Best Birding Guides In Uganda

Are you interested in booking a bird watching trip in Uganda and you are looking for the best birding guides, yes we are here to bring you a list of professional birders not only in Uganda but in East African region.

All the listed birding guides will help you to spot most species on your wishlist during your safari to fulfill your wildest dreams of learning about Uganda birds and wildlife.

Before listing these guides, let us explore some of the best places to go birding, travel tips, and recommendations for prospective birdwatchers.

Uganda has several places to go birding however, most famous national parks are Queen Elizabeth national park, Murchison Falls national park, Bwindi Impenetrable national park, Semuliki Forest, and Kibale Forest national park.

Queen Elizabeth National Park has one of the highest biodiversity ratings of any game reserve in the world, hosting over 600 bird species and 100 mammal species while Bwindi Impenetrable national park is home to 90 mammal species including 11 primates. There are 23 birds unique to the Albertine Rift (which is 90% of all Albertine Rift endemics), including Neumann’s warbler and blue-headed sunbird.

Birding can be done all year round and all Uganda national parks are open throughout the year. Therefore, all you have to do is to book a flight, pack your birding gears, and then arrive in Uganda for a safari. Don’t forget to bring your camera and we recommend downloading the list of bird species found in Uganda so that you can easily identify what you see when you get close to them.

Much as birding is exciting, sometimes it’s challenging to find hotspots for birding while traveling and this is a reason why you have to hire a birdwatching guide who is familiar with an area. Consequently, this increases your chances of seeing more birds and thus making your trip very successful.

Below is a list of the best birding guides in Uganda and their primary goal is to show you remarkable and elusive bird species ranging from the endemics, endangered, restricted-range, vulnerable, and threatened.

Paul Tamwenya

Paul Tamwenya is the best birding guide in Uganda and he holds a bachelor’s degree in tourism management from Makerere University. Paul has done various courses and has a Certificate in Cultural tourism Guiding, Bird Guiding and a Certificate in Advanced Motoring Techniques for Tourist drivers.

He is also a founder member and chairman of the Uganda Cultural Guides Club, Editor Uganda Birding Association.

He was born in Eastern Uganda near the foothills of Mount Elgon National Park where he grew a strong attachment to birds. His skills range from identifying species by calls, color, size, and habitat among others.

Paul Tamwenya is an Ordinary Member of Africa Birding Club and Nature Uganda, former General Secretary of the Uganda Safari Guides Association (USAGA), Uganda Bird Guides Club (UBGC), Uganda Tourist Driver Guides Club (UTDGC), and Uganda Cultural Guides Club (UCGC).

Herbert Byaruhanga

Herbert Byaruhanga has been in the industry since 1995 when he joined as a tourist driver-guide, specializing in birding and nature guiding; he has served in various managerial positions such as president Uganda Tourism Association, General Secretary USAGA, and chairman of Tourism and Hospitality Sector Skills Council of Uganda.

He has taken various courses in guiding services and customer care, defensive driving, advanced motoring, wildlife interpretation, bird identification and guiding.

Herbert Byaruhanga is lovingly known as “Papa” or father of tourism in Uganda and one of the best birding guides. His respect started when he dedicated himself to building professionalism in avitourism in Uganda. And yes, he is the leading skills trainer for tour and tourist guides especially bird guides, accredited by Bird Life International.

Herbert is the founder of Uganda Bird Guides Club, Uganda Women birders Club, and Uganda Safari Guides Association. He spends most of his time on birds, birding, and photography.

Crammy Wanyama

He is a professional field birding guide born and raised in Uganda and leads birdwatching trips in Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania. Besides being a guide, Crammy Wanyama is a naturalist, birding tour leader, and photographer.

Crammy has a keen eye bird sight and he is that guide you will always wish to travel within and outside the Pearl of Africa if you are a hardcore birder. Crammy is very accommodating and flexible, polite and informative, and a bird guide extraordinaire with great ID skills (song & sight), even when it came to raptors and waders. He may as well use site guides to multiply the number of spotters, which is true eco-tourism as it brings income to the local community.

Johnnie Kamugisha

Johnnie Kamugisha is one of our top birding guides in Uganda with knowledge of identifying East African birds, both residents, and exotic birds. Johnnie is well traveled birdwatching guide and speaks excellent English. He is friendly and cannot be faulted on his unmatched birding skills, calling them all the time and spotting the tiniest of birds in an instant. He rarely used playback as he is so good at limiting and calling in birds himself, having veritable conversations with the birds.  Therefore, if you’re thinking of birding safari in Uganda, go with Johnny Kamugisha; he is a great guide, proven birding skills and effortless organization.

Deogratius Muhumuza

Deogratius Muhumuza is a graduate of Tourism from Makerere University Kampala, and born in Bunyaruguru western part of Uganda adjacent to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Deo is one of the best guides you can ever experience! He is a well-trained, local birding guide dedicated to provide an expert, and quality bird watching safari experience.

He is driven into the tourism sector because of his passion in traveling, sightseeing, and meeting people besides that he is also accommodating and flexible, polite and informative.

Deo shows good fieldcraft, finding most of the expected birds for birders. Outside of birding, his guiding abilities are also to be commended. He is generally unflappable and good-humoured, meeting your requests, or explaining politely.

Emmy Gongo

His understanding and ability to spot and hear birds is incredible. He has an extensive comprehension of bird calls and songs. Emmy Gongo is experienced, courteous and a delight to spend all your birding days in Uganda very rewarding right from the start to the last day of your tour.

He is incredibly knowledgeable on all things natural–birds, flora, and other fauna as well.