10 Best Uganda Birding Destinations to Look out for on your Next Uganda Birding Safari.

Uganda is truly a remarkable destination that’s sought by many Africa safari adventures undertaking various Africa trips. Given the diversity of attractions which include birds which are over 170 species in number, to wild savanna mammals which range from the Africa big fives to a whole lot more not forgetting the incredible mountain gorillas, mountain landscapes rise up into the air to give you a variance in terrain of the several parts of the country. With over 60 different tribes of people, Uganda is definitely a hotbed for you to come to experience the multiplicity of life among different African cultures just in one place and the presence of the river line the longest river on the planet way early in its youthful stage promises nothing but exhilarating extreme watersport activities which range from white water rafting, kayaking, pedo boarding and many others. With all these fore mentioned activities, you can expect to have a cocktail of activities on your Uganda safari ranging from Uganda gorilla safaris, Uganda wildlife safaris Uganda birding safaris, Uganda hiking safaris Uganda cultural safaris  Kampala city tour and jinja source of the nile tours.

Today I would like to shine a light to Uganda birding tours by giving you 10 Uganda safari tour places where you can go and experience an epic Uganda birding watching safari escapade during this festive holiday season.

Semuliki National Park

With a total count of over 440 bird species, Semuliki National Park should be one of the birding destinations you should really look out for on your Uganda birding tour. Semuliki national park Uganda lies about 360km or 6-7 hour drive away from Kampala in Bundibugyo district in the western region of Uganda. This park is situated at the crossroads where the great Congo Ituri forests meet the savanna forests and plains of Semuliki and this makes it a great place for a wide variety of biodiversity to thrive to their fullest here. Uganda tour to Semuliki gives you an opportunity to encounter several unique bird species of which 216 of these are truly forest birds. Some of the birds you can spot your safari in Uganda to Semuliki include the Nkulengu rail Spot-breasted Ibis, Hartlaubs’s Duck, Chestnut-flanked Goshawk, Red-thighed Sparrowhawk, Long-tailed Hawk, Forest Francolin, Nkulengu Rail, Western Bronze-napped Pigeon, Black-collared Lovebird, Yellow-throated Cuckoo, Red-chested Owlet, Bates’ Nightjar, Chocolate-backed, White-bellied and African Dwarf Kingfishers, White-crested

Kidepo Valley National Park

Kidepo Valley National Park is truly an African wilderness given its scenic dry African savanna that is nestled in a valley between the Mungole mountains and Moroto mountain that form a really eye-catching backdrop to this wonder lasting Africa savanna paradise. Although Kidpeo is the farthest of all Uganda trip destinations lying about 600km or 12-13 hour drive away from Kampala, I can confidently promise you a Uganda safari tour to Kidepo with a birds in mind will never disappoint as you’re in for a treat from several of its 475 bird species which make it the second Uganda safaris destination with the most number of birds. Some of the birds you encounter on your birding safari include Karamoja Apalis which endemic here on top of other species like the black eagle, Egyptian vulture, Pygmy falcon, Giant hornbill, White-crested turaco, White billed go away bird, Clappertons and Heuglins francolins and Ethiopian swallow. Kidepo is also a highly revered for its epic Uganda wildlife safaris since its home to 4 of the big five Africa game with only the rhinos missing here.

 

Murchison falls national park

Murchison Falls National Park is Uganda’s biggest conservancy as it spans over 3893sqkm of protected land that ranges from the endless savanna plains to dense tropical savanna forests and wetlands and the Victoria Nile basin. When it comes to birding in Murchison falls national park, you can rest assured that you’re in for a banger because this place is home to 450 bird species which puts in 3rd place with the most number of bird species. For a birder who is looking for an encounter with the prehistoric shoebill stork, well this is one place you should visit for an encounter with this ancient bird. Some of the other bird species that can be knocked off your Uganda birding tour list include goliath heron, white thighed hornbill, dwarf kingfisher, shoebill stork, red-throated bee-eaters. While Murchison falls, don’t miss out on the boat excursion towards the bottom of the thunder roaring Murchison falls and this is the best place to see the Red-throated bee-eaters along the Nyamusika cliffs. You can best believe that Uganda wildlife tour drives here will also be highly rewarding as you stand a chance of meeting the big 5 Africa game here. Given its location from Kampala city which is about 305 km away, Murchison is a great place to have your short Uganda wildlife safaris or short Uganda birding trips.

Mountain Rwenzori National Park

Usually overlooked by many Uganda vacation safari makers who aren’t interested in Rwenzori Mountain Hiking, Mountain Rwenzori National Park still remain one of the least explored Uganda birding safari destinations yet its fully bellowing with a multitude of unique bird species. Rwenzori National Park boasts of account of 217 bird species with over 19 albertine rift endemics such as the Rwenzori turaco and the Rwenzori nightjar.

