26 Days Best of Uganda Birding Safari
Best of Uganda Birding – 26 Days, Uganda’s characterized by a wide range of vegetation types which include: Sudanian woodland in the north of the country; Acacia-Commiphora bushland and semi-desert grasslands in the north-east; montane and bamboo forests, health and moorland on mountains; medium-altitude and lowland forests along the Rift Valley and around Lake Victoria; and extensive wetlands and flood-plains in the Nile valley and around Lake Victoria.
And the fact that it lies at the meeting place of five biomes of central and eastern Africa, each with a characteristic avifauna. These biomes comprise the Sudan–Guinea Savanna with over 22 Ugandan species restricted to it, the Guinea-Congo Forests biome with up to 144 species, the Lake Victoria Basin biome with 12 species, the Afrotropical Highlands biome with 88 species, and the Somali–Masai biome with 32 species qualify it to harbour up to thirty Important Bird Areas. This 25 Days safari, takes you to the most Important Bird Areas in the country.
DETAILED ITINERARY OF 26 DAYS
DAY 1: Entebbe International Airport – Arrival for Uganda Birding Journey
Arrive at Entebbe International Airport, and transfer to the Hotel. Depending on the time of arrival, we bird Entebbe botanical Gardens or Uganda Wildlife Education Centre.
Location: Entebbe
Accommodation Option:
| Luxury | Latitude 0 Degrees or similar |
| Mid-Range | Kaazi Beach Resort or similar |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey
DAY 2: Mabamba Wetlands – Mabamba Wetlands to Lake Mburo National Park
Early in the morning, we bird Via Mabamba Swamps for the elusive Shoebill, Some papyrus endemics, the African and Lesser Jacanas, the White-faced and Fulvous Whistling Ducks, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Carruther`s Cisticola, The Black-Chested, Brown and Western Banded Snake Eagles, a number of Gull and Heron Species and other water birds species to L. Mburo National Park for our night. We have a short stop at the Equator for an informative talk, photography and the equator experience.
Location: Lake Mburo National Park
Accommodation Option:
| Luxury | Mihingo Lodge |
| Mid-range | Rwakobo Rock Lodge |
Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Drinking Water and Fruits throughout
DAY 3: Lake Mburo National Park – Birding Uganda Lake Mburo National Park
Have an early morning breakfast before going birdwatching in a game car, bird and return for lunch then later go for a boat ride in search for the African Finfoot, Coqui, and the Red-winged Francolins, Blue-spotted Wood Dove, Brown Parrot, Barefaced Go-away bird, Harlequin and Blue Quails, Common Button Quail, White-headed and Black-billed Barbet, Greenwood Hoopoe, Common Scimitarbill, Blue-napped Mousebird, Blue-breasted and Shining-blue Kingfishers, Lilac-breasted Roller, African-grey Hornbill, the Nubian
Buff-spotted, Brown-eared, and the Grey Woodpeckers, Trilling, Stout, and Wing-snapping Cisticolas, Red-necked Spurfowl, Black-bellied Bustard, Temminck’s Courser, African-wattled Plover Rufous napped and Flappet larks, Rufous-chested Swallow ,Yellow-throated Longclaw, Black-winged Bishop, Chubb’s, Carruther’s and a number of other Cisticolas, the Lesser and Great Swamp Warblers, Black Crake, Common Squacco, Striated, Goliath, Purple, Black-headed, Grey, and Black-headed Herons, Great White and Pink-backed Pelicans, the African Fish Eagle, among others.
Location: Lake Mburo National Park
Accommodation Option:
| Luxury | Mihingo Lodge |
| Mid-range | Rwakobo Rock Lodge |
Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Drinking Water and Fruits throughout
DAY 4: Mgahinga Gorilla National Park – Transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Today, we bird to Kisoro in western Uganda for the birding experience in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park which is the country’ most scenic protected area.
Location: Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Accommodation Option:
| Luxury | Chameleon Hill Lodge |
| Mid-range | Lake Mulehe Gorilla Lodge |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner.
Drinking Water and Fruits throughout
Day 5: Mgahinga Gorilla National Park – Whole Day Mgahinga Uganda Birdwatching Safari
We bird through a variety of Montane habitats, In search of the Rwenzori Turaco, Dwarf Honeyguide, Kivu Ground Thrush, Rwenzori Double-collared, Regal and the Purple-breasted Sunbirds, Archer`s Robin-chat, The cinnamon Bracken and Mountain Yellow Warblers, the Dusky and much Sought after Shelley’s Crimson-wing and many more.
