Day 1: Mabamba swamp birding tour

On this day, you will meet our bird guide for briefing and depart from Nakiwogo landing site, take the first boat and cruise for 45mins to the swamp. You will then board a small canoe and explore the narrow channels of the swamp as you look out for the iconic rare shoebill stork and other bird species like brown throated weavers, the pygmy goose, papyrus gonolek, African water rail, among others. This activity will last for about 4hours. Head back to Entebbe for lunch and relaxation.

Day 2: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park

Check out from your room with all your luggage, have breakfast and embark on the car for 5-6hours journey to the North-Western part of Uganda. Drive through the suburbs of the capital and Luwero triangle that holds a legendary history regarding the bush war of 1980’s. Expect some birds such as the marabou storks, white pelicans, hawk, Kites and many others along your way to Masindi where you will have your lunch at Kabalega resort and later head to Murchison Falls National Park via Kichumbanyobo gate.

Proceed to the Park through tropical forest, woodland, grassland and birds like the white thighed hornbills, great blue turaco, yellow bill, black kite, European buzzard, long crested eagle and many more will be sighted. Drive to the top of falls for a hiking to the bottom of the falls for a view of both Uhuru and Murchison falls pouring downriver. Enjoy the thunderous roars from the falls going through a 7m narrow gorge and splashing over the place. Look out for rock pratincoles., swallows, African pied wagtail and many more. Check in at Pakuba safari lodge or Red Chilli rest camp for chilling. Meal plan, Dinner.

Day 3: Morning game drive and boat cruise

Wake up early for your hot breakfast, then head out for a drive into the open plains of the savannah. Birds like the Rupelis griffon vulture, secretary bird, palm nut vultures, northern red bishop, lesser spotted eagles, martial eagles, red throated bee-eaters, lilac-breasted rollers, lappet-faced, African hoopoe, African grey hornbill and many more will be sighted. During the drive, expect some encounters like elephants, lions, leopards, buffalos, hyenas, antelopes, giraffes, the list continues. Head back to the lodge for lunch ahead of your afternoon boat cruise. Meet your guide at 1:30pm and drive to base of the Nile. Take a boat to the bottom of the falls for 3 hours. This amazing trip gives you opportunity to look out for water birds like saddle bill stork, goliath herons, pied king fisher, giant kingfisher, African fish eagle, darter bird, cormorants, malachite kingfisher, open bill stork, African spoonbill, white-faced whistling duck, Egyptian goose, African pygmy and many more. Expect other permanent residents like hippos and Nile crocodiles in the due course. After the cruise, meet your guide, embark on the car and drive back to the lodge for refreshment, dinner and overnight.

Day 4: Bird watching in Budongo forest.

Rise up early and check out of your room with all your belongings. Grab your packed breakfast and head out to Budongo  for morning bird viewing. This forest is a home to about 300 bird species offering greater chances to watch the forest birds like the narina trogon, the snowy caped robin chat, grey headed kingfisher, western nicator, red-tailed bristlebill, fire-crested alethe, puvel’s illadopsis(endemic in budongo) and many more. Primates like olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, chimpanzee, red tailed monkeys will be seen along the trail. Drive to Masindi and check-in at Kabalega resort for lunch, relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Day 5: Bird watching at the royal mile

Rise up early for your hot breakfast, meet your guide and embark on the car and drive to the royal mile, the bird’s corridor in Budongo. This site offers a great opportunity to the bird watchers. You will see birds like the Cameroon sombe, red-tailed bristlebill, grey parrot, forest Robin, Rufous flycatcher, malachite king fisher, African Paradise flycatcher, woodpeckers, arrow-marked babblers, black and white casqued hornbill, yellow-throated tinkerbird, greater honeyguide, white-browed Robbin-chat, olive thrush, double toothed barbet, northern crombec, chestnut wattle-eye, olive sun bird, African black-headed oriole, the list continues. Retreat back to the lodge for lunch break, relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Day 6: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park 

You will wake up early for your hot breakfast, check out of your room, embark on the car and be driven through Bunyoro and Tooro kingdoms to Kibale. Kibale National Park is an outstanding destination for birders with over 300 forest, grassland and swamp bird species including 4 endemics to Kibale and number of central African especially at the eastern limit of their range. This is an adventurous trip, driving through busy towns with different activities carried out by Banyoro and Batooro communities, beautiful landscapes carpeted with tea and Banana plantations offering different bird species! Stopovers will be made for bird watching like grey backed fiscals, broad bill rollers, long crested eagles, grey headed king fishers, kestrel etc with a luncheon. Check in to Kibale Forest Lodge for refreshment, dinner and overnight.

