TERRAIN SAFARIS

Uganda – East Africa

20-Day Best of Uganda

Scheduled Birding Tour

Departing 2 April 2027  |  8 Participants

US$6,658 per person (8 pax basis)

Quick Facts

Accommodation Summary

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1

2 Apr 2027  –  Arrival at Entebbe International Airport

Your journey begins with your arrival at Entebbe International Airport, where you are warmly welcomed by your dedicated birding guide. After a personal introduction and a short briefing about the days ahead, you transfer to your accommodation in Entebbe. On arrival at 2 Friends Beach Hotel, you settle into its comfortable, contemporary surroundings and take time to unwind after your flight. A light lunch is served, offering a moment to relax before the afternoon’s optional activity.

If time allows, the late afternoon is spent exploring the lush Botanical Gardens of Entebbe, a tranquil haven along the shores of Lake Victoria. These gardens, established in the late 19th century, are a favorite among birdwatchers for their rich diversity – over 115 bird species recorded here. As you stroll beneath towering fig and mahogany trees, your guide will help you identify species such as the black-headed gonolek, great blue turaco, and various sunbirds flitting between the blossoms, all while vervet monkeys chatter in the background.

As the sun dips toward the horizon, you return to your lodge. The evening is yours to relax and enjoy dinner, with the calm of Entebbe and the soft breeze from Lake Victoria setting a peaceful tone for the start of your Ugandan birding adventure.

Overnight: 2 Friends Beach Hotel, Entebbe   |   Basis: Full Board

Day 2

3 Apr 2027  –  Birding in Mabamba Swamp for Shoebill

After an early breakfast, you set out with your packed lunch for a full day of birding at Mabamba Wetland Sanctuary, one of Uganda’s most celebrated birding destinations. Stretching along the northern shores of Lake Victoria, this protected Important Bird Area (IBA) is renowned for its population of the elusive shoebill stork, one of Africa’s most sought-after avian species. Gliding silently through the narrow channels in a local canoe, you’ll navigate a mosaic of papyrus swamps and open water, scanning for this prehistoric-looking bird as it stands motionless, waiting to strike at unsuspecting fish.

Beyond the shoebill, Mabamba is a haven for both resident and migratory species, serving as a vital passage route for blue swallows, terns, and gulls during their seasonal movements. Your guide will help you identify a vibrant array of other birds, from the colourful blue-breasted bee-eater and the charming red-headed lovebird to wetland specialists such as African marsh harrier, purple swamphen, black crake, and lesser jacana. The channels are also frequented by flashes of iridescent color from malachite kingfishers, while colonies of Weyn’s, Vieillot’s black, and orange weavers weave their intricate nests among the reeds.

By late afternoon, you return to Entebbe, where the calm shores of Lake Victoria and the relaxed setting of 2 Friends Beach Hotel await. Take time to unwind on the lakeside deck or simply enjoy the view as the sun sets over the water before gathering for dinner, the tranquil sounds of the lake bringing the day to a peaceful close.

Overnight: 2 Friends Beach Hotel, Entebbe   |   Basis: Full Board

Day 3

4 Apr 2027  –  Birding towards Masindi

After breakfast, you depart Entebbe and begin your journey toward Masindi, with the day unfolding as both a transfer and a rewarding birding experience. Your route takes you through the central Ugandan countryside, where a series of swamps and wetlands near Luwero provide ideal stopovers for observing a wealth of species. Here, your guide will help you spot elusive birds such as the African moustached and broad-tailed warblers, as well as striking wetland specialists like the fan-tailed and Hartlaub’s marsh widowbirds, whose bold displays are a delight to watch.

Midway through your drive, you pause at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, home to Uganda’s reintroduced population of southern white rhinos. While tracking these impressive creatures on foot with a ranger, you’ll also enjoy excellent birding opportunities. The sanctuary’s mosaic of savanna and woodland is known for species such as Holub’s golden weaver, compact weaver, and northern brown-throated weaver, along with the vibrant white-headed barbet and the unmistakable calls of white-crested turacos echoing through the trees. With luck, you may also encounter greater blue-eared starlings and the shimmering greens of Diederik and Klaas’s cuckoos.

