28 days hardcore birding tour in Uganda

Arrival in Uganda, meet your bird guide and transfer to Nkima Forest Lodge in Nkima Forest which is a small patch of forest on a hill overlooking Mabamba wetlands. Depending on your flight you may do some afternoon birding in Nkima Forest. The Nkima Forest provides good chances at the White-spotted Flufftail that has become its special. The Green Sunbird is a resident seen in flowering plants near the main house of the lodge.

Alternatively, you can spend the first hours of your early arrival in Uganda birding in the Entebbe Botanical Gardens. The Botanical Gardens are now the best place to see the Bat Hawk and Orange Weavers.

Accommodation: Nkima Forest Lodge (midrange)

Meal plan: Lunch, Dinner

Have early breakfast and go birding in the Mabamba wetlands which are situated a few minutes’ drive from Nkima Forest Lodge. Up to 260 birds species have been recorded in Mabamba, and these include a number of Lake Victoria biome restricted species and several swamp specials. Taking a local motorized boat, you shall explore the papyrus wetlands to record many water birds. Top on the list is the famous Shoebill. You will also make an effort to look for the Lesser Jacana as one of the specials here.

After about 3 – 4 hours of birding in Mabamba wetland you shall leave for Mabira forest, where you will continue with evening birding to look for nocturnal species (owls). Mabira forest is the biggest forest in the central region of Uganda. It has a bird list of about 316 species and offers may forest specials, including 74 out of the 144 Guinea – Congo Forests biome species recorded in Uganda.

Accommodation: Rainforest Lodge Mabira (midrange)

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today will be spent birding in Mabira Forest, ticking off many forest birds. Some of the specials include Narina Trogon, Forest Woodhoopoe, Uganda Woodland Warbler, Blue-throated Brown Sunbird, Forest Robin, Brown-chested Alethe, Green-tailed Bristlebill, etc…

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Early checkout and leave for Mt. Elgon National Park with a stop in Jinja to visit the Source of the Nile where you take a boat trip on Lake Victoria to visit the source of the Nile and pick some water birds as well (lots of Cormorants).

You will continue and spend the night at the Sipi Falls in the foothills of Mt. Elgon.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today you shall spend the day birding in Mount Elgon National Park. About 300 species have been recorded in Mountain Elgon National Park which includes 56 out of the 87 Afrotropical highland biome species and 40 restricted range species.

You will check in at the Kapkwai office and right away go into the forest with top on list being the Spotted Creeper and Hartlaub’s Turaco.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

You will check out of the hotel by 6am and travel to Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve, located only one hour’s drive from Sipi. Pian Upe kick-starts your birding in the sem-arid Karamoja region (north eastern Uganda). North-eastern Uganda shares a bit of the Somali – Masai biome and therefore has many species not found in other parts of Uganda.

Pian Upe is very significant as the best place, so far, to find the Foxy’s Weaver, one of Uganda’s only two endemic birds. The second of endemics, the Karamoja Apalis, can also be spotted here too.

Overnight in Pian Upe at KOS Hunter’s Camp

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

You will spend a couple more hours in the morning birding in Pian Upe before leaving for Moroto town – the regional capital of Karamoja, for the overnight. Moroto town provides the comfortable stay in a hotel when going to bird in Matheniko – Bokora Wildlife Reserve. Otherwise you can continue and camp in the wildlife for a richer birding experience.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

You will set off by 6 – 7am to Matheniko for a full day of birding. The Moroto – Kotido highway to the reserve is a very rich and will be part of your birding trail for the day. The Red-and-yellow Barbet plus many other barbets, raptors, buffalo-weavers, and sparrow-weavers, will be spotted on your way to Matheniko – Bokora Wildlife Reserve. The reserve is also another place to look for the Karamoja Apalis.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today you set off by 7am for Kidepo Valley National Park via the Moroto – Kotido highway which presents another opportunity to bird along this rich stretch and will surely tick off some new species. The Yellow-necked Spurfowl may be spotted crossing the dirt road.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today you shall have a full day of birding in Kidepo Valley National Park. Kidepo home to more than 475 species has been the pinnacle of birding in north eastern Uganda which provides the Somali – Masai biome species.

For a long time Kidepo was the known place to see the Karamoja Apalis.

Other keys species include Stone Patridge, Black-breasted Barbet, Clapperton’s Spurfowl, White-crested Turaco, Jackson’s Hornbill, Rose-ringed Parakeet, etc…

Today will be spent around the lush Narus Valley that is also filled with a lot of animals.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today is another day of birding in Kidepo National Park. You will go deeper into the park to the drier Kidepo Valley.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today you set off at 6.30am and travel to Murchison Falls National Park. This is an 8 hour drive hence it is important to leave earlier so as to get to Murchison Falls National Park earlier and have a bit of time to relax or have some evening birding in the savannah

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today is a full day in Murchison Falls National Park of birding and mammal watching. Murchison Falls National Park is Uganda’s biggest park and the prime destination for big game viewing.

