Day 01: Arrival and transfer to your hotel.
Day 02: Mabamba Wetland and transfer to Budongo Forest
Day 03: "The Royal Mile" birding & transfer to Murchison Falls NP
Day 04: Birding in Murchison Falls NP
Day 05: Transfer to Kibale Forest
Day 06: Kibale Forest for the Green Brested Pitta
Day 07: Morning Birding and Transfer to Semliki Wildlife Reserve
Day 08: Boat cruise on Lake Albert and Transfer to Kibale for birding at the Crater Lakes
Day 09: Crater Lakes Birding & Transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP (Mweya)
Day 10: Queen Elizabeth NP - Birding at Mweya and Transfer to Ishasha
Day 11: Queen Elizabeth - Birding in Ishasha
Day 12: Endemics in Bwindi Impenetrable NP (Lower altitude)
Day 13: Mubwindi Highland Swamp & Transfer to Lake Mburo
Day 14: Birding in Lake Mburo : Woodland & Savannah
Day 15: Morning Birding & Transfer for departure

Arrival and transfer to the hotel.
Depending on the arrival time you may think about go birding in Entebbe Botanical Garden where you will have a chance to spot the Orange weaver, the golden backed weaver and other master builders of the Ploceidae family, superb sunbird, green hylia, bat hawk.  Plus different other garden birds visiting or settling in this transitional habitat.

Diner and overnight at your accommodation

Entebbe Botanical Garden : Established  in 1902, Entebbe’s botanical garden is an attractively laid-out mix of indigenous forest, cultivation and horticulture, and a highly attractive destinations for birdwatchers. Tropical trees, plants, flowers, birds, monkeys, butterflies in abundance along Lake Victoria. Take a picnic lunch and spend the most beautiful day in Entebbe.

Early breakfast and check out after, departure to Mabamba Swamp for the shoebill. This a swamp of Lake Victoria, the largest freshwater body in Africa and home to numerous water birds. Besides the Shoebill stork we could see the swamp flycatcher, papyrus gonolek, malachite kingfisher, pied kingfisher, black-headed heron, black kite, African open-billed stork, African jacana, lesser jacana, winding cisticola, Veillot’s black weaver, grosbeak weaver, black-headed weaver and African marsh harrier.

See here the Magic Safaris video

After lunch at Nkima Lodge Transfer to Budongo Forest. From Mabamba Wetland we head towards Masindi birding along the way. If time permits, a stop at Luwero Swamp can be considered and in the evening we will go for birding in the woods near Masindi for Bruce’s pigeon, Bronze tailed starling, White crested Turaco, Hartlaubs Marsh widow bird, Brown babblers and Purple starling.

Dinner & overnight at your accommodation.

Mabamba Bay Wetland System: An extensive marsh stretching through a narrow and long bay fringed with papyrus towards the main body of Lake Victoria - the only swamp close to Kampala where one can easily find the globally-threatened Shoebill (Balaeniceps rex). The site supports an average of close to 190,000 birds and is part of the wetland system which hosts approximately 38% of the global population of the Blue Swallow (Hirundo atrocaerulea), as well as the globally-threatened Papyrus Yellow Warbler and other birds of global conservation concern. 

Early morning we partake the Royal Mile forest birding. We bird the rank grass for Brown Twinspot, Grey headed Oliveback and Cabanis Bunting to the dazzling forestry track rated as one of the premier forest birding sites in Africa. Birding for the Top 5 of the Royal Mile like Rufous Crowned Eremomela, Ituribatis, Nahan’s francolin, Chocolate backed Kingfishers, Skulking Alethes and Illadopses singing from the undergrowth and we will work through mixed-species flocks of Spotted Greenbuls. We continue to Murchison Falls NP for the night.

Diner & Overnight at your Accommodation

Budongo Central Forest Reserve is the largest survival natural forest in Uganda, with a total surface of approximately 825 square km, of which 430 square km is continuous forest. The reserve sits atop the Albertine Rift, part of the Great Rift Valley, and is located within the boundaries of Murchison Falls National Park. About 360 species of birds are recorded in the total area, including the rare Puval’s Illadopses which is endemic to the region. 

