17-Day Bird-watching Safari in Uganda; Spot 600+ Species

Habitat: Extensive papyrus swamp, open water channels, and secondary lowland tropical rainforest.

The Schedule: Early in the morning, we will head out and board a traditional wooden motorized canoe to navigate the narrow channels of Mabamba Swamp. Experienced local site guide will maneuver the watercraft silently through the papyrus stands to locate the prehistoric-looking Shoebill. After this marsh exploration, we will leave the swamp behind and drive east through the outskirts of Kampala to Mabira Forest, arriving in time for an evening forest edge walk.

Target Species: Shoebill, Lesser Jacana, African Pygmy-Goose, Malachite Kingfisher, Swamp Flycatcher, Papyrus Gonolek, Long-toed Lapwing, Purple Swamphen, Weyns’s Weaver, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, and Nahan’s Partridge.

Accommodation: (Rainforest Lodge Mabira-Midrange Level) | Meals: Lunch, Dinner | Transfer time: Approx. 1 hour.

Habitat: Primary and secondary moist semi-deciduous tropical rainforest transitioning to agricultural countryside and tea estates.

The Schedule: A quick breakfast at the Forest Lodge and then, we are off to spend the first half of the day birding the extensive trail system of Mabira Forest, focusing on forest canopy dwellers and undergrowth skulkers. After an early lunch, we will embark on a long but scenic westbound drive across Uganda’s rolling hills and tea plantations to the primate-rich forests of Kibale National Park. Our overnight is at the edge of Kibale NP.

Target Species: Forest Wood-hoopoe, African Shrike-flycatcher, Tit Hylia, Jameson’s Wattle-eye, Yellow-mantled Weaver, Purple-throated Cuckoo-shrike, Forest Robin, Superb Sunbird, Yellow-spotted Barbet, and Hairy-breasted Barbet.

Accommodation: (Chimpanzee Capital Safari Lodge-Budget Level) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Transfer time: Approx. 6-7 hours.

Habitat: Medium-altitude moist evergreen rainforest, mature canopy trees, dense secondary growth forest edges, and a community-managed papyrus swamp and boardwalk system.

The Schedule: Wake up before dawn for a highly focused, silent trek into the forest interior to catch the display of the rare Green-breasted Pitta. Once the sun rises, the focus will shift to joining a tracking group to locate a community of wild Chimpanzees, spending the remainder of the morning observing them as they feed in the canopy and socialize on the forest floor. Keep the binoculars ready for canopy birds.  We will return for lunch and a little repose before heading down to the Bigodi wetland. Navigating via wooden boardwalks and dirt paths around the swamp edge, we will seek out colorful turacos and various forest-edge birds, while encountering multiple species of diurnal primates like the Red Colobus and Grey-cheeked Mangabey.

Target Species: Green-breasted Pitta, African Pitta (rare migrant), Western Bronze-naped Pigeon, White-naped Pigeon, Abyssinian Ground-Thrush, Black-eared Ground-Thrush, and Scaly-breasted Illadopsis, Great Blue Turaco, White-spotted Flufftail, Papyrus Gonolek, Western Nicator, Yellow-spotted Barbet, Brown-throated Wattle-eye.

Accommodation: (Chimpanzee Capital Safari Lodge-Budget Level) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Transfer time: n/a.

Habitat: Mountainous forest edge, dramatic Albertine Rift drop-off roads, and lowland ironwood-dominated riverine forest.

He Schedule: This morning, we shall depart Kibale (about 6:30am) for a drive winding down the dramatic Albertine Rift Escarpment into the scorching hot depths of the Semliki Valley. Upon arrival at Semuliki National Park, we will take an introductory Sempaya Trail (Half Day), 8-kilometer loop that serves as the perfect introduction to Semuliki’s lowland rainforest. This trail is highly productive because it cuts through a diverse range of forest strata—from thick, swampy oil-palm valleys to mature ironwood canopy blocks—before culminating at the famous boiling geysers. Finally, we will exit and make the short drive back to our accommodation.

