28 Days Birding Safari Uganda

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival for our Super Birding tour / safari

Day 2: Bird watching safari to Namugoba  Wetland
After breakfast, we bird to Namugabo near Mabamba Wetland. This large wetland as just been discovered as a new birding site and a far better option that Mabamba an IBA on the shores of Lake Victoria. It is 57km west of Kampala. This is the home of the Shoebill stork. Other special birds on this trail include Lesser Jacana, Blue Swallow, Northern Brown Throated Weaver, Purple and Allen’s Galinule, Common and Lesser Moorhen, White Faced and Fulvous Whistling duck, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Papyrus Gonolek, White-winged Warbler, Glossy Ibis, African Pygmy-Goose, Spur-winged Geese, Long-toed Lapwing, Blue-breasted and Madagascar Bee-eaters, Gray-rumped Swallow, Greater Swamp-Warbler, African Reed Warbler, Slender-billed Weaver, Lizard Buzzard, African Pygmy and Malachite Kingfisher, White Winged Tern, Grey Headed Gull, Black Tailed Godwit, Ruff, Three Banded Plover, African Wattled Plover and many more.

Day 3: Birding  safari to Lake Mburo National Park 313 spp
White-winged Warblers, Black-Billed Barbets, Crested Francolin, Brown Parrot, Red-necked Spur, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, Temmincks Courser, Common Quails, Green Wood hoopoe, Blue-napped Mouse bird, Bare-faced Go-away Bird, African Grey Hornbill, Nubian Woodpecker, Trilling Cisticola, Lilac-breasted Roller, Coqui Francolin, Black-bellied Bustard, African Wattled Plover, Rufous-naped and Flappet Larks, Rufous-chested Swallow, Southern Red Bishop, and Yellow-throated Long Claw among others. The fringing swamps in the park also hide secretive papyrus specialties such as the Papyrus Gonolek. Common conspicuous birds we may encounter on our journey to Lake Mburo include Crested Francolin, Common Scimitar Bill, Spot-flanked Barbet, Trilling Cisticola, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Northern Black Tit, Chin-spot Batis, Great Blue-eared Starling, and Marico Sunbird. The woodland in the immediate vicinity of Rwonyo also supports many of these widespread species.
The more open grassland north of the Rwonyo Camp, particularly along the Zebra Track, is worth exploring for species such as Coqui Francolin, Red-necked Spurfowl, Black-bellied Bustard, Temminck’s courser, African Wattled Plover, Rufous-napped and Lapped Larks, Rufous-chested Swallow, Yellow-throated Long Claw, and Southern Red Bishop. A small number of the migratory Brown-chested Plover is regularly observed. Spot lighting along the entrance road may produce interesting nocturnal species such as the African Scops Owl, Verreux’s Eagle, and Fiery-necked, White-tailed, and Pennant-winged Nightjars. Stay in Arcadia Cottages or Mihingo Lodge.

Day 4: Game Drive and Birding on Boat
Morning birding on foot along the park trails with an armed ranger then back to our lodge for breakfast, after this we proceed for a game and birding drive which gives us higher chances of viewing mammals like the Zebras, Impalas, Elands, Topis, Buffaloes among others, as we bird we focus our attention on the search for the Red Faced Barbet, Coqui Francolin, Brown Chested Plover, Tabora Cisticola, Lesser Blue Eared Starling, Buff Bellied Warbler, Red Headed Weaver, Black Shouldered Cuckoo Shrike, Sulpher Breasted Bush-shrike, Green Capped Eremomela, Bare faced Go-away-bird, Red Billed Wood Hope and more  acacia associated birds, in the afternoon we go for a boat ride in search for the African Finfoot, White Backed and Black Crowned Night Herons, Giant Kingfisher etc back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 5: Super Birding to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park-Ruhizha area
Our Super birding safari takes us to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, birding enroute and Birding around the forest margins is productive. This part of Bwindi is generally at a higher altitude. Forest birding at Bwindi ranks the best in Uganda and perhaps the whole of Africa. It is home to over 23 highly localized Albertine Rift endemics and the No. 1 Birding site in Africa as per the African Birding Club.
Here we mostly look out for bird species like Black-billed Turaco, Western Green Tinkerbird, Fine-banded Woodpecker, African Green-Broadbill, Mountain Greenbul, Stripe Breasted Tit, African Hill Babbler, Mountain Illadopsis, Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Grauer’s Warbler, Mountain Yellow Warbler, Chestnut-throated and Collared Apalis, Rwenzori Batis, Montane Sooty Boubou, Blue-headed Sunbird, Regal Sunbird, Mountain Masked Apalis, Red-throated Alethe, Ashy, Dusky-blue and Chapin’s, Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher, White-bellied Crested-flycatcher, Dusky Tit, Blue-throated Brown Sunbird, Blue-headed Sunbird, Northern Double-collared Sunbird, Grey-headed Sunbird, Mackinnon’s Fiscal, Pink-footed Puffback, Doherty’s Bush-shrike, White-naped Raven, Montane Oriole, African Golden Oriole, Stuhlmann’s Starling, Narrow-tailed Starling, Waller’s Starling, Strange Weaver, Brown-capped Weaver, Black-billed Weaver, Dusky Crimsonwing, East Africa Swee, Yellow-crowned Canary, Thick-billed Seedeater, Streaky Seedeater, Shelley’s Crimsonwing, Oriole Finch, Mountain Buzzard, Ayre’s Hawk-eagle, Handsome Francolin, Barred Longtailed Cuckoo, African Wood-Owl, Rwenzori Nightjar, Scarce Swift, Bar-tailed Trogon, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Black Bee-eater, (Western) Bronze-naped Pigeon, Red-chested Owlet, Elliot’s Woodpecker, African Broadbill, Archer’s Ground Robin, Toro Olive-Greenbul, Ansorge’s Greenbul, Equatorial Akalat, Olive Thrush, Red-faced Woodland Warbler.
we stay at Trekker’s Tervan of Gorilla Friends Lodge

