Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe

Arrival at Entebbe International Airport where you are met by your birding guide. Transfer to your hotel near Lake Victoria. Afternoon birding around hotel gardens and lakeshore areas, spotting sunbirds, weavers, kingfishers, and waterbirds. Overnight in Entebbe.

Day 2: Entebbe – Mabamba Swamp

Early morning transfer to Mabamba Swamp for a canoe excursion in search of the Shoebill. Explore papyrus channels for wetland specialists including papyrus gonolek and swamp flycatcher. Afternoon birding around Lake Victoria shores. Overnight in Entebbe.

Day 3: Entebbe – Mabira Forest

Drive east to Mabira Forest. Full-day forest birding targeting forest interior species such as forest robins, illadopsis, greenbuls, and colorful turacos. Overnight near Mabira Forest.

Day 4: Mabira – Lake Mburo National Park

Morning birding in woodland patches before driving to Lake Mburo National Park. Afternoon savannah and acacia birding, searching for crested francolin, African finfoot, and various raptors. Overnight near the park.

Day 5: Lake Mburo National Park

Full day birding in Lake Mburo, including lakeshores, acacia savannah, and swamp areas. Key species include African wattled lapwing, southern ground hornbill, and numerous waterbirds. Optional nature walk for close bird encounters.

Day 6: Lake Mburo – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Drive southwest through scenic highlands to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. En-route birding stops along roadside habitats. Evening at leisure surrounded by montane forest sounds.

Day 7: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Full-day birding in Bwindi, one of Africa’s richest forests. Focus on Albertine Rift endemics such as African green broadbill, handsome francolin, and Rwenzori turaco. Slow-paced forest walks allow for excellent sightings and photography.

Day 8: Bwindi – Ishasha Sector

Morning birding before driving to the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Afternoon birding in open savannah and riverine habitats, watching for figbirds, starlings, and raptors.

Day 9: Queen Elizabeth National Park

Birding along the Kazinga Channel, a hotspot for waterbirds including pelicans, storks, skimmers, and kingfishers. Afternoon birding in grassland and woodland areas, with chances to observe eagles and vultures.

Day 10: Queen Elizabeth – Kibale Forest

Drive north to Kibale Forest National Park. Afternoon birding around forest edges and wetlands, focusing on forest-savannah transition species.

Day 11: Kibale Forest National Park

Full day birding in Kibale Forest, famous for greenbuls, forest warblers, and colorful turacos. Explore different trails to maximize species diversity, including mixed feeding flocks and understory specialists.

Day 12: Kibale – Semuliki Valley

Descend into the Albertine Rift Valley to Semuliki National Park. Afternoon birding in lowland forest habitats, targeting Central African species rarely seen elsewhere in East Africa.

Day 13: Semuliki National Park

Full day birding in Semuliki, searching for specialties such as Nkulengu rail, lyre-tailed honeyguide, and forest hornbills. Evening birding around hot springs and riverine forest edges.

Day 14: Semuliki – Murchison Falls National Park

Drive north through scenic countryside to Murchison Falls National Park. En-route birding stops in woodland and farmland habitats.

Day 15: Murchison Falls National Park

Morning birding along the Nile delta area, one of Uganda’s best locations for Shoebill and rare waterbirds. Afternoon birding in savannah plains, spotting bustards, larks, and raptors.

Day 16: Murchison Falls – Budongo Forest

Transfer to Budongo Forest. Afternoon forest birding focusing on canopy and mid-level species including hornbills, parrots, and forest flycatchers.

Day 17: Budongo Forest

Full-day birding in Budongo Forest, renowned for its diversity of forest birds. Slow walks allow observation of mixed flocks, ant-followers, and secretive understory species.

Day 18: Budongo – Entebbe

Drive back to Entebbe with birding stops along wetlands and roadside habitats. Afternoon relaxation or optional birding around botanical gardens and lakeshore areas.

Day 19: Departure

Depending on flight time, enjoy a final morning bird walk around Entebbe before transfer to Entebbe International Airport for your onward journey.