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 African Marsh Harrier, Yellow-throated Greenbul, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Yellow-billed Tinkerbird, Yellow-billed Ducks, Yellow-backed Weaver, Woodland Kingfisher, Wood Sandpiper, Winding Cisticola, White-winged Black Terns among others.

After lunch, take a stroll through the National Botanical Gardens, home to over 150 bird species. Look out out for the Verreaux's Eagle Owl, African Grey Parrot, Eastern Grey Plantain Eater, Black Headed Gonolek, Bare-faced Go-away Bird, Grey-capped Warbler, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Tooro Olive Greenbul, African Green Pigeon, Black Kite, Great Blue and Ross’s Turacos, as well as the Red-chested, Klaas’s, and Diederik Cuckoos among others. Later return to the guest house for relaxation.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Papyrus Guest House

Comfort Level: Midrange

Set off to Fort Portal on the Birding Safari in Uganda and Rwanda with stopovers at Papyrus Swamps for some birding sessions 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 Lodge

Comfort Level: Midrange

After breakfast, begin your day with an exciting birding expedition in the forest. Look out for notable species such as the Green Breasted Pitta, African Broadbill, African Pied Wagtail, Great Blue Turaco, Pin-tailed Whydah, 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, proceed to the Bigodi Sanctuary at the Magombe Swamp for a two-hour nature walk. This sanctuary boasts a rich avian diversity of over 200 species, including the Papyrus Gonolek and the impressive Great Blue Turaco. Look out for the Swamp Flycatcher, Hairy-breasted Barbet, Yellow-spotted Barbet, Yellow-billed, White-spotted Flufftail, Western Nicator, White-tailed Ant-thrush, as well as other species like the Grey-winged Robin-chat, Brown-backed Scrub-robin, Brown-eared Woodpecker, Grey Parrot, Bronze Sunbird, Black-crowned Waxbill, Blue-throated Roller, Black Bishop, White-breasted Negro Finch, and more.

Return to your accommodation for relaxation.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Turaco Treetops Lodge

Comfort Level: Midrange

Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park arriving in time for lunch at the camp on this 15 Days Birding Safari in Uganda. Later in the evening, you will have an evening game drive in the park searching for the first wildlife, including warthogs, buffaloes, waterbucks, and elephants. Queen Elizabeth NP is home to over 600 species.  The park’s confluence of savanna and forest, linking to the expansive forests of DR Congo allows visitors to spot East and Central African species.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Bush Lodge

Comfort Level: Midrange

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: Midrange

Today we drive through verdant countryside, you will pass traditional homesteads and enjoy panoramic views arriving in time for lunch 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: Mwebesa Guest House

Comfort Level: Midrange

Buhoma Sector in Bwindi has several birdwatching trails and you will be birding along the Water Fall Trail for 2-3 hours, a scenic birding spot with three picturesque waterfalls while searching for elusive forest species. During your hike, look out for the Chapin Flycatcher, Collared Apalis, Black-faced Apalis, Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Rwenzori Batis, Short-tailed Warbler, Kivu Ground Thrush, Purple-breasted Sunbird, and Rufous Flycatcher.

Have a picnic lunch and head out again for another birding session along the trail recommended by your birding guide.  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.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Mwebesa Guest House

Comfort Level: Midrange

After breakfast, depart for Kigali, arriving at the border crossing for entry processing into Rwanda. Upon completion, continue to your accommodation for relaxation.

Depending on your arrival time in Kigali, you may enjoy an introductory birding session at Nyarutarama Lake, located next to the Kigali Golf Course. This serene spot is home to a diverse array of bird species, offering excellent viewing opportunities.

Look out for the Yellow-billed Duck, Squacco Heron, White-faced Whistling Duck, Hottentot Teal, Red-billed Teal, African Spoonbill, Spur-winged Geese, Little Grebe, Common Moorhen, Hadada Ibis, Black Crake, Black Egret, Cattle Egret, and Black-headed Heron, among others.

On the lake’s eastern shore, the acacia woodlands attract Mountain Buzzards, various Swifts, Sunbirds, and other fascinating species. After your birdwatching experience, return to the hotel for further relaxation.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel Des Mille Collines

Comfort Level: Midrange

After breakfast at your hotel, begin your journey to Akagera National Park, arriving in time for check-in, relaxation, and lunch. Afterward, enjoy a bird-watching session along the marshy areas, where you may spot species such as Pied Crow, Veillot's Black Weavers, African Darter, and Great Egret, among others.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Akagera Game Lodge

Comfort Level: Midrange

After breakfast, spend the day exploring Akagera National Park, home to over 480 bird species across its savannah and woodland areas. Look out for special sightings, including the Red-faced Barbet, Northern Brown-throated Weaver, Papyrus Canary, Brown-Chested Lapwing, Caruthers's Cisticola, White-collared Olive back, and Grey-crowned Cranes, among many others.

