13 Days Uganda Bird Photography Tour with Primate Viewing

Arrive in Entebbe, where you will meet a Greenway Nature Tours representative and be transferred to your hotel. After checking into your room, and taking some time to refresh. If you arrive early, you can visit the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre. Later, you will return to the lodge for dinner, and a brief rundown of what to expect the following day, before retiring to your room for a well-deserved rest. Overnight at Boma Hotel or similar

We will begin the day with an early breakfast at the hotel before embarking on our birding adventure. Our first destination is Mabamba Swamp, located about an hour north of Entebbe. This vast wetland on the shores of Lake Victoria, is recognized as a Ramsar Important Bird Area.

Mabamba is famous for being home to the endangered Shoebill, Uganda's most iconic bird. With its striking, prehistoric appearance, including large yellow human-like eyes and a massive shoe-shaped bill, the Shoebill is a top sighting for birdwatchers worldwide. Our birding experience will take place aboard a large canoe, paddled by an expert local guide. As we navigate the swamp’s narrow channels, we’ll have the chance to spot a variety of bird species, including the Papyrus Gonolek, African Fish Eagle, African Marsh Harrier, Black-winged Kite, Lizard Buzzard, African Jacana, African Pygmy Goose, Black Heron, Blue Swallow, White-winged Swamp Warbler, Blue-headed Coucal, Carruther’s Cisticola, Swamp Flycatcher, and several species of kingfishers, herons, egrets, and waterfowl.

After birding at Mabamba, we will visit the Entebbe Botanical Gardens. Here, our primary focus will be the vibrant Orange Weaver, which can often be found in small breeding colonies at the edge of Lake Victoria. Other notable species in the gardens include Ross’s and Great Blue Turacos, the elusive Orange-tufted Sunbird, Grey Parrot, Eastern Plaintain-eater, Black-and-white Casqued Hornbill, and the Woodland Kingfisher. We will also keep an eye on the skies for Hooded Vultures and Pied Crows, and we’re likely to encounter the striking Marabou Stork. In a small forest patch, we may even spot the Guereza, a striking black-and-white monkey with a bushy tail.

Overnight at Boma Hotel or similar.

After breakfast, we will begin our 5-hour drive west towards Kibale National Park. Upon arrival in the afternoon, we have lunch and then will head to the Sebitole Sector of the park for birdwatching. Our main target species will include the Joyful Greenbul, Lowland Masked Apalis, Dusky Long-tailed and African Emerald Cuckoos (the latter being relatively common and easy to spot at this location), Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher, Many-coloured and Lühder's Bushshrikes, Narrow-tailed and Chestnut-winged Starlings, Tiny and Blue-throated Brown Sunbirds, and Dark-backed Weaver.

Overnight at Kibale Forest Lodge or similar.

Our day in Kibale Forest will begin before dawn, as it’s crucial to hear the first territorial calls of the green-breasted pitta. Breeding pittas are easier to locate because they call frequently, but non-breeding birds require more effort. We’ll explore the best territories and nesting areas, hoping to spot one feeding on the forest floor. Once we have this sought-after species checked off, we’ll continue birding around Kibale, focusing on the forest edge and nearby birding spots.

The birdlife in Kibale is typical of medium-altitude forests, with impressive mixed-species flocks and special sightings like the Afep and white-naped pigeons, red-chested owlet, Narina trogon, white-headed wood hoopoe, black bee-eater, blue-throated roller, purple-headed starling, dusky-blue flycatcher, shrike-flycatcher, superb and green-headed sunbirds, lowland akalat, chestnut wattle-eye, black-and-white manikin, white-collared oliveback, and yellow-mantled weaver, to name just a few.

Kibale Forest is renowned for having the highest concentration and diversity of primates in East Africa. Primate highlights include sightings of red colobus, the striking L'Hoest’s monkey, and the scruffy grey-cheeked mangabey. For those interested, there’s also the option to take part in a chimpanzee trek, with excellent chances of encountering our closest living relatives.

Overnight at Kibale Forest Lodge or similar.

