Day 1: Birding at UWEC and Botanical gardens Entebbe
On the first day of your 2-day Uganda birding safari in Entebbe, you will begin by visiting the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC). This is home to a variety of captive animals and over 170 bird species, including 7 species of weavers like the rare Northern Masked Weaver and Orange Weaver, along with Kingfishers, Sunbirds, and more.
In the afternoon, you’ll head to the Entebbe Botanical Gardens for an extended birdwatching experience. These gardens offer some of the best birding trails around Kampala, featuring over 150 bird species. Be on the lookout for special birds like the Bare-faced Go-away Bird, Grey-capped Warbler, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Tooro Olive Greenbul, African Green Pigeon, Black Kite, Great Blue and Ross’s Turacos, as well as Red-chested, Klaas’s, and Diederik Cuckoos. Additionally, you may spot the Great Reed Warbler, Fan-tailed Widowbird, several types of Kingfishers (Striped, Malachite, Giant, Woodland, and Pygmy), Black Bishop, Grey Woodpecker, and various Sunbirds, including Olive, Olive-bellied, Red-chested, Superb, and Copper Sunbirds, among others.
You’ll enjoy a picnic lunch in the gardens, taking time to relax and appreciate the beauty around you. Later in the evening, you will return to your hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.
Accommodation: 2 Friends Beach Hotel
Meal Plan: Full board
Transfer to Mabamba wetland
On this day, you will embark on an exciting birdwatching journey, keeping an eye out for various species as we make our way to the swamp. Look out for the Papyrus Gonolek, White-shouldered Tit, Red-capped Lark, Western Banded Snake Eagle, White-winged Warbler, White-spotted Flufftail, and Weyns Weaver. The swamp is one of the prime locations for spotting the exceptional Shoebill Stork. However, it is also home to many other species, including the Allen’s and Purple Gallinules, Grey Herons, Jacanas, Rufous-bellied Herons, Squacco, Purple and Goliath Herons, and the globally threatened Pallid Harrier. You might also spot the migrant Blue Swallow, as well as a variety of egrets and ducks.
The best way to explore and enjoy the diverse birdlife is by canoe, offering you an intimate experience with the birds and the chance to possibly encounter the elusive Sitatunga Antelope, a species well-adapted to swampy habitats. In the afternoon, you will return to the hotel, birdwatching along the way, to enjoy dinner and an overnight stay—marking the end of your 2-day Uganda birding safari.
Accommodation: 2 Friends Beach Hotel
Meal Plan: Full board
