From 14 – 28 January 2025, I went on a solo self-drive wildlife trip to Uganda in search of birds and other animals. I prepared my trip carefully and decided to visit the major hot spots in the South-West of Uganda.
I started at Entebbe and drove my 4x4 Toyota RAV4 to Lake Mburo NP, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Queen Elizabeth NP, Kibale NP and back to Entebbe.

Check out my trip report hereunder!

General
In one of his voyages of discovery, Winston Churchill called Uganda the Pearl of Africa, because the country is so extremely fertile.
Uganda has two dry seasons: from December to March and from June to September. Both periods are good for bird watching. Much of Uganda borders the famous Lake Victoria, the second largest freshwater lake in the world (after Lake Baikal). Uganda offers some great central-Africa birding, including some really appealing species like Shoebill, Grauer’s Broadbill and Green-breasted Pitta.
In addition, you can do some safari as well, and you can get the chance to see Gorilla’s and Chimpanzees which I, however, did not include in my itinerary. It is also an ‘easy’ country to visit since eco-tourism is well developed, the country is in general quite safe and most people speak English.

Time
In Uganda it is 1 hour (summer) or 2 hours (winter) later than in the Netherlands.
January: Sunrise: ± 7 am; sunset: ±7 pm.

Visa
I needed a Tourist Visa for Uganda (USD 50) which I applied for at: https://www.visas.immigration.go.ug/#/apply
A Vaccination Certificate for Yellow Fever is required when applying for the visa and fortunately I already had it.

Money
Uganda has its Uganda Shilling. At the park entrances they usually accept credit cards, but at a lot of places it is cash only. So I brought enough Shillings (ATM at airport) and Euros. ATM’s were not everywhere, but when I needed one I could find it.
Currency rate (14 January 2025): UGS 10,000 = Euro 2,65
The Uganda Shilling is divided into denominations of 50, 100, 200, 500 for coins and paper notes are available in denominations of 1000, 5000, 10000, 20000 and 50000. It often happens that the ATMs at the Entebbe airport do not work or are empty. When I arrived, I could withdraw 1.2 million Shilling which was more than enough to get me through the first week.

Sim Card
A local SIM card offers an affordable way to access mobile data, make local calls, and send SMS without incurring high roaming charges. MTN Uganda is one of the leading mobile operators in the country. You can purchase a SIM card from MTN at their retail stores or authorized resellers across Uganda.
I had installed e-SIM in the Netherlands prior to my trip and I had purchased a 30-days/5GB  local e-SIM bundle through Airalo, so that I could continue to use the internet and call at the local rate in Uganda. So I had 2 e-SIMs in my phone; a primary and a secondary. Upon arrival in Uganda, I choose the secondary SIM and turned off data roaming on my primary SIM card.
Wi-Fi is available in many hotels, restaurants, cafes, and public spaces across Uganda but is often not very reliable. Having a local SIM card ensured me having internet access almost wherever I went, even in areas without Wi-Fi coverage.

Car Rental
As an adventurous birder, I decided to rent a car and go on a self-drive holiday. I am very used to spending my birding trips alone, also because I generally don’t enjoy birding groups merely following a local bird guide presenting you the birds. I find much more satisfaction on finding them myself and figuring out where and what they are.
Uganda is very easy to plan yourself and the traffic on the streets is pretty doable. It’s not only cheaper and you can stop wherever you want, but it’s also a lot better to support small local hotels and guest houses. My Toyota RAV4 costed Euro 59 per day. I booked it through RoadTrip Africa (https://www.roadtripafrica.com/uganda/car-rental/). I also booked with them a tent + equipment. Roadtrip Africa has a network of technicians throughout the country if necessary. Fortunately, I had no problems with the car and it did everything what it needed to do.

Driving through Uganda (visiting the South-West)
For my drive to the South-West of Uganda, I took the toll way to Kampala: Kampala-Entebbe Expressway which is the best way to do this, and then followed the Masaka Road going south.
In Uganda, they drive on the left side of the road.
I drove myself wherever I went, including Lake Mburo NP and Queen Elizabeth NP. Doing this by yourselves gives you much more freedom than hiring a driver.