Today offers a second opportunity to spot the green-breasted pitta, in case it was elusive yesterday. If you’ve already ticked off the pitta, your focus will shift to other exciting species on the local bird list. This morning, we’ll also take a walk-through Bigodi Swamp, a delightful community-run project that features a scenic boardwalk through the marsh.

It’s an excellent spot for spotting specialties like the white-spotted flufftail, yellow-spotted barbet, hairy-breasted barbet, yellow-billed barbet, western nicator, grey-winged robin-chat, white-tailed ant-thrush, brown-backed scrub-robin, black-and-white shrike-flycatcher, brown-throated wattle-eye, superb sunbird, brown-crowned tchagra, Bocage’s bush-shrike, black bishop, white-breasted negrofinch, and black-crowned waxbill, among others. After lunch, we’ll embark on a 2-hour drive south to Queen Elizabeth National Park, which was originally known as Kazinga National Park before being renamed in honor of Queen Elizabeth following her visit in 1954.

Overnight at Enganzi Game Lodge or similar.

Queen is home to over 600 bird species and 96 mammal species. We’ll spend the morning birding in the stunning Crater area, located at the foothills of the Ruwenzori Mountains, as well as in the main game-viewing area along the Kasenyi Track. This area is particularly productive for raptors, and our focus will be on species such as Rüppell's Vulture, Bateleur (one of Africa’s most striking raptors), Brown Snake Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, and Grey Kestrel.

Mammals will also be a highlight in this area, and we’re likely to see herds of African Elephants, African Buffalo, Uganda Kob, Bushbuck, and Common Warthogs. With some luck, we might even spot a Lion, Leopard, Spotted Hyena, or the impressive Giant Forest Hog, the largest and arguably the most unattractive pig on Earth!

One of the undeniable highlights of the tour will be the afternoon boat trip along the Kazinga Channel, which connects Lakes George and Edward. This boat ride offers close-up encounters with African Buffalo, African Elephants, and Common Hippopotamuses, as well as numerous waterbirds.

Overnight at Enganzi Game Lodge or similar.

If conditions permit, we will drive through the extensive southern Ishasha section of Queen Elizabeth National Park on our way to Bwindi. Along the way, we are likely to see savanna bird and mammal species, and we may be lucky enough to spot Ishasha’s famous tree-climbing lions. Another species we hope to encounter is the elusive Scaly Spurfowl.

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is renowned for its role in gorilla conservation and is also a hotspot for Albertine Rift endemics. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the park is home to approximately half of the world’s population of Mountain Gorillas. This expansive reserve offers some of the best montane forest birding in Africa and supports nearly the entire range of Albertine Rift endemic bird species.

Overnight at Buhoma Haven Lodge or similar.

Buhoma is nestled in the valley of the Munyaga River, situated 1,500 meters above sea level, and is surrounded by steep, forested hills. Known for its exceptional forest birding, including the chance to spot numerous rare and localized Albertine Rift endemics, Buhoma is truly a birding paradise.

We will spend our time birding along the renowned Buhoma Track, which leads into the mid-elevation forest of Bwindi, just beyond the town of Buhoma and our wonderful accommodations on the edge of the forest. Our search will focus on species such as the Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, Bar-tailed Trogon, Dusky Tit, Abyssinian (Kivu) Ground Thrush, White-bellied Robin-Chat, Equatorial Akalat, Red-throated Alethe, White-bellied Crested Flycatcher, White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher, Northern Double-collared Sunbird, Willcocks’s and Least Honeyguides, the recently described Willard’s Sooty Boubou, Black-billed Weaver, and Magpie Mannikin.

In addition to the birds, we may also be lucky enough to spot wildlife such as the Black-fronted and large Yellow-backed Duiker, Guereza Colobus, L'Hoest’s, Blue and Red-tailed monkeys, Chimpanzees, and several species of squirrels, including Fire-footed Rope, Carruthers’ Mountain, Ruwenzori Sun, and Red-legged Sun Squirrels.

