Day 1: Arrival in Uganda
Your Uganda safari begins as you land at Entebbe International Airport, where your guide will greet you. If time allows, you might enjoy an optional tour of Entebbe town.
Entebbe, one of Uganda’s oldest settlements, boasts historic structures and monuments alongside appealing spots like the beach, fish market, reptiles village, and botanical gardens. Should your schedule permit, you can explore these attractions before retiring to your lodge for your initial night in Uganda.
Accommodation: Papyrus Guest House
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 2: Drive to Kidepo Valley National Park
Your Uganda tour continues with a lengthy drive northward to Kidepo Valley National Park.
Kidepo, Uganda’s most secluded wildlife reserve, sits in the country’s northeast, sharing borders with Kenya and South Sudan. This park is home to over 77 mammal species and more than 450 bird species.Kidepo is considered one of Africa’s premier wilderness areas, featuring a scenic savannah vista that stretches beyond the official boundaries, reaching towards far-off mountain silhouettes.This day involves traversing Uganda’s rural landscape, arriving at your lodging in the late evening. You’ll make several stops for refreshments and lunch during the journey.
Accommodation: Zebra Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: All Day Wildlife Game Drive & Visit The Hot Springs
Following breakfast, you’ll set off on a comprehensive full-day game drive in Kidepo Valley National Park. Equipped with a packed lunch and accompanied by a ranger guide, you’ll begin your quest to spot Kidepo’s fauna and avian life.
Your park ranger will assist in locating lions that might be perched on the valley’s rock formations. Other wildlife you may observe includes elephants, leopards, bush duiker, jackals, bushbuck, bush pigs, ostriches, buffalo, and numerous other species in the untamed Narus Valley.
The game drive will cover expansive plains extending beyond Kanangorok Hot Springs towards the mountains at the Sudanese border. This area is known for frequent ostrich sightings. At the hot springs, you’ll have a chance for a short walk, observation, and photography.
Accommodation: Zebra Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Morning Nature Walk, Afternoon Community Visit
Today’s Uganda safari activities include exploring the park on foot with an armed ranger, followed by a visit to a nearby community. Kidepo Valley National Park offers various nature walks to suit different fitness levels and preferences. Brief guided walks lasting about two hours are available through the Narus Valley, covering a 5-kilometre radius from Apoka Tourism Centre. For those seeking a longer hike, the trek to Lomej Mountains takes four hours and begins at 7 am. Visitors can also stroll along the beautiful Kidepo River Valley, flanked by attractive Borassus palm forests. Namamkweny Valley is accessible within an hour from Apoka.
In the afternoon, you’ll visit a Karamojong community. This excursion allows you to discover the distinct culture of this remote tribe through the Lorukul Cultural Group, situated just outside the park. The Karamojong primarily sustain themselves through livestock herding. You’ll learn about the social and cultural significance of this practice as you tour traditional Karamojong manyattas (homesteads), granaries (food storage), and cattle enclosures with local guides. Observe how villagers craft their unique beads, sample regional dishes, and delve into tribal folklore and beliefs.
Accommodation: Zebra Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Drive to Murchison Falls NP
Your day begins with an early breakfast before departing Kidepo for Murchison Falls National Park. The route takes you through Kitgum and Gulu, with a quick stop at Aruu Falls and a lunch break in Gulu town.
You’ll reach Murchison Falls in time for an evening visit to the falls’ summit during the golden hour. Here, you’ll witness the Nile’s waters forcing their way through a narrow 7-metre gap, creating the powerful falls you’ll feel beneath your feet. After taking in the falls and capturing some photos, you’ll head to your lodge to unwind and spend the night.
Accommodation: Pakuba Safari Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6: Morning Game drive, Afternoon Boat cruise to the falls
Your day kicks off with an early breakfast, followed by a morning game drive to observe wildlife. Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda’s largest, hosts 76 mammal and 451 bird species.
Common sightings include elephants, Cape buffalo, Rothschild’s giraffe, Uganda kob, hartebeest, and waterbuck. You might also spot Oribi, bushbuck, Bohor Reedbuck, bush duiker, warthog, and bush pig. Large predators in the area include lions, leopards, and spotted hyenas. Post-lunch, you’ll enjoy a boat safari upstream on the serene Victoria Nile. Along the way, observe formidable hippos and crocodiles. This 17 km stretch may also offer views of elephants, waterbuck, and Uganda Kob near the Nile.
The area is rich in birdlife, including species like the Goliath heron, Egyptian goose, pelican bee-eater, kingfisher, hornbill, cormorant, and the elusive shoebill stork. The boat will pause near the base of the falls, where the water churns and bubbles dramatically. On the return journey, the current will halve your travel time. Your guide will be waiting to escort you back to the lodge.
Accommodation: Pakuba Safari Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7: Drive to Kibale National Park
After breakfast, you’ll leave Murchison Falls and head south to Fort Portal Town. This five-hour drive will take you through verdant countryside, farmlands, and small settlements. You’ll arrive in Fort Portal for lunch, then continue for 30 minutes to your accommodation near Kibale National Park.