Repair - Gas
When you get a flat tire in Uganda, you can get the car serviced at a local Shell station. This is where they do the majority of tire repair and all oil changes you’ll need on the trip. It only costs around $3 for a tire repair. Fortunately, I had no trouble with my car.
Getting gas at a gas station in simple. All you have to do is just drive up to a pump where an employee is waving at you and they will do all the work. However, make sure that they accept credit cards and that they use the right gas. Deny all sorts of help from other employees; most will just tell you something is wrong with your car, pretend to fix it and then charge you an insane amount. Don’t let anyone “check your tires”. In some cases, they just let the air out and then charge you to fill it up. Some people say to only use Total Energies or Shell gas stations but there are more reliable gas stations from other companies.

Police Checks
There are quite a few random police checks throughout the country. In most cases, you just need to slow down, and they will either give you the sign to stop or continue driving. When approaching those stops, make sure you turn down your music, don’t take pictures, and just follow their instructions. Of course, be respectful, polite, patient and friendly. I have been stopped only once and it was an experience! The policeman told me that I did something wrong and asked for some money. After giving him USG 5,000, he told me it was not enough. After giving him another USG 10,000, he gave me back the first USG 5,000 note, quite to my surprise!

Behaviour
Start every conversation with: How are you?  And it is only after this part of the conversation is finished, that you can start saying or asking what you actually wanted to.
You are a Mzungu. Period. Many people will shout this at you when you’re passing by. Don’t get angry about and don’t start discussions. Mzungu is a Bantu term for a white person.
In the South-West of Uganda, I approached the people by saying: “Agandee”, which means “How are you” in their local language. They really appreciated this and almost all the time replied with “Neejay”, which means: “I am fine”.

Food
What you should really try when you are in Uganda is Rolex (Rolled eggs). This is a vegetable omelet rolled in a chapatti (kind of tortilla). Rolex is great for lunch because you can easily take it with you.
Luwombo is a traditional Ugandan dish: steaming meat and vegetables in banana leaves. The dish is said to be served to visitors, locals and more as a sign of hospitality and during special occasions.
Matoke is a simple, healthy, and delicious one-pot East African dish made from green bananas. Matoke can be made in different ways, but best is probably with meat (beef or lamb) with a thick, rich sauce.

Campsites
Since I was traveling with my own tent, I used the iOverlander app where nearly every campsite is marked and reviewed. Campsites are widely available and typically don’t require advance booking. The usual cost for 1 night is USD 10 pppn.

Park fees
The tariffs charged by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) for entry to Queen Elizabeth NP, Kibale Forest and Lake Mburo NP are USD 40 for non-residents. Park entrance fees are valid for 24 hours from the start of your visit.
Next to the park fee, you also have to pay a vehicle fee, which is usually UGX 40,000 (USD 10) (per entry, not per 24 hours).

Photography – Bean Bag
If you’re going on safari, bring a bean bag! It rests over the car door, so you can put your camera on it and get a steady shot. Bring an unfilled bean bag to add minimal weight to your suitcase and fill it with rice (or sand) when you arrive. I bought rice in the supermarket and put in in an old pillow case!

Groceries Entebbe
I got some supplies before I left Entebbe.
Best option: Victoria Mall: Carrefour: GPS 0.066238, 32.475862.
My groceries:
1. 10 liters of water, some sprite and orange juice,
2. Snacks, power bars, cookies, fruit, instant noodles, eggs,
3. Tooth paste, deodorant, toilet paper, kitchen paper, kitchen towel,
4. Knife,
5. Rice for the bean bag.

