Birding Tours

8 Days Uganda Birding Tour - Lake Mburo national park, Queen Elizabeth national park, Kibale national park, Mabamba wetland, Bigodi Swamp

 8 Day 7 Night Uganda Birding Safari Tour To Lake Mburo National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kibale National Park, Mabamba Wetland, and Bigodi Swamp., Uganda
 12th Feb - 12th Feb

Overview

8 Days 7 Nights Uganda Birding Safari Tour

Mabamba Wetland, Lake Mburo National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kibale National Park & Bigodi Swamp

Discover Uganda’s ultimate birding circuit on this 8 Days 7 Nights Uganda Birding Safari Tour, covering the country’s richest bird habitats—from wetlands and savannah plains to tropical rainforests.

This safari is carefully designed to give you maximum bird diversity while also enjoying wildlife game drives, boat cruises, chimpanzee trekking, and nature walks.


Safari Overview

This journey explores Uganda’s top birding destinations:

  • Mabamba Bay Wetland
  • Lake Mburo National Park
  • Queen Elizabeth National Park
  • Kibale National Park
  • Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary

These ecosystems host over 1,000 bird species in Uganda, making the country one of Africa’s top birding destinations.


Safari Highlights

  • Shoebill tracking in Mabamba Wetland
  • Birding in Entebbe botanical gardens & Lake Victoria shores
  • Game drives in Lake Mburo & Queen Elizabeth National Parks
  • Boat cruise on Kazinga Channel
  • Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest
  • Birding in Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary
  • Over 300+ bird species possible sightings
  • Professional birding guide throughout

Key Bird Species

  • Shoebill Stork
  • African fish eagle
  • Grey crowned crane
  • Ross’s turaco
  • Malachite kingfisher
  • African jacana
  • Goliath heron
  • Papyrus gonolek
  • Bee-eaters, sunbirds, weavers
  • Great blue turaco
  • Hornbills and raptors

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe – Birding Introduction

Arrival at Entebbe International Airport. Meet your safari guide and transfer to your hotel. Optional birding along Lake Victoria shores or Entebbe Botanical Gardens.


Day 2: Mabamba Wetland – Shoebill Tracking

Early morning canoe birding in Mabamba Bay Wetland searching for the Shoebill Stork and other wetland species such as jacanas, herons, and kingfishers.

Transfer to Lake Mburo region.


Day 3: Lake Mburo National Park – Birding & Game Drive

Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park. Afternoon game drive focusing on savannah birds and wildlife including zebras, impalas, and elands.


Day 4: Lake Mburo Birding & Boat Experience

Morning birding walk or game drive. Afternoon optional boat cruise for aquatic bird species like herons, kingfishers, and African fish eagle.


Day 5: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park with en-route birding stops. Evening game drive in Kasenyi plains.


Day 6: Birding & Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise

Morning birding followed by a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel—one of Africa’s richest birding waterways.


Day 7: Transfer to Kibale National Park – Bigodi Swamp Birding

Drive to Kibale National Park. Afternoon birding in Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, famous for swamp birds and primates.


Day 8: Chimpanzee Trekking & Return to Kampala

Morning chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest. After lunch, drive back to Kampala or Entebbe for departure.


Why Choose This Safari?

  • Covers Uganda’s top 5 birding ecosystems
  • High Shoebill sighting probability
  • Combines birding, primates & wildlife safaris
  • Boat cruises + forest + savannah birding
  • Expert professional birding guides
  • Ideal for serious birders & photographers

Uganda Birding Experience

Uganda is home to over 1,000 bird species, representing nearly 50% of Africa’s bird diversity. This safari offers unmatched habitat variety:

  • Wetlands (Mabamba, Bigodi)
  • Savannah (Lake Mburo, Queen Elizabeth)
  • Tropical forest (Kibale)

Travel With Us

We specialize in:

  • Birding safaris in Uganda
  • Gorilla & chimpanzee trekking
  • Wildlife safaris & boat cruises
  • Cultural experiences
  • Custom luxury & budget tours

Popular Uganda Birding Safaris

  • 1–20-day birding tours
  • Shoebill specialist safaris
  • Kibale birding & primate tours
  • Queen Elizabeth birding circuits
  • Kidepo birding expeditions

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Tour Overview

Availability

January 01 - December 31

Duration

7D/6N

Pickup Location

pickup avaiable from airport, train and also cruise

Language

English

Car PickUp

Available

Tour Guide

Included

Included

  • Ground Transportation
  • Accommodation
  • All Meals and bottled water
  • All Government Taxes
  • All Tourist attractions and activities charges charges
  • English-speaking driver/guide

Excluded

  • International Flights
  • Visa Fees
  • Airport Taxes
  • Items of personal nature like Laundry
  • Bar bills
  • Tipping and any extra expenses not included above.

