15 Days Uganda Birding Tour – Northeast: Kidepo Valley

A greenway Nature Tours representative will fetch you from Entebbe International Airport take you to a nearby guest house before starting the birding. The striking Double-toothed Barbet and the dazzling Black-headed Gonolek are both common around Entebbe. African Hobby and Bat Hawk are sometimes seen around town. Palm-nut Vulture, Broad-billed Roller, numerous weavers, and perhaps our first Great Blue Turaco might be seen as we bird the lush Entebbe Botanical Garden on edge of Lake Victoria.

Overnight: The Boma, or similar, Entebbe

Our adventure begins today with the pursuit of a truly remarkable bird, the Shoebill. We’ll set off through quaint rural villages and homesteads towards Mabamba, a vast wetland connected to Lake Victoria, Africa's largest freshwater lake. This expansive papyrus swamp is home to around 260 bird species, including several pairs of the iconic Shoebill, which has become Uganda’s most famous bird and a top attraction for birdwatchers from around the world.

From a nearby fishing village, we’ll hire a boat and navigate the intricate network of channels in search of this extraordinary bird. Along the way, we’ll encounter a variety of other water birds, including herons, egrets, waterfowl, the ever-present African Fish Eagle, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, African Marsh Harrier, African Swamphen, Long-toed Lapwing, and both African and the elusive Lesser Jacanas. We may also spot Malachite Kingfishers and African Pygmy Geese. Afterward, we’ll embark on a roughly 3-hour drive eastward, aiming to avoid the worst of the Kampala traffic as we make our way to Mabira Forest Reserve.

Overnight: Griffin Falls Camp, Mabira

Mabira Forest Reserve, the largest natural forest in central Uganda, is home to around 315 bird species. While forest birding can be challenging for photography due to the dense cover, a visit to this beautiful reserve offers excellent birdwatching opportunities.

One of our first stops will be a small forest pond, a popular spot for some of the more elusive forest birds that come here to drink. Species we’ll be targeting include the Red-tailed and the very secretive Yellow-lored Bristlebills, the beautiful Blueshouldered Robin-Chat, Forest Robin, Dusky Crested Flycatcher, Brown-chested Alethe, Scaly-breasted Illadopsis, and two striking seed-eaters: the Black-bellied Seedcracker and Red-headed Bluebill.

We’ll also be on the lookout for other special species such as the Grey Parrot, the localized Forest Wood Hoopoe, the rare Cassin’s Hawk-Eagle, Grey-throated Barbet, and several species of woodpecker, including Buff-spotted, Brown-eared, and Yellow-crested.

Other highlights include the Grey and Yellow Longbills, Purple-throated Cuckooshrike, Velvet-mantled Drongo, the elusive Toro Olive Greenbul (one of nine greenbul species here), Western Nicator, the striking Jameson’s Wattle-eye, and the beautiful Blue-headed Crested Flycatcher, though it’s a rare find. We may also spot Green-throated Sunbird, Lowland Sooty Boubou, Yellow-mantled and nomadic Weyns’s Weaver, the rare Tit-Hylia, and both White-breasted and Grey-headed Nigritas.

After birding with will take a 1-hour drive to Jinja town which is home to the source of the Nile for overnight stay.

Overnight: The Haven Eco River Lodge, Jinja

After relaxed breakfast, you can opt to visit the source of the Nile on a boat cruise or take a white-water rafting adventure on this longest river on the planet. Then embark on a scenic 3-hour drive heading further east to Mount Elgon, the world’s largest shield volcano. If time allows, we can begin birdwatching at nearby sites as we make our way toward the mountain.

Overnight: Sipi Heritage Lodge or Similar

We’ll venture into the park’s montane forests, where the high altitude means cooler temperatures and an abundance of bird species that thrive in these elevated conditions. The birdlife here is of exceptional quality, and we’ll explore some of the established trails in search of species such as the Abyssinian Ground Thrush, Black-throated Wattle-eye, Black-collared Apalis, Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Abyssinian Crimsonwing, Jackson’s Spurfowl, Moustached Tinkerbird, Whitestarred Robin, Cape Robin-Chat, Little Rock Thrush, Mountain Yellow Warbler, Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, African Hill Babbler, and White-browed Crombec.

We may also spot dark-colored starlings like Waller’s, the eastern subspecies of Red-winged Starling, Stuhlmann’s Starling, along with Amethyst Sunbird and Hartlaub’s Turaco. As we birdwatch, we’ll also search for the Nyanza Swift while taking in the breathtaking views of Sipi Falls, known as the most romantic waterfall in the region.

