Shoebill Stork Day Tour — Mabamba Swamp
See Uganda's most iconic bird on a guided day tour to Mabamba Swamp, the most reliable shoebill stork site in the world. This full-day excursion departs from Entebbe or Kampala and includes a guided canoe session through the papyrus wetlands for close-up shoebill views.
What's Included
Return road transfers from Entebbe or Kampala, boat fees, an expert local canoe guide, an accompanying birding guide, all park and wetland access fees, packed lunch and bottled water. We typically spend 3 to 4 hours on the water to maximise your chances of extended shoebill sightings.
What to Expect
Mabamba Swamp is a vast papyrus wetland on the northern shore of Lake Victoria. Local fishermen use dugout canoes to navigate narrow channels through the papyrus. The shoebill stork — a 1.2 metre tall prehistoric-looking bird with a massive shoe-shaped bill — hunts for lungfish in the shallow edges of these channels. Sighting rates at Mabamba exceed 95% on guided canoe tours. Alongside the shoebill you will typically see sitatunga antelope, African jacana, malachite kingfisher, papyrus gonolek, blue-breasted bee-eater and many more wetland species.
Booking
This tour operates daily year-round. The shoebill is most active early morning so we recommend an early departure (5:30am from Entebbe). Contact us via WhatsApp on +256726995187 or email [email protected] to book your shoebill day tour.