1 Day Birding trip to Mabamba Swamp and Mpanga forest

1 Day Birding trip to Mabamba Swamp and Mpanga forest

1 Day Birding trip, Our 1 day birding trip to Mabamba swamp and Mpanga forest takes you to the ultimate birding destinations in Uganda and are easily accessible. Mabamba swamp is located on the shores of Lake Victoria in the northern region. It was declared a Ramsar Site and an Important Birding Area (IBA) with an impressive 300 bird species. It is also home to the elusive rare Shoebill Stock. To supplement the trip, you will also visit Mpanga forest with its incredible array of bird species of up to 300.

Trip Highlights

  • Forest walks.
  • Boat cruise.

Detailed Itinerary.

Day 1: Birding at Mabamba swamp and Mpanga forest.

You will be picked by a guide from Early Trails Expedition to embark on an hour journey to Entebbe as. You will have various stopovers to enjoy bird viewing along the roads in swamps and cultivated farm lands. On arrival, birding will start at the edges of the wetlands. Then getting onto a motorized canoe ride to the dense papyrus in-search of the Shoebill stock. The swamp is more productive in the months of September to May where the swamp hosts colonies of Palearctic migrants. You will enjoy 2-3 hours of an amazing birding experience where your guide will help you identify the numerous bird species.

These birds include; Papyrus Gonolek, Swamp Flycatcher, White-winged swamp warbler, Yellow billed barbet, Tinkerbird, White throated Bee-eater, Black-bellied speed-cracks, Blue turaco, White Browed Robin chat, Pied crow, Hadada Ibis, Cape Wagtail, Swamp Flycatcher, Streaky Seed-Eater, Black-headed weaver, Yellow billed kite, African sacred Ibis, Mangrove Black Hawk, Brown Babblers, Red billed Firefinch, Ring Necked Doves, Holub’s Golden Weaver, Purple Heron, Long tailed Lapwig, Black winged stilt, Malachite Kingfisher, Spur winged lapwig, Coppery tailed coucal and so many more.

You will then drive to Mpanga Forest found along the Masaka highway with lunch en-route. Birding will start at the forest edge and then follow well preserved trail through the forest. The adventure offers spectacular views of the forest and an endless list of birds such as African pied Hornbills, Slender-billed Greenbuls, Blue-throated Roller, Red-tailed Alethe, Black-Cuckoo, Fire-crested Alethe , Narina Trogon, Blue-brested Kingfisher, Black and white strike flycatcher, African grey parrots, Weyns’s Weaver, Sunbird among others. End of safari. Other than birding, you will also spot primates such monkeys and beautiful butterflies.