13 Days Uganda Primates , Wildlife and Birding Photography Safari

This 13 days safari will give the chance to visit Uganda’s most visited destinations for Birding, Chimpanzees , Owls , Night jars , Gorillas and wildlife. These destinations include ;Entebbe Botanic gardens , Mabamba swamp  ,Kibale National park ,Semliki National park ,Queen Elizabeth National park ,Ishasha Corridor  ,Bwindi, Lake Mburo National park  .

Safari highlights 

✔ Entebbe Botanic gardens  

✔ Birding at Mabamba bay 

✔ Forest night walk in Kibale 

✔ Birding in Kibale National park 

✔ Birding in the Bigodi swamp 

✔ Chimpanzee tracking  

✔ Birding in Semliki 

✔ Game drives  and Birding Queen Elizabeth National park and Ishasha

✔ Gorilla tracking  and Birding in Bwindi

✔ Boat and game drives in lake Mburo National park 

✔ Ngamba Chimpanzee sanctuary or Reptile village 

Detailed Itinerary 

Day 1:

Pick–up from Entebbe Airport and Entebbe botanical gardens.

On your arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be transferred to Hotel.

Depending on the time of arrival, we bird Entebbe Botanical Gardens for an introduction to Ugandan birds. Situated on the northern shores of Lake Victoria, the gardens are virtually on the Equator and cover an area of 40.7hectares. The parking lot trees here typically offer great patch spots for Eastern Plantain-eaters. Plantain-eaters belong to the Turaco family, which has fascinating species that leave fresh Uganda birders in extreme excitement. Splendid Starlings, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird and Common Bulbul also like to show up at the same spot. Shikra flies over this space and the bottle –brush tree nearby tends to act like a bird magnet for Red-chested, Green-throated, Olive-bellied, Mariqua, Purple-banded, Collared and the Scarlet-chested Sunbirds. African Yellow White-eye and African Thrush also frequent this same tree. We should also expect Gray parrot, Crowned and Black-and-white-casqued Hornbills, Hooded Vulture, Woodland Kingfisher, Lizard Buzzard, African Harrier-Hawk,  the colourfully striking Black-headed Gonolek, White-browed Robin-chat, Double-toothed Barbet, Ross’s Turaco, Speckled Mousebird, Yellow-fronted Canary, Black-headed Heron, Yellow-fronted Canary, a couple of Weavers that included, Orange, Weyn’s, Golden-backed, Black-headed, Village, Northern Brown-throated, Vieillot’s and Slender-billed should be among those to be seen. After this welcoming evening experience drive back to the hotel for  dinner and overnight. 

Day 2:

Mabamba bay and transfer to Kibale National park and Night walk .

We have an early breakfast and do an hour and a half drive to Mabamba, a Ramsar site and an Important Bird Area. The Mabamba wetland is one of the top two places in the world to find the Shoebill which an uptick bird for so many birders on earth and Africa’s number one and highly sought-after; the other spot is Murchison Falls National Park. Mabamba offers over 80% chances for seeing this alien-looking-like bird.

Driving there, we might get African Green Pigeon, Great Blue and Ross’s Turaco; they like patching high on the snags by the roadside. The wetland here is one of the top community-based initiatives in the country, and when we get there, we take community members’ used engine-powered boat that is big enough to carry a motorcycle.

While looking for the Shoebill, we should expect a collection of typical African water and nearby habitat birds like Malachite Kingfisher, Long-toed Lapwing, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, African Jacana and Yellow-billed Duck. Here are also high chances for African White-backed Duck, Lesser Jacana, Papyrus Gonolek, Blue-headed Coucal, African Marsh Harrier, Fan-tailed Widowbird, Common Waxbill, Grey-capped Warbler, Madagascar and Blue-cheeked Bee-eater depending on the season and several others.

After the shoebill experience, get into the safari vehicle and start  your way to Kibale National park. You will have your lunch on the  way depending on the time. Have stop overs on the way for  photography at different points based on your interest and continue to Fort-portal tourism city. Continue and check in your lodge near  Kanyanchu visitor’s centre Kibale National park.  

Prepare and drive to Kanyanchu visitor’s centre for the guided  forest night walk. We are supposed to be here at 19:00 hours and  have briefing then start the walk at 19:30 hours. After the night  walk drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight. The night  walk takes 1 ½ – 2 hours. 

Day 3:

Birding in Kibale National park  and Bigodi swamp. 

Today, we bird Kibale forest for the Green-breasted Pitta other species will include; Brown Illadopsis, Brown-capped Weaver, Brown-chested Alethe, Black-headed Oriole, African Emerald Cuckoo, African Green-pigeon, Black-crowned Tchagra, African Wood Owl, African/Rwenzori/Abyssinian Hill-Babbler, Alpine Swift, Ashy Flycatcher, Barn Swallow, Black Bee-eater, Black Cuckoo, Black Cuckoo-shrike, Black-and-white Casqued Hornbill, Black-and-white Mannikin, Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher, Black-billed Turaco, Black-billed Weaver, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, African Dusky Flycatcher, Black-headed Weaver, Black-necked Weaver,African/Western Citril, Black-throated Apalis, Blue-shouldered Robin-chat, Blue-throated Brown Sunbird, Blue-throated Roller, African Blue Flycatcher, Bocage’ Bush-shrike, Bronze Mannikin, Zebra Waxbill, Bronze Sunbird, and many more.