Target Species: Piping Hornbill, Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill, White-crested Hornbill, Spot-breasted Ibis, Crested Malimbe, Blue-billed Malimbe, Fiery-breasted Bush-shrike, Swamp Palm Bulbul, and Black-winged Oriole. 

Accommodation: (UWA Banda [En suite]-Budget Level) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Transfer Time: 2.5 hours.

Habitat: Lowland tropical rainforest (the easternmost extension of the vast Ituri/Congo Basin Forest ecosystem).

The Schedule: We dedicate a full day to birding the famous Kirumia Trail. This trail is legendary for Central African species found nowhere else in East Africa. Because this trail isolates you inside pristine, mature Guinea-Congo lowland rainforest, it provides the exact micro-habitats needed to cross off these challenging West African specialties. Walk slowly and patiently through the dense forest undergrowth and your world will come alive. Late in the afternoon, exit the park and drive south to the town of Kasese at the base of the Rwenzori Mountains.

Target Species: Black Dwarf Kingfisher, Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, White-thighed Hornbill, Black-casqued Wattled Hornbill, Grant’s Bluebill, Red-bellied Malimbe, Yellow-throated Cuckoo, Lyre-tailed Honeyguide, Zenker’s Honeyguide, and Chestnut-breasted Negrofinch, Fraser’s Ant-thrush, Nkulengu Rail (for early-risers).

Accommodation: (Trekkers Hostel Kasese-Budget Level) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Transfer Time: 2.5 hours.

Habitat: Afro-montane forest belt, steep river valleys, and dense bamboo zones.

The Schedule: Breakfast, and we will move to the Kyanjuki trailhead in the Rwenzori Mountains National Park. Meet your mountain guides and porters to begin a steep hike up into the Rwenzori range. We will tackle the standard first leg of the Kilembe Trail, taking a slow, focused approach to look for endemic birds. This segment transitions sharply from open valley floors into the dense canopy of the Afro-Montane Forest Zone, making it one of the premier birding stretches, birding along the paths and around the moss-covered trees up to Sine Hut.

Target Species: Rwenzori Turaco, Handsome Francolin, Rwenzori Batis, Strange Weaver, Stripe-breasted Tit, Evergreen Forest Warbler, Montane Masked Apalis, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, and Mountain Yellow Warbler.

Accommodation: (Sine Hut-Basic Mountain Hut) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Trek Time: Approx. 7 hours

Habitat: High-altitude bamboo forests, heather zones, and marshy montane valleys blanketed in giant lobelias and hanging moss.

The Schedule: Today, we continue our trek upward through the enchanting heather and bamboo zones. Take a lunch break at Kalalama Camp before traversing the ridge toward Samalira Camp. This high-altitude trek exposes you to hyper-specialized alpine and montane avian life that thrives in cold, misty conditions.

Target Species: Regal Sunbird, Blue-headed Sunbird, Rwenzori Hill Babbler, Archer’s Robin-Chat, Slender-billed Starling, Mountain Illadopsis, and Alpine Swift.

Accommodation: (Samalira Camp-Basic Mountain Hut) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Trek Time: Approx. 7 hours.

Habitat: Montane ridges dropping down into dry, open acacia savannah, Euphorbia thickets, and crater lakes.

The Schedule: Today, we wrap up our high-altitude birding with a trek back down the Rwenzori slopes to the base at Kyanjuki. Say goodbye to your mountain crew, board the safari vehicle, and transition to the classic, sprawling African savannah habitats of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Enter the park with a late afternoon game drive through the savannah as the sun sets over the Rwenzori backdrop. This journey offers a massive contrast in landscapes and opens up opportunities to spot over 100 new, low-altitude bird species in a single afternoon.

