Uganda Birding Safari

Quick Facts

Days

8

Takes you to

Entebbe, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi Forest, and Lake Mburo

SAFARI OVERVIEW OF

Uganda Birding Safari

Uganda stands out as one of Africa’s most prolific birding destinations, boasting an impressive diversity of over 1,090 bird species. This makes Uganda a true paradise for bird enthusiasts, with half of all African bird species found within its borders. Among these are 24 Albertine Endemics, including the rare Fox’s Weaver, which is exclusive to Uganda.

This 8 Day Uganda Birding Safari features the Albertine Endemics showcasing Uganda’s unique avian biodiversity. Each of these birds contributes to Uganda’s reputation as a haven for birdwatchers seeking both rare and common species alike.

Journey through Uganda’s varied landscapes, from dense rainforests to tranquil wetlands, and witness firsthand the breathtaking beauty of these avian treasures.

SAFARI HIGHLIGHTS

Explore the Important Birding Areas in Uganda

Promote the protection of habitats, endangered Albertine endemics, and birding to preserve Uganda’s birdlife for future generations.
Our guides follow responsible practices to minimize habitat and nesting disturbances, ensuring a positive impact on wildlife.
Experienced local guides enrich your journey while supporting community livelihoods.
Midrange lodges that support local communities and promote responsible travel.

DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1: Entebbe / Kampala – Queen Elizabeth Park

Today you will be picked up from your place of overnight stay and head to Queen Elizabeth National Park with a stopover at the Equator and lunch at Igongo Cultural Center arriving in the evening for relaxation. 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: Bush Lodge | Comfort Level: Mid-range

Day 2: Maramagambo Forest & Boat Cruise

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.

The Black and Penduline Tits, Nubian Woodpecker, 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 | Accommodation: Bush Lodge | Comfort Level: Mid-range

Day 3: Queen Elizabeth - Bwindi -Buhoma Sector

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.

Other birds include 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; Mountain-masked and Collared Apalis; Mountain and Yellow-streaked Greenbul; and Many-colored Bush-Shrike, among others.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner | Accommodation: Haven Lodge | Comfort Level: Mid-range

Day 4: Munyanga Waterfall Trail – Ruhija Sector

After breakfast, embark on a thrilling 3-hour birding expedition along the Munyaga Waterfall Trail. Keep your eyes peeled for a diverse array of bird species, numbering between 40 to 50, such as Bee-Eaters, Bar-tailed Trogon, various Tinkerbirds, Wood-hoopoes, Barbets, Woodpeckers, African Broadbill, assorted Greenbuls, White-bellied Robin-Chat, Red-throated Alethe, Brown-capped Weaver.

Other bird species include Chapin’s Flycatcher, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, 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, and many others.

After this rewarding birding experience, enjoy lunch before continuing to the Ruhija Sector of Bwindi National Park.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner | Accommodation: Bakiga Lodge | Comfort Level: Mid-range

Day 5: Bwindi Forest – Ruhija Sector

Head 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, Bushrike, Collared Apalis, Rwenzori Turaco, Western Green Tinkerbird, Olive, Elliot’s and Fine-banded Woodpecker, African Green-Broadbill, Mountain, Yellow whiskered.

Other species include Yellow-streaked Greenbul, African Hill Babbler, Mountain Illadopsis, Grey Cuckoo Shrike Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Grauer’s Warbler, Mountain Yellow Warbler, Chestnut-throated Apalis, Collared Apalis, Stripe-breasted Tit, Rwenzori Batis, Montane Sooty Boubou, Blue-Headed Sunbird. Later head back to camp.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner | Accommodation: Bakiga Lodge | Comfort Level: Mid-range

Day 6: Bwindi -Lake Mburo Park – Boat Cruise

After breakfast, we depart the impenetrable forest of Bwindi and head to Lake Mburo National Park on the 15 Days Birding Safari in Uganda.

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: Mpogo Safari Lodge | Comfort Level: Mid-range

Day 7: Kigambira Loop Birding – Entebbe

After breakfast, you will have a game drive while birding along the Kigambira loop. Looking out for the savanna and Acacia woodland species that include the Blue-napped Mousebirds, Spot-flanked Barbet, Nubian Woodpecker, Red-Faced Barbet, Read 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

Day 8: Mabamba Swamp- Departure

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, Wood Sandpiper, Winding Cisticola, White-winged Warbler, White-winged Black Terns 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 8 Days Uganda Birding Safari.

Included in the Uganda Birding Safari

Ground transportation in a safari customized 4WD Toyota Landcruiser with gasoline/fuel
Birding Nature Walks
Drinking water / refillable water bottle
English-speaking Birding Guide
Accommodation and Meals
All Park Entrance Fees.

Excluded in the Uganda Birding Safari

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, 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!