13 Day Uganda Birding & Gorilla Safari

Overview:

Embark on an extraordinary 13-day birding and wildlife safari through Uganda, one of Africa’s most biodiverse and captivating destinations. This expertly guided journey is designed for passionate birders and nature enthusiasts, offering unrivaled opportunities to encounter Albertine Rift endemics, Central African forest/Biome species, and a wealth of savannah and wetland birds—all within the context of Uganda’s spectacular landscapes and rich wildlife heritage.

From the lowland rainforests of Semuliki and the montane forests of the Rwenzori Mountains, to the ancient jungles of Bwindi and the savannah woodlands of Lake Mburo, this itinerary provides exceptional access to Uganda’s prime birding hotspots and national parks. Over the course of your adventure, you’ll explore varied ecosystems, encounter diverse bird species—many of them rare or endemic—and enjoy immersive experiences like gorilla trekking in Bwindi and boat cruising on Lake Mburo.

Guided by an expert ornithologist and naturalist, you’ll also experience Uganda’s cultural and ecological richness, traveling through scenic countryside, terraced hills, and protected wilderness areas. With comfortable accommodations in strategically located lodges and camps, every day is carefully curated for both discovery and relaxation.

Whether you’re a seasoned birder or a nature lover with a keen eye for beauty, this tour promises an unforgettable journey into the heart of Uganda’s avian wonders and natural treasures.

Black Bee-eater at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest NP.

Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe – Briefing & Optional Birding at the Botanical Gardens

Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by our professional representative—your dedicated birding guide and driver for the tour. After a brief introduction and tour briefing, you will be transferred to your hotel for check-in and a chance to refresh.

Enjoy lunch at the lodge. If time permits—depending on your flight schedule—you will head out for an introductory birding session at the nearby Entebbe Botanical Gardens, known for its rich variety of bird species and beautiful lakeside setting.

Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation: 2 Friends Beach Hotel – Entebbe

Day 2: Transfer to Semuliki National Park – Afternoon Birding

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and begin your journey to Semuliki National Park, one of Uganda’s premier birding destinations. The scenic drive will include several birding stopovers en route, with lunch provided along the way.

You’ll arrive in the afternoon and check-in at Bumaga Camp – Semliki, your base for exploring this unique part of the Albertine Rift Valley. Later in the day, enjoy a birding excursion along the main road that skirts the park—an excellent introduction to the area’s rich avifauna.

Semuliki is renowned for its Central African species, many of which are not found elsewhere in East Africa. Key species you may encounter include:

Orange-cheeked Waxbill, Magpie Mannikin, Grant’s Bluebill, and Black-bellied Seed-eater, Flycatchers such as the African Dusky, Grey-throated, and Blue-headed Crested Flycatcher, Forest specialists like the Dusky Tit, Capuchin Babbler, Yellow-bellied & Jameson’s Wattle-eye.

Additional highlights: Ituri Batis, White-browed Crombec, Abyssinian & Oberlaender’s Ground Thrush, Swamp Palm Bulbul, and Leaf-love among others.

Return to the camp for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Bumaga Camp – Semuliki National Park

Day 3: Full-Day Birding – Kirumya Trail, Semuliki National Park

After an early breakfast, set out for a full day of birding along the Kirumya Trail, a prime birding route within Semuliki National Park. This forested trail marks the easternmost extent of several Guinea-Congo biome species, making it one of Uganda’s most unique birding hotspots.

Please note that during the rainy season, the trail can become quite muddy—rubber boots are strongly recommended for comfortable trekking.

Throughout the day, you will be scanning the dense lowland forest for a variety of specialties. Expected highlights include:

• Hornbills: Red-billed Dwarf, Black-casqued Wattled, Black Dwarf, Piping, White-thighed, and White-crested Hornbill
• Kingfishers: Shining-blue, White-bellied, Chocolate-backed, African Dwarf, and African Pygmy Kingfisher
• Other forest gems: African Piculet, Forest Robin, Zenker’s Honeyguide, Black-throated Coucal, Red-rumped Tinkerbird, Nkulengu Rail, and Rufous-sided Broadbill
• Cuckoos & Pigeons: African Emerald, Dusky Long-tailed, Barred Long-tailed, Yellow-throated and African Cuckoo, plus White-naped and Western Bronze-naped Pigeon
• Game birds & Raptors: Nahan’s and Forest Francolin, Long-tailed Hawk, Chestnut-flanked Goshawk, Rufous-breasted and Red-thighed Sparrowhawk, Hartlaub’s Duck
• Forest songbirds: Brown-chested and Fire-crested Alethe, Woodhouse’s Antpecker, Red-bellied and Blue-billed Malimbe, Swamp Palm Bulbul, Forest Scrub-Robin, Green-tailed Bristlebill, Leaf-love, Pale-fronted and Chestnut-breasted Negrofinch, Black-winged Oriole, and Spot-breasted and African Green Ibis, among others.

Return to the lodge in the evening to relax, followed by dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Bumaga Camp – Semuliki National Park

Day 4: Birding the Sebitoli Sector – Kibale National Park

After an early breakfast, with packed lunch in hand, we begin our journey toward the Sebitoli sector of Kibale National Park, widely regarded as one of the park’s premier birding locations. The Sebitoli area offers a diverse range of habitats that attract an exceptional variety of forest bird species, including several sought-after regional specialties.

Target species in this area may include:

• Greenbuls: Cabanis’s, Joyful, Toro Olive, Cameroon Sombre, White-throated, and Yellow-whiskered Greenbul
• Cuckoos and Warblers: Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo, Black-faced Rufous Warbler
• Sunbirds: Superb, Little Green, Grey-headed, Green-throated, Blue-throated, and Tiny Sunbird
• Other notable species: African Black Duck, Green Twinspot, Brown and Scaly-breasted Illadopsis, Blue-shouldered Robin-chat, Red-capped Robin-chat, Dusky Tit, Dark-backed Weaver, Velvet-mantled Drongo, Bocage’s Bush-shrike, Pink-footed Puffback, Lühder’s Bush-shrike
• And if fortunate, two iconic forest species: Green-breasted Pitta and African Pitta

After a rewarding day of birding, continue your drive and arrive at Ruboni Community Camp, nestled at the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains. Check-in, relax, and enjoy dinner.

Accommodation: Ruboni Community Camp – Rwenzori Foothills

Day 5: Full-Day Birding – Rwenzori Mountains National Park

After an early breakfast, set out with packed lunch for a full day of birding in the Rwenzori Mountains National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its stunning montane landscapes and unique birdlife. The park’s varied altitudes and forest habitats make it an important area for several Albertine Rift endemics and localized species.

Today’s highlights may include:

• Sunbirds and Crimsonwings: Purple-breasted Sunbird, Abyssinian, Red-faced, Shelley’s (increasingly rare), and Dusky Crimsonwing
• Finches and Waxbills: Green-backed and Dusky Twinspot, White-collared Oliveback, Yellow-bellied Waxbill
• Forest Specials: Woodhouse’s Antpecker, Stripe-breasted Tit, Forest Flycatcher, Grey Apalis
• Raptors: Mountain Buzzard, Ayres’s Hawk-Eagle and Cassin’s Hawk-Eagle
• Warblers and Camaropteras: Olive-green Camaroptera, Yellow-browed Camaroptera

The Rwenzoris are rich in endemism and offer rewarding opportunities for patient birders in search of elusive forest dwellers.

In the late afternoon, return to your lodge for dinner and overnight rest.
Accommodation: Ruboni Community Camp – Rwenzori Foothills

Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest via Ishasha – QENP.

