8 Days Uganda Birding Safari starts from Entebbe / Kampala and features Birding in Mabamba Swamp in search of Shoebill & transfer to western Uganda Lake Mburo National Park with a stop at Uganda Equator crossing Kayabwe, Lake Mburo NP boat & savannah birding & transfer to Bwindi – Ruhija, Birding in Umubwindi Swamp, transfer to Buhoma & birding en route at the neck, Buhoma half day birding & transfer to Mweya, Queen Elizabeth NP birding in the savannah & Kazinga Channel & transfer to Kibale NP with sightseeing of the Rwenzori Mountains, Kibale NP birding & Bigodi wetland and then drive back to Entebbe.
Arrive at Entebbe International Airport, meet our representative and then transfer to the Hotel for overnight.
After breakfast, embark on the birding journey to Mabamba swamp on the shores of Lake Victoria in the west of Kampala. The magical offering of this destination is the endangered shoebill stork. The canoe paddle along the narrow channels of the swamp will give you chances of sighting other bird species like; Lesser Jacana, Black-Shouldered kite, Blue Swallow, Blue Breasted Bee-Eater, White Winged warbler, Papyrus Gonolek, Carruther’s Cisticola, Spotting Swamp Flycatcher, Papyrus Gonolek, ducks, gulls, plovers, egrets, Malachite and Pied Kingfishers. You will retire from the activity and then transfer to Lake Mburo National Park. Make a stop at Uganda Equator crossing Kayabwe for amazing photoshoots.
Embark on the boat birding encounter on Lake Mburo in the early in the morning for likely encounter of African fin-foot, the range of King Fishers and the African fish eagle after which you embark on birding in the savannah for chances of spotting Rufous-bellied Heron, Bateleur, Coqui Francolin, Grey Crowned Crane, Brown-chested Lapwing, Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove, Black-bellied Bustard, Red-headed Lovebird, Ross’s Turaco, Brown Parrot, Green Wood-hoopoe, Common Scimitarbill, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Red-faced Barbet, White-headed Barbet, Long-tailed Cisticola, Nubian Woodpecker, Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike, White-winged Tit and Yellow-breasted Apalis among other birds. The driving experience also offers an opportunity to explore counts of wild game including the Rothschild giraffes, the Topis, elands, waterbucks, Buffaloes, Burchell’s Zebra, Impala, Warthogs among other species. From the activity, set off for the transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – Ruhija 235km about 5 hours’ drive enjoying the views of countryside landscapes.
Ruhija sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a true birders’ paradise with great bird counts per square Kilometer. The hilly forested landscapes of Ruhija offers sights of birds like; Macknon’s Fiscal, Augar Buzzard, Tropical Boubou, Ayre’s Hawk Eagle, Cassin’s Grey Flycatcher, Mountain Buzzard and Wagtail, Western Bronze Naped Pigoen, Barred and Dusky Long Tailed Cuckoo, Black Faced Rufous Warbler, White Headed Wood Hopoe, Ducky Tit, Ludhur’s and Lagden’s Bush-Shrike, Grey Cuckoo-Shrike, Grey-Green Bush-Shrike, White Eyed Slaty Flycatcher, Chestnut Throated Apalis, Streaky Seed-Eater, White Starred Robin, Stripe Breasted Tit among others. The extension to Umubwindi swamp offers other impressive birding opportunities including the possible encounter the beautiful leafy looking broadbill, Olive, Elliot’s and Fine-banded Woodpecker, Black-billed Turaco, African Hill Babbler, Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Mountain Illadopsis, Mountain Greenbul, Red-faced Woodland, Grey Cuckoo Shrike, Chestnut-throated Collard and Black Throated Apalis, Mountain Yellow Warbler, Stripe-breasted Tit, Mountain, Shelley’s and Yellow-streaked Greenbul, African Green-Broadbill, Regal Sunbird and Rwenzori Batis among other bird species. Retire from the activity in the afternoon drive to Buhoma birding along the neck.
In the morning after an early breakfast, transfer to the forest following the waterfall trail for birding. Search for birds such as slender billed starling, Kivu ground thrush, plus the white bellied Robin-chat, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Mountain Buzzard, Mackinnon’s Fiscal, Sooty Boubou, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, African Hill-Babbler, Ayre’s Hawk-eagle, Black-and-white Shriker-flycatcher, slender billed starling, Dusky Tit, Ashy Flycatcher, Chin-spot Batis, Rwenzori Batis, Dusky-blue Flycatcher and Doherty’s Bush-shrike among others. From the activity, you transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park 160km about 7 hours’ drive.
Have a whole day encounter with birds in the varied ecosystems of Queen Elizabeth National Park. The birding encounter can be conducted in either Mweya peninsular, environs of Lake Kikorongo, savannah plains of Kasenyi, Katunguru bridge Area among other areas. Queen Elizabeth National Park exposes you to birds like; Temminck’s Courser, Rupell’s Griffon, Martial Eagle, White Headed, Lappet Faced Vultures, Blue Quail, Harlequin Quail, Small (Common) Buttonquail, African Crake, African Skimmer, Black Headed Gonolek, Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Amur Falcon, Lowland Akalat, Ovambo Sparrowhawk, Greater and Lesser Flamingo among others. The sights of wildlife like elephants, buffaloes, spotted Hyena, side stripped jackals, and Antelopes among others may not be missed. The tourist boat along Kazinga Channel starts at 2pm and ends at 4pm after which you will transfer to Fort Portal 157km about 3 hours’ drive enjoying the scenic views of Rwenzori Mountains.
Kibale National Park offers great flora concentration with 351 Species of trees some of which are 200 years old and over 55m tall. The park also supports 70 species of mammals and 13 species of Primates among which include the common chimpanzee, Black and white colobus and red-tailed monkey. The 375 Species of birds thrive in the park including the impressive western green tinker bird, two species of pittas (African and green-breasted), olive long-tailed cuckoo, African grey parrot and the endemic ground thrush (Turdus kibalensis). Retreat from the activity and connect to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
After breakfast, set off for the transfer to Entebbe 366km about 7 hours’ drive making a short birding at Sebitoli – an extension of Kibale Forest en route.