Morning birding the northern bank browsing the drive circuits to the Delta point for a cocktail of Birds and mammals, birding along the tracks yields Red necked Falcons, Shelleys Sparrow, Verreaux owl, Carmine bee Eaters, Swallow tailed bee eaters and trying the Dusky babbler,Chestnut Crowned and White browed Sparrow weavers as we try the Denhams Bustard. Game drive Nile River Bank to the broad savannah for the most likelihood big cats hunting, Elephants, Giraffes, Buffalos, plus more as the checklist of mammals reaches 76! 
Afternoon we continue to Top of The Falls where we can spot the Rock Pratincole. Northern crombecs, White crested Helmet shrikes.

Diner and overnight at your Accommodation

Murchison Falls National Park lies at the northern end of the Albertine Rift Valley, where the sweeping Bunyoro escarpment tumbles into vast, palm-dotted savanna. First gazetted as a game reserve in 1926, it is Uganda's largest and oldest conservation area, hosting 76 species of mammals and 451 birds. The list includes the Shoebill Stork, the Goliath Heron – the largest heron in the world – and pairs of elegant Grey Crowned Cranes - Uganda’s national bird. Also seen along the banks of the Nile are the Blue-headed Coucal, Swamp Flycatcher, Squacco Heron, African Jacana, Sandpipers, Denham’s Bustard, Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill, and African Quail-Finch. The 1951 film "The African Queen" starring Humphrey Bogart was filmed on Lake Albert and the Nile in Murchison Falls National Park.

Transfer to Kibale area, we stop over at the forest edge near Sebitoli Station. 

Dinner & overnight at your accommodation.

The Sebitoli Station is Kibale’s secondary tourism centre in the north of the forest. It’s situated at 12km from the town of Fort Portal town along the Kampala-Fort Portal road. This section of the forest provides wonderful views of birds plus Primates within the damp evergreen forest having a semi-closed cover of stratified trees. It gives a chance of spotting a variety of aquatic, forest and savannah birds and enjoy views of the Mpanga River. Here we can try the white naped pigeons, Afep pigeons and Masked Apalis before continuing via Fort Portal town”.

Kibale Forest is a prime birding spot with over 375 bird species, including six endemic to the Albertine Rift area. It is an excellent birding spot with varied habitat and dense vegetation. The number one sought after bird in the Kibale Forest is the green-breasted pitta. Other bird species to look out for include the red-chested owlet, purple-breasted sunbird, blue-breasted kingfisher, crowned eagle, little greenbul, black bee-eater, white-naped pigeon, scaly-breasted illadopsis, yellow-throated nicator, white-headed wood hoopoe, red-headed malimbe, yellow-spotted barbet, dusky-blue flycatcher, grey-throated flycatcher, grey-winged robin, crested flycatcher, blue-shouldered robin chat, yellow-spotted barbet, black-billed turaco, white-naped pigeon, red-chested flufftail and tiny sunbird.
 

Part of Kibale Forest Area is the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, a home to 8 primate species, over 200 bird species, butterflies and various reptiles. For bird lovers the highlight of the afternoon is spotting the beautiful great blue turaco. The wetland walk is operated by a registered community-based organization. The income from the walk is used for community development projects such as schools and hospitals.

Dinner & overnight at your accommodation.

Kibale National Park is located in Western Uganda. It is 766 square kilometers (296 sq. mi) in size and is located between 1,100 meters (3,600 ft.) to 1,600 meters (5,200 ft.) in elevation. It is one of Africa’s foremost research sites. While many researchers focus on the chimpanzees and other primates found in the park, others are investigating Kibale’s ecosystems, wild pigs and fish species, among other topics.351 tree species have been recorded in the park, some rise to over 55m and are over 200 years old. It also contains over 375 species of birds and 140 species of butterflies. There are 13 species of primates including chimpanzees.

Kibale National Park is a rainy forest and a home to over 1500 Chimpanzees! Plus 9 different species of Monkeys- red colobus, red tailed monkey and bush babies. 
Although the main focus is the Green Breasted Pitta we may think about tracking the chimpanzees since it is the same habitat they are easier to locate as they start their day.

After Lunch Transfer to Semuliki Wildlife Reserve.

The region endemic is possibly Uganda number 1 spot, an IBA with most Congo-forest species stretching to this furthest eastern end.
Semuliki Wildlife Reserve and Semuliki National Park, located in western Uganda in the Albertine Rift valley, have a record 441 species in their riverine, forest and grasslands avian habitats. 

Here are hosted the Guinea-Congo biome species in the lowland forest. The species to look out for include the African piculet, Maxwell’s black weaver, blue-billed malimbe, yellow-throated nicator, black dwarf hornbill, Nkulengu rail, piping hornbill, blue-billed malimbe, yellow-throated cuckoo, dwarf honeyguide, great blue and Ross’s turaco, purple-breasted sunbird, orange weaver, white-crested hornbill, red-billed dwarf hornbill, African piculet and swamp palm bulbul.

