15 Days Uganda Birding Safari

15 Days Uganda Birding Safari

The 15 Days Uganda Birding Safari is one of the best birding experiences in Africa targeting seeing as many bird species in Uganda. The trip starts in the botanical gardens and wildlife educational centre, then links to Murchison Falls Conservation in North Western Uganda. Bird through Budongo Forest, the Royal Mile, Busingiro and Murchison Falls National Park. Bird along the Albertine Rift as you travel to Kibale Forest, another rewarding birding destination. The trip later continues to Queen Elizabeth National Park, home to 606 bird species, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Lake Mburo National Park. Other highlights enroute will include gorilla safaris and chimpanzee tracking, guided walks, boat trips, meeting local people.

Safari Highlights:

Pickup from Entebbe International Airport

Birding in Entebbe Botanical Gardens

Budongo Forest Birding Tour

Birding in Murchison Falls National Park

Kibale Forest National Park for Birding and Chimpanzee Tracking

Birding in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for Birding and Gorilla Trekking

Birding in Lake Mburo National Park

Birding in Mabamba Wetland and Mabira Forest Reserve

Transfer back to Entebbe International Airport

A Detailed Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival and Birding  the Entebbe Environs.

Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be met by our safari guide-driver from Arcadia Safaris, who will introduce himself, brief you about your safari, and then transfer you to your hotel. It can be highlighted with optional birding in Entebbe, especially at the verdant grounds of Entebbe Botanical Gardens, where we see both forest and lakeshore birds depending on the time of arrival. Our first birds might include the Palm-nut Vulture, Great Blue Turaco, Eastern Gray Plantain-eater, African Pied Hornbill, Splendid Glossy Starling and Orange and Slender-billed Weavers, Golden Backed, orange weaver or other birding option will be around the Lindsay Cottages along the Lweza Lincoln trail.

Destination: Entebbe
Accommodation Options:

• Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

Day 2: Transfer to Masindi – 15 Days Uganda Birding Safari.

After breakfast, we begin the birding either at Entebbe botanical gardens or Lutembe bay, then later transfer to Masindi via the Luwero triangle passing through undulating grasslands and mosaic woodland were we drive watching out for White-crested Turaco, Bronze-tailed Starling, Lesser Blue and Great Blue Eared Starlings, Black, Yellow Mantled and Black Winged Bishops, White Headed Barbet, Cardinal and Nubian Woodpecker, Lesser and Greater Honey guide.

Destination: Masindi
Accommodation options:

• Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

Day 3: Birding Budongo – Royal Mile and Busingiro.

Depart for Budongo Forest early after your breakfast for birding along the Royal Mile- a truly spectacular road with forest canopy towering far overhead. There is a good system of trails in the forest, today we expect skulking birds like the Nahan’s Francolin, excessively noisy White-thighed Hornbill, graceful Cassin’s and Sabine’s Spinetail, Blue-throated Roller, Yellow-browed Camaroptera, Forest Flycatcher, Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, Ituri Batis, Lemon Bellied Crombec, Tit Hylia, Uganda Woodland Warbler, Forest Robin, Yellow Billed, Grey Throated, Hairy Breasted and Yellow Spotted Barbet, Great Blue and Black Billed Turaco, Dusy Long Tailed Cuckoo, Spotted, Plain, Slender Billed, White Throated, Little Grey and Little Greenbul, Red Tailed Bristle bill and Black-capped Apalis among others.

Destination: Masindi
Accommodation Options:

• Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

Day 4: Birding to the Northern Sector of Murchison falls National Park.

Today we start early and drive through Budongo Kaniyo Pabidi area in search for the Puvel’sIlladopsis, after this we bird to the top of the falls. A night drive today is very advisable looking out for nocturnal mammals and birds.

Destination: Murchison falls National Park
Accommodation Options:

• Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

Day 5: Birding Murchison Falls  National Park- 15 Days Uganda Birding Safari.

The boat trips to the bottom of the falls and to the delta area will of course be the highlights of the visit on day 5 of your safari, and while at the delta, one bird that will be in the thoughts of all will, of course, be the Shoebill. Superb views can be had of this wonderful bird. Other birds will include the Red-throated and Northern Carmine Bee-eater, mammals including Rothschild’s Giraffe, Cape Buffalo, Elephant, Waterbuck, and many others will be viewed.

