14 Days Uganda Bird Watching Safari

The luxury/ mid-range birding trip takes you Queen Elizabeth, Semliki, Kibale Forest National Parks, Mabamba Swamp and Entebbe botanical gardens.

Safari Highlights
Game drives-1, Boat cruises-1, Forest walks-3, Chimpanzee tracking

Equipment to bring
Pair of Binoculars, Field Guides, Telescope, Camera, 300+ mm lens, Tripod/Monopod, Water proof protection for your equipment, spare batteries and a charger.

Snap Uganda gives one set of complimentary photographic accessories that include a trip/monopod, gimbal, cotton carrier and beanbag for each trip.

Overview
Despite being a land locked country, Uganda hosts about 50% of Africa’s bird species and about 11% of the global bird population with about 1080 bird species recorded.

This earns the country a reputation as a “Birders paradise”. The 14 days birding and bird photography tour explores some of the central region’s birding areas like Mabamba wetland which is on the Shores of Lake Victoria and an Important Birding Area as well as a Ramsar site. It also takes you to the finest forest parks in the western part of the country – Semliki and Kibale forest National Parks and to the Savannas of Queen Elizabeth National Park, home to 600 bird species.

Safari Summary
Day 1 -Arrival and Pick up
Day 2 -Birding while transferring to Queen Elizabeth National park
Day 3 -Whole day birding in Queen Elizabeth National Park (Game Drive and Boat cruise)
Day 4– Birding in Maramagambo Forest
Day 5- Birding in Kyambura gorge
Day 6 -Birding to Semliki national park from Queen Elizabeth
Day 7- Whole day birding in Semliki
Day 8- Birding Toro Semliki Wildlife Reserve
Day 9-Semliki to Kibale Forest National Park
Day 10 -Birding in Kibale and optional chimpanzee tracking
Day 11- Birding in Kibale and Bigodi
Day 12– Transfer to Kampala
Day 13- Birding at Mabamba
Day 14 Birding at Botanical gardens and Departure.

Detailed Programme

Day 1 – Arrival and Pick up
You arrive at Entebbe International Airport and a representative from Snap Uganda Tours will meet you, brief you about the tour and drive you to the hotel where you will have dinner and an overnight. Please feel free to ask questions about Uganda along the way.

Meal Plan. D, B
Dinner and overnight at Sheraton Kampala Hotel- Luxury
Dinner and overnight at Kaazi Beach Resort – Mid-range

Day 2 – Birding while transferring to Queen Elizabeth National park
In the morning, have early breakfast and start on the journey to the “medley of wonders” as we look for the species that are common along the route. We shall have lunch along the way. Queen Elizabeth in western Uganda, about 6 hours’ drive from the capital Kampala is the country’s flagship national park gifted with diverse ecosystems. These include savanna, forests and sparkling lakes. The park is home to a variety of game (95 mammals), primate species including chimpanzees and over 600 species of birds.

Meal Plan (B, L, D)
Dinner and Overnight stay at Mweya Safari Lodge-Luxury
Dinner and Overnight stay at Enganzi Game Lodge- Mid-range

Day 3 – Birding in Queen Elizabeth (Game drive and boat cruise on Kazinga Channel)
Wake up early in the morning at 6am have a quick cup of tea, pack breakfast and go on birding game drive up to lunch time. With over 600 bird species, the park has the biggest number of birds of any protected area in East Africa.

In the afternoon, go for a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel.
Kazinga Channel is a haven for water birds that are easily seen during a boat cruise. Some of them are: Great and Long-tailed Cormorants, Common Squaco Heron, White-faced Whistling and Knob-billed Ducks, African Fish Eagle, Great-white and Pink-backed Pelicans, African open-billed Stork, Water Thick-knee, Malachite and Pied kingfishers, Swamp flycatchers and Yellow backed Weavers, Black Crake, African Jacana, Spur-winged and African Wattled Plovers.

Hundreds of African Skimmers may be seen roosting on sandbars near the entry to Lake Edward but are migrants from southern tropics and typically present only from December to May. Other birds to watch out for in the park are: Grey-headed Kingfisher, African Mourning Dove, Red-chested sunbird, Swamp Fly-catcher, Grey-capped Warbler, Slender-billed, Yellow-backed and Lesser Masked Weavers, Pin-tailed Whydah, Brimstone Canary, Gabon and Slender-tailed Nightjars.

