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Uganda Birds, Gorillas & Chimpanzees (17 days)


Shoebill in the Swamp

The birds are extraordinary. So is everything else.

Uganda is not an easy pitch. The flights are long, the roads take time, and the Impenetrable Forest is named that for a reason. But the stories you come home with are unlike anything else in birding.

On your first day of birding, imagine yourself in a canoe getting paddled through papyrus channels in the early morning. You turn a corner and there's a Shoebill, a six feet tall pre-historic looking muppet.

Seventeen days. Eight sites across five ecosystems. The Royal Mile in Budongo, one of the finest birding trails on the continent. Pre-dawn at Kibale, listening for Green-breasted Pitta. The Nile boat safari at Murchison Falls with Red-throated Bee-eater colonies banking off the cliffs and Rock Pratincoles skimming the water six inches below the boat. A full day at Semuliki, Uganda's only true Congo lowland forest, for birds that feel like they belong to a different world. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi, where you spend an hour with a Gorilla family and walk back out not quite able to explain what just happened. Two days in Ruhija for Grauer's Broadbill at Mubwindi Swamp, which will absolutely be worth the mud.

Uganda has more than 1,090 species on record, more than half of Africa's total. A well-run trip with a great local guide puts you at 400 to 500. Our local guide is one of the best birders in Uganda.

Some days are long. The gorilla trek takes 2 to 6 hours depending on where the family is that morning. If you want easy, there are easier trips. If you want Shoebill, Green-breasted Pitta, Grauer's Broadbill, mountain gorillas, and chimpanzees in the same 17 days, this is the trip.

You do not come back from Uganda the same birder. Come find out why.

  • Dates:February 5-21, 2027
    (16 nights, 17 days)

  • Location:Uganda — Entebbe, Mabamba Swamp, Budongo Forest, Murchison Falls, Kibale Forest, Semuliki NP, Queen Elizabeth NP, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Lake Mburo NP

  • Price:$9,000 USD per person

    (based on double occupancy).

    If we do not reach 6 guests, every dollar including your deposit is refunded in full

  • Includes: All accommodations, all meals, private 4x4 safari vehicles, gorilla permit ($800), chimpanzee permit ($300), all park entry fees, boat safaris, and expert guides. (See full itinerary below.)

  • Group Size:6–12 participants

    (minimum 6 required)

  • Difficulty Level:Moderate–Strenuous

    (see physical fitness level below)

What to Expect: Pre-dawn birding for pittas, boat safaris on the Nile and Kazinga Channel, gorilla and chimpanzee trekking, night drives for owls and nightjars, Albertine Rift endemic specialists, and 1,090+ possible species across five ecosystems.

Hold my Spot with $1,000 refundable deposit

Narina Trogon

Dates & Booking

  • Expedition Dates: Feb 5–21, 2027

  • Arrival Day: Feb 5, 2027 — arrive at Entebbe International Airport (EBB)

  • Departure Day: Feb 21, 2027 — depart from Entebbe International Airport (EBB)

  • Price: $9,000 per person (based on double occupancy)

  • Hold your spot with a $1,000 deposit

  • Single Supplement: $1,050

  • Travelling solo? I match roommates so you can pay the double occupancy rate.

  • Group Size: Minimum 6 participants, maximum 12

HOLD MY SPOT

Important Note on Gorilla & Chimpanzee Permits

Gorilla permits ($800 per person) and chimpanzee permits ($300 per person) are included in your tour cost and must be secured in advance and are non-refundable once tour is confirmed.

Daily Itinerary

  • Meet your specialist birding guide at Entebbe International Airport and transfer to Nkima Forest Lodge.

    Afternoon birding around the lodge grounds targets the first of Uganda's iconic species.

    Target Species

    Great Blue Turaco, Orange Weaver, Golden-backed Weaver, Black-and-white-casqued Hornbill, African Pied Hornbill, African Paradise Flycatcher

  • Morning

    Rise early for a canoe excursion through the papyrus channels of Mabamba Swamp, one of Africa's finest birding destinations and a globally recognized Important Bird Area. Your primary target is the iconic Shoebill, one of the world's most sought-after birds. Continue exploring the wetland for papyrus specialists, waterbirds, kingfishers, ducks, and raptors.

    Target Species

    Shoebill, Papyrus Gonolek, Blue-headed Coucal, White-winged Swamp Warbler, Lesser Jacana, African Jacana, Allen's Gallinule, Purple Swamphen, Goliath Heron, Malachite Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher, African Fish Eagle, Black Crake

    Accommodation: Nkima Forest Lodge

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included

  • After early breakfast, depart north to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Uganda's only wild rhino sanctuary. Enjoy a guided rhino tracking experience while birding through woodland and wetland habitats. Continue to Masindi for an afternoon session in woodlands and hotel grounds.

