Tailor-made birding safaris in Uganda
Uganda offers tailor-made birding safaris and tours that best suite the birders budget, time and travel preferences. Uganda is an African country located in East Africa; bordering DR Congo, Sudan, Rwanda, South Sudan, Kenya, and Tanzania. The country is endowed with various natural resources such as wildlife, water-based resources, scenic views of the landscapes, waterfalls, rivers, and lakes as well the hospital people. All these can complement your birding safaris to come up with amazing tailor-made birdwatching tours in Uganda.
Uganda hosts lots of bird species that can be seen in several important Bird Areas (IBA) such as Mabamba Swamp, Queen Elizabeth national park, Murchison falls national park, Bwindi impenetrable national park among others. These birds include; the Shelley’s crimson wing, grauer’s rush warbler, western green tinker bird, grey crowned crane, trogon, white headed saw wing, chest nut throated apalis, montane oriole, African jacana, African green broadbill, impressed African emerald, fine banded woodpecker, western green tinker bird, short-tailed warbler, shinning African blue, regal sunbird, emerald cuckoo, black bee eater, Kivu ground thrush, African citril, Angolan swallow, white tailed blue fly, and bar-tailed trogon among others. Therefore, below is the possible way you can tailor-make your birdwatching safari in Uganda.
Tailor-made birding safaris in Uganda with wildlife viewing
Yes, Uganda is among the best countries for wildlife viewing. Birds can opt to add game drives while birding in several savannah national parks like Queen Elizabeth national park, Lake Mburo national park, Murchison falls national park, and Kidepo valley national park. In these parks, expect to see to animal species such as zebras, giraffes, leopards, Uganda kobs, buffaloes, elephants, lions, elands, crocodiles, warthogs, hippos, and many others.
Tailor-made birding safaris in Uganda with primate tracking
Uganda is a home to several primates including the big two that is; mountain gorillas and chimpanzees. Most birders don’t miss out chimpanzee tracking experiences that happen in different places like Kibale forest national park, Kyambura gorge, Kalinzu forest and Budongo forest. While gorilla trekking is only done in Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park in Uganda. Besides gorillas and chimps, travelers have opportunities of seeing golden monkeys, blue monkeys, baboons, red tailed monkeys, l’Hoest’s monkeys, grey checked mangabeys, vervet monkeys, red colobus, black and white colobus among others. We recommend twitchers to book their respective gorilla trekking and chimpanzee tracking permits in advance if they are planning to do primate safaris along side birding safaris.
If you opt to go gorilla trekking, look out for tropical forest bird species like; African harrier hawk, Crowned hornbill, Handsome francolin, Cinnamon-chested bee-eater, Shelley’s crimsonwing, Giant kingfisher, African green pigeon, Black-faced warbler, Mountain masked apalis, Neumann’s warbler, Olive-breasted greenbul, Many-coloured bush-shrike, Purple-breasted sunbird, Regal sunbird, African broadbill, Black bee-eater, Black-billed turaco, Black-faced rufous warbler, Blue-headed sunbird, Grauer’s broadbill, Ruwenzori apalis, Western green tinkerbird, Yellow-streaked greenbul among others.
Other activities you can do on tailor-made birding safaris in Uganda includes; sport fishing, hiking, Kampala city tour, boat cruise, lion tracking, cultural tours, rhino tracking, golden monkey trekking, birding, canoeing, and visit the source of the Nile among others.
Best time to book Tailor-made birding safaris in Uganda
From a birder’s point of view, Uganda can be visited for birdwatching safaris throughout the year since most the bird species are residents. If you are choosing the best season to travel to Uganda, we focus our discussion on climate and the country has two seasons that is the dry and wet season.
During wet season, Uganda experiences heavy rains that makes connecting roads and forest trails muddy and slippery which at times interfere with your birding time.
Generally, the best time to book tailor-made birding safaris in Uganda is late May through September when the country receives less rains and food is in abundance.
The main nesting season in Bwindi and Mgahinga national parks which are the key sites for the Albertine Rift endemics happens in May and June but from mid-April to mid-May the rains tend to be heavy and at times affects operations.
February and early March is the only period when Toro-Semliki national reserve is relatively dry however, it is uncomfortably hot in the northern part of the country including in Murchison Falls National Park.
December and January are also good months for birdwatching since the north is not always too hot and the southern part of the country experiences less rains.
The best time for primate trekking and wildlife viewing in Uganda’s national park is during the dry season of June to August and December to February.
Where to stay on your Tailor-made birding safaris in Uganda?
Uganda’s tourism industry has developed for the past years due to establishment of accommodation facilities in several destination sites. These safari lodges and camps range from budget, mid-range to luxury. Below is a list of countries you can book during your tailor-made birding safaris in Uganda;
Bwindi impenetrable forest national park- gorilla heights lodge, Nkuringo Bwindi gorilla lodge, Buhoma lodge, gorilla safari lodge, gift of nature lodge, Bakiga lodge, Chameleon hill lodge, Rushaga gorilla lodge, Rushaga gorilla camp, trekkers tavern cottages, Bwindi view bandas, gorilla hills eco-lodge, clouds mountain gorilla lodge, Bwindi guest house, engage lodge, and so many others.
Queen Elizabeth national park – Mweya safari lodge, Queen Elizabeth bush lodge, Katara Lodge, Katara Lodge, Ishasha Jungle, Kyambura Gorge Lodge, Park View Lodge, Ishasha Tented Camp, Kasenyi Safari Camp, Pumba Safari Cottages, Ishasha Wilderness Camp, Kasenyi Safari Camp, Engazi Camp, Elephant Hub Lodge, Elephant Plains Lodge, Simba Safari Camp, Mweya Hostels and Cottages, Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge, Kyambura Tented Camp, and Jacana Safari Lodge among others.
Murchison fall national park- Chobe Safari Lodge, Murchison River Lodge, Fort Murchison Lodge, Nile Safari Lodge, Kabalega Wilderness Lodge, Pakuba Safari Lodge, Paara Safari Lodge, Murchison Tree House, Bakers Lodge, Budongo Eco Lodge, Red Chilli Rest Camp, among others.
Kibale forest national park – Aramaga Rift Valley Lodge, Kibale forest camp, Kyaninga lodge, crystal safari lodge, primate lodge, papaya lake lodge, chimpanzee forest guesthouse, Rwenzori view guesthouse, Chimps nest, and so many others
Lake Mburo National Park- Rwakobo rock, Mihingo Lodge, Eagle’s Nest Lodge, Mburo Safari Lodge, Matana Tented Camp, Hyena Hill Lodge, Arcadia Cottages, and Rwonyo Rest Camp among others.
Mgahinga national park – Mount Gahinga Lodge, Mondi Lodge Kisoro, Lake Chahafi Resort, Travellers rest hotel, and mount Gahinga rest camp among others.
Kidepo valley national park – Kidepo savannah lodge, adere safari lodge, Apoka safari lodge, and Nga Moru Wilderness Camp.
