This 4 Days Bird watching safari to Queen Elizabeth national park takes you to one of the most beautiful, scenic and popular national parks in Africa that are best for an adventurous African safari to spot a number of species. Queen Elizabeth national park is remarkable for having the most diverse ecosystems that includes humid forests, sparkling lakes, sprawling savanna, shady, and fertile wetlands that makes it an ideal habitat for several big games, primate species including chimpanzees and 600 recorded bird species.  Queen Elizabeth national park presents numerous water birds, woodland and forest dwellers in the Maramagambo Forest and Kyambura gorge, various migratory species and 54 raptors. It was classified as an Important Birding Area in Uganda by Birding International and it is the greatest birding destination than any other East African national park. This is because of the wide variety of habitats such as savannah to forest to wetland and most of the bird species in Queen Elizabeth national park are considered as specials within East Africa, which makes it a prime birding destination.

Key bird species in Queen Elizabeth national park include the Black-rumped Buttonquail, Martial Eagle, Chapin’s Flycatcher, African Skimmer, African Broadbill, Pink-backed Pelican, Black Bee-eater, Verreaux’s Eagle Owl, White-winged Warbler, White-tailed Lark, Papyrus Canary, Papyrus Gonolek, and Greater Lesser Flamingo, Corncrake, Shoebill, Bar-tailed Godwit, Malachite and Pied Kingfishers, Swamp Fly-catcher, White-winged Terns, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Grey-capped Warbler, Collard Pranticole, African Jacana and many more.

Best birding spots in Queen Elizabeth National Park includes the Kazinga Channel, Mweya Peninsula, Kasenyi Area, Ishasha Sector swamp, Maramagambo Forest, Katunguru Bridge area Lake Kikorongo, and Katwe Area. Bird tours in Queen Elizabeth National Park can all the year-round, but late May to September, the period when rain is less and food is abundant is the best time.

Day 1: Kampala / Entebbe – Drive to Queen Elizabeth national park – Visit Katwe Salt mining community

To day early morning, you will be met by one of our guides for a short briefing on the 4 Days Bird watching safari to Queen Elizabeth national park and then begin your drive to the park.  On your way, you will have a stopover at Kayabwe Equator landmark to observe the water experiment demonstrating how forces more on each side of the planet, take some photos to keep your memories of visiting this place and then proceed with the drive to Igongo cultural center to have lunch, tour the museum and thereafter proceed with your to the Queen Elizabeth a beautiful park with several wildlife animals like lions, elephants, buffaloes, several antelope species and primates, and various bird species. On your arrival at the park, check in at your booked accommodation, spend some time relaxing and later drive to Katwe salt mining community where you have a chance to interact with the local people, take part in the some of their daily activities like salt mining from the lake, see how they process salt and then spot some bird around. Dinner and an overnight

Accommodation options; Mweya Safari Lodge (Luxury), Buffalo Safari Lodge (Mid-range), Bush Lodge (Standard)

Meal plan; Lunch / Dinner

Day 2: Queen Elizabeth national park – Full day Bird watching safari to Maramagambo forest and Kasenyi plains

After having breakfast, get your binoculars, drinking water, and snacks then meet your driver guide and drive to Maramagambo forest for half day bird watching. The forest is part of Queen Elizabeth National Park and one of the largest forests in Uganda and East Africa. Maramagambo forest is home to Elephants, Chimpanzees, African rock Pythons, Bush pigs, Bats, the rare Bates’s pygmy antelope and several bird species. In Maramagambo forest you will check out  bird species such as the Yellow-bellied and Jameson’s Wattle-eyes, Brown and Grey-chested Illadopsis, Black Bee-eater, Brown-eared Woodpeckers, , Shinning Blue Kingfisher, Narina Trogon, Grey Greenbul, Least Honey guide, the African Fin foot and Brown-chested Alethe. The Forest is a home to over 60 bird species which makes it an ideal place for birders in Queen Elizabeth national park. During birding through Maramagambo forest, you may encounter some primates such as Black and White Colobus Monkeys, Chimpanzees, Baboons, Red Tailed Monkeys, L’Hoest’s Monkeys, Blue Monkeys, and additionally the Vervet Monkeys. Return to the lodge to have lunch, relax for few minutes and then drive to Kasenyi sector a hot spot to wildlife safari lovers with many bird species and other wildlife mammals. At Kasenyi sector, lookout for species such as the Palm-nut Vulture, African White-backed Vulture, Hooded Vulture, Lappet-faced Vulture, Ruppell’s Griffon Vulture, Wahlberg’s Eagle, Brown Snake Eagle, Long-created Eagle, Bateleur, Grey Kestrel, Martial Eagle, Black-bellied Bustard, African Crake, African Wattled Plover, Temminck’s Courser, Senegal Plover, Crowned Plover, Rufous napped Lark, Kittlitz’s Plover, White-tailed Lark, Flappet Lark, Zitting Cisticola, Brown-backed Srub-Robin, Grey-capped Warbler, Croaking Cisticola, Grey backed Fiscal, Black-lored Babbler, Black-crowned Tchagra, Black-headed Gonolek amongs. While spotting bird species at Kasenyi sector, you will spot some mammals such as African Elephants, Buffaloes, and Several Antelope species. Kasenyi sector is said to be the breeding ground to most of the wildlife species in Queen Elizabeth national park. Dinner and an overnight.