    Target Species

    Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, White-crested Turaco, African Grey Hornbill, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, African Paradise Flycatcher, Splendid Starling, Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu

    Accommodation: Masterpiece Hotel

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included:
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included

  • A full day on the Royal Mile, one of Africa's most celebrated forest birding trails and Uganda's premier birding destination. This iconic stretch of Budongo Forest delivers an exceptional range of Guinea-Congo forest specialists. Afternoon session at Busingiro sector for localized forest species. Primates are abundant throughout.

    Target Species

    Nahan's Partridge, Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, African Dwarf Kingfisher, Ituri Batis, Yellow-footed Flycatcher, Red-headed Malimbe, Fire-crested Alethe, Blue-throated Roller, Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, Yellow-crested Woodpecker

    Accommodation: Pakuba Safari Lodge

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included

  • Dawn birding game drive across Murchison Falls National Park's northern savannah. Afternoon Nile Boat Safari to the base of the spectacular falls, with Red-throated Bee-eater colonies nesting along the riverbanks and Pel's Fishing Owl possible. Visit the Top of the Falls where the Nile squeezes through a 7-metre gorge. Evening night drive for owls, nightjars, and nocturnal mammals.

    Target Species

    Pel's Fishing Owl, Rock Pratincole, Goliath Heron, Saddle-billed Stork, Giant Kingfisher, Northern Carmine Bee-eater, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Denham's Bustard, Standard-winged Nightjar, Verreaux's Eagle-Owl

    Mammal Highlights

    Lion, Rothschild's Giraffe, African Elephant, Hippopotamus, Nile Crocodile, Leopard

    Accommodation: Pakuba Safari Lodge

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included

  • Scenic birding journey south toward Kibale Forest National Park, stopping at viewpoints overlooking Lake Albert and birding the Albertine Rift Escarpment's cliffs and woodland. Afternoon session at the Sebitoli Sector of Kibale where lowland and montane forest species overlap.

    Target Species — Escarpment

    Striped Kingfisher, Foxy Cisticola, Cliff Chat, White-throated Bee-eater, Yellow-bellied Hyliota

    Target Species — Sebitoli

    Great Blue Turaco, African Grey Parrot, Ross's Turaco, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, African Emerald Cuckoo, Crowned Eagle

    Accommodation: Guereza Canopy Lodge

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included

  • Rise before dawn for a guided search for the elusive Green-breasted Pitta, one of Africa's most coveted forest birds. Return for a briefing before embarking on an unforgettable chimpanzee trekking experience.

    Afternoon birding along forest trails. Evening night walk for owls and nocturnal mammals.

    Target Species

    Green-breasted Pitta, African Pitta (seasonal), African Grey Parrot, Black Bee-eater, White-thighed Hornbill, White-tailed Ant Thrush, Great Blue Turaco

    Mammal Highlights

    Chimpanzee, L'Hoest's Monkey, Black-and-white Colobus, Grey-cheeked Mangabey, Forest Elephant

    Accommodation: Guereza Canopy Lodge

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included

  • A pre-dawn departure to arrive at Semuliki at sunrise, when bird activity is at its peak. As Uganda's only true Guinea-Congo lowland rainforest, Semuliki offers the highest concentration of Central African forest species found anywhere in East Africa.

    A full day exploring pristine forest trails, riverine habitats, and forest clearings for some of Uganda's rarest birds.

    Target Species

    White-crested Hornbill, Black Dwarf Hornbill, Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill, Piping Hornbill, Nkulengu Rail, Lyre-tailed Honeyguide, Congo Serpent Eagle, Black Bee-eater, White-bellied Kingfisher, Blue-billed Malimbe, African Piculet, Capuchin Babbler

    Accommodation: Mountains of the Moon Hotel

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included

  • Scenic transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park with birding stops through the Albertine Rift Valley.

    Afternoon on the renowned Kazinga Channel Boat Safari, linking Lake George and Lake Edward, one of Africa's finest wildlife cruises for waterbirds, hippos, Nile crocodiles, and large mammals.

    Target Species

    Grey Crowned Crane, Martial Eagle, African Skimmer, Saddle-billed Stork, Pink-backed Pelican, African Spoonbill, Giant Kingfisher, Papyrus Gonolek, Greater Flamingo

    Accommodation: Twin Lakes Safari Lodge

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included

  • Early morning birding game drive across the Kasenyi Plains before heading south through Maramagambo Forest.

    Continue to the Ishasha Sector, famous for its iconic tree-climbing lions.

    Afternoon arrival at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for a first encounter with Albertine Rift endemics around the lodge.

