Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1 — Arrival at Entebbe International Airport

On arrival, you will be met by your driver-guide, who will brief you on your safari program before transferring you to 2 Friends Beach Hotel in Entebbe. Depending on your arrival time, the afternoon may include birding around the Botanical Gardens, where specialties include the African Hobby, Speckled Pigeon, Ross’s Turaco, Brown Parrot, Grey Parrot, Klaas’s, Diederik, and Levaillant’s Cuckoos, Fork-tailed Drongo, Brown-crowned Tchagra, White-chinned Prinia, Superb Sunbird, Golden-backed Weaver, Orange Weaver, and Black-headed Gonolek, among others.

Overnight: 2 Friends Beach Hotel, Entebbe — Full Board

Day 2 — Birding at Mabamba Swamp

After an early breakfast, depart with packed lunches and begin birding en route to Mabamba Swamp, roughly 50 km west of Kampala. Along the way, look for papyrus specialists such as the Papyrus Gonolek, White-winged Warbler, Northern Brown-throated Weaver, and Weyns’s Weaver.

At the swamp, most birding is conducted by canoe in search of the rare Shoebill Stork, African Water Rail, Allen’s and Purple Gallinule, and a variety of herons and egrets — Squacco, Goliath, Purple, and Grey Heron among them — alongside numerous duck species. There is also a chance of encountering the elusive Sitatunga, an antelope adapted to swampy habitats. Later, check in to Nkima Forest Lodge for dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Nkima Forest Lodge — Full Board

Day 3 — Birding to Lake Mburo National Park

Following an early breakfast, set off toward Lake Mburo National Park, with a stop at the Equator for the water-displacement demonstration and souvenir shopping, followed by lunch en route. Arrive in the afternoon and check in to Rwakobo Rock Lodge, then head out for an evening game drive within the park.

Covering roughly 260 sq km, Lake Mburo is one of Uganda’s smallest savannah parks, home to zebra, eland, impala, buffalo, and topi, among other wildlife. Its varied habitats — dry hillside, open and wooded savannah, forest, gallery woodland, and swamp — support a rich avifauna. Around 350 bird species have been recorded here, including the Crested and Red-faced Barbet, Tabora (Long-tailed) Cisticola, Papyrus Yellow Warbler, African Finfoot, Brubru, Rufous-bellied Heron, Black-crowned and White-backed Night-Heron, Brown-chested Lapwing, White-winged Tit, Black-headed and Papyrus Gonolek, Northern Brown-throated Weaver, and White-winged Warbler.

Overnight: Rwakobo Rock Lodge — Full Board

Day 4 — Birding & Boat Cruise, Lake Mburo National Park

Begin with an early-morning nature walk along the shores of Lake Mburo — one of the few parks where walking safaris are possible — offering close encounters with wildlife and birdlife alike. Watch for buffalo, waterbuck, bushbuck, dwarf mongoose, reedbuck, klipspringer, impala, zebra, topi, eland, warthog, and, with luck, leopard. Bird specialties include the Black-headed and Papyrus Gonolek, Coqui Francolin, Brown-chested Lapwing, Lilac-breasted Roller, and the elusive Shoebill Stork.

Return to the lodge for lunch and some relaxation, before an afternoon boat cruise on Lake Mburo offers a different vantage point on the park’s wildlife and birdlife as the day winds down.

Overnight: Rwakobo Rock Lodge — Full Board

Day 5 — Birding towards Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Today’s journey leads to the legendary Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, a true paradise for bird enthusiasts and one of Africa’s most celebrated biodiversity hotspots. Bwindi hosts more than 331 bird species, including nearly 90% of all Albertine Rift endemics, making it a premier destination for specialized birding.

Among the highlights are species rarely — if ever — seen elsewhere in East Africa, such as Neumann’s (Short-tailed) Warbler, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, and Grauer’s Rush Warbler, alongside forest jewels including the Bar-tailed Trogon, Willcocks’s Honeyguide, Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Kivu Ground Thrush, Dusky Crimsonwing, and White-tailed Blue Flycatcher.

By evening, arrive at Ruhija Trekkers’ Tervan Cottages, where the tranquil forested highlands provide the perfect base for your Bwindi birding adventure.

Overnight: Ruhija Trekkers’ Tervan Cottages — Full Board

Day 6 — Birding at Mubwindi Swamp, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

After breakfast, register at the Uganda Wildlife Authority offices, collect your ranger guide, and begin the birding session toward Mubwindi Swamp. (Optional gorilla trekking can also be arranged here, depending on interest.) This is prime habitat for high-elevation species and Albertine Rift endemics, including the Chestnut-throated, Mountain Masked, Black-throated, and Rwenzori Apalis, Stripe-breasted and Dusky Tit, Black-billed Turaco, Grey-throated Barbet, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, and Grauer’s Rush Warbler.