Others you may spot here are the Saddle-billed, Yellow Billed and African Open Billed Stork, African Finfoot, Red-necked Falcon, Senegal Thick-knee, Rock Pratincole, Giant, Woodland, Grey Headed, Malachite, Pygmy and striped Kingfishers. During our game drive, we are looking for Heuglin’s Francolins Black Billed Barbet, Northern and Red Faced Barbet, Swallow-tailed and Blue-breasted and Northern Carmine Bee-eaters, Abyssinian Rollers, the giant Abyssinian Ground Hornbills, Black Winged and Northern Red Bishops.

Destination: Murchison Falls National Park
Accommodation Options:

• Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

Day 6: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park.

The day begins with an early breakfast, then we will start another transfer from Murchison to Kibale Forest National Park. The drive is long today, and we can only stop a few times to do some birding. We drive via Hoima, where some remaining papyrus swamps should hold specialties such as White-winged Warbler and Papyrus Gonolek, while surrounding scrub might house Double-toothed Barbet, Black-bellied Seed cracker, and Gray-headed Olive back.

Destination: Kibale Forest National Park
Accommodation Options:

• Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

Day 7: Chimpanzee Tracking and Birding in Kibale Forest National Park.

Kibale is home to 13 species of primates and there. This is where we have bigger chances of Chimpanzee tracking. Birding in the forest is also very rewarding and you could encounter White-naped Pigeon, African Gray Parrot, Black Bee-eater, Hairy-breasted, Yellow Spotted and Yellow Billed Barbet, Chestnut-winged and Purple-headed, Waller’s and Narrow Tailed Starlings, Blue-throated Brown and Superb Sunbirds, White-collared Olive back among others.

Destination: Kibale Forest National Park
Accommodation Options:

• Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

Day 8: Birding To Queen Elizabeth National Park – 15 Days Uganda Birding Safari.

On day 8 after the breakfast, we will have a very early start into the forest in search of the Green Breasted Pitta before we drive off to Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda’s second largest protected area on the shores of Lake Edward. 15 Days Uganda Birding. You will check-in your accommodation and then head for an evening game drive looking for numerous birds that inhabit the surrounding scrub and lakeshore like the African Hopoe, Green Winged Pytilia, African Golden Breasted Bunting and later in this drive we look out for the Black Shouldered, Swamp, Square Tailed and Pennant-winged Nightjars.

Destination: Queen Elizabeth National Park
Accommodation Options:

• Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

Day 9: Full Day of Birding Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Today we immensely Explore Queen Elizabeth National Park. Birds on this drive are numerous and may include among others the Wahlberg’s, Brown Snake, Short Toed Snake and Martial Eagle, Red-necked Spurfowl, Black-rumped and Common Buttonquails, African Crake, Hollub’s Golden and Lesser Masked Weavers, Black Coucal, Black Lored and Arrow Marked Babbler, Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl Copper, Scarlet Chested and Red-chested, Broad Tailed and African Moustached Warbler.

Destination: Queen Elizabeth National Park
Accommodation Options:

• Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

Day 10: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.

This morning after breakfast and transfer to the Gorilla haven, we do a morning boat ride along the Kazinga Channel looking out for water birds that roost in between the Edward and George lakes. Close encounters with the biggest schools of Hippos in Africa and some crocs many migrating species like the Gulls and Terns are here.

Destination: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Accommodation Options:

• Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

Day 11: Birding Buhoma with Optional Gorilla Trekking – 15 Days Uganda Birding Safari.

If tracking we shall have early breakfast then assemble at the park headquarters for briefing about this breath taking activity of gorilla trekking. Time spent tracking depends on where the gorillas spent the night and their feeding range or encounter with other groups which might be wild forcing them to move long distances so be prepared for a whole day activity.15 Days Uganda Birding, Once found you spend an hour with them, seeing these gentle giants interact is awesome and the marvelous wildlife encounter on the African continent and an unforgettable.