Location: Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Accommodation Option:
| Luxury | Chameleon Hill Lodge |
| Mid-range | Lake Mulehe Gorilla Lodge |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner.
Drinking Water and Fruits throughout
DAY 6:Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park – Ruhija in Uganda
Today we bird Ruhija in search of the darling African Green Broadbill, Handsome Francolin, Strange Weaver, Shelley’s and Dusky Crimson-wings, Stripe-breasted Tit, Rwenzori Batis, White-browed Crombec, White-naped Raven, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Sharp’s Starling, Mountain masked and Rwenzori Apalises and many more.
Location: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Accommodation:
| Super Luxury | Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge or similar |
| Luxury | Buhoma Lodge or similar |
| Mid-range | Bakiga Lodge or similar |
Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout.
DAY 7: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park – Birding Mubwindi
As we bird Mubwindi Swamp we look out for the Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, White-tailed Blue-flycatcher, Brown-capped warbler, Black-billed Weaver, Black-necked Weaver, Red-headed Malimbe, Grey-headed Sparrow, Waller’s Starling, Stuhlmann’s Starling, Montane Oriole, Many Coloured Bush Shrike, Bocage’s Bush Shrike, Brown Crowned Tchagra, Pink Footed Puffback, Ludher’s Bush-shrike, Doherty’s Bush-shrike, Mountain Illadopsis, Rwenzori Nightjar.
Location: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Accommodation:
| Super Luxury | Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge or similar |
| Luxury | Buhoma Lodge or similar |
| Mid-range | Bakiga Lodge or similar |
Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout.
DAY 8:Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park – Bird to Buhoma
As we bird to Buhoma, we look out for species like the Black Bee-Eater, Dusky Tit, Brown-caped Weaver, the Yellow-billed and yellow-spotted Barbets, the African and Black-and-white Shrike-flycatchers, Common Stonechat, Brown-throated and Chestnut Wattle-eyes, Apalises, to mention but a few of the forest species.
Location: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Accommodation:
| Super Luxury | Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge or similar |
| Luxury | Buhoma Lodge or similar |
| Mid-range | Bakiga Lodge or similar |
Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout.
DAY 9: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park – Optional Gorilla Tracking and Birdwatching Tour at Buhoma
There are less than 800 mountain gorillas in the whole world. Uganda is home to more than a half of these beautiful, majestic gentle giants and yet endangered apes. Therefore, Gorilla tracking in Uganda is a must experience not to be missed. Bwindi impenetrable forest habituates families of mountain gorillas along with other species of primates, for example, Chimpanzees, Colobus, Olive baboons, name it. To be sure of going gorilla tracking, it is a must you buy a permit which is issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) at USD 600 only. It is our duty to arrange this for you should you be interested in this significant activity.
At Buhoma, we look out for species like, the Black Bee-Eater, Dusky Tit, Brown-caped Weaver, the Yellow-billed and yellow-spotted Barbets, the African and Black-and-white Shrike Flycatchers, Common Stonechat, Brown-throated and Chestnut Wattle-eyes, Apalises, Equatorial Akalat, Slaty Flycatcher, White-bellied Robin-Chat, Black-throated Apalis, Best of Uganda Birding – 26 Days,Mountain Masked Apalis, Grey Apalis, Chestnut-throated Apalis, the Olive-green and Grey-backed Camaroptera, White-chinned Prinia, Green Hylia, Short-tailed Warbler, White-tailed Anti-thrush, Cape Wagtail, Grey-capped Warbler, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Grauer’s Warbler, Grauer’s Rush Warbler, White-browed Crombec, the list is long.
Location: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Accommodation:
| Super Luxury | Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge or similar |
| Luxury | Buhoma Lodge or similar |
| Mid-range | Bakiga Lodge or similar |
Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout.
DAY 10: Queen Elizabeth National Park – Bird Tour From Bwindi to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Today we head to Queen Elizabeth National Park; we bird through the Ishasha sector as we look out for the African Thrush, Ruppell’s Long-tailed Sterling, Black-headed Gonolek, Slender-billed Weaver, Little Weaver, Black-headed Weaver, Grey-headed Sparrow, Red-headed Lovebird, Spur-winged Lapwing, the African, Red-eyed and African Morning Doves, the Winding, Croacking and Zitting Cisticolas, and hundreds of other Savanna Species.