Itenary

Day 1
  • 08:00 AM

    Day 1: Of 8 Days Uganda Birding Tour - Lake Mburo national park, Queen Elizabeth national park, Kibale national park, Mabamba wetland, Bigodi Swamp, Arrival at Entebbe Airport, Hotel Transfer and birding in the Botanical Gardens.
    On your arrival at Entebbe Airport, you will be received by our tour driver/guide, who will brief you about your birding safari. You will go for lunch, relax around and later in the afternoon go birding at Entebbe Botanical gardens.

    This is home to a variety of bird life that includes; Lizard Buzzard, Woodland, African Pygmy and Pied Kingfisher, Black-headed, Vieilot’s Black, Yellow-backed, Golden-breasted, Spectacled and Orange Weavers, African Paradise, Red-bellied Paradise, Northern-black and African Dusky Flycatchers, Olive-bellied, Green-headed, Scarlet-chested, Marico, Red-chested and Superb Sunbirds among others. We later go back to the Guest House for dinner and overnight.

    Accommodation Category:
    (Entebbe Protea Hotel - Luxury option)
    (2 Friends Beach Hotel - Midrange option)
    (Central Inn Hotel - Budget option).

Day 2
  • 08:00 AM

    Day 2: Of 8 Days Uganda Birding Tour - Lake Mburo national park, Queen Elizabeth national park, Kibale national park, Mabamba wetland, Bigodi Swamp, Bird Watching In Mabamba Swamp
    After an early morning breakfast, with our packed lunch, we start birding towards Mabamba swamp for the Shoebill stork and a variety of other bird species that may include; the African and Lesser Jacana, White-breasted, Blue-breast and Little Bee-eaters, Purple Swamphen, Lesser Moorhen, Malachite and Pied Kingfishers, Black-headed, Grey and Purple Heron, Long-toed Lapwing, Yellow-billied and White-backed Duck, African Marsh Harrier, Weyns’s Weaver, Blue Swallow and Red-headed among others.

    After that we proceed on to Lake Mburo National Park, with stopovers at the Equator, for the water experiment and a quick look at the craft shops and another stopover at Kaaku swamp to check on some birds like Lesser Moorhen, Little Grabe, African Darter, Grey-crowned Crane, Saddle-billed Stork, Spur-winged and Egyptian Geese, White-faced and Fulvuos Whistling-Duck, Hottentot Teal and African Jacana among others.

    We proceed on to the park, arriving in the evening and check in to the service of Rwakobo Rock for dinner and overnight.

    Accommodation Category:
    (Mihingo Lodge - Luxury option)
    (Rwakobo Lodge - Midrange option)
    (Eagle's Nest Rest Camp - Budget option).

Day 3
  • 08:00 AM

    Day 3: Of 8 Days Uganda Birding Tour - Lake Mburo national park, Queen Elizabeth national park, Kibale national park, Mabamba wetland, Bigodi Swamp, Birding in Lake Mburo National Park – Boat cruise.
    After breakfast, we start our birding/game drive in Lake Mburo national park. This park is one of the smallest national parks in Uganda and protects about 330 bird species and a variety of mammal species that includes; the Topis, Impalas, Buffaloes, Oribis, Cliffspringers, Elands, Zebras, Warthogs and Baboons among other mammals. We also look out for bird specialties that includes;
    the rare Shoebill Stork, Papyrus yellow and White-winged Warbler, African Finfoot, Saddle-billed Stork, Brown-chested, African Wattled and Senegal Lapwing, Red-faced, Trilling, Long-tailed(Tabora), and Caruther’s Cisticola, Greater Snipe, Spot-franked, Red-faced and Crested Barbet, Short-toed and Brown Snake-Eagle, Yellow-breasted Apalis, White-winged Black Tit, Broad-billed and Lilac-breasted Roller, Crested and Coqui Francolin among others.

    We will go back to the lodge for lunch, relax a bit and later in the afternoon, go for the boat cruise on Lake Mburo for yet another but different view of the wildlife. Dinner and overnight at Rwakobo Rock.

    Accommodation Category:
    (Mihingo Lodge - Luxury option)
    (Rwakobo Lodge - Midrange option)
    (Eagle's Nest Rest Camp - Budget option).

Day 4
  • 08:00 AM

    Day 4: Of 8 Days Uganda Birding Tour - Lake Mburo national park, Queen Elizabeth national park, Kibale national park, Mabamba wetland, Bigodi Swamp,Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
    The day begins as we go for a nature walk on the shores of the lake in the park, searching for the early risers like the Hynas, Aardvark, Leopards and the only one Lion on the park.