By late afternoon, you arrive in Masindi and settle into Kolping Hotel Masindi, a comfortable base for the night. After a day of diverse sightings and travel, you can relax in the hotel’s gardens or simply enjoy a quiet evening before dinner, reflecting on the mix of birdlife and wildlife that has already set the tone for your Ugandan adventure.

Overnight: Kolping Hotel, Masindi   |   Basis: Full Board

Day 4

5 Apr 2027  –  Birding in Kaniyo-Pabidi, Budongo Forest

After breakfast, with your packed lunch in hand, you journey to the Kaniyo-Pabidi sector of Budongo Forest, part of the vast Murchison Falls National Park ecosystem. As you step beneath the towering mahoganies and ironwoods, some over a century old, the dense canopy filters the sunlight into soft green hues, and the air is alive with a symphony of bird calls, distant primate chatter, and the hum of forest life.

Budongo is one of the few places where you can find the elusive Puvel’s illadopsis, a skulking bird whose soft, repetitive notes often reveal its presence before your eyes do. The forest also hosts the African broadbill, whose mechanical trills echo through the understory as males perform their display flights. Along the trails, you watch for the vibrant flashes of blue-breasted, chocolate-backed, and dwarf kingfishers, while more challenging treasures such as the yellow-footed flycatcher, rufous-sided broadbill, or the rarely seen Woodhouse’s antpecker may also reveal themselves with the guidance of your expert bird guide.

Throughout the day, the towering trees offer sightings of raptors like the commanding African crowned eagle soaring silently above, or even a Cassin’s hawk-eagle patrolling the canopy. In sunlit patches, the shimmering hues of the western violet-backed sunbird and the intricate movements of greenbuls bring the forest to life.

As evening approaches, you arrive at Pakuba Safaris Lodge, where the open savanna meets the Albert Nile. Dinner is served under the wide African sky, the stillness of the forest replaced by the calls of nightjars and the distant grumble of hippos along the river.

Overnight: Pakuba Safaris Lodge   |   Basis: Full Board

Day 5

6 Apr 2027  –  Murchison Falls National Park Birding Tour

Your day begins with breakfast and a packed lunch prepared for a full day of birding. You set out toward the Delta area of Murchison Falls National Park, where the Albert Nile begins its long journey northward, carving through papyrus wetlands and open savanna – one of Uganda’s most productive birding regions.

Along the open tracks, flashes of vivid color catch your eye as red-throated, northern carmine, and swallow-tailed bee-eaters dart effortlessly through the air, while the metallic hues of beautiful sunbirds glint in the morning light. In the dense papyrus, your guide will help you listen for the secretive papyrus gonolek, and with luck, you may spot the iconic shoebill stork patiently stalking its prey along the shallows.

As the day warms, Denham’s bustards stride through the open grasslands, while red-necked falcons patrol overhead. Shrikes, cisticolas, and sparrow-weavers bring subtle movement to the acacia-dotted plains, while raptors like the dark chanting-goshawk survey the landscape from lofty perches.

By late afternoon, as the light softens and the Delta quiets, you return to your lodge along the Albert Nile, where dinner is served under the stars – an ideal close to a day spent tracing the lifeblood of the park through its bird-rich landscapes.

Overnight: Fort Murchison Lodge   |   Basis: Full Board

Day 6

7 Apr 2027  –  Birding the South of Murchison Falls

After breakfast, you set out for a day exploring the southern reaches of Murchison Falls National Park, tracing the Honeymoon Track as it winds toward the top of the falls. These varied habitats, from acacia woodlands to rocky outcrops, provide ideal conditions for both wildlife and a dazzling range of bird species.

Your guide helps you seek out treasures such as the colorful red-winged pytilia, the secretive red-shouldered cuckoo-shrike, and the charismatic white-crested turaco. Raptors also feature prominently: the elusive bat hawk, common and grasshopper buzzards, and the distinctive rock pratincole resting along the Nile’s rocky edges.