After an early breakfast, depart for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, driving via the scenic Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park—famous for its rare tree-climbing lions. With a bit of luck, you may spot these iconic predators resting in the fig trees as you pass through.

Upon arrival in Bwindi, and time permitting, enjoy an afternoon birding session along the Munyaga Trail, which offers a rich variety of forest and edge species in a relatively accessible setting.

Key species we hope to encounter today include:

• Bush-shrikes & Barbets: Sulphur-breasted Bush-shrike, Lagden’s Bush-shrike, White-headed Barbet
• Canaries & Waxbills: Yellow-fronted Canary, Yellow-bellied Waxbill
• Orioles & Cuckoo-shrikes: African Golden Oriole, Petit’s Cuckoo-shrike, Grey Cuckoo-shrike
• Raptors & Owls: Ayres’s Hawk-Eagle, Red-chested Owlet
• Bee-eaters & Pigeons: Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Black Bee-eater, Western Bronze-naped Pigeon
• Woodpeckers & Broadbills: Tullberg’s Woodpecker, Elliot’s Woodpecker, African Broadbill, African Green Broadbill
• Thrushes & Warblers: Olive Thrush, White-tailed Ant-Thrush, Grauer’s Rush Warbler, Short-tailed Warbler, Neumann’s Warbler, Red-faced Woodland Warbler
• Other forest species: Western Green Tinkerbird, Archer’s Ground Robin, Toro Olive Greenbul, Ansorge’s Greenbul, Equatorial Akalat, White-bellied Robin-Chat

Following your birding excursion, proceed to your lodge for check-in, dinner, and a well-deserved rest.

Accommodation: Buhoma Gorilla Friends Camp – Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Day 7: Full-Day Birding – Waterfall Trail, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (Buhoma Sector)

After an early breakfast, set out for a full day of birding along the Waterfall Trail in the Buhoma sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Nestled along the Albertine Rift Valley, Bwindi is widely regarded as Uganda’s premier birding destination, boasting over 23 Albertine Rift endemics and more than 350 recorded bird species.

Today’s birding will focus on finding several rare and localized forest species. Expected highlights include:

• Albertine Rift Endemics: Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Grauer’s Warbler, Neumann’s Warbler, Red-throated Alethe, Rwenzori Batis, Rwenzori Double-collared Sunbird
• Apalis and Warblers: Black-faced, Black-throated, and Mountain Masked Apalis; Banded Prinia
• Sunbirds: Blue-throated Brown, Northern Double-collared, Regal, and Blue-headed Sunbird
• Illadopsis and Babblers: Pale-breasted and Mountain Illadopsis, African Hill Babbler
• Tits and Puffbacks: Dusky Tit, Stripe-breasted Tit, Pink-footed and Northern Puffback
• Shrikes and Boubous: Mackinnon’s Fiscal, Albertine Sooty Boubou, Willard’s Sooty Boubou, Many-colored, Doherty’s, Grey-headed and Bocage’s Bush-shrike
• Weavers and Starlings: Brown-capped, Black-billed, and Strange Weaver; Stuhlmann’s, Narrow-tailed, and Waller’s Starling
• Flycatchers and Chats: White-bellied Crested Flycatcher, Chapin’s Flycatcher, Dusky-blue Flycatcher, Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Ashy Flycatcher, White-bellied Robin-chat, Equatorial Akalat

After a rewarding day of forest birding, return to the lodge in the evening to relax and enjoy dinner.

Accommodation: Buhoma Gorilla Friends Camp – Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Day 8: Gorilla Trekking – Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Today marks the highlight of your safari—a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with the majestic Mountain Gorillas of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Bwindi is home to four Gorilla trekking sectors, with Buhoma serving as the park headquarters. Your trekking location will be determined by permit availability and sector assignment. After an early breakfast, proceed to the park offices for registration and a comprehensive briefing by the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

The duration of your trek can vary—from 3 to 8 hours—depending on the location of the gorilla family assigned to your group. Once located, you’ll spend a magical and strictly regulated one hour observing these incredible primates in their natural habitat—a truly unforgettable and humbling wildlife experience.

