Uganda, Albertine Rift Birding Tour Report

This Uganda birding safari was tailor-made with specific target species in mind. The tour covered many of Uganda’s prime birding destinations, with a strong focus on the Albertine Rift region in western Uganda—home to some of the country’s most storied and sought-after birding hotspots.

 

The Albertine Rift in Western Uganda includes top birding National Parks, full of forest birds you would only find in the far west of the African continent, such as Maxwell’s Black Weaver, the Handsome Spurfowl, and many other ultra-rare endemics.

Spanning three weeks, our Uganda birding trip was a wonderful and unforgettable adventure through diverse habitats, including forests, mountains, swamps, savannah, and lakes. We were thrilled to record 519 bird species, a total that sets a new personal record in our 30+ years of birding, especially considering we focused less on the most common species. A major highlight was spotting 20 out of the 23 endemic bird species specific to the Albertine Rift in Uganda.

We are Mwangi wa Gitau (ConQuest Adventures Ltd), Proscovia (Prossy) Nanyombi (probably the best female birder in Uganda), and three clients: Ian de la Rosa, Leonie Venroij, and Rick Jacobsen. We, Leonie and Rick, knew Mwangi from previous birding trips in 2015 – 2017 in Kenya, and we consider him tremendously knowledgeable about all the birds in the region. Mwangi invited Prossy to join us, thus adding even more specific knowledge and experience to the trip.

 

Uganda, the “Pearl of Africa,” is recognized as one of East Africa’s premier birding destinations due to its incredibly beautiful and diverse habitats, lush montane forests, and high level of avian endemism. Our three-week trip underscored this appeal. We intentionally bypassed extensive savanna birding—focusing instead on more challenging forest species—as our group had already observed many savanna birds elsewhere. The effort was demanding yet successful: while fleeting glimpses were common for some birds (such as the Grant’s Bluebill), others we expected to be rare (like the Forest Flycatcher, typical of Gabon or Cameroon) were surprisingly numerous and easily observed.

We visited the Albertine Rift in Uganda in March, fully aware of the risk of an early rainy season. Though the rain arrived early, it only briefly interrupted our birding once, for about an hour. We noticed that eBird submissions for the region in March were low, with observation records typically ceasing at the end of February, suggesting the birdlife was simply underreported—not absent. Undeterred, we successfully recorded 519 species across Uganda’s top hotspots. We are hopeful that our extensive submissions will significantly improve the eBird statistics for the Uganda Albertine Rift during the month of March.

This birding tour explored Uganda’s premier birding hotspots, providing an exceptional opportunity to experience the country’s remarkable diversity of habitats and birdlife. Key destinations included Mabamba Swamp, Lake Mburo National Park, Mgahinga National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (both Ruhija and Buhoma sectors), Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kibale National Park with Bigodi Swamp, Semliki National Park, and Murchison Falls National Park.

Each birding location offered its own unique habitat and specialty species—from the iconic Shoebill in the wetlands to the Albertine Rift endemics of the highland forests and the Congo Basin forest species found in the western lowlands. Together, these destinations showcased why Uganda remains one of Africa’s most exceptional birding countries.

 

March 3rd: The Shoebill Quest at Mabamba

We started the Uganda birding tour with a visit to the glorious Mabamba Swamp to search for the elusive Shoebill. Despite the day being very wet, it had rained the whole night, and for the better part of the morning, our boatman masterfully moved the small canoe along the channel, where we managed to see and photograph three individuals. The Shoebill is one of the most sought-after birds in any birdwatching safari in East Africa. The Shoebill is high on any birder’s list, and our clients wanted to see this charismatic bird. This almost prehistoric bird is a species that many birders dream of seeing and ranks up there with being one of the most coveted birds to see on an East African birding tour. Birding in Mabamba is done by dug-out wooden canoes, which are owned by communities living adjacent to the swamp who act as guides and custodians of the extensive wetland.

Our first momentous target for the tour was achieved, and the magnificent sighting of the Shoebill set the tone for the rest of the birding trip. Other special birds seen in the wetlands include the African Marsh Harrier, Blue-headed Coucal, Great Blue Turaco, African Swamphen, Gray Crowned Crane, African Jacana, Black Sparrowhawk,  White-winged Tern, Grey-rumped Swallow, and Eastern Plantain-eater.