Equator Stop
On the way from Entebbe to Lake Mburo (Masaka Highway), I passed the town of Kayabwe, which lies precisely on the equator. The equator, the imaginary line that cuts Earth into the northern and southern hemispheres. While the Equator crosses through all of Uganda, the most Iconic spot for the equator crossing is in Kayabwe, just 70 kilometers from Kampala city.
There is a stop where you can take a selfie (GPS: 0.000010, 32.039894). It has become a popular stop for anyone going to visit the popular national parks of western Uganda. Locals will gladly give you a demonstration where water draining in the southern hemisphere goes anti clockwise and in the northern hemisphere clockwise and on the equator straight down! Technically this is true, but you can only demonstrate this in a well-designed lab/environment. The effect cannot be observed so close to the equator. And if the drain is mounted asymmetrically, water can flow in all directions!

Flights
14 January 2025 - Amsterdam (19:35) – Nairobi (05:55)
15 January 2025 - Nairobi (07:45) – Entebbe (09:05)
28 January 2025 - Entebbe (16:20) – Nairobi (17:30)
29 January 2025 - Nairobi (08:20) - Amsterdam (15:35)
Kenya Airways: Euro 661

Program
Day 1 / 14-01 – Flight Amsterdam (19:35) – Nairobi (05:55)
Day 2 / 15-01 – Nairobi (07:45) – Entebbe (09:05); Get cash from Airport ATM; Delivery Rental Car (09:30); Drive to Oslo Gardens; birding Oslo Gardens area and shores of Lake Victoria; doing groceries; visit Entebbe Botanical Garden; doing groceries; Night at Oslo Gardens
Day 3 /16-01 – Drive to Lake Mburo (via Masaka Road; 250km, 6h); Night at Leopard Rest Camp
Day 4 / 17-01 – Birding Lake Mburo; Night at Leopard Rest Camp
Day 5 / 18-01 – Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (300km, 7h); Night at Ruhondeza Campsite
Day 6 / 19-01 – Birding “The Neck” of Bwindi Imp. Forest; Night at Ruhondeza Campsite
Day 7 / 20-01 – Birding Ruhija Sector of Bwindi Imp. Forest; Night at Ruhondeza Campsite
Day 8 / 21-01 – Drive to Enjojo Lodge; Birding Ishasha Sector, QENP (70km, 2h); Night at Enjojo Lodge & Campsite
Day 9 / 22-01 – Birding Ishasha and drive to North QENP (through the park; 100km 3h); Night at Engiri Campsite
Day 10 / 23-01 – Boat Tour Kazinga Channel; Birding QENP; Night at Engiri Campsite
Day 11 / 24-01 – Drive to Kibale NP (150km, 3h); Night at Kibale Forest LodgeDay 12 / 25-01 – Birding Kibale NP; Night at Kibale Forest Lodge
Day 13 / 26-01 – Birding Bigodi Swamp; Community Walk; Night Walk Bigodi Swamp; Night at Guereza Canopy Lodge
Day 14 / 27-01 – Drive to Entebbe (350km, 7h); Night at Oslo Gardens
Day 15 / 28-01 – Relaxing at Oslo Gardens. Drop off rental car airport (14:00). Airport Entebbe (16:20) – Nairobi, Kenya (17:30); Night at Airport Lounge, Nairobi
Day 16 / 29-01 – Nairobi (08:20) - Amsterdam (15:35)

Locations

1. Entebbe Botanical Garden (GPS: 0.063432, 32.475321)
Beste place to go birding in Entebbe is the Botanical Garden. This is the only national Botanical Garden in Uganda. It was established in 1901 and strategically located on the shores of Africa’s greatest Lake, Victoria, just 3 km from Entebbe Airport. The gardens are an attractively laid-out mix of indigenous forest, cultivation, and horticulture, and a highly attractive destination to birdwatchers. Some of the birds that can (easily) be seen include: Reed Cormorant, African Openbill , Black and White Casqued Hornbill, Speckled Mousebird, Eastern Grey Plantain-eater, Great Blue and Ross Turaco, African Fish Eagle, Yellow-billed Kite (Black Kite ssp), African Palm Swift, Klaas Cuckoo, Diederik Cuckoo, Woodland Kingfisher, Red-chested Sunbird, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Olive-bellied Sunbird, Common Bulbul, White-throated Bulbul, African Thrush, Black-headed Weaver, Grey-backed Camaroptera, Splendid Starling, Red-billed Firefinch and much more. I saw Vervet Monkeys and one Black-and-White Colobus Monkey sitting high up in a tree.
Opening hours: 9 am – 7 pm. The entrance fee is UGS 20,000 (USD 5.50) and parking is free. Note that a guide is not compulsory but they sometimes say it is (it costs USG 10,000 (USD 2,75). I went solo and walked through the different habitats towards the banks of Lake Victoria.