In the afternoon, head to Lake Ihema for a scenic boat cruise. Here, you can look for the elusive Shoebill Stork, African Finfoot, Papyrus Gonolek, White-Winged Swamp Warbler, African Fish Eagle, Grey Crowned Crane, and African Openbill, adding to your incredible birding experience in this rich ecosystem.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Akagera Game Lodge

Comfort Level: Midrange

After breakfast, head back to Kigali, arriving in time for lunch. Later, head to the Nyabarongo Wetlands, a prime birding location just outside the city. Nyabarongo Wetland, home to a variety of bird species such as the Papyrus Gonolek, White-collared Olive Back, Madagascar Squacco Heron, White-winged Scrub Warbler, Papyrus Yellow Warbler, Northern Brown-throated Weaver, African Jacana, Long-toed Lapwing, African Openbill, Papyrus Canary, Caruthers’s Cisticola and African Marsh Harrier. The wetlands offer a unique birding experience, focusing on wetland and papyrus-loving birds.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Akagera Game Lodge

Comfort Level: Midrange

After breakfast, embark on your journey to Nyungwe National Park. The recommended birding trails include the Karamba Trail, Rangiro Road, and the Waterfall Trail.

After lunch, enjoy a birding session in Nyungwe Forest, where you’ll have the chance to spot frequently sighted species such as the Rwenzori Nightjar, White-tailed Crested Flycatcher, Kivu Ground Thrush, Handsome Francolin, Dwarf Honeyguide, Great Blue Turaco, Rwenzori Turaco, Montane Double Collared Sunbird, and Red-throated Alethe. Keep your eyes peeled for these incredible birds amidst the lush rainforest!

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Nyungwe Top View Hill Lodge

Comfort Level: Midrange

Nyungwe Forest National Park is home to around 300 bird species, with 27 of these being endemic to the Albertine Rift. The park features several excellent birding trails, including Bigugu, Gisakura, Karamba, and Kamiranozu.

Start your birding adventure on the 13 km Bigugu Trail, one of the best spots to observe the Red-collared Warbler. Be on the lookout for some of Nyungwe’s unique species, such as the Kungwe Apalis, Regal Sunbird, Red-collared Babbler, Rwenzori Turaco, Handsome Spurfowl, Rwenzori Batis, Grauer’s Swamp Warbler, and Blue-headed Sunbird.

Other notable species to spot include the Albertine Owlet, Congo Bay Owl, Shelley’s Crimsonwing, Dusky Crimsonwing, Rockefeller’s Sunbird, Handsome Francolin, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, Chestnut Owlet, White-headed Wood-hoopoe, and Olive and Elliot’s Woodpeckers.

On the Gisakura trails, keep an eye out for the Red-throated Alethe, Archer’s Robin-chat, and the elusive Kivu Ground Thrush.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Nyungwe Top View Hill Lodge

Comfort Level: Midrange

After breakfast, depart for Lake Kivu and arrive in time for lunch on your Birding Safari in Rwanda. Following lunch, head out on a boat cruise while continuing your birding adventure. Look out for large numbers of White-breasted Cormorants, Pied Kingfishers, Yellow-Bellied Waxbills, Familiar Chats, Brown-throated Wattle-eyes, and Spot-flanked Barbets. You may also spot an Osprey fishing during its migration.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Kivu Lodge

Comfort Level: Midrange

The drive from Lake Kivu in Gisenyi to Musanze takes about one hour. From there, head to Rugezi Swamp, Rwanda’s only RAMSAR wetland. This swamp is home to 194 bird species, including several globally threatened species and one endemic to the Albertine Rift.

Look out for the only Albertine Rift Endemic, the Grauer's Swamp Warbler. Other Species include Grey Crowned Crane, Caruthers's Cisticola, Papyrus Canary, and the Papyrus Yellow Warbler. Afterward, make your way to Volcanoes National Park, where you can relax at your accommodation and unwind for the evening.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Mountains Gorilla View Lodge

Comfort Level: Midrange

After breakfast, set off on your birdwatching safari in Volcanoes National Park, home to over 200 bird species, with 16 being endemic to the Virunga mountains. Look out for unique species such as the Archer’s Ground Robin, Grauer’s Rush Warbler, Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, Black and White Mannikin, Rwenzori Batis, White-Tailed Blue Flycatcher, and more.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Mountains Gorilla View Lodge

Comfort Level: Midrange

After breakfast, head back to Kigali, arriving in time for check-in, relaxation, and lunch.

Depending on your flight details, you may visit Mount Kigali, the largest hill in the city, which boasts a forested summit—a great birding spot. Here, you can observe birds like the African Paradise Flycatcher, White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher, Southern Black Flycatcher, Red-chested Cuckoo, Green-backed Camaroptera, Thick-billed Seedeater, Tropical Boubou, Northern Puffback, Common Bulbul, Bronze Mannikin, and Yellow-fronted Canary.

Later head to the airport for your own ward flight back home.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch