Birding Safari

East Africa is one of the richest birding regions on the planet. Uganda alone records well over a thousand species within a country smaller than Britain, the result of a remarkable meeting of habitats: lowland rainforest, papyrus swamp, savannah, montane forest and the lakes of the Rift Valley all sit within reach of one another. For the keen birder this density means a single well-planned safari can produce a staggering list.

The headline species need little introduction. The shoebill, a prehistoric-looking giant of the papyrus swamps, draws birders from around the world, while the great green broadbill, the African finfoot and a host of Albertine Rift endemics reward those who venture into the forests. On the Rift Valley lakes, vast flocks of flamingo can turn the shoreline pink, one of the continent's great natural spectacles.

Birding pairs effortlessly with general game viewing, and many of our guides are specialist birders able to pick a call from the dawn chorus or a movement in the canopy that others would miss. Trips can be pitched anywhere from a relaxed add-on for the curious to a dedicated, target-driven expedition for the serious lister.

Early starts are part of the deal, as the birds are most active in the cool first hours. A decent pair of binoculars transforms the experience, and the rains, while wetter underfoot, bring breeding plumage and migrant arrivals.