Further specialties include the Northern Double-collared, Rwenzori Double-collared, Variable, Blue-headed, and Regal Sunbirds, Grey Cuckooshrike, Grauer’s Broadbill, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, Archer’s Robin-Chat, Oriole Finch, White-bellied Crested, Yellow-eyed Black, White-eyed Slaty, and Dusky Flycatchers, Lühder’s, Grey-headed, and Doherty’s Bushshrike, Scaly-breasted and Mountain Illadopsis, Yellow-streaked and Mountain Greenbul, Banded Prinia, White-starred Robin, and Dusky Crimsonwing, among others.

Overnight: Ruhija Trekkers’ Tervan Cottages — Full Board

Day 7 — Birding towards Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast, set out with packed lunches for a full day of birding en route to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The route includes a stop at the forest’s famed “neck,” an excellent site for species that may have been missed at Ruhija — including the Black-billed, Brown-capped, and Strange Weavers, Dusky-blue and Cassin’s Grey Flycatchers, Black Cuckoo, Cinnamon-chested and Black Bee-eaters, Yellow Bishop, and starlings such as the Narrow-tailed, Stuhlmann’s, and Waller’s — alongside the African Hill Babbler and Chubb’s Cisticola.

Continuing south, the landscape shifts gradually from montane forest to broad savannah. Entering through the Ishasha Sector, keep watch for the area’s famous tree-climbing lions, often draped across the branches of large fig trees — a rare and unforgettable sight in East Africa. By evening, arrive at Topi Lodge, your base for the night.

Overnight: Topi Lodge — Full Board

Day 8 — Full-Day Birding, Queen Elizabeth National Park

Spend the day exploring one of Uganda’s most celebrated wildlife reserves, beginning in the Ishasha Sector in search of its famous tree-climbing lions among the fig trees. Savannah specialties to watch for include the Violet-backed and Wattled Starlings, Brown-chested and Senegal Lapwings, Spot-flanked, Double-toothed, and White-headed Barbets, and the Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, alongside impressive raptors such as the White-backed, Rüppell’s Griffon, White-headed, and Lappet-faced Vultures.

Continuing north toward the Mweya Peninsula, open grassland and wetland habitats reveal the African Hoopoe, Southern Red Bishop, Red-collared Widowbird, and Stout Cisticola, among other species. With over 600 recorded bird species, Queen Elizabeth holds the title of Uganda’s most diverse birding destination. By late afternoon, arrive at Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge.

Overnight: Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge — Full Board

Day 9 — Kasenyi Plains & Kazinga Channel, Queen Elizabeth National Park

After an early breakfast, begin birding along the Kasenyi Plains and near the Katungulu Bridge, where the park’s roughly 612 recorded bird species include the Grey-headed Kingfisher, Swamp Flycatcher, Black-headed and Papyrus Gonolek, White-winged, Grey-capped, Greater Swamp, Lesser Swamp, and African Reed Warblers, Slender-billed Weaver, and Brimstone Canary.

The Kasenyi Plains themselves — dotted with acacia and candelabra trees near the kob mating grounds — are a reliable spot for lion and other mammals, including buffalo, Uganda kob (the national animal), waterbuck, bushbuck, and elephant. Along the way, look for Scaly Francolin, Red-necked Spurfowl, Harlequin Quail, Common Buttonquail, Rufous-naped, Flappet, and Red-capped Lark, and raptors such as the Martial Eagle, Western Banded Snake Eagle, Black-chested Snake Eagle, Brown Snake Eagle, and Bateleur.

In the afternoon, take a boat launch down the Kazinga Channel, renowned for Pink-backed and Great White Pelican, Saddle-billed Stork, Hamerkop, African Spoonbill, Yellow-billed Stork, Water Thick-knee, African Skimmer, and overwintering Palearctic shorebirds. Before dinner, look and listen for nightjars — Black-shouldered, Freckled, Square-tailed, Pennant-winged, and Slender-tailed — as well as owls including the African Scops, White-faced Scops, and African Wood Owl.

Overnight: Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge — Full Board

Day 10 — Birding to Kibale National Park

After breakfast, depart for Kibale National Park, following the foothills of the majestic Rwenzori Mountains. Although the drive takes only a few hours, roadside birding stops make it a rewarding journey in its own right.

Depending on timing, an afternoon birding session within Kibale itself may be possible. The park is renowned for its extraordinary biodiversity — over 370 recorded bird species, including the sought-after Green-breasted Pitta, alongside colorful forest specialists such as the African Grey Parrot and African Pitta. Kibale is also home to 13 primate species, making it one of the richest ecosystems of its kind in Africa. By evening, check in to Kibale Guest Cottages.