Accommodation: Kibale Tourist Safari Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8: Chimp tracking in Kibale, Biking around the kibale craters
Post-breakfast, you’ll attend a chimp tracking briefing by park officials before setting out to find chimpanzees in the forest. An expert ranger leads the tracking, offering comprehensive information about the chimps, other primates, and the forest ecosystem, ensuring an educational and enjoyable walk. Upon locating the chimpanzees, you’ll spend about an hour observing them before returning to your starting point. The entire experience typically lasts 3 to 4 hours, depending on the group’s pace and the chimps’ movements. In the afternoon, you’ll embark on a cycling adventure through the crater region. This area boasts over 30 crater lakes, providing excellent photography opportunities as you visit several of them.
Accommodation: Kibale Tourist Safari Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9: Drive to Queen Elizabeth NP, Evening gamedrive
In the morning, you’ll depart Kibale for a two-hour drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Upon arrival at Queen Elizabeth, you’ll have time for a brief game drive in the park and lunch. The evening features a comprehensive safari game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park. During this excursion, you’ll have numerous opportunities to spot elephants, antelopes, hippos, buffalos, lions, hyenas, and other wildlife.
Accommodation: Buffalo Safari Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 10: Morning Game drive, Afternoon boatride on Kazinga channel
Your day begins early with a game drive in the park. This Uganda safari activity allows you to explore Queen Elizabeth National Park’s varied ecosystems. The park’s grassy plains, tropical forests, rivers, swamps, lakes, and volcanic craters support a rich diversity of wildlife, all waiting for your discovery.
The game drive offers excellent chances to observe lions, elephants, buffaloes, water bucks, hippos, leopards, and various antelope species. Later, you’ll enjoy a 2-hour boat cruise on Kazinga channel, extending into Lake Edward. This journey takes you through one of the densest hippo populations, with numerous animals visible drinking at the water’s edge. The Kazinga channel cruise provides an ideal vantage point for photography, bird watching, and wildlife observation.
Accommodation: Buffalo Safari Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 11: Drive to Ishasha, game drive for tree climbing lions
We’ll start early, heading south to the Ishasha Sector of Queen Elizabeth NP, renowned for its tree-climbing lions. Ishasha’s woodland and savannah terrain is perfect for wildlife viewing. You may spot elephants, buffaloes, hippos, antelopes, leopards, and the unique tree-climbing lions. Most of the day will be devoted to game drives in Ishasha, concluding with an evening sundowner at a prime location within the park.
Accommodation: Enjojo Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 12: Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable NP
Today, you’ll journey from Ishasha to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The drive from the warm rift valley floor to the high-altitude Kigezi highlands is noteworthy. As you navigate steep, cultivated hills on winding roads, you’ll understand why Kigezi is often called the “Switzerland of Africa”. Bwindi’s climate is considerably cooler, even chilly. Upon arrival, you’ll check into your lodging. You can relax at the lodge or take a casual stroll to nearby communities to meet and interact with locals.
Rest well tonight in preparation for tomorrow’s gorilla tracking adventure.
Accommodation: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 13: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable
After an early breakfast, you’ll transfer to the park offices for a gorilla trekking briefing. Following this, you’ll be assigned a gorilla family and an experienced ranger guide to lead your gorilla tracking expedition. The rangers, with their extensive knowledge of the forest, will guide your hike to the gorillas. Your trek will take you through dense, wild rainforest, over steep slopes and basic trails. The duration can range from 2-8 hours, depending on the gorillas’ location.
Throughout your gorilla trek, rangers will share abundant information about the gorillas and their habitat. Feel free to ask questions; they’re happy to answer. Upon reaching the gorillas, you’ll have an hour to observe them as they play, eat, groom, and go about their day. This is your chance to ask more questions, take photos, and savor the peaceful moments among these majestic creatures.
After your time with the gorillas, you’ll hike back to receive your gorilla trekking certificate. The remainder of the day is yours to refresh and unwind at the lodge.
Accommodation: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 14:Drive to Lake Mburo NP, Evening Game drive
Following an early breakfast, you’ll leave Bwindi for Lake Mburo National Park.
You’ll stop in Mbarara for lunch before a 40-minute drive to the park. As you enter, you’ll be greeted by various grazing animals, particularly Uganda kobs and zebras, which are abundant in the park. In the evening, we’ll embark on a game drive to observe more of the park’s fauna, including buffaloes, hippos, zebras, elands, giraffes, and other antelope species. You’ll also spot numerous bird species, contributing to the park’s 250+ species count.
Accommodation: Kigarama Wilderness Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 15: Morning Nature walk, Return to Entebbe for Departure
On your final day, you’ll start early with a guided nature walk, accompanied by an armed ranger. Take in the sights and sounds of nature, with opportunities to see various animals and potentially close-up views of zebras and giraffes. After returning to the lodge for breakfast, you’ll transfer to Entebbe for your flight. En route to Entebbe, you’ll have time to stop for photos at the equator.
Accommodation: None – Last day
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, –