Detailed 12 Days Uganda Birding Safari Holiday

Day 1: Arrival, pick up & drive to hotel

On arrival at the Entebbe Airport, you will meet with Mega Wild Safaris representative. Have a short briefing and later, you will be dropped off to Boma Hotel for evening relaxation and dinner.

Day 2 of 12 Days Uganda Birding Safari Holiday: Mabamba Wetland birding excursion & Budongo Forest tour

After breakfast, leave the hotel for birding excursion on Mabamba Wetland. On a canoe ride, you will be searching for shoebill storks, plus many other species of birds such as goliath herons, orange weaver, lesser jacana, black-faced rufous warblers, papyrus gonoleks, black egrets, and others. After the morning birding expedition, return and you will be transferred to Budongo Forest. Check in at Budongo Eco Lodge for a relaxed evening and night stay.

Day 3 of 12 Days Uganda Birding Safari Holiday: Budongo Forest birding tour at Royal Mile & visit the top of the falls

Breakfast early morning and after, you will set off for birding through Budongo Forest. Explore a variety of birds at the Royal Mile including Forest flycatcher, Ituri batis, Nahan’s francolins, tit hylia, chestnut capped flycatchers, yellow-browed carmoroptera, white thighed hornbills, black capped apalis, Sabine’s spinetail, Uganda woodland warblers, blue-throated rollers, yellow spotted barbets, cuckoos and others. Retreat from the birding expedition, meet your driver guide for transfer to the top of the falls for photography then later, continue to the lodge for relaxation.

Accommodation

• Budget: Heritage Lodge/Red Chili Camp
• Midrange: Pakuba Lodge/Murchison River Lodge
• Luxury: Bakers Lodge/Paraa Safari Lodge/Nile Safari Lodge

Day 4 of 12 Days Uganda Birding Safari Holiday: Game drive & launch cruise expedition (Murchison Falls NP)

A game drive along the Northern tracks starts as early as 6:00 am with an experienced guide. The possible sightings today include cape buffaloes, giraffes, elephants, waterbucks, oribis, hartebeest, warthogs, lions, leopards, and many bird species.

Afternoon launch cruise begins at Paraa Jetty for 2 hours and you ride up to the base of the falls. As you ride, you will be viewing lots of hippos, crocodiles and water birds, plus the lush riverine vegetation.

Accommodation

• Budget: Heritage Lodge/Red Chili Camp
• Midrange: Pakuba Lodge/Murchison River Lodge
• Luxury: Bakers Lodge/Paraa Safari Lodge/Nile Safari Lodge

Day 5 of 12 Days Uganda Birding Safari Holiday: Kibale N/Park for primate watching

After breakfast, transfer to Kibale NP, a primate capital of the world lying at Kabarole district in Western Uganda. 13 primate species survive within Kibale Forest and include 1500 chimpanzees.

Accommodation

• Budget: Isunga Lodge
• Midrange: Primate Lodge
• Luxury: Kyaninga Lodge or Ndali Lodge

Day 6 of 12 Days Uganda Birding Safari Holiday: Chimpanzee tracking

Enjoy breakfast in the morning and it will be followed by briefing at Kanyanchu tourism center. At 8:00 am, leave Kanyanchu with an experienced park guide for actual trek to see chimpanzees. Other primates will be viewed along the way including l’hoest monkeys, blue monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, olive baboons, red colobus monkeys, and more. After up close with chimps, you will return to the lodge to be provided a delicious lunch meal.

Bigodi wetland walk begins in the afternoon, and you will have 2 hours. This includes identifying birds, spotting primates and other mammal species.

Accommodation

• Budget: Isunga Lodge
• Midrange: Primate Lodge
• Luxury: Kyaninga Lodge or Ndali Lodge

Day 7 of 12 Days Uganda Birding Safari Holiday: Queen Elizabeth NP & Kazinga channel launch cruise

Depart from Kibale National Park for Queen Elizabeth N/P and drive at slow pace to allow you enjoy the beautiful Crater Lakes in the countryside. Arrive early for lunch and later, proceed to Kazinga channel for a boat cruise.

Accommodation

• Budget: Bush Lodge/Kazinga Channel Resort
• Midrange: Enganzi Game Lodge or Buffalo Safari Lodge
• Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge/Mazike Valley Lodge

Day 8 of 12 Days Uganda Birding Safari Holiday: Game drive Kasenyi, Ishasha & transfer to Bwindi

Go game drive via Kasenyi Plains and expect to encounter abundant wildlife species such as elephants, leopards, warthogs, spotted hyenas, antelopes, birds, lions, and others. Return and you will be transferred to Ishasha to look out for the tree climbing lions before you connect to Bwindi to chill at your gorilla safari lodge.

Accommodation

• Budget: Gift of Nature Lodge/Buhoma Community Rest Camp
• Midrange: Engagi/Bakiga Lodge/Silverback Lodge
• Luxury: Ruhija Gorilla Safari Lodge/Buhoma Lodge/Mahogany Springs

Day 9 of 12 Days Uganda Birding Safari Holiday: Track Bwindi Forest Mountain Gorillas

Get a chance to meet mountain gorillas in their natural habitats, and your trek begins at 8:00am from the respective park offices. These apes live in families and about 20 family groups exist in Bwindi alone, with only one hour set for you enjoy a close encounter and photography upon locating them in the wild. After a relaxed afternoon, you will be led by the Batwa pygmy to their community for a cultural experiences.

Accommodation

• Budget: Gift of Nature Lodge/Buhoma Community Rest Camp
• Midrange: Engagi/Bakiga Lodge/Silverback Lodge
• Luxury: Ruhija Gorilla Safari Lodge/Buhoma Lodge/Mahogany Springs

Day 10 of 12 Days Uganda Birding Safari Holiday: Lake Bunyonyi –full day excursion

Have the most of the scenic Lake Bunyonyi, go canoe riding and visit one of the beautiful 29 islands. This is the deepest lake in Uganda and lies in the Southwestern part of the country. Night stay after your long day activities will be at Bunyonyi Safari Resort, Bunyonyi Overland Resort.

Day 11 of 12 Days Uganda Birding Safari Holiday: Lake Mburo –boat cruise

Get up early, check out of the camp/lodge at Lake Bunyonyi and take 5-6 hours driving to Lake Mburo NP. Arrive at the park early, have lunch and relax, then set off for a boat cruise on Lake Mburo. The boat excursion will let you see hippos, crocodiles and aquatic birds then you retire for a night at Kigambira Safari Lodge (Luxury), Mihingo Lodge/Lake Mburo Safari Lodge.

Day 12 of 12 Days Uganda Birding Safari Holiday: Game drive & departure

Enjoy a tasty breakfast and after, depart Kampala/Entebbe through Mbarara city. En-route to Kampala/Entebbe, make a stopover at the Equator crossing and relaxation.

End of 12 Days Uganda Birding Safari Holiday