14-Day Uganda Birding Safari Starting from Mabamba swamp

Experience the ultimate birding adventure with EcoQuest Safaris Ltd on our meticulously planned 14-day Uganda Birding Safari. Your journey begins at Mabamba Swamp, where the elusive Shoebill Stork can be spotted amidst the papyrus reeds. As you venture to Mabira Forest, you’ll encounter a rich diversity of forest species such as the Nahan’s Francolin and the Forest Woodhoopoe. Continuing to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, expect sightings of waterbirds like the African Fish Eagle and the Saddle-billed Stork. In Murchison Falls National Park, the Victoria Nile and savannah landscapes provide habitats for the African Skimmer and the Shoebill, while the pristine wilderness of Kibale Forest National Park offers glimpses of the Green-breasted Pitta and the Black-billed Turaco.

Diverse Birdlife Across Uganda’s Premier Birding Destinations. As your 14-day Uganda Birding Safari progresses to Queen Elizabeth National Park, marvel at the vibrant birdlife including the African Wattled Lapwing and the Papyrus Gonolek, against the backdrop of scenic landscapes. The journey culminates at Lake Mburo National Park, renowned for its acacia-dotted woodlands that are home to species such as the Red-faced Barbet and the African Finfoot. Throughout this unparalleled birding safari, our expert 14-day Uganda Birding Safari guides ensure you experience the breathtaking diversity of Uganda’s avian wonders, making it an unforgettable expedition for bird enthusiasts. Let EcoQuest Safaris Ltd guide you through the rich tapestry of Uganda’s natural beauty, where every stop promises unique birding opportunities and unforgettable memories.

14-day Uganda Birding Safari Highlights

• Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe Airport
• Day 2: Birding in Mabamba Swamp and Botanical gardens
• Day 3: Birding in Mabira central forest
• Day 4: Bird to Masindi Via Ziwa Rhino sanctuary
• Day 5: Birding in Budongo Royal miles
• Day 6: Transfer to Murchison falls National Park via Kaniyo Pabidi Forest
• Day 7: Exclusive birding Boat ride to the Delta Area and Birding the savannah
• Day 8: Transfer to Kibale national Park via Albertine Escarpment.
• Day 9: Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park and Birding along the forest boundaries
• Day 10: Birding Bigodi wetland and Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
• Day 11: Birding in Queen Elizabeth National Park and Kazinga Channel
• Day 12: Birding to Lake Mburo National Park
• Day 13: Birding Uganda Lake Mburo National Park
• Day 14: Birding Lake Mburo and transfer to Entebbe

Detailed 14-day Uganda Birding Safari

Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe Airport

On Arrival at the Entebbe international airport and transfer to the booked accommodation. Depending on the arrival time, any activity can be done on that day.

Day 2: Birding in Mabamba Swamp and Botanical gardens

After breakfast, embark on the 14-day Uganda Birding Safari journey to Mabamba swamp on the shores of Lake Victoria in the west of Kampala. The Mabamba wetland is one of the top two places in the world to find the Shoebill which is an uptick bird for so many birders on earth and Africa’s number one and highly sought after; the other spot is Murchison falls National Park. Mabamba offers over 80% chances for seeing this alien-looking-like bird.  The canoe paddle along the narrow channels of the swamp will give you a chance of sighting other bird species like Blue-swallow, Papyrus Gonolek, Malachite and pied kingfishers, Lesser Jacana, egrets, Black-shouldered Kite, African Marsh-harrier, White-winged warbler, Blue-throated Bee-eater, provers, Gulls, Ducks, Blue-Headed Coucal, Gray-Capped Warbler, common Waxbill, Long-toed Lapwing. you will retire from the activity, settle for lunch and then afternoon birding at the Botanical gardens.

Botanical gardens. situates on the northern shores of Lake Victoria, the gardens are virtually on the Equator and cover an area of 40.7hectares. the gardens offer a mixed habitat of trees, water and savanna species like the Great Blue-turaco, Common Bulbul, splendid starling, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Black-and-white casqued Hornbill, Hooded Vulture, Gray Parrots, Woodland Kingfisher, Yellow-fronted Canary, Speckled Tinkerbird, a couple of weavers includes, Orange, Village, Vieillot’s, slender-billed, Weyn’s, Golden-backed Among others, gray woodpecker. Usually, the gardens entertain Vervet Monkey and the good-looking Mantled Guereza (Black-and-white colobus monkey)