Location: Queen Elizabeth National Park
Accommodation:
| Luxury | Mweya Safari Lodge or similar |
| Mid-range | Twin Lake Safari Cottages or similar |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout.
DAY 11: Queen Elizabeth National Park – Birding Uganda Queen Elizabeth National Park
Early in the Morning we leave for a game drive for more Savanna Species and in the afternoon we take a boat ride on the Kazinga Channel for water birds like the Great White and Pink-backed Pelicans, African Skimmer, Yellow-billed and the Saddle-billed storks, African Wattled Lapwing, Long-toed Lapwing, Black-winged Stilt, Water Thick-knee, Collared Pratincole, the Grey-headed, Black-headed and Slender-billed Gulls, Grebes, Ducks and many more.
Location: Queen Elizabeth National Park
Accommodation:
| Luxury | Mweya Safari Lodge or similar |
| Mid-range | Twin Lake Safari Cottages or similar |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout.
DAY 12: Kibale Forest National Park – Birding Journey to Kibale Forest National Park
After early morning breakfast, set off for Kibale Forest NP, along the way expect to see; the Fan-tailed Widowbird, Yellow-mantled Widowbird, the Black and Black-winged Red Bishops, the African Palm and Little Swifts, Common Bulbul, Doves, Pigeons, the Lesser-stripped and Angola Swallows among others.
Location: Kibale Forest National Park
Accommodation:
| Luxury | Kyaninga Lodge or similar |
| Mid-range | Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse or similar |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout.
DAY 13 & 14: Kibale Forest National Park – Birdwatching Uganda and Optional Chimpanzee Tracking at Kibale Forest National Park
We bird here for two full days in search of the darling Green-breasted Pitta and more forest species like the Brown Illadopsis, Brown-capped Weaver, Brown-chested Alethe, Black-headed Oriole, African Emerald Cuckoo,African Green-pigeon, Black-crowned Tchagra, African Wood Owl,African/Rwenzori/Abyssinian Hill-Babbler, Best of Uganda Birding – 26 Days,Alpine Swift, Ashy Flycatcher, Barn Swallow, Black Bee-eater, Black Cuckoo, Black Cuckoo-shrike, Black-and-white Casqued Hornbill.
Black-and-white Mannikin, Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher,Black-billed Turaco, Black-billed Weaver, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, African Dusky Flycatcher, Black-headed Weaver, Black-necked Weaver, African Citril (Western Citril),Black-throated Apalis, Blue-shouldered Robin-chat, Blue-throated Brown Sunbird,Blue-throated Roller, African Blue Flycatcher, Bocage’ Bush-shrike, Bronze Mannikin, Zebra Waxbill, Bronze Sunbird name it.
Location: Kibale Forest National Park
Accommodation:
| Luxury | Kyaninga Lodge or similar |
| Mid-range | Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse or similar |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout.
DAY 15: Semuliki National Park – Transfer to Semliki Valley National Park
Today morning, we bird Kibale Forest for more forest species possibly missed the previous days and later proceed to Semliki Valley National Park
Location: Semuliki National Park
Accommodation Option:
| Luxury | Semuliki Safari Lodge or similar |
| Mid-range | Aramaga Rift Valley Lodge or similar |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner.
Drinking Water and Fruits throughout
DAY 16: Semliki Valley National Park- Uganda Birding Trip
Early in the morning, we take on the Kirumia trail for our whole day birding experience. We look out for a number of predominantly Central African species which cannot be found anywhere else in East Africa yet are some of the continent’s most spectacular and sought-after birds such as; Long-tailed Hawk, Congo Serpent Eagle, Lyre-tailed Honeyguide, Black-casqued Wattled Hornbill, the Nkulengu Rail, and other species; Blue Swallow, White-throated Swallow.
Swamp Palm Bulbul, Spotted Greenbul,White-starred Robin, Lowland Akalat, Red-throated Alethe, Fire-crested Alethe, Snowy-headed Robin-Chat, Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat, Red-eyed Puffback, White-tailed Robin-Chat, Northern Bearded Scrub-Robin, Best of Uganda Birding – 26 Days,Capped Wheatear, Common Stonechat, Abyssinian Ground-Thrush, Oberlaender’s Ground-Thrush, Grey Ground-Thrush, Little Grey Greenbul, Toro Olive Greenbul, Mountain Greenbul, Yellow-throated Nicator, Western Nicator, just to mention but a few. There is a single, unconfirmed report of the globally threatened lesser Kestrel.
