Lodge for dinner and an overnight.

Day 6
Early in the morning after breakfast go for a boat cruise on the Nile to the bottom of the falls. It takes off at 9:00 am and it is advisable to sit on the left side of the boat because it offers a good view of the birds and the other animals since most of them bank on the left side. Animals to be seen include crocodiles, hippos, buffaloes and others. These are surrounded by birds like  Goliath heron, African Darter weavers, Fulvous Ducks, Egyptian geese, African skimmer and pied King fishers. After lunch embark on birding around the hotel.

Dinner and overnight at Paraa  Safari Lodge.

Day 7
Early in the morning after breakfast you will be transferred to the northern game-viewing circuit to go through the whistling thorn acacia where you will see birds like speckle-fronted weaver. Then proceed across the airstrip and then through the Victoria Nile track that leads down the edge of of the Victoria Nile delta. On reaching the Nile, scan the papyrus edges for the resident shoebills, blue breasted bee-eater and swamp flycatchers. You will then head towards the Albert Nile track to watch out for black scimitar bill and white billed barbet. Descend to Paraa safari lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 8
After breakfast, with packed lunch drive towards Masindi to bird on Lake Albert and the escarpments of the Albert rift valley. You then have dinner and overnight at Masindi Hotel/ Court view hotel

Day 9
Take a cup of tea to head to Kibale forest national park and reach in the early afternoon. Go birding at the entrance of the forest in the late afternoon.

Dinner and overnight at Ndali Lodge/ Kanyanchu tourist centre.

Day 10
In the morning, after breakfast, go for guided birding in the Kanyanchu area where you will watch out for birds like the African go-shwak, the majestic crowned eagle, masked apalis, grey parrots and many more. Take a picnic lunch in the forest and in the afternoon head to the Bigodi wetland sanctuary through the magombe swamp to see birds such as papyrus Gonolek, papyrus canary, mosque swallow and brown headed Tchagra.

Dinner and overnight at Ndali lodge/ Kanyanchu

Day 12
Early in the morning head to Queen Elizabeth National park through the Magombe swamp to bird enroute. After your lunch at the hotel, go for an afternoon birding in the crater area and Mweya peninsula to look out for wide spread grassland species such as Marsh Tshagra, croaking Cisticola, migrant harriers such as Pallid and montagu’s and many others.

Dinner and overnight at Mweya safari lodge.

Day 13
After breakfast drive towards Lake Kikorongo and the Kasenyi track for more birding in the park. Watch out for birds like Common Squacco Heron, Glossy and sacred Ibises in the Kikorongo Area. The Kasenyi track has much to offer for birders. It passes through grass plains which support large numbers of stork in seasons as well as raptors such as brown snaked eagle and martial eagle. Retire for lunch and in the afternoon embark on a launch cruise on the Kazinga channel to watch out for both resident and non resident species such as the African morning dove and Eurasian Honey buzzard respectively. The birds surround animal species such as hippopotami and buffaloes.

Dinner and Overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge.

Day 14
Early in the morning drive through the Ishasha sector towards Buhoma-Bwindi Impenetrable NP. Watch out for birds and game enroute to reach in the afternoon. Bird in the afternoon the Buhoma area.

Dinner and overnight Gorilla forest camp/ Buhoma community Bandas.

Day 15
After an early breakfast, move to the forest following the waterfall trail for birding. Look out for birds such as Kivu ground thrush, white bellied Robin-chat and slender billed starling. In the afternoon bird along the main track as you descend to the camp.

Dinner and overnight at Gorilla forest Camp/ Buhoma community Banda.

Day 16
Go birding on the short trail to Mubwindi swamp to watch out for birds like the African Green broad bill, Montane Oriole, Turacos and many others.

Dinner and overnight at Institute of tropical forest conservation (ITFC)

Day 17
Go for birding on the long trail to Mubwindi swamp and the afternoon along Rihija.

Dinner and overnight at Institute of tropical forest conservation (ITFC).

Day 18
After breakfast, drive towards Lake Mburo NP - the journey along the road towards Kabale. Bird along the entrance road to Rwonyo in the late afternoon to watch out for acacia - associated bird species like mosque swallow, black-bellied bustard and Rupell’s long-tailed starling. 

Spend the night at Rwonyo Rest Camp/ Mantana Tented camp.

Day 19
Drive along the lake side track and Kigambira loop towards Kampala. Watch out for birds like Green-capped Eremomela, Austral migrant, black cuckoo-shrike Tawny, African Hawk, Batelour and others enroute. Arrive in the evening to dine and spend the night at Hotel Africana / Sheraton Hotel.

 Day 20
Early in the morning go birding in the Botanical Gardens Entebbe, to look out for birds like the Vieillot’s Black weaver, golden-backed weaver, Black headed Gonolek, Red chested sunbirds, Verreaux’s Eagle and many others.  Have picnic lunch.

Dinner and overnight at Botanical beach hotel/ Imperial resort Beach.

Day 21
Depending on the time of your flight you may go birding in the Mabamba wetland and then you will be transferred for your flight by the guide.

End of Safari