Day 3: Birding in Mabira central forest

After the early Morning breakfast, transfer from Entebbe to Mabira Forest for Birding. Mabira is one of the biggest tropical rainforests in Uganda. it covers around 306sqkm and very rich in Biodiversity around 315 different bird species including the White-spotted flufftail, Forest Robin, Tambourine Dove, yellow-spotted Barbet, Rufous-flycatcher Thrush, Jameson’s wattle-eye, least-Honeyguide, Red-Headed Bluebill, Nahan’s Francolin, Redtailed and Green tailed Bristlebill, Cassin’s Hawk Eagle, Blue-breasted, shining blue, African dwarf and pygmy fishers, Forest Woodhoope, purple-throated Cuckooshrike, Crowned Eagle, African Harrier Hawk , a couple of sunbirds includes  Olive, Red-Chested, Blue-throated brown, collared, scarlet-chested, Green-Headed sunbirds, chestnut and Brown-throated wattle-eyes, Tit Hylia, Black-Headed paradise flycatcher, woodpeckers includes Buff-spotted, Brown-eared, yellow-crested woodpecker, Green-white eye and many greenbuls included the little, slender-billed, little Grey, white-throated, yellow-whiskered, Cameron nsombre among other Greenbull, scaly-breasted Illadopsis, Fire-crested Alethe. The forest usually offers the endemic species of monkey the Ugandan Mangabey

Day 4: Bird to Masindi Via Ziwa Rhino sanctuary

After the morning Breakfast, transfer to Masindi with a stopover at Ziwa Rhino sanctuary for Rhino tacking and birding. the sanctuary attracts most of the North-Eastern species of birds like the White-crested Turaco, White-Helmet-shrike, Red-winged and Orange-winged pytilia, Brown-snake Eagle, Green-backed Eremommela, white-browed sparrow-weaver, white-shouldered Tit, Abdim’s, Stork, Bat-hawk, brown-backed woodpecker, Black and Red-shouldered cuckoo-shrike, Vinicius Dove, Bruce’s pigeon. Later break for lunch and more birding along Kafu- Masindi highway which offers more birds like the Short-toed Snake Eagle, yellow-billed Shrike, singing cisticola and several other migrants depending in the season.

Day 5: Birding in Budongo Royal miles

The royal mile is located in the country’s significant forest reserve. The Royal mile that is named in the memory of Omukama(king) Kabalega who ruled Bunyoro Kingdom from 1870 to 1899 offers a pleasant field hour to many birdwatchers from all over the world. the mile road is in the middle of the forest with a very good canopy top cover which is very good for birding. the forest edge it self-offers good open Agro-farmland which always explores basically for some species like the Gray-Headed Oliveback, White-thighed Hornbill, Fan-tailed widowbird, Great blue-turaco, white-browed coucal, Black-Headed Heron, Black-winged Kite, Long-Crested Eagle, Speckled Mousebird, Marsh and Brown-crowned Tchagra

And the forest interior also offers a variety of very good species of birds like the Ituri Batis, in the forest canopy Lemon-Bellied Crombec, Chocolate-backed kingfisher, African Dwarf kingfisher, Blue-Breasted kingfisher, Cassin’s Honeyguide, Forest flycatcher, Rufous crowned Eremomela, Chestnut-capped flycatcher Nahan’s francolin, Fire-crested Alethe, Jameson’s Wattle-eye, spotted Greenbul.

Day 6: Transfer to Murchison falls National Park via Kaniyo Pabidi Forest

After early Morning breakfast, transfer to Murchison falls National Park. at the gate there is a feel of Kaniyo pabidi where possibilities of spotting the Puvel’s Illadopsis exists and other forest species like the Crested Guineafowl, African pied Hornbill, Red-tailed Greenbull, Black-billed Turaco, African Emerald-cuckoo, Klass’s Cuckoo, Dusky-long Cuckoo, Black-and-white casqued hornbill, Barbets like the Yellow-Billed, yellow-spotted and Hairy-Breasted. And there are some possibilities of spotting monkeys like Black-and -white colobus monkey, Red-Tailed Money Later transfer to the top of the falls where there is a good sightings of the Rock pranticole and a scenic view of the falls the world’s powerful waterfalls

Day 7: Exclusive birding Boat ride to the Delta Area and Birding the savannah

The mixed habitats of the Uganda’s largest park make it a dwelling of a variety of birds with 451 species recorded putting a smile on the face of the birders on 14-day Uganda Birding Safari. On the delta there many water birds that can be seen like the largest Heron in the world Goliath Heron, Shoebill Stork, African Jacana, Malachite, Pied and Giant kingfisher, Saddle-billed stork, Squacco Heron, Blue-Headed Coucal, Swamp Flycatcher, weavers like Little, slender-billed weavers, Black-headed Gonolek.

