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Uganda is one of the best places in Africa to see the shoebill, a huge, prehistoric-looking stork of papyrus swamps. The most reliable sighting is at Mabamba Bay on Lake Victoria, about an hour from Entebbe, where local guides take you out by canoe. Shoebills are also seen on the Nile delta boat trip in Murchison Falls, on foot at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, and along the shores of Lake Albert. Here is where to go and how to improve your chances.
Mabamba Bay: the easiest shoebill trip
Mabamba Bay is a papyrus-fringed wetland on the edge of Lake Victoria, west of Entebbe. It is the classic shoebill outing because it fits easily into the first or last day of a safari. You drive about an hour to the landing site, then a local guide takes you through channels in the papyrus by wooden or motorised canoe, scanning for birds standing motionless at the water’s edge. Early morning is best, before the heat and the boat traffic. Sightings are frequent but not guaranteed, and the bay is also rich in other water birds.
Murchison Falls: the Nile delta
In Murchison Falls National Park, a morning boat trip downstream from Paraa to the delta where the Victoria Nile enters Lake Albert passes papyrus swamps that shoebills use. It is a longer outing than the upstream trip to the foot of the falls, but it combines shoebills with elephants, hippos and plenty of birdlife. See our guide to Nile boat safaris for which trip to book.
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and Lake Albert
On the road from Kampala to Murchison, Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is best known for white rhino tracking, but its swamps also hold shoebills, and guided walks into the wetland can be added to a rhino visit. Further west, the shores of Lake Albert, including the Semliki area, have shoebill habitat that is reached by boat with local guides. These sites see fewer visitors, so sightings are less predictable.
Other places with shoebills
Shoebills turn up in other papyrus wetlands too, including around Lake George in Queen Elizabeth National Park and occasionally in Lake Mburo, but sightings there are irregular and not worth planning a trip around. If a shoebill is a priority, build Mabamba Bay or the Murchison delta into your itinerary.
Tips for a good sighting
Go early in the morning, when birds are actively hunting and the light is soft. Shoebills stand still for long periods waiting for lungfish and catfish, so scan the edges of the papyrus slowly and let your guide’s eyes lead. Bring binoculars and a telephoto lens; boats keep a respectful distance. They are present year-round, and drier months can concentrate fish and birds in shallower water. Read our guides to birding in Uganda and the best birding destinations to plan a wider birding trip.
Frequently asked questions
Mabamba Bay near Entebbe, by canoe, is the most reliable and easiest site to reach.
Yes, on the morning boat trip to the Nile delta where the river meets Lake Albert.
Early morning, when the birds are hunting and the light is soft.
They are listed as Vulnerable, mainly because of wetland loss and disturbance.
