This 17-day Uganda gorilla safari offers a genuine African wilderness adventure. Your Uganda tour will take you to remote areas, including Kidepo Valley National Park. Expect extensive game drives to spot some of the Big Five: African lion, elephant, buffalo, and leopard. Enjoy boat trips to observe abundant birdlife and animals, primates trekking, gorilla tracking, cultural walks, forest explorations, excellent bird watching, mountain hikes, and photography opportunities. This Uganda wildlife safari begins and ends at Entebbe Airport.
Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe Airport
Your driver guide will greet you warmly upon arrival and transfer you to Kampala Holiday Express Hotel, Grand Imperial, or Kampala Forest Cottages. If you arrive early, you can tour Kampala, visiting Kasubi Tombs, Bahai Temple, and Nakasero Fruits market to interact with friendly locals. All meals at the hotel.
Day 2: Kampala – Jinja Source of River Nile
After breakfast, drive east to Jinja, located on Lake Victoria’s shores and the Nile’s source. Activities include white water rafting on the Nile, quad biking, boat trips, mountain biking, and horseback riding. Lunch and visit Bujagali Falls, rapids on the Nile a few kilometers from the source. Dinner and overnight at The Haven / Jinja Nile Resort.
Day 3: Jinja – Mt. Elgon National Park
Breakfast, then continue to Mbale via Tirinyi Road. Proceed to Mt. Elgon National Park and trek through Sipi Falls, featuring four spectacular falls along the Sipi River. The area offers panoramic views of Karamoja valley. Bring packed lunch from the hotel. Experience daily life in a typical African village. Dinner and overnight at Sipi Lacam Lodge or Sipi falls rest camp, overlooking the picturesque Sipi falls.
Day 4: Mt. Elgon – Kidepo Valley National Park
Early breakfast, then head north with packed lunch via Kitgum to Kidepo Valley National Park, one of Africa’s most unspoiled wild places. This long journey takes you through Karamoja’s dirt roads. Dinner and overnight at Apoka Safari Lodge or UWA Bandas.
Day 5: Full day game drive – Kidepo Valley Park
Start early with tea/coffee before a photographic game drive along the park’s trails. Explore the Narus valley region and look for localized carnivores like bat-eared fox, striped hyena, aardwolf, caracal, and cheetah. Other carnivores include lion, leopard, spotted hyena, black-backed and side-striped jackals. Less common ungulates include greater and lesser kudu, Chandlers Mountain reedbuck, klipspringer, and Guenther’s dikdik. Larger ungulates include elephant, Burchell’s zebra, bush pig, warthog, Rothschild’s giraffe, Cape buffalo, eland, bushbuck, bush duiker, Defassa waterbuck, Bohor reedbuck, Jackson’s hartebeest, and Oribi. Over 465 bird species can be seen. All meals at the Lodge.
Day 6: Connect to Murchison Falls National Park
After breakfast, drive to Murchison Falls National Park (7-8 hours), arriving for lunch. As Uganda’s largest park, it boasts numerous animals, birds, and beautiful savannah and forest landscapes. Relax in the evening before dinner and overnight at Paraa Safari Lodge / Sambiya River Lodge.
Day 7: Full Day in Murchison Falls National Park
Begin with tea or coffee, then enjoy a 3-4 hour morning game drive exploring the Nile’s northern bank savannah. Look for buffalo herds, elephants, lions, giraffes, waterbucks, Oribis, bushbucks, spotted hyenas, and leopards. Return for late breakfast and relax before lunch.
After lunch, take a boat safari along the Nile to the base of Murchison Falls. Expect to see many hippos, large Nile crocodiles, and buffalos on the shores. Return for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 8: Murchison Falls – Albertine Rift Valley – Kibale Forest
Breakfast, then drive 6-8 hours through Lake Albert and the Rift Valley escarpment, enjoying panoramic views en route to Fort Portal, the capital of Tooro kingdom near the Rwenzori Mountains. Relax in the evening at Ndali lodge/Primates lodge before dinner and overnight.
