Mabamba Shoebill • Lake Mburo • Bwindi Gorillas • Queen Elizabeth • Kibale Chimpanzees

Discover Uganda's Finest Birding Hotspots, Mountain Gorillas, Chimpanzees & Spectacular Wildlife Across the Pearl of Africa

Safari Highlights

✔ Search for the Legendary Shoebill Stork at Mabamba Swamp

✔ Gorilla Trekking Permit Included

✔ Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale National Park

✔ Albertine Rift Endemic Birding

✔ Mabamba Swamp Ramsar Wetland

✔ Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

✔ Queen Elizabeth National Park

✔ Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise

✔ Ishasha Tree-Climbing Lions

✔ Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary

✔ Lake Mburo Walking Safari

✔ Lake Mburo Boat Cruise

✔ Professional Birding & Wildlife Guide

✔ Private 4×4 Safari Land Cruiser

✔ Outstanding Wildlife Photography Opportunities

✔ Explore Uganda's Most Diverse Birding Habitats

Guests Midrange (USD/Person)   Luxury (USD/Person) 2 Pax USD 7,295   USD 10,950 4 Pax USD 6,895   USD 10,250 6 Pax USD 6,650   USD 9,950

Accommodation

Mid-range

• Papyrus Guest House – Entebbe
• Rwakobo Rock
• Gorilla Mist Camp
• Enganzi Game Lodge
• Turaco Treetops

Luxury

• Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort & Spa
• Mihingo Lodge
• Buhoma Lodge
• Mweya Safari Lodge
• Primate Lodge Kibale

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrival at Entebbe International Airport

Welcome to Uganda, the Pearl of Africa.

Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by your professional safari guide and transferred to your hotel overlooking the tranquil shores of Lake Victoria.

After check-in, relax and recover from your journey before enjoying a detailed safari briefing. Your guide will introduce the incredible experiences awaiting you over the next fifteen days, including Uganda's remarkable birdlife, mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, and spectacular national parks.

Depending on your arrival time, enjoy bird watching around the hotel gardens where species such as African Pied Wagtail, Great Cormorant, Black-headed Heron, Pied Kingfisher, African Open bill, and Little Egret are commonly seen.

Spend the evening at leisure while preparing for the adventure ahead.

Meals: Dinner

Day 2 – Mabamba Swamp Shoebill Excursion

After an early breakfast, travel to the internationally renowned Mabamba Swamp, one of Africa's premier wetland birding destinations and the best place in Uganda to search for the iconic Shoebill Stork.

Board a traditional motorized canoe and quietly navigate the winding papyrus channels as your specialist bird guide scans the wetlands for one of the world's most sought-after birds. Watching a Shoebill emerge from the reeds in the early morning light is an unforgettable experience and a highlight for birdwatchers and photographers alike.

The swamp supports an impressive diversity of wetland birds. Throughout your excursion, look out for: Papyrus Gonolek, White-winged Warbler, African Jacana ,Lesser Jacana ,Blue-breasted Bee-eater ,Malachite Kingfisher ,Purple Swamp hen ,Long-toed Lapwing ,African Marsh Harrier, Swamp Flycatcher ,Squacco Heron, Black Crake

Return to Entebbe for lunch before enjoying a relaxed afternoon. Depending on your interests, optional activities include visiting the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre, the Entebbe Botanical Gardens, or simply relaxing by Lake Victoria while adding more lakeshore bird species to your checklist.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 3 – Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park

Following breakfast, depart Entebbe and journey southwest through Uganda's picturesque countryside toward Lake Mburo National Park.

Along the way, pass lush banana plantations, traditional homesteads, Ankole cattle ranches, and rolling hills that characterise western Uganda. A stop at the famous Uganda Equator provides an excellent opportunity for photographs, refreshments, and souvenir shopping.

Arrive at Lake Mburo National Park in time for lunch before embarking on an afternoon game drive through open acacia woodland and expansive grasslands.

Unlike Uganda's other national parks, Lake Mburo is renowned for its large populations of zebras, impalas, elands, giraffes, topi, buffaloes, and bushbucks, all thriving within a relatively compact landscape.

Birdwatchers will immediately appreciate the park's remarkable diversity. Possible sightings include: Southern Ground Hornbill, Lilac-breasted Roller, Black-bellied Bustard, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, African Fish Eagle .Brown-chested Lapwing, Red-faced Barbet, White-winged Warbler, African Fin foot, Blue-headed Weaver

As the afternoon light softens across the savannah, return to your lodge overlooking the park for dinner and overnight.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 4 – Walking Safari, Lake Mburo Boat Cruise & Evening Birding

Begin your morning with one of Uganda's most unique safari experiences—a guided walking safari accompanied by an armed Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger.