Mabamba Swamp
Just South of Entebbe. Best place to spot the famous African Shoebill and Grey-Crowned Crane. But you can only do this by taking a boat tour. They first bring you in a bigger boat to the swamp where you transfer to a small boat that is capable of getting through the swamp. In total it cost USD 80 per trip. I didn’t do this since it was quite expensive to do it alone instead of with a small group where you can split the cost. And again, following a guide that presents the birds on a platter is just not my thing.

Accommodation
Lake Mabamba: Oslo Gardens (GPS: 0.08273, 32.45126) (8km from airport).
Beautiful Campsite and B&B near the airport and located directly on Lake Victoria. The campsite offers a stunning view of Lake Victoria. It features a lovely restaurant, and the Norwegian owner Steinar is a wonderful host. It’s probably the best place to stay in Entebbe. Camping is $10 USD, and B&B is $40 USD, with nice, clean but small rooms. Beautiful garden and magnificent view over the lake. The road to the hotel is bumpy but it is like that all over the country. If you want to see (many) Pied Kingfishers up close, go here because they nest in the clay wall at the parking lot of the B&B. This was the only place where I saw Red-cheeked Cordon-bleus.

2. Lake Mburo National Park
Lake Mburo National Park is the nearest park to Kampala, making it an ideal first stop on a road trip towards Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The landscape is covered with extensive acacia woodlands and dotted with many lakes. Lake Mburo is also the smallest of Uganda’s savannah national parks – but don’t let its size fool you. The park is home to nearly 350 bird species and Zebras, Rothsschild’s Giraffes, Impala, Eland, Topi, Sitatunga, Buffalo, Defassa Waterbuck, Leopards, Hippos and Hyenas. There are no Elephants or Lions in the park. The park is suitable for walking and mountain bike safaris. It is the best place in Uganda to see the Giant Eland Antelope (I saw one) and hundreds of Zebras. Lake Mburo is home to many water and acacia-tree birds. Lake Mburo's swampy valleys, salt lakes, and forests provide a variety of habitats for birdlife. You can take a boat tour but I didn’t. If you do, you'll have possibilities of spotting the African Finfoot. At night you may see Black-shouldered Nightjar and Freckled Nightjar.
From the Nshara Entrance Gate, you start your self-drive and easily connect to various accommodation facilities and activity points within the park. I found the first 10 – 12 km (up to Acacia Lodge) the most interesting part of the park. I didn’t visit the Rwonyo Visitor Center (GPS: -0.633600, 30.964580) where you can get valuable information about the park and its inhabitants. They say the Kikambira Loop (GPS: -0.697293, 30.946447) on the south side of Lake Mburo is very good for birding, but it was quite a long way from the northern entrance so I didn’t take it.

Accommodation
Lake Mburo: Leopard Rest Camp (GPS: -0.53131, 31.01110)
A eco-friendly campsite located on the boarder of Mburo National Park, just a 2 minute drive from the Nshara Park Entrance Gate. The campsite cost USD 10 pppn. They offer custom bike safaris, walking safaris and game drives both inside and outside the park. They have a variety of accommodation suited to all budgets, from camping with own equipment to lazy camping, to ensuite safari tents. I opted for a simple safari tent with a decent bed (USD 35 p.n. incl breakfast) which was small but comfortable. They have a bar/restaurant where you can enjoy delicious meals and enjoy the stunning view of rolling green hills while listening to the sounds of birds singing. I loved this lodge and the staff was super friendly. One night, a rare Common Large-spotted Genet visited the restaurant and gave us ample opportunity to admire him.
Next door is Rwakobo Rock Lodge (USD 85 pppn). They say the birding around this lodge is amazing but I didn’t visit; Red-faced Barbet, Double-toothed Barbet, African Green Pigeon, Splendid Starling, Common Bulbul, Yellow-throated Greenbull, At night on the rocks, you may see Freckled Nightjar.

3. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
This “impenetrable forest” protects an predictable 400 population of mountain gorillas – approximately half of the population in the world, among which are a number of habituated groups, that can be tracked by visitors. In addition to the endangered impressive mountain gorillas there are also 346 bird species and more than 200 butterfly species. Of the big 5, you can only find elephants in Bwindi.
Buhoma is the northern sector of Bwindi National Park, a home to estimated population of about 360 bird species. This makes it a birder’s paradise in Uganda, priding itself of bird species such as the grey-crowned cranes, Jameson’s antpecker, Waller’s starling, pink-footed puffback, Klaas’s cuckoos, barred long-tailed cuckoos, white-throated green bull, common bulbul, African blue flycatchers, African cuckoos, red-headed bluebill, yellow-fronted canary, great blue turacos, blue-headed sunbird, cape wagtail and many more. There are several trails to explore.
There are no ATMs near Bwindi, so make sure you bring enough cash.

The Buhoma Gate (GPS: -0.986159, 29.616476), the main gate and entrance to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, is a good starting point for many trails through the forest of Bwindi. You can hike trails, like the Waterfall Trail or the Munyanga Trail, in search of many birds and other wildlife. The popular and excellent Munyanga Trail (7.9-km / 2.5 hours, out-and-back) to the Munyanga forest begins at the park headquarters of Bwindi, near the Buhoma Gate.
The downside of any hike in Bwindi is that you must pay a park entrance fee, usually 40 USD, and you have to walk with a guide (another USD 30) to ensure you don't mess with any gorillas you find and that they do not mess with you. The Munyanga Trail is characterized with great sceneries and sightings! As you make the journey through the pristine tropical montane forest watch out for the numerous bird species (375) that could be found here like the Kivu Ground Thrush, Short Tailed Warbler, Blue Headed Sunbird, Rwenzori Apalis (everywhere in the forest), Red Faced Woodland Warbler, the Yellow Eyed, Yellow Footed and Chapin’s Flycatcher among which are some of the Albertine rift endemics not easily missed on this hike. The most wanted bird is the Grauer’s Broadbill.

The walk is leisurely and very enjoyable as you may stumble upon a number of forest treasures like the black and white colobus monkey, L’hoest’s Monkey, dwarf forest antelopes – duikers, the rare and elusive but aggressive forest elephant, chimpanzees are infrequently heard than seen, buffaloes and a wide variety of butterflies some of which are endemic to the Albertine rift, but among the common ones seen when the sun starts rising are Swallow Tails, Comodores, Diadems, Sailors, Preusis among others. At the end of the trail there are three small waterfalls that form the Munyanga.

Since birding in the rainforest is usually very difficult without a local guide, I decided to ask the manager of the lodge where I was staying if he could arrange a good birding guide for me. He succeeded and Nicholas took me into the rainforest for two days. To avoid crowds and high entrance fees, we went for a day to an area in Bwindi that almost nobody knows and is incredibly good for birding, known as "the Neck" (GPS: -0.971340, 29.687799). There is a public road through this area and therefore it is freely accessible. The birding is just along the road and therefore easy. In this area, a new lodge was built which is a good option to stay: Bwindi Neckview Lodge (USD 55 p.n.) (GPS: -0.965701, 29.682079). Perhaps next time!