And the savannah area also offers many different species of birds like the silver bird, Speckled-fronted weaver, Black-billed barbet, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Denham’s Bustard, couple of bee-eaters like the Red-throated, Swallow-tailed, little and the carmine Bee-eaters. The birding commences with early morning boat cruise at the delta. This offers an opportunity of seeing the rare shoebill stork. It also allows you to explore the majestic Victoria Nile as it empties into Lake Albert. The scenery is very amazing while the soothing fresh morning breeze gives you a touch of the true African Wilderness freshness. After the delta, it will be followed by the extensive birding drive both in the mid-morning and in the evening with a possibilities of sighting game like the African Buffalos, Uganda Kobs, Rothchild Giraffe, Leopard, Elephants, Lions, Oribi among other animals.

Day 8: Transfer to Kibale national Park via Albertine Escarpment.

After the early morning breakfast, embark on the way to Kibale National Park via Bulisa and have a stopover at the Albertine Escarpment where there is a nice view of Lake Albert and some good species of birds like Cliff-chat, Foxy Cisticola, Cinnamon-breasted Bunting, sparrow weaver. Later proceed with the 14-day Uganda Birding Safari journey and other birds on the way includes the Long-crested Eagle, western-Banded Eagle, African firefinch

Day 9: Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park and Birding along the forest boundaries

Kibale National Park is the best travel destination for Chimpanzee tracking in East Africa and can best be defined as the loveliest and most varied of all tropical rainforests in Uganda. it is known as the primate capital of Uganda because it hosts 13 species of primates including the Chimpanzees. it has 1450 chimpanzees, and represents Uganda’s largest population of this endangered primate species

Early in the morning go track the chimp and also do an early start for the Green-breasted Pitta. This Pitta is one the Africa’s most difficult bird to find. As we look for the pitta, other birds can also be seen like the Crested Guineafowl, Western Nicator, Tambourine Dove, Yellow-mantled Weaver, African wood-owl, Bronze-napped pigeon, brown-chested and Fire-crested Alethe, Blue-throated Roller. After birding inside the forest, In The afternoon bird along the forest boundaries and possibilities of seeing some more birds like Black-and -white-shrike flycatcher, Red-capped Robin-chat, Afep pigeon, Masked Apalis, African Emerald cuckoo, Green-Hylia.

Day 10: Birding Bigodi wetland and Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Early in the morning, we will leave for the Bigodi wetland. the wetland is a community-based initiative and most of the successful few in the country. the wetland has circular trails that go through the papyrus looking for different species of birds like Shining Blue kingfisher, White-collared Oliveback, White-spotted fluftail, Yellow-billed barbet and Hairy-breasted barbet, Red-headed bluebill. The walk is also famous for many primates like the Mantle Guereza, Red-tailed monkeys, Ugandan Mangabey.

Later proceed to Queen Elizabeth National Park keep an eye in the bushes along the long road and the powerlines for some more birds like Falcons, Black-crowned Tchagra and many more other birds and have a good scenic view of some crater lakes and mountain Rwenzori

Day 11: Birding in Queen Elizabeth National Park and Kazinga Channel

Queen Elizabeth National Park tends to with a lovely sunrise, if we have a clear day, we should expect it. The Kasenyi side is almost preferred in this section of the park; this is because it offers excellent lekking grounds for the Kob. Game viewers drive their first thing in the morning and birders too, love it a lot for its open grasslands and sparely disturbed thickets that provide perfect microhabitats for quite shy birds. It also offers the best chances for birds like Jackson’s and African Pipit, Rufous-napped and Flappet Lark, Wattled, Senegal and Black-crowned Lapwings, yellow-throated Longclaw, Griffon, Ruppell’s Griffon and white-backed Vultures, Kittlitz’s prover. Keep up with the game birding tradition, we will scan openings, thickets and Euphorbia Candelabrums (Cactus) for Lions.