By early afternoon, you reach the jetty and enjoy a picnic lunch before boarding a boat for a Nile River cruise, one of the park’s most memorable experiences. As the vessel drifts along the wide waters, you watch elephants and buffalo descend to the banks, hippos wallow in the shallows, and Nile crocodiles bask in the sun. Giant kingfishers plunge for fish, white-winged and gull-billed terns skim above the surface, and along the papyrus edges you may spot Pel’s fishing owl in its shadowed roost.

As the sun begins to dip, you return to your lodge, dinner served beneath the open African sky, the sounds of the Nile and distant calls of nightjars marking the close of another remarkable day.

Overnight: Fort Murchison Lodge   |   Basis: Full Board

Day 7

8 Apr 2027  –  Birding Busingiro/Budongo Forest – Masindi

After breakfast, you depart along the dramatic landscapes of Buliisa and the Albertine Rift Valley escarpment, with sweeping savanna dropping away into forested valleys – a drive that doubles as a morning birding expedition.

Your morning focuses on the Busingiro sector of Budongo Forest, where the canopy shimmers with little-green, grey-headed, blue-throated, copper, orange-tufted, superb, and beautiful sunbirds. Above, Sabine’s and mottled spinetails sweep the skies, while the soft notes of Emerald, Diederik, and Klaas’s cuckoos drift through the trees.

As the day unfolds, you’ll also encounter drier-scrubland species along the escarpment: lesser blue-eared and purple starlings, whistling, siffling, and foxy cisticolas, brown-backed scrub-robins, and the more elusive Cabanis’ bunting. Keen eyes may also catch the secretive scaly francolin, brown twinspot, cut-throat finches, and marsh tchagras.

By late afternoon, you reach Masindi and check in to Kolping Hotel, a comfortable retreat after a day of travel and birding.

Overnight: Masindi Kolping Hotel   |   Basis: Full Board

Day 8

9 Apr 2027  –  Birding in the Royal Mile, Budongo Forest

Your morning begins early, heading into the heart of Budongo Forest to explore the legendary Royal Mile – once a hunting ground reserved for the King of Bunyoro, now one of Uganda’s most celebrated birding hotspots, with broad trails and a canopy of towering mahoganies and ironwoods.

This stretch offers exceptional opportunities to spot species often hidden deep within denser jungle: yellow-footed and chestnut-capped flycatchers, blue-headed crested and sooty flycatchers, and the striking Jameson’s wattle-eye. The undergrowth comes alive with yellow-browed camaropteras and spotted greenbuls, while bursts of color reveal red-headed bluebills, brown twinspots, and grey-headed olive-backs.

Your guide will also help you locate some of Budongo’s most dazzling species: the Ituri batis, the jewel-like western violet-backed sunbird, and a trio of vibrant kingfishers – blue-breasted, African dwarf, and chocolate-backed.

By late afternoon, you return to Kolping Hotel in Masindi to rest and enjoy dinner, ahead of tomorrow’s transition toward the crater lakes and tea plantations of the Tooro Kingdom en route to Kibale.

Overnight: Masindi Kolping Hotel   |   Basis: Full Board

Day 9

10 Apr 2027  –  Birding Transfer to Kibale National Park

After breakfast, you depart Masindi and travel south toward Kibale National Park, tracing the edge of the Albertine Rift Valley, where sweeping escarpments overlook patchwork farmlands and distant crater lakes.

Roadside thickets often reveal flurries of activity from yellow-mantled, Vieillot’s black, black-headed, and compact weavers. Riverbanks and backwaters are prime spots for the elusive black duck and dazzling shining-blue and giant kingfishers, while grasslands host the bright golden-breasted bunting and raptors such as lizard buzzards, shikras, and the rarely seen cuckoo hawk.

As you near Fort Portal, the landscape softens into rolling hills of emerald tea plantations within the historic Tooro Kingdom, with the mist-shrouded Rwenzori Mountains forming a dramatic backdrop.

By evening, you arrive at Kibale Forest Lodge, tucked near the edge of one of Africa’s richest primate and birding habitats.

Overnight: Kibale Forest Lodge   |   Basis: Full Board

Day 10

11 Apr 2027  –  Birding Kibale Forest and Bigodi Swamp

Your day begins with breakfast before venturing into Kibale Forest, one of East Africa’s oldest rainforests, home to over 330 bird species and 13 primate species. Your morning blends birding with the chance to track Kibale’s famous wild chimpanzees, observing their playful young and watchful males moving through the trees.

