10 Days Uganda Birding Safari Itinerary for Your First Visit

Tour Overview: 10 Days Uganda Birding Safari

10 Days Uganda Birding Safari and Primates Trekking offers bird watching, Chimpanzee and Gorilla Trekking, Wildlife on your 10 Days Uganda Birding Safari.

For any avid birder, this is Uganda Birding Safari worth undertaking with the chance to see very many bird species yet also undertake other activities. Activities undertaken on this 10 Days 9 nights Safari are Birding, Game Drives, boat cruise and Gorilla trekking. It includes a visit to Mabamba wetland, Kibale Forest National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The minimum age for Gorilla trekking is 15 years of age, however, those under this age and above 6 years of age can undertake the tour and have an alternative activity while others go Gorilla trekking. Itinerary is mostly suitable for all kinds of birders be it luxury, mid-range or budget.

Detailed 10 Days Uganda Birding Safari Itinerary

• Day #1: Visit Mabamba swamp for birding (shoebill) tour on 10 Day Uganda Birding Safari
• Day #2: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
• Day #3: Birding nature walk in Kibale Forest & Bigodi wetland
• Day #4: Transfer from Kibale Forest National Park to Queen Elizabeth National Park
• Day #5: Morning game drive and evening boat cruise at Kazinga Channel 
• Day #6: Game drive then transfer to Ishasha sector in search of the tree-climbing lions and bird watching. 
• Day #7: Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
• Day #8: Bird watching in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. 
• Day #9: Mountain Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi
• Day #10: End of 10 Days Uganda birding safari return drive to Kampala/Entebbe

Itinerary Details: 10 Days Uganda Birding Safari & Gorilla Trekking

Day #1: Visit Mabamba swamp for Birding (Shoebill) tour

On the first day of your safari, your guide will be at your place of residence or hotel for pick up and transfer to Mabamba wetland. At Mabamba wetland on the shores of Lake Victoria, you will take a canoe along with an experienced paddler through the wetland. The sought-after bird, the Shoebill Stork can be spotted here and all efforts will be done to ensure you see it. Other bird species that can be seen at Mabamba wetland include the papyrus gonolek, African Pigmy, Black Crake, black heron, black-crowned night heron, pied wagtail, African firefinch, African fish eagle, and many more. You have lunch and continue birding before returning to the hotel in Kampala or Entebbe.

Meal Plan: Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation options: Luxury: Protea hotel/Serena hotel, Mid-range: Boma hotel/Cassia Lodge, Budget: Pineapple Guest House/ Bushpig backpackers’ hostel

Day #2: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park

Early morning, you will have breakfast then be driven to Kibale Forest National Park. Driving towards the countryside, you will probably arrive at the park in the evening and check-in at an allocated hotel. Arriving at the hotel, you can spend the evening at rest or check out for the different bird species around the hotel. The area is known to have a high number of bird species with about 355 bird species in the park. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation options: Luxury: Primate Lodge/ Crater safari lodge, Mid-range: Kibale Forest Camp/Chimpanzee Guest house

Day #3: Birding Nature walk in Kibale Forest & Bigodi wetland

Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale National Park

Have a desired breakfast at the hotel then get ready to enter Kibale forest for bird watching. Some of the bird species that can be spotted in the forest include the crested guinea fowl, African pitta, Green-breasted Pitta, dusky long-tailed cuckoo, grey Apalis, white-naped pigeon, red-capped robin chat, and many more. In the afternoon, you return to the hotel for lunch then go for an evening nature walk in the Bigodi wetland. In the Bigodi wetland are bird species like the papyrus gonolek, waxbills, weavers, hornbills, cuckoos, kingfishers, and many more. Return to the hotel for dinner and spend the night.

