7-Day Uganda Birding Safari
Day 1: Birding at Uganda Wildlife Education Center
Uganda Birding Safari day 1. After breakfast, go to the Uganda Wildlife Education Center (UWEC) formerly known as the Zoo for birding.
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.
Day 2: Birding along the Heritage Trail
Wake up for breakfast and transfer to the Heritage Trail. The airport species is a 10-minute drive away. What may be seen include Short Toed Snake Eagle, Brown Crowned Tchargra, Mssustached Warbler, Violet-backed Starlings, Black Cuckoo Shrike, Red-Shouldered Cuckoo Shrike, Yellow bill, Brown Twinspot, Great sparrow hawk, Southern Banded Snake Eagle and many more.
Proceed to Lutembe Beach for lunch. Board a boat in search of the thousands of Grey Headed Gulls, the papyrus Canary, White Winged black Terns, Papyrus Gonolek, and continue birding the evening. Return to Dinner and Overnight
Day 3: Uganda Birding Safari in Mabamba Swamps
Have breakfast then continue to another important bird area (IBA) with a population of about 5 Shoebills in Mabamba swamps. 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 among others. Sitatunga Antelope (swamp Antelope), and many more.
On the way to Kampala stop by another swamp, this may show Papyrus Gonolek, White Winged Warbler, Yellow Crowned Bishop, Weyns Weaver, and many more have a packed lunch and go birding in the evening, dinner and overnight in Kampala.
Day 4: Birding in Mabira Forest
Breakfast and en route from Kampala to the Mabira forest for particularly forest birding. Expect species like Yellow whiskered Greenbul, Leaf love, Toro Greenbul, Buff spotted Woodpecker, Grey spotted Woodpecker, White-spotted Flufftail, Red-headed Blue Bill, Yellow-spotted Barbet, Grey-throated Barbet, Forest Robin, Yellow-Rumped Tinkerbird, Yellow Throated Tinkerbird, 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, Wyn’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
Breakfast and transfer to Lake Mburo National Park. It’s a 4-hour Kampala drive. The park is in western Uganda. Stop briefly at the equator; go to Lake Mburo, the bird at the 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 Scimitarbill, 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, Temminck’s Courser, African Wattled Plover, Rufous napped Rufous, Chested Swallow and Flappet Lark, etc. Look out also for evasive Leopard and other nocturnal species. Back for Dinner and Overnight.
Day 6: Nature Walk (Still on Uganda Birding Safari)
Have breakfast early in the morning; embark on a nature walk that meets several species of birds ‘ wetlands and savannas, including Impalas. Return for lunch head for an 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. Back for Dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Game Viewing & Birding along the Lakeside Track
We move on to the Lakeside Track for an early morning game drive. This means that Aquatic habitats around Lake Mburo are approached. Species to expect may include, White Winged Warbler, Papyrus Gonolek, Papyrus Yellow Warbler, Lesser and Greater Swamp Warbler and also the elusive Shoebill, the Blue-headed Coucal.
Continue to the lakeside campground, as we look out for the African Darter, African Water Rail, African Finfoot, Spur-winged plovers, and many others. Return midmorning for breakfast and proceed for a launch- cruise in search for papyrus species missed, Hippos, Crocodiles are the extras expected. Setoff for Kampala but take a stopover in Masaka town for Lunch and proceed to Kampala.
End of the 7 Days Uganda Birding Safari
Additional Information
Note: We have got two types of Safaris, Some opt for Luxury Safari (lodges/hotels) and others opt for Budget Safaris (camping and simple accommodation). Our rates vary with the accommodation type , nevertheless the rest of the activities will remain the same. Feel free to inquire.