This 18 days’ safari explores most of Uganda’s national parks and offers the ultimate experience of Uganda’s immense natural beauty and diversity.
You will Spot four of the big five in the savanna plains, get close to mountain gorillas in the thick rain-forest of Bwindi, observe plenty of primates from chimpanzees in Kibale Forest, enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Albertine Rift valley, the island dotted Lake-Bunyonyi, the warm weather, and cross the Equator.
Safari Details.
Day 1- Arrival and Pick Up.
You will arrive at Entebbe International Airport. Our driver shall welcome you and transfer you to your accommodation. You shall be briefed regarding the tour and answer all your questions
Day 2- Visit Mabira Forest and the source of River Nile.
After an early breakfast, the driver will you up and start off your adventure with eastern Uganda. You will drive through Kampala and head eastwards to Jinja. First branch off to the Sezibwa Falls, a Buganda cultural site, with beautiful waterfalls and a birding site. Spend an hour here hiking the rocks, watching birds, and learning about the myths of the falls and the ancient traditional worshiping that is still practiced here.
Thereafter visit Mabira Rainforest – the largest forest in Central Uganda. Head out for a 2-hour trek to the track the habituated Grey-cheeked Mangabeys, watch lots of birds, monkeys, squirrels, or do a Zip-lining. You will then drive to Jinja town, check in at your accommodation, have lunch and thereafter head out for an hour boat ride on Lake Victoria to the Source of the Nile.
Day 3- Sipi falls Tour.
After breakfast, check out and head to Sipi Falls in Kapchorwa District. The Sipi Falls are a series of three waterfalls situated in the foothills of Mountain Elgon. Check in at your lodging facility, refresh, and thereafter head out for a 3 – 4 hour trek up and down the foothills of Mountain Elgon, visiting each of the three waterfalls and enjoying spectacular views from up Mountain Elgon to the flat plains of Karamojong in the distance. Return to your lodge for lunch.
Later you will walk through the local communities and coffee farmlands and engage in making your coffee and learn how it is made- from a garden to the cup.
Day 4- Travel to Kidepo Valley National park.
After an early breakfast, embark on a long drive to the north of Uganda and get to Kidepo Valley National Park – True African Wilderness. You will have lunch en-route. Arrive to the park in the evening and check-in at your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 5- Full day wildlife viewing in Kidepo Valley NP.
Wake up for an early cup of tea/ breakfast and head out for the early game drive in the Narus Valley. The valley has the only permanent water source and most animals converge here. Kidepo Valley National Park is endowed with remarkable wilderness and lots of wildlife including lions, buffaloes (the park has got the largest population of buffaloes in a single herd), elephants, giraffes, zebras, hyenas, cheetahs, ostriches, jackals, dik-dik, gazelles.
Return to the lodge for sumptuous lunch before heading out again into the wilderness for more adventure in the valley and visit to the hot springs. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 6- Visit the Karamojong communities and transfer to Murchison falls NP.
This day you will wake up early in the morning, have breakfast and head to one of the Manyattas- Karamojong home stead and have an encounter with these herdsmen and performance of the Endoga dance. Later transfer to Murchison falls national park. Arrive in the evening and check in at your lodge for overnight stay.
Day 7- Game drive and Boat cruise.
Wake up for an early cup of tea/coffee and head out for the game drive by 6.30. Murchison Falls offers a variety of wildlife including lions, hyenas, giraffes, hippos, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, oribi, waterbucks, bushbucks, and lots of savanna birds. After this wildlife experience, return to the lodge for your delicious lunch.
Later set out for the cruise on the Nile to the base of Murchison Falls – the world’s strongest waterfalls. The cruise offers a lot of wildlife sightings along the Nile