12 Days Uganda Birding Safari: Safari Day by Day

 1 of the 12 Days Uganda Birding Safari: Mabamba Wetland

12 Days Uganda Birding Safari

You will be transferred to Mabamba Swamp after breakfast, which is one of the best ornithological sites associated with excellent water- associated bird species and the best place to see the most popular shoe bill. You will look out for pygmy goose, lesser jacana, Papyrus Gonolek, Yellow-backed Weaver, Northern Brown-throated Weaver, Blue-headed caucal, and other swamp specialties. At the swamp, most of the birding is on a canoe, paddled by our local site guides. It is truly a life-changing moment looking at this bizarre bird as it preens, showing off its huge grinning, and wooden-looking, clog-like bill. You may also have marvelous views of it as it soars on broad wings. You may also spot  the Swamp Flycatcher, African Purple Swamp-hen, African Water Rail, Common Moorhen, White-faced Whistling-duck, Squacco, Rufous-bellied and Purple Heron, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Winding Cisticola, Goliath Heron, Black Crake, African Marsh Harrier, Hamerkop, Malachite and Pied Kingfishers, Common Waxbill, Yellow-billed Duck, Blue-headed Cuckoo, Fan-tailed Widowbird and the Intermediate Egret.

Dinner and overnight stay at The Lodge/ Sophie’s Motel.

Day 2 of the 12 Days Uganda Birding Safari: Game Drive and Launch Cruise

Head off to Murchison Falls National Park starting in Kampala via Bombo road passing through Luwero town to Masindi. You will have lunch and continue to the pak through Budongo forest. When you reach the park you will drive directly to the Top of the falls.

Overnight Stay Luxury Hotel Chobe/Luxury Nile Safari Lodge Midrange Murchison River/Pakuba Safari Lodge Budget Red Chilli Rest Camp

Day 3 of the 12 Days Uganda Birding Safari: Wildlife Safari at Murchison Falls

Embark on a game drive early morning on the northern bank of the River Nile. Expect to view elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, lions, leopards, different species of antelope and many tropical birds during the game drive. The guide will help you spot elephant, lion, cape buffalo, Roth child’s giraffe, hartebeest, waterbuck, oribi, bushbuck, bohor reed buck, hyena and if you are lucky, the leopard.

After lunch, go for a boat ride upstream the calm Victoria Nile to the base of the falls where you will see the River Nile said to be the 2nd longest river in the world, crushing through a narrow gorge and forming the magnificent Murchison falls. You will also view the hippos and crocodiles. You may also spot many birds like goliath heron, Egyptian goose, pelican bee-eater, kingfisher, hornbill, cormorant and the rare shoebill stork.

After the boat safari you will hike to the top of the falls. From here you will have a wonderful view and fantastic photo opportunities.

Overnight Stay Luxury Hotel Chobe/Luxury Nile Safari Lodge Midrange Murchison River/Pakuba Safari Lodge Budget Red Chilli Rest Camp

Day 4 of the 12 Days Uganda Birding Safari: Budongo Forest – Royal Mile

You will head to Budongo Forest after breakfast; this is one of most extensive and ecologically diverse forest in East Africa with 465 plant species, a dense concentration of buttresses giant mahoganies up to 60m height. Has the largest chimp population and above all is of great ornithological significance with over 366 bird species. You will visit the royal mile and will spot a long list of African dwarf, blue breasted, White-shouldered Black Tit, African Penduline Tit, Black Scimitar bill, Spot-flanked Barbet, Red-shouldered Cuckoo-Shrike, Rattling Cisticola, the extremely shy Foxy Cisticola, Black-faced Waxbill, and Cinnamon-breasted Bunting and savannah raptors like Whalberg’s Eagle, Bateleur and Martial Eagle, Grey-crowned Crane, Cassin’s hawk eagle, Black-headed Oriole and Carruther’s Cisticola, Greater Swamp Warbler, White-winged Warbler, Tropical Boubou, the colorful Papyrus Gonolek, Vieillot’s Black Weaver and Grosbeak-Weaver and the black-capped Apalis.

Overnight Stay at Masindi Hotel Luxury kabalega Resort Midrange New court view hotel budget

Day 5 of the 12 Days Uganda Birding Safari: Budongo Forest – main road past Busingiro

12 Days Uganda Birding Safari

After breakfast, you will walk along the main road past Busingiro in search of bird species such as the Red-tailed Bristle bill, Scaly-breasted Illadopsis, Pale-breasted Illadopsis, Puvel’s Illadopsis ( one of those rare species), Cameroon Sombre, Slender-billed, Honey guide, Speckled Tinker bird, Yellow-crested Woodpecker, Yellow-browed Camaroptera, Buff-throated Apalis, and both White-breasted and Grey-headed Negrofinches. More species include White-spotted Fluff tails , Crested Guinea fowl, Tambourine Dove, Grey Parrot, African Emerald and Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoos, Yellow bill, White-throated Bee-eater, Yellow-throated Tinker bird, Western Nicator, Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat, Forest Robin, Sabine’s and Cassin’s Spine tails, Ituri batis, Wilcock’s Honey guide, Yellow and Grey Longbills, Rufous Flycatcher Thrush, Yellow-mantled Weaver, Red-headed Malimbe among others.

