20 Days Uganda Safari

Our driver will pick you up from Entebbe International Airport (15 minutes) and check you in at your hotel within Entebbe. You'll meet with your trip specialist for a briefing just before dinner.

Papyrus Guesthouse has a few resident birds twittering in the garden trees, making for a great introduction to Entebbe's birdlife. Occasional appearances come from the Yellow Wagtail, Northern Brown-throated Weaver, lizard buzzard, Great Blue Turaco, Eastern Grey Plantain Eater, White-throated Bee-eater, Crowned Hornbill, and Black-and-white Casqued Hornbill.

Accommodation: Papyrus Guest House (Garden room)

Meal Plan: Bed & Breakfast basis; Lunch & Dinner on own’s

After an early breakfast, your first bird-watching expedition in Uganda will be out on a canoe to the Mabamba Wetlands on the shores of Lake Victoria. Mabamba, a Ramsar-protected wetland, is one of the few remaining swamps in the country in the hands of the local communities. It is an extensive papyrus swamp with a labyrinth of channels and lagoons. It is home to the prehistoric shoebill giant bird, Uganda's most famous avian resident. This charismatic monotypic species is undoubtedly among the most sought-after birds in Africa.

Today, we'll make special efforts to find the shoebills by paddling through the channels by boat. There will, of course, be a good selection of classic East African water birds to observe along the way, like Pink-backed Pelican, Long-tailed Cormorant, Squacco Heron, Yellow-billed Duck, Malachite Kingfisher, Long-toed Plover, Blue-headed Coucal, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, etc.

Bird your way back to Entebbe looking out for birds like the African open billed Stork, Grey Kestrel, African Green Pigeon, Great Blue Turaco, Ross's Turaco, Red-headed Lovebird, Swifts, Sunbirds, Weavers, and Finches, among other birds.

Accommodation: Papyrus Guest House (Garden room)
Meal Plan: Bed & Breakfast basis; Lunch & Dinner on own’s account

With an early morning breakfast, transfer to Ziwa Rhino sanctuary, an asylum to the Rhinos. Enjoy a glimpse of the white Rhino, continue to the Royal Mile, enjoy the view and some birding around the vicinity and the road. Have lunch and then transfer to Murchison falls National Park.

Along the way, we will no doubt find plenty of good birds. There are areas of moist grasslands and swamps where species such as Banded Snake-Eagle, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Green-backed Eremomela, Black Bishop, Yellow-shouldered and Marsh widowbirds occur. Dry woodlands further north will provide our best chance of finding the unusual, Yellow-billed Shrike and Yellow-bellied Hyliota.

Murchison Falls National Park is at the northern end of the Albertine Rift Valley, where the sweeping Bunyoro escarpment tumbles into the vast palm-dotted savannah, the park is bisected by the Victoria Nile. The “mythical” river plunges here 45m from the rift valley wall thus creating the dramatic Murchison Falls, centrepiece of the park and final “event” in an 80km stretch of rapids. The mighty cascade drains the last energies from the river and transforms it into a broad placid stream flowing quietly across the rift valley floor into Lake Albert. This stretch of river provides one of Uganda's most remarkable wildlife spectacles.

Accommodation: Murchison River lodge (Thatched cottages) - Mid range

Fort Murchison (Standard Room) - Standard

Meal Plan – Full-board

After an early breakfast with your packed lunch, your driver will proceed down to Budongo Forest to explore the birds of the Royal mile, not far from the Murchison Falls National Park's southern entrance.

The mythical Royal Mile in Budongo Forest can elicit a birder's knowing smile and satisfied grin once they step into its wooded space. It opens the door to some of Uganda's most pristine forest habitats. Massive mahoganies, ironwoods, and figs contrive to create the kind of sky-high, neck-cramping canopy tiny songbird’s favour. The lush Underwoods support a multitude of different ecological niches yet still afford good sightlines to spy the species within. Basically, this area promises the very best of forest birding.

The birding action begins as soon as you enter the woodland with cracker sightings like the Uganda Woodland-Warbler, Rufous-crowned Eremomela, African Forest-Flycatcher, and the highly localized White-thighed Hornbill.

The charismatic but furtive Chocolate-backed Kingfisher commands the most interest from birders on the Royal Mile; kingfishers rule this trail. Nonetheless, look out for tasty birds like the rare Lemon-bellied Crombecs, Crowned Eagle, Magpie Mannikin, Red-chested Cuckoo, and a spate of sunbirds and greenbuls.

Primates like Blue Monkey, Red-tailed Monkey, and Black and white Colobus Monkey may cross your path on the Royal Mile.