Accommodation
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest: Ruhondeza Campsite (GPS: -0.97784, 29.61954)
This is a quaint, private lodge with a campsite in a very private natural jungle setting, a bird watchers delight. It has great views to the mountains. And if you don’t want to sleep on the campsite, you can always decide to get a room in the lodge (USD 100 p.n). Gad, a retired ranger, is a wonderful host and the rest of the staff is also very friendly. Gad gave me a great discount on a cabin, which turned out to be very comfortable; much more comfortable than a tent!

The lodge is very close to the entrance of the national park. It is a very calm and special place. The food is also great! if you are lucky, gorillas can sometimes be seen at the lodge feasting on the native vegetation outside your cabin door. Around the campsite you should see Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat and Northern Double-collared Sunbirds.

4. Queen Elisabeth National Park
From open savannah to beautiful rain forest, dense papyrus swamps and the vastness of Lake Edward, it is no wonder that Queen Elizabeth National Park boasts one of the highest biodiversity rates of any game park in Africa. Queen Elizabeth is home to over 600 bird species, as well as a great number of large savannah animals. You will definitely see lions and elephants. In the southern 'Ishasha sector' you will find tree climbing lions, if you are lucky. The Ishasha savannahs are famous for its population of tree climbing lions that can sometimes be spotted resting in the branches of the large fig trees. Look for tire tracks in the sand around big fig trees where cars have pulled up to watch the lions. Queen Elizabeth is the only park in Uganda where these tree climbing lions can be found, but they have become very rare nowadays. I've been looking for it for a long time, but I haven't seen one.

You can find lions, elephants, buffalos, and leopards, but no rhinos. In fact, you cannot find a wild rhino anywhere in Uganda. You will have to visit the Rhino sanctuary (Ziwa Rhino Ranch) if you want to see one. Other than the big four, you will find different types of primates, hyenas, jackals, warthogs, crocodiles, hippos and what more. Surprisingly there are no giraffes or zebras in the park.
Common antelope species include Uganda Kob (black shins!), Bushbuck, Water Buck and Topi, which can only be found in the Ishasha plains. At the entrance, buy the map of the park that indicates the specific lion trees! However, note that the map is not very accurate so use navigation and don’t rely too much on the trails on the map.
It’s very quiet in the park, so be prepared to not see many other cars.

If you are not as adventurous as me, you can enter the park with a guide. It can be useful to take one. The guides know popular places for the animals to hang out, plus they stay in touch with each other telling where they have seen which animal. And you won’t get lost, which is pretty easy to do here. Plus they know where to go off-trail to spot a cool animal. A guide will cost something around 30 USD per vehicle.

Whatever you do in Queen Elizabeth National Park, don't miss the boat tour (USD 30 p.p.) over the Kazinga Channel (northern part)! The channel/river connects the great lakes Lake Edward and Lake George. This is one of the best boat trips in Africa. You will see lots of elephants, hippos, buffalos, crocodiles, and different types of birds. You sail in small boats and can get very close to the shore (and therefore to the animals).
The boat trips depart from the town of Katunguru, at the bridge over the channel. The afternoon (2:00 PM - 4:00 PM) is the best time, because then it is hot and all the animals come to drink from the water. I really enjoyed the trip!

There is a small supermarket in Katunguru: Queen’s Way Supermarket (GPS: -0.122406, 30.047990) and a Shell Station  (GPS: -0.121104, 30.048000).

Accommodation
QENP: Enjojo Lodge & Campsite (GPS: -0.594171, 29.722862). Enjojo Lodge is the perfect base for visiting the Ishasha Sector of QENP where you may see tree climbing lions. It is opposite of the Ishasha gate, entrance to the park. You can start your own self-drive here. Driving through Ishasha, look out for Sooty Chat, Yellow-throated Longclaw, Red-faced Cisticola, Moustached Grass Warbler, Western Banded Snake-eagle, African Harrier-Hawk etc. Birdlife is abundant and herds of Elephant, Buffaloes and Antelopes are regularly spotted on the premises. Baboons, Vervet Monkeys and Black-and-White Colobus Monkeys have become residents of the lodge.
Next to a campsite, the Enjojo Lodge (owned by a Belgian couple) has beautiful cabins. You can use the lodge to have breakfast, lunch or dinner. Prices are a little expensive. The restaurant overlooks a lake that attracts numerous birds. I was the only one staying at a tent at the beautiful campsite (USD 15 pppn).