Meal Plan (B, L, D)
Dinner and Overnight stay at Mweya Safari Lodge-Luxury
Dinner and Overnight stay at Enganzi Game Lodge- Mid-range

Day 4 – Birding in Maramagambo Forest
Wake up early in the morning at 6am have a quick cup of tea pack breakfast and go on birding expedition to Maramagambo Forest and have lunch at Jacana Safari Lodge. After lunch you continue the birding exercise and go back to the hotel in the evening. Maramagambo forest covers a part of queen Elizabeth National Park from the escarpment of Kichwamba and all through to Lake Edward At Maramagambo forest you will have a chance to watch a variety of forest birds. The list includes a number of uncommon bird species like; the Rwenzori Turaco, the White napped Pigeons, Pygmy Kingfisher, African skimmer, Martial Eagle, Black-rumped Buttonquail, Chapin’s Flycatcher, African Broadbill, Black – Bee eater, Papyrus Gonolek, White- tailed Lark, Verreaux’s Eagle Owl, White-winged Warbler, Papyrus Canary, Lesser and Greater Flamingo, Corncrake, African Finfoot and Pigmy Kingfisher among others.

Meal Plan (B, L, D)
Dinner and Overnight stay at Mweya Safari Lodge-Luxury Dinner and Overnight stay at Enganzi Game Lodge- Mid-range

Day 5 – Birding in Kyambura gorge
Wake up early in the morning at 6am have a quick cup of tea and packed breakfast and drive to Kyambura for a morning forest birding experience and after lunch transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park. Kyambura gorge in Kyambura Wildlife Reserve is one of the most popular tourist draw in the part of Queen Elizabeth National Park with habituated chimpanzees. It is also called the valley of apes which is approximately 1km across its broadest point and about 100 meters deep.

The landscape is the most impressive with a rich wildlife diversity with a tropical rain forest. Kyambura gorge is famed for its underground forest and birds like Northern Brown throated weaver, Carruther’s Cisticola, White-winged swamp Flycatcher, Lesser Flamingo, Red-chested sunbird and Black-Bee eaters among others.

Meal Plan (B, L, D)
Dinner and Overnight stay at Mweya Safari Lodge-Luxury
Dinner and Overnight stay at Enganzi Game Lodge- Mid-range.

Day 6 – Birding to Semliki national park from Queen Elizabeth and evening birding session
In the morning wake up early at 6am have a quick cup of tea, and drive to Semliki National Park as we bird along the way. Semliki is located north of Queen Elizabeth about 4 hour drive. The 220sqkm Park lies on the floor of the Semliki Valley which is shared between Uganda and the D.R. Congo therefore species from the Congo basin abound in the national park. After arrival and check in relax at the lodge and have an evening birding session.

Meal Plan (B, L, D)
Dinner and Overnight stay at Semliki safari Lodge-Luxury
Dinner and Overnight stay at Ntoroko Game lodge- Mid-range

Day 7 – Whole day birding in Semliki
In the morning we pack our breakfast and lunch and take on the Kirumia trail for our whole day birding experience. Semuliki National Park is known for its endemic bird species, unmatched butterfly life and hot springs. It has 441 recorded bird species, representing 40% of Uganda’s total bird species and 66% (216) of the country’s forest bird species. Birders who make it to Semuliki are always rewarded with some of Africa’s best forest birding experience. Sempaya and Ntandi areas provide excellent viewing of the birds. The area around Kirumia River is another top birding spot. The shoebill stork is regularly seen at close quarters on Lake Albert.

The bird checklist includes: Spot-breasted Ibis, Hartlaubs’s Duck, Chestnut-flanked Goshawk, Red-thighed Sparrow hawk, Long-tailed Hawk, Forest Francolin, Nkulengu Rail, Western Bronze-napped Pigeon, Black-collared Lovebird, Yellow-throated Cuckoo, Red-chested Owlet, Bates’ Nightjar, Chocolate-backed, White-bellied and African Dwarf Kingfishers, White-crested, Black Dwarf, Red-billed Dwarf, Piping and Black-wattled Hornbills, Red-rumped Tinkerbird, Spotted, Lyre-tailed and Zenker’s Honeyguides, African Piculet, Gabon Woodpecker, Red-sided Broadbill, White-throated Blue Swallow, Green-tailed Bristlebill, Sassi’s Olive, Xavier’s, Swamp, Simple and Eastern Bearded Greenbuls, Yellow-throated Nicator, Capuchin Babbler, Northern Bearded Scrub Robin, Forest and Grey Ground Thrushes, Lemon-bellied Crombec, Brown-crowned Eremomela, Blue-headed Crested Flycatcher, Ituri Batis, Red-billed Helmet -Shrike, Red-eyed Puff-back, Black-winged Starling, Maxwell’s Black Weaver, Blue-billed, Crested and Red-bellied Malimbes, Pale-fronted and Chestnut-breasted Negro finches, Grant’s Bluebill.

