The 28-Days Uganda Birding, Gorillas and Chimpanzee Safari offers a specialized all-round tour exploring the top birding hotspots across Uganda and a trek expereince along both the mountain gorillas and chimpanzee in their native rainforests. Led by our bird-specialist guide, you will explore a diversity of birding hotspots including Africa’s biggest biomes that converge here in Uganda. These unique habitats range from afro montane rainforests, lowland forests, wetlands flanking open water, savanna and wooded grasslands, dry scrub and rocky outcrops that lie on our route.
Birding Hotspots and Species Highlights
Our quest begins with birding in the expansive marshes of Mabamba wetlands set along the northern shores of Lake Victoria, one of the most reliable sites in the region to tick off the prehistoric the Shoebill along a good selection wetland specialists. From Entebbe, we will bird along the eastern route from Kampala, exploring the large tropical forests of Mabira and the low-altitude forests on the volcanic slopes of the Mt. Elgon, for typical forest skulkers.
We will bird the excellent bird hotspots within this north-eastern Uganda of Karamoja region which lie within the Somali-Masai biome, characterised by dry-scrub and thorn-bush noted for a quality Horn of Africa specialists extending here on their western range limit. These bird hotspots include Pian Upe, Matheniko and Bokora Wildlife Reserves, Mt. Moroto and Kidepo Valley NP. Excellent highlights on this stretch include, Uganda’s endemics the Fox Weaver and Karamoja Apalis, Common Ostrich, Eastern Chanting-goshawk, Fox Kestrel, Abyssinian Roller, African Pygmy Falcon, Clapperton’s Spurfowl, Secretary Bird, Eastern Yellow-billed and Red-billed Hornbills, the 3 Vidua species with their elegant breeding plumage, Cut-throat Finch, Purple Grenadier and more.
Driving west-wards across the low-lying northern Uganda region, we encounter more of Sudanic-Guinea biome specialists within the Borassus palm-dotted savannas and wooded grasslands of Murchison Falls NP. A boat cruise upstream the Nile and south to the delta will give us more waders while the floating vegetations host the Shoebill, pairs of Caruthers’ Cisticola, Papyrus Gonolek and others. Birding across the ancient Nile into the mid-altitude forests of Budongo, we concentrate on a dozen of Royal mile notable for canopy specialists, where the holy grail is the Yellow-footed and Chestnut-capped Flycatchers, Ituri Batis and more.
Heading south to the northern foothills of Rwenzori Mountain ranges, we take ample time birding the lowland forests of Semuliki National Park, where the main target is a fantastic check-list of the Congo-Guinea Forest specialists that reach their eastern range limit here. The bonus is hundreds of quality forest generalists that are rare elsewhere in Ugandan western forests but rather seen well in these forests at Semuliki NP. Coming into Kibale Forest NP, our main target will be the elusive forest floor specialist, Green breasted Pitta and good several forest skulkers. These forests are the primate capital with over 13-species including the Common Chimpanzee encountered on a specialized day-trek. Further southwards into the rift valley floor of Queen Elizabeth NP, we bird through the rich golden savanna woodlands, take a boat cruise on Kazinga Channel adding on wetlands specialists and several waders to our rich checklist.
We will round off birding in Uganda’s prime birding region noted for Albertine Rift Endemics, several afro-montane specialists and high-altitude favorites. These sites completely with the Albertine rift and include the UNESCO world heritage site of Bwindi, Echuya Forest reserve and Mgahinga NP. We start birding from the low altitude forests at Buhoma sector at 1650m asl of Bwindi, working our way to higher elevations at Ruhija sector close to 2600m, across a range of habitats that are crisscrossed by excellent bird-rich trails. On the volcanic slopes of Mgahinga NP, we extend our birding to Sabinyo gorge trail to target Archer’s Robin and the super painted Rwenzori Turaco. A short stop at Echuya Forest marsh on our return circuit to L.Mbulo NP should produce excellent local skulking papyrus species here. A total of 22 Albertine Endemics are known to occur in these excellent sites include Neumann’s Warbler, Kivu Ground Thrush, African Broadbill, Red-Throated Alethe, Rwenzori Apalis, Purple-breasted and Regal Sunbird, Grauer’s Swamp Warbler, Strange Weaver, Albertine Boubou and more.
