7-Day Birding & Wildlife Safari

Overview—7-Day Birding & Wildlife Safari

The 7-Day Birding & Wildlife Safari is designed for nature lovers who want to combine classic game drives with the excitement of birdwatching in Uganda’s most productive habitats. From the mighty Nile in Murchison Falls to the savannah plains of Queen Elizabeth, and on to the wetlands of Bigodi near Kibale, this safari gives you a chance to spot hundreds of bird species while also enjoying encounters with elephants, lions, buffaloes, hippos, and other wildlife.

Over the course of seven days, you will marvel at shoebill storks in Mabamba Wetland, enjoy a boat cruise beneath the thunderous Murchison Falls, scan the plains of Queen Elizabeth for big cats and antelopes, and explore the primate- and bird-rich forests of Kibale. The itinerary balances early morning birding excursions with relaxed boat trips and scenic drives, offering a rewarding mix of birding and wildlife adventure.

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Detailed Itinerary —7-Day Birding & Wildlife Safari

Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe – Mabamba Wetland Excursion

Your safari begins with arrival at Entebbe International Airport. After a warm welcome, you head out for a birding excursion at Mabamba Wetland on the shores of Lake Victoria, one of the best places in the world to see the elusive shoebill stork. The wetland is also home to papyrus gonoleks, malachite kingfishers, and African jacanas. After the excursion, you return to your hotel in Entebbe for dinner and overnight.

Day 2: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park

After breakfast, you drive north toward Murchison Falls National Park. Along the way, you enjoy birding opportunities in open country, spotting species such as Abyssinian ground hornbills and black-headed gonoleks. A stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary allows you to see rhinos and also look for birds like the blue-spotted dove and white-crested turaco. By evening, you enter Murchison and check into your lodge along the Nile. Dinner and overnight are spent in the park.

Day 3: Game Drive and Birding in Murchison – Nile Boat Safari

The morning begins with a game drive across the northern savannah, where you can see elephants, giraffes, and lions, while birdwatchers will enjoy sightings of Denham’s bustards, secretary birds, and red-throated bee-eaters. After lunch, you take a boat cruise along the Nile to the base of Murchison Falls, passing colonies of bee-eaters, pied kingfishers, and fish eagles. The riverbanks are also frequented by hippos, crocodiles, and elephants. Dinner and overnight are at your lodge.

Day 4: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park

After breakfast, you leave Murchison and head southwest toward Kibale. The journey is long but scenic, with birding opportunities along the way in wooded and wetland areas. By evening, you arrive at your lodge near Kibale Forest, home to over 350 bird species and 13 primate species. Dinner and overnight are at the lodge.

Day 5: Birding in Kibale Forest – Bigodi Wetland Walk

The morning is devoted to birding in Kibale Forest, a haven for species such as the African pitta, green-breasted pitta, black bee-eater, and crowned eagle. You may also encounter chimpanzees and other primates. In the afternoon, you visit Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, a community-managed area famous for the great blue turaco, papyrus canary, and white-spotted flufftail, as well as monkeys and butterflies. Dinner and overnight are at your lodge near Kibale.

Day 6: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park – Evening Game Drive

After breakfast, you set out for Queen Elizabeth National Park, with birding stops along the way. Upon arrival, you enjoy an evening game drive across the Kasenyi plains. The park is rich in both mammals and birds, with species such as grey crowned cranes, wattled lapwings, and yellow-billed kites often seen alongside elephants, buffaloes, and antelopes. Dinner and overnight are at your lodge in the park.

Day 7: Birding and Boat Cruise on the Kazinga Channel – Return to Entebbe

The day begins with a birding walk or short game drive in the park, where you may spot African skimmers, saddle-billed storks, and martial eagles. After lunch, you enjoy a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel, where you see hippos and crocodiles while spotting water birds such as pelicans, cormorants, and pied kingfishers. In the afternoon, you begin the return drive to Entebbe, with a stop at the Equator for photographs and souvenirs, before evening drop-off at the airport for your onward flight.