Overview
Pamoja tours and Travel Company has conducted a number of across east Africa and has guide experts and armed rangers when it comes to birding. The first question before we conduct any safari is whether the area we are choosing is safe for you. Yes, birding in Bwindi impenetrable national park is very safe and we highly recommend Bwindi national park which has about 348 recorded bird species out of the 1073 bird species in Uganda.
Africa’s bird sanctuary
Uganda as a whole has 50% of Africa’s birds and 11 % of the birds in the world thereby giving you a large concentration of birds to choose from. More to that, Uganda is a home of 24 of the Albertine rift endemics which are protected because of the cultural norms and their attachment to being clan totems. There are different major sites for birding in Uganda; Bwindi national park, Kidepo valley national park, Murchison falls national park, lake Mburo national park, Mgahinga national park, Semuliki national park, Mt Elgon national park, Rwenzori mountains national park and Kibale national park. More birding sites include; Maramagambo forest, Mabira forest, Budongo forest, Kalinzu forest, Echuya forest, Pian-upe game reserve, Katonga game reserve, Mabamba swamp, Nyamuriro swamp and several agricultural lands.
Activities
Bwindi national park is known for one famous activity carried out here; gorilla trekking which is done across all the four sectors i.e. Buhoma, Ruhija, Nkuringo and Rushaga sectors. However, Bwindi national park also gives you a chance to explore 348 different bird species with 25 restricted range species, four globally threatened species and three bird species that are only surviving as representatives of their respective genera. Furthermore, these birds can be seen in Ruhija region at the Mubwindi swamp where some rare Albertine endemics and lifers can be observed.
Birding costs
A birder can consider Bwindi national park for his birding trip which is just 70 USD; 40 $ payable as park entry fees and 30$ payable as birding fee per day to the Uganda Wildlife Authority which is in charge of all national parks in Uganda.
Bwindi’s Bird list
- Doherty’s bush shrike
- African citril
- Jameson’s antpecker
- pink-footed puff back
- Waller’s starling
- crested guinea fowl
- barred long-tailed cuckoo
- grey crowned crane
- white headed saw-wing
- yellow-runmped tinkerbird
- African olive-pigeon
- buff-spotted wood, pecker
- Pettit’s cuckoo-shrike
- Cassin’s flycatcher
- Ruwenzori batis
- Ansorge’s greenbuls
Best time to go birding
As any other safari activity, the drier months of the year are the best to go for birding. January, February, June, July august and September are the best months, with drier trails and slopes, easy access to any sector in Bwindi and less expected rainfall interruptions. However, you should book your trip as early as possible including your accommodation in this peak season. Accommodation in Bwindi is usually over booked with a number of visitors flocking the parks for different safari activities. The wet seasons of the year are also good with easy spotting of the birds and abundant food supplies for the birds in the park.
Accessing the park.
You can access the park by air or road. The park lies in the South western part of Uganda and is just 9 hours’ drive from Kampala in a 4×4 vehicle.
Alternatively, you can get access from Kigali Rwanda to Bwindi through Cyanika boarder or Katuna boarder which will take you just 4-5 hours to Bwindi. Ensure to acquire an east African visa which allows multiple entries in Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda.
When using air transport, the park can be accessed when you use Kajjansi air strip’s chattered and scheduled flights to Kisoro or Kihihi airstrips which are just near Bwindi national park. The flight takes 2 hours’ drive to Kihihi or Kisoro, and then a 2 hours’ drive to Bwindi national park.
Where to stay in Bwindi national park?
Bwindi has got plenty of lodges from budget to luxury lodges in the different sectors of Nkuringo, Buhoma, Ruhija and Rushaga. We recommend you book for your accommodation prior to your coming. Also, ensure that these accommodation facilities are according to your preferences.
Some of the facilities include the following;
- In Rushaga; Rushaga gorilla lodge, four gorilla lodge, Rushaga gorilla havens lodge
- In Nkuringo; Nkuringo Bwindi gorilla lodge, clouds mountain gorilla lodge
- In Buhoma; Buhoma lodge, mahogany springs lodge, Bwindi lodge, gorilla forest camp
- In Ruhija; trekker’s tavern lodge, Bakiga lodge or in Lake Bunyonyi lodges in Kabale.
Recommendation
Pamoja tours and travel company provides the best and sustainable tours and holidays to all its clients. With our hard working staff, we have secured a working relationship with different service providers to help us run our operations smoothly. Additionally, we provide you with all services you require starting from booking permits, accommodation to the dot. All our safaris are life changing and affordable. Feel free to contact us in case you have any inquiry and get feedback in the shortest time possible.