Coming into the wooded grasslands of L. Mburo, we focus on the southern species on their northern range-limit here including Long-tailed Cisticola, Red-faced and Black-Collared Barbets among a host of other characters. The quiet waters of L. Mburo, is a reliable place in Uganda to look for the African Finfoot.
Accommodation and Meal Plan
Because of several early mornings starts and late evening birding activities, our mid-range accommodations are selected for their comfort, quality, favorable location close to our areas of interest and birding vibe. On several day-out trips we will carry a parked-lunch with us but on transfers we will opt for a hot lunch or coffee on several established facilities on our routes.
Included in this Trip
- All parks and site entrance and activity fees
- One gorilla and one chimpanzee tracking Permits
- All boat cruises fees
- A 4-WD tour car
- An English-speaking Bird-Guide and Driver
- All local site Bird guide fees
- All accommodations and meal plan as quoted
- Drinking mineral water in car
Excludes
- Tips and gratuities
- Other drinks other than Mineral water
- Telephone and Laundry
- Optional Activity
- Other Accommodation, Meals Plan and drinks other than mentioned
- Flight tickets and Visa
- Insurance
28 Days Uganda Birding, Gorillas and Chimpanzee Safari – Detailed Itinerary
Arrival Day: Meet and Greet
On arrival at airport, our company representative will welcome and transfer you to the booked accommodation. Checking in at your hotel and refreshment, you will meet you guide and driver to discuss your birding itinerary and with time allowing stroll around Entebbe town to shop at your pleasure.
Optional Activity: In case of an early arrival bird the Entebbe Botanical Gardens for introductory species of Uganda. Accommodation and Meal Plan: Boma Hotel, Mid-Range and FB
Day 1: Shoebill and transfer to Mabira Eco Lodge
This morning, the start of the 28-Classic Uganda Birding Tour will be checking in early at Mabamba Wetlands set along the northern shores of L. Victoria for the iconic Shoebill. The more than 100km2 Mabamba wetlands offers almost guaranteed chances to encounter the Shoebill in the region. Arriving at the bay, we will take a community-guided motorized canoe to access the marsh interior across a network of open water channels whose floating papyrus lined-edges are stalked by several breeding pairs of the prehistoric Shoebill that occur here. The patient hunter stalk these less-oxygenated and dark waters for lung fish and other crustaceans. Other good L. Victoria biome species here include, Papyrus Gonolek, White-winged Swamp Warbler, Lesser Jacana, Northern Brown-throated Weaver, Malachite Kingfishers, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Long-toed Lapwing, Lesser Moorhen, Winding Cisticola, White-faced Whistling Duck, Purple Heron, Blue-headed Coucal and up to 120 species recorded in these marshes.
After about 3-hrs birding activity we drive, east-wards past Kampala City to check in at Mabira Eco-Lodge our base tonight. Evening birding within Mabira Rainforest. Accommodation And Meal Plan: Mabira Eco-Lodge, FB
Day 2: Birding Mabira Rainforest and transfer to near Mt. Elgon
This early morning, we bird the rainforests of Mabira, working well several trails that crisscross riverine sections, forest pools and forest edge for Blue-breasted Kingfisher, African Crowned Hornbill, Cassin’s Hawk-Eagle, Red-headed Bluebill, White-spotted Flufftail, Green-tailed and Red-tailed Bristlebill, Afep Pigeon, Red-headed Malimbe, Forest Robin, Fire-crested and Scaly and Brown Illadopsis, Yellowbill, Grey-throated Barbets, Yellow-rumped and Yellow-throated Tinkerbirds, Least Honeyguide, Buff-spotted Woodpecker, Green-backed Twinspot, Forest Woodhoopoe, Western Nicator, Western Black-headed Oriole, Toro Olive Greenbul and more of the 300-species from this rainforest.
After a hot lunch, we set out eastwards to the Sipi village set on the north-western slopes of Mt. Elgon past the city of Mbale. On several wetlands and extensive rice-fields along this stretch, we will stop to scan for waders and other good species. Accommodation and Meal Plan: Sipi River Lodge, FB. Drive Time 3.5hr
Day 3: Birding on Mt. Elgon at Kapkwai Exploration Centre.