Day 9: Primates tracking and Bird watching
Meet at Kanyanchu tourist center for a chimpanzee tracking briefing. You may see other primates like black and white colobus, vervet, and red-tailed monkeys, plus over 350 bird species, including the rare shoebill.
After lunch, take a nature walk to Bigodi ecotourism project near Kibale forest. Visit a typical homestead, meet storytellers and local healers, and learn about Batoro and Bakiga traditional culture.
Return for dinner and overnight at Ndali lodge / Primates lodge.
Day 10: Depart for Queen Elizabeth National Park
After breakfast, drive 2-3 hours to Queen Elizabeth National Park, viewing game en route. Look for early risers and predators returning to hideouts. Lunch at Mweya Safari Lodge.
Take an afternoon boat cruise from Mweya peninsula along Kazinga channel, known for its high hippo concentration, large Nile crocodiles, buffalos, elephants, and about 611 bird species. The boat offers excellent photography opportunities. Relax before dinner and overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge / Simba Safari Camp.
Day 11: Wildlife Exploration in Queen Elizabeth
Start with coffee, then go for a game drive in Queen Elizabeth’s northern section towards Lake George and Kasenyi village. Look for lions, elephant herds, buffaloes, spotted hyenas, waterbucks, Ugandan kobs, and elusive leopards.
In the afternoon, explore the park’s southern Ishasha sector. Spot tree-climbing lions resting on fig trees during hot hours. Also expect buffalo herds, elephants, topi antelopes, and more. Return for dinner and overnight.
Day 12: Chambura Gorge – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
After breakfast, drive to Kyambura/Chambura gorge for wild chimpanzee tracking. Look for other primates like vervets, colobus, red-tailed monkeys, giant forest hogs, galagos, mangabeys, and many bird species. Later, proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, home to half the world’s remaining endangered mountain gorillas. Arrive by evening for dinner and overnight at Gorilla Resort / Buhoma Community Bandas.
Day 13: Day for Life-changing event; Gorilla Tracking
Early breakfast, then head to park headquarters with packed lunch for a briefing on gorilla etiquette. Tracking can take 2-9 hours depending on gorilla movements. Hike through steep, densely forested hills before finding gorillas camouflaged in vegetation. Spend 1 hour observing and photographing these giant apes.
In the evening, relax at the lodge or take a cultural walk to nearby Batwa communities to learn about their customs. Dinner and overnight at Gorilla Forest or Buhoma Homestead.
Day 14: Bwindi Forest – Lake Bunyonyi
After breakfast, transfer to Lake Bunyonyi, enjoying scenic views en route. Take a boat trip across Lake Bunyonyi for exceptional wildlife and birding. The lake’s forested green islands host various endemic bird species, which your guide will help identify. All meals at Arcadia Cottages.
Day 15: Lake Bunyonyi – Lake Mburo National Park
Breakfast, then drive through Kabale in the Kigezi region, known as ‘Africa’s Switzerland’ for its terraced cultivated hills. Visit the Bakiga cultural museum before heading to Lake Mburo National Park, Uganda’s smallest national park. Enjoy a game drive en route. Take an evening game drive before sunset to spot impalas, elands, topis, antelopes, buffaloes, and zebras.
Dinner and overnight at Arcadia Cottages / Rwonyo Camps.
Day 16: Boat ride on Lake Mburo – Kampala
After breakfast, take a morning boat trip on Lake Mburo, excellent for birding, including the rare shoebill. Also see hippos and large crocodiles. Later, drive to Kampala, stopping at the equator for photos. Arrive in the afternoon for dinner and overnight at your hotel.
Day 17: Departure
Relax at your hotel or visit Ngamba Island (Chimpanzee sanctuary) before transferring to the airport, depending on your flight schedule.