March 4th: Journey to Lake Mburo National Park

Our morning began with the transfer to Lake Mburo National Park, one of Uganda’s premier birding locations, where we arrived just in time to enjoy lunch. The remainder of the afternoon was spent exploring the immediate surroundings of our lodge, providing an excellent introductory birdwatching session that yielded sightings of several compelling bird species such as the Southern Red Bishop, Trilling Cisticola calling in top of bushes, Senegal Lapwing, Green-winged Pytilia, Black-headed Gonolek, Crested Francolin, Pygmy Kingfisher, Broad-biller Roller, Lesser Masked-Weaver, Fiery-necked & Freckled Nightjars, Angola Swallow, Buff-bellied Warbler, Black-lored Babbler, African Thrush, Black Bishop, and Plain-backed Pipit. We stayed at Rwakobo Lodge on top of a big rock with a beautiful view of the savanna landscape.

March 5th: Exploring Lake Mburo for Specialties

We set out into Lake Mburo National Park immediately after our sumptuous morning breakfast, focused on locating the region’s specialty birds. The drive quickly proved fruitful: a very cooperative African Crake greeted us right along the road, setting a positive tone for the rest of the morning, which was filled with sightings of many exciting species such as the Crested Barbet, and White-winged Black Tit, Red-necked Spurfowl, Greater Painted Snipe, Bateleur, Tawny Eagle, Blue-naped Mousebird, Yellow-throated Tinkerbird, Yellow-billed Oxpeckers, Sooty Chat, Yellow-fronted Canary and Golden-breasted Bunting   On our way back to the lodge for lunch we managed to see two special barbets, Black-collared and Red-faced at the main entrance, later in the afternoon we drove to Nyaturega River Mouth for a two-hour boat ride; two specialties’ African Finfoot and White-backed Heron plus; Water Thick-knee, Striated Heron, Gray-capped Warbler, Black-necked Weaver, and  Yellow-throated Greenbul were spotted.

March 6th: From Lake Mburo to Mgahinga National Park

After an early breakfast, we began our drive to Mgahinga National Park. While the road from the lodge to the highway offered sightings of familiar, fascinating birds, the real excitement came from an unexpected source: a young leopard that caught everyone by surprise! The sudden thrill prompted Rick to shout, “A Jaguar!”—a quick geographical correction on African fauna was necessary, but the exhilarating sighting was unforgettable. We proceeded with the birding tour with a stopover at the Equator crossing for a bathroom visit and a bit of shopping. Subsequently, we continued with our Uganda birding tour past beautiful scenery along the way. We had our picnic lunch at Echuya. The forest lies at the heart of the biodiversity-rich Albertine Rift region. We went birding along the road on different stretches where we were greeted by a whole new symphony of forest sounds, we were amply compensated by numerous Albertine Rift endemics such as the Regal Sunbird, Rwenzori Hill Babbler, Strange Weaver, and Red-faced Woodland Warbler, additionally the following birds were also seen: White-necked Raven, Northern Puffback, Yellow-whiskered Greenbul, Green White-eye, and Gray-throated Tit-Flycatcher. Afterwards, we drove downhill to Kisoro to our accommodation at Mucha Lodge, an ideal birding spot too. An hour of birding in the lodge’s vicinity was quite rewarding, with species such as the Black Crake, White-tailed Blue Flycatcher, Green-headed Sunbird, Slender-billed Weaver, Kandt’s Waxbill, and African Openbill.

March 7th: Uphill Birding in Mgahinga’s Mountain Forest

Our birdwatching day in Mgahinga National Park involved spending most of the day traversing an uphill nature trail. To ensure our safety amidst dangerous wild animals, we were accompanied by security guards. The mountain forest environment delivered exactly what it is famous for: superb foothill birding and the opportunity to locate several unique Albertine Rift endemic species.

Rwenzori Batis, Rwenzori Turaco, Stuhlmann’s Sunbird, and Western Tinkerbird were seen; the checklist also had the Dwarf Honeyguide, Black-faced Apalis, Albertine Boubou, White-bellied Crested Flycatcher, Archer’s Robin-Chat, Blue-headed Sunbird, and Kandt’s Waxbill. On our way down, we had a nasty encounter with a lone Cape Buffalo, which sent everyone scampering for safety; luckily, no one was injured in the affray.

