This 20 Days Uganda Birding Safari for Albertine endemics is a perfect adventure for avid birders. On this 20 Days Uganda Birding Safari, you will be able to spot most (if not all) of the 1000+ bird species that live in Uganda – making it a true birder’s paradise.
From the Swamps, savannas, farmlands, forests, and lakes your journey will not be like any other safari.
On this birding trip, you will visit Mabamba, Mgahinga, Bwindi, Rwenzori, Semuliki, Kibale, and Kidepo among others. You will see birds like shoebills, nightjars, sunbirds, broadbills, storks, finches, eagles, ostriches, and much more.
Beyond the birds, you can choose to add gorilla tracking (since you will already be there), and of course, you will have many opportunities to engage with locals and experience the culture.
Take a closer look at the detailed itinerary for a more in-depth understanding of how such a birding safari would work out for you. Keep in mind that all our trips are fully customizable and we can personalize them to meet your specific needs.
This 20 Days Uganda Birding Safari will take you through the following wild habitats in search of birds.
| Papyrus Swamps | Riverine Forest | Lakes |
| Acacia Savanna | Moist woodland | Grassland |
| Agricultural lands | Borassus Palm Savannah | Forest |
On arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be received by your 20 Days Uganda Birding Safari guide and transferred to your hotel in Entebbe. Depending on the time of arrival time you have an opportunity to bird the Entebbe botanical gardens as an introduction to Uganda birding for a variety of species.
After an early breakfast, we bird to Mabamba – Kamengo Wetlands about 50km west of the Entebbe area on the shores of Lake Victoria. This is one of the few remaining swamps in Uganda protected by the local communities – an extensive papyrus swamp with its labyrinth of channels and lagoons, classified as an IBA (Important Bird Area) and home to several pairs of Shoebills, Uganda’s most famous avian resident.
This charismatic species, the only representative in its family, is undoubtedly amongst the most sought-after birds in Africa and we’ll make special efforts today to find it by paddling through the channels by canoe.
There will of course be a good selection of classic East African water birds:
| Pink-backed Pelican | African Marsh-Harrier | Long-toed Plover |
| Long-tailed Cormorant | Yellow-billed Duck | Blue-breasted Bee-eater |
| Goliath Heron | African Water Rail | Blue-headed Coucal |
| African Fish-Eagle | Allen’s Gallinule | Papyrus Canary |
| Malachite Kingfisher | Swamp Flycatcher | Papyrus Gonolek |
| White-winged Warblers | Papyrus Yellow Warblers |
Other areas in and around Entebbe/Kampala may produce African Open-billed Stork, Grey Kestrel, Eastern Grey Plantain-Eater, African Green Pigeon, Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher – maybe the rare Weyn’s Weaver.
You will then continue to Lake Mburo National Park. It is 260 sq. km and has markedly different fauna from other reserves. It is the only national park that contains an entire lake. Situated in rolling hills and open grassy valleys, the park also consists of 4 other smaller lakes.
Accommodation: Rwakobo Rock Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Today, after an early breakfast we will bird to the southwestern corner of Uganda for a beautiful birding experience in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Mgahinga Gorilla NP is the country’s most scenic and smallest park.
We shall have several stopovers birding in specific swampy areas and agricultural lands for unique bird species. We arrive at our lodge/hotel later that evening looking to full bird day the next day in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park for the Albertine Rift endemics.
Accommodation: Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park has about 180 recorded bird species, which include Albertine rift endemics. Today we traverse a variety of montane habitats along the Gorge trail seeking out the different bird species unique to this region.
Here is a list of some of the birds you will be able to see in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
| The Dusky Turtle Dove | Handsome Francolin | Rwenzori Turaco |
| Cape Robin-chat | Kivu Ground Thrush | Rwenzori Batis |
| Brown-crowned Tchagra | Cinnamon Bracken Warbler | Shelly’s Dusky Crimsonwing |
| Bronze Sunbird | White Starred Robin | Archer’s Robin-Chat |
| Black-headed Waxbill | Greater Double collard Sunbird | Olive Pigeon |
| Streaky Seedeater | striped breasted Tit | Western Green Tinkerbird |
| Brown Woodland Warbler | White-starred Robin | Malachite Sunbird |
Accommodation: Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is the richest forest in East Africa in relation to its trees, butterflies, and birds. It is home to more than half of the world’s population of mountain gorillas. The bird list for the park currently totals 347 species. The forest has 10 of the 26 globally threatened species in Uganda, five of which are vulnerable, and boasts of 24 of Uganda’s 25 Albertine Rift endemics.
