Day-by-day itinerary

What the operator has planned, day by day, across 5 days.

1. Day 1

   Arrival in Entebbe and Mabamba Swamp

   A birding guide meets travellers at Entebbe International Airport and takes them to their hotel. After a short rest the group heads out to Mabamba Swamp, a Ramsar-listed wetland west of the town. The main target here is the shoebill, the heavy prehistoric-looking stork that draws birders to the site; blue swallow, African pygmy goose, white-faced whistling duck and a range of waders are also possible. The group returns to the hotel for dinner and the night.

2. Day 2

   West to the Kibale Forest

   Breakfast is early, and the drive west goes to the forests of Kibale National Park, birding from the road where the chance arises. On arrival travellers check into a lodge inside the forest. The afternoon is given to a guided walk around the lodge grounds, which can produce black-and-white casqued hornbill, grey-throated barbet and yellow-spotted barbet. Dinner and the overnight stay are at the lodge.

3. Day 3

   Kibale Forest and Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary

   A full day is set aside for Kibale, which holds more than 370 bird species. The morning is spent on the forest trails looking for African pitta, green-breasted pitta, joyful greenbul and white-tailed ant thrush. In the afternoon the group walks the nearby Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, a community-run project, where white-spotted flufftail, yellow-billed barbet and papyrus gonolek are the birds to watch for, alongside primates including black-and-white colobus and grey-cheeked mangabey. The group returns to the lodge for dinner.

4. Day 4

   Return to Entebbe and a Lake Victoria Boat Ride

   After breakfast the group leaves Kibale and drives back to Entebbe, checking into the hotel on arrival. The afternoon is spent on a boat ride on Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa. Water birds along the shoreline include African fish eagle, long-tailed cormorant, malachite kingfisher and pied kingfisher. Dinner and the night are at the hotel.

5. Day 5

   Entebbe Botanical Gardens and Departure

   The last morning begins with an unhurried breakfast before a visit to the Entebbe Botanical Gardens, laid out in 1898 and a quiet place to bird. A guided walk through the grounds can turn up red-chested sunbird, black-headed weaver and great blue turaco. The guide then transfers travellers to Entebbe International Airport for the departure flight.