March 8th: On the Way to Bwindi (Ruhija)

Our day started early with breakfast before departing Mgahinga for the Ruhija sector of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. We paused for a productive stopover at Kagano Wetland, a modest swamp situated along the Kisoro-Kabale Road. This brief, 49-minute birding walk was highly rewarding, resulting in a count of around 40 species, such as Western Citril, Red-chested Sunbird, Blue-billed Teal, Red-knobbed Coot, Chubb’s Cisticola, Mosque Swallow, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Gray-headed Nigrita, Little Weaver, White-tailed Crested Flycatcher, and Slender-billed Weaver. In the afternoon, we explored birding trails in Ruhija. The bird checklist had species such as the Common Buzzard, Rock Martin, Dwarf Honeyguide, Black-tailed Oriole, White-browed Crombec, Black-throated Apalis, Thick-billed Seed-eater, Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, Grey Cuckooshrike, and Levaillant’s Cuckoo. 

March 9th: Ruhija Trail Birding to Mubwindi Swamp

Following an early breakfast, our birding commenced in the Ruhija sector of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. We spent the morning along the trail to Mubwindi Swamp, a route well-known for its excellent avifauna. We were treated to encounters with an engrossing array of bird species along this productive track, including Afep Pigeon, Mackinnon Shrike, Dusky Tit, Stripe-breasted Tit, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Chestnut-winged Starling, Yellow-eyed  Black Flycatcher, Red-headed Malimbe, Handsome Spurfowl, Grauer’s Broadbill- the most sought-after bird in this trail, Lagden’s Bushshrike, Rwenzori Apalis, and Dusky Crimsonwing. The Mubwindi Swamp trail treats nature lovers to vistas of lush valleys and the majestic Virunga Massifs. It serves as a popular route for activities such as birding, gorilla trekking, and nature walks.

 

Besides the many birds, we can see that this part of the forest is home to both Gorillas and Elephants. There were many fresh footprints and droppings along the path. The forest is quite open with dense lower vegetation, probably influenced by the “grazing” of the forest elephants. We also saw one forest elephant. Ruwenzori Sun Squirrel was well seen.

March 10th: Birding En Route to Buhoma

We began our transfer to the Buhoma sector, celebrated for its highly productive birding within Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The drive itself was a birdwatching opportunity, with one of our first stops being the area known as the “Neck,” located alongside the River. we saw the Cassin’s Flycatcher, Narrow-tailed Starling, Buff-throated  Apalis, and Red-tailed Greenbul; we had excellent views of the Black Bee-eater. So many forest birding situations present the same extremes: in the space of half an hour, this one birdless spot had become a busy avian hub as a roaming foraging flock passed through. Delighted, we drove on to our accommodation destination in Buhoma.

March 11th: High-Yield Birding at Buhoma

After a great breakfast, we set off along the Buhoma Nature Trail with our experienced local guide, Nicholas Majani. The gigantic trees near the entrance were a hub of activity, providing a brilliant start. This unique section of Bwindi offers a fascinating mix of low and high-elevation birds. On a good day, it delivers a high number of specialties native to both the Guinea-Congo forest and the Albertine Rift montane ranges.

Notable bird species; Tambourine Dove, African Green Pigeon, Bar-tailed Trogon, Gray-throated Barbet, Yellow-spotted Barbet, Buff-spotted Woodpecker, African Broadbill, Petit’s Cuckooshrike, White-breasted Nigrita, Chestnut Wattle-eye, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Shelly’s Greenbul, Ansorge’s Greenbul,  Purple-headed Starling, Dusky-blue Flycatcher, White-bellied and Gray-winged Robin Chats, Little Green Sunbird, Green-headed  Sunbird, Blue-throated Brown Sunbird, Green-backed Twinspot, and Neumann’s Warbler-(This petite bird likes dense and dark entangles, remains low to the ground in bushy vegetation, and is generally an agony to see one)

March 12th: Birding Our Way to Queen Elizabeth National Park

After an early and efficient start with breakfast and check-out, we departed for Queen Elizabeth National Park. We made the most of the drive by taking a valuable birding break en route.

