This 28 Days Uganda Primate & Birding takes you on an extraordinary journey through Uganda’s forests and national parks. Experience close encounters with gorillas, chimpanzees, rare primates, and a rich variety of birds, combined with scenic landscapes and authentic cultural experiences for the ultimate African adventure. is a dream expedition for passionate birders, primate lovers, and nature enthusiasts seeking an in-depth exploration of the Pearl of Africa. Uganda is home to over 1,070 bird species—nearly half of all bird species in Africa—and an impressive diversity of primates, including mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, golden monkeys, and over a dozen more. This immersive itinerary takes you across diverse habitats—from lush rainforests and montane woodlands to papyrus swamps, savannah plains, crater lakes, and the mighty River Nile—offering exceptional birding, primate tracking, and scenic adventures.
You’ll venture into the famed forests of Bwindi, Kibale, and Budongo; cruise bird-rich waters like the Kazinga Channel and Lake Bunyonyi; and visit lesser-known reserves such as Semuliki, Echuya, and Mabira. Alongside expert guides, you’ll search for key bird species such as the Shoebill Stork, Green-breasted Pitta, African Green Broadbill, and Albertine Rift endemics. With a perfect blend of wildlife safaris, primate encounters, birding walks, boat cruises, and cultural experiences, this is Uganda at its finest—authentic, wild, and unforgettable.
Safari Highlights For 28 Days Uganda Primate & Birding
Track Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Search for the rare Shoebill in Mabamba Swamp & Nile Delta
Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale, Budongo & Kalinzu Forests
Explore birding hotspots like Semuliki, Echuya & Mabira Forests
Spot Albertine Rift Endemics and over 500 bird species
Look for primates including L’Hoest’s monkey, golden monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, and olive baboons
Game drives in Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth, Kidepo & Lake Mburo
Kazinga Channel & Nile boat safaris for waterbirds and wildlife
Visit crater lakes, Sipi Falls, and other scenic landscapes
Engage with local communities & conservation initiatives
Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe – Welcome to the Pearl of Africa
Arrive at Entebbe International Airport on your 28 Days Uganda Primate & Birding experience, You’ll be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel near the shores of Lake Victoria. Depending on your arrival time, enjoy some relaxed birding at the Entebbe Botanical Gardens or Uganda Wildlife Education Centre. Look out for African grey parrots, Great Blue Turacos, Black-and-white casqued hornbills, and colorful sunbirds among the tropical flora. Overnight in Entebbe.
Day 2: Shoebill Search in Mabamba Swamp & Transfer to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Begin your adventure with an early morning canoe excursion in Mabamba Swamp, one of the best places in Africa to spot the elusive Shoebill Stork. Paddle silently through papyrus channels as you search for this prehistoric-looking bird, along with swamp flycatchers, lesser jacanas, blue-breasted bee-eaters, and malachite kingfishers. After breakfast, drive north to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, home to Uganda’s only wild rhinos and a variety of birdlife such as the White-crested Turaco and Abyssinian Ground Hornbill. Enjoy an evening bird walk around the sanctuary before your overnight stay.
Day 3: Rhino Tracking & Birding Walk – Continue to Murchison Falls NP
Start your day with a guided on-foot rhino tracking experience, a unique chance to see southern white rhinos up close in their natural habitat. Afterwards, enjoy a birding walk through the sanctuary’s savannah and acacia woodland, home to species like the Black-bellied Bustard and Bronze-tailed Starling. Continue to Murchison Falls National Park with birding en route. Settle into your lodge and enjoy the bird calls of the Nile surroundings.
Day 4: Game Drive & Nile Delta Boat Safari (Shoebill Zone)
Enjoy a morning game drive in the northern savannah plains of Murchison Falls National Park. Look out for lions, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, and a variety of birds including Red-throated Bee-eaters, Abyssinian Rollers, and Northern Carmine Bee-eaters. In the afternoon, take a boat trip to the Nile Delta in search of the Shoebill once again, as well as Goliath herons, pelicans, African Skimmers, and Papyrus Gonoleks. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Top of the Falls & Budongo Forest Transfer
After breakfast, visit the Top of Murchison Falls and witness the explosive power of the Nile forcing through a narrow gorge. Continue to Budongo Forest, a prime location for both birding and chimpanzee tracking. Settle into your eco-lodge near the forest and enjoy an evening birding session for forest species such as the Yellow-footed Flycatcher, Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, and Nahan’s Francolin.
