Day 01: Arrival in Entebbe

Arrive at Entebbe International Airport (EBB), get a warm welcome to the Pearl of Africa (Uganda). From EBB, drive to the hotel in Entebbe to settle for a leisurely dinner and relaxation. Entebbe city is set not far from the beautiful shores of Lake Victoria and you will even be viewing it at a distance. Check in at Boma Hotel Entebbe for overnight stay.

Day 02 of 15 Days Uganda Bird Watching Safari: Mabamba wetland birding

Join your local Uganda safari guide for full day birding expedition on Mabamba wetland/swamp, a rich bird site and perfect place to spot shoebill storks. The main focus today will be searching for the shoebills but there will be plenty of birds to be sighted as well. These include papyrus gonoleks, lesser jacanas, white winged warblers, black shouldered nightjar, blue swallow, blue breasted bee-eater and others. Retreat from the long day shoebill trek and transfer to Fairway Hotel/Cassia Lodge/Serena Kampala Hotel.

Day 03: Travel to Murchison Falls National Park, rhino tracking at Ziwa

Meet your local safari guide for pick up and drive to the Northwestern Uganda to explore Murchison Falls National Park. En route stopovers will include Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to see rhinos in the wild and transfer to the hotel in Masindi for lunch break.

Continue with a scenic drive to Murchison Falls NP located at the Northern edge of the Albertine rift valley, also Uganda’s largest park, home to more than 76 mammal species and 451 various bird species. Before you proceed to the lodge, you will pay a visit to the top of the falls and then check in at Red Chili Camp/Murchison River Lodge/Sambiya River Lodge/Paraa Safari Lodge.

Day 04 of 15 Days Uganda Bird Watching Safari: Safari game drive & boat cruise –Murchison Falls

Set off on your early morning safari game drive with a local guide, expecting to see a variety of wildlife and get to know their different behaviors. The likely animal sightings to record today include the Rothschild giraffes, warthogs, lions, elephants, cape buffaloes, hartebeests, oribis, birds, Uganda Kobs, and on lucky day –leopards.

Next on today’s safari highlights will be a boat cruise and this will be done after lunch at the comfort of your safari lodge. Take a boat ride starting from the Paraa Jetty to the bottom of the Murchison Falls, 2 hours but guarantees you amazing sightings of hippos, Nile crocodiles and plenty of aquatic birds. Get back for leisurely time at Red Chili Camp/Murchison River Lodge/Sambiya River Lodge/Paraa Safari Lodge.

Day 05: Murchison Falls Park –Kibale

Begin the long day drive from your lodge to Kibale National Park through Hoima-Fort Portal city. Enjoy the scenic drive in the countryside characterized by spectacular Albertine rift escarpments and traditional homesteads. Arrive early at Fort Portal city and connect to the lodge for relaxation, meals and a night stay: Kibale Forest Camp (Budget), Primate Lodge (Midrange), Ndali Lodge/Papaya Lake Lodge/Kyaninga Lodge (Luxury).

Day 06 of 15 Days Uganda Bird Watching Safari: Explore Kibale chimps & birding in Bigodi wetland

Early morning, you will get briefed at Kanyanchu Visitor Center where you will have insight into rules about chimpanzee tracking and park guides assigned to you. In a group of 6 visitors, you will be led by an experienced park guide to search for chimpanzee community, and this will last for 2-4 hours.

Kibale Forest is a rich tropical forest with primates, birds and colorful butterflies which you will be spotting. This park alone holds 13 species of primates and besides chimpanzees; you will also come across the blue monkeys, olive baboons, grey-cheeked mangabeys, bush babies, black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed and pottos.

Return for lunch and after, visit Bigodi for a guided walk through its rich swamp. This wetland is home to 138 birds and today, you will come across the Great blue turacos, yellow billed barbets, pied hornbills, Narina trogon; plus many primates. Relaxation, meals and a night stay at Kibale Forest Camp (Budget), Primate Lodge (Midrange), and Ndali Lodge/Papaya Lake Lodge/Kyaninga Lodge (Luxury).

Day 07: Semuliki –visit Sempaya hot spring & night game viewing

You will be driven from Kibale to Semuliki National Park; home to 441 bird species and world’s most powerful hot springs- the Sempaya hot spring. You will be visiting the hot spring today and we advise that you go along with some eggs/plantains for you to perform some experiment.

Get back to the lodge for relaxation and late in the evening, set off for a night game drive and the focus will be spotting nocturnal species. Leisure time at the lodge: Semuliki Safari Lodge & Nyati Game Lodge (Luxury), Ntoroko Game Lodge (Midrange), Campsites/UWA Bandas (Budget).