Accommodation: Murchison River lodge (Thatched cottages) - Mid range Fort Murchison (Standard Room) - Standard

Meal Plan – Full-board

Full day dedicated to the discovery of this unique national park.

Early morning game drive en route to the Victoria Nile Delta for a boat trip in this spectacular area teeming with birds and wildlife - several endemic species like the Rothschild's giraffe, the Shoebill stork and the red-throated bee-eater. Water level permitting, short walk accompanied  by the ranger guide.

In the afternoon, enjoy a game drive in search for more bird species.

Accommodation: Murchison River lodge (Thatched cottages) - Mid range

Fort Murchison (Standard Room) - Standard

Meal Plan – Full-board

After an early breakfast, you'll join your safari driver for a sunrise game drive on the southern tracks to catch the early risers at their best games.

Take advantage of birding in this animal-rich national reserve and see some safari favorites up close. Although it may not have the rhino, the other big five are present in Murchison Falls National Park. Buffalo and elephants are common sightings on the plains. A healthy population of lions patrols the abundant Uganda kob herds. Many antelopes are found here, including oribi, Jackson's hartebeest, defassa waterbuck, grey duiker, and bushbuck. You'll be back at the camp for lunch and out again later.

After lunch, transfer to Paraa northern bank for the boat trip up to the bottom of the fall, where it is possible to view hundreds of hippos, crocodiles, and various bird life.

Look out for birds like Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Black-headed Plover, Rock Pratincole, Swallow-tailed Bee-Eater, Red-throated Bee-eater, Black-billed Barbet, Spotted Morning Thrush, Speckle fronted Weaver, White-browed Sparrow Weaver among other birds. Look out for mammals like the graceful Roth child Giraffe, Jackson's Hartebeest, Uganda Kob, Defassa Waterbuck, Buffaloes, Elephants, Warthog, Hippos, Oribi, and when lucky, a leopard and Lion, among others.

Accommodation: Murchison River lodge (Thatched cottages) - Mid range 

Fort Murchison (Standard Room) - Standard

Meal Plan: Full-board

Have an early breakfast, enjoy another game drive. View more game as you catch them from their hunt expeditions before driving to Kibale. Proceed via the Escarpment, enjoy the land scape and look out for different bird species like the African Crowned Eagle, Heuglin’s Francolin, Yellow-shouldered and Red-collared Widowbird, Brown Twinspot, Red-backed and Brown-backed Scrub-Robin.

You will then set off to Semliki National Park. This day will be a long driving day of 7-9 hours; we will have numerous stops to view different bird species encountered along the way.

Accommodation:Semuliki Safari Lodge (Safari Standard) – Mid Range

Meal Plan: All-inclusive

The Semliki Valley has an impressive bird-watching checklist, which includes many birding specials like Abyssinian ground hornbill, African crake, African pygmy goose, Black-billed barbet, Blue-breasted bee-eater, Black-chinned quail finch, Black coucal, Broad-billed roller, Double-toothed barbet, Green wood-hoopoe, Leaf-love, Marsh tchagra, Moustached grass-warbler, Pennant-winged nightjar, Piapiac, Red-necked falcon, Red-throated bee-eater, Shoebill, and Standard-winged nightjar.

After breakfast, you'll join your walking guide to explore the region's bird-rich habitats and catch some specials.

Other attractions you can check out in the afternoon include the hot springs at Sempaya and a Pygmy village.

Accommodation:Semuliki Safari Lodge (Safari Standard) – Mid Range

Meal Plan: All-inclusive

Early morning Breakfast and departure to Kibale National Park and in the afternoon, you go bird-watching in Kibale Forest and look out for different bird species including Scaly Francolin, Marsh Tchagra, Black-bellied Seedcracker, Green-backed Twinspot, Pittas, Bicoloured Mannikin, White-naped Pigeon, Afep Pigeon, Narina’s Trogon, Joyful Greenbul, Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo, Black Bee-eater and many others. A nature walk at Kihingamy Wetland is rewarding. This is home to Blue-headed Coucal, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Scaly-throated Honeyguide and Black-faced Rufous Warbler.

Accommodation: Turaco Tree tops (Luxury Cottage) – Mid Range

Kibale Forest Camp (Safari Tent) - Standard

Meal Plan: Full board

Morning excursion to the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, a great example of a community-based approach to natural resources management which can be of good economic benefit to the local residents living within the area and to the tourism industry. This sanctuary is a paradise for bird watchers - skilled birders can spot up to 50 new species on a bird list. At today 138 species of birds have been recognized within the sanctuary, among which the Great Blue Turaco. Bigodi    is also regularly visited by a diverse number of primate species from the nearby national park.

