The 20 days Uganda Birding and Gorilla Safari traverses Uganda's major national parks while birding and partaking in a gorilla trekking session in Bwindi Forest.
Uganda is one of the richest African Birding Destinations with over 1090 bird species. 50% of all Africa’s bird species are found in Uganda, therefore, making Uganda a birding paradise. Uganda has 24 Albertine Endemics with only 1 Endemic Bird Species Fox’s Weaver.
The 24 Albertine Endemic birds include the Handsome Francolin, Rwenzori Turaco, Rwenzori Nightjar, Dwarf Honeyguide, African Green Broadbill, Red-throated Alethe, Archer’s Robin-Chat, Kivu Ground Thrush, Grauer’s Rush Warbler, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Short-tailed Warbler, Grauer’s Warbler, Collared Apalis, Mountain Masked Apalis, Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Rwenzori Batis, Strip-breasted Tit, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Blue-headed Sunbird, Regal Sunbird, Strange Weaver, Dusky Crimsonwing, and Shelley’s Crimsonwing.
SAFARI HIGHLIGHTS
- Discover Uganda's Premier Bird-Watching and Wildlife Destinations
- Look out for the Albertine Endemic Birds Species
- Enjoy serene boat cruises and rides at the Kazinga Channel and Lake Mburo.
- Experience a life-changing Gorilla Trek in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
- Explore the Mabamba Swamp for the Rare Prehistoric Shoebill Stork
- Stay at Midrange Accommodations that Support and Empower the Local Communities
Upon your arrival in Entebbe, a company representative will warmly welcome you and transfer you to your hotel for an overnight stay.
Meal Plan: Dinner depending on time of arrival.
Accommodation: Papyrus Guest House
Comfort Level: Mid-range
After breakfast, set off for Pian Upe Reserve arriving in time for lunch. This game reserve is the 2nd largest in Uganda and offers some of the best bird-watching experiences. There are about 242 bird species recorded among which are the endemics like the Fox weaver bird and Karamoja Apalis.
Bird along the way and some evening birding, look out for bird species such as Fox Kestrel, Black Coucal, Nubian Woodpecker, Western Black-headed Batis, Green-backed Eremomela, Pale Prinia, and Red-pate Cisticola.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Karamoja Overland Camp
Comfort Level: Mid-range
This day will be spent birding in the reserve and at Cheposukunya Hotsprings in the morning. Look out for bird species such as the Silverbird, Spot-flanked Barbet, Stone Partridge, Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu, Red-fronted Barbet, Red-fronted Tinkerbird, 4-banded Sandgrouse, African Grey Hornbill, Superb starling, and Secretary bird.
Other bird species include Green Breasted Pitta, Abyssinian ground hornbill, the rare shoebill stock and White-faced Whistling Ducks, African Paradise Flycatcher, Bruce’s Green Pigeons, Greyish Eagle Owl, and Marico Sunbird.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Karamoja Overland Camp
Comfort Level: Mid-range
Breakfast and then head to Kidepo Valley National with lunch en route arriving in the evening for relaxation. About 480 species have been recorded in the park due to its varied vegetation. Kidepo Valley National Park is renowned for its dramatic savannah landscapes, surrounded by rugged mountains. It features the Kidepo and Narus Valleys, which provide water and attract wildlife year-round, with stunning views of the Mount Morungole range, home to the Ik people.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Kidepo Savannah Lodge
Comfort Level: Mid-range
Today you will explore the riches of Kidepo Valley National Park. You will have some birding sessions along the way. Look out for bird species such as Black-breasted Barbet, White-backed Vulture, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Piapia, and some game such as Plains Zebra, African Buffalo, and Hartebeest. Head to the Barbet birding spot a well-wooded rocky hill.
Explore some open and flood plains before returning for lunch and an afternoon rest.
After lunch break head to the Namamukweny Valley noted for its astonishing bird sights especially Green wood hoopoe, White-crested turaco, Eastern paradise whydah, Common bulbul, and Abyssinian roller.