Dinner & overnight at your accommodation.

Semuliki National Park & Semliki Valley Wildlife Reserve: The site is one of the richest areas of floral and faunal diversity in Africa, with bird and butterfly species being especially diverse. It lies on Uganda's border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, within the Albertine Rift, the western arm of the East African Rift. Semliki is mainly of interest to birdwatchers. The impressive checklist of over 420 species of birds includes many birding species and most of them are not seen in other national parks and reserves. Some of the birds which can be seen include the rare shoebill stoke, Abyssinian ground hornbill, sun birds to mention but a few.

You will start this day with a boat ride on Lake Albert. Lake Albert is one of the best places to spot for the rare shoebill and other bird species. Your ride will be in a motorboat with an experienced guide. The shoebill is often found in swampy areas where it is easier for it to feed. The guide will also make sure to point the other bird species that can be seen here. You will then return for a hot lunch and a transfer to the area of crater lakes around Lake Nkuruba and Ndali Lodge.
 

The crater lakes area consists of about 60 permanent and seasonal freshwater lakes. The lakes are very beautiful and on top of the distinct sights afforded, the surrounding countryside contains monkeys, birds and butterflies and offers limitless opportunities for exploration. Exploring the Ndali-Kasenda Crater Lakes area is adventure that you can experience on your visit to Kibale Forest National Park for birdwatching or the chimpanzee tracking adventure.

Dinner & overnight at your accommodation.

AM Birding the crater areas for Joyful greenbul, Mottled and Sabine’s Spinetails, Honey guide Greenbulls, Giant kingfishers and Ross’s turaco, on a lucky day all these species can be spotted.

PM Transfer to QENP (Mweya).
Queen Elizabeth National Park is a birdwatcher’s haven with over 600 bird species. The birds are relatively easy to spot, and you can expect to take great photos as you explore the park and its various environments. 
On the PM arrival you check in your room but also getting ready for the Classic highlights on the 2hrs Boat evening cruise on the famous Kazinga channel. This is a 36kms channel linking Lake George and Lake Edward. Here we can see land and water Adapted Hippopotamuses yawning and some slashing canines to each other as well as the Nile Crocodile gaping along the Bankslots of waters,  Pelicans and different gulls. On our driving back way to the lodge we target the Night jars.

Dinner & overnight at your accommodation.

The Kazinga Channel is a natural channel of 36 km long between Lake George and Lake Edward. The launch trip is the most popular activity at Mweya. From the safe boat you can see lots of wildlife and many water birds.  The Kazinga Channel divides Queen Elizabeth in a northern (Mweya) and a southern part (Ishasha).Landscapes will be different. The northern part is a euphorbia savannah while the southern sector is a typical accacia savannah. 

The bird species to look for include the African mourning dove, swamp flycatcher, grey-headed kingfisher, African skimmer, malachite and pied kingfishers, white-winged terns, grey-capped warbler, collared pratincole, pin-tailed whydah, martial eagle, gabon and slender-tailed nightjars, black-headed gonolek, Verreaux’s eagle-owl, sedge warbler, papyrus canary, great white and pink-backed pelicans, African mourning dove and yellow-billed stork. Also look out for the flamingos at the salt lakes of Katwe and Bunyampaka.

Afternoon transfer to Ishasha trying to see the Siffling cisticola, Zebra Waxbill, Stout Cisticola, and more woodland birds.

Dinner & overnight at your accommodation.

In the morning we go for birding in Ishasha, the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth NP, trying the Lappet faced Vulture, Marshal Eagle and Blue quail. 
It’s a fantastic scenery to start the day on the plains of Queen Elizabeth and if we are lucky we could spot the tree-climbing lions the area is famous for. 

After lunch we continue by transfer to Bwindi’s Buhoma sector. If we arrive early, we try the lower altitude birds here in the evening. Here we have chance to see Many-coloured Bush-shrike, White tailed anti-thrush, Grey winged robin Chat, the Stunning Blue-Shouldered Robin chat, the stunning black billed weaver, Black faced rufous-warbler and Bar-tailed Trogon member (of the Uganda top ten).

Bwindi‘s impenetrable forest is voted Africa’s best birding spot by Africa Bird Club, owing to the rare bird species found here and the park’s conservation efforts. 