Target Species (Queen): African Crake, Harlequin Quail, Red-necked Francolin, Martial Eagle, Temminck’s Courser, Ruppell’s Griffon Vulture, and Black-headed Gonolek.

Accommodation: (Enshama Game Lodge-Budget Level) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Transfer Time: Approx. 1hr to 1.5 hour.

Habitat: Open grassy plains, thorny acacia woodlands, brackish crater lakes, Open water channel, muddy banks, lakeside cliffs.

The Schedule: This morning we will starts with a sunrise game drive across the Kasenyi Plains to bird the open grasslands, where ground-dwelling birds and grassland raptors congregate around large herds of Uganda Kob. In the afternoon, we will switch to a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel. This water safari brings you within feet of riverbanks crowded with hippos, crocodiles, elephants, and thousands of resident and migratory waterbirds resting on the mudflats. After an extensive day of sighting, we shall retreat for dinner and overnight.

Target Species: African Skimmer, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher, Gull-billed Tern, White-winged Tern, Saddle-billed Stork, African Fish Eagle, Bateleur, Black-bellied Bustard, Flappet Lark, and African Wattled Lapwing.

Accommodation: (Enshama Game Lodge-Budget Level) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Transfer Time: n/a.

Habitat: Medium-altitude moist semi-deciduous forest, volcanic crater lakes, transitioning into steep, primary montane rainforest.

The Schedule: We will spend the morning hiking under the shaded canopy of Maramagambo Forest, visiting the bat caves and looking for rare forest interior birds. Afterward, we will begin a dramatic, bumpy, yet breathtaking drive through the rolling hills of the Kigezi highlands, entering the northern Buhoma sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. We will either check in and relax or go birding in the surrounding area before dinner.

Target Species: Black-bee-eater, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Yellow-bill, Shining-blue Kingfisher, Narina Trogon, African Emerald Cuckoo, Cassin’s Flycatcher, White-tailed Ant-Thrush, and Red-throated Wryneck.

Accommodation: (Buhoma Community Rest Camp-Budget Level) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Transfer Time: Approx. 5 hours.

Habitat: Primary sub-montane tropical rainforest, dense tangled vine undergrowth, steep ridges, and rushing mountain streams at the lower northern edge of the park.

The Schedule: Breakfast, and our morning begins at the park’s Visitors’ Information Center for a briefing before venturing into the dense jungle to track a habituated family of Mountain Gorillas. While the primary focus will be navigating the rough, trackless terrain alongside park rangers to spend an hour with the primates, you will keep your binoculars ready for canopy birds. In the late afternoon, we will embark on a dedicated birding walk along the Buhoma waterfall trail or Ivy’s trail, focusing heavily on understory skulkers and forest floor specialists.

Target Species: Bar-tailed Trogon, Kivu Ground-Thrush, Ansorge’s Greenbul, Equatorial Akalat, White-bellied Robin-Chat, Banded Prinia, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, and Luhder’s Bush-shrike.

Accommodation: (Buhoma Community Rest Camp-Budget Level) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Transfer Time: n/a.

Habitat: Riverine forest valleys, roadside forest canopies, and high-altitude montane ridge forest.

The Schedule: We will check out and bird our way through “The Neck,” a narrow corridor of forest connecting the northern and southern sectors of Bwindi. As we wind through the valley along the rushing river, the elevation rises sharply, taking us into the cooler, high-altitude Ruhija sector where Albertine Rift endemics thrive. While in Ruhija, we will spend the later section of the day birding the area around the accommodation. Return to the facility to freshen up, enjoy dinner and the overnight rest.

Target Species: Black Bee-eater, African Black Duck, Cassin’s Flycatcher, Strange Weaver, Doherty’s Bush-shrike, and Mountain Wagtail.

Accommodation: (Broadbill Forest Camp-Budget Level) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Transfer Time: Approx. 2 hours.