Exploring the park on foot offers a completely different perspective, allowing you to quietly approach giraffes, zebras, impalas, elands, and buffaloes while learning about animal behavior, tracks, medicinal plants, and the delicate balance of the surrounding ecosystem.

After breakfast, continue with a relaxing boat cruise across Lake Mburo, where calm waters provide exceptional opportunities to observe hippos, crocodiles, and a rich variety of aquatic birds at close range.

Birdlife frequently recorded includes: African Fin foot, Giant Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher, Malachite Kingfisher, African Jacana, Yellow-billed Duck, White-faced Whistling Duck, African Fish Eagle, Great Cormorant, and Pink-backed Pelican

Following lunch, enjoy a leisurely afternoon birding drive through different habitats within the park, searching for additional woodland species while enjoying spectacular photography opportunities during the golden evening light.

Return to your lodge as the sun sets over the acacia-dotted landscape.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 5 – Scenic Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After an early breakfast, depart Lake Mburo National Park and continue southwest through the breathtaking highlands of western Uganda toward the legendary Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Today's journey is one of the most scenic drives in the country, passing through rolling terraced hillsides, traditional villages, tea plantations, and spectacular mountain landscapes that gradually give way to the dense rainforest of the Albertine Rift.

The changing scenery provides excellent roadside birding opportunities, with frequent stops to observe species found in farmland, woodland, and montane habitats. Depending on the season, you may encounter Grey Crowned Cranes, Augur Buzzards, African Harrier-Hawks, Black Saw-wing Swallows, Speckled Mousebirds, Bronze Sunbirds, and numerous weavers and bishops.

Arrive in the Ruhija sector of Bwindi during the afternoon and settle into your forest lodge surrounded by one of Africa's oldest and most biologically diverse rainforests.

If time permits, enjoy a relaxed introductory bird walk around the lodge and nearby forest edge. This area is renowned for Albertine Rift endemics, and your first afternoon may already reward you with sightings of Rwenzori Batis, Mountain Wagtail, White-tailed Blue Flycatcher, Regal Sunbird, African Blue Flycatcher, and Black-faced Rufous Warbler.

As evening mist settles over the forest, relax with panoramic views of the surrounding mountains while preparing for the unforgettable days ahead.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 6 – Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Today is the highlight of your Ugandan safari and one of the world's most extraordinary wildlife experiences.

Following an early breakfast, report to the Uganda Wildlife Authority headquarters for a briefing by experienced rangers before beginning your trek into the ancient rainforest in search of one of Bwindi's habituated mountain gorilla families.

Accompanied by expert trackers, hike through dense vegetation, bamboo stands, and steep forest slopes while learning about the ecology of this remarkable ecosystem. The duration of the trek varies depending on the gorillas' movements, making every expedition unique.

Upon locating your assigned gorilla family, spend one unforgettable hour observing these gentle giants in their natural habitat. Watch as silverbacks quietly supervise their families, mothers care for playful infants, and young gorillas tumble through the undergrowth. This intimate encounter is widely regarded as one of Africa's most rewarding wildlife experiences.

Throughout the trek, birdwatchers also have excellent opportunities to observe some of Bwindi's most sought-after species, including: Shelley's Crimson wing, Black Bee-eater, Bar-tailed Trogon, Rwenzori Batis, Mountain Masked Apalis, Handsome Francolin, Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Archer's Robin-Chat, Red-throated Alethe, and Blue-headed Sunbird

Return to the lodge in the afternoon to relax, reflect on this remarkable experience, and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of the rainforest.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 7 – Birding the Ruhija & Mubwindi Swamp Trails

Spend the day exploring the celebrated birding trails of the Ruhija sector, home to one of Africa's highest concentrations of Albertine Rift endemic birds.

Accompanied by your specialist bird guide, descend through pristine montane forest toward the legendary Mubwindi Swamp, a globally recognized destination among birdwatchers. The combination of bamboo forest, dense undergrowth, giant tree ferns, and high-altitude swamp creates ideal habitat for some of Uganda's rarest bird species.

Target species include: African Green Broadbill ,Grauer's Rush Warbler ,Shelley's Crimson wing, Grauer's Warbler ,Rwenzori Nightjar ,Stripe-breasted Tit ,Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, White-bellied Robin-Chat ,Mountain Illadopsis ,Collared Apalis ,Strange Weaver ,Kivu Ground Thrush

Beyond birdlife, the trail offers exceptional opportunities to photograph ancient rainforest scenery, orchids, butterflies, and occasional sightings of L'Hoest's Monkeys, Black-and-white Colobus Monkeys, and forest duikers.