Overnight: Sipi Heritage Lodge or Similar

After an early breakfast, we’ll embark on a scenic 4-hour drive northeast to Pian Upe. As Uganda's largest wildlife reserve, Pian Upe is home to over 242 bird species, including a mix of savannah dwellers, migratory birds, and unique endemics.

We’ll spend our time exploring the remote and seldom-visited Pian Upe, searching the Whistling Thorn savannas for two very special birds: the recently rediscovered Fox’s Weaver, an endemic species to Uganda, and the highly localized Karamoja Apalis. The Karamoja Apalis is relatively common here and can usually be found by its distinct piping call. Fox’s Weaver, however, is more challenging to find, though we have a good chance of spotting it. This bird is Uganda's only true endemic, and it was once thought to be extinct after disappearing for several years. Despite a failed survey in 2015, a small population was rediscovered in 2018.

The reserve's virgin grasslands and wooded areas provide a perfect home for dry country birds and a variety of mammals, including the striking Roan antelope. As we pass through the Red Acacias, Desert Date trees, and different species of bushwillows, we’ll encounter several species of cisticolas, the impressive Secretary Bird, Foxy Lark, Northern Red-fronted Tinkerbird, Hartlaub’s Bustard, Stone Partridge, Yellow-spotted Bush Sparrow, and Jackson’s Hornbill. In more arid regions, we may find Yellow-billed Shrike, Golden-winged Sunbird, Northern Red Bishop, Trilling Cisticola, Shelley’s Sparrow, Dark Chanting Goshawk, Silverbird, Cardinal Quelea, Marsh Tchagra, Striped and Woodland Kingfishers, Flappet Lark, and Grey-backed Fiscal. We may also spot flocks of Mottled Swifts soaring overhead.

This leg of the journey takes us through Karamajong villages and communities, where the landscape is dry by Ugandan standards. It’s an ideal spot to find Steel-blue and Long-tailed Paradise Whydahs. We’ll also be keeping an eye out for the Rufous Chatterer, d'Arnaud's Barbet, Purple Grenadier, the rare archeri subspecies of Orange-winged Francolin, and the Shining Sunbird, among other unique species that thrive in this region.

The town, located at the foot of Mount Moroto, is surrounded by unique thicket habitats that attract a variety of birds from eastern and northeastern Uganda. We’ll use this location as our base to explore the Matheniko-Bokora Wildlife Reserve and venture around the mountain to find some species with limited ranges. These include Hunter’s Sunbird, Purple Grenadier, Shining Sunbird, Red and Yellow Barbets, White-bellied Go-away Bird, Northern White-faced Owl, Long-tailed and Standard-winged Nightjars, Abyssinian and Purple Rollers, and Abyssinian Ground, Eastern Yellow, and Jackson’s Hornbills.

As we scan the scrub and walk through the dry, thorny acacia landscape, we’ll search for species such as Red-fronted and Black-breasted Barbets, Brown-backed Woodpecker, Singing Bush Lark, Red-winged Lark, Ethiopian Swallow, African Grey Flycatcher, Foxy and Red-pate Cisticolas, White-bellied Tit, Mouse-colored Penduline Tit, Northern Fiscal, Yellow-billed Shrike, Slate-colored Boubou, Fan-tailed Raven, Superb Starling, Red-billed Oxpecker, Eastern Violet-backed, Shining and Beautiful Sunbirds, Shelley’s Rufous and Chestnut Sparrows, White-headed and White-billed Buffalo Weavers, White-browed and Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-Weavers, Straw-colored Whydah, Grey-capped Social and Speckle-fronted Weavers, Green-winged and Orange-winged Pytilias, Black-bellied and Black-faced Waxbills, Black Bishop, and Brown-rumped Bunting.The town, located at the foot of Mount Moroto, is surrounded by unique thicket habitats that attract a variety of birds from eastern and northeastern Uganda. We’ll use this location as our base to explore the Matheniko-Bokora Wildlife Reserve and venture around the mountain to find some species with limited ranges. These include Hunter’s Sunbird, Purple Grenadier, Shining Sunbird, Red and Yellow Barbets, White-bellied Go-away Bird, Northern White-faced Owl, Long-tailed and Standard-winged Nightjars, Abyssinian and Purple Rollers, and Abyssinian Ground, Eastern Yellow, and Jackson’s Hornbills.