Meal Plan (B, L, D)
Dinner and Overnight stay at Semliki safari Lodge-Luxury
Dinner and Overnight stay at Ntoroko Game lodge- Mid-range

Day 8 Birding Toro Semliki Wildlife Reserve
Wake up early, have breakfast and do a birding game drive up to lunch time. In the evening, do a nature walk while birding along the shores of Lake Victoria.

Toro Semliki Wildlife Reserve was established as a game reserve in 1926 and was among the first protected areas to be gazetted. The main reason was to protect the large numbers of Uganda Kobs in the area. It covers an area of 542 km2. It is located in western Uganda.

Toro Semliki Wildlife Reserve enjoys a dramatic rift valley setting between the Rwenzori, kijura escarpment and Lake Albert. The dominant vegetation type is the open acacia-combretum woodland and grassy savannah, interspersed with patches of borassus palm forest, significant belts of riparian woodland along the main water courses, as well as some extensive swamps towards Lake Albert. Toro semliki contains the same key species as Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls National Parks; Elephant, Buffalo, Uganda Kob, Waterbuck, Warthog, Giant Forest Hog, Hippopotamus.

Primates include Chimpanzees, Baboons and Monkeys including Vervet, Red-tailed and Black and White Colobus. Uniquely, the 200 strong Elephant population includes savanah and forest Elephant plus a hybrid form from inter-breeding.

The reserve boosts of 440 bird species including Red-necked falcon, Black-billed Barbet and the turkey like Abyssinian Ground-hornbill. The Shoebill is usually sighted in the marshes of Lake Albert.

Meal Plan (B, L, D)
Dinner and Overnight stay at Semliki safari Lodge-Luxury
Dinner and Overnight stay at Ntoroko Game lodge- Mid-range

Day 9 – Semliki to Kibale Forest National Park
Wake up early in the morning, have breakfast and check out of the lodge as we embark on the journey to “the primate capital of the world”. Kibale National Park has one of the most stunning and varied tracts of tropical forest in Uganda interspersed with patches of grassland and swamp that dominate the northern and central parts of the park.

The Park is famous for Chimpanzee tracking. With 13 primates species, Kibale National Park in western Uganda, measuring 795sq km is known as the Primates Capital of the world. The park hosts about 1500 chimpanzees out of the 5000 recorded in the country and has 375 and 250 bird and butterfly species respectively in addition to 70 mammal species. Expect birds like the Native Kibale Thrush, Green Breasted Pitta among others.

Meal Plan (B, L, D)
Dinner and Overnight stay at Kyaninga Lodge-Luxury
Dinner and Overnight stay at Primate lodge- Mid-range

Day 10 -Birding in Kibale and optional chimpanzee tracking
Wake up early, have breakfast and drive for one hour from Kyaninga to Kibale Forest National Park visitors’ center at Kanyanchu. If you stay at Primates Lodge, it’s just a stone throw away. Start your first day of the thrilling two day birding experience in Kibale Forest and Bigodi wetland. Bigodi is a wetland next to the park run by the community. It is rich in birds.

The birds in Kibale include: Green-breasted Pitta and more forest species like the Brown Illadopsis, Brown Illadopsis, Brown-capped Weaver, Brown-chested Alethe, Black-headed Oriole, African Emerald Cuckoo, African green-Pigeon, Black-crowned Tchagra, African Wood Owl, African/Rwenzori/Abyssinian Hill-Babbler, Alpine Swift, Ashy Flycatcher, Barn Swallow, Black Bee-eater, Black Cuckoo, Black Cuckoo-shrike, Black-and-white Casqued Hornbill, Black-and-white Manikin, Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher, Black-billed Turaco, Black-billed Weaver, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, African Dusky Flycatcher, Black-headed Weaver, Black-necked Weaver, African Citril (Western Citril),Black-throated Apalis, Blue-shouldered Robin-chat, Blue-throated Brown Sunbird, Blue-throated Roller, African Blue Flycatcher, Bocage’ Bush-shrike and Bronze Manikin among others

Meal Plan (B, L, D)
Dinner and Overnight stay at Kyaninga Lodge-Luxury
Dinner and Overnight stay at Primate lodge- Mid-range

Day 11 – Another day Birding in Kibale and Bigodi Wetland
Wake up early, have breakfast and drive from the lodge to Bigodi wetland. Located just 6 kilometers from the Kanyanchu information center, Bigodi wetland sanctuary is a fascinating area sheltering over 200 bird species and various primates and mammals all which make a visit there surely interesting. The wetland is a community-based project managed by the Kibale Association for Rural and Environmental Development (KAFRED). The great Blue Turaco also known as a loyal lover is one of the unique birds with an intriguing story.

