9 Days Uganda Birding Safari

Overview of the 9 day Uganda birding safari

This 9 day Uganda birding safari takes you to amazing Uganda birding destination beginning with birding at Kibale Forest National Park, then to Semliki National Park and Queen Elizabeth National Park. On this trip, you can also have an optional chimpanzee trekking activity at Kibale Forest National Park. The Kirumiya birding trail is one of the best spots for bird watching at Semliki National Park and it will be visited during this trip.

The 9 days birding safari in Uganda is a private tour for especially avid birders who would love to spot forest bird species and savannah birds of Uganda. This tour can be undertaken by any group of travelers alongside a very knowledgeable bird watching local guide.

Mabamba swamp birding tour

Highlights of the 9 day Uganda birding safari

Day 1: Arrival and pick up at Airport then transfer to Mabamba swamp for a birding excursion.
Day 2: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
Day 3: Birding or chimpanzee trekking at Kibale Forest National Park
Day 4: Transfer to Semliki National Park
Day 5: Whole day birding at Kirumiya trail of Semliki National Park
Day 6: Morning birding at Kibale then transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 7: Birding in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 8: Transfer to Kampala
Day 9: Departure.

Detailed Itinerary of the 9 day Uganda birding safari

Day 1: Arrival and pick up at Airport then transfer to Mabamba swamp for a birding excursion.

Upon your arrival in Uganda through Entebbe international airport, you will be welcome by our birding guide and transfer to hotel in Kampala. This day is reserved for an afternoon transfer to Mabamba wetland in Mpigi famed for the famous bizarre shoebill. Possible sightings in the wetland may include the gonolek, woodland kingfisher, and groups of the shoebill as well as many more. In the evening, you return to a booked accommodation facility in Kampala.

Drive time: 1 – 2 hours drive
Accommodation Options: Midrange: Cassia Lodge, Budget: Red Chili Camp – Kampala, Meal Plan: Bed and Breakfast

Day 2: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park

Have an early breakfast. Meet with your professional birding guide and set off on a 6-hour drive to Kibale National Park where over 335 rainforest species have been recorded. In addition, Kibale harbors a remarkable 13 species of primates including the Red Colobus, L’Hoest’s monkey and red-tailed and vervet monkey.

Kibale Forest has the highest number of recorded sightings of Green-breasted pitta. Other birds you can expect to sight include African pitta, Grey-winged Robin, Red-winged Francolin, Joyful Greenbul, white pigeon, Abyssinian ground thrush, Red-chested Flufftail, White-bellied crested flycatcher, Leaf-love, African broadbill, Willcock’s honey guide and Scaly-throated honeyguide. We organize an evening birding excursion in the rainforest. After the forest walk, check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner.
Accommodation Options: Midrange: Kibale Forest Camp/Chimpanzee Guest House, Budget: Chimpanzee Guest House, Drive time: 6 – 7 hours.

Day 3: Birding or chimpanzee trekking at Kibale Forest National Park

This morning after breakfast, we begin by birding in the Kibale forest following the nature walk trail. Some of the birds you can expect to see on this trek include the Black-throated Apalis, African Shrike-flycatcher, Brown and scaly-breasted illadopsis, White-naped and Afep pigeons, red chested owlet and yellow-billed barbets.

After lunch, continue your birding experience to the Bigodi wetland sanctuary where you might be lucky to spot the rare broadbill, also Bigodi is famed for the presence of some of the endemic Albertine rift valley bird species. Bird your way back to your lodge for dinner and overnight as before

Alternatively, you can decide to go for chimpanzee trekking in the morning then opt for bird watching in the bigodi swamp in the evening.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner.

Day 4: Transfer to Semliki National Park

After an early breakfast, we proceed to Semliki National park birding along the way. This park represents the remainder of the Congo-basin vegetation in Uganda. It is ranked number 2 in Uganda’s birding spots.

Famous species you could find here include Black-throated causal, Grey-throated rail, Nkulengu rail, long-tailed hawk, yellow-throated nicator, Northern bearded scrub robin, Red-chested Owlet, Red-rumped tinkerbird, Lyre-tailed Honeyguide, Rufous-sided broadbill, Icterine Greenbul, Pale-fronted negro finch, pip dwarf and black dwarf. Spend the whole day in search of these birds with a break for your picnic lunch

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner.

Accommodation Options: Luxury: Semliki Safari Lodge, Mid Range: Lake Albert Safari Lodge
Drive time: 3 – 4 hours.

Day 5: Whole day birding at Kirumiya trail of Semliki National Park

We start at dawn after an early breakfast and set off with our packed lunch. We spend the whole day bird watching the Kirumya Trail or any other part of the forest depending on the reliable information from our site guides. The Forest is home to some of the Congo biome species. These include Red-billed, Black-wattled, Black-billed and White-crested Hornbill, African Piculet, Zenkel Honeyguide, Black-chested Cuckoo, Red-rumped Tinkerbird, Rufous-sided Broadbill, Nkulengu Rail, White-bellied, Dwarf, and Pygmy Kingfishers, Piping, White-thighed. Once again, dinner and overnight at the night before

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner.

Day 6: Morning birding at Kibale then transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

On this day, we have a morning birding session in Semliki forest for more sightings of more bird species and later transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park birding along the way. Optionally, you can have an evening game drive if you are up to it for chances of some wildlife including lions, elephants, buffalos and more. Dinner and overnight at accommodation of your choice

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner.
Accommodation Options: Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge, Midrange: Enganzi Lodge / Ihamba Lake Side Resort, Budget: Kazinga View Resort
Drive time: 3 – 4 hours.

Day 7: Birding in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Early morning birding excursion after breakfast for possible sightings of more bird species including the Pin-tailed Whydah, chestnut sparrow, a variety of sunbirds and later return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon we take a two-hour boat trip on the Kazinga Channel to spot a wealth of more birds. Birding in the evening along the northern plains of the park before returning to the lodge for dinner and overnight at the night before.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner.

Day 8: Transfer to Kampala

After an early breakfast at Queen Elizabeth National Park, we set off for Kampala with several stops on the way trying to spot interesting birds with lunch en-route. You will have a break at the equator line in kayabwe for photography at the world’s centre line. Dinner and overnight at the hotel of your choice

Accommodation Options: Midrange: Cassia Lodge, Budget: Red Chili Camp – Kampala, Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 9: Departure.

This day is reserved for international flights through Entebbe International airport depending on your departure time. Your driver guide will ensure to transfer you to the Airport for departure.

End of 9 day Uganda birding safari