Later, they head out to the Narus Valley where they get opportunities to view a large collection of bird species; such as Ostriches, Kori bustard, carmine, Black-breasted Barbet, Silver shrink, Scarlet-Chested Sunbird, Yellow-billed horn hill, white-bellied go-away bird, little weaver, Abyssinian ground hornbill, Little weaver, singing bush lark and many more other unique sighting birds. You can head back to the camp or relax
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Kidepo Savannah Lodge
Comfort Level: Mid-range
The journey from Kidepo Valley National Park to Murchison Falls National Park takes around 6 hours, traveling through diverse landscapes. Departing Kidepo, you’ll pass the vast plains and rugged hills of the Karamojong region, offering views of traditional homesteads and the Karamojong people. Heading south to Gulu, the road transitions into farmlands and vibrant towns before continuing through scenic savannah landscapes towards Lake Albert. The journey culminates with the mighty Murchison Falls, where the Nile River crashes through a narrow gorge, creating a stunning waterfall, while the park's wildlife, including elephants, giraffes, and lions, enrich the experience.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Fort Murchison
Comfort Level: Mid-range
After breakfast, this day will be fully dedicated to birding in Budongo Forest Reserve. with 360 different species. Budongo is famous for its biodiversity in birds and is home to the rare Puvel's illadopsis which is an endemic species to this area.
Other species include the yellow-footed flycatcher, chocolate-backed kingfishers, chestnut crowned eremomela, dusky long-tailed cuckoo, yellow-browed camaroptera, black-headed paradise flycatcher, little green sunbird, grey-headed sunbird, slender-billed greenbul, green crombec, and forest robin.
After the lunch break, you will head out to the Royal Mile with chances of spotting the Ituri species such as African pygmy, ituri batis, lemon-bellied crombec, chestnut capped flycatcher, blue-breasted and African dwarf kingfishers, Marsh Tchagra, Compact Weaver, among others.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Fort Murchison
Comfort Level: Mid-range
After breakfast, head to Fort Portal with stopovers at Papyrus Swamps for some birding session along the way, look out for Red-necked Falcon, Marsh Tchagra, Thick-billed and Slender-billed, Weavers, Black-crowned and Fawn-breasted Waxbills, Yellow-mantled Widowbird and Black Bishop.
You may spot black-and-white colobus monkeys, baboons, and more primates hiding in trees along the road. You will have lunch in Fort Portal Town, this area is famed for the fabled mountains of the moon and many tea plantations.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Turaco Treetops
Comfort Level: Mid-range
After breakfast, we drive to Semuliki National Park for birding. You will head out to the lowland rainforest proceeding to start in the hot springs area where the patch of forest is a habitat for White-crested Hornbill, White-spotted Flufftails, Black-casqued Hornbills, African Green Pigeons, Ayres’s Hawk-Eagle, Orange-cheeked Waxbill, White-napped Pigeon among others.
There are more than 441 species of birds recorded in this protected area, including many West African forest species and 9 hornbill species. As you proceed deeper into the forest, Look out for the Red Rumped Tinkerbird and Palm Greenbul which are endemics.
Other species on the 20 days Uganda Birding and Gorilla Safari include the Yellow-throated Cuckoo Yellow-footed Flycatchers, Chestnut-breasted Nigrita, Red-tailed Leaflove and Banded Prinia, Black-bellied Seedcracker, Shining-blue Kingfisher and Hartlaub’s Duck among others.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Turaco Treetops
Comfort Level: Mid-range
Birding along the Kirumia River is another top birding spot, along the 13 km walking trail, look out for the White-bellied Kingfisher, Red-rumped Tinkerbird, Lyre-tailed Honeyguide, Congo serpent eagle, Grey-throated Rail, Long-tailed Hawk, Spot-breasted Ibis, Yellow-throated Nicator.
Other species include Northern red-chested Owlet, Western bronze-napped Pigeon, Black-collared Lovebird, Zenker’s honeyguide, White-throated Blue swallow, Bate’s nightjar, Yellow-throated Cuckoo, and Orange-tufted Sunbird.
Later head to Fort Portal and continue to the dense forest of Kibale National Park on the 20 days Uganda Birding and Gorilla Safari.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Turaco Treetops
Comfort Level: Mid-range
After breakfast set off for a birding session in Kibale Forest, look out for the Green Breasted Pitta African Broadbill, African pied wagtail · Great blue turaco, Pin-tailed whydah, and Slender-billed Weaver, Kibale Ground Trush, Blue-headed Sunbird, Black-capped Apalis, Collared Apalis, Dusky Crimsonwing, Purple breasted sunbird and Red-faced woodland warbler among others.
After lunch, you will transfer to the Bigodi Sanctuary at the Magombe Swamp for a 2 hours nature walk. The sanctuary is home to 200 bird species including the Papyrus Gonolek and the Great Blue Turaco.
