7 Day Bird Watching Safari

There are more than 1010 bird species all of which you certainly enjoy on a Uganda safari. The various National parks within Uganda are actually the biggest habitat for most of the bird species in the country. As you take time to marvel at the spectacular birds, you will certainly come across a diversity of additional wildlife that will turn your Bird Watching Safaris in Uganda into a very memorable encounter.

SUMMARY: Day 1: Birding at UWEC, Entebbe & Shores of Lake Victoria Day 2: Birding along the Heritage Trail Day 3: Birding in Mabamba Swamps Day 4: Birding in Mabira Forest. Day 5: Birding in Lake Mburo National Park Day 6: Nature Walk & Birding in Lake Mburo Park Day 7: Game Viewing and Birding along Lakeside Track.

DETAILED ITINERARY. Day 1: Birding at UWEC On your first day of your Bird Watching Safaris in Uganda you’ll have an early morning breakfast then go birding to The Uganda Wildlife Education center (UWEC) formerly known as the Zoo. This has attracted over 170 species of wild birds 10 species of Weavers such as the rare Northern Masked Weaver, Golden Backed, African paradise, Baglafect  Northern Brown Throated, Grosbeak, Black Necked and many others.  5 species of flycatchers, Red bellied, Crested shrike flycatcher, Lead colored, Swamp flycatcher, and many others. Encounter Raptors such as the Gabar Goshawk, small banded snake Eagle, Shikra, African Goshawk, African Fish Eagle, African Hobby and many more species including captive animals. Proceed to Botanical gardens for another birding experience. Have lunch relax as you move forward to the evening visit to the sewage lagoons. Return for Dinner and Overnight at your hotel.

Day 2: Birding along the Heritage Trail Wake up for breakfast and transfer to the Heritage trail .It is a 10 minutes’ drive from the Airport premises. What may be seen include Short Toed Snake Eagle, Brown Crowned Tchargra, Mustached Warbler, Violet backed Starlings, Black Cuckoo Shrike, Red Shouldered Cuckoo Shrike, Yellow bill, Brown Twin spot, Great sparrow hawk, Southern Banded Snake Eagle and many more. Continue to Lutembe Beach for lunch after Board a boat in search for the thousands of Grey Headed Gulls, the papyrus Canary, White Winged black Terns, Papyrus Gonolek, and continue birding the evening. Return for Dinner and Overnight at your hotel.

Day 3: Birding in Mabamba Swamps Have breakfast and then proceed to Mabamba swamps another Important Bird Area (IBA) with a population of about 5 Shoe bills. Most of the birding is done canoeing.  Other species to be seen may include Squacco, African water Rail, long Toed Plover, Goliath, Purple, Herons, Pygmy Goose, Yellow Billed Duck, White Faced Whistling Duck, Grey and Black Headed Heron Moorhen, Allen’s Gallinule, Black Crake, African Jacana, Sitatunga Antelope (swamp Antelope) and many more. Return to Kampala but along the way stop by another swamp. Here you will be able to spot Papyrus Gonolek, White winged Warbler, Yellow Crowned Bishop, Weyns Weaver, etc. Dinner and overnight at your hotel.

Day 4: Birding in Mabira Forest Take breakfast and en route to Mabira forest for forest birding about an hour drive from Kampala. Expect species like Yellow whiskered Greenbul, Leaf love, Toro Greenbul, Buff spotted Woodpecker, Grey spotted Woodpecker, White spotted Fluff tail, Red headed Blue Bill, Yellow spotted Barbet, Grey throated Barbet, Forest Robin, Yellow Rumped Tinker bird, Yellow Throated Tinker bird, Blue Breasted Kingfisher, African Pygmy, Shining blue, Woodland Kingfishers, Banded Wattle Eye ,Red tailed Ant Thrush, Chin spot Batis, , Brown capped ,Chestnut Wattle Eye, Yellow mantled, Black Billed, Weyn’s Weavers, Violet backed Starling, Red headed Malimbe, Purple headed Starling, and many more attractive species. Have a picnic lunch and continue birding the evening. Return to Kampala for dinner and overnight.

Day 5: Lake Mburo National Park Early breakfast and transfer to Lake Mburo National park. It’s a 4 hours drive from Kampala. The park is situated in western Uganda. Briefly stop at the equator, proceed to Lake Mburo, birding to the entrance of Nshara gate.  Expect the following Common Scimitarbill, species; Emerald Spotted Wood Dove, Bare faced Go-Away Bird, Crested Francolin, Green Wood Hoopoe, Lilac breasted Roller, Spot-Flanked Barbet Northern Black Tit, Common Scimitar bill, Trilling Cisticola, Greater Blue Eared Starling, African Grey Hornbill, Brown Parrot may be seen. Take lunch at Rwonyo Restaurant. After lunch, embark on late afternoon game drive along the Zebra Track which may expose you to species like Coqui Francolin, Black Bellied Bustard, Temmricks Courser, African Wattled Plover, Rufous napped Rufous, Chested Swallow and Flappet Lark, etc. Look out also for evasive Leopard and other nocturnal species. Dinner and Overnight at your lodge.

Day 6: Nature Walk Have an early morning Breakfast, embark on a nature walk encountering several species of wetland and savanna species of birds, Impalas among others. Return for lunch head for evening game drive along the Kigambira loop. Species to expect are; localized Red Faced Barbet, Red Headed lovebird, Black Collared Barbet, Green capped Eremomela and Lead colored Flycatcher.

Dinner and Overnight at the lodge.

 

Day 7: Game Viewing & Birding along the Lakeside Track On this day, you will continue for an early morning game drive along the Lakeside Track. This entails approach to Aquatic habitats around Lake Mburo. Species to expect may include, White Winged Warbler, Papyrus Gonolek, Papyrus Yellow Warbler, Lesser and Greater Swamp Warbler and also the elusive Shoe bill, the Blue headed Coucal. Continue to the lakeside campground, as we look out for the African Darter, African Water Rail, African Fin foot, Spur winged plovers, and many others. Return mid morning for breakfast and proceed for a launch- cruise in search for papyrus species missed the previous day including Hippos, Crocodiles, etc. Setoff for Kampala and make a stopover in Masaka town for Lunch and then proceed to Kampala.

End of the Tour.

Bird watching Safaris in Uganda can be embedded with our Wildlife Safaris and our Primate safaris in order to give you the best safari experience in The Pearl of Africa.