7-Day Uganda Birding & Gorilla Trekking Safari

Safari Highlights

• Shoebill search by canoe in Mabamba Wetland

• Birding in Kibale Forest

• Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park

• Guided birding walk through Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary

• Savannah and woodland birding in Queen Elizabeth National Park

• Kazinga Channel boat safari

• Wildlife viewing in the Ishasha sector

• Search for Ishasha’s famous tree-climbing lions

• Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

• Batwa cultural experience

• Sunset boat cruise on Lake Bunyonyi

• Birding around Lake Bunyonyi and the Kigezi Highlands

• Local coffee and banana-based community experience

• Scenic countryside and terraced hills of southwestern Uganda

• Equator stop on the return journey

• Private safari vehicle and experienced driver-guide

Day 1 — Entebbe / Kampala → Mabamba Wetland → Kibale

Begin your adventure with an early morning departure from Entebbe or Kampala and travel towards Mabamba Wetland, one of Uganda’s best-known habitats for the Shoebill.

Upon arrival, take a guided canoe excursion through the narrow channels of the papyrus wetland. Moving quietly through the waterways gives you the best chance of locating the prehistoric-looking Shoebill in its natural habitat.

The wetland also supports a variety of other bird species, including African Jacana, Malachite Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher, African Marsh Harrier, Long-toed Lapwing, herons, egrets, bee-eaters and numerous wetland specialists.

After the morning excursion, continue westwards through Uganda’s changing landscapes. Enjoy a lunch stop along the way before continuing towards Fort Portal and Kibale Forest National Park.

The scenery gradually changes from the busy surroundings of central Uganda to rolling countryside, tea plantations, crater lakes and forested hills.

Arrive at your lodge near Kibale in the late afternoon and settle in. If time permits, enjoy some relaxed birding around the lodge or nearby forest edge.

Overnight: Kibale area

Day 2 — Kibale Forest Birding → Chimpanzee Trekking → Bigodi Wetland

Start the morning with a guided birding session in the Kibale Forest area, taking advantage of the early hours when the forest is most active.

Kibale is one of Uganda’s richest forest habitats, supporting a remarkable variety of birds as well as one of Africa’s highest concentrations of primates.

Keep watch for Great Blue Turaco, Black-and-white Casqued Hornbill, African Pitta, barbets, greenbuls, flycatchers, sunbirds and other forest species.

Later, proceed to the park headquarters for a briefing before beginning your chimpanzee trekking experience.

Enter the forest in search of one of Kibale’s habituated chimpanzee communities. The trek can also provide encounters with other primates, including red-tailed monkeys, black-and-white colobus monkeys and grey-cheeked mangabeys.

After returning from the forest, enjoy lunch before continuing to Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary.

The afternoon guided walk through Bigodi combines birding, nature and community tourism. Its mixture of wetland, woodland, gardens and forest edge creates excellent habitat for species such as Great Blue Turaco, Papyrus Gonolek, kingfishers, hornbills, weavers and sunbirds.

Along the trail, your local guide will also introduce you to the communities surrounding the wetland and explain how conservation and tourism contribute to local livelihoods.

Return to your lodge in the evening.

Overnight: Kibale area

Day 3 — Kibale → Queen Elizabeth National Park → Kazinga Channel

After breakfast, depart Kibale and continue towards Queen Elizabeth National Park.

The drive takes you from the forested landscapes of Kibale into open savannah, wetlands, crater lakes and woodland. Along the way, make birding stops whenever interesting habitats or sightings present themselves.

After a lunch stop, continue into Queen Elizabeth National Park for an afternoon of birding and wildlife viewing.

Later, board a boat for a Kazinga Channel safari, one of Uganda’s most rewarding experiences for both birders and wildlife enthusiasts.

The channel connects Lake Edward and Lake George and attracts large numbers of waterbirds and wildlife. From the boat, look for Great White Pelicans, Pink-backed Pelicans, African Fish Eagles, Yellow-billed Storks, African Openbills, African Spoonbills, cormorants, darters, Pied Kingfishers and numerous other species.

Along the shoreline, large pods of hippos gather in the water while elephants, buffaloes, crocodiles and other animals come down to drink.

After the boat safari, continue with an evening game drive as the temperature cools and wildlife becomes more active.

Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Queen Elizabeth National Park

Day 4 — Queen Elizabeth → Ishasha → Bwindi

Wake early for a morning birding and wildlife drive through Queen Elizabeth National Park.

The savannah and woodland habitats offer opportunities to encounter Grey Crowned Cranes, African Fish Eagles, Black-headed Gonolek, bee-eaters, lapwings, cisticolas, storks, herons and various raptors.

