Situated in the extreme southwestern corner of the country along the border with Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, this 33 km2 park, Uganda’s smallest but most scenic park, is home to 115 species of birds. There are a number of guided forest and mountain hikes to participate in that allow birders wonderful views of the rare and beautiful species residing here. Perhaps the best hike is along the Gorge Trail, which winds half-way up Mt. Sabinyo, where you’ll be exposed to all the various montane habitats within the park and their avian inhabitants over the course of 3-4 hours.
The key species that can be found here are:
- Handsome Francolin
- Dusky Turtle Dove
- Rwenzori Turaco
- Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo
- Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo
- White-starred Robin
- Equatorial Akalat
- Red-throated Alethe
- Archer’s Robin-Chat
- Kivu Ground Thrush
- Banded Prinia
- Grauer’s Warbler
- Chestnut-throated Apalis
- Collared Apalis
- Mountain Masked Apalis
- White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher
- Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher
- Rwenzori Batis
- Strip-breasted Tit
- Blue-headed Sunbird
- Regal Sunbird
- Mackinnon’s Fiscal
- Lagden’s Bush Shrike
- Doherty’s Bush-shrike
- Montane Oriole
- Strange Weaver
- Dusky Crimsonwing
- Shelley’s Crimsonwing, among others