The bird is believed to remain single for life after the loss of a loved one. The other birds residing in the wetland include Purple breasted Sunbird, African Pitta, Abyssinian ground Thrush, Collared Apalis, Black capped Apalis, Crowned Eagle, Green breasted Pitta, Kingfishers, Weavers, Cuckoos, Hornbills, Papyrus Gonolek, Flycatchers, Black Bee eater, Little Greenbul, Brown chested Alethe, Blue breasted Kingfisher, Yellow rumpled Tinker bird, Dusky crimson Wing, Black Bishop, Western Nicator, Spotted Barbet, Brown throated wattle Eye, white-spotted Flufftail and Weaver birds.

Meal Plan (B, L, D)
Dinner and Overnight stay at Kyaninga Lodge-Luxury
Dinner and Overnight stay at Primate lodge- Mid-range

Day 12 – Transfer to Kampala
Wake up in the morning, have breakfast and embark on the road from Kibale through the tea plantations as you bird on the way for about 6 hour to Kampala. On reaching Kampala, have a relaxed evening and tick your checklists.

Meal Plan. D, B
Dinner and overnight at Sheraton Kampala Hotel- Luxury
Dinner and overnight at Kaazi Beach Resort – Mid-range

Day 13 – Birding at Mabamba
Wake Up in the morning at 6am have a quick cup of tea, pack breakfast and drive to Mabamba swamp. Mabamba Bay is a unique extensive marsh stretching along a narrow bay, fringed with papyrus towards the main body of Lake Victoria.

It lies between Busi Island and Buwaya/Zziba village on the mainland. The marshland forms part of Buwaya Bay, South-west of Nakiwogo Bay both of which are located west of Entebbe International Airport. The swamp is about 50 Km from Kampala on the north edge of Lake Victoria. The swamp is one of Uganda’s 33 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) and a Ramsar-listed wetland of international importance. It hosts key protected bird species. Of the 200 species in the area, the Shoebill is the most popular attraction. Other birds are: the Blue Swallow, Papyrus Gonolek, Malachite Kingfisher, Swamp Flycatcher, Common Moorhen, Lesser Jacana, African Jacana, African Pygmy Goose, White- faced whistling Duck, Common Squacco Heron, Blue- breasted Bee-eater, Saddle billed Stork, and Grey-headed Gulls and more. Drive back to the hotel in late afternoon.

Meal Plan (B, L, D)
Dinner and Overnight stay at Sheraton Kampala Hotel-Luxury
Dinner and Overnight stay at Kaazi Beach Resort- Mid-range

Day 14 Birding at Botanical gardens and Departure
Wake up early in the morning, have breakfast, check out of the hotel and drive to Entebbe Botanical gardens for birding. This is the only National Botanical Garden in Uganda. It was established in 1901 and is strategically located on the shores of Africa’s greatest Lake – Victoria. The place is just 34 km’s from Kampala.

The gardens host a variety of water, open country and woodland bird species among which include: the Pink-backed Pelican, Yellow-billed Stork, Eastern plantain-eater, Yellow White-eye, Purple-banded Sunbird, African Jacana, Lesser Jacana, Yellow-billed Duck, Glossy Ibis, African Open-bill, Malachite Kingfisher, Blue-checked Bee-eater, Common Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Black Crake, Long-tailed Cormorant, Crowned Hornbill, Vieillot’ Black Weaver, Woodland Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher, the Africa and Red-billed Firefinch, Black-and-white-Casqued Hornbill, Senegal Coucal, Little Stint, Little Weaver, Striated Heron, Ruff, Gull-billed Tern, White-winged Tern, Klaas’s and Diederik Cuckoos, Green Crombec, Tambourine Dove, Little and Tooro Olive Greenbuls, Water Thick-knee, Madagascar Bee-eater, Egyptian Goose, Black-headed Weaver, Slender-billed Weaver, Yellow-backed Weaver, Black-headed Gonolek, Long-tailed Sterling, Grey-Headed Sparrow, Spur-winged Lapwing, Orange weaver and a variety of primates.

Depending on your flight time, this will mark the end of the 14 days birding tour in Uganda. From the Botanical Gardens we drive you to the airport to catch your flight.
Meal Plan (B, L)

Tour Prices
This is a private Safari and can be booked by an individual or a group.

Cost Includes