Continue south towards the Ishasha sector, a remote and scenic part of Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Ishasha is particularly famous for its tree-climbing lions, which are sometimes seen resting in the branches of large fig and acacia trees. Keep your eyes open for these iconic cats while also watching for elephants, buffaloes, topi, Uganda kob, warthogs and other wildlife.

Enjoy lunch during the journey before continuing towards Bwindi.

As you leave the savannah behind, the landscape changes dramatically. The road climbs through the Kigezi Highlands, passing terraced hillsides, small farms and mountain communities before reaching the forested slopes surrounding Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Arrive at your lodge in the evening and enjoy a relaxed evening ahead of the following day's gorilla trek.

Overnight: Bwindi area

Day 5 — Gorilla Trekking → Batwa Experience → Lake Bunyonyi

After an early breakfast, drive to the appropriate park headquarters for your gorilla trekking briefing.

You will then enter the ancient Bwindi rainforest in search of your assigned gorilla family.

The trek can take anywhere from a relatively short walk to several hours, depending on the location of the gorillas and the terrain. The forest trails can be steep and challenging, but the experience of encountering mountain gorillas in their natural habitat makes the effort worthwhile.

Once you locate your gorilla family, spend up to one hour observing them as they feed, rest, interact and move through the forest.

After returning from the trek, enjoy lunch before beginning the journey towards Lake Bunyonyi.

Along the way, enjoy a Batwa cultural experience, learning about the traditional forest heritage and history of one of the region's indigenous communities.

Continue through the spectacular Kigezi Highlands to Lake Bunyonyi, arriving in the afternoon.

Later, enjoy a peaceful sunset boat cruise on Lake Bunyonyi. Cruise between the lake's many islands while taking in the surrounding terraced hills and quiet lakeside communities.

After an unforgettable day in the forest, this relaxed evening beside the lake provides the perfect change of pace.

Overnight: Lake Bunyonyi

Day 6 — Lake Bunyonyi → Birding & Kigezi Highlands → Kabale

Enjoy a relaxed breakfast overlooking Lake Bunyonyi before exploring the area further.

Spend the morning birding around the lake and surrounding hills, with opportunities to see kingfishers, weavers, herons, egrets, sunbirds, kites and other species associated with the lake, wetlands and cultivated highlands.

Depending on conditions and your interests, take a short boat or canoe excursion to explore quieter sections of the lake and its surrounding habitats.

Later, travel towards Kabale, stopping at scenic viewpoints along the way to appreciate the remarkable terraced hills of the Kigezi Highlands.

Enjoy lunch in or around Kabale before experiencing a local coffee and banana-based community experience. Learn about some of the crops grown in the region and how locally produced coffee and bananas are traditionally processed and prepared.

The afternoon remains relaxed, allowing time to enjoy the scenery and local communities rather than rushing between attractions.

Return to your accommodation for the evening.

Overnight: Kabale / Lake Bunyonyi area

Day 7 — Kabale / Lake Bunyonyi → Entebbe / Kampala

Enjoy an early breakfast before beginning your journey back towards Entebbe or Kampala.

The return journey takes you through the scenic landscapes of southwestern Uganda, with opportunities for en-route birding and photography whenever time and road conditions allow.

Stop for lunch along the way before continuing towards central Uganda.

Depending on your departure schedule, make a stop at the Equator, where you can take photographs, stretch your legs and browse locally made crafts and souvenirs.

Continue to Entebbe or Kampala, arriving in the late afternoon or evening.

Your 7-day Uganda birding and gorilla safari comes to an end with unforgettable memories of Uganda’s wetlands, forests, primates, savannahs, mountains and communities.

End of safari.

Safari Includes

• Private safari transportation throughout the itinerary

• Experienced English-speaking driver-guide

• Accommodation on a full-board basis

• Shoebill canoe excursion at Mabamba Wetland

• Chimpanzee trekking permit

• Gorilla trekking permit

• Bigodi Wetland guided walk

• Kazinga Channel boat safari

• Game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park

• Ishasha wildlife viewing

• Batwa cultural experience

• Lake Bunyonyi sunset boat cruise

• Birding activities and nature walks described in the itinerary

• Coffee and banana community experience

• Equator stop

• Park entrance fees and applicable activity fees

• Drinking water during the safari

What Makes This Safari Different

Rather than treating birding as a series of isolated excursions, this safari follows Uganda's natural landscapes and allows you to experience the different habitats along the route.

Wetlands around Mabamba, the forests of Kibale, Bigodi's community wetland, Queen Elizabeth's savannah and lakes, Ishasha's woodland and Bwindi's montane rainforest each bring a different collection of birds and wildlife.

The itinerary also combines birding with Uganda's signature experiences — chimpanzee trekking, gorilla trekking, the Kazinga Channel, Ishasha wildlife and Lake Bunyonyi — making it a complete nature and wildlife journey rather than a birding trip alone.