After your trek, return to your lodge to relax and reflect on the day.

Accommodation: Buhoma Gorilla Friends Camp – Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Day 9: Birding Transfer to Ruhija – Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After breakfast, begin your birding transfer to the Ruhija sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, traveling through the scenic “Neck” of the forest—a corridor well-known for its rich biodiversity and exceptional birding, especially for Albertine Rift endemics and other forest specialists.

This route is particularly productive and offers excellent chances to spot key species such as:

• Waterbirds & Flycatchers: Mountain Wagtail, Cassin’s Grey Flycatcher, African Black Duck
• Greenbuls: Red-tailed, Shelley’s, Yellow-streaked, Mountain, and Honeyguide Greenbul
• Barbets & Woodpeckers: Grey-throated Barbet, Fine-banded Woodpecker
• Buzzards & Raptors: Common, Mountain and Augur Buzzard, Ayres’s Hawk-Eagle
• Trogons & Turacos: Bar-tailed Trogon, Narina Trogon, Black-billed Turaco
• Bee-eaters: Black Bee-eater & Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater
• Bush-shrikes: Many-colored, Doherty’s, and Grey-headed Bush-shrike
• Other Notables: Tree Pipit, Chin-spot Batis, Dwarf Honeyguide, Western Bronze-naped Pigeon, Gray Apalis, Red-throated Alethe, African Shrike-flycatcher, Oriole Finch, Red-headed Malimbe, and Dusky Twinspot

We arrive in Ruhija in the late afternoon and check in at Trekkers’ Tavern, your base for exploring this high-altitude sector of Bwindi. Enjoy dinner and an overnight stay surrounded by the forest’s serene atmosphere.

Accommodation: Trekkers’ Tavern Cottages – Ruhija, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Day 10: Full-Day Birding – Mubwindi Swamp Trail, Ruhija Sector Of Bwindi 

After an early breakfast, embark on a full-day birding expedition along the renowned Mubwindi Swamp Trail—one of the most rewarding birding sites in the entire Albertine Rift. This 4-kilometer trail descends gradually from 2,350m to 2,050m, winding through montane forest and ending at the swamp, a stronghold for many of the region’s most sought-after and elusive species.

This area is especially famous for hosting some of the rarest Albertine Rift endemics, including:

• Endemics & Forest Rarities: Grauer’s Warbler, Grauer’s Broadbill, Grauer’s Rush Warbler, Grauer’s Scrub Warbler
• Sunbirds: Regal, Blue-headed, Purple-breasted Sunbird
• Flycatchers & Chats: Archer’s Robin-chat, Stripe-breasted Tit, Rwenzori Apalis, African Hill Babbler (sometimes split as Rwenzori Hill Babbler)
• Francolins & Swifts: Handsome Francolin, African Black and Scarce Swift
• Woodland Species: Dwarf Honeyguide, Lühder’s Bush-shrike, Fraser’s Eagle-Owl, White-headed Woodhoopoe
• Other Highlights: Carruthers’ Cisticola, Eastern Mountain Greenbul, Strange Weaver, Black-headed Waxbill, Bar-tailed Trogon, Stuhlmann’s and Waller’s Starling, Montane Nightjar

Mubwindi Swamp is not only a birder’s paradise but also offers breathtaking views and a tranquil atmosphere, making it a truly immersive experience for nature lovers.

Return to your lodge in the evening for dinner and overnight rest.

Accommodation: Trekkers’ Tavern Cottages – Ruhija, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Day 11: Birding En Route to Lake Mburo National Park

After breakfast, depart for Lake Mburo National Park, with a full day of birding en route. Carrying packed lunch, your journey will take you through the scenic terraced hills of Kabale, a region renowned for its traditional agriculture, and the rolling landscapes of Mbarara—a picturesque transition from highland forest to savannah.