Setting out early, we check in at Kapkwai Visitors Center at the edge of Mt. Elgon to start our birding. Joined by the local ranger-guide we will bird the forest edge and thereafter follow trails through a typical afro-tropical highland zone extending onto the bamboo zone. Species on this free-standing ancient volcanic mountain of Elgon are special owing to their millennia isolation and have become restricted to these altitudes. Highlights include, Golden-winged Sunbird, White-starred Robin, Bamboo Warbler, Bar-tailed Trogon, Abyssinian Ground Thrush (G.p.piaggie) Black-billed Weaver, Mountain Illadopsis, Abyssinian Thrush, Abyssinian Crimsonwing, Mountain Wagtail, Rameron Pigeon, Hartlaub’s Turaco, Oriole Finch, African Hill Babbler, Green-throated Sunbird, Ayres’s Hawk Eagle, Jackson’s Spurfowl, Evergreen Forest Warbler, among other excellent specialists. We will carry a parked lunch to enable us bird up to late afternoon. Accommodation and Meal Plan: Sipi River Lodge, FB
Day 4: Birding Pian-Upe for Fox Weaver
With an early start this morning, we bird into the grassland plains of Pian Upe targeting among other specialists, the Uganda’s only Endemic the Fox weaver whose pairs nest seasonally here. But Common Ostrich, Yellow-rumped Seed eater, Compact Weaver, Heuglin’s Weaver, Cinnamon-breasted Rock Bunting, Vitelline Weaver, Brubru, Fan-tailed Raven, Little Rock-thrush, Yellow-billed Shrike, Red-winged Starling, Brown Babbler, Fox Kestrel, White-crested Helmet Shrike, Dark-Chanting Goshawk, Quailfinch, Stone Partridge, Shelley’s Sparrow, Spotted Morning Thrush, Karamoja Apalis, Rattling Cisticola, Namaqua Dove, Hartlaub’s Bustard and more occur. Birding these grasslands will bring us into close quarters of several mammals that occur only here and rare elsewhere including the Cheetah, Oryx Antelope, Topi, Lesser Kudu and Mountain Reedbuck. Accommodation: UWA Bandas FB, Pian Upe
Day 5: Birding the Foothills on Mt. Moroto
Early this morning we set off from Pian Upe birding through diverse habitats of this Karamoja region to Mt. Moroto Foot hills, our base tonight. Adding onto our dry-country specials with Superb Starling, Red-billed and White-headed Buffalo Weavers Eastern Chanting-goshawk, Chestnut Weaver, Wattled Starling on several stops on the road. Accommodation: Kara-Tunga Lodge FB
Day 6: Birding Matheniko/Bokora Wildlife Reserves
Driving out early, we bird the Matheniko/Bokora wildlife Reserve a mixture of dry-scrub and thorny bush habitats with quality dry country species. Here the East African endemic Karamoja Apalis occur, Pygmy Falcon, Orange-winged and Green-winged Pytilia, Cut-throat Finch, Purple Grenadier, Shelley’s Rofous sparrow, Chestnut Sparrow, Blue-capped Cordon Blue, Eastern-Paradise and Straw-tailed Whydahs, Steel-blue Whydah, Chestnut-crowned Sparrow Weaver, Parrot-billed Sparrow, Grey-capped Social Weaver, White-headed Buffalo Weavers and White-bellied Canary should be checked. Accommodation: Kara-Tunga Lodge FB
Day 7-9: Birding Kidepo Valley NP
Birding into Kidepo, we continue with dry-country specialists in this remote and scenic Somali-Masai biome including Yellow-necked Francolin, Clapperton Francolin, White-headed Barbet, Kori Bustard, White-bellied, Buff-crested and a likely Hartlaub’s Bustards. Spotted Thicknee, White-bellied and Northern Grey Tit, Bronze-tailed Starling, Northern White-crowned Shrike, Three-streaked Tchagra, Magpie Starling, Slate-coloured Boubou, Taita Fiscal, Mouse-coloured Penduline Tit, Yellow-spotted Petronia, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Rufous Chatterer, White-browed Sparrow-Weaver, Black and Yellow Barbet, Red-fronted and D’Arnaud’s Barbets among others. Accommodation: Savanna Game Lodge Mid-range FB