Day 6: Chimpanzee Trekking & Birding in Budongo Forest
Set off on a morning chimpanzee trekking experience in the Kaniyo Pabidi sector of Budongo Forest. As you follow their vocalizations through the dense forest, you’ll also encounter black-and-white colobus monkeys and blue monkeys. After the trek, enjoy a birding walk with a focus on forest specialists such as the Puvel’s Illadopsis, Ituri Batis, and White-thighed Hornbill. Overnight at the forest lodge.
Day 7: Transfer to Hoima with Wetland & Roadside Birding
Depart Budongo and drive southwest to Hoima. Along the way, stop for birding at small roadside wetlands and forest patches. Possible sightings include African Open-billed Storks, Hammerkops, African Wattled Lapwings, and Blue-spotted Wood Doves. Arrive in Hoima for a relaxed evening and overnight at a comfortable lodge.
Day 8: Transfer to Kibale Forest via Fort Portal – Scenic Drive & Birding
After breakfast, depart Hoima and drive toward Kibale Forest National Park, a biodiversity hotspot and birding paradise. Enjoy scenic views of tea plantations, rolling hills, and distant Rwenzori Mountains. En route, stop for birding in the Sebitoli sector of Kibale or nearby wetlands. Look for African Black Duck, White-spotted Flufftail, and Joyful Greenbul. Arrive in Fort Portal for lunch, then continue to your lodge on the edge of Kibale Forest for overnight.
Day 9: Chimpanzee Trekking & Bigodi Wetland Birding Walk
Begin your day 9 of the 28 Days Uganda Primate & Birding experience with an unforgettable chimpanzee tracking experience in Kibale Forest. Trek through dense jungle, listening for pant-hoots and rustling leaves as you search for these intelligent primates. In the afternoon, visit Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary—a community conservation project teeming with birds. Expect sightings of Great Blue Turacos, White-winged Warblers, Papyrus Gonoleks, and many hornbill species. This area is also great for spotting red-tailed and L’Hoest’s monkeys.
Day 10: Full Day Birding in Kibale Forest & Surroundings
Spend the day immersed in forest birding with a local expert guide. Focus on elusive and rare species such as Green-breasted Pitta, Blue-headed Sunbird, Afep Pigeon, Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, and Tiny Sunbird. Explore forest trails and forest-edge habitats, keeping an eye out for chimpanzees and other primates. Return to your lodge for a restful evening surrounded by jungle sounds.
Day 11: Crater Lakes Birding & Transfer to Semuliki National Park
After breakfast, explore the crater lakes region with panoramic viewpoints and short birding walks. This area offers opportunities to spot the Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher, Red-faced Cisticola, and White-tailed Ant-Thrush. After lunch, continue to Semuliki National Park, one of the richest areas for lowland forest birds in East Africa. Arrive and settle in for an evening of nocturnal birding if desired.
Day 12: Birding in Semuliki National Park – Congo Basin Species
Spend a full day birding in Semuliki’s Ituri forest extension. With luck, you may find specials like the Long-tailed Hawk, Nkulengu Rail, Black-wattled Hornbill, Congo Serpent Eagle, and White-crested Hornbill. You’ll also visit the Sempaya Hot Springs, home to Red-rumped and Yellow-throated Tinkerbirds. Semuliki offers a unique birding experience with species not found elsewhere in Uganda.
Day 13: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park – Birding En Route
Leave Semuliki and drive through the Rwenzori foothills toward Queen Elizabeth National Park. Bird en route in the savannah and bushlands for species like Grey-headed Kingfisher, Crowned Hornbill, and Black-headed Gonolek. Arrive in time for a late afternoon game drive or sunset bird walk around your lodge. Overnight inside the park.
Day 14: Game Drive & Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise
Head out early for a game drive in the Kasenyi Plains. While searching for lions, elephants, and Uganda kobs, also watch for Brown Snake-Eagle, Flappet Lark, and African Crake. In the afternoon, take a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel. This is one of Africa’s best birding boat trips, with close views of African Skimmers, Goliath Herons, Water Thick-knees, Yellow-billed Storks, and countless kingfishers. Return to the lodge for dinner.
Day 15: Maramagambo Forest Birding & Transfer to Ishasha
After breakfast, explore Maramagambo Forest, where you may encounter Forest Flycatcher, Brown-eared Woodpecker, and Bat Hawk. Visit the bat cave and nearby blue lake before heading south to the Ishasha Sector, famous for its tree-climbing lions. Bird the acacia and fig trees along the way. Overnight in a wilderness lodge.
