Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe

Arrive at Entebbe International Airport and meet your birding guide. Transfer to your hotel near Lake Victoria and enjoy relaxed afternoon birding around hotel gardens, spotting waterbirds, sunbirds, and woodland species while recovering from travel.

Day 2: Birding at Mabamba Swamp

Morning canoe birding in Mabamba Swamp, Uganda’s most reliable location for the shoebill. Explore papyrus channels searching for wetland specialists, jacanas, herons, and kingfishers before returning to Entebbe for overnight.

Day 3: Entebbe Botanical Gardens and Transfer to Jinja

Bird the Entebbe Botanical Gardens, known for forest-edge and lakeshore species. Later, drive east to Jinja, enjoying roadside birding and scenic views along Lake Victoria, arriving in the Nile region by evening.

Day 4: Nile Birding and Busoga Cultural Visit

Explore riverine bird habitats along the Nile, spotting kingfishers, cormorants, and weavers. In the afternoon, visit a Busoga cultural community to learn about traditional leadership, music, dance, and local livelihoods.

Day 5: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park

Drive west through rural landscapes and tea plantations toward Kibale Forest. En route birding introduces woodland and farmland species, with scenic crater lakes providing additional birding opportunities.

Day 6: Kibale Forest Birding

Spend a full day birding inside Kibale Forest, focusing on forest specialists and Albertine Rift species. Expect turacos, greenbuls, flycatchers, and colorful sunbirds while walking under the dense tropical canopy.

Day 7: Bigodi Wetland and Community Experience

Morning birding at Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, famous for papyrus birds and community conservation. Later, interact with local guides and residents, learning about traditional medicine, crafts, and sustainable tourism initiatives.

Day 8: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Travel south to Queen Elizabeth National Park via crater lakes. Birding en route reveals raptors and savannah species, while the park’s diverse ecosystems support one of Uganda’s highest bird species counts.

Day 9: Queen Elizabeth Birding and Kazinga Channel

Morning birding game drive across the plains, followed by an afternoon boat safari along the Kazinga Channel. Enjoy close encounters with waterbirds, pelicans, skimmers, storks, and fish eagles.

Day 10: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Drive through scenic highlands toward Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Birding stops along the way introduce montane species, while the forested landscape signals arrival in gorilla and endemic bird territory.

Day 11: Bwindi Forest Birding

Explore Bwindi’s forest trails targeting Albertine Rift endemics such as apalises, sunbirds, and warblers. Mixed-species flocks and dense vegetation make this one of Africa’s most rewarding birding locations.

Day 12: Batwa Cultural Encounter

Visit a Batwa community near Bwindi to learn about indigenous forest culture. Experience traditional dances, storytelling, hunting techniques, and insights into Batwa history and their relationship with the forest.

Day 13: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi

Travel to Lake Bunyonyi, enjoying scenic terraced hills and birding along the lakeshore. The calm environment supports waterbirds and highland species, offering relaxation after forest activities.

Day 14: Lake Bunyonyi Birding and Community Life

Morning birding around Lake Bunyonyi’s islands and shores. In the afternoon, engage with local communities, learning about farming traditions, folklore, and daily life in southwestern Uganda.

Day 15: Return to Entebbe and Departure

Begin the return journey to Entebbe with scenic countryside views and lunch stops. Arrive in the evening for transfer to Entebbe International Airport, marking the end of a deeply enriching birding and cultural safari in Uganda.