Overnight Stay at Masindi Hotel Luxury kabalega Resort Midrange New court view hotel budget

Day 6 of the 12 Days Uganda Birding Safari: Kibale Forest

You will depart for Kibale Forest National Park after breakfast. Kibale has the highest concentration of primates in East Africa of about 13 primates. Such include chimps, vervet, red-tailed, L’Hoest and blue monkeys. It also has bird species beside the primates. Kibale Forest birds include Grey-winged Robin, Blue-shouldered Robin Chat, Yellow-spotted Barbet, Black-billed Turaco, White-naped Pigeon, Green-breasted Pitta, Red-chested Fluff tail, African Pitta, Cabanis Greenbul, Grey-throated Flycatcher, White-bellied Crested Flycatcher, Masked Apalis to mention a few.

Dine and sleep at Ndali Lodge/ Primates Lodge Luxury Kibale Forest camp Mid-range

Day 7 of the 12 days Uganda Bird Watching Tour: Chimp Tracking

After breakfast, You will go in search of chimpazees in search of chimpanzee near Kanyanchu. Chimps live in communities of about 100 individuals; learn about the physical and behavioral aspects we share in common. Check out more primates such the golden monkey, olive baboons, red Colobus, white and black Colobus monkeys, grey checked mangabey and blue monkeys.

Dine and sleep at Ndali Lodge/ Primates Lodge Luxury Kibale Forest camp Mid-range

Day 8 of the 12 days Uganda Bird Watching Tour: Birding in Kibale

You will head to Bigodi sanctuary (Magombe swamp) at dawn which offers an array of birdlife, butterflies and tree species and has one of the best guided trails in East Africa. The Great Blue Turaco and Papyrus Gonolek are the most popular in the swamp. Birds easily spotted include the Tinker-barbets, Blue-throated roller, White-headed Wood Hoopoe, Crowned Hornbill, Yellow bill, Narina Trogon, Honey guide Bulbuls, Cassin’s Honey bird, Masked Apalis, White-chinned Prinia and Banded Prinia, Pink-footed Puffback, Black-and-White Flycatcher, Superb Sunbird, Mountain Wagtail, Velvet-mantled Drongo, Purple-headed Starling, Black-necked Weaver, Dark-backed Weaver and Red-headed Bluebill. There are butterflies as well.

Dine and sleep at Ndali Lodge/ Primates Lodge Luxury Kibale Forest camp Mid-range

Day 9 of the 12 days Uganda Bird Watching Tour: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

You will be transferred to Bwindi after breakfast. Bwindi is home to over 23 highly localized Albertine Rift endemic like black-faced Rufous Warbler, Grauer’s warbler, banded Prinia, black-throated Apalis, and Mountain masked Apalis to mention a few. Do a guided walk along the Munyanja River trail from Buhoma following Bizenga River. Along the Waterfall Trail you will be able to spot over 40 species such as Yellow-eyed Black-Flycatcher, Ashy Flycatcher, Dusky-blue Flycatcher, Chapin’s Flycatcher, , McKinnon’s grey shrike, Luhder’s and Doherty’s bush-shrikes.

Overnight Stay Luxury Hotel Mahogany Springs Safari Lodge Midrange Silverback lodge /Buhoma community Rest Camp Budget Hotel Bwindi Guest House

Day 10 of the 12 days Uganda Bird Watching Tour: Ruhija – Bwindi

bird watching in uganda

You will spend the day in Ruhija in such rare bird species. You will spot the four crimson-wings, augur buzzard, handsome Francolin, red-throated Wryneck, Archer’s Robin Chat, Collared Apalis, Bronze Sunbird, Scarce Swift, Black Saw-wing, Cassin’s Grey, Brown-crowned Tchagra, Toro Olive Greenbul, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, yellow-crested helmet shrike, Stripe-breasted Tit, Yellow Bishop, Collared Apalis, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Stripe-breasted Tit, White-naped Raven, Strange and Baglafecht Weaver.

Overnight Stay Luxury Hotel Mahogany Springs Safari Lodge Midrange Silverback lodge /gorilla valley lodge Budget Hotel Bwindi Guest House

Day 11 of the 12 days Uganda Bird Watching Tour: Mubwindi Swamp – Bwindi

After breakfast you will hike to the Mubwindi Swamp for a whole day of birding. The 4 km trail to Mubwindi Swamp drops from 2,350 m to 2,050 m and is the best place for some of the most elusive rift endemics like the beautiful Regal Sunbird and Archer’s Robin Chat.
others include stripe-breasted Tit, Rwenzori Apalis and African hill babbler, Rwenzori Hill Babbler, Fraser’s Eagle-Owl, African Green Broadbill, Grauer’s Rush Warbler, purple-breasted, Blue-headed, Archer’s Robin Chat, Eastern Mountain-Greenbul, strange Weaver, bar-tailed Trogon, white-headed Wood hoopoe, Waller’s and Stuhlmann’s Starling and Montane Nightjar.

Overnight Stay Luxury Hotel Mahogany Springs Safari Lodge Midrange Silverback lodge /gorilla valley lodge Budget Hotel Bwindi Guest House

Day 12 of the 12 days Uganda Bird Watching Tour: Bwindi – Kampala

Enjoy breakfast and then transfer back to Kampala so as to reach when it is still early.

Make an inquiry on megawildsafaris@gmail.com or info@megawildsafaris.com call us on +256 784 544 072 or +254 757 020 013.

End of the 12 days Uganda Bird Watching Tour