low season birding safari Uganda
Is it good to book a birding safari in Uganda during the low season? Uganda is one of the best birding destinations in Africa. With over 1060 bird species, you are guaranteed a great bird count at the end of your birding safari. The fox’s weaver is the only bird endemic to Uganda but there a lot of other special birds like the shoe bill, the green breasted pitta, the Shelley’s Crimsomwing, the African Broad Bill and many more.
The birding in Uganda has two seasons; the low and high seasons. The low season is the months of March to May and September to November. These are also the wet months of the year as it is the rainy season. Most travel journals will advise you against birding during this season but for keen birders this is a good time to increase on your list.
The low season is good for people who are looking for specific bird species that migrate around this time. Being a rainy season and birding being an activity usually done in the remote areas of the country. It may make it hard to reach the birding areas. But with good preparation, there is always a way of getting there and its part of the adventure.
Yes, the low season always has low numbers of tourists and this means in some areas you will find you have the wilderness all to yourself. This can also be an advantage as there are not many activities to drive away the birds as it is the case with the high season. The temperature are also low and you can easily keep in the forest for long without worrying about the scotching son.
The low season also has good offers for birding tours and there is little tourism activities take place. A tour may cost as low as 20% or 25% lower than the cost in the high season.
Where to stay on a low season birding safari in Uganda.
Like all the other birding safaris, be it in the low season or the high season, it is good that you stay around the birding area of the next day. This will allow you to catch the early birds and some of which you can even observe from your room. The fact that it’s a rainy season, you will have reduced the worry or risk of not getting to your birding trail. If you are with in the area, the means you can walk to your trail.
In Murchison falls national park, you may book Pakuba safari lodge, Hornbill bush lodge, Paara safari lodge, Baker’s lodge, Sambiya river lodge
In kibale forest national park, consider booking Isunga safari lodge, Crater safari lodge, Chimpundu lodge, Rweteera safari park among others during your birding safari in Uganda during low season
In Queen Elizabeth national park, we recommend Elephant Hab lodge, Buffalo safari lodge, Park View safari lodge, Mweya safari Lodge, Ishasha wilderness Camp and Topi safari lodge
In Bwindi impenetrable national park, look out for silverback lodge, Bakiga lodge, Rushaga gorilla lodge, Gorilla heights lodge among others