Day 10-11 Birding Butiaba Escarpment, Nile Delta and Murchison Falls NP
On our transfer to Murchison Falls NP, we will bird the Butiaba Escarpment and the Bullisa Reserve in the rift valley for some dry country species like Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill, Great and Lesser Blue-eared Starlings, African Wattled Lapwing, Black-headed Lapwing, Lesser Masked Weaver, Brown-rumped Bunting, Rattling Cisticola, Senegal Coucal, Grey Kestrel, Foxy cisticola, and many more. The grasslands on the northern banks of the Nile host Denham and Black-breasted Bustards while the woodlands are hunted by Martial Eagle, Bateleur, Black-chested and Brown Snake Eagles, Dark-chanting Goshawk and Green Wood-Hoopoe, Silverbird, White-headed Barbet, African Palm Swift, Namaqua Dove, Vinnaceous and African Mourning Doves, Beautiful Sunbird, Grey-capped Social Weaver, Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-weaver, Speckle-fronted Weaver, Red-pate and Wing-snapping Cisticola. On late evening drives, in-season breeding plumaged Standard-winged and Pennant-winged Nightjars, Bronze-winged Courser, Verreaux’s and Greyish Eagle-owl, White-crested Hemet-shrike, Freckled, Black-shouldered and Square-tailed Nightjars are encountered.
A boat trip down to the Nile delta passes through stretches of papyrus and the shallow vegetation where the pre-historic Shoe-bill hunts while other waders include Goliath and Grey Heron, Long-toed Lapwing, Water Thick-knee. Caruthers’ Cisticola, Northern Brown-throated and Slender-billed Weavers, Marsh Tchagra, Papyrus Gonolek and the skittish White-winged Warbler occurs in the dense papyrus stands. The sand banks and shallow waters attract flocks of African Skimmer, Great Cormorants and several wintering sandpipers.
An up-stream boat trip will take us to the bottom of the falls which is a great sight to behold, as the Mighty Nile is forced through the rock creft, the river banks also host Nile Crocodile, Monitor Lizard and other game. We will look out for the Red-throated Bee-eaters that nest in the sand cliffs, Rock Pratincole, when in luck Pel’s Fishing Owl, African Fish Eagle, Yellow-billed Stork, Egyptian Goose, White-faced Whistling Duck, and several migrants.
At Murchison Falls National Park, we will have bonus sightings of game including populations of Nubian (Rothschild’s) Giraffe, Jackson Hartebeest, Kob, Oribi and herds of Cape Buffalo and Elephant. Carnivores include Lion, Hyena and the elusive Leopard. Accommodation: Pakuba Lodge, FB
Day 12-13: Bird Masindi and Royal Mile
On transfer to Masindi, we make several stops to bird wetland and forest patches including agricultural lands. The scenic landscapes of green tea hillsides and forest are also special to behold!
Meanwhile at Budongo Forest, the Royal Mile is unmistakable the best birding stretch in the country notable for its several canopy specials that occur no-where else or if so with limited chances. On a full-day birding this stretch we look out for quality species especially local specialties including; Yellow-footed Fly-catcher, Chestnut-capped Fly-catcher, Rufous-crowned Eremomela, Ituri Batis, Lemon-bellied Crombec, Tit Hylia, White-thighed Hornbill, Chocolate-backed Kingfisher and more. Accommodation: Masindi Lodge Mid-range 2nights
Day 14/16: Birding at Semuliki Forest
Birding our way into the Semuliki Forest, we will explore excellent trails in this lowland forest for Congo-Guinea biome specialists on their eastern range limits. The over 400-species recorded here include several only known from here whereas some have limited distribution elsewhere in Ugandan forests.
