8 Days Birding In Uganda Safari
This 8 Days Birding in Uganda Safari is tailored for birders interested in exploring Uganda’s incredible birding sites and spot some of the remarkable bird species including the pre-historical shoebill among other species.
This Uganda birding starts in Entebbe where you will visit the Botanical Gardens and Mambaba Swamp, then head to Queen Elizabeth National Park and Lake Mburo National Park the best birding spots in Uganda.
Highlights of 8 Days Birding In Uganda Safari
- Day 1: Arrival
- Day 2: Birding in Entebbe
- Day 3: Birding in Mabamba Swamp
- Day 4-5: Birding in Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Day 6: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park
- Day 7: Birding in Lake Mburo National Park
- Day 8: Departure
Detailed itinerary of 8 Days Birding In Uganda Safari
Day 1: Arrival
On arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by our guide and transfer to your hotel in Entebbe. For birders who arrive in the early hours of the day will have an afternoon birding around Entebbe Botanical Gardens.
Expect to see several bird species including Slender-billed Weaver, Brown-throated Weaver, Golden-backed Weaver, Yellow-backed Weaver, Grey-headed Gull, Long-tailed Cormorant, Common Squacco Heron, Yellow-billed Duck, Pied Kingfisher, Giant Kingfisher, Swamp Flycatcher, Broad-billed Roller, Black-and-white Casqued Hornbill, Splendid Starling, Black-headed Gonolek, Orange Weaver, Verreaux’s Eagle-owl, Red-chested Sunbird, Ross’s Turaco, Pied Hornbill, Crowned Hornbill, Open-billed Stork, Great Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Grey-caped Warbler and many others.
Overnight at Best Western Hotel
Meal Plan: Dinner
Day 2: Birding in Entebbe
Have early breakfast and head to the Lincolin Trail for a birding experience, the local bird guides established his trail early 2002. Over 170 bird species have been recorded. This trail is one of the most recommend trail to be the best birding site nearest to Kampala and Entebbe. Lookout for White-headed Barbet, Red-headed Lovebird, Double-toothed Barbet, Brown Twin-spot, Tambourine Dove, Black-headed Bush-shrike, Little Ringed Plover, Verreaux’s Eagle-owl, Richard’s Pipit, Klaas’s Cuckoo, Yellowbill, and many others.
Overnight at Best Western Hotel
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 3: Birding in Mabamba Swamp
After an early breakfast, head to Mabamba swamp situated 50km west of Kampala with en-route sop in Mpigi swamp for papyrus rarities. Keep your eyes out for White-winged Warbler, Papyrus Gonolek, Yellow-backed Weaver, Northern Brown-throated Weaver, Blue-headed Coucal, and other swamp specialties. Continue to Mabamba Swamp where birding is done from a canoe.
From the canoe, lookout for the Shoebill stork both in the sky and down on the marsh. Other birds to spot include the Swamp Flycatcher, African Purple Swamphen, African Water Rail, Common Moorhen, Lesser Jacana, African Jacana, African Pygmy Goose, White-faced Whistling-duck, Squacco Heron, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Winding Cisticola, Goliath Heron and Black Crake among others. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Overnight at Best Western Hotel
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 4-5: Birding in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Depart for Queen Elizabeth National Park after early morning breakfast, along the way you will have a stop at Mbarara for lunch and continue to the park arriving in the afternoon, then go for an afternoon birding excursion.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is home to over 600 recorded bird species, a serious birder can get to see over 296 bird species, one of the highest in the whole world. an excellent variety of species is seen here include pelicans, skimmers, kingfishers, thick-knees, storks, martins, swallows, weavers, raptors, canaries, kites and several grassland specialties.
Birding in Queen Elizabeth National Park begins in the morning in the open savannah. Return to the hotel for lunch. In the afternoon enjoy birding on a boat trip along the Kazinga Channel, which joins Lake Edward and Lake George. Later return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Overnight at Buffalo Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 6: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park
Enjoy early breakfast and head to the peninsular for a birding experience. Check out of the lodge and drive to Lake Mburo National Park, along the way you will have several stops to see several bird species including the Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Crowned Plover, Wattled Lapwing, Southern Red Bishop, Variable Sunbird, African Harrier, several lark species and many others.
During the birding experience enjoy seeing the fabulous long-horned Ankole cattle.
Overnight at Matana Luxury Tented Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 7: Birding in Lake Mburo National Park
Leave the camp at dawn and head to Lake Mburo for sight of the African Finfoot before it disappears into the papyrus beds floating on the lake. Lookout for the the Brown-chested Lapwing, Lilac-breasted Roller, Carmine Bee-eaters, Black-bellied Bustard, Helmeted Guineafowl, Handsome Francolin, Rufous-naped Lark, vultures, eagles, kites among others.
In the afternoon you will go for a boat cruise on Lake Mburo for sighting of water birds in the swamps along the shores of the lakes.
Overnight at Matana Luxury Tented Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 8: Departure
After breakfast, you will check out of the lodge and embark on a journey back to Kampala with a stop at the equator for pictures, you will be dropped off at Entebbe International Airport to catch your flight back home bring your Uganda Birding Safari to an end.
End of 8 Days Birding in Uganda Safari
