10 Days Uganda Birding Safari and Gorilla Trekking

 Tour Summary

• Safari starts with pick up in Kampala/Entebbe
• Activities include gorilla trekking, game drive, boat cruise and birding.
• Transfers will be by a 4×4 safari vehicle
•  Accommodation before and after trip can be arranged on request at an extra cost

What you need to know

• Accommodation & meals are provided as included 
• Pack the right Gorilla trekking clothes
• Tour can start any time of the year
• Minimum age for Gorilla trekking is 15 years

Itinerary Highlights: 10 Days Uganda Birding Safari & Gorilla Trekking

• Day #1: Visit Mabamba Swamp for Birding (shoebill) Tour
• 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 Safari return drive to Kampala/Entebbe

What’s the real story?:

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 the 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

Day 2: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park

Early morning, you will have breakfast and 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

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 and 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 the 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 and 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

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

On this day, you will have your desired breakfast at the hotel and 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, Topics, 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 the previous night’s 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 in 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

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 a 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

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’s 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 the 10 Days Uganda Birding Safari

Cost Inclusions

• All activities as included
• Accommodation & meals as indicated
• 4×4 Safari Vehicle
• A professional English speaking knowledgeable driver guide.
• Bottled drinking water on board

Cost Exclusions 

• International flights & Visas 
• Tips
• Drinks
• Any changes to the itinerary 
• Laundry

Transport 

• 4×4 safari land cruiser for luxury travelers
• 4×4 safari van for budget travelers