Look out for the Swamp Flycatcher, Hairy-breasted Barbet, Yellow-spotted Barbet, yellow bill, White-spotted Flufftail, Western Nicator, White-tailed Ant-thrush, Grey-winged Robin-chat, Brown-backed Scrub-robin, Brown-eared Woodpecker, Grey parrot, Bronze Sunbird, Black-crowned waxbill, and Blue-throated roller, Black Bishop, White-breasted Negro finch among others.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Turaco Treetops
Comfort Level: Mid-range
After breakfast, transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park arriving in time for lunch at the camp. Later in the evening, you will have an evening game drive in the park in search of the first wildlife, including warthogs, buffaloes, waterbucks, and elephants.
Classified as an Important Birding Area (IBA) by Birding International, Queen Elizabeth NP is home to over 600 species. This is the greatest of any East African national park and a phenomenal number for such a small area.
The park’s confluence of savanna and forest, linking to the expansive forests of DR Congo allows visitors to spot East as well as Central African species.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge.
Comfort Level: Mid-range
After breakfast, we start early for a birding session in Maramagambo Forest. We will have birding from the lodge towards the Maramagambo forest. Look out for the Whinchat, Common Redstart, White-fronted Black Chat, Sooty Chat, Cameroon Sombre Greenbul, Yellow-throated Greenbul, Black, White-breasted, and Red-shouldered Cuckoo Shrikes.
More species include Black and Penduline Tits, Nubian Woodpeckers, Cardinal Woodpeckers, Brown-backed Woodpeckers, White-tailed and Red-tailed Ant-thrushes, Brown Illadopsis, Shining-blue Kingfisher, Brown-eared Woodpeckers, Least Honeyguide, Grey Greenbul, Brown-chested Alethe, and many others.
After lunch, take on a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel, a natural channel between Lake Edward and Lake George.
This cruise is a birders’ paradise, the shores of the channel offer a variety of habitats, each appealing to different species of bird species Greenshank, Common Ringed Plover, Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit, and Grey (Black-bellied) Plover, African Skimmers, Yellow-Billed Stork.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Comfort Level: Mid-range
After breakfast, we drive through verdant countryside, you will pass traditional homesteads and enjoy panoramic views with picnic lunch/lunch en-route arriving in Bwindi National Park, home of the endangered mountain gorillas.
Bwindi offers some of the finest montane forest bird watching in Africa and is an unmissable destination for any birder visiting Uganda. There are an estimated 350 bird species with 23 endemics to the Albertine Rift and 14 recorded nowhere else in Uganda.
Globally threatened species such as African Green Broadbill and Shelley’s Crimsonwing are also found here.
After lunch, head out to the forest for an introductory birding session. Look out for the Handsome Francolin; Black-billed Turaco; African Broadbill; Black and Cinnamon-chested Bee-eaters; Western Green Tinkerbird; Purple-breasted, Blue-headed, and Regal Sunbirds; Short-tailed and Black-faced Rufous Warblers among others.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Haven Lodge.
Comfort Level: Mid-range
After breakfast, head for a 3-hour birding session at the Munyaga Waterfall Trail. Look out for 40-50 bird species including, Bee-Eater, Bar-tailed Trogon, Black, White-headed, Tinker birds Wood-hoop, and Barbets, Woodpeckers, African Broadbill, assorted Greenbuls, White-bellied Robin-Chat, Red-throated Alethe, Brown-capped Weaver Chapin’s Flycatcher, Red-faced Woodland Warbler.
Other bird species include the Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Pink-footed Puffback Grauer’s Warbler, Short-tailed Warbler, Oberlander’s Ground Thrush, Mountain Masked Apalis, Bocage’s Bush-shrike, Luhder’s Bush-shrike, Petit’s Cuckoo-shrike, Starlings, Black-billed Weaver, among other birds. Have lunch and head to the Ruhija Sector part of Bwindi National Park.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Bakiga Lodge.
Comfort Level: Mid-range
After breakfast, head out for the Mubwindi swamp trail, birds in Ruhija include the Regal Sunbird, Archer’s Robin-Chat, Grauer’s Rush Warbler, African green broadbill, Caruthers cisticola, Handsome francolin, African Hill babbler, Banded Prinia, Shelley’s Crimsonwing, Doherty’s Bushshrike, Collared Apalis, Rwenzori Turaco, Western Green Tinkerbird.
Other species include Olive, Elliot’s and Fine-banded Woodpecker, African Green-Broadbill, Mountain, Yellow whiskered, and Yellow-streaked Greenbul, African Hill Babbler, Mountain Illadopsis, and others.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Bakiga Lodge.