Accommodation as of previous night.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner 

Day #4: Transfer from Kibale Forest National Park to Queen Elizabeth National Park

At the hotel, you will have breakfast then get ready for the transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The drive lasts about 4 hours arriving at a booked hotel at Kibale Forest National Park. Check-in and relax in the evening at the hotel.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation Options: Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge, Mid-range: Enganzi Game Lodge , Budget: Bush Lodge 

Day #5: Morning Game drive and evening boat cruise at Kazinga Channel

On this day, you will have desired breakfast at the hotel then be transferred by your guide to the park for a game drive. You have a game drive along the Kasenyi plains in search of wildlife that roams these plains. Some of the animals that can possibly be seen include Kobs, elephants, buffaloes, warthogs, Topis, and many more. After the game drive, you then return to the hotel for lunch and relax. After lunch, you will head out for an evening boat cruise on the popular Kazinga channel. During the boat cruise, you see lots of animals as they come to quench their thirst. This spot is also good for seeing several bird species. Kazinga channel has several aquatic species including hippos and crocodiles. The views on the boat cruise are very spectacular. After the boat cruise, you then transfer back to your hotel for dinner and rest. Accommodation at previous night hotel.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner 

Day #6: Game Drive then transfer to Ishasha sector in search of the tree-climbing lions and Bird Watching.

Wake up and have breakfast at the hotel, then head out for a game drive. This time, the game drive will be at the Ishasha sector which is popular as one of the few places with tree climbing lions in Africa. Check-in at a hotel at the Ishasha sector for lunch. In the evening, go out for a game drive in search of the tree-climbing lions and bird watching. Enjoy the calm sunset game drive and bird watching before returning to the hotel. Some of the bird species here include vultures, eagles, cisticola, and others.

Accommodation at Ishasha Jungle Lodge or Ishasha wilderness camp.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner 

Day #7: Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi National Park

This morning, have breakfast at leisure from the hotel then have a drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The drive will be slow as you go birding along the route with several bird sightings. Bwindi forest is such a wonderful park for mountain gorilla trekking. Arriving most probably in the evening, you check-in at a hotel where you have dinner and spend the night. Accommodation will be at the sector with permits available at the time of booking and communicated at that time.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner 

Day #8: Bird Watching in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Early morning, have breakfast then head out to the forest for birding. Having been ranked one of the best places for bird watching in Africa, Bwindi forest is a good Uganda Birding safari destination. It hosts 23 of the 24 Albertine rift endemics. Some of the birds here include the Rwenzori Batis, Oriole Finch, black-billed turaco, red-throated Alethe, white-bellied robin chat, and very many others. You return to the hotel for lunch or have packed lunch and continue birding through the afternoon. There are very many birding trails that can be undertaken.

Overnight at the previous night’s hotel.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner 

Day #9: Mountain Gorilla trekking in Bwindi

“Great Apes” – Amazing Gorillas and Birds in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda

This will be one unique day on an African safari as you meet the mountain gorillas. Wake up early, have breakfast, and board your safari vehicle for a drive to the park headquarters. It’s expected of you to be at the park headquarters by 8:00 am for a briefing from the park rangers and your driver-guide will ensure the transfer. During the briefing, the park rangers inform trekkers of the dos and don’ts of gorilla trekking. At this time, you are also allocated a gorilla family to trek. Each group is trekked by 8 people allocated depending on the hiking ability. You get to the very dense tropical jungle of Bwindi Impenetrable forest for a lifetime adventure. You spend about 2-6 hours or more trekking to and from. However, a maximum of 1 hour is spent in the presence of the mountain gorillas watching the family and taking pictures. After 60 minutes of watching the gorillas, you then walk back to the park headquarters. Here you receive a congratulatory Gorilla trekking certificate. Your guide drives you to your accommodation facility where you relax, have dinner, and spend the night. 

Overnight at previous night accommodation.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day #10: End of Safari Return drive to Kampala/Entebbe

On the last day of your 10 days Uganda safari, have breakfast at the hotel then board your safari vehicle for a return drive to Kampala or Entebbe. The drive starts early due to the long-distance arriving in the evening. Drop off at the place of residence or hotel in Kampala or Entebbe.

Meal plan: Breakfast and Lunch 

End of 10 Days Uganda safari