Welcome to
Cisticola Birding and Nature Safaris
THE TOP Destinations
Uganda and Rwanda are East Africa’s jewels, offering breathtaking landscapes, diverse wildlife, and rich cultural experiences. From the majestic mountain gorillas and lush national parks to serene lakes and vibrant cities, these destinations promise unforgettable adventures for every traveler.
UGANDA
PEARL OF AFRICA
Uganda is one of the most diverse countries on the African continent. With its incredible variety of nature, culture and
wildlife, this destination is perfect for an authentic adventure.
RWANDA
If you’re looking to add a great apes or primates experience to your African adventure, Rwanda is the perfect destination. Its lush forests are home to an incredible diversity of primates.
Popular Trips
Uganda is one of the most diverse countries on the african continent, with its incredible variety of Birds, culture and...
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Our 6 Murchison Falls National Park safari package takes you to Uganda’s largest wildlife conservation area for amazing activities including visiting...
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Uganda is one of the most diverse countries on the African continent, with its incredible variety of Birds, culture, and...
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Driver-Guide & Client's Safety
The assigned driver-guide maintains contact with the park authority in case of any suspicious person(s) trailing him and clients. On the other hand, there’s also routine patrol by armed rangers within the parks in an effort to ensure that both tourists and wildlife are safe.
Best Time to Travel
Visiting Uganda in January – February
Considered a dry season, this is one of the best times to visit Uganda, although rainfall can be expected here in any month. Wildlife spotting is particularly good at this time of year as there is less vegetation to obstruct your view and a variety of wildlife can be seen seeking waterholes. This is also a great time for trekking to see mountain gorillas and chimpanzees, while bird watchers can enjoy spotting migratory birds.
Visiting Uganda in March – May
Considered one of Uganda’s wet seasons. Parks are lush and green and animals give birth to their young. It’s also an excellent time to spot migratory birds. Heavy rain showers are frequent so the roads can often be in bad condition. As such expect bumpier journeys.
Visiting Uganda in June – August
This is one of the best times to visit Uganda and is considered a dry season, although rainfall can still be expected. It is particularly good for wildlife spotting as there is less vegetation to obstruct your view and a variety of wildlife can be seen seeking waterholes. It’s also a great time for trekking to see mountain gorillas and chimpanzees.

Visiting Uganda in September – October
A good time to visit, although rainfall can be expected. There are still excellent opportunities to observe wildlife as vegetation remains low and animals continue to seek out waterholes.

Visiting Uganda in November
Considered a wet season, November sees dry plains gradually turn green in the national parks as heavy rain showers fall across the landscape. It is a good time to see migratory birds.

Visiting Uganda in December
You can expect some rainfall during December, but wildlife spotting opportunities are good. This is also a great time for trekking to see mountain gorillas and chimpanzees, as well as for spotting a variety of migratory birds.
Travel With
CAMERA
Should be in good working condition, having enough memory and its charger.
BINOCULARS
You should have your superb binoculars well packed to not miss out on the great views. Especially time for birding
FLASH LIGHT
Have a good torch with good flash. You may need it at some point.
Latest Blogs
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TripAdvisor Reviews
EXCELLENT Based on 21 reviews Posted on Niccolò A6 March 2026Verified Nine days birds and mammals in Uganda The trip overall went well. Besides our guide, Matthew, we were also accompanied by Ema, who proved to be truly thoughtful. We visited the Mabamba Swamp, Kibale Forest, Queen Elizabeth National Park, and finally the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Our entire trip lasted 10 days, but it would have been nice to stay two more days. Matthew is a knowledgeable birder who excels in the Bwindi Forest. The organization was good, although there were a few unnecessary delays. Uganda proved to be a truly beautiful country, rich in nature, although unfortunately, it's now limited to its national parks.Posted on Lorenzo P16 February 2026Verified We had great time! We had a trip in Uganda at the beginning of January 26 with Matthew and our driver Ema: We had a great experience and everything was very good. We stayed in very good lodges and enjoyed our short time in Uganda, it’s just a pity there’s still so much Birds and mammals to be seen!Posted on clark11 February 2026Verified Awesome experience! Matthew was fantastic! He was reliable and pleasant, but most importantly, very knowledgeable. In the day and half we spent with him in the Entebbe area he showed us over 100 different birds. I wish we had more time to spend with him and I hope we are able to come back to Uganda for a longer safari with him. I recommend him very highly!!Posted on Departure3372116782631 January 2026Verified Great birding tour company Zephaniah was a very knowledgeable and welcoming guide who was able to offer a multiday private birding tour starting from his home base near Buhoma up to Ruhija and then Mgahinga Gorilla. We saw some amazing endemic birds of the albertine rift and I was able to combine with gorilla tracking (a truly unique experience). Would highly recommend his services to anyone interested in a similar experience.Posted on LarchFoodie28 December 2025Verified Fabulous Birding Guide - Highly Recommend Matthew was our birding guide for two days in the Entebbe area. On the first day, we went to Mabamba Swamp to see the iconic Shoebill, followed by birding at the nearby Nkima Forest. On the second day, we spent the entire day at the Entebbe Botanical Gardens. In total we saw nearly 100 species of birds! Matthew was an excellent guide - he knows his birds, their calls, where to find them, and was very attentive to our interests. Although we were joining another mammal/primate-focussed tour afterwards, we learned that Matthew also arranges tours throughout Uganda that can include gorilla treks and other safari experiences, in addition to birding-focussed tours. Matthew made all the transportation/entrance arrangements and was very prompt. Everything went very smoothly and he was a pleasure to be with.Posted on Corrie M12 September 2025Verified An unforgettable experience. I was very impressed by the attention and detail that went into the planning of our visit. The long hours and dedication the guides were prepared to put into ensuring our total satisfaction was a first to me. I will have no hesitation in recommending their service to any prospective visitor to Uganda.Posted on Chanan7 September 2025Verified Birding western Uganda Matthew Kajungu put together a bespoke tour that ticked all our boxes: great vehicle, brilliant driver (Ronald), mid-range comfortable and clean accommodation, delicious food, and, I suspect, the best local community guides in each area we visited. We had a fantastic 16-day birding tour of the west, with Matthew sharing his vast knowledge of the landscapes, wildlife and cultures we experienced. I have no hesitation in recommending him to prospective adventurers.Posted on conejomoon23 August 2025Verified Wonderful Birding and Nature Tour Company in Uganda for Birds, Primates and Culture We had an incredible month-long birding adventure in Uganda with Matthew Kayunga, of Cisticola Birding and Nature Tours Uganda, as our guide. We can’t recommend him highly enough. His company is still young, but he already shows remarkable promise and brings tremendous heart and energy to his work. During the pre-trip planning, Matthew was easy to communicate with, and we enjoyed the many photos and stories he shared with us, which helped build our excitement for the upcoming Uganda adventure. Matthew’s knowledge of birds, wildlife, and local culture is outstanding, especially in his home region of Bwindi. He has a real gift for finding elusive species—we were thrilled when he located an endemic Fox’s Weaver in a less-visited area within its proper habitat—and thanks to his skills, we saw 446 bird species during our trip! On the few occasions when he wasn’t completely certain about an identification, he demonstrated strong fieldguide skills, and we valued his open-mindedness when a correction was made. That humility only strengthened our confidence in him. His choice of itinerary was also excellent for both bird finding and immersion in Uganda’s nature and culture. He had us make a clockwise loop, which is different from the routes used by many other tour companies. One highlight came right at the start: taking the Entebbe ferry across to reach Mabamba Swamp for the Shoebill. Not only was the birding experience outstanding, but the cultural experience of waiting with locals at the Entebbe Street market for the first ferry of the day was fantastic. We enjoyed it so much that we booked a second Shoebill trip on our final free day. Even though Matthew could have returned home, he committed to guiding us for one more excellent day of birds and culture—something we truly appreciated. His enthusiasm and care for clients are exceptional. He constantly checked in to ensure we were comfortable, went out of his way to accommodate special requests, and his warmth made us feel more like friends than clients. He also seemed to know everyone, which added a wonderful personal dimension to our travels. Matthew worked tirelessly to create other unforgettable experiences, such as arranging a chimp trek with only the two of us as participants in our group, and securing a premium location assignment for one of our two gorilla treks. He also brought in excellent local birding guides in different regions, adding depth, local expertise, and variety to our experience. We especially appreciated his commitment to the next generation, as he mentors young park ranger interns, including women, in bird identification and conservation. Matthew also hired Walter as our driver—an excellent choice, as we were well looked after and always felt safe on the road. That said, I would be remiss not to mention that at times we were disappointed with communication during our travels. We had a set itinerary, but on at least five occasions our overnight lodging was changed—sometimes we were told in advance, and other times not until we arrived at the entrance. That said, the alternate lodgings were all comfortable and pleasant, and a couple were even better than the places we were originally scheduled to stay. It was really the surprise element that caught us off guard. There were also logistical issues in the north that were beyond Matthew’s control, yet we were still disappointed to miss Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve, which had been on our itinerary and comes highly recommended for birding and wildlife. We believe that as Matthew gains more experience planning long, complex 26-day tours, he will improve at managing these kinds of challenges. Uganda itself was spectacular—primates, breathtaking landscapes, and unforgettable Shoebill encounters were definite highlights. Despite the hiccups, we are confident that Matthew will continue to refine the logistics of his tours as his company grows. With his passion and talent, he is well on his way to becoming one of Uganda’s very best guides. We wholeheartedly recommend Matthew for anyone interested in birding or nature travel in Uganda. His dedication, expertise, and infectious enthusiasm make for a truly memorable adventure!Posted on Kathryn C4 July 2025Verified A most amazing trip Matthew organised the tour and we trusted him so we felt we could send money for the hotels and permits. Another friend had recommended him to us. Unfortunately he could not be our guide which I was very upset about at first but he gave us the lovely Emmanuel. The 12 days were action packed with a full itinerary every day. Visiting game parks, river trips, gorillas and the long journey by jeep to the chimpanzees. We stayed in some amazing hotels. Monday 16th Via Via, we loved this one and the food was amazing. Tuesday off to the Mabamba swamps in search of the shoebill. Yes they found this magnificent bird. Then off to another hotel Rwakobo Rock Lodge. Amazing place. Wednesday Mburo National Park zebras, giraffes, water bucks,monkeys,baboons,vultures,eagles,impalas,elands,squirrels,kingfishers and many more . Mburo lake where Rebecca told us all about the hippopotamus where we saw hundreds also crocodiles and eagles and hammerhocks. Thursday we went with Isaac to “The milk process”. I have to say I thought this would be boring but it was so entertaining meeting Esther and her milk pots,I even had to buy one later to bring home just to remember the wonderful time we had with Isaac and Esther. We went on to Bwindi forest and our new hotel Gorilla Bluff Lodge which was lovely and the staff were awesome, especially Andrew the boss and dear Prossy who looked after me. Friday the Gorilla experience. This was just wow . After about 1/2 hour I got a “helicopter “ this was just TOO much fun! It cost $300, hey I was helping the community. We also had 2 porters each my main one being the wonderful Caleb. Quite a few tips were required so get cash. We saw 6 gorillas, amazing. Gorillas don’t like tea ! So the area was surrounded by tea plantations to keep the gorillas in. Saturday off to Queen Elizabeth park. So many animals too many to mention and Elephant Hab Lodge . Just wonderful. Staff so delightful. “Yes please!” Sunday game drive , then a boat trip on the Kazinga channel. So amazing we saw loads of hippos but were blessed to see 20 elephants coming to the water for a splash about. Awesome. Monday transfer to Kibale forest. Lovely local walk. Thursday the Chimpanzee experience. Just amazing. Wednesday transfer to Entebbe and back to via via for 2 nights then home. What a holiday wow Matthew wow.Posted on WILSON SHOEBILL4 January 2025Verified Bird watching tour The experience was super and nice with very kind, experienced and honest people so I recommend every one to try him I can't wait to use him again