Return to your lodge during the late afternoon after one of Uganda's finest birding experiences.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 8 – Birding "The Neck" Trail & Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Following breakfast, enjoy a final morning exploring The Neck, a narrow forest corridor connecting the Ruhija and Buhoma sectors of Bwindi. This biologically rich area supports numerous endemic species and provides excellent opportunities to complete your Albertine Rift bird checklist.

Possible sightings include: Black-throated Apalis ,Rwenzori Turaco ,Chapin's Flycatcher ,Purple-breasted Sunbird ,Grauer's Warbler ,White-starred Robin, Equatorial Akalat ,Petit's Cuckooshrike ,Mountain Masked Apalis ,Black-billed Turaco

After your morning birding excursion, depart Bwindi and travel north through the scenic Ishasha Sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park.

This remote wilderness is internationally famous for its unique population of tree-climbing lions, often seen resting in the branches of giant fig trees during the heat of the day. Your guide will search for these remarkable predators while also watching for elephants, buffaloes, topi, Uganda kob, and numerous bird species inhabiting the surrounding savannah.

Arrive at your lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park during the late afternoon, where expansive views across the plains provide a spectacular introduction to Uganda's most diverse protected area.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 9 – Kasenyi Plains Game Drive & Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise

Wake early for a sunrise game drive across the renowned Kasenyi Plains, where the cool morning temperatures offer the best opportunities for wildlife viewing. Vast grasslands dotted with acacia trees support an abundance of herbivores, attracting predators such as lions, leopards, and spotted hyenas.

Keep watch for African elephants, Cape buffaloes, Uganda kob, waterbucks, warthogs, and giant forest hogs, while bird enthusiasts can look forward to impressive savannah species including: Secretary bird, Kori Bustard, Martial Eagle, Bateleur, Grey Crowned Crane, African Wattled Lapwing, Temminck's Courser, Black-headed Gonolek, White-winged Widowbird, Rufous-naped Lark

After lunch, enjoy one of Uganda's signature wildlife experiences—a relaxing boat cruise along the famous Kazinga Channel, which links Lake George and Lake Edward. This natural waterway supports one of Africa's highest concentrations of hippos and attracts countless animals to its shores throughout the day.

Expect close encounters with elephants, buffaloes, crocodiles, monitor lizards, and an incredible variety of water birds including African Fish Eagle, Goliath Heron, Pink-backed Pelican, Saddle-billed Stork, African Spoonbill, Pied Kingfisher, Giant Kingfisher, and African Jacana.

Return to your lodge in the evening for dinner and overnight.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 10 – Transfer to Kibale National Park & Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary

After breakfast, depart Queen Elizabeth National Park and travel north through the spectacular crater lake region towards Kibale National Park, widely recognized as East Africa's primate capital.

The drive offers beautiful scenery with tea plantations, volcanic crater lakes, rolling hills, and traditional villages. Arrive at your lodge in time for lunch before visiting the nearby Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, an award-winning community conservation project celebrated for its exceptional biodiversity.

A guided nature walk introduces you to one of Uganda's finest birding sites, where forest-edge and wetland habitats support numerous colorful species.

Possible sightings include: Great Blue Turaco ,White-spotted Fluff tail ,Papyrus Gonolek ,Yellow-billed Barbet ,Hairy-breasted Barbet ,African Emerald Cuckoo ,Black-and-white Shrike Flycatcher ,Joyful Greenbul ,White-winged Warbler ,Grey-headed Olive back

Bigodi is also home to several primate species including Black-and-white Colobus Monkeys, Grey-cheeked Mangabeys, Red-tailed Monkeys, Blue Monkeys, and Olive Baboons.

Return to your lodge surrounded by lush rainforest for dinner and relaxation.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 11 – Chimpanzee Trekking & Forest Birding

Following an early breakfast, report to the Kibale Visitor Centre for a briefing before entering the rainforest in search of one of Uganda's habituated chimpanzee communities.

Led by experienced rangers, follow forest trails while listening for the unmistakable calls of chimpanzees echoing through the canopy. Once located, spend an unforgettable hour observing these intelligent primates as they feed, groom, communicate, and move effortlessly through the forest.

Kibale protects thirteen species of primates, making every trek a rewarding wildlife experience. You may also encounter Black-and-white Colobus Monkeys, Red-tailed Monkeys, Grey-cheeked Mangabeys, L'Hoest's Monkeys, Blue Monkeys, and Olive Baboons.