Day 16: Ishasha Game Drive & Albertine Rift Birding – Transfer to Bwindi
Go on a game drive in Ishasha early morning, looking for tree-climbing lions, Topi, and birds such as the Black-bellied Bustard and Grassland Pipit. Then begin your drive toward Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, stopping to bird in the transitional zone. Arrive in Buhoma or Ruhija, depending on your gorilla tracking permit. Overnight in the forest.
Day 17: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Day 17 of the 28 Days Uganda Primate & Birding experience, embark on a life-changing gorilla trekking adventure. After a briefing, set off with guides and trackers through dense montane forest to locate a gorilla family. Spend one magical hour observing these gentle giants, their behaviors, and interactions. After the trek, return to your lodge to rest and relive the extraordinary experience.
Day 18: Birding in Bwindi – Albertine Rift Endemics (Buhoma or Ruhija)
Explore one of the best birding destinations in Africa. Look for Albertine Rift endemics such as African Green Broadbill, Shelley’s Crimsonwing, Regal Sunbird, Strange Weaver, and Archer’s Robin-chat. Birding trails in Buhoma or Ruhija provide a high chance of spotting these specialties. You may also encounter other primates like blue monkeys and colobus.
Day 19: Transfer to Echuya Forest & Lake Bunyonyi
Drive to the Echuya Forest Reserve near Kabale, an excellent birding stop for the rare Grauer’s Swamp Warbler and Handsome Francolin. Bird along the bamboo trails before continuing to Lake Bunyonyi. Check in at a lakeside lodge and relax with views over the terraced hills and tranquil islands.
Day 20: Birding & Leisure at Lake Bunyonyi
Enjoy a day of relaxed birding and cultural encounters around Lake Bunyonyi. Take a canoe ride to visit local communities and search for birds like the African Harrier-Hawk, Bronzy Sunbird, and Pied Kingfisher. Enjoy optional swimming, hiking, or simply relaxing with nature at your doorstep.
Day 21: Transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla NP – Golden Monkey Region
Head southwest to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, nestled in the Virunga Volcanoes. This high-altitude park is home to golden monkeys and several unique bird species such as the Rwenzori Turaco, Dusky Turtle Dove, and Archer’s Ground Robin. Enjoy an afternoon birding walk in the bamboo zone.
Day 22: Golden Monkey Tracking & Montane Birding in Mgahinga
Track the playful golden monkeys through the bamboo forest in the morning. Afterward, focus on highland birding in this scenic park with views of the volcanoes. Look out for Lagden’s Bushshrike, White-starred Robin, and Rwenzori Nightjar. Overnight in Kisoro or a lodge near the park.
Day 23: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park via Lake Mutanda
Begin your journey northeast to Lake Mburo National Park, stopping at Lake Mutanda for birding and views. Arrive in Lake Mburo in time for an evening game drive or bird walk. Expect to see African Finfoot, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Rufous-bellied Heron, and herds of zebras and impalas.
Day 24: Walking Safari & Birding in Lake Mburo NP
Lake Mburo is ideal for a guided walking safari, offering opportunities to see wildlife up close and spot birds such as Green-capped Eremomela, Black-collared Barbet, and Red-faced Barbet. Visit the salt lick area or go birding near the lake, where African Wattled Lapwings and African Fish Eagles abound. Optional boat trip available.
Day 25: Transfer to Mabira Forest – Central Forest Reserve
Leave the savannah and drive toward central Uganda to Mabira Forest, one of the largest surviving natural forests in the country. This lush tropical reserve is rich in forest birds like the Tit-Hylia, Forest Robin, Yellow-mantled Weaver, and Toro Olive Greenbul. Overnight at a forest lodge.
Day 26: Full Day Birding in Mabira Forest
Spend the day birding in the cool, shaded trails of Mabira with a local guide. Mabira offers great sightings of Forest Wood-hoopoe, Cassin’s Hawk-Eagle, African Dwarf Kingfisher, and Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat. You might also encounter red-tailed monkeys and butterflies along the way. Return to the lodge for your last forest overnight.
Day 27: Transfer to Entebbe – Optional Botanical Gardens Visit
After breakfast, drive back to Entebbe. Depending on time, enjoy a final birding walk at Entebbe Botanical Gardens to search for Orange Weaver, Woodland Kingfisher, and various sunbirds. Take in the peaceful surroundings before your farewell dinner and final night in Uganda.
Day 28: Departure – End of your 28 Days Uganda Primate & Birding experience
Depending on your flight schedule, enjoy breakfast and transfer to Entebbe International Airport for your departure. Leave Uganda with unforgettable memories, amazing bird sightings, and once-in-a-lifetime primate encounters.