You will start with a morning boat trip on the Nile to Delta point which is very great for water birding. The delta is another spot to see the Shoebill. After the boat trip you will continue with a drive in the savannah and tick off several birds of the savannah.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today you start with a drive through the savannah ticking off several birds and continue to the Top of the Murchison Falls where you will take in the sight of the world’s strongest waterfalls. You will also be able to tick off the Rock Pratincole as this been the best known place to spot it.

You will proceed out of the park and transfer to Masindi town for the overnight (via the Albertine rift valley escarpment that will provide some species).

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today you shall have a whole day birding in Budongo Forest which is the biggest forest in Uganda and East Africa. Budongo is home to about 360 bird species, of which 2 species are not found anywhere else in East Africa. You will take on the “Royal Mile” the main birding trail in Budongo forest. Key birds include Ituri Batis, Puvel’s illadopsis, African Paradise Flycatcher, White-thighed Hornbill, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, etc…

Return to Masindi town for dinner and overnight

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today you will travel to Semuliki National Park. Due to limited accommodations in Semuliki you will overnight in Fort Portal town which is about 2 hours drive from Semuliki. The only available accommodation are two extremes of a very budget run by the park or the luxurious Semuliki Safari Lodge

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Set off at 6am and travel to Semuliki National Park for a full day of birding. Situated on the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, Semuliki National Park protects the Ituri forest of central Africa which brings central African species into East Africa. You bird along the Kirumia trail which is the most popular trail in Semuliki. Top of on the list of birds to spot in Semuliki is the African Piculet and other species of the central Africa which cannot be found anywhere else in East Africa.

Later you shall drive to Kibale Forest National Park.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

You will have an early morning set off into Kibale Forest national Park. Kibale forest is home to about 375 birds species that have been recorded so far. One of the highlights of Kibale is the Green-breasted Pitta.

You will return from Kibale National Park in the afternoon.

After lunch you shall go for a walk in Bigodi wetlands which is quite productive as well.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today you shall transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda’s second largest park. You will go out to explore the plains and tick off a number of savannah species as you spot some big game too.

Optional activity: You can do the chimpanzee tracking tour in Kibale National Park in the morning before driving to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

At 6.30am you will head off into the savannah for the game drive and for the next 4 hours you will be ticking off several birds and spotting big game. You will break off for early lunch and at 2pm be on the boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, a 32km stream of water joining lakes Edward and George. The channel is an oasis of birds hosting hundreds of species along the shores. A good place to spot the African Skimmer in action!

After early breakfast, you may spend a couple more hours in the park before setting off to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park which is ranked by the African Bird Club as the number one birding destination in Africa. Bwindi is home to 23 of the 24 Albertine rift endemics found in Uganda.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

You will start with the gorilla tracking adventure in Bwindi Impenetrable Natonal Park which hosts close to half of the world’s mountain gorillas. Meet your park guides at 7am for briefing and set off into the jungle to find the gorillas.

Depending on what time you return from the gorilla tracking you may continue with birding in the forest.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today you have a whole day of birding in Bwindi forest. You will descend into the Mubwindi Swamp to look for the African Green Broadbill, an Albertine rift endemic that is number one on the list of birds to see in Bwindi Forest. You will tick off a number of Albertine rift endemics and many forest specials.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today you will spend the morning birding in Bwindi forest and after lunch drive to Mgahinga National Park which protects a part of the Virunga mountain ranges that sprawl on the Ugandan side.

Mgahinga National Park, the smallest of Uganda’s parks has a bird list of more than 180 species. Top on the list of the birds to see is the Rwenzori Turaco, the only Albertine rift endemic which is not found in Bwindi forest. So, this extension to Mgahinga is primarily to add this stunning bird on the list of the endemics spotted.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Leave your hotel by 6am and transfer to the park to meet the park guide and start you birding in the Virunga mountains to look for the Rwenzori Turaco.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast you shall check out and transfer to Lake Mburo National Park. Lake Mburo National park is the small savanna park in Uganda. The park will breakdown your journey back to Kampala/Entebbe but also offer a rewarding birding and safari experience.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

You will set out for early morning and safari in lake Mburo national Park. Lake Mburo national park has an impressive bird list of about 350 species and many mammals.

In the afternoon you shall go for the a boat cruise on Lake Mburo to spot some birds species. The African Finfoot is the most sought after bird on the lake.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today you shall transfer to the airport for your flight.

Depending on your flight schedule, if you will be departing in the night, you can spend an hour at the Botanical Gardens in Entebbe and tick off the  Bat Hawk and Orange Weaver which are well spotted here.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch