When is the best time to Visit Mabamba Swamp? The morning hours from as early as 7:00 am is the best time to visit this shoebill Sanctuary. Realm Africa Safaris™ operates daily shoebill tracking trips to Mabamba Swamp from Entebbe for as low as $45 per person.
Mabamba Swamp located on the mighty Lake Victoria is popular for shoebill tracking tours. Besides, the shoebill stork, there are quite a number of other birds that inhabit this swamp, these include the blue swallow, pallid harrier, papyrus gonolek, swamp flycatcher, pigmy goose, lesser jacana, white-winged warbler, Viollet’s weaver, grosbeak weaver, black-headed weaver, northern brown-throated weaver, Clarke’s weaver, palm-nut vulture and Carruther’s cisticola among others. The swamp is approximately 45 minutes by boat from the Nakiwogo Landing site In Entebbe.
Since the swamp is close to the Entebbe international airport, it is a perfect starting point for all those booked on a safari in Uganda.
When is the best time of the year to visit Mabamba Swamp?
The best time of the year to visit Mabamba Swamp is during the drier season months of December to February and June to August.
Uganda generally has two wet seasons and two dry seasons, with dry seasons being from December to February and June to August, while wet seasons are from March to May and September to November. March to May is wetter and warmer, while December to February is hotter and drier and it can sometimes get as hot as 96.8°F. Learn more about the Climate of Uganda.
When is the best time of the day to visit Mabamba Swamp?
The best time of the day to visit the Mabamba Swamp in search of the elusive shoebill stork is in the morning hours. We recommend planning to leave Port Alice (Nakiwogo landing Site) at 7:00 a.m.
Afternoon trips to Mabamba can also be rewarding however, the temperatures might be warmer with the sun overhead thus making it less enjoyable. If you choose to go in the afternoon, we recommend wearing/bringing a cap/hat, and sun cream for extra protection.
What to Pack for your Shoebill Tracking trip to Mabamba Swamp
- Long-sleeved shirt & trousers: It does get chilly especially in the morning so some extra clothing might help you feel warmer on your 45 minutes journey to the Swamp.
- Repellent: This is to keep any bugs and or insects away.
- Sunscreen: This comes in handy especially on your 45-minute return trip from the Swamp when the sun is out.
- A hat: This will help protect you from direct sun.
- A rain jacket: The weather can be very unpredictable so we recommend bringing a rain jacket for when it starts to rain.
- A camera (including all accessories especially batteries and extra SD cards):
- A pair of binoculars.
- A guidebook: We recommend bringing a personal bird guidebook our favorite being the Birds of East Africa by Terry Stevenson.
- A waterproof Day pack to carry all your belongings.
- Sunglasses.
- Water & snacks. (**Included on all Realm Africa Safaris™ Trips)