Comfort Level: Mid-range
After breakfast and a pre-tracking briefing by your ranger guide about gorillas, you will be assigned a gorilla family as well as appropriate safety precautions, you drive to the trailhead for the start of a thrilling adventure.
Upon sighting the gorillas, you spend the allowed one hour with them as they go about their daily life; feeding, moving, playing, raising their young, and sometimes wrestling by the juveniles – it is a unique and unforgettable experience! Later head back to the camp at the end of the 20 days Uganda Birding and Gorilla Safari.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Bakiga Lodge.
Comfort Level: Mid-range
After breakfast, we depart the impenetrable forest of Bwindi and head to Lake Mburo National Park.
Lake Mburo alone is home to 350 species of birds and some of the spots where you can find the birds include swampy valleys, the forest, along the boat cruise, and the viewing platform near the salt licks.
After checking in head for a boat ride on Lake Mburo in the afternoon to check out some of the water bird species such as African Finfoot, Saddle-billed Stork, Long-toed Lapwing, Papyrus Gonolek, Rufous-bellied Herons, Papyrus yellow warbler, Malachite Kingfishers, and Giant Kingfisher among others.
Later return to the lodge and as you head back you will have some birding as well, look out for the Long Willow Warbler and European Bee-eater.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Rwakobo Rock
Comfort Level: Mid-range
After breakfast, you will have a game drive while birding session along the Kigambira loop. Looking out for the savanna and Acacia woodland species that include the Blue-napped Mouse bird, Spot-flanked Barbet, Nubian Woodpecker, Red-Faced Barbet, Headed Lovebird, Lead Colored Flycatcher, African marsh Harriers, Banded snake Eagles, African Hawk Eagles, and many more.
Return to the lodge for breakfast depart the protected area and drive back to Entebbe.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Papyrus Guest House.
Comfort Level: Mid-range
After breakfast head to Mabamba Swamp taking a canoe ride in search of the rare Shoebill Stork. The Mabamba Swamp is more renowned for its amazing bird record of about 260 bird species and it’s a sanctuary to four threatened species including the Papyrus Gonolek, Blue Swallow, Pallid Harrier, and White-Winged Warbler.
Look out for other bird species such as the Yellow-throated Greenbul, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Yellow-billed Tinkerbird, Yellow-billed Ducks, Yellow-backed Weaver, Yellow warble, Yellow Wagtail, Yellow-Billed Stork, Yellow-billed duck, Yellow-billed Kite, Woodland Kingfisher among others.
Depending on your flight departure, you will have lunch and continue to Entebbe airport for your international flight at the end of the 20 days Uganda Birding and Gorilla Safari.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Papyrus Guest House.
Comfort Level: Mid-range
• Comfortable hiking boots and lightweight clothing.
• Rain jacket and a warm sweater for cooler evenings.
• Insect repellent and sunscreen.
• Reusable water bottle.
• Binoculars and a good camera.
• Personal medications and a small first-aid kit.
• Nature blending clothes
Included in the price quotation
- Ground transportation in a safari customized 4WD Toyota Landcruiser with gasoline/fuel
- All birding excursions
- All Nature walks
- All Boat Cruises
- Gorilla trekking permit
- Drinking water / refillable water bottle
- English-speaking Birding Guide
- Accommodation and Meals
- All Park Entrance Fees.
Excluded in the price quotation
- International Airfares;
- Visa Fees;
- Drinks and Beverages
- Tips, and Gratuities for your Driver/guide and hotel staff
- Optional activities unless specified as included
- Any other services not expressly shown in the itinerary or indicated as included.
Uganda – The Pearl of Africa’s Untamed Beauty
Uganda, aptly named the Pearl of Africa, is a land Gifted by Nature. It is located in the Great Lakes Region with breathtaking landscapes, extraordinary biodiversity, and unforgettable adventures. This remarkably diverse country is where the East African savannah meets the lush West African jungle, creating an ecological paradise unlike any other.
Towering over Uganda’s landscapes are the majestic Rwenzori Mountains, Africa’s third-highest range, and the dramatic Virunga Volcanoes, while the shimmering waters of Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest lake, cradle its southern border. Lying in a basin between the eastern and western branches of the Rift Valley, Uganda’s elevated position gives it a more temperate climate than its equatorial location might suggest. Most of the country sits over 1,000 meters above sea level, with a landscape that is largely flat apart from the forested mountain ranges that often define its borders.