Habitat: Ancient, high-altitude afro-montane rainforest, steep valleys with thick understory, and a specialized peat-bog papyrus swamp floor situated at roughly 2,300 meters above sea level.

The Schedule: A quick breakfast and we head out for Albertine Rift endemics. This is a physically demanding day featuring an intensive trek down the steep, forested slopes of Ruhija to the remote Mubwindi Swamp. You will hike along narrow, muddy forest trails under a dense canopy, stopping frequently to inspect multi-species bird flocks (bird parties) moving through the undergrowth. The trek requires patience and steady footing as you search for globally threatened Albertine Rift endemics before returning to the vehicle and drive south through the scenic terraced hills to the accommodation overlooking Lake Mutanda.

Target Species: African Green Broadbill, Grauer’s Swamp Warbler, Rwenzori Apalis, Mountain Masked Apalis, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Blue-headed Sunbird, Regal Sunbird, and Archer’s Robin-Chat.

Accommodation: (Mutanda Lake Resort-Midrange Level) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Transfer Time: Approx. 1.5 to 2 hours.

Habitat: Bamboo forest belts, hyper-dense montane woodland, and high-altitude alpine moorland set against volcanic slopes.

The Schedule: Following a quick breakfast, we will drive off to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, located on the slopes of the dramatic Virunga Volcanoes. This full-day trek focuses strictly on high-altitude Afro-montane specialists and Albertine Rift endemics along a deep, forested valley. We will hike along the George Trail through the dense bamboo zone. This park offers access to several Albertine Rift endemics that are difficult or impossible to find in Bwindi. After a great sighting, we will return to our base and take some rest.

Target Species: Rwenzori Double-collared Sunbird, Handsome Francolin, Rwenzori Turaco, Scarlet-tufted Malachite Sunbird, Cape Robin-Chat, Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, Streaky Seedeater.

Accommodation: (Mutanda Lake Resort-Midrange Level) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Transfer Time: Approx. 45 minutes to/from.

Habitat: Deep montane lakeshores transitioning to dry, rolling acacia savannah, rocky hillsides, and a small pocket of closed-canopy forest.

The Schedule: A quick breakfast and we will be leaving the volcanic highlands behind and drive east toward Lake Mburo National Park, Uganda’s smallest savannah park. Upon arrival, we will take a guided walk through the localized, shady canopy of Rubanga Forest. Unlike the expansive montane forests of Bwindi or Mgahinga, Rubanga is a small, compact pocket of forest. Because it is surrounded by dry savannah, it acts as an ecological island, drawing in specialized forest birds that cannot survive in the open grasslands. In other words, this forest patch provides a unique refuge for forest species within a broader savannah landscape.

Target Species: Red-faced Barbet, Long-tailed Cuckoo, Green-backed Woodpecker, Greater Honeyguide, Narina Trogon, White-winged Tit, and Lead-colored Flycatcher, Green Pigeon, Grey-backed Cameroptera, Red-headed Bluebill and the loud Harrier Hawk.

Accommodation: (Eagles’ Nest Mburo-Budget Level) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Transfer Time: Approx. 5 hours.

Habitat: Papyrus-lined lake fringes, acacia-dotted hills, wetland channels, and open grasslands.

The Schedule: This morning we shall take the walking trail along the swampy fringes of Lake Mburo to target localized wetland and acacia-associated birds. After a rewarding morning, we will begin the drive back toward Kampala, stopping at the Equator crossing for photos and souvenirs, before arriving at Entebbe International Airport for a flight out (recommended for 19:00hr or later). Thank you for travelling with us. The End. Thank you for choosing and travelling with us (Home to Africa).

Target Species: African Finfoot, Red-faced Barbet, Rufous-bellied Heron, Papyrus Yellow Warbler, Tabora Cisticola, and Coqui Francolins, Red-headed Lovebird, and Bare-faced Go-away-bird.

Accommodation: Recommended on request | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch | Transfer Time: Approx. 4 hours.