Specialists here include African Piculet, Swamp Palm Bulbul, Spotted and Lyre-tailed Honeyguide, Leaflove, Rufous-sided Broadbill, Crested and Red-bellied Malimbe, Chestnut-breasted Negrofinch, Fiery-breasted Bush-shrike, Orange-cheeked Waxbill, Red-billed Dwarf Hornbills, White-crested, Black-casqued Wattled and Piping Hornbills, Lowland Akalat, Grant’s Bluebill, Yellow-throated Nicator, Red-rumped Tinkerbird, White-bellied Kingfisher, Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, Yellow-throated Cuckoo, Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo, Black Coucal, White-naped and Rameron Pigeons, Icterine Greenbul, Red-tailed Ant-Thrush, Blue-headed Crested-flycatcher, Red-billed Helmet-shrike, Forest Robin, Yellow and Grey Longbill, and many others. Pale-fronted Negrofinch, Black-collared Lovebird, Grey-throated Rail, Capuchin’s Babbler, Hartlaub’s Duck, White-spotted Ibis and White-throated Blue Swallow are a hard luck but possible. Accommodation: UWA Bandas, FB
Day 17-18: Pitta birding to Kibale NP
On birding transfer into the Kibale Forest, we drive through incredible landscapes stopping to bird out forest patches where the magnificent Great-blue and Ross’s Turaco occur.
At Kibale Forest, we start early for a trek to the home range of the colorful Green-breasted Pitta. This primary forest-floor specialist is known to display actively before dawn and going quite most of the day. Other undergrowth skulkers include Forest Robin, Brown-chested Alethe, Fire-crested Alethe, Red-capped Robin-Chat, Scaly-breasted and Brown Illadopsis, White-tailed Ant-thrush, Red-tailed and Green-tailed Bristlebills. Mid-strata specialists include Western Nicator, Crowned Hornbill, Grey-throated Tit-Flycatcher, Chestnut Wattle-eye, African Wood Owl, Bat Hawk, Yellow-spotted Barbet, Blue Malkoha, African Emerald Cuckoo, Toro Olive Greenbul, Dusky Crested-flycatcher, Cabanis’s Greenbuls and more.
At the community run swamp near the edges of Kibale forest, we look out for Yellow-crested Woodpecker, Lesser Honeyguide, Dusky Tit, Yellow-spotted Barbet, White-breasted Nigrita, Magpie Mannkinn while the White-spotted Flufftail and Shinning-blue Kingfisher favor flooded mangrove river valley with pools.
Kibale Forest is the primate’s capital of the region with up to 13species and later on a Pitta hunt we spend time trekking with a community of Chimpanzee while Uganda Colobus Monkey, Uganda Mangabey, Red-tailed, Blue and L’Hoest’s Monkeys occur. Accommodation: Turaco Tree Tops, FB.
Day 19-20: Bird Queen Elizabeth NP
Birding into the rift-valley floors of Queen Elizabeth National Park we bird through grasslands and woodlands extending into open water while on cruise along the Kazinga Channel. A characterful species across these habitats, include Yellow-throated Longclaw, Termminck’s Courser, Collared Pranticole, Rufous-napped, Flappet and Red-capped Lark, Black-headed Gonolek, Red-necked Francolin, Red-faced Crombec, Sooty Chat, White-backed, Lappet-faced and Ruppel’s Griffon Vultures, Walberg and Tawny Eagles, Black-chested Snake and Brown Snake Eagles. Stopping at papyrus patches, we look out for Papyrus Gonolek, White-winged Swamp Warbler, Great Reed Warbler and Caruthers Cisticola, while the channel edges and estuary attract excellent waders including African Spoonbill, African Skimmer, African Darter, Great-White and Pink Pelicans and more. Game includes the famous Climbing Lions that lounge in fig branches during the heat of the day. Accommodation: Kasenyi Safari Camp, FB
Day 21-24: Endemics Birding in Bwindi and Gorilla Tracking
We begin our Albertine Endemics specials while birding from the lower altitude sector of Bwindi at Buhoma going on to the higher altitudes on Ruhija. We shall give ample time to thorough birding the small riverine forest of the Neck where pairs of Black Bee-eaters occur.