Location: Semuliki National Park
Accommodation Option:
| Luxury | Semuliki Safari Lodge or similar |
| Mid-range | Aramaga Rift Valley Lodge or similar |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner.
Drinking Water and Fruits throughout
DAY 17:Kibale Forest National Park – Birding From Semliki to Fort Portal in Uganda
The earlier session of this day will be spent searching for forest species possibly missed the previous day after which, we head to Fort Portal for the night.
Location: Kibale Forest National Park
Accommodation:
| Luxury | Kyaninga Lodge or similar |
| Mid-range | Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse or similar |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout.
DAY 18: Murchison Falls National Park – Uganda Birding Tour to Murchison Falls National Park
Today we transfer to Murchison Falls National Park birding via the Escarpment in search for, the Yellow-rumped and Yellow-fronted Tinkerbirds, Foxy Cisticola, Black Bishop, the Northern and Black-winged Red Bishops, Cinnamon-breasted Rock Bunting, Best of Uganda Birding – 26 Days,Tropical Boubou, the Grey-crowned and Black-crowned Tchagras, Striped Kingfisher, White-headed Barbet, and many more
Location: Murchison Falls National Park
Accommodation Option:
| Luxury | Paraa Safari Lodge or similar |
| Mid-Range | Pakuba Safari Lodge or similar |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey
DAY 19: Murchison Falls National Park – Birding Murchison Falls National Park – Uganda Birds Tours
Today, we do Game drive birding in search of, The Giant, Pied, Malachite, Stripped, Chestnut-bellied, Blue-breasted, Woodland and the African Pygmy Kingfishers, House Martin, African Rock Martin, Lesser Striped Swallow, Ethiopian Swallow, Angola Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Rufous-chested Swallow, Nightingale, Rock Thrush, Pied Wheatear, Whinchat, Common Redstart, White-fronted Black Chat, Sooty Chat, Isabelline Wheatear, Common Bulbul, Cameroon Sombre Greenbul, Yellow-throated Greenbul, the Black, Best of Uganda Birding – 26 Days,White-breasted, and Red-shouldered Cuckoo Shrikes, the Black and Penduline Tits, the Arrow-marked, Black-lored and Brown Babblers, Nubian Woodpecker, Cardinal Woodpecker, Brown-backed Woodpecker, Lesser Honeyguide, Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Black Scimitarbill, Green Wood Hoopoe, a number of Buzzards, Barbets, Rollers, Harriers, Vultures, Eagles, Bee-eaters, Warblers, and so forth.
We also take a boat on the Victoria Nile for water birds like the elusive Shoebill Stork, Little Grebe, Great White and the Pink-backed Pelicans, Red-knobbed Coot, African Water Rail, Allen’s Gallinule, Black Crake, African Crake, Black-crowned Crane, Southern Pochard, The Egyptian, African Pygmy, and the Spur-winged Gooses, Storks like; the Saddle-billed, Open-billed, Abdim’s, White, Yellow-billed, Marabou, and the Wooly-necked, the Little and Dwarf Bitterns, Night Heron, Black Heron, Goliath Heron, Purple Heron, Best of Uganda Birding – 26 Days,Green Backed Heron, Common Squacco Heron, Great White Egret, Cormorants, the African and Eurasian Spoonbills, the Lesser Flamingo, Lesser Jacana, African Finfoot, Painted Snipe, Wattled Plover the list is very long.
Location: Murchison Falls National Park
Accommodation Option:
| Luxury | Paraa Safari Lodge or similar |
| Mid-Range | Pakuba Safari Lodge or similar |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey
DAY 20: Murchison Falls National Park – Birding to Budongo Forest via Kaniyo Pabidi
We leave the park birding and head to Uganda’s biggest Forest Reserve and the second most important after Semliki National Park. We bird Kaniyo Pabidi.
Location: Murchison Falls National Park
Accommodation Option:
| Luxury | Paraa Safari Lodge or similar |
| Mid-Range | Pakuba Safari Lodge or similar |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey
DAY 21 : Murchison Falls National Park – Bird Watching Budongo Forest in Uganda
Today, we bird Budongo Forest which has a prolific birdlife with two species of birds not found elsewhere in East Africa: 10 of the 22 species of Sudan–Guinea Savannah biome and 93 of the 144 species Guinea-Congo Forests biome that occur in Uganda.