At 14:30 hours leave your lodge and drive to Bigodi swap visitor’s  centre, have briefing and start your walk from the visitor center  which is expected to take 2 – 3 hours .

Bigodi swamp is a home to over 200 bird species,  the Papyrus endemics and water birds,  In Bigodi swamp we expect the Papyrus Gonolek, Papyrus Canary, just to mention but a few. This swap is also a home to 8 primates which include; the endangered red colubus monkey. After the  swamp walk drive back to the lodge and overnight.  

Day 4:

Chimpanzee tracking and transfer to Semliki

After breakfast you will go for Chimp tracking and enjoy a wonderful forest experience. Kibale’s 795km2 National Park contains one of the most beautiful and varying tracts of tropical forest in the whole of Uganda. This is home to 13 species of primate including chimpanzees. The park’s highest point is at 1590m above sea level.

  This morning be ready to meet the closest human relatives in their  natural habitat. 

After chimpanzee tracking transfer to Semliki National park

Day 5:

Birding Semliki and transfer to Queen Elizabeth

This morning we bird Semliki Forest to collect some of the few Guinea-Congo forest biome specialities that have this forest as the most eastern extension. Being the only connection to Ituri forest from DR Congo makes it that spot where over thirty-five restricted-range specialities exist in East Africa. When the resident birds are breeding, it is effortless to spot Black and Southern Red Bishops, Piapiac which is a social crow, Rattling and Whistling Cisticolas, and Mosque Swallow before entering the forest. When we get to the forest, we will work for excellent views of Piping, White-crested, Black Dwarf Hornbill, the canopy-dwelling Red-billed Dwarf and the gigantic Black Casqued Hornbills. Other good birds like Yellow-lored Bristlebill, Yellow-throated Nicator, Black-headed and African Paradise Flycatchers, Forest Robin, African Piculet, African Dwarf Kingfisher and Hartlaub’s Duck, Xavier’s Greenbul, Red-tailed Ant-thrush, Crested Malimbe, Dusky-crested Flycatcher, Orange-cheeked Waxbill, Black-bellied Seed-cracker, Grant’s and Red-headed Bluebills, Brown Illadopsis are among others we will be looking for. 

Day 6:

Morning game drive and transfer to Ishasha 

Queen Elizabeth National Park tends to start with a lovely sunrise, if we have a clear day, we should expect it. The Kasenyi side is most prefered in this section of the park; this is because it offers excellent lekking grounds for the Kob. Game viewers drive there first thing in the morning and birders too, love it a lot for its open grasslands and sparsely distributed thickets that provide perfect microhabitats for quite shy birds. It also offers the best chances for birds like Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Rufous-napped, White-tailed, Red-capped and Flappet Lark, African and Jackson’s Pipit. These four larks mentioned, are a significant target when starting this morning ‘s drive. We should see Temminck’s Courser, Black-crowned, Senegal and Wattled Lapwings, Kittlitz’s Plover, Yellow-throated Longclaw, White-backed Vultures, Ruppell’s Griffon and others soring the sky, Black-chinned and Black-faced Quail-finches, and also observe Kob lekking ground activity. Keeping up with the game birding tradition, we will scan openings, thickets and Euphorbia Candelabrums for Lions. Euphorbia Candelabrum is a cactus-like plant that dominates this part of the park.

Day 7:

Ishasha birding and climbing lions  

On this day , we concentrate in   this Great East African rift valley. We shall bird through Ishasha which is the southern section of Queen Elizabeth National Park and have a wonderful time working on our woodland and open country birds again. On sunny days, the sky here is excellent for observing some raptors many of which may have seen earlier. Most likely to be new should include Gabar Goshawk, White-headed and Lappet-faced Vulture, Rufous-breasted Sparrow-hawk and Banded Snake-Eagle.

This stretch usually offers Impressive views of Wing-snapping, Croaking and Stout Cisticolas, flocks of White-winged Widowbird, White-headed Barbet, Pin-tailed Whydah, Moustached Grass-Warbler, Broad-tailed Grassbird, Greater-painted Snipe, Malagasy Pond-Heron, Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike, Scaly and Red-necked Francolins.

Normally at this time of the trip, desire to see the big game will be high, we will be having good chances for African Bush Elephants, Leopards and Lions in the trees.

In Uganda its only in Ishasha where you can see the tree climbing  lions and so we hope you will have great moments in this corridor of  Queen Elizabeth National park.  

Day 8:

Birding in Bwindi . 