Day 6: Birding safari to Mubwindi Swamp
After breakfast we head for a whole day birding to Mubwindi Swamp. This is the best birding spot for the Albertine rift endemics including African Green Broadbill, the beautiful Regal Sunbird, Dwarf Honeyguide, Stripe-breasted Tit, Rwenzori Batis Black Headed Waxbill, and African Hill Babbler, Grauer’s Scrub-warbler, Fraser’s Eagle-Owl, African Green Broadbill, Grauer’s Rush Warbler, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Blue-headed Sunbird, Regal Sunbird, Strange Weaver and many more bird species mentioned on day 5.

Day 7: Bird watching safari to Buhoma via The Neck
Whole day birding on the road to Buhoma through the “Neck”. Key bird species include: Mountain Wagtail, Chin-spot Batis, Black-billed Turacco, Fine-banded Woodpecker, Dwarf Honeyguide, Red-tailed Greenbul, and we should come across Bee-eaters including Black Bee-eater and Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Bronze-naped Pigeon, Many-coloured Bush-shrike, Ayres’s Hawk-eagle, Bronze-naped Pigeon, Narina Trogon, Honeyguide Greenbul, Red-throated Alethe, Gray Apalis, African Shrike-flycatcher and Red-headed Malimbe; and in areas of dry fern vegetation, we expect to watch the Dusky Twinspot. Other birds here include Mackinnon’s Fiscal, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Black Saw-wing, Chubbs’ Cisticola, Grey Apalis, Augur Buzzard, Petit’s Cuckoo Shrike, Pink-footed, Northern Puffbacks, Red-tailed, Little Grey Greenbuls, Chestnut-throated Apalis, Red-throated Martin, East African Swee (Yellow-bellied Waxbill), Yellow White-eye, Dark-capped Bulbul, Yellow-bellied Kite, Yellow-rumped, Speckled-rumped Tinkerbirds, African Stonechat, Grey Cuckoo Shrike, Stripe-breasted Tit, Montane-masked Apalis, Red-faced Woodland, Montane Yellow Warbler, Regal Sunbird, Northern Double-collared Sunbird, Rwenzori Hill Babbler, White-tailed Blue Flycatcher, Yellow-whiskered Greenbul, Yellow-throated Leaf Love, Crested Guinea Fowl, African Crowned Hornbill, Lead-colored Flycatcher, Black-necked Weaver, Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher, Yellow-spotted Barbet, African Harrier Hawk. Dinner and over night stay at Gorilla Resort, Lake Kitandara or Buhoma Community Bandas.

Day 8: two options today either Birding or Gorilla Tracking in the forest
On this day, we set of early, with packed lunch, to the park headquarters for a briefing if Gorilla Tracking. This is the most exciting lifetime experience of all time. The gorillas are gentle animals and it is an unforgettable experience to photograph them as they interact. It is a wonderful experience to stare in to the eyes of these gentle giants; and so far the breathe taking wildlife encounter on the African continent we spend an our with them but finding the gorillas depend on where they spent the previous night and their interaction with other groups, so it might take 45 minutes or the whole day, come prepared .