Afternoon chimpanzee trek. The density and diversity of primates in Kibale National Park is the highest in the whole of Africa. The most well-known of its 13 species are the chimpanzees, our closest relative. Kibale’s 1450 chimpanzee population of this threatened primate is Uganda’s biggest. Additionally, Kibale is home to the uncommon I’Hoest’s monkey as well as East Africa’s biggest population of the endangered red colobus monkey. The black & white colobus, red tailed monkey, blue monkey, olive baboon, grey cheeked mangabey, bush baby and potto are among the other primates.

Accommodation: Turaco Tree tops (Luxury Cottage) – Mid Range

Kibale Forest Camp (Safari Tent) - Standard

Meal Plan: Full board

After breakfast, depart Kibale Forest to Queen Elizabeth National Park, lying 1978 sq. km west of Uganda. It harbours a diverse eco-system with a lovely savannah, fertile wetlands making it home for the big game, 10 primate species and a large number of bird species.

After checking in, you will enjoy a game drive in the park

Accomodation – Katara Lodge (Cottages) – Mid Range

Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge (Banda) - Standard

Meal Plan – Full-board

Morning dedicated to game drives in the park and in the afternoon take cruise on the Kazinga Channel- the 36Km waterway which flows between the Lake Edward and George. The Kazinga is home to one of the greatest concentration of hippos in Africa and herds of Elephants, Buffalos and other animals come to drink at the waters edge. The channel is a magnet for water birds, with great flocks of Pelicans and other birds on the shore, look out for the African Fish Eagle.

Accommodation – Katara Lodge (Cottages) – Mid Range

Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge (Banda) - Standard

Meal Plan – Full-board

After breakfast at the lodge, tranfer to Buhoma Sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park with an enroute Game drive in the Ishasha sector, very famous for the tree climbing lions. The Ishasha sector is the only other place in the entire world where you will find tree climbing lions apart from Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania.

This vast reserve offers arguably the most productive montane forest birding in Africa and supports 23 of Uganda’s 24 Albertine Rift endemic bird species. Once part of a much larger forest that included the Virunga Volcanoes in neighboring Rwanda, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is now an ecological island within a sea of human cultivation and is of immense conservation importance.

Accommodation – Buhoma Haven Lodge (Cottage) – Mid Range

Buhoma Community Rest Camp (Self Contained room) - Standard

Meal Plan – Full-board

With an early breakfast, birding along the Buhoma trail enroute to Mubwindi Swamp looking out for birds such as Mountain Wagtail, Chin-spot Batis, Black-billed Turacco, Fine-banded Woodpecker, Dwarf Honeyguide, Red-tailed Greenbul, and we should come across Bee-eaters.

Continuation to the famous Mubwindi swamp in pursuit for some of the toughest endemics of this area including White-tailed Blue-Flycatcher, Black-tailed Oriole, Black-throated Apalis, Dusky Tit, Least, Willcock’s and dwarf Honeyguides, Sharpe’s Starling, Mountain Buzzard, Yellow-streaked Greenbul and Narina Trogon among others.

Accommodation – Buhoma Haven Lodge (Cottage) – Mid Range

Buhoma Community Rest Camp (Self Contained room) - Standard

Meal Plan – Full-board

After an early breakfast, we start birding at this lower side of Bwindi in search for the Bar-tailed Trogon, Black Bee-Eater, White-headed Wood-hoopoe, African Broadbill, Fine Banded, Elliot’s and Buff Spotted Woodpecker, White-bellied Robin-Chat, Equatorial Akalat, Red-throated Alethe, Chapin’s Flycatcher, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Blue Headed, Blue Throated, Little Green and Blue Throated Brown Sunbird, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Short Tailed Warbler, Mountain Masked Apalis, Bocage’s and Luhder’s Bush-shrike, Pink-footed Puffback, Petit’s Cuckooshrike, Waller’s, Stulman’s and Narrow Tailed Starlings, Black-billed, Brown-capped and Black Necked weaver among other birds.

Accommodation – Buhoma Haven Lodge (Cottage) – Mid Range

Buhoma Community Rest Camp (Self Contained room) - Standard

Meal Plan – Full-board

Meet with the Nkuringo Walking Safari guide at the park headquarters for a nature walk from Buhoma to Nkuringo. Enjoy a 15km walk to Nkuringo following the Kashasha river and Ivy River trails. This is a full day walk where there would be an opportunity of visiting the Munyaga River falls in the forest. The emphasis of this activity is for your walking guide to share his knowledge of the forest that you come into contact with and not simply an A to B. Buhoma to Nketo with Munyaga Falls. 