Kibale forest national park

Kibale national park is yet another great place for a birding escapade. With 350 bird species roaming the skies above this jungle, Kibale is worthy your attention on your Uganda birding trip. A safari Uganda to Kibale takes you a an amazing 312km or 4-5 hour journey through Uganda’s amazing countryside with beautiful sceneries. Some of the bird species you might encounter include the green breasted pitta which is endemic to this park, the prirogrine’s ground thrush, yellow-rumped tinker bird, and the great blue turaco. While on your tour Uganda in Kibale you can definitely don’t miss out on the epic Uganda chimpanzee safari experience since this park is home to close to 4000 of these stunning chimpanzees.

Queen Elizabeth National Park

Ranked as number one with the most number of birds, Queen Elizabeth National Park boasts of over 600 bird species that range from savanna plains species to dense tropical forest birds to wetland birds. Some of the bird species to look out on your birding trip to Queen Elizabeth include African fin foot, African hobby, shoe bill stork, black bee eater, papyrus gonolek, Caspian plover, great blue turaco, common sand martin, great white pelican, pink backed pelican, red chested sunbird, great blue turaco, grey winged robin chat. Remember to do engage in a rather rewarding Uganda wildlife tour here as this park is also home to the famous tree-climbing lions in the southern sector of Ishasha as part of the numerous wild mammals that are found here including 4 out of the 5 big African game. a boat cruise on the mighty Kazinga channel is a to die for experience for everyone who gets to visit this park. Queen Elizabeth national park can easily be visited during both a short Uganda wildlife tours and long Uganda wildlife safari.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Bwindi Forest National Park is famously renowned for its enticing Uganda gorilla trekking safaris experience since its home to these magical gorillas and many tour operators in Uganda have made sure to give you a wide range of gorilla trekking safaris to this park that come in form of short Uganda gorilla trips or long Uganda gorilla tours which are usually 7 days and beyond. However, besides these gorilla tours, you can ably enjoy a birding safaris here given that this forest is home to over 350 bird species with 23 endemic species. Uganda birding tours in Bwindi are commonly done in Buhoma and Ruhija and sector and a birding safari gives you an encounter with bird species such as Northern double collared sunbird, shelly’s crimson wing, African green Broadbill and many others. You can also enjoy a extend your birding trip or gorilla safari to the adjacent Mgahinga gorilla national park which is also home to 180 bird species and also home to 1 habituated gorilla family called the Nyakagezi gorilla family.

Lake Mburo National Park.

Usually undermined because of its small size, Lake Mburo is worth every effort that a birder invests to reach this place because it rewards with sightings of several of the 350 bird species that call this place home. Lake Mburo National park long list of birds include shoebill stork, African finfoot, white-winged warbler, crested francolin, barefaced go-away bird, brown parrot, emerald spotted wood dove, Nubian woodpecker, lilac-breasted roller, southern red bishop. On top of all these birds is you can comfortably enjoy a Uganda wildlife tour experience with an encounter of wild animals such as Burchell zebras, giraffes, eland impalas and cape buffaloes and many others.

Budongo Forest.

Adjacent to Murchison falls National Park Budongo forest is a place where you can doget to meet several of the forest bird species which include Nahan’s francolin, the Cassin’s spinetail, and the dainty chestnut-capped flycatcher. Also search for the stunning chocolate-backed, blue-breasted and African dwarf kingfishers. The forest is full of illadopses and alethes, and the diversity of greenbuls here is simply amazing. But for those who don’t fancy cryptic birds, there are plenty of more colourful species such as the white-thighed hornbill and black bee-eater. Other species include Cassin’s hawk-eagle, Ituri batis, black-collared lovebird and brown twinspot.

Mabamba Swamp.

For those who are looking to have a 1 day birding safari in Uganda, this is the perfect place for you to engage in an exhilarating Uganda birding trip. A birding safari here comes with an opportunity to see several of the 260 bird species that are found here which include shoebill stork as the main attraction point to this part of Uganda, blue swallow, pallid harrier, papyrus gonolek, swamp flycatcher, pigmy goose, lesser jacana, white-winged warbler, Viellot’s weaver, grosbeak weaver, palm-nut vulture, black-headed weaver, northern brown-throated weaver, Clarke’s weaver and Carruther’s cisticola.

Would you like to make a Uganda safari? Check out our website as we offer a wide variety of Uganda tour packages that come in form of Uganda wildlife safaris to various destinations and these packages are inform of either short Uganda wildlife tours which range between 1-5 days or long Uganda wildlife tours which are usually 7 or more days of exploring the untamed Ugandan wilderness. Uganda gorilla safaris which also can be either short Uganda gorilla tours or long Uganda gorilla safaris.