Day 9: Birding Buhoma
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.

Day 10: Birding to Queen Elizabeth National Park
After breakfast you will drive to the second biggest protected area in Uganda – Queen Elizabeth National Park. Birding here exposes us to a variety of savannah birds including the Larks, Pipits, Harlequin Quail, Blue Quail, Small (Common) Buttonquail, Black Coucal, African Crake, African Moustached, Broad Tailed and Grey Capped Warbler, Martial Eagle, Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Amur Falcon, Ovambo Sparrowhawk, Terek Sandpiper, Crimson Rumped Waxbill, Sulpher Breasted Bushshrike, Golden Breasted Bunting, Temminck’s Courser, Senegal and Wattled Lapwing, Brown Snake Eagle and many more bird species. This park has a great number of mammals numbering to 96 which are both diurnal and nocturnal. We stay at Kingfisher Lodge Kichwamba, Mweya Hostel or Mweya Safari Lodge.

Day 11: whole day Birding in the park: recorded 612 bird species
You start early for a game drive and birding the vast grassland area the whole morning. Later in the afternoon you have an exciting boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel. This is a natural water channel connecting Lakes George and Edward, with excellent photographic opportunities for waterside birds and abundant Hippopotamus. Birding on the boat avails us opportunities of seeing the African Skimmer, Striated Heron, African Spoonbill, Water Thick-knee, Three-banded Plover, Marsh, Green, Wood and Common Sandpiper, Lesser Black Backed and Gray-headed Gull, Plain Martin, Lesser Swamp-Warbler, Grey Plover, Terek Sandpiper most of which are winter visitors.

Day 12: Bird watching safari to Kibale Forest National Park 355 bird species
We start with a morning drive through Queen Elizabeth looking out for what we might have missed the previous days of birding before we transfer to Kibale which has the highest concentration of primates in Uganda with 13 species. Depending on where we stay birding as we enter the forest is delightful looking out for the Black Bee-eater, Cassin’s Grey Flycatcher, Mountain Wagtail, Shining Blue Flycatcher, Red Chested Owlet, White-napped Pigeon, Dusky Blue Flycatcher, Green Crombec, Purple Banded Sunbird,  Uganda Woodland Warbler, White Tailed Anti-thrush, African Emerald Cuckoo, Red Chested Cuckoo, Red Capped and Blue Shouldered Robinchat and many more bird species. Stay in Chimpanzee Guesthouse, Nature Lodges or Primate Lodge.

Day 13: Early morning Birding then afternoon chimpanzee Tracking in Kibale Forest NP.Today we start very early in the morning in search for the Green Breasted Pitta, White and Red tailed Ant-Thrushes, Purple-headed, Glossy-Starling, Brown, Pale and Scaly Breasted Illadopsis, White-naped and Olive Pigeon, Masked Apalis, Toro Olive-Greenbul, Black-billed Turacco, Buff-spotted Woodpecker and Green Crombec. Then later in the afternoon you assemble for briefing as you prepare for chimp tracking. The movement of the chimps depends upon the availability of food and hopefully they won’t be too far away! Of all the parks in Uganda, this is referred to as the primate forest as it hosts about 13 species of primates three of which are nocturnal.

Day 14: Birding / Bird watching safari in Kibale Forest and Bigodi
Our Super birding safari will be around and within Kibale Forest. Key species include Green-breasted Pitta, Cabanis’s Greenbul, Yellow-crested Woodpecker, Red-chested Owlet, Crowned Eagle, White-naped, Afep and Olive Pigeon, Yellow-spotted Barbet, Crested Guineafowl, Western Nicator, Blue-throated Sunbird, Olive Sunbird, Green Sunbird, and Purple-banded Sunbird. After lunch we’ll head to the Bigodi Wetland, a papyrus and swamp forest. We hope to find such papyrus endemics as White-winged Warbler, White-collared Oliveback and Papyrus Gonolek. Amongst other species we may encounter along the 4 km trail are African Marsh Harrier, African Harrier-Hawk, Willcock’s Honeyguide, Grey Parrot, Black-billed Turacco, Yellow-billed Barbet, White-breasted Negrofinch, Brown-eared Woodpecker, Grey Greenbul, Red-faced Cisticola, White-chinned Prinia, Snowy-crowned Robin Chat, Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher, Black-headed Paradise Flycatcher and Red-headed Malimbe.