The trail offers some of Africa's best montane-forest (mountain-forest) bird watching. Two trails meet somewhere in the rainforest and snake down to Buhoma town; you'll have to select one. The longer one takes about six hours and strays along the Kashasha river and over several ridges. The shorter one starts at Kashasha River, down Nteko valley, and wanders along Ivy River. You must drive about 15 kilometers to Nteko village to start the Ivy River Trail. However, both trails deliver the same jolt of adventure for avid birders.

During the walk look out for Bwindi's specials, including African broadbill, Black bee-eater, Black-billed turaco, Black-faced rufous warbler, Black-faced warbler, Blue-headed sunbird, Cinnamon-chested bee-eater, Grauer's broadbill, Handsome francolin, Many-coloured bush-shrike, Mountain masked apalis, Neumann’s warbler, Olive-breasted greenbul, Purple-breasted sunbird, Regal sunbird, Ruwenzori apalis, Shelley's crimson wing, Western green tinkerbird, Yellow-streaked greenbul among others.

Accommodation – Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge (Deluxe Cottage) – Mid Range

Meal Plan – All-inclusive

After breakfast, at around 7:45 am, with packed lunch and drinking water you will be transferred to the National Park Head Quarters for the briefing on the dos and the don’ts while with the gorillas. You then continue to the forest for the start of the actual gorilla tracking.

The beauty of this rain forest is spectacular. The area offers a dramatic, steeply forested landscape and is incredibly dense, but crisscrossed by numerous animal trails allowing access to tourists. The time taken and the terrain vary as per the movements of these great primates. The thrill of spending time observing these gentle and endangered giants is an awesome, exciting experience to be long savoured. Many find it to be a rare and moving opportunity. The tracking can take place at Nkuringo or at Rushaga (1 hr drive from Nkuringo), as per the gorilla permits obtained.

Upon return, relax at the lodge and, for those who like, at 5.00 pm either stroll through the community center or drive up to the “Top of the World” - the name given to the football field, high up in the village which offers amazing views over the peaks and forests around Nkuringo.       A great way to stretch your legs after the gorilla tracking and to enjoy a sundowner.

Accommodation – Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge (Deluxe Cottage) – Mid Range

Meal Plan – All-inclusive

After breakfast, you'll drive down the mountains to reach the Kabale-Mbarara as the sun rises on Lake Bunyonyi. Your next destination is Lake Mburo National Park, but you'll briefly stop at Echuya Forest reserve just outside Kabala.

There are about 100 bird species recorded in this 34-square-kilometer forest reserve. A large proportion of the birds live only in montane forests. The swamp is likely to support a larger population of Bradypterus graueri than the nearby Mubwindi swamp, one of only a few known localities for this species in Uganda. You may see birds restricted to the Afrotropical Highlands biome, including such rare species as Francolinus nobilis, Batis diops, Ploceus alienus, and Cryptospiza jacksoni.

Arrive at your lake on the edge of Lake Mburo National Park at sunset after a detour to a cultural museum outside Mbarara town for cultural history class.

Accommodation – Mihingo Lodge (Luxury Safari Tent) – Mid Range

Rwakobo Rock Lodge (Cottage) - Standard

Meal Plan – Full board

Bird-watching pros have recorded more than 310 bird species in Lake Mburo National Park, a small 360-sq-km savannah wildlife reserve halfway en route to Kampala from Bwindi.

The park is the best place in Uganda to watch the acacia-dwelling birds. It also has many forest species in the Rubanga Forest. The swamps, in which six papyrus specials are resident, including the spectacular papyrus gonolek and the blue-headed coucal, are unmissable for birding nerds. The park's southern species are at the northern limit of their range, including the black-collared barbet and bare-faced go-away bird. Migratory birds come around November to April.

On a game drive, walking safari, and boat launch on Lake Mburo, look out for African finfoot, African scops owl, Bare-faced go-away bird, Blue-breasted kingfisher, Blue-headed coucal, Brown-chested lapwing, Carruthers’s cisticola, Greater painted-snipe, Hairy-breasted barbet, Mosque swallow, Papyrus gonolek, Papyrus yellow warbler, Red-faced barbet (NE), Shoebill, Southern ground hornbill among others .

Accommodation – Mihingo Lodge (Luxury Safari Tent) – Mid Range

Rwakobo Rock Lodge (Cottage) - Standard

Meal Plan – Full board

Return to Entebbe after a late breakfast anticipated driving time 6 hours on the road. En route you will pass the equator where a coffee break can be taken and possibly the picnic lunch provided by the lodge. Continuation to Entebbe International Airport for your outbound flight.