Day 08 of 15 Days Uganda Bird Watching Safari: Birding & drive to Queen Elizabeth

After breakfast, embark on birding expedition and expect to identify different bird species in Semuliki NP. The birds to be spotted include Nkulengu rail, shoebill stork, Ituri batis, purple-breasted sunbird, swamp palm bulbul, yellow-throated cuckoos, African piculet, crested malimbe, Congo serpent eagle, Sassi’s olive greenbul, black wattled hornbill, orange weaver birds, dwarf honey guide and others.

From your birding expedition, return for lunch and check out, drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Leisure time, meals and night stay at Mweya Safari Lodge (Luxury), Elephant Plains/Enganzi/Buffalo Safari Lodge (Midrange) & Simba Camp (Basic).

Day 09: Game drive & boat cruise excursion (Queen Elizabeth)

Set off from the lodge early in the morning and you will be exploring Kasenyi plains to see a variety of early risers and predators. The likely sightings on this game track include lions, elephants, spotted hyenas, stripped jackals, bush bucks, hippos, warthogs, elusive leopards and birds. Get back for lunch, and then proceed for a boat cruise on Kazinga channel where you will be encountering several of aquatic species: hippos, crocodiles and birds. Meals and night stay at Mweya Safari Lodge (Luxury), Elephant Plains/Enganzi/Buffalo Safari Lodge (Midrange) & Simba Camp (Basic).

Day 10 of 15 Days Uganda Bird Watching Safari: Queen Elizabeth –Bwindi

Depart your lodge for Bwindi National Park, driving via Ishasha sector. At Ishasha, be keen enough because this is an area where tree climbing lions live. After the search for tree climbing lions, continue to your lodge in Bwindi for relaxation and night stay: Mahogany Springs/Buhoma Lodge (Luxury), Silverback Lodge/Engagi (Midrange) & Buhoma Community Rest Camp (Budget).

Day 11: Bwindi Forest gorilla trekking & Batwa cultural encounter

After breakfast, report to Buhoma area for briefing or any other sector as directed by your permit. Get briefed by team from Bwindi Impenetrable NP who will take you through guidelines for gorilla trekking. Once the gorilla families have been assigned, the park guide will accompany you on a 2-6 hour trek through the forest to search for mountain gorillas. You will have a special one hour for up close and personal with gorillas then get back for relaxation.

In the afternoon, meet with local guide ready for community walk/visit at Batwa community. Meet and interact with the original Batwa pygmies, get entertained and later, return to your respective lodges for meals and night stay: at Mahogany Springs/Buhoma Lodge (Luxury), Silverback Lodge/Engagi (Midrange) & Buhoma Community Rest Camp (Budget).

Day 12 of 15 Days Uganda Bird Watching Safari: Lake Bunyonyi –canoe ride

Delicious breakfast early in the morning and after, transfer to Lake Bunyonyi, Uganda’s deepest lake with 29 islands all dotted throughout it. Enjoy lunch meal and you will have an afternoon canoe ride to one of the historical islands –the Punishment Island. Meals and a night stay at Birdnest Resort Lake Bunyonyi/Bunyonyi Overland Resort.

Day 13: Lake Bunyonyi- Lake Mburo Park

Breakfast early in the morning, and drive to Lake Mburo National Park, one of the compact parks in the Pearl of Africa. This is where you will find plenty of antelope families; impalas, cape elands, topis; plus other wildlife: zebras, hyenas, buffaloes, giraffes, and others. You may go for a night game drive to search for nocturnal species such as bush babies, leopards and birds. For your meals & night stay: Mihingo Safari Lodge/Rwakobo Rock and Lake Mburo Safari Lodge.

Day 14 of 15 Days Uganda Bird Watching Safari: Full day safari game drives + launch cruise

Take breakfast and later, your driver guide will pick you up for a morning game drive to search for impalas, plain zebras, topis, giraffes, cape elands, buffaloes, and bird species. Drive back for relaxation, lunch and later proceed for a boat cruise on Lake Mburo to watch aquatic species such as hippos, crocodiles and water birds like kingfishers, fish eagles, and more. Meals & night stay: Mihingo Safari Lodge/Rwakobo Rock and Lake Mburo Safari Lodge.

Day 15: Departure

Leave Lake Mburo NP after check out of the lodge, drive through the Masaka route back to Kampala/Entebbe. En route, you will stopover at the Equator to take pictures, and also purchase some craft items. Continue to Kampala or Entebbe for late evening flight or relax at the lodge.

End of 15 Days Uganda Bird Watching Safari