Day 15: Bird watching safari to Bihingamy wetland then transfer to Semliki
Our Super birding safari today takes us to Bihingamy wetland near Sebitoli section of Kibale National Park. The habitat here consists of a swamp surrounded by low, scrubby secondary forest and cultivation of tea plantations. As we do birding here, expect to see the White Collard Olive Back, Red Headed Blue Bill, Green-backed Twinspot, Scaly Illadopsis, Uganda Spotted Woodpecker, African Emerlad Cuckoo, Petit’s Cuckooshrike, Red-capped Robin Chat and Rufous Flycatcher-Thrush, Equatorial Akalat, Luhdher’s Bush Shrike. Cabanis’s and Joyful Greenbul as well as White-spotted Flufftail, Dusky and, Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo, Lesser Honeyguide, Blue-shouldered Robin Chat, Olive-green Camaroptera and many more bird species then we proceed to Fort Portal where we have our lunch after this transfer to Semliki birding enroute.

Day 16: Bird watching safari in Semliki National Park
You will have breakfast at dawn and then drive into Semliki National Park for birding. We bird the Kirumya Trail rest Trails. Semliki Forest is the part of Uganda that meets with the West African Jungles and an extension of the Ituri Forest thus and IBA for the Guinea Congo biome endemics. Birding here gives us chances of seeing the Congo Serpent Eagle, African Piculet, Orange-tufted Sunbird, Black-winged Oriole Black-throated Coucal, Nkulengu Rail, Lyre-tailed Honeyguide, Long-tailed Hawk, Pale Fronted, Chestnut Breasted and White Breasted Negrofinch, Capuchin Babbler, Yellow-throated Nicator, Yellow Throated Cuckoo, Eastern Bearded Greenbul,  Black-collared Lovebird, White-bellied Kingfisher, Red-rumped Tinkerbird, Piping, Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill, Black Dwarf, White Crested, Black-casqued Wattled, and White-thighed Hornbill, Zenker’s Honeyguide, Fiery Breasted Bush Shrike Red-billed Helmet Shrike, Maxwell’s Weaver, Lemon-bellied Crombec, African and Rufous-sided Broadbill, Swamp Palm Bulbul, Crested Malimbe, Blue-billed Malimbe, Fiery-breasted Bush-shrike and many more

Day 17: Bird watching safari to Murchison Falls N.P- Masindi Uganda
After an early breakfast we bird to Masindi. We have about three routes to this place depending on the weather we shall choose one of these, birding stops will be at certain spots trying to find special birds. We later get to our destination and spend our night at Masindi or New Court View Hotel.

Day 18 and 19: Bird watching safari to Budongo Forest – Royal Mile and Busingiro.To maximize on our chances of seeing the rare skulking birds, we have two days birding the Royal Mile and Busingiro. On both days we begin birding at dawn. Key bird species for the two sections include: Blue Breasted, African Dwarf and Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, Brown-eared and Yellow Crested Woodpecker, Dusky long-tailed Cuckoo, Crowned Eagle, Forest and Chestnut Capped Flycatcher, Rufous Flycatcher-Thrush, Yellow-browed Camaroptera, Narina Trogon, , Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, Chestnut-crowned Eremomera, White-spotted Flufftail, Yellow and Grey Longbills, Olive-bellied Crombec, Black-headed Paradise Flycatcher, Little Green Sunbird, Green Sunbird, White-Breasted Negrofinch, Western Black-headed Oriole, Dusky Long-tailed and African Emerald Cuckoo, Red-tailed Ant-Thrush, Yellow and Grey Longbill, Forest Robin, Scaly-breasted Illadopsis, Tit Hylia, Lemon Bellied Crombec, Rufous-crowned Eremomela, Yellow-mantled Weaver, Yellow-browed Camaroptera, Green Crombec, Crested Malimbe and Red-headed Bluebill, Cassin’s Hawk Eagle, Xavier’s, Ictrine, Slender-billed, White-throated, Spotted, Plain Greenbul, Spotted and Toro Olive Greenbul.

Day 20: Birding/ Bird watching safari to northern Murchison falls
You start early birding via Busingiro to the escarpment. This stretch is one of the best of Uganda Birding spots. Recorded birds here include Fox’s Cisticola, White-headed and black billed Barbet, Northern Crombec, Singing Cisticola, Grey-headed Bush Shrike, Grey-headed Oliveback, Red Winged Pytilia, Black-bellied Firefinch, Lesser-masked Weaver, we check in at Paraa Safari Logde or Sambiya River Lodge. Later we do a night drive in search of the nightjars and nocturnal mammal. We stay here for two night