QENP: Engiri Lodge & Campsite (GPS: -0.13986, 30.05158)
I booked a tent via Booking.com: Euro 70 for 2 nights including full board.
This is a beautiful new place, it is in the park but you don’t have to pay park fees. Elephants come through the camp every morning (for food out of the kitchen!) and you can hear Hippos and Hyenas in the evening. They have a restaurant with fine meals. Staff is super friendly. The tent is a real must-do to experience what sleeping in a wild park is like. The tent is perfectly furnished, nice beds and fresh smelling sheets. The toilets and showers are in a separate building 50m away and look really fine.
There are security guards walking around all night to escort you if you need to go to the toilet. I spent two nights here and every night two hippos grazed around my tent and every morning elephants passed by! Quite an experience!

5. Kibale National Park
Kibale is a tropical rainforest of 795 square km and home to 13 primate species. The park is located between 1,100 and 1,600 meters altitude, making it cooler than other places in Uganda.
Kibale’s main attraction is trekking the habituated chimps. Permits must be booked in advance. Again, this is something not for me, so I didn’t join a trekking.
The forest is a beautiful lush area where monkeys, birds, forest elephants, small antelopes and butterflies roam around. It's a unique experience to walk in a rainforest and sense that you are surrounded by life. Kibale is probably Uganda’s best birding destination. There's a diverse range of bird species to see, and the guides at the park entrance are very knowledgeable.
Birders should not miss a guided nature walk through Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, a nice community development project. The activities offered at the Bigodi Visitors Centre are a great example of conservation and tourism benefiting the local community.

Particularly rewarding is the Bigodi Swamp Walk (GPS: 0.408026, 30.407277). Together with a guide (USD 15 p.p.) you walk a 4.5 km circuit through the forest, past farm fields and on wooden boardwalks through the swamp. You can spot many different animals in a short time (2 hours).
During the Bigodi Swamp Walk you can see 8 species of monkeys: Black and white Colobus Monkey, Red Colobus Monkey, Red-tailed Monkey, Grey-cheeked Mangabey, Olive Baboon, Vervet Monkey, Bue Monkey and L'hoest Monkey.
The sanctuary is home to the Great Blue Turaco, Papyrus Gonolek, White-winged Swamp Warbler, White-collared Oliveback and Papyrus Canary. Bird-watching tours start at 7 am at Kanyanchu; you are advised to book in advance.

At Turaco Trails (GPS: 0.392934, 30.413897) which is a Bird and Monkey Refuge, you can enter a wetland/forest area (800m south of Bigodi Swamp) with several trails. You don’t need a guide here! This is a beautiful place with lots of birds and monkeys (Red Colobus, Red-tailed Monkey)!

I joined local top bird guide Patricia, who showed me the best birding spots in the area and took me on a wonderful Community Walk to experience the culture and traditions of the local people.  Patricia showed me how coffee is processed and made and how different types of baskets are made by hand. As a souvenir I bought three lovely baskets and in this way supported the local community.

Accommodation
Kibale NP: Hornbill Cave Kibale Camp (GPS: 0.39047, 30.40452)
I had planned to stay at this campsite beforehand but when I arrived I immediately saw that it did not look good. I left quickly and eventually booked a comfortable cabin at the great Kibale Forest Lodge (GPS: 0.402317, 30.411564). They have a bar and restaurant which is situated in a beautiful wooden grass-thatched building which overlooks a lush colorful garden. Staff was super friendly and gave me a discount on the room rate because the owner Henriette is also a keen birdwatcher. The third night I had the privilege of staying at the brand new, luxurious Guereza Canopy Lodge, also owned by Henriette, which is located just outside Bigodi but right next to the rainforest. They have beautiful, spacious cabins and the location is truly exceptional.