Between these encounters, the African crowned eagle circles silently overhead, while yellow-crested, brown-eared, and buff-spotted woodpeckers drum through the trees. Flashes of color announce pink-footed puffbacks, black-billed turacos, and Narina trogons, and with luck you may hear the soft, fluting call of the elusive green-breasted pitta.

In the afternoon you visit the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, a community-managed reserve with elevated boardwalks through papyrus and swamp forest. Here the vibrant great blue turaco glides between trees, the shining-blue kingfisher perches along shaded channels, and secretive species such as the white-spotted flufftail may emerge for careful observers.

By evening, you return to Kibale Forest Lodge for dinner beneath a blanket of stars.

Overnight: Kibale Forest Lodge   |   Basis: Full Board

Day 11

12 Apr 2027  –  Birding & Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast, you leave Kibale’s forests behind and travel south toward Queen Elizabeth National Park, tracing the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains – the legendary ‘Mountains of the Moon.’

In the shifting habitats, look for colorful flocks of yellow-bellied, crimson-rumped, fawn-breasted, and common waxbills. Overhead, bateleurs and multiple vulture species – African white-backed, Rüppell’s griffon, lappet-faced, and palm-nut vultures – circle on thermals. On the open plains, watch for Temminck’s courser, rufous-naped and flappet larks, and woodpeckers in scattered acacias.

The route is also excellent for raptors and grassland specialists, with fan-tailed and red-collared widowbirds displaying over the fields and harriers – African marsh, Eurasian marsh, pallid, and Montagu’s – quartering low across the grasslands.

By late afternoon, you arrive at Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge, set along the Kazinga Channel, where the calls of hippos and distant birds create the soundtrack for your evening.

Overnight: Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge   |   Basis: Full Board

Day 12

13 Apr 2027  –  Birding Kasenyi Area – Boat Cruise, QENP

The day begins with breakfast before a full day exploring the Kasenyi Plains and the Kazinga Channel – one of Africa’s richest birding destinations, with over 600 recorded species in the park.

In the open expanses, watch for the striking Temminck’s courser and common button-quail concealed among the grasses. The air comes alive with winding, wing-snapping, stout, croaking, and zitting cisticolas, while wetland edges bring chances for the papyrus gonolek and a variety of reed and swamp warblers.

By early afternoon, you shift to the water for a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel, a natural link between Lakes Edward and George. Hippos and crocodiles dominate the shoreline, while elegant African skimmers glide low over the water, collared pratincoles line the sandy edges, and you may spot Verreaux’s eagle-owl roosting in riverside trees.

As the sun dips and the channel glows in golden light, you return to Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge for dinner.

Overnight: Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge   |   Basis: Full Board

Day 13

14 Apr 2027  –  Birding in Ishasha, QENP – Transfer to Bwindi

After breakfast, you depart for the Ishasha Sector in the remote southern reaches of Queen Elizabeth National Park, best known for its rare tree-climbing lions resting on the broad branches of fig trees.

The sector offers excellent chances to encounter the sulphur-breasted bush-shrike and the black-throated seed-eater. Open plains and lake margins reveal red-billed and African firefinches, flocks of violet-backed and wattled starlings, and raptors such as the western-banded and brown snake-eagles, along with long-crested and martial eagles.

By evening, you continue toward the misty hills of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, arriving at Buhoma Gorilla Friends Camp ahead of the final and most iconic chapter of your journey: meeting Bwindi’s mountain gorillas.

Overnight: Buhoma Gorilla Friends Camp   |   Basis: Full Board

Day 14

15 Apr 2027  –  Birding towards Waterfall Trail, Buhoma

Your day begins as the cool mountain mist lifts from the dense slopes of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems in Africa. With a packed lunch, you set off along the Waterfall Trail in the Buhoma sector.