The first section awarded us with African Woolly-necked Stork, Palm-nut Vulture, Eurasian Kestrel, Black-throated Canary,  Magpie Mannikins, Olive-bellied Sunbird, and Long-crested Eagle. We drove farther along the road towards the entrance of the park in Ishasha, which provided a spectacular view across the recently burnt plains and distant mountains in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Birds are busy feeding and singing along the road. In  Maramagambo Forest, we managed to see a flock of Western Crested Guineafowl.

March 13th: Queen Elizabeth National Park – Savannah Birding

We rose early for breakfast, ensuring we entered the park shortly after dawn. We dedicated the better part of the morning to searching for savannah species on the open plains, which proved to be highly productive with sightings of Black-chinned Quail-Finch, Caspian Plover, Temminck’s Courser, African Gray Woodpecker, Rufous-naped Lark, Flappet Lark,  White-tailed Larks, and huge herds of Ugandan Kob, Savannah Elephants in groups were also seen, sadly a young calf had a snare on its leg, which was hindering its walking.

Later in the mid-afternoon, we drove to Kazinga Channel for a boat ride to search for our target species- the African Skimmer. We also saw other bird species of concern, the Pied Kingfishers, which were breeding along the banks in their hundreds, Kittlitz’s Plover, Common Ringed Plover, Gull-billed Tern, Great White Pelican, Goliath Heron, and Eurasian Marsh Harrier. Mammals were plentiful on the cruise with the herds of African Elephants, huge numbers of African Buffalo and Hippopotamus, and others such as Ugandan Kob, Nile Crocodiles, and Waterbuck all showing well for us.

March 14th: Transfer to Kibale Forest: Birding in the Drizzle

After another delicious breakfast, we departed for Kibale Forest. Despite the consistently gloomy weather—the sky remained overcast with a drizzle—our determination was undiminished, and we were rewarded with sightings of some beautiful birds. We made a productive stop along the main road within the forest, where the low, misty clouds partly obscured our view.

We walked up the road a few hundred meters and were stopped by calls of Green Hylia, Green Crombec, and Olive-bellied Sunbird. Thereafter, we proceeded to our accommodation in Bigodi. After lunch, we went for a walk in Bigodi Swamp. We spent the first little while checking the shy and skulking White-spotted Flufftail, screeching incessantly in the dense thicket at the start of the trail. After a few calls back, it showed up for a second and then disappeared. We had a couple of targets in the Bigodi swamp. The rain was threatening, and it pounded heavily for more than 20 minutes. Despite the downpour, we managed to see and record 15 Great Blue Turacos, Hairy-breasted Barbet, Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat, Shining Blue Kingfisher, and many other bird species.

March 15th: Morning Birding -Transfer to Semliki NP

We were up early for breakfast and immediately took a final walk through the lodge grounds, hoping to locate species missed during our previous session. The morning proved delightful, with sweet songs leading us to fantastic views of the Brown Illadopsis, Western Nicator, White-chinned Prinia, and the White-tailed Ant Thrush right as we checked out and departed for Semliki National Park. The Lowland Mask Apalis appeared in a flush and then disappeared in the high canopy. We could hear the call, but it didn’t oblige to show itself.

Later drove to Semliki National Park via Fort Portal, where we had a birding stop at a small wetland near the town, which had interesting birds such as Northern Masked Weaver and spectacularly colored Black-crowned Waxbill. A relaxed evening of birding around the Bandas in Semliki National Park produced a few new birds for our trip, such as the Bronzed-naped Pigeon, African Pied Hornbill, Honeyguide Greenbul, and White-breasted Nigrita.

March 16th: Birding in Semliki National Park

Following an early breakfast, we started our birding deep in Semliki National Park. We were accompanied by Alex, a park ranger and naturalist whose excellent knowledge of Semliki’s fauna and flora was a great asset to our efforts. The forest is the only connection to the Ituri forest from the Democratic  Republic of Congo, with over thirty-five restricted-range specialties to be found in East Africa.

The Red Monkey and Hot Springs Trails were quite rewarding and exceptional. The trail is flanked by tall mature indigenous trees, and we were quick to see birds associated with more undisturbed areas. Some of the special birds we had great views of were the Piping Hornbill, African Green Pigeon, Rameron Pigeon, Red-tailed Bristlebill, Toro-olive Greenbul, Xavier’s Greenbul, Fire-crested Alethe, and Orange-breasted Forest Robin, which was well heard. It was an outstanding experience for these avian oddities. The forest trail is a fantastic birding spot.