    Target Species

    Bar-tailed Trogon, Rwenzori Turaco, Rwenzori Batis, Archer's Robin-Chat, Regal Sunbird, Handsome Francolin, Many-coloured Bushshrike, Black Bee-eater

    Mammal Highlights

    Tree-climbing Lion, African Elephant, Cape Buffalo, Topi, Uganda Kob, Leopard

    Accommodation: Buhoma Haven Lodge

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included

  • The day you will remember for the rest of your life. Transfer to Uganda Wildlife Authority headquarters for a briefing, then set off through the ancient rainforest of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Spend a magical hour with a habituated gorilla family.

    Afternoon birding around Buhoma, one of Africa's premier sites for Albertine Rift endemic species.

    Target Species

    African Green Broadbill, Bar-tailed Trogon, Rwenzori Turaco, Rwenzori Batis, Dusky Crimsonwing, Strange Weaver, Grauer's Warbler, Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Black Bee-eater

    Mammal Highlights

    Mountain Gorilla, Black-and-white Colobus, L'Hoest's Monkey, Giant Forest Hog

    Accommodation: Buhoma Haven Lodge

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included

  • A full day of birding through The Neck, one of Bwindi's most productive birding corridors, traveling to the Ruhija Sector. This scenic route passes through varied forest habitats and elevations offering excellent opportunities for celebrated Albertine Rift endemic species.

    Target Species

    African Green Broadbill, Grauer's Broadbill, Bar-tailed Trogon, Rwenzori Turaco, Grauer's Warbler, Mountain Masked Apalis, Strange Weaver, Chapin's Flycatcher, Willard's Sooty Boubou

    Accommodation: Ruzogo Lodge (Deluxe Rooms)

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included

  • A full day at the legendary Mubwindi Swamp Trail, one of Africa's finest birding locations. Pristine montane rainforest, bamboo zones, and swamp-edge habitats with spectacular views across the Albertine Rift. The best opportunity in Uganda for several of the region's rarest forest birds.

    Target Species

    Grauer's Broadbill, African Green Broadbill, Regal Sunbird, Blue-headed Sunbird, Rwenzori Batis, Archer's Robin-Chat, Stripe-breasted Tit, Grauer's Rush Warbler, Chapin's Flycatcher, White-tailed Ant Thrush

    Accommodation: Ruzogo Lodge (Deluxe Rooms)

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included

  • Birding journey from Bwindi to Lake Mburo National Park as the landscape transforms from montane rainforest to rolling hills and acacia savannah.

    Afternoon birding through Lake Mburo's unique acacia woodland — one of the best habitats in Uganda for several localized species.

    Target Species

    Red-faced Barbet (Lake Mburo specialty), African Finfoot, Bearded Woodpecker, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Lilac-breasted Roller, Southern Ground Hornbill, Tabora Cisticola

    Mammal Highlights

    Plains Zebra, ImpalaEland, Rothschild's Giraffe

  • Morning birding through Lake Mburo's acacia woodland and wetland fringes.

    Afternoon dedicated boat safari on Lake Mburo, focusing on the elusive African Finfoot along sheltered shorelines and papyrus-fringed bays.

    The papyrus beds also hold Papyrus Canary, Carruthers's Cisticola, and Papyrus Gonolek.

    Target Species

    African Finfoot, Papyrus Canary, Carruthers's Cisticola, Papyrus Gonolek, Red-faced Barbet, Southern Ground Hornbill, Coqui Francolin

    Accommodation: Rwakobo Lodge

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included

  • Morning birding walk through Lake Mburo's acacia woodlands. Depart for Entebbe with a stop at the Uganda Equator for lunch and photographs before arriving for your final overnight stay.

    Target Species

    Red-faced Barbet, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Lilac-breasted Roller, Southern Ground Hornbill, Blue-naped Mousebird, African Fish Eagle

    Accommodation: Karibu Entebbe

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included

  • Optional birding excursion to the Entebbe Botanical Gardens — an excellent location for forest, lakeshore, and garden species.

    Transfer to Entebbe International Airport for your onward flight.

    Target Species

    Great Blue Turaco, Ross's Turaco, African Grey Hornbill, Black-and-white-casqued Hornbill, Orange Weaver, Palm-nut Vulture, Giant Kingfisher

    Accommodation: Day room if needed

    Meals: Breakfast included

Malachite Kingfisher

What's Included

  • Accommodation: 16 nights in carefully selected lodges and safari properties

  • All Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner throughout (Feb 5 dinner through Feb 21 breakfast)

  • Ground Transportation: Private 4x4 Safari Land Cruisers.

  • Gorilla Trekking Permit: $800 per person, included

  • Chimpanzee Trekking Permit: $300 per person, included

  • Expert Guidance: Rick + specialist local birding guide + additional local guides at each site

  • Park & Reserve Fees: All entrance fees to National Parks and Private Reserves

  • Activities: Canoe at Mabamba, Nile Boat Safari, Kazinga Channel Boat Safari, African Finfoot Boat Safari, rhino tracking, night drives and walks

  • Drinking Water: Water provided during all transit

  • Checklists: Daily checklists of all bird species & mammals. You’ll get to bring home a souvenir checklist of the trip.