In Ruhija the birds we hope to sight include the;
| Rwenzori Batis | Montane Sooty Boubou | Shelley’s Crimsonwing |
| Collared Apalis | White-starred Robin | Mountain Illadopsis |
| Banded Prinia | Strange Weaver | Archer’s Robin-chat |
| Mountain Greenbul | Purple-breasted Sunbirds | Regal Sunbirds |
| Yellow-streaked Greenbul | Blue-headed Sunbirds | Northern Olive Thrush |
| Abyssinian Crimsonwing | Black-headed Waxbill | Dusky Crimsonwing |
| Willcock’s Honeyguide | Sharpe’s Starling |
We will have stopovers at Echuya forest for good birding opportunities and possible sightings of Albertine rift endemics.
Accommodation: Bakiga Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Today, we bird towards Mubwindi Swamp where the trail drops steeply through the dense forest and then winds through the swampy forest.
Initially, the birds on the trail are similar to those encountered before but more time spent will provide opportunities for the rare and localized African Green Broadbill now known as Grauer’s Broadbill. It prefers to nest near the Mubwindi Swamp and can be difficult to locate while on this 20 Days Uganda Birding Safari but with excellent site guides there are high chances of locating it.
Other birds to look out for in this area of Bwindi impenetrable national park are;
| Yellow-billed Barbet | Pink-footed Puffback | Oriole Finch |
| Black-billed Turacos | Lagden’s Bush-Shrike | Doherty’s Bush-Shrike |
| Bar-tailed Trogon | Waller’s Starling | Red-headed Malimbe |
| White-headed Hoopoe | Grauer’s Rush Warbler | Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher |
| Montane Oriole | Dwarf Honey-Guide | Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk |
| Grey-headed Sparrow | Dusky Twinspot | Rwenzori Nightjar |
Accommodation: Bakiga Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
We leave the Ruhija Section of Bwindi to Buhoma for Gorilla tracking and more birding opportunities. On our way, we bird “The Neck” – this is an important habitat and offers a high chance to see the Cassin’s Hawk Eagle, Toro-Olive Greenbul, Black Bee-eaters, Bronze-napped Pigeon, the rare Chapin’s Flycatcher, Cassin’s grey flycatcher, pink-footed puff back, Mountain wagtail, etc.
Accommodation: Buhoma Haven Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
The Buhoma section of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has tracks that run through the forest offers excellent bird viewing points.
The bird species to look out for on these trails include;
| African Golden Oriole | Thick-billed Seedeater | Handsome Francolin |
| Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater | African broadbill | Rwenzori Batis |
| Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo | Mountain Masked Apalis | Montane Oriole |
| Grey-backed Camropteras | Common Stonechat | Black-throated Apalis |
| Black-throated Robin-chat | Cape Wagtail | White-chinned Prinia |
| White-bellied Robin-chat | Streaky Seedeater | Kivu Ground Thrush |
| Grey-headed Sunbirds | Black Bee-Eater | Blue-headed Sunbirds |
| Northern Double-collared Sunbirds | Olive Green Camropteras | Chin spot Batis |
There is an option for gorilla tracking for those interested.
Accommodation: Buhoma Haven Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
On this day on 20 Days Uganda Birding Safari, we start early after breakfast carry a packed lunch, and keep birding toward Rwenzori Mountains National Park.
We drive through Queen Elizabeth National Park, having many opportunities for birding stops even before reaching our destination for the night. Look out for the tree-climbing lions in Ishasha, there is a possibility of sighting these while driving through Ishasha towards Rwenzori Mountains National Park.
