25 Days Uganda Birding: Elgon, Karamoja and the Western Forests

Meet the bird guide at the airport and transfer to Precious Guest House. If arrival time allows, take a relaxed introductory walk in the Botanical Gardens. Weavers, kingfishers and other lakeshore and garden birds provide the first birding opportunities.

Leave early for canoe birding at Mabamba, searching for Shoebill among the papyrus channels. Look also for Blue-headed Coucal, Papyrus Gonolek and wetland birds. Continue toward Mabira during the afternoon, with limited forest-edge birding after the transfer.

Spend a full day on Mabira’s trails with a site guide. Search for Nahan’s Partridge, tinkerbirds, hornbills and other forest specialists, with time to watch both canopy and understory. Accommodation options are Griffin Falls Camp or Stone Castle Inn.

Return to Mabira for birds still to be found, then travel toward Kapchorwa on Mount Elgon’s slopes. The changing landscape offers roadside birding for raptors and other birds. Stay at Home of Friends.

Explore the Kapkwai area with a local site guide, concentrating on forest walks and montane birds. Jackson’s Spurfowl, Black-collared Apalis and Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon are among the possibilities. Return to Home of Friends for the night.

Allow another morning for Mount Elgon’s birds before traveling toward Pian Upe. Birding stops during the descent introduce savanna and drier-country species. Settle into the UWA bandas at the reserve.

Use the day for game drives and birding in Pian Upe’s open habitats. Search for Karamoja Apalis, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Pygmy Falcon and sandgrouse, with other dry-country birds possible. Spend a second night at the UWA bandas.

Bird along the road from Pian Upe toward Moroto. In the afternoon, explore the Catholic mission grounds and surrounding habitat for local birds, including sunbirds and dry-country species. Stay at Kara-Tunga.

Devote the day to Matheniko, adding another reserve’s dry-country habitats to the route. Search for sandgrouse, cisticolas and other open-country birds; nightjar activity is seasonal. The overnight plan uses Kotido or a return to the previous lodge.

Travel toward Kidepo with birding opportunities on the way. After arrival, take a short late-afternoon drive in the Narus Valley to begin watching the park’s savanna birds and mammals. Stay at Apoka Camp.

Spend the full day between the Narus Valley and Kidepo River area. Search for Kori Bustard, Secretarybird, Pygmy Falcon and other dry-country birds while watching for large mammals. Return to the Apoka bandas.

Make the long journey from Kidepo to Murchison Falls, watching for birds through the varied roadside habitats. Bruce’s Green Pigeon and Black-headed Batis are among the possibilities mentioned for the route. Overnight at Red Chilli.

Take a northern-bank morning game drive for savanna birds and wildlife. In the afternoon, board a boat for the falls or delta route, watching for African Fish Eagle, Goliath Heron and kingfishers; African Skimmer is seasonal. Return to Red Chilli.

Spend the day on the Royal Mile, searching for Ituri Batis, Yellow-footed Flycatcher, Chocolate-backed Kingfisher and other forest specialists. The route changes from Murchison’s open habitats to forest birding. Overnight at Masindi Hotel.

Travel to Fort Portal through changing countryside. If time permits, take an optional late-afternoon birding hike in the Nyakasura Hills. Stay at Rwenzori View Guest House.

Use a full day for Semuliki, searching for hornbills, malimbes, Yellow-throated Nicator and other lowland forest birds. Long-tailed Hawk and several of the forest specialties are difficult to locate. The overnight plan names Little Monkey.

Begin early in Kibale with a focused attempt to find Green-breasted Pitta. In the afternoon, walk at Bigodi for wetland and forest-edge birds, including Great Blue Turaco and Papyrus Gonolek. A nocturnal walk is optional.

Transfer to Queen Elizabeth and take an afternoon boat trip on the Kazinga Channel. Watch the banks and open water for pelicans, spoonbills, storks and African Fish Eagle. African Skimmer is a seasonal possibility. Stay at Bush Lodge.

Bird through Queen Elizabeth while gradually making the journey toward Bwindi. After the savanna session, continue to Buhoma and use the evening for relaxed birding near the lodge. Stay at Buhoma Community Rest Camp.

Spend the day on Buhoma’s forest trails, searching for birds such as Neumann’s Warbler, African Broadbill and Black-faced Rufous Warbler. Work carefully through the forest vegetation for elusive species. Return to Buhoma Community Rest Camp.

Bird through the Neck and continue toward Ruhija, using the change in elevation to broaden the forest search. Regal Sunbird, Blue-headed Sunbird, Rwenzori Batis and Stripe-breasted Tit are among the targets in suitable habitat. Stay at Ruhija Rest Camp.

Dedicate the day to the Mubwindi trail, searching for African Green Broadbill and Grauer’s Swamp Warbler as well as other montane birds. This is a sustained forest walk rather than a roadside-only session. The onward overnight base is listed in the Kisoro area.

Explore Mgahinga’s montane habitats for birds such as Rwenzori Turaco, Archer’s Robin-Chat and Strange Weaver. Keep the day focused on the high-elevation bird community. Stay again in the Kisoro area.

Detour to Muko for wetland birding, with Red-chested Flufftail a very elusive target. Continue to Lake Mburo during the afternoon. An evening or night drive is optional. Accommodation options are Eagles Nest Camp and Leopard Rest Camp.

Explore acacia woodland and savanna in the morning, searching for Red-faced Barbet, Tabora Cisticola and other local birds. A later boat outing focuses on waterbirds, including the possibility of African Finfoot. Continue to Entebbe for departure, allowing the flight schedule to accommodate the final overland transfer.