Overnight: Kibale Guest Cottages — Full Board

Day 11 — Chimpanzee Trekking, Kibale National Park

Spend a full day in Kibale, combining birding with chimpanzee tracking. After breakfast, attend the briefing at the tracking meeting point before setting off into the forest — the trek is not strenuous, though duration varies depending on the chimpanzees’ movements that day. Lunch is arranged according to the day’s activities, either as a picnic or a hot meal.

Kibale’s primate and bird checklists are equally rich, including Chimpanzee, Red Colobus, Grey-cheeked Mangabey, Red-tailed Monkey, and Galago, alongside the Scaly Francolin, Marsh Tchagra, Black-bellied Seedcracker, Green-backed Twinspot, Bicolored Mannikin, White-naped Pigeon, Afep Pigeon, Narina Trogon, Joyful Greenbul, Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo, Black Bee-eater, Blue-headed Coucal, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Scaly-throated Honeyguide, and Black-faced Rufous Warbler.

Overnight: Kibale Guest Cottages — Full Board

Day 12 — Birding to Masindi (via Hoima)

After breakfast, depart with packed lunches for Masindi, gateway to several key birding regions in western Uganda. The route passes through traditional homesteads and the rolling hills of the Tooro and Bunyoro kingdoms, with expansive tea plantations lining the landscape — and plenty of opportunities for roadside birding among forest-edge and savannah species.

At Kagadi, pause for a picnic lunch before continuing the journey, taking in glimpses of rural life and Uganda’s cultural heartland along the way. By evening, arrive in Masindi and check in to the Masindi Kolping Hotel.

Overnight: Masindi Kolping Hotel — Full Board

Day 13 — The Royal Mile, Budongo Forest → Murchison Falls National Park

After an early breakfast, set off with packed lunches for the Royal Mile in Budongo Forest — one of Uganda’s premier birding hotspots, once a hunting ground reserved for the King of Bunyoro, with its main trail cleared to allow excellent viewing.

Key species along the trail include the Grey-headed Sunbird, Black Kite, Lizard Buzzard, Wahlberg’s and Long-crested Eagle, African Green Pigeon, Blue-spotted Wood-Dove, Red-eyed and Laughing Dove, Brown Parrot, Eastern Plantain-eater, African Palm Swift, Speckled Mousebird, White-headed Barbet, and Red-rumped and Lesser Striped Swallows. Also expect the Yellow-throated Longclaw, Grey-backed Camaroptera, Brown Twinspot, Dark-capped Yellow Warbler, White-thighed Hornbill, African Crowned Eagle, Yellow and Grey Longbill, Yellow-browed Camaroptera, Jameson’s Wattle-eye, Ituri Batis, Chestnut-capped, Grey-throated, Forest, Sooty, and African Shrike-Flycatchers, and Lemon-bellied and Green Crombec — alongside the Rufous-crowned Eremomela, African Pygmy, African Dwarf, Blue-breasted, and Chocolate-backed Kingfishers, Nahan’s Francolin, and Spotted Greenbul, among others.

Continue on to Murchison Falls National Park and check in for dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Pakuba Safari Lodge — Full Board

Day 14 — Full-Day Birding, Murchison Falls National Park

After an early breakfast, spend the morning birding the northern section along the mighty Nile, followed by a boat cruise to the base of Murchison Falls. Key species in the park include the Shoebill Stork, Bat Hawk, Red-necked Falcon, White-crested Turaco, Bruce’s Green Pigeon, Pel’s Fishing-Owl, and Standard-winged, Pennant-winged, and Long-tailed Nightjars.

Also look for the Swallow-tailed and Northern Carmine Bee-eaters, Spotted Morning Thrush, Silverbird, Greater Blue-eared, Violet-backed, and Bronze-tailed Starlings, Beautiful Sunbird, Northern Red Bishop, Rock Pratincole, Black-billed Barbet, White-fronted Black Chat, Cabanis’s and Cinnamon-breasted Buntings, Foxy Cisticola, and Bar-breasted Firefinch, among others.

Overnight: Pakuba Safari Lodge — Full Board

Day 15 — Departure via Entebbe

After breakfast, bid farewell to Murchison Falls National Park and begin the return journey toward Entebbe, with roadside stops along the way offering one last chance to add species to your checklist. Around midday, pause at Kabalega Diners for a relaxed lunch before continuing south through changing scenery — villages, farmland, and open country — offering time to reflect on the journey’s many discoveries.

By evening, arrive in Entebbe and transfer directly to Entebbe International Airport in time for your onward flight, bringing your Ugandan birding and wildlife journey to a close.

End of itinerary.