Accommodation: Equator Snow Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
We start early and search for the special Rwenzori birds which include;
| Bamboo warbler | Abyssinian Crimsonwing | Dusky Crimsonwing |
| Rwenzori Turaco | Red-faced Crimsonwing | Shelley’s Crimsonwing |
| Rwenzori Double-collared Sunbird | Rwenzori Hill-Babbler | Rwenzori Nightjar |
| Rwenzori Batis | Woodhouse Antipecker | Grauer’s Cuckoo-shrike |
| Grey Apalis | Cassin’s Hawk-eagle | Banded Prinia |
| Willcock’s Honeyguide | Sooty Flycatcher | Cassin’s Grey Flycatcher |
Accommodation: Equator Snow Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Today morning, we bird our way to Semuliki National Park for a range of central African bird species found only here in East Africa. We will have birding stopovers en route to our accommodation for the night where we arrive later that evening ready to explore this park.
Accommodation: Nyaika Hotel
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Birding in Semuliki national park, we look out for a number of predominantly Central African species which cannot be found anywhere else in East Africa such as;
| Congo Serpent Eagle | Lyre-tailed Honeyguide | Snowy-headed Robin-Chat |
| Long-tailed Hawk | Blue Swallow | Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat |
| Fire-crested Alethe | White-throated Blue Swallow | White-tailed Robin-Chat |
| Grey Ground-Thrush | Swamp Palm Bulbul | Abyssinian Ground-Thrush |
| Toro Olive Greenbul | Spotted Greenbul | Oberlaender’s Ground-Thrush |
| Western Nicator | White-starred Robin | Yellow-throated Nicator |
| Capped Wheatear | Red-eyed Puffback | Black-Casqued Wattled Hornbills |
| Common Stonechat | Northern Bearded Scrub-Robin | Piping Hornbills |
| Lowland Akalat | Mountain Greenbul | White-crested Hornbills |
| Red-throated Alethe | Little Grey Greenbul | Red-billed Dwarf Hornbills |
Later, your 20 Days Uganda Birding Safari guide will bird towards Kibale Forest National Park where you will have dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation: Turaco Treetops
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
After early morning breakfast, your 20 Days Uganda Birding Safari guide will lead you to Kibale National Park to enjoy a guided primate walk in search of chimpanzees and 12 other primates including l’ Hoestes, Red colobus, blue, red-tailed monkeys, brown monkeys, and gray-cheeked mangabey.
The 20 Days Uganda Birding Safari guide will provide detailed explanations, not only on primates but on all the forest fauna and flora, and will ensure that your walk is informative and enjoyable. After lunch, you will visit the community and take a walk in Bigodi Swamp – which is the home of the great blue Turaco bird.
Later return to your accommodation for dinner & overnight stay.
Accommodation: Turaco Treetops
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
The drive from Kibale National Park to Kidepo Valley National Park is very long over 10 hours yet there are possible suitable species to pick along the way, hence we consider spending a night at Gulu town
Accommodation: Bomah Hotel
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Three days will be spent exploring Kidepo; activities will include bird watching, day and night game drives, a cultural visit to the Karamajong communities for some cultural performances, games, and bird walks within the park as well as comfortably.
Kidepo Valley National Park is the least explored of all of Uganda’s parks and yet proves to offer the best as far as ornithological trips are concerned. Kidepo has a record of up to 480 species, making it the second-highest after Queen Elizabeth National Park of all the protected areas in the country.
Being the only IBA located entirely within the Somali– Masai biome, 28 species from the Somali-Masai and Sudan–Guinea Savanna biomes are endemic to this park in Uganda.