Although the distance isn’t large, we’ll spend the entire day on this route due to the excellent birding opportunities it offers. In the scrubby areas beyond Buhoma, we’ll look for species such as Ross’s Turaco, Red-throated Wryneck, Brown-backed Scrub Robin, Bronzy, Copper, and Variable Sunbirds, Baglafecht and Black-necked Weavers, Yellow Bishop, Village Indigobird, Red-headed Bluebill, and Black-throated Canary.

As we continue along the road, we’ll pass through Kitahurira, also known as "The Neck," a well-known birding hotspot. Here, we’ll search for species like Black Sparrowhawk, Western Bronze-naped Pigeon, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Cassin’s Honeybird, Petit’s Cuckooshrike, White-chinned Prinia, Mountain Wagtail, Pink-footed Puffback, the rare Tiny Sunbird, and the striking Brown-capped Weaver. If we’re very lucky, we may also spot the rare and elusive Lagden’s Bushshrike.

Further along the road, the cultivated areas provide feeding grounds for many seedeaters. Our main targets here will be the highly sought-after Dusky Twinspot, as well as Yellow-bellied, Kandt’s, and Black-crowned Waxbills, African Stonechat, Streaky and Thick-billed Seedeaters, Western Citril, and Yellow-crowned Canary. The noisy Chubb’s Cisticola will taunt us from deep in the bracken, and we’ll try to lure out the beautiful Doherty’s Bushshrike from the dense vegetation.

Ruhija is likely to be one of the highlights of any trip to Uganda, offering exceptional birding in a stunning setting. For those opting for the optional gorilla trekking experience, the day will be spent tracking a habituated group of Mountain Gorillas. Spending an hour with these gentle giants is truly one of the most incredible wildlife experiences in the world!

Our birding will focus on the trails leading to the unique Mubwindi Swamp and along the main access roads. This area is the most accessible site in the world for the rare and localized Grauer’s Broadbill, one of Africa’s most sought-after birds. This globally threatened species is found only in two locations: here and in a remote forest in eastern Congo.

Mubwindi Swamp is also home to Carruthers’s Cisticola and the localized Grauer’s Swamp Warbler, and if we’re lucky, we may spot the elusive Red-chested Flufftail and African Rail. Flowering trees in the area attract striking Albertine Rift endemics like the Blue-headed, Regal, and Purple-breasted Sunbirds. Additionally, we may encounter Dusky, Red-faced, Abyssinian, and the near-mythical Shelley’s Crimsonwing, some of the most beautiful and sought-after seedeaters in Africa.

Overnight at Gorilla Mist Camp or similar.

We’ll begin the day with an early breakfast before heading northeast to our final destination of this incredible birding tour, Lake Mburo.

The drive will take about 5 to 6 hours. Once we arrive, we’ll have some time to explore the park’s remarkable wetland and Acacia savanna, which are home to several special species. Birdwatching will be a highlight, with a focus on raptors such as African Marsh Harrier, White-backed, Lappet-faced, and White-headed Vultures, as well as Brown Snake Eagle and African Hawk-Eagle. Mburo’s woodlands represent the northernmost extension of the southern savanna ecosystem, and they host several species at the edge of their range.

The highly localized Red-faced Barbet, the aptly named Long-tailed Cisticola, and Green-capped Eremomela are among our top targets.  Mammals are also an important feature of Lake Mburo, and we stand a good chance of spotting Plains Zebra, Common Hippopotamuses, Warthogs, Eland (the world’s largest antelope), Waterbuck, Impala, Giraffes, and Topi.

After breakfast, we’ll begin our journey to Entebbe, which will take about 4 to 5 hours. However, before we arrive, there’s one last special stop! We’ll visit the Ugandan Equator crossing at Kayabwe, where you can stand with one leg in the Northern Hemisphere and the other in the Southern Hemisphere!

It’s a great spot for memorable photos and also offers a chance to buy souvenirs to take home as a reminder of this incredible birding safari in Uganda. We’ll then continue to Entebbe International Airport, where we’ll say our goodbyes after having made lifelong friendships. From there, everyone will head off on their onward or homeward flights.

*Please note: For those with late night flights, a day room in Entebbe can be arranged.