This ancient rainforest, often ranked as Africa’s top birding destination with more than 350 species recorded, yields rare specialities: the melodic red-throated alethe, Petit’s and grey cuckoo-shrikes, and the soft calls of Rwenzori hill-babblers. Along forest edges you may glimpse blue-shouldered and white-bellied robin-chats and the metallic sheens of narrow-tailed, Stuhlmann’s, and Waller’s starlings.

Deeper in, the forest may yield a flash of the striking bar-tailed trogon or an Ayre’s hawk-eagle gliding above, along with oriole finches and strange weavers.

Whether you focus on birding or join an optional gorilla tracking excursion to spend an hour with a habituated mountain gorilla family, the day offers an immersion into Bwindi’s living heart. As evening falls, you return to Buhoma Gorilla Friends Camp for dinner under the cool forest night.

Overnight: Buhoma Gorilla Friends Camp   |   Basis: Full Board

Day 15

16 Apr 2027  –  Birding the Neck – Transfer to Ruhija

After breakfast, you bid farewell to Buhoma and begin your journey toward Ruhija Sector, birding along the winding roads that skirt the dense neck of Bwindi’s montane forest.

This high-altitude stretch holds a wealth of specialties: agile dusky-blue, Cassin’s grey, Chapin’s, white-bellied crested, and ashy flycatchers, plus the graceful mountain wagtail along clear streams. The canopies hum with buff-throated, mountain-masked, and grey apalises, while red-tailed, yellow-throated, Shelley’s, and Ansorge’s greenbuls stir the foliage.

By evening, you arrive at Trekkers’ Tavern Cottages in Ruhija, where the cool mountain air and sweeping forest views provide a tranquil backdrop to reflect on the journey so far – the Nile and its shoebills, the bee-eaters of the Albert Delta, the tree-climbing lions of Ishasha, and the gorilla forests.

Overnight: Trekkers’ Tavern Cottages, Ruhija   |   Basis: Full Board

Day 16

17 Apr 2027  –  Birding to Mubwindi Swamp, Ruhija/Bwindi

After an early breakfast, you set out for a full day on the renowned Mubwindi Swamp Trail, descending nearly 1,000 feet over four kilometers through dense montane forest toward the open expanse of Mubwindi Swamp.

This is prime habitat for Albertine Rift endemics rarely encountered elsewhere: the elusive Grauer’s rush warbler, the jewel-like Grauer’s broadbill, Rwenzori apalis, Rwenzori hill-babbler, and yellow-eyed black flycatcher. Sunbirds abound too – purple-breasted, blue-headed, northern double-collared, and regal sunbirds.

The trail continues to reveal Bwindi’s diversity: yellow-streaked and eastern mountain greenbuls, the shy handsome francolin, stripe-breasted tit, strange weaver, and the vibrant bar-tailed trogon.

By late afternoon, you ascend back to Ruhija and return to your lodge for dinner.

Overnight: Trekkers’ Tavern Cottages, Ruhija   |   Basis: Full Board

Day 17

18 Apr 2027  –  Birding on the Way to Lake Bunyonyi

After breakfast, you begin your journey toward Lake Bunyonyi, birding along the main road through the rolling highlands of southwestern Uganda.

Your guide helps you seek out the soft-voiced cinnamon bracken warbler, active white-browed crombec, and vibrant white-starred and forest robins. Open edges bring the bright yellow bishop, streaky seedeater, and elegant cinnamon-chested bee-eater, while the drive also rewards with the black-headed waxbill, white-headed wood-hoopoe, and soaring mountain and augur buzzards.

By afternoon, you arrive at the serene shores of Lake Bunyonyi, dotted with 29 small islands and ringed by verdant hills. After checking in at Bunyonyi Overland Camp, the remainder of the day is yours to relax before dinner.

Overnight: Bunyonyi Overland Camp   |   Basis: Full Board

Day 18

19 Apr 2027  –  Lake Bunyonyi – Birding to Lake Mburo NP

After breakfast, you set off toward Lake Mburo National Park, birding along the way through the picturesque Kigezi Highlands.

This stretch is especially productive for wetland and papyrus specialists: white-winged, little rush, and papyrus gonoleks. At Omungyenyi Bridge you may also encounter the elusive buff-spotted flufftail, papyrus yellow warbler, and papyrus canary.