Then later in the afternoon, catchup with boat ride on the Kazinga channel. This 40km natural channel connects two major lakes in this park; Lake George and Lake Edward. Because of the significant wildlife activity at the banks of the channel, we only cover a less than 4km distance, and this takes us to Lake Edward for a turning point. This boat ride typically targets congregations of birds and big mammals when they come down to cool off during the heat of the day. We should get good looks at African skimmers, white-winged and Gull-billed Tern, African spoonbill, Three-banded prover, Pink-backed and Great white pelicans, Red-throated Bee-eater, Marabou, yellow-billed and wooly-necked storks. And for the short night game drive around the accommodation, their chances of seeing the nightjars like Black-shouldered and Square-tailed Nightjars.

Day 12: Birding to Lake Mburo National Park

After our early morning breakfast, embark on the way to Like Mburo through Kalinzu Forest. Driving there, many birds might be spotted along the like the African Green-pigeon, Great Blue-turaco, and Kalinzu also offers numbery of forest birds like Yellow-spotted Barbet, Black-billed turaco, Speckled, yellow-throated and yellow-rumped Tinkerbirds, Crested francolin. So as the drive continues, there are several papyrus swamps which a good spot for birds like the papyrus Gonolek and the Gray-swamp warbler.

Day 13: Birding Uganda Lake Mburo National Park

Early in the morning, explore the lovely woodlands and thickets of Uganda’s smallest wildlife park. The park is great for woodland species especially some species that you would describe as being at their furthest Northern range. The park has some tracks which offer many different species of birds like the Crested and spot-flanked barbets, the Red-faced Barbet which is an East African Endemic, SOME Eagles like the Wahlberg’s, steppe and Bateleur Eagles, Common scimitarbill, White-winged Tit, Wattled and Senegal Lapwings, Vultures like the Lappet-faced, White-backed Vultures, Southern Black-flycatcher, African Pipit, Chin-spot Batis, Black-cuckoo-shrike, African scopes-Owl, Grey- Flycatcher, Green-wood-hoop. On the good day many birds can be spotted as well as mammals like the Common Warthog, Topi, Impala, Zebra, Common Eland, Dwarf Mongoose.

Day 14: Birding Lake Mburo and transfer to Entebbe

Early in the morning we do a boat ride on Lake Mburo to find a few more great birds that have it and its surrounding as a home. This is approximately 10-km lake that is entirely within the park, birds to see there includes African Finfoot, African Fish-Eagle, an excellent view of the Hippopotamus school. More birds especially at the shores of the lake like the Water Thick-knee, Black Crake, White-backed Night-heron. So, after the boat ride, we start birding drove as we leave the park now, we start looking out for more birds like the Red-necked and crested francolin, Brown-snake Eagle, Red-faced and signing cisticola, emerald-spotted wood Dove. Later we get on the highway looking out for more birds like the Lilac-breasted Roller, Long-crested Eagle. Approach the Equator, which is a along the way for illustrations and photography experience. Later proceed to the airport for the safe flight.

End of 14-Day Uganda Birding Safari

A List of 14-Day Uganda Birding Safari Inclusions and Exclusions

Safari Inclusions

• Accommodation: Lodging as per the itinerary, including lodges, camps, or hotels.
• Meals: Full board or specified meal plans, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
• Transfers: Airport transfers and transport as outlined in the itinerary.
• Game Drives: Guided game drives in national parks and reserves.
• Boat Cruises: Scheduled boat cruises, such as on the Kazinga Channel or Lake Mburo.
• Permits: Entry fees for national parks and reserves.
• Gorilla Trekking Permits: Permits for gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
• Chimpanzee Tracking Permits: Permits for chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest National Park.
• Guided Walks: Nature walks and birding excursions with professional guides.
• Cultural Experiences: Visits to local communities or cultural sites, such as Batwa experiences.
• Park Fees: All applicable park entrance and conservation fees.
• Emergency Medical Evacuation Insurance: Coverage for medical emergencies during the safari (ensure this is included or arranged separately).

Safari Exclusions

• International Flights: Airfare to and from the starting and ending points of the safari.
• Visa Fees: Costs associated with obtaining visas for Uganda.
• Travel Insurance: Personal travel insurance, including coverage for trip cancellations or interruptions.
• Personal Expenses: Costs for souvenirs, personal items, and optional activities.
• Gratuities: Tips for guides, drivers, and lodge staff.
• Alcoholic Beverages: Drinks, unless specified otherwise in the meal plan.
• Medical Costs: Expenses for medical treatment or medication outside of emergency coverage.
• Extra Activities: Any optional excursions or activities not included in the itinerary.
• Laundry Services: Laundry and personal grooming services unless specified.
• Phone and Internet Charges: Costs for phone calls, internet access, or other communication services.