12 Days Uganda Birding Safari

Arrive at Entebbe International Airport. Afternoon birding at Entebbe Botanical Gardens on the shores of Lake Victoria. Target species include Ross’s turaco, grey parrot, and African fish eagle.

Early morning boat trip to Mabamba Swamp — the best place in Africa to see the rare shoebill stork. Also spot papyrus gonolek, blue swallow, and sitatunga. Afternoon transfer north toward Murchison Falls.

Two full days birding Murchison Falls National Park. Boat cruise along the Nile for Goliath heron, African skimmer, rock pratincole, and Egyptian plover. Game drives for Abyssinian ground hornbill, secretary bird, and red-throated bee-eater. Visit the Royal Mile for forest species.

Drive south to Kibale National Park. Birding stops along the way through different habitat zones. Afternoon birding around the crater lakes near Fort Portal.

Full day birding in Kibale Forest and Bigodi Wetland. Target: green-breasted pitta, African pitta, great blue turaco, white-spotted flufftail, and many more forest specialists. Optional chimp trekking.

Two days birding Queen Elizabeth National Park. Kazinga Channel boat cruise for African skimmer, pink-backed pelican, and martial eagle. Explore the Ishasha sector and Kalinzu Forest for forest birds including Cassin’s spinetail and blue-headed bee-eater.

Two days birding Bwindi Impenetrable Forest — home to 23 Albertine Rift endemics. Target: African green broadbill, Shelley’s crimsonwing, Grauer’s broadbill, handsome francolin, and Rwenzori turaco. Optional gorilla trekking.

Morning birding at Ruhija sector for highland species. Drive to Lake Bunyonyi for wetland birding — grey crowned crane, papyrus canary, and Carruthers’s cisticola. Begin drive toward Kampala.

Drive to Entebbe with final birding stops. Visit Lutembe Bay for migrant waders if time permits. Airport transfer and departure with your comprehensive bird checklist.