| Common Ostrich | Scissor-tailed Kite | White-faced Scoops-Owl |
| Secretary Bird | Eastern Chanting Goshawk | Long-tailed winged Nightjars |
| Pygmy Falcon | Yellow-necked Francolins | Little Green Bee-eater |
| Fox Kestrel | Violet-tipped Courser | Abyssinian Rollers |
| Stone Partridge | Black-headed Lapwing | Rufous-crowned Rollers |
| Clapperton’s Francolins | Four-banded Sand Grouse | Abyssinian Ground Hornbills |
| Heuglin’s Francolins | Bruce’s Green Pigeon | Eastern Yellow Hornbills |
| Kori Bustards | Rose-ringed Parakeet | Jackson’s Hornbills |
| White-bellied Bustards | White-crested Turaco | Karamoja Apalis |
| Hartlaub’s Bustards | White-bellied Go-away bird | White-bellied Tit |
| Slate-coloured Boubou | Superb Starling | Grayish Flycatcher |
| Fan-tailed Raven | Mouse-coloured Pendu Tit | Ethiopian Swallow |
| Red-billed Oxpecker | Northern Shrikes | Red-winged Lark |
| Black-breasted Barbets | Brown-backed Woodpecker | Singing Bush Lark |
Kidepo’s mammal list of over 80 species includes 28 species not found in any other Ugandan National park. Amongst these are such charismatic African animals as Bat-eared Foxes, Caracals, Cheetahs, and Klipspringer. Unfortunately, Kidepo suffered the same fate as many other Ugandan parks during the 1970s and 1980S and is still recovering from years of poaching that left game herds depleted.
Spotted Hyena, Lesser Kudu, Grant’s gazelle, and Beisa Oryx have not been seen at all in recent times and were presumed to be locally extinct. Other large mammals have shown a remarkable recovery and there are now healthy populations of Elephant, Common Zebra, Buffalo, Bohor Reedbuck, Waterbuck, and Kongoni.
Predators are plentiful and Spotted Hyenas, Leopards, and lions are frequently seen. The Oribis are abundant in the Narus Valley, whilst the dry thorn thickets in the north are home to Guenther’s Dik-Dik. The Senegal Galago and Side-striped Jackal may be found in the rest camp at night, and the White-tailed Mongoose is common but more likely to be found on a night drive. The park also has vibrant and diverse reptile fauna.
Accommodation: Adere Safari Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
An early start to drive back to Entebbe with a lunch stopover in Gulu. Arrive in Entebbe in the evening.
Accommodation: Carpe Diem
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
You will be transferred in time for your flight back home. This marks the end of your 20 Days Uganda Birding Safari.
Meal plan: Breakfast
| No. of Pax | 2 PAX | 4 PAX | 6 PAX |
| Rate Per Person | US$8,595 | US$7,070 | US$6,550 |
Note: A 40% Deposit is due upon booking, with the balance cleared 1 month before the trip starts.
That is fine, you can send us an inquiry so that we figure it all out together. Please use this form to talk to our safari specialists and they will help you.
Obtaining a tourist visa to Uganda is really easy and can be done completely online, at your own convenience. You can also get it on arrival from Entebbe International Airport.
Here is our guide to give you all the insight about Uganda’s Tourist Visa, and how to get it.
While Uganda is warm and sunny all year round, the best time for this safari is during the dry season months. The dry season happens between December and February, as well as from June to September.
The dry season has very little chances of rain and therefore movement especially in the wilderness is easier. Additionally, animals are slightly easier to find close to the water sources.
YES, this safari and all our other safaris can be customized to fit your specific needs.
Whether you want to add extra time in some places, skip some activities or take a look at the more fine details, our safari consultants will help you design and go on a safari you have always dreamed of.
Uganda’s rich volcanic soils, sunshine and freshwater translate to a wide variety of delicious foods. The hotels and lodges we work employ professional chefs who can make great local, African and international dishes.
If you have any dietary restrictions, be sure to let us know and the lodges will be informed ahead of time so that they can make the necessary adjustments.
We use two kinds of cars for our trips – a safari van (mini bus), and a safari land cruiser. Our cars are properly customized to be fit for the wild, with a pop up roof and great capability off-road.
Our drivers/guides are professionals with many years of experience to guarantee an enjoyable safari both at the attractions and enroute. The guides are local and know all the upcountry places where your safari will be taking you.
Take a look at our safari cars
Whatever your question is, our team is made up of safari experts who will answer all your questions about this trip, or anything else related to traveling and visiting Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania.
Reach out through our contact page, or simply send us a quick message via the form on this page. Alternatively, our phones and emails are also available for you to use – whichever works best for you.
