August 2025 / 2026: Birds & Wildlife of Uganda.
Over the last 20 years or so, Uganda has transitioned from relative obscurity to being one of Africa's more popular birding destinations. And rightly so, as it has a lot to offer in a relatively small area. Straddling the equator and situated between the classic safari destinations in East Africa and the less easily visited DRC and South Sudan, Uganda offers a chance to see a good selection of classic African savanna mammals, a wide range of birds - including a number of Albertine Rift endemics - as well as Mountain Gorillas, Chimps and a host of other primate species.
This 15-day tour takes in most of the main birding and wildlife areas and offers a chance to see a massive number of bird species, as well as general wildlife and, at extra cost, Mountain Gorillas and / or Chimpanzees (having come all this way, it sure makes sense to spend a little extra to see the Gorillas in their natural environment...). The habitats covered are diverse, from the Papyrus swamps close to Entebbe to Lowland Equatorial Forest, Montane Forest and various types of savanna. We'll have a dedicated local driver / guide and stay in comfortable accommodations that aren't 'over the top' in terms of luxury as many safari lodges are wont to be, making for an affordable 15-days of serious birding, photography and wildlife watching.
Areas covered:
Our Uganda Birding Safari starts at Entebbe Int. Airport in Entebbe, on the shores of Lake Victoria. We spend two nights here before moving on to Murchison Falls for two nights, followed by Masindi for another two nights. From there we move on to the Kibale National Park area. Next up is Queen Elizabeth NP, then one of the highlights - Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. From there we head back towards Entebbe, with one night at Lake Mburo NP as the last night of the tour.
Accommodation:
The accommodation is of a medium-plus standard. It includes a small hotel at the start and various safari lodges. Importantly, all accommodations have en-suite facilities, and are clean and comfortable.
The birding:
Birds are the main focus of this tour, and there will be plenty to see. After all, Uganda has a bird list of over 1000 species. Some of the birds we'll be looking out for include: Great Blue Turaco, Bar-tailed Trogon, Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, Black Bee-eater, Northern Carmine Bee-eater, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Green-breasted Pitta, Stripe-breasted Tit, Rwenzori Hill Babbler, Red-throated Alethe, Archer's Robin-Chat, Rwenzori Apalis, Black-faced Apalis, Grauer's Warbler, Rwenzori Batis, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Blue-headed Sunbird, Regal Sunbird, Strange Weaver, Papyrus Gonolek, African Shrike Flycatcher, Yellow-billed Barbet, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, White-tailed Ant Thrush, Fire-crested Alethe and many more.
The mammals:
Uganda is a great mammal watching destination and of course its most famous species are Mountain Gorilla and Chimpanzee. Then it also has a number of the classic African savanna species, such as African Elephant, Lion, Northern Giraffe (Nubian sub-species), African Buffalo, Hippopotamus, Plains Zebra and so forth. Ungulates to see include Ugandan Kob, Oribi, Topi, Common Eland, Hartebeest, Common Warthog, Greater and Lesser Kudu, Roan Antelope, Impala, East African Oryx, a good number of Duiker species and many more. Uganda is very rich in primates and species we may see include Olive Baboon, Vervet Monkey, Guereza Colobus, Blue / Mitis Monkey, Red-tailed Monkey, Patas Monkey, L'Hoest's Monkey, Grey-cheeked Mangabey, Ugandan Red Colobus East African Pottoo and more. Then there's the chance of seeing exciting carnivores such as Spotted Hyena, Leopard, Serval, Side-striped Jackal, Honey Badger, Spotted-necked and African Clawless Otters, a wide variety of Mongoose species and more.
Gallery
Itinerary
Tour in brief
Group size: Maximum of 5 participants.
Areas covered: Entebbe, Murchison Falls, Masindi / Budongo Forest, Kibale National Park, Queen Elizabeth NP, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Lake Mburo National Park.
Expected weather conditions: Being close to the equator, the temperatures in much of Uganda don't vary too much through the year. Warm to hot days to be expected, cooling to mild temperatures overnight. August is in between the two main rainy seasons, but being tropical, some rain can still be expected.
Accommodation: The accommodation is of a medium-plus standard. It includes a small hotel at the start and various safari lodges. Importantly, all accommodations have en-suite facilities, and are clean and comfortable.
Birding in brief: Birds are the main focus of this tour, and there will be plenty to see. After all, Uganda has a bird list of over 1000 species!
Top birds: Great Blue Turaco, Bar-tailed Trogon, Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, Black Bee-eater, Northern Carmine Bee-eater, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Green-breasted Pitta, Stripe-breasted Tit, Rwenzori Hill Babbler, Red-throated Alethe, Archer's Robin-Chat, Rwenzori Apalis, Black-faced Apalis, Grauer's Warbler, Rwenzori Batis, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Blue-headed Sunbird, Regal Sunbird, Strange Weaver, Papyrus Gonolek, African Shrike Flycatcher, Yellow-billed Barbet, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, White-tailed Ant Thrush, Fire-crested Alethe and many more.
Mammals viewing: good overall. Generally overshadowed by the likes of Kenya and Tanzania in terms of the traditional safari concept, Uganda comes into it's own league in terms of Primates.
Top mammals: Mountain Gorilla, Chimpanzee, Olive Baboon, Vervet Monkey, Guereza Colobus, Blue / Mitis Monkey, Red-tailed Monkey, Patas Monkey, L'Hoest's Monkey, Grey-cheeked Mangabey, Ugandan Red Colobus East African Pottoo, African Elephant, Lion, Northern Giraffe (Nubian sub-species), Ugandan Kob, Oribi, Topi, Common Eland, Hartebeest, Greater and Lesser Kudu, Roan Antelope, East African Oryx, a good number of Duiker species and many more.
Optional Extras: Gorilla and Chimpanzee trekking.
Add-ons: Combine with the Wildebeest Migration in the Maasai Mara of Kenya.
Full Itinerary
Rates
2025:
5 participants: US$ 5 150 per person sharing (US$ 343 per day).
4 participants: US$ 5 356 per person sharing (US$ 358 per day).
3 participants: US$ per person sharing
2 participants: US$ per person sharing
Single supplement: US$ 660
Includes:
Bed and Breakfast days 1 and 15 ( Arrival & Departure Days)
Full board accommodation as indicated
Internal private transportation, inclusive of fuel
Drinking water in vehicle whilst travelling
Park entrance Fees.
Walk fees
Boat rides
Specialist guide
Excludes:
All airfares
Travel and medical insurance
Visa fees
Lunches and dinners on Day 1 and 15
Drinks
Gorilla permits (subject to availability) - USD 800 per person
Chimpanzee permits (subject to availability) - USD 250 per person
Gratiuties
Items of a personal nature
Note:
Price and itinerary are subject to change due to factors beyond our control, such as government park fee increases.
This itinerary is subject to change due to weather conditions at the time and other factors beyond our control.
The species mentioned in the itinerary represent only some of the possible ones we may see on the tour, however, none of these can be guaranteed even though every effort will be made where possible to locate them. A full list of possibles appears on your checklist.
Please consult with us before booking any flights. On the last day participants may need to overnight in Entebbe again, depending on the time of outbound flights. This accommodation is not included in the tour price, but we are happy to arrange it.
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