This morning, we will bird Buhoma main trail. This forest merges birds of the low and highland elevations. A good day yields a significant number of Guinea-Congo forest, and Albertine Rift montane ranges specialities. We will do the first minutes birding the secondary forest to be rewarded with undergrowth dwelling Grey-winged, Red-capped, Blue-shouldered and Snowy-crowned Robin-Chats, Grey, Black-throated and Buff-throated Apalises, Grey-headed and White-breasted Nigritas, White-bellied Robin-Chat, Cabanis’s Greenbul, Red-headed Malimbe, Dusky Tit, Red-chested, Klaas’s and African Emerald, Cuckoos, Chubb’s Cisticola, Northern and Mackinnon’s Shrikes.

Also, when we get to the primary forest when the light is at its best, we should find African Shrike-flycatcher, African Broadbill, Red-throated Alethe, Red-tailed Bristlebill, flocks of Red-tailed Greenbul, Neumann’s Warbler and the nearly impossible Kivu Ground-Thrush. The mixed flocks should be great for Golden-crowned Woodpecker, Jameson’s Antpecker, Cassin’s Honeyguide, Petit’s Cuckoo-shrike and the recently split Willard’s Sooty Boubou. More birds should add on the list by the end of the day.

Day 9:

Gorilla tracking  

On this day, be early to raise and have your breakfast early enough and pack your lunch, after which you will be taken to the park headquarters by your driver guide. You will have a briefing from the Park rangers at 8:00am concerning the rules in the park, what to do and not to do when you meet up with the gorillas. Tracking Gorillas takes between 2 and 8 hours.

Thereafter, you will start off with tracking ensure you carried enough drinking water, strong shoes, a jacket and a walking stick. When you meet up the gorillas its your dream come true as it will be a great time watching the playful juveniles, the silverbacks and also other gentle giants feed the young ones.

Take as much photos as you want with your camera flash off. Later head back to your lodge and rest. In the evening you could choose to still stay and relax at the lodge or take an evening walk through the Batwa community, this will give you chance to interact with these people, learn how they live and also watch them perform their traditional dances and songs. Return back t the lodge, have dinner and Overnight.

Day 10:

Birding and transfer to lake Mburo National park

On this day, we shall do our birding through the park as we drive  slowly heading to Lake Mburo National park. During this time, we  drive at the lowest pace and this will give us enough chances of  spotting a lot of bird species along the road and most of the time on  lucky day we meet chimpanzees, monkeys and gorillas crossing the road. In the same time as we transfer to Lake Mburo we will have  stop overs for the beautiful views of Bwindi and Kabale terraced  hills for photography.  

We reach the park in the afternoon , check in to our accommodation , rest and prepare for evening game drive . The park is home to a big number of Zebras, also impalas, oribis, buffaloes, warthogs, waterbucks and also over 332 bird species made it their home.

Lake mburo offers the best night game drive in Uganda , if your still strong after the evening game drive , you may opt to go for a  night game drive in search of the  Silver Greater Galago , Owls , Night jars and other nocturnal wild species. 

Day 11:

Birding in lake Mburo

This day we explore the lovely woodlands and thickets of Uganda’s smallest wildlife park. This park is great for woodland species especially some species that you would describe as being at their furthest northern range.

The few trucks we should cover are expected to present some of the park’s highlights like Red-Faced Barbet which is an East African endemic, Crested and Spot-flanked Barbets, Brown-chested, Crowned, Wattled and Senegal Lapwings, Southern Black Flycatcher, Slate-coloured Boubou, some eagles like Bateleur and Wahlberg’s, Wahlberg’s Honeyguide, Black Cuckoo-shrike, Sulphur-breasted Bush-shrike, White-winged Black-Tit, African Paradise-Flycatcher, Common Scimitarbill and many others.

We shall return to the accommodation for a lunch break but still can expect to see birds like Red-headed Weaver, Lappet-faced Vulture, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Trilling Cisticola, Chin-spot Batis, Green-wood-hoopoe and many by the strategically located restaurant. After lunch, we do another drive with hopes of finding Grey Tit-flycatcher, White-backed Vulture, African Pipit, and the African Scops-Owl in the dark. A good day tends to end quickly, that is exactly what it should feel like at the end of the day.

Day 12:

Morning game drive, photography at the equator line and  transfer to Entebbe 

Early in the morning after breakfast go for the morning game drive  and have the experience of the life time while concluding the game drives in our 13 days primates, wildlife and birding safari in  Uganda. After the game drive exit the park and have an en-route  lunch. 

You will also stop at the equator line for photograph and have super  photos while standing one leg in the Northern hemisphere and  another leg in the Southern hemisphere. Then after the  photography continue to Entebbe and check in your lodge, dinner  and overnight.  

Day 13:

End of the tour .

Being the last day of your tour , you may chose to visit Ngamba Chimpanzee Sanctuary , Reptile Village .

In the morning after breakfast , your guide will take to the chosen area to visit as you finalize your great 13 days safari in Uganda .

Depending on your flight time you , you will decide the time to be dropped at the airport with the guide .

End of the tour .