Day 7: Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale.

Rise up early for your hot breakfast, head out to Kanyanchu visitors center for registration, briefing and enter the forest in search for the chimps. You will be led by an armed ranger guide through the trails to the location of the chimpanzee. While with them, a maximum time of 1 hour is recommended for observation and photography as you learn their behavior in the wild. Other primates like the black and white colobus monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey, L’hoest monkeys will be seen. Different melodies from different birds while in the forest are also so entertaining! Look out for grey-winged robin, red-chested fluff tail, masked apalis, African pitta etc. Receive your trekking certificate and head back to the lodge, have lunch, chill, dinner and overnight.

Day 8: Bird watching in Bigodi swamp and community walk

After your breakfast, meet your driver guide and proceed to Bigodi swamp. It’s an area with diversity of wildlife in the western region with over 200 bird species and with array of butterflies, primates, antelopes like statungas, and so on. Look out for birds like blue turaco, white-headed wood hoopoe, Cassin honey bird, mountain wag tail, white headed barbet, greater honey guide, masked apalis, blue throated roller, papyrus gonolek, Ross’s turaco, Afep pigeon, ring necked dove and many more. Head back to the lodge for you lunch and relaxation.

Day 9: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Check out of your lodge after breakfast and catch up with your guide. Embark on the car for 241km journey via Queen Elizabeth National Park and Ishasha sector with some encounters of elephants, Topis, waterbucks, etc., Alongside with birds like African finfoot, cuckoo-hawk, black headed weaver bird, harmer kop, martial eagle, western banded snake eagle, cinnamon chested bee-eater, red tailed ox pecker, chocolate-backed king fisher, southern red bishop and many more. Pursue your drive to Buhoma trekking sector and check-in at gorilla community camp or Buhoma lodge for lunch. Later after rejuvenation, go out for a guided nature walk along Mayanja River trail for some birding activity and lookout for shinning kingfisher. Traverse to the waterfall trail where you will spot chapins, flycatcher, dusky blue flycatcher, ashy fly catcher, yellow eyed black flycatcher and many more impressive birds. Walk back to the lodge for refreshment, dinner and overnight.

Day 10: Birding in Ruhija sector of Bwindi

Have your hot breakfast and check out of your lodge, meet your guide and drive to Ruhija for bird watching on a higher altitude. The hiking here requires resilience. This corridor has amazing bird life. Scan for birds like augur buzzard, archer’s robin chat, collared apalis, tooro olive green bul, bronze sun bird, yellow bishop, white naped raven, purple breasted sunbird, scarce swift and many more. Check in at Kiho gorilla lodge or Gorilla friends for refreshment dinner and overnight.

Day 11: Bird watching in Mubwindi swamp

Rise up early with a breath taking in the mist of Bwindi, take your hot breakfast and head out to the starting point for your birding adventure at Mubwindi swamp. Packed lunch is recommended. Enjoy your full day bird watching experience that takes you in Varying elevation ranging from 20250m-2350m.Sight out birds like regal sun bird, Rwenzori apalis, Grauer’s rush warbler, African green broad bill, white headed woodhoopoe, African green broad bill, African hill babbler to mention them. Take the best shoots of the picturesque sceneries. Drive back to the lodge for refreshment, dinner and overnight.

Day 12:  Transfer to Kampala

It’s your last day of the 12 days Uganda bird watching safari. You wake up early for last delicious breakfast in Bwindi. Check out, embark on the car and drive via Bunyonyi for the lovely view and take photos of the deepest lake for a memorable experience. Continue with journey through Mbarara, Masaka and Kayabwe where you will stop briefly for an exciting equator experience and lunch at Flamingo Restaurant. Arrive in Kampala early evening, your guide will drop you off at your pre-booked hotel in Kampala or Entebbe/ Entebbe International Airport.

End of the 12 days birding safari in Uganda.

Essential items for the safari

• Laser pointer
• Binoculars
• Camera
• Telescope
• Warm and light clothes
• Rain Jackets
• covered shoes
• hat