We bird the marvellous Royal mile and several other trails for the whole day. We look for the Puvel’s Illadopsis and Nahan’s Francolin other unique birds include; the Yellow-billed Barbet, Grey-throated Barbet, Honeyguide Greenbul, Chocolate-backed Kingfisher,White-headed Saw-wing, White Wagtail, Black-eared Ground-Thrush,Little Crake, Best of Uganda Birding – 26 Days,Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, African Paradise Flycatcher, Chin-spot Batis, Grey-backed Camaroptera, Lemon-bellied Crombec, African Moustached Warbler, Green-backed Eremomela, Yellow-whiskered Greenbul, African Citril, African Golden-breasted Bunting, Black-crowned Waxbill.
Bronze Mannikin, Black-billed Bluebill, Black-winged Red Bishop, Yellow-mantled Widowbird, Fan-tailed Widowbird, Spectacled Weaver, Black-necked Weaver, Yellow-backed Weaver, Compact Weaver, Northern Brown-throated Weaver, Holub’s Golden Weaver, Red-headed Weaver, Yellow-billed Oxpecker, Greater Blue-eared Starling, Purple Starling, Purple-headed Starling, Splendid Starling, Northern Puffback, Black-headed Gonolek, Tropical Boubou, Isabelline Shrike, Red-backed Shrike, Lesser Grey Shrike, Western Violet-backed Sunbird and many more.
Location: Murchison Falls National Park
Accommodation Option:
| Luxury | Paraa Safari Lodge or similar |
| Mid-Range | Pakuba Safari Lodge or similar |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey
DAY 22: Kidepo Valley National Park – Birding to Lake Bisina of Uganda
Today we bird to the home of Uganda’s only endemic species, the Fox’s Weaver. We will search for the specialty and other magnificent species.
Location: Kidepo Valley National Park
Accommodation Option:
| Luxury | Apoka Safari Lodge or similar |
| Mid-Range | Adere Safari Lodges kidepo or similar |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey
DAY 23: Kidepo Valley National Park – Whole Day Birding Tour of Lake Bisina
Whole day birding for the Fox’s Weaver and several other species.
Location: Kidepo Valley National Park
Accommodation Option:
| Luxury | Apoka Safari Lodge or similar |
| Mid-Range | Adere Safari Lodges kidepo or similar |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey
DAY 24 & 25: Jinja Uganda – Uganda Birding Safari of Mabira Forest
This is the biggest forest reserve closest to the city centre, and it boasts of a 315 bird species record with 74 of the 144 species of Guinea-Congo Forests biome that occurs in Uganda.
Search for Nahan’s Francolin which is an IUCN Red list’ endangered species, Cassin’s Hawk-eagle, White-spotted Flufftail, Afep Pigeon, Grey Parrot, Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, Black-shouldered Nightjar, Sabine’s Spinetail, Cassin’s Spinetail, Blue-throated Roller, African Dwarf Kingfisher, White-bellied Kingfisher, Forest Woodhoopoe,Best of Uganda Birding – 26 Days, African Pied Hornbill, Black-and-white Casqued Hornbill, Speckled Tinkerbird, Yellow-throated Tinkerbird.
Yellow-spotted Barbet, Hairy-breasted Barbet, Yellow-billed Barbet, Green-breasted Pitta, African Shrike-flycatcher, Jameson’s and Chestnut Wattle-eyes, Forest Robin, Fire-crested Alethe, Red-capped Robin-Chat, the Speckle-breasted, Yellow-crested, Brown-eared, and the Buff-spotted Woodpeckers, Cassin’s Honeyguide, Red-tailed Bristlebill, and many more. Later transfer to Entebbe.
Location: Jinja Uganda
Accommodation Option:
| Luxury | Wild Water Lodge Jinja or similar |
| Mid-range | Heaven Lodge Jinja or similar |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner.
Day 26: End of Uganda Bird Quest- Departure
Location: Entebbe International Airport
Accommodation: On Accommodation
Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout
Thank you for specifically Choosing Paradise Adventure Vacations and we hope to see you again!
We believe in value for money. Every guest would like to have the most reliable and comfortable vehicles on safari. In response to the clients’ needs, we have a very strict vehicle replacement policy that ensures a young fleet at all times. We have a total fleet of 225 well-maintained motor vehicles, predominantly 4-wheel drives. This does away with the problem of sub-contracting vehicles and driver-guides, which may compromise the quality of services. Our safari vehicles are specifically converted for maximum space and comfort. All of them have hatched roof and sliding windows to facilitate good viewing and convenient photography during game drives and sight seeing.