This rich Albertine Endemics list here include, the star African Green Broadbill, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Rwenzori Batis, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Blue-headed Sunbird, Mountain Masked Apalis, Handsome Francolin, Dusky Crimsonwing, Grauer’s Warbler, Neumann’s Warbler, Yellow-eyed Flycatcher, Stripe-breasted Tit and Strange Weaver. Other quality birds include Kivu Ground Thrush, African Black Duck, Equatorial Akalat, Bocage’s Bushshrike, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, White-headed Wood-hoopoe, White-tailed Blue Flycatcher, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, Grey Cuckoo-shrike, Red-throated Alethe, Sharpe’s and Narrow-tailed Starling, Cassin’s Flycatcher, Tullberg and Eliot’s Woodpeckers, African Broadbill, Pink-footed Puffback, White-bellied Crested-flycatcher, Barred-tailed Trogon, Petit’s Cuckoo-shrike, Grey-headed Sunbird, Arsonge’s Greenbul, Grey-winged, White-bellied, Grey-winged Robins, Mottled Swifts, Western Green Barbet, Mountain Greenbul, Yellow-whiskered and Slender-billed Greenbuls, White-browed Crombec, Black-billed Turaco, Cinnamon-breasted Bee-eater and more. Accommodation: Bwindi Community Camp, FB, Mid-range
Day 25-26: Birding Echuya Forest and Mgahinga NP
On transfer to Mgahinga, we stop to bird the Echuya Forest where at the high-altitude swamp we tick off the Grauer’s Swamp Warbler, Papyrus Yellow Warbler and Highland Rush Warbler. Rwenzori Batis, White-starred Robin, Ludher’s Bushshrike, Cape Robin-Chat, Sharpe’s Starling, Dusky Twinspot, Black-faced and Kandt’s Waxbill, Many-coloured Bushshrikes, Mountain Buzzard and Doherty’s Bushshrike also occur. At Mgahinga, we hike up the secondary growth vegetation to tick off Archer’s Robin, Red-faced and Dusky Crimsonwing, Regal Sunbird, Rwenzori Double-collared Sunbird, Eastern Mountain Greenbul, Mountain Illadopsis, Rwenzori Hill babbler, Abyssinian Thrush, Mountain Yellow Warbler, Cinnamon-Bracken Warbler, Evergreen Forest Warbler, Ladgen’s Bush-shrike On Sabyinyo gorge trail we will look out for the Rwenzori Turaco, Albertine Boubou, Mountain Buzzard, Ayres Hawk eagle and many more. Accommodation: L. Murehe Safari Lodge, FB
Day 27: Bird to Mbulo: Birding in L. Mburo NP and Boat cruise.
On transfer to L.Mburo we pick up White-naped Raven, Common Stone Chat, Streaky Seed-eater, And Ruaha Chat, Augur Buzzard near the highlands. Working our way through several woodland tracks of L. Mburo target the several southern species on their northern range limit including Black-collared Barbet, Red-faced Barbet, Tabora Cisticola and Southern Black Flycatcher. Other quality birds on our list will include Cocqui and Crested Francolin, Pearl-spotted Owlet, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Trilling Cisticola, Buff-bellied Warbler, Spot-Flanked Barbet, Crested Barbet, Yellow-winged Pytilia, Grey-backed Fiscal, Yellow-throated Longclaw, African Grey Hornbill, Common Scimitabill, Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove, Green Woodhoopoe, Nubian Woodpecker, Bateleur, Western Banded Snake Eagle, White-headed Vulture, African Wattled Lapwing, Yellow-fronted Barbet, Straited Kingfishers, Bearded Woodpecker Ruppels’ Starling and more.
On the boat cruise we tick off Lesser-masked, Red-headed, Holub’s Golden and Spectacled Weavers, Northern- brown Throated Weaver and the elusive African Finfoot. Game include Topi, Hippo and Nile Crocodile. Late evening drive will target Slender, Black-shouldered and Swamp Nightjar, African and Southern Scops-Owl. Accommodation: Mhingo Lodge, FB, Mid-range
Day 28: Early morning Boat and transfer to Kampala.
Early morning, we bird through the park adding on other similar woodland species and check out to Entebbe. A few bird stops will be afforded to work small wetlands for variety of local species. Accommodation: Boma Hotel, FB