It is easily accessible for birding with maintained birding trails in the forest. Bwindi is home to about 350 species of birds, including 23 Albertine Rift endemics of which 14 are not recorded anywhere else in Uganda like the newly described Willard’s sooty Boubou, Chapins flycatcher and also trying the rare ground thrushes Abyssinian and Kivu with a hope for the Neumann’s Warbler.

Other species to look for include the African green broadbill, Chapin’s flycatcher, Shelley’s crimsonwing, handsome francolin, mountain-masked and collared apalis, white-bellied robin chat, black billed turaco, Fraser’s eagle, western bronze-naped pigeon, purple-breasted, blue-headed and regal sunbirds.

Dinner & overnight at your accommodation.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has been described by UNESCO as “an isolated forest of outstanding biological richness”. This forest is believed to be a mere remnant of a very large forest which once covered much of western Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The forest is very significant as a home to almost half of the population (about 340) of the critically endangered mountain gorilla. With over 347 species of forest birds recorded in the Park, at least 70 out of 78 montane forest bird species occurring in the Albertine Rift region are found in the forest, and 22 of the 36 endemics. 

Very early departure to Ruhijja Sector / Mubwindi swamp expedition. 
Albertine endemics day aiming to grip on the Rwenzori Batis, Dusky Crimsonwing, Blue headed Sunbird, Regal Sunbird, African green broadbill, Grauer’s rush warbler, Dwarf honey guide, Stripe-breasted Tit, Archers Robin chat, Black billed Turaco plus White browed crombec, tullbergs woodpecker, soaring buzzards and flocks of Stuhlmanns starlings with the aerial displays. 

Birding towards Lake Mburo National Park trying the lower valleys of the Forest until we leave Bwindi. 

Along the way we could see Greater Swamp Warblers or Papyrus Canary, till the woodlands of Lake Mburo.

Dinner & overnight at your accommodation.

Mubwindi swamp is home to Bradypterus graueri. Indicator pumilio is only known in Uganda, with certainty, from this locality. Some of the species endemic to the Albertine Rift, such as Pseudocalyptomena graueri, Muscicapa lendu and Cryptospiza shelleyi, have limited distributions elsewhere in their range. The park also holds Zoothera oberlaenderi, one of the six species of the Eastern DR Congo lowlands Endemic Bird Area (EBA 107). The northern sector is especially rich in species of the Guinea–Congo Forests biome. Bird watchers will find this trail the most favorable and perfect for their adventure.

Lake Mburo National Park is a woodland acacia park and from time to time it gets new birds from the protected Akagera areas of Tanzania and Rwanda as it shares the same ecosystem.

Birding is one of the major activities in Lake Mburo National Park, and the best spots for birding are near the swamps at Warukiri and Rwonyo. 

The park is home to 315 bird species, which include the crested francolin, emerald-spotted wood dove, brown parrot, barefaced go-away bird, red-necked spurfowl, common quails, black-billed barbet, greenwood hoopoe, blue-napped mousebird, lilac-breasted roller, African-grey hornbill, Nubian woodpecker, trilling cisticola, bee-eaters and the cheeky bronze-tailed starling and the majestic crowned crane. 
You also have chances of sighting the rare African finfoot, shoebill, African fish eagle, and malachite and pied kingfishers while on a boat safari on Lake Mburo.

Dinner & overnight at your accommodation.

Lake Mburo National Park: The birds at Lake Mburo National can be categorized into 3 type’s names:  water birds (wetland birds) forest birds and Savannah birds. The forest bird species include; Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove, Common Scimitar bill, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Ross’s Turaco, Green Wood-hoopoe, Brown Parrot, African Finfoot, Long-tailed Cisticola , Yellow-breasted Apalis , Red-faced Barbet, White-headed Barbet, Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike, and Grey Crowned Crane, White-winged Tit, Nubian Woodpecker. Water bird species include: African fish eagles, African finfoot and white-backed heron king fisher, jacana, cormorants, pelicans, herons and many more. The Savanna birds include, the francolin, the wood peckers and many more. 

Early breakfast focusing on picking up new species. It’s a dense population of some rare birds here. 

We then transfer towards Entebbe for flight in the evening/night. If time allows around Masaka we swing to the Kako Swamp for some aquatic birds, Snipes, black crakes, Long Toed Lapwings, flocks of cranes, weavers, teals, geese with many more in this swamp. 

Plan for an evening or night flight or add a night in Entebbe to fly the next day as we close this Uganda birding safari!