Next, our birding adventure headed to the Kirumya Trail, which passes through the forest toward the Semliki River.  We hit some great pockets of birds. At one particular spot in quick succession, we were presented with the unusual African Piculet, Crested Malimbe, Scaly-breasted Illadopsis, Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, Blue-throated Roller, Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, and Lesser Bristlebill.

March 17th: Semliki National Park – Target Bird Success

The day started perfectly with a delicious early breakfast prepared by Brian. Next, we ventured onto the nature trails of Semliki Forest. Although the trails were noticeably quieter than the previous morning, our persistence paid off: we successfully located our target birds, including an extremely confiding Yellow-throated Cuckoo, Yellow-billed Barbet, Rufous-sided Broadbill, Forest Scrub Robin, Orange-cheeked Waxbill, and the shy White-crested Hornbill.

March 18th: Roadside Birding En Route to Masindi

This travel day involved a long drive toward Masindi, where we strategically stopped at various points. Our stops were utilized for quick raptor sightings, yielding views of Lizard Buzzards on utility poles and Wahlberg’s Eagles soaring above. Crucially, we made multiple stops at swamps along the way to focus our efforts on finding the highly sought-after Papyrus Gonolek.

March 19th: Budongo Forest – Royal Mile Birding

Our birding session started under excellent weather conditions, allowing us to amble smoothly through the forest trails. Activity was immediate: our first sighting was a large feeding flock gathered near the forest entrance in a huge fruiting fig tree. The tree was alive with birds, including White-thighed and Black-and-White Casqued Hornbills, alongside Violet-backed and Purple-headed Starlings, all actively foraging on the fruits. It was a very productive day in Budongo Forest. Most of the target species presented themselves quite well; we were treated to great looks of the African Forest Flycatcher, Rufous-crowned Eremomela, Western Black-headed Oriole, Golden-crowned Woodpecker, Narina Trogon, Cassin’s Spinetail, Grey, and Yellow Longbills.

March 20th: Driving and Birding in Murchison Falls NP

We spent the entire day driving through the vast landscapes of Murchison Falls National Park, which evoked similarities to Australian national parks. While traversing a forested section, we repeatedly heard the call of the Blue-breasted Kingfisher high in the canopy. However, the immense height of the trees made pinpointing its exact location too difficult, and after exhaustive attempts proved fruitless, we decided to continue with our tour. A lot of Common Buzzards were counted along the road.

March 21st: Murchison Falls NP – Birding and Wildlife Drive

We started the day with an early morning drive into the park, combining intensive birding with wildlife viewing. While most of our birdwatching was restricted to viewing from the vehicle (with alighting permitted only in designated areas), the park proved to be exceptionally birdy throughout the day, yielding many, many sightings of great birds. Besides the incredible birding, we had a terrific, large collection of mammals recorded in Murchison Falls National Park, which consisted of: Lions, herds of Elephants, Giraffes, Cape Buffaloes, Patas Monkey, Common Warthog, Olive Baboon, Oribis, Ugandan Kobs, and Jackson’s Hartebeests.

March 22nd: Murchison Falls NP – Final Targets

For the final segment of our tour’s birding, we left the lodge early and returned to the previous day’s areas to ensure we picked up any missed species. In the afternoon, we undertook a specific search for the Rock Pratincole near Murchison Falls, a mission that proved successful: we observed and photographed the bird at the Waterfall site. The Murchison Falls are spectacular and are formed at a point where the famous River Nile bursts through a narrow 8-meter gorge and dives with an earsplitting blast that creates a rainbow, a truly magnificent sight.

March 23rd: Transfer to Entebbe 

Our Uganda birding adventure came to an end, with a plethora of fabulous birds and other wildlife in our memories and our photographs. We ended up seeing a very large number of birds for 3 weeks. The majority of birds we saw on the trip presented high-quality views, allowing plenty of photographic opportunities.

Plan Your Trip to the “Pearl of Africa”

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Discover the Best of Uganda birding with ConQuest Adventures. Below are birding itineraries to sample

Uganda Short Budget Birding Tour

22 Days Uganda Birding Tour.