    We come back to the lodge after that, have breakfast and then transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park, passing through the rolling hills of Mbarara and the beautiful tea plantations of Bushenyi. we arrive to the park in the evening and overnight at the lodge.

    Accommodation Category:
    (Mweya Safari Lodge - Luxury option)
    (Enganzi Lodge - Mid Range option)
    (Pumba Safari Cottage - Budget option).

Day 5
  • 08:00 AM

    Day 5: Of 8 Days Uganda Birding Tour - Lake Mburo national park, Queen Elizabeth national park, Kibale national park, Mabamba wetland, Bigodi Swamp, Bird Watching in Queen Elizabeth National Park – Boat cruise.
    After an early morning breakfast, we start birding towards the Kasenyi plains in search for birdlife that includes; White-winged, African Reed, Greater and Lesser Swamp Warbler, Black-chested and Brown Snake-Eagle, Temminck’s Courser, Collared Pratincole, African Marsh, Montagu’s and Pallid Harrier, Lesser-striped, Red-rumped, Mosque, Barn and Angola Swallow, Rufous-naped, Red-capped and Flappet Lark, Sulpher-breasted Bush-shrike, Brown-crowned and Marsh Tchagra.

    We go back to the lodge for lunch and then later in the afternoon go for a boat ride on Kazinga channel where you will have a chance to see numerous bird life including : the African skimmer, White-winged, Gull-billed and Whiskered Tern, Grey-headed Gull, Woodland, Malachite and Pied Kingfisher, Common, Green, Wood and Curlew Sandpiper among others. On the Chanel we also expect to encounter some other wildlife like the Buffaloes, Elephants, hippos and crocodiles. Dinner and overnight.

    Accommodation Category:
    (Mweya Safari Lodge - Luxury option)
    (Enganzi Lodge - Midrange option)
    (Pumba Safari Cottage - Budget option).

Day 6
  • 08:00 AM

    Day 6: Of 8 Days Uganda Birding Tour - Lake Mburo national park, Queen Elizabeth national park, Kibale national park, Mabamba wetland, Bigodi Swamp, Birding towards Kibale National Park
    After breakfast, we will go birding towards Kasenyi in search for what we might have missed the previous day and here we expect to encounter savannah birds like the Martial eagle, African Hoopoe, Rupell’s griffon vulture, Temmiinck’s courser and many others. We later transfer to Kibale national park, arriving in the afternoon and check in the lodge for dinner and overnight.

    Accommodation Category:
    (Papaya Lake Lodge - Luxury option)
    (Chimpanzee Guest Cottages - Mid Range option)
    (Chimpanzee Guest House - Budget option)

Day 7
  • 08:00 AM

    Day 7: Of 8 Days Uganda Birding Tour - Lake Mburo national park, Queen Elizabeth national park, Kibale national park, Mabamba wetland, Bigodi Swamp, Birding in Kibale National Park – Bigodi swamp.
    The day begins early with morning breakfast and we enter the forest searching for the Green-breasted Pitta while it still displays. Kibale national park is home to a community of more than 1000 individuals of Chimpanzees and Chimp trekking is the most popular activity here. We go back to the lodge for lunch and later go bird watching at Bigodi swamp which is close to the forest.

    The swamp is home to more than 200 bird species and these include; the Great Blue Turaco, Cameroon Sombre, Yellow-whiskered, Cabanis,s, Little and Joyful Greenbul, Brown-eared, Speckle-breasted, and Cardinal Woodpeckers, White-spotted Flufftail, Red-chested, Diederic and Klaas’s Cuckoo, Yellow-billed Barbet, Lesser Honeyguide, Shining-blue Kingfisher, Western Nicator, White-tailed Ant-thrush, Dark-capped and White-winged Warbler, Red-chested, Scarlet-chested, Green-throated, Green-headed and Collared Sunbird, Purple-headed Starling and Bocage’s Bush-shrike among others. We go back to lodge in the evening, for dinner and overnight.

    Accommodation Category:
    (Papaya Lake Lodge - Luxury option)
    (Chimpanzee Guest Cottages - Mid Range option)
    (Chimpanzee Guest House - Budget option)

Day 8
  • 08:00 AM

    Day 7: Of 8 Days Uganda Birding Tour - Lake Mburo national park, Queen Elizabeth national park, Kibale national park, Mabamba wetland, Bigodi Swamp, Kibale National Park – Entebbe – Departure.
    After breakfast, we start birding as we transfer to Entebbe, with a lunch stopover Mityana town and later proceed on the airport for your flight home (depending on the time of you flight)