As we scan the scrub and walk through the dry, thorny acacia landscape, we’ll search for species such as Red-fronted and Black-breasted Barbets, Brown-backed Woodpecker, Singing Bush Lark, Red-winged Lark, Ethiopian Swallow, African Grey Flycatcher, Foxy and Red-pate Cisticolas, White-bellied Tit, Mouse-colored Penduline Tit, Northern Fiscal, Yellow-billed Shrike, Slate-colored Boubou, Fan-tailed Raven, Superb Starling, Red-billed Oxpecker, Eastern Violet-backed, Shining and Beautiful Sunbirds, Shelley’s Rufous and Chestnut Sparrows, White-headed and White-billed Buffalo Weavers, White-browed and Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-Weavers, Straw-colored Whydah, Grey-capped Social and Speckle-fronted Weavers, Green-winged and Orange-winged Pytilias, Black-bellied and Black-faced Waxbills, Black Bishop, and Brown-rumped Bunting.

After breakfast, we’ll embark on a 3-hour drive to Kidepo Valley National Park. Spanning 1,444 square kilometers, this park features a stunning mix of river valleys, rolling plains, and forested mountains, all teeming with a remarkable variety of wildlife and 480 bird species. Often described as “possibly the most picturesque park in Africa” by CNN, Kidepo Valley offers some of the continent’s most breathtaking landscapes.

During our time at Kidepo, we’ll spend our days birdwatching throughout the park and, if desired, take optional night drives. This park is the least explored in Uganda, yet it has already recorded over 480 bird species, making it the second highest count in the country after Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Kidepo is located within the Somali-Masai biome and is home to 28 species endemics to the park, found only in this unique environment. The Narus and Kidepo Valleys offer some of the best birding opportunities, where we’ll search for key species like the Common Ostrich, Secretarybird, Pygmy Falcon, Fox Kestrel, Stone Partridge, and various types of Spurfowls including Clapperton's, Heuglin's, and Yellow-necked. We’ll also be on the lookout for Kori, White-bellied, and Hartlaub's Bustards, as well as White-winged Widowbird, White-bellied Canary, and Reichard’s and Reichenow’s Seedeaters.

Other exciting species to find include Augur Buzzard, Wahlberg’s Eagle, Lynes’s Cisticola, Green and Wood Sandpipers, and the Gambaga Flycatcher. We may also spot the Greyish Eagle-Owl, Pennant-winged and Freckled Nightjars, Yellow-billed Shrike, Black-headed Lapwing, Black-backed Cisticola, White-crested Turaco, Bruce’s Green Pigeon, and Boran Cisticola, along with Mocking Cliff Chat, Sooty Chat, Mottled Swift, White-fronted Black Chat, and Brown-backed Woodpecker.

Additionally, we may see Green-backed Eremomela, Brown-rumped Bunting, White-headed Vulture, and Hemprich’s Hornbill. The park is also home to an impressive range of mammals, including African Elephant, African Buffalo, Northern Bushbuck, Northern Giraffe, Cheetah, Hartebeest, Waterbuck, and Kob. With a bit of luck, we might even encounter a Lion, and night drives sometimes reveal Leopard, which are known to hunt Crested Porcupines here.

After a hearty breakfast and some birdwatching, we’ll have a packed lunch before embarking on a 6-hour drive to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, home to Uganda’s only rhinos. Covering 70 square kilometers (7,000 hectares), the sanctuary is a joint initiative between the Uganda Wildlife Authority and Ziwa Ranchers Limited. The sanctuary’s long-term goal is to establish a sustainable population of rhinos and eventually reintroduce them to their natural habitats within Uganda's protected areas.

Today, you have the option to participate in a 2-hour rhino tracking activity, where you'll walk on foot with an expert local guide through Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. We’ll have the chance to see one or more of the 22 White Rhinos currently residing here. Encountering a rhino just meters away is an unforgettable experience. The sanctuary is also home to at least 40 mammal and reptile species, including monkeys, antelopes, Nile Crocodiles, and numerous bird species, such as the Giant Kingfisher, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Brown-throated Wattle-eye, Double-toothed Barbet, Black-and-white Casqued Hornbill, Great Blue Turaco, and Ross’s Turaco—great additions to your birdwatching list!

Afterward, you’ll embark on a 2- to 3-hour drive back to Entebbe, where your guide will drop you off at the airport in time for your international flight. Safe travels! If you have a late-night flight, a day room in Entebbe can be arranged for your comfort.