Around midday, you stop for lunch in Mbarara before continuing westward, the landscape shifting to acacia woodlands and open savanna. By late afternoon, you arrive at Mburo Arcadia Cottages, perched on a hillside overlooking Lake Mburo’s rolling plains.

Overnight: Mburo Arcadia Cottages   |   Basis: Full Board

Day 19

20 Apr 2027  –  Birding Lake Mburo National Park

After breakfast, you set out for a full day in Lake Mburo National Park, Uganda’s smallest savanna reserve, combining birding with game drives across acacia woodlands, rolling grasslands, and papyrus-fringed lakes.

On the open plains, look for the emerald-spotted wood-dove, brown-chested lapwing, and a quartet of vibrant barbets – white-headed, red-faced, spot-flanked, and crested. Grasslands host tabora and trilling cisticolas, the shy coqui francolin, and the distinctive scaly-throated honeyguide.

In the afternoon, a boat cruise on Lake Mburo reveals aquatic and papyrus-dwelling species: the secretive white-backed night-heron, elegant rufous-bellied and striated herons, and the elusive African finfoot.

As the sun sets, you return to Mburo Arcadia Cottages for your final evening immersed in Uganda’s wild spaces.

Overnight: Mburo Arcadia Cottages   |   Basis: Full Board

Day 20

21 Apr 2027  –  Nature Walk and Transfer to Entebbe

The day begins at dawn with a guided birding and nature walk through Lake Mburo National Park, one of the most rewarding walking experiences in Uganda’s savanna reserves, offering a final flourish of birdlife before departure.

After the walk, you return to the lodge for a leisurely breakfast before beginning the transfer back to Entebbe, reflecting on the extraordinary diversity of landscapes, birdlife, and wildlife experienced throughout the safari. Upon arrival in Entebbe, you continue to the airport for your onward international flight.

Overnight: –   |   Basis: Breakfast

Top Birds to Expect

Shoebill; Black-billed, Strange, Orange & Weyn’s Weaver; Lesser Jacana; White-crested, Black-billed & Rwenzori Turaco; Puvel’s Illadopsis; Carruthers’s, Tabora & Foxy Cisticola; White-crested Helmet-shrike; Pel’s Fishing Owl; Swallow-tailed & Red-throated Bee-eater; Sabine’s & Mottled Spinetail; Brown Twinspot; Yellow-footed, Blue-crested, Chestnut-capped & Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher; Ituri Batis; African Crowned Eagle; Forest Robin; Spotted & Joyful Greenbul; African Dwarf & Chocolate-backed Kingfisher; Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl; Collared Pratincole; Papyrus Gonolek; Yellow-billed, Hairy-breasted & Yellow-spotted Barbet; Pink-footed Puffback; Bar-tailed & Narina Trogon; Yellow-crested, Brown-eared & Buff-spotted Woodpecker; Mountain-masked, Chestnut-throated & Rwenzori Apalis; African & Grauer’s Broadbill; Rwenzori Double-collared, Northern Double-collared, Purple-breasted & Regal Sunbird; Narrow-tailed, Chestnut-winged, Stuhlmann’s, Waller’s & Sharpe’s Starling; Black-faced Rufous, Grauer’s Rush & Neumann’s Warbler; Ayre’s Hawk-Eagle; Equatorial Akalat; Lagden’s, Doherty’s & Bocage’s Bush-shrike.

Tour Includes

• All ground transportation
• Expert, English-speaking local driver/bird guide
• All accommodations while on tour
• Meals as specified in the itinerary
• Park entrance fees

Tour Excludes

• International flights
• Visa and personal insurance
• Gorilla/chimpanzee trekking permits (available at extra cost)
• Drinks, tips and gratuities
• Personal expenses (laundry, souvenirs, etc.)
• Any item or activity not mentioned in the tour package

Booking

Quotation: US$6,658 per person, based on 8 participants.

For safari inquiries, please contact Terrain Safaris. Ask also about our Uganda Gorilla Trekking Trips, Uganda Cultural Tours, and Birding Tours in Rwanda, Kenya, and Tanzania.

Thank you for supporting Terrain Safaris and Uganda – East Africa.