8-Day Uganda Birding Highlight

Day 1: Arrival in Uganda

On your arrival your guide for this safari will meet your at the Entebbe International Airport. You will then be transferred to your accommodation for the night. For those who had earlier arrivals, there is an option to go birding in the Entebbe Botanical Gardens and Uganda Wildlife Education Center.

Day 2: Birding Mabamba and Travel to Kibale

In the early morning, we leave for the Mabamba Wetland along your transfer route. The majority of the birding in the swamp is done in a canoe by our local site guides. Keep an eye out for the rare shoebills in the marsh and in the sky. Lookout for papyrus specials such as the Papyrus Gynolek, White winged warbler. There are also chances of encountering the elusive sitatungas antelope adapted to swampy habitats.
Transfer to your accommodation near the Kibale National Park. Depending on the time of arrival, you have the option to go out birding and exploring in the neighborhood or simply stay and prepare for the next day’s activities.

Day 3: Chimpanzee Tracking and Birding

After an early breakfast, we go to the visitor center of Kibale National Park for a briefing before the chimp trekking. The duration of the activity varies depending on the location of the chimpanzees, however, once encountered you will be with the chimps for 1 hour.
In the afternoon go birding in Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary. This is an excellent birding destination with riverine forest birds, depending on the weather.

Day 4: Transfer Bwindi, afternoon Birding

After breakfast, you start your journey to Bwindi. You will travel via the Ishasha region, where, if you’re fortunate, you could be able to see lions that climb trees, and then we’ll proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. About half of the mountain gorillas in the world’s endangered population live in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Bwindi forest is home to 23 of Uganda’s 24 Albertine Rift endemic bird species and provides possibly the most fruitful montane forest birding in all of Africa. Bwindi is ranked as Uganda’s greatest place for forest birdwatching. At least 23 species found nowhere else on Earth are found in the Albertine Rift.

Day 5: Gorilla Trekking, transfer to Ruhija

Today is one of the special moments in this birding tour. You will go gorilla trekking with the Bwindi forest. We will meet at the Park Offices after breakfast for the briefing before this momentous occasion. It may take one to eight hours to go for the ultimate Uganda gorilla trekking safari, which entails wandering through the bush in pursuit of these gentle giants. You should never miss this “once in a lifetime” gorilla trekking. Although every gorilla experience is unique and has its own benefits, you are sure to love the up-close view of adults eating, grooming, and relaxing as the young playfully romp and swing from vines.
After tracking transfer to Ruhija.

Day 6: Birding in Mubwindi Wetland

We bird-watch in the Mubwindi Swamp region all day long. The best area to discover some of the most elusive rift endemics is along the 4-kilometer route to Mubwindi Swamp. This contains many bird species including the stunning Regal Sunbird, the Grauer’s (African Green) Broadbill, and the Archer’s Robin-Chat. Dwarf Honeyguides, Stripe-breasted Tits, and Ruwenzori Apalis.

Day 7: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park

After breakfast, transfer to Lake Mburo National Park. Even though the park is just 260 square kilometres in size, the different landscapes are alive with intrigue and colour on even a short trip. As you look for the diverse array of animals that these habitats sustain, you will travel through gallery forests, open savannah, acacia woodland, rocky kopjes, seasonal and permanent wetlands, and open water.

Day 8: Birding / Safari Walk, Transfer to Entebbe

Early breakfast, then go for a walking safari as you bird. Lake Mburo National Park has got a mosaic habitat of rock outcrops, dry hillside, open and wooded savanna, forests, and swamps allowing it to have the avifauna diversity. At least 313 bird species have been recorded in the park. Some include the Red faced barbet, Long tailed Cisticola (Tabora), Papyrus yellow warbler, African finfoot, Northern Brubru, Rofous bellied and white backed night heron, Black collared barbet, Brown chested plover, White winged tit, Northern brown throated weaver, White winged warbler.

After your walk, transfer to Entebbe for your journey back home. You will make a stopover at the Equator as you cross back into the northern hemisphere.

Thank you for choosing Kwezi Outdoors for your safari to Uganda.