Enjoy a lunch break in Mbarara town, then continue toward Lake Mburo, entering the park in the late afternoon. En route, enjoy a mini game drive combined with birding as you begin to explore the park’s open savannah and woodland habitats.

Expect a warm welcome upon arrival at Rwakobo Rock, where you will check in, relax, and enjoy dinner with views over the savannah.

Accommodation: Rwakobo Rock – Lake Mburo National Park

Day 12: Birding & Boat Cruise – Lake Mburo National Park

After an early breakfast, set out for a morning game drive and birding excursion through the diverse habitats of Lake Mburo National Park. This park, known for its mosaic of acacia woodland, savannah, wetlands, and rocky outcrops, offers excellent opportunities for both bird and game viewing.

Following lunch at the lodge, enjoy a scenic afternoon boat cruise on Lake Mburo — an ideal way to spot aquatic and shoreline bird species in their natural environment.

Key species to look out for today include:

• Woodland and Savannah Birds: Red-faced Barbet, Crested Barbet, Red-headed Weaver, Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove, Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Lilac-breasted Roller, Long-tailed Cisticola
• Raptors and Herons: Short-toed Snake-Eagle, Brown Snake-Eagle, Black-crowned and White-backed Night-Heron
• Wetland and Water Birds: African Finfoot (a highlight), Papyrus Gonolek, Brown-chested Lapwing
• Game Birds: Coqui Francolin

Return to the lodge in the evening for dinner and an overnight stay, surrounded by the peaceful savannah landscape.

Accommodation: Rwakobo Rock – Lake Mburo National Park

Day 13: Early Morning Nature Walk – Departure

Begin your final day with an early morning nature walk and birding excursion along the shores of Lake Mburo, focusing on locating wetland and woodland species that may have been missed the previous day. This tranquil walk also offers excellent chances to observe wildlife at close range in the cool morning light.

Potential sightings may include Zebra, Impala, Klipspringer, Buffalo, Topi, Warthog, Reedbuck, and with a bit of luck, even Leopard.

Return to the lodge for a leisurely breakfast, followed by check-out. You will then transfer to Entebbe International Airport for your flight home, bringing to a close your unforgettable birding and wildlife journey through Uganda.

End of Safari

Highlights of this 13 Day Uganda Birding Tour:

• Birding in Uganda’s top avifaunal regions: Semuliki, Kibale, Rwenzori Mountains, Bwindi, and Lake Mburo
• Exceptional sightings of Albertine Rift Endemics, including Grauer’s Broadbill, Regal Sunbird, and Rwenzori Apalis
• A once-in-a-lifetime Mountain Gorilla Trekking experience in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
• Exploration of diverse habitats: lowland rainforest, montane forest, wetlands, acacia woodland, and savannah
• Boat cruise on Lake Mburo for aquatic and shoreline bird species
• Game viewing opportunities including tree-climbing lions, zebra, topi, and buffalo
• Comfortable stays in eco-lodges and community camps immersed in nature

Target Bird Families & Specialties:

• Hornbills, Kingfishers, Greenbuls, Broadbills, Apalises, Sunbirds, Flycatchers, Cuckoos, Francolins
• Rare species: African Finfoot, Papyrus Gonolek, Nkulengu Rail, Shelley’s Crimsonwing, and Forest Scrub-Robin

This thoughtfully crafted itinerary offers the perfect balance of intense birding, wildlife encounters, and relaxed immersion in Uganda’s stunning wilderness.

Safari Summary

Tour Duration: 13 Days & 12 Nights

Departure / Return Location: Entebbe, Uganda

Destinations on Tour:

1. Entebbe
2. Semliki Forest National Park
3. Kibale Forest National Park
4. Rwenzori Mountains National Park
5. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
6. Lake Mburo National Park
7. Entebbe

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