Bird Watching In Mabamba Swamp

Bird Watching In Mabamba Swamp; Located West of Entebbe on the Northern bank of Lake Victoria, Mabamba Swamp is one of the best places in Uganda to go bird watching. Mabamba Swamp is a Ramsar site that was designated as a wetland of international importance in 2006 because it is home to species that are internationally threatened. Birdlife International recognizes Mabamba Swamp as an Important Bird Area (IBA). The marsh is 2424 hectares in size and is made up of dense papyrus marshes, wetland grass, and water lilies.

Mabamba Swamp is one of the best places in Uganda to go bird watching because it is home to over 300 species of recorded birds, including wetland species, seven of the 12 species confined to the Lake Victoria biome, and species that are globally threatened. You can go birding at Mabamba Swamp early in the morning or late in the afternoon in a motorized wooden boat that will take you through the dense marshes with an experienced bird guide who will help you identify various bird species, such as the extinct Shoebill Stork. Yellow-backed Weaver, White-winged Warbler, Swamp Flycatcher, White-faced Whistling Duck, Yellow-billed Kite, Blue Swallow, Yellow-throated Greenbul, Papyrus Gonolek, Yellow-backed Weaver, Removed Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher, Red-shouldered Cuckoo Shrike, Pink-backed Pelican, Ross’s Turaco, Squacco Heron, Purple Heron, and Pygmy Geese Slender-billed Gull, Spur-winged Lapwing, Speckled Mousebird, and Saddle-billed Stork Mosque Swallow, Long-crested Eagle, Lesser Jacana, Grey Crowned Crane, Little Stilt, Marsh Harrier, Great White Pelican, Great Blue Turaco, Fork-tailed Drongo, Grey Parrot, Double Toothed Barbet, Crowned Hornbill, Common Stonechat, Cattle Egret, Common Bulbul, Brown Snake-eagle, Blue-headed Coucal, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Black Crake, African Jacana, African Fish Eagle, African Pied Wagtail, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Orange Weaver, Long Tailed Cormorant, Wood Sandpiper, Yellow-billed Duck, Hadada Ibis, Malachite Kingfisher, Shining Blue Kingfisher, Great Cormorant, Black-crowned Waxbill, Ashy Flycatcher, Flappet Lark, Grassland Pipit, and more.

Ideal time to visit

While you may go bird watching in Mabamba Swamp all year round, the best times to go are during the wet season, which is from March to April and September to November. This is when you can see the most vibrant and migratory bird species from Europe.

Directions to Mabamba Swamp

The Mabamba Swamp is situated on the Northern shore of Lake Victoria. It can be reached from Entebbe, which is about an hour’s drive away. From Kampala, it takes approximately an hour’s drive via the Nakiwogo landing site in Entebbe, where you can take a ferry to the Nakawuka-Kasanje landing site and then connect to Mabamba Swamp.

Mabamba Swamp may also be reached by boat, which travels across Lake Victoria to the Mabamba starting point. From there, you can hire a speed boat in Entebbe and travel 45 to 50 minutes to paddle through the papyrus swamps in a canoe. You will be able to take in breathtaking views of Entebbe town and Lake Victoria while using the speed boat.

Where to stay when on a safari for bird watching

You can stay in a variety of lodging options close to Mabamba Swamp for the duration of your safari to see birds. Protea Hotel Entebbe, Mabamba Lodge, Karibu Guesthouse, Nkima Forest Lodge, Lake Victoria Serena Hotel, Best Western Hotel, Papyrus Guest House, Sundiata Beach Resort, and Buvi Lodge are just a few of the affordable, medium, and upscale lodging options available.

What to bring

Among the many things you should bring on your bird watching safari in Mabamba Swamp are bug repellent, long sleeves, a waterproof rain jacket, binoculars, a camera with extra batteries, a field guidebook, a backpack, water bottle, and a wide-brimmed hat.

In addition to bird watching, there are other activities you can partake in while on your safari in the Mabamba Swamp, such as spot fishing, canoeing, wildlife viewing (where you can see sitatunga antelopes), butterfly viewing, and village walks where you can mingle with the locals. Bird watching at the Mabamba Swamp can be combined with other activities offered by many national parks, such as boat rides, guided nature walks, chimpanzee treks, gorilla treks, game drives, mountain climbing, and cultural excursions. Contact Budget Gorilla Trekking for more information about bird watching in Mabamba Swamp.