The forest is equally rewarding for birdwatchers. Target species include: Green-breasted Pitta ,Nahan's Francolin ,Blue-headed Bee-eater ,Dusky Crimson wing ,Black Bee-eater ,Red-faced Woodland Warbler ,Brown Illadopsis ,White-tailed Ant Thrush ,Yellow-spotted Barbet ,African Emerald Cuckoo

Return to the lodge during the afternoon to relax or enjoy optional birding around the lodge grounds.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 12 – Full-Day Kibale Forest Birding

Today is dedicated to exploring Kibale's exceptional birdlife. Accompanied by your specialist bird guide, spend the day along selected forest trails searching for species that make Kibale one of Africa's premier forest birding destinations.

The forest canopy, dense undergrowth, and forest clearings provide habitats for more than 375 recorded bird species, including numerous Upper Guinea and Central African forest specialists.

Possible highlights include: Green-breasted Pitta ,African Pitta (seasonal) ,Yellow-rumped Tinker bird ,White-naped Pigeon ,Sabine's Spine tail ,Black-capped Apalis ,Blue-breasted Kingfisher ,Crowned Eagle ,White-thighed Hornbill ,Black-and-white Casqued Hornbill ,Afep Pigeon ,Yellow-billed Barbet

Beyond birdlife, enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of one of Africa's most pristine tropical rainforests, alive with butterflies, towering fig trees, and the calls of resident primates.

Return to your lodge in the late afternoon for your final evening in western Uganda.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 13 – Scenic Transfer to Entebbe via the Equator

After breakfast, depart Kibale National Park and begin your scenic journey back to Entebbe. Travel through Uganda's picturesque countryside, passing tea estates, rolling hills, and vibrant rural communities before stopping at the Uganda Equator Monument for photographs, souvenir shopping, and lunch.

Arrive in Entebbe during the late afternoon and enjoy a relaxed evening overlooking the shores of Lake Victoria.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 14 – Entebbe Botanical Gardens & Lake Victoria Birding

Enjoy a relaxed morning exploring the historic Entebbe Botanical Gardens, one of Uganda's oldest botanical collections and an excellent birding location situated on the shores of Lake Victoria.

The gardens attract an impressive variety of forest-edge and lakeshore birds, including Great Blue Turaco, Ross's Turaco, Black-and-white Casqued Hornbill, African Grey Parrot, Woodland Kingfisher, Orange Weaver, Black-headed Gonolek, and numerous sunbirds. Colobus monkeys and vervet monkeys are also frequently encountered beneath the towering tropical trees.

After lunch, continue birding along the shores of Lake Victoria or relax at your hotel while enjoying your final evening in Uganda.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 15 – Departure

Depending on your flight schedule, enjoy a leisurely breakfast before transferring to Entebbe International Airport for your onward flight.

If time permits, there is an opportunity for a final short birding excursion around the hotel grounds before bidding farewell to Uganda, carrying unforgettable memories of mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, spectacular birdlife, and the diverse landscapes that make the Pearl of Africa one of the world's premier safari destinations.

Meals: Breakfast

What's Included

• Gorilla & chimpanzee trekking permits (where applicable)
• Park entrance fees, ranger-guided activities, game drives & boat cruises
• Mabamba Shoebill canoe excursion
• Guided birding (Bwindi & Bigodi)
• Lake Mburo walking safari & boat cruise
• Private 4×4 Safari Land Cruiser with pop-up roof
• Professional English-speaking driver-guide
• Accommodation & meals as per itinerary
• Bottled drinking water throughout the safari
• Airport transfers
• Government taxes

What's Excluded

• International flights
• Uganda Visa
• Travel insurance
• Alcoholic and premium drinks
• Personal expenses and laundry
• Optional activities not listed
• Tips and gratuities

Best Time to Visit

This safari operates year-round.

• June – September: Best for trekking, wildlife viewing, and birding
• December – February: Excellent weather and photography conditions
• March – May & October – November: Green season with lush scenery and peak bird activity

Why This Safari Is Special

This 15-day journey combines Uganda’s top birding destinations with iconic wildlife and primate experiences. Highlights include Shoebill birding at Mabamba, gorilla trekking in Bwindi, chimpanzee tracking in Kibale, game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park, and walking safaris in Lake Mburo.

It is a well-balanced safari offering birding, wildlife, photography, and conservation experiences across Uganda’s most diverse ecosystems.

Community Impact Promise

Every safari supports wildlife conservation, community tourism, and local livelihoods across Uganda. Your journey contributes to protecting gorillas, chimpanzees, wetlands, and national parks while empowering local guides, rangers, and communities.