  • Tips for Local Guides & Drivers

    Rick will ensure all local guides are well compensated and tipped.

What's NOT Included

  1. International Flights:
    Airfare to/from Entebbe, Uganda (EBB)

  2. Uganda Visa: Required for most nationalities — check current requirements for your passport

  3. Yellow Fever Vaccination:

    Required for entry into Uganda — get this well in advance

  4. Travel Insurance: Required: participants are responsible for their own coverage

  5. Alcoholic Beverages: Available for purchase at lodges and restaurants

  6. Personal Expenses: Souvenirs, spa services, laundry

  7. Tips/Gratuities: Optional gratuity for Main Guide

What to Bring

    • Binoculars (8x42 or 10x42 recommended)

    • Camera with zoom lens if you enjoy bird photography

    • Field guide to East African or Uganda birds

    • Small backpack for daily excursions

    • Headlamp or small flashlight (essential for pre-dawn starts and night walks)

    • Sturdy waterproof hiking boots with ankle support (Bwindi trails are steep and muddy)

    • Lightweight waterproof rain jacket or poncho

    • Lightweight long pants for morning birding — 3 pairs (quick-dry fabrics)

    • Moisture-wicking long-sleeve shirts (light colors, avoid blue which attracts tsetse flies)

    • Warm fleece or light jacket for early mornings (Bwindi can be cool)

    • Comfortable sandals or shoes for evenings at the lodge

    • Sun hat and UV sunglasses

    • Swimsuit (some lodges have pools)

    • Sunscreen

    • Insect repellent with DEET (malaria precautions recommended — consult your doctor)

    • Reusable water bottle

    • Personal medications and basic first aid supplies

    • Power bank for charging devices (power can be intermittent at remote lodges)

    • Universal travel adapter

    • Dust-proof bag for camera gear (dirt roads generate significant dust)

    • Spotting scope not necessary (There will be two for the group)

    • Comfortable travel pillow for long vehicle days

    • Gardening gloves for gorilla trekking (useful on steep, thorny trails)

What NOT to Bring

  • You won't need fancy clothes—casual and comfortable is the vibe.

  • Leave expensive jewelry at home.

  • Uganda and Birding With Rick are committed to sustainability.

Important Legal Notice for All Travelers

Uganda has strict laws regarding same-sex relationships. Under Uganda's 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act, same-sex conduct is criminalized and can carry severe penalties, including lengthy prison sentences. LGBTQ+ travelers should carefully review their government's current travel advisory before booking. The U.S. State Department travel advisory for Uganda can be found at travel.state.gov. Canadian citizens should consult travel.gc.ca.

Birding with Rick does not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, and we welcome all participants. However, we have an obligation to ensure every guest travels with full knowledge of the legal environment at the destination.

Physical Fitness Level

Difficulty: Moderate - Strenuous

Gorilla trekking in Bwindi can be physically demanding. Participants should be prepared for:

  • Walking 3–6 miles per day, often on uneven or steep terrain

  • Standing for 2-3 hours during birding sessions

  • Steep uphill trails in the forest (gorilla trek can take 2–6 hours depending on the gorilla family's location)

  • Humid equatorial conditions at lower elevations and cooler temperatures at Bwindi

  • Long vehicle days on rough dirt roads (4–5 hours some days)

You set your own pace. If you need to rest during a walk, that is fine. Gorilla trekking is the one activity that requires a reasonable level of fitness — if you have mobility concerns, please contact us to discuss before booking. Beginner birders are always welcome.

Birding Ability: Beginner Birders are welcome on all of my tours. You will feel welcomed and appreciated no matter your bird experience.

Accessibility Note: Some trails have stairs and uneven surfaces. If you have mobility concerns, please contact us to discuss accommodations.

Accommodation

Lodges are selected for their birding access, comfort, and commitment to sustainable tourism. Expect:

  1. Private rooms with comfortable beds and en-suite bathrooms

  2. Hot water and electricity (may be solar/generator at remote sites)

  3. Wi-Fi available at most properties (signal can be limited in remote areas)

  4. On-site dining with fresh, local cuisine

  5. Communal spaces for relaxation and socializing

  6. Commitment to sustainable practices and support for local communities

Properties include Nkima Forest Lodge, Pakuba Safari Lodge, Guereza Canopy Lodge, Mountains of the Moon Hotel, Twin Lakes Safari Lodge, Buhoma Haven Lodge, Ruzogo Lodge, and Rwakobo Lodge

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