Accommodation options; Mweya Safari Lodge (Luxury), Buffalo Safari Lodge (Mid-range), Bush Lodge (Standard)

Meal plan; Breakfast /Lunch / Dinner

Day 3: Queen Elizabeth national park – Full day Bird watching safari to Kyambura gorge and Katwe area

Wake up very in the morning to have breakfast with your binoculars, drinking water, checkbook, snacks and camera ready and depart to Kyambura gorge for a half day bird watching tour Kyambura Gorge. The is made up of tropical rain forests and savannah and frequently referred to as the valley of Apes and home to a diversity of bird species which resides in its riverine and tropical forests which birds birding watching in the area so interesting. In Kyambura gorge, you will spot various bird species  such as the African Finfoot, Martial Eagle, blue headed bee-eater, Black-rumped, Buttonquail, Bar-tailed Godwit, African skimmer, Chapin’s flycatcher, corncrake, white tailed lark, pink backed pelican, black bee-eater, verreaux’s eagle owl, papyrus gonolek, papyrus canary, African broadbill, white-winged warbler, white-winged warbler and many more. After bird watching in Kyambura gorge, return to your accommodation to have lunch, relax for some minutes and then drive to Katwe sector found in Queen Elizabeth national park north of Mweya peninsular to spot more birds of the park. Katwe Sector has numerous swamps and crater lakes such as Lake Munyanyange where you can spot various water birds, especially a concentration of Lesser Flamingos and also visit Lake Kikorongo which is an extension of Lake George and it is a habitat to several water birds.

Key bird species to spot in Katwe sector

The Eurasian Mash Harrier, Avocet, Montagu’s Harrier, Common Greenshank, Pallid Harrier, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint, Gull-billed Tern, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Broad-tailed Warbler, Red-capped Lark, Croaking Cisticola, African Moustached Warbler, Southern Red Bishop, Saddle-billed Stork, Common Squacco Heron, Sacred Ibis, Shoebill, Black Crake, Knob-billed Duck, Yellow Wagtail, African Jacana, Greater Swamp Warbler, Lesser Swamp Warbler, Carruther’s Cisticola, White-winged Warbler, Papyrus Gonolek and many others.

Accommodation options; Mweya Safari Lodge (Luxury), Buffalo Safari Lodge (Mid-range), Bush Lodge (Standard)

Meal plan; Breakfast /Lunch / Dinner

Day 4: Queen Elizabeth national park – Bird watching safari to Kazinga channel and Mweya peninsular – Drive back to Kampala / Entebbe international airport

After breakfast, drive to the park to take a boat safari along the Kazinga Channel to spot bird species that are found along the Kazinga Channel. Kazinga Channel links Lakes George and Edward and the main water source to most of the park wildlife species. The boat cruise will take you from Katunguru Bridge up to Mweya peninsular. During the boat cruise on the channel, expect to meet groups of African Skimmers, African Spoonbill, Striated Heron, Water Thick-knee, African Crake, and Three-banded Plover, Green Sandpiper, Marsh Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Plain Martin, Grey-headed Gull, Collard Planticoles, Lesser Swamp-Warbler, Yellow-billed Ox-pecker, African Mourning Dove, Blue-naped Mouse bird, Diederik Cuckoo, Pygmy Kingfisher, Grey-Headed Kingfisher, Nubian Woodpecker, Little Bee-eater, Martins, Red-capped Lark among other. After the boat cruise along the Kazinga channel, return to your lodge to have lunch, check out of your room and then start your drive back to Kampala or Entebbe international airport. This will be the end of your 4 Days Bird watching safari to Queen Elizabeth national park.

Key bird species in Queen Elizabeth national park include;

The Martial Eagle, African Skimmer, Black-rumped Buttonquail, Chapin’s Flycatcher, Verreaux’s Eagle Owl, African Broadbill, White-tailed Lark, Black Bee-eater, Papyrus Gonolek, White-winged Warbler, Corncrake, Papyrus Canary, Lesser and Greater Flamingo, Bar-tailed Godwit, Shoebill, African fin foot, African skimmer, African hobby, Black bee-eater, Ayres’s hawk eagle, Broad-billed roller, Black-rumped buttonquail, Collared pratincole, Common sand martin, Caspian plover, Great blue turaco, Crab-plover, Grey-winged robin-chat, Heuglin’s gull, Great white pelican, Papyrus gonolek, Palm-nut vulture, Pel’s fishing-owl, Red-chested sunbird, Pink-backed pelican, Spotted redshank, Rufous-bellied heron, White-backed night heron, Western banded snake eagle, Yellow-bellied wattle-eye, White-winged tern, Yellow-throated cuckoo and many others.

4 Days Bird watching safari to Queen Elizabeth national park include:

Transportation for 4 days in a well modified safari vehicle either land cruiser or safari van (4×4, air-conditioned and pop up roof)

Accommodation on full board meal plan for 3 nights

Fuel for 4 days

Professional English speaking driver guide for 4 days

All park entrance and activities fees,

Bottled mineral water

All en-route meals as mentioned in the itinerary

All government applicable taxes

Igongo cultural museum

Visit Katwe Salt mining community

Boat cruise on the Kazinga channel

Full day Bird watching safari to Maramagambo forest and Kasenyi plains

Full day Bird watching safari to Kyambura gorge and Katwe area

Bird watching safari to Kazinga channel and Mweya peninsular

Kayabwe Equator landmark

4 Days Bird watching safari to Queen Elizabeth national park exclude;

Personal Travel insurance

International and domestic flights, (Can be arranged on request)

Accommodation in Entebbe or Kampala before and after the tour (It can be arranged on request)

Travel visa

Souvenirs and gifts

Alcoholic and soft drinks (Sodas, Beers, wines, special juice and coffee orders)

Other personal requirements like Cigarettes, laundry, telephone,

Drinks and Meals not mentioned in trip plan,

Staff tips