One of Africa’s most water-rich nations, Uganda’s lakes, rivers, and wetlands cover 25% of its surface, keeping the landscape lush and green for most of the year—though the northern region gradually transitions into semi-desert.
Nowhere else on the continent can travelers witness such a rich variety of primates with such ease. From great apes—mountain gorillas and chimpanzees—to over a dozen monkey species, Uganda is a primate lover’s paradise. But it’s not just primates that thrive here. With over 1,000 bird species, Uganda is a birder’s wonderland, home to rare rainforest specialists and some of Africa’s most sought-after birds.
We invite you to explore Uganda, a diverse landscape with abundant wildlife, plenty to discover, and unique experiences. When recounting your time in this jewel of a country, you'll struggle to find the words that do justice to it.
Entry Requirements:
Your passport must have a minimum of at least two full clear pages for visas and stamps and be valid for more than 6 months from the date of entry into Uganda.
Please check visa requirements prior to travel with your booking agent or Bush Wander, as requirements are regularly changed with little notice.
Most passports require a single-entry visa (US$50). Visas cannot be obtained on arrival. You must apply and pay for them online at least two weeks before your arrival. You must upload clear copies of your current passport, a yellow fever certificate, and a passport photo.
Only Visa and Mastercard cards are accepted for visa payments. Once payment is made, the system will process your application and send you a barcoded email. Print out this email and bring it with you to Uganda. Upon arrival, you should present the barcoded email to the immigration officer, who will scan the barcode, take your fingerprints and photo, and place a visa in your passport.
Alternatively, the Ugandan High Commissions may issue visas where such commissions are located.
Visa Exempt Countries:
The following nationalities do not require a visa to enter Uganda: all nationalities from East African countries (Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya, Burundi), all nationalities from COMESA countries (Angola, Eritrea, Malawi, Madagascar, Seychelles, Swaziland, Zambia, Comoros, Kenya, Mauritius, Zimbabwe), and passport holders from OTHERS (Antigua, Barbados, Fiji, Grenada, Lesotho, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, The Grenadines, Vanuatu, Cyprus, Bahamas, Belize, Gambia, Jamaica, Malta, Singapore, St. Vincent-Tonga and Ireland).
East Africa Tourist Visa:
If you are planning an East Africa trip to Uganda, Rwanda, and/or Kenya, it may be better to apply for a multiple-entry visa, valid for 90 days at USD 100 per visa. For more information go through the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration if you are entering Uganda first, or alternatively, the Government visa site for the East Africa country you will be first entering.
Money and Currency:
Before you travel, call your credit card companies to let them know you will be traveling. This will help to ensure the credit card company won’t flag any of your vacation expenses. ATMs are available in major towns or cities though at times may not be reliable due to a limited amount of money to be withdrawn.
- Credit cards are widely accepted within Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda. Major hotels and restaurants accept VISA and MasterCard. AMEX and others are not recommended as establishments usually don’t support them. Note that a surcharge of 5% is attached to their usage.
- Local Currencies are recommended to use while on safari. There are many forex bureaus and banks in the capital cities and the main towns. Smaller denominations than US$100 may attract a less favorable rate of exchange. Notes older than 2010 may not be accepted in the country.
- Forex Bureaus are located in major towns or cities and have regular banking hours Monday to Friday from 08:30hrs to 16:00hrs. Saturdays are open from 09:00hrs to 12:00hrs. Traveler’s Cheques may be changed in major towns/cities. American Express cheques are accepted but they do attract a low rate. If you can, forego this option. Note: A purchase receipt and a passport are often asked for by the bank and forex bureaus as proof of ownership.
Health and Medical Information
Travelers require a Yellow Fever inoculation more than 10 days prior to your departure otherwise you won't obtain a visa. The certificate will be checked on arrival in Uganda. On top of that it is also advised you get vaccinations for DTP, Hepatitis A and malaria. Some organizations may advice you to take Typhoid, Cholera, Hepatitis B and Rabies as well. Please consult your pharmacist/doctor.
Travel Insurance on tour
It’s highly recommended to have travel insurance that covers medical expenses, trip cancellation, lost luggage, and other unforeseen circumstances. Ensure that your insurance policy provides adequate coverage for your entire trip duration and the activities you plan to undertake, such as wildlife viewing and adventure sports.
Flights & Getting Around
If you need assistance with flight bookings, Travelers Link Africa offers an inflight service—simply share your travel dates, and we’ll take care of the rest!