Day 21: Bird watching safari in Murchison Falls N.P
Today our birding starts after an early breakfast. We may bird on a boat along the Victoria Nile to the delta or do a birding drive to the delta. Later in the afternoon, you take a launch trip to the bottom of the falls. Recorded birds in this park include Shoebill, Secretary Bird, Abyssinian Roller and Ground Hornbill, Pied Kingfishers, Red-throated Bee-eaters, Goliath Heron, Saddle-billed Stork, Sacred Ibis, Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Senegal and Water Thick-knees, Black-headed and Long-toed Lapwing, Little Bittern, Osprey, Red-necked Falcon, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Vinaceous Dove and Grosbeak Weaver. Buff-bellied Warbler, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Bar-breasted Firefinch, Red-winged Grey Warbler, Spotted Morning-Thrush, Marabou Stork, Red-throated Bee-eater, Silver Bird, Beautiful Sunbird, Black-headed Gonolek, Speckle-fronted Weaver, Golden-backed Weaver and White-rumped Seedeater, Rock Pratincole, African Darter and Giant Kingfisher. FB

Day 22: Birding to Kaniyo Pabid in search of the Puvel’s Illadopsis
Early this morning we will turn back south the short distance to the famous Budongo Forest. Our efforts will be concentrated on the Kaniyo Pabidi area in the southern sector of the Murchison Falls NP, and the only known site in East Africa for Puvel’s Illadopsis. We can expect to find this bird as well as a wide range of other forest species. We will have much of the day to try and find a good mix of widespread species and more local specialties such as Crested Guineafowl sporting their “punk hair-do’s”, White-crested Turaco, Chestnut-crowned Eremomela, Yellow & Grey Longbills, Olive-bellied Crombec, Yellow-browed Camaroptera, Little Green Sunbird, Crested Malimbe and Red-headed Bluebill among others. Here are many other special birds with a West African origin: White-thighed Hornbill, Green-breasted Pitta, Rufous-sided Broadbill, Blue-breasted, Dwarf & Chocolate-backed Kingfishers, Yellow-crested & Brown-eared Woodpeckers, Yellowbill, Western Black-headed Oriole, Yellow-spotted, Hairy-breasted & Yellow-billed Barbets, Green Hylia, Buff-throated, Black-throated & Black-capped Apalises, Black-eared Ground-Thrush, Rufous-crowned Eremomela, the elusive Lemon-bellied Crombec, Crested & Red-headed Malimbes various forest starlings among others. We will also be in prime area for a wide range of primates such as Blue & Red-tailed Monkeys and Black and white Colobus – and if lucky Chimpanzees (this area is home to Uganda’s largest population of Chimpanzees)

Day 23: Another day of birding in Murchison Falls.

Day 24: Birding to Mount Elgon
We shall drive via the Northern part of Uganda as we do birding enroute to Mount elgon. We shall either star in Mbale town or Moses Camp in Sipi

Day 25: Birding Mount Elgon National Park
Today we start early and head to the park headquarters. Expect to see the Olive Pigeon, Black-and-white-casqued Hornbill, Slender-billed and Mountain Greenbuls, Red-winged, Slender-billed, Waller’s and Stuhlmann’s Starlings, Grey-throated Barbet and Montane Oriole are all conspicuous when these trees are in fruit; but you will have to search carefully for the diminutive Moustached Green Tinker bird and the retiring Oriole-Finch. Open forest on this slope is also a good area to scan for the localized Forest Wood-hoopoe, Purple-throated Cuckoo-shrike and Sharpe’s Starling. Red-fronted Parrot has been recorded but there are no recent reports of this species, known in Uganda only from Mount Elgon and Bwindi Impenetrable NP.

Day 26: Birding to Jinja
With stopovers to check out for the Papyrus Gonolek, White winged warbler and other papyrus endemics at the Mpologoma River. We spend our night in Jinja.

Day 27: Birding Mabira
After early breakfast we transfer to Mabira. Although isolated by the surrounding banana and sugar plantations, this remarkably productive forest is possibly the richest in the country, and well-maintained trails make birding easy. Mixed flocks are often found along the broad tracks, and noisy groups of the near-endemic Weyn’s Weaver, arguably the most attractive of the group, busy themselves in the canopy. We can also hope to see African Pied Hornbill and Forest Wood-Hoopoe, while the seasonal pools can attract Blue-breasted, White-bellied, Dwarf and Shining-blue Kingfishers. Yellow-throated and Speckled Tinkerbirds live in the canopy and Toro Olive Greenbul and Green-tailed Bristle bill are secretive interior inhabitants. If there are safari ants on the march, Fire-crested Alethe, Forest Robin and Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat may be in attendance.

Day 28: Departure

End of Safari