Birding the Buhoma side which is at lower altitude of Bwindi always as results like the Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo, Pink Footed Puff back, Cassin’s and Scaly-Throated Honeyguide, Western Bronze-naped Pigeon, Bar-tailed Trogon, Equatorial Akalat, Red Faced Woodland Warbler, African Broadbill White Headed Wood Hopoe, Red Throated Allethe, Red Faced Woodland Warbler, Blue Throated Brown, Blue Headed, Northern Double Collard and Rwenzori Double Collard sunbird and White-bellied Robin to mention but a few.

Destination: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Accommodation Options:

• Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

Day 12: Birding From Bwindi to Lake Mburo National Park.

Today birding will be done enroute, depending on the route we use either the Ishasha or the Rukungiri each has birds of interests and we shall stop at different interesting spots. While in the lake we shall look out for mammals like the Zebra, Eland, Topi, Impala, Cape Buffalo, Warthog etc. Today on this 15 Days Uganda Birding tour, we target the boat ride along Lake Mburo where we hardly miss the African Finfoot, White Backed and Black Crowned Night Heron, Giant Kingfisher. A night drive always produces good views of the Black Shouldered, northern Tanzania Fiery Necked Nightjar, nocturnal mammals and Bush Babies

Destination: Lake Mburo National Park
Accommodation Options:

• Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

Day 13: Birding Lake Mburo National Park and Transfer to Kampala.

After breakfast we start early in search for special savannah birds like the Yellow Bellied Apalis, Green Capped Eremomela, Buff Bellied Warbler, White Winged Tit, Red Billed Wood Hopoe, the special birds for today’s drive will be the Tabora Cisticola, Red Faced Barbet and Coqui Francolin. Brubru, Sulpher Breasted Bush Shrike, Red Headed Weaver, Green Backed and Uganda Spotted Woodpecker, African Black Headed Oriole. In the evening we shall check-out and transfer to back Kampala.

Destination: Kampala
Accommodation Options:

• Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

Day 14: Birding Mabamba Wetland and Transfer to Mabira Forest.

After breakfast, we set out on an exciting bird-watching tour to Mabamba Wetland in search of this elusive magnificent creature-the true highlight for birders, the Shoebill. Having spent adequate time exploring this rich haven of birds, we take a drive to the rich bio-diverse Mabira Forest for yet another exciting nature encounter.

Destination: Jinja
Accommodation Options:

• Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

Day 15: Transfer Back to Entebbe International Airport – 15 Days Uganda Birding Safari.

After breakfast we start by looking out for the Red Caped Robin-chat around the Lodge then hit the trail to try and find Weyn’s Weaver, Olive Green Cameroptera, Tit Hylia, African Pied Hornbill Grey and Yelloe Long Bill, Forest Wood-Hoopoe, Blue-breasted, White-bellied, Dwarf Kingfisher, Shining-blue Kingfisher, Soty Flycatcher, Yellow-throated, Yellow Rumped and Speckled Tinkerbird, Yellow Crested Woodpecker, Toro Olive Greenbul and Green-tailed Bristle bill, Fire-crested Alethe, Forest Robin and Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat after this beautiful show we transfer to the airport for flight back home. Thus the end of our 15 Days Uganda Birding Safari.

Destination: Entebbe International Airport
Accommodation Option: No (Unless on request)

• Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

PRICE INCLUDES

• Round Trip Airport Transfers (pick-up and drop-off)
• Private Transportation in 4×4 Safari Cars
• Meals Specified on a Full Board basis
• Accommodation with Ensuite Facilities
• Applicable Park Entrance and Activities Fees
• English Speaking Professional Driver-Guide
• Chimpanzee Tracking Permit Fees (Optional)
• Gorilla Trekking Permit Fees (Optional)
• All Hotel and Lodge Pickups and Drop-off
• All Taxes
• Bottled drinking water and Fruits while on safari
• Activities as stipulated in the Itinerary (except those stated as “optional”)

PRICE EXCLUDES

• Activities not mentioned in the Itinerary
• International Flight Fares (unless requested)
• Country Entry Visa
• Personal Travel Insurance
• Telephone Charges
• Laundry
• Bar bills and all Alcoholic drinks
• Souvenirs, Gifts and Tips
• Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
• All related medical tests and vaccinations

SAFARI COST: (Tour Rates are Per Person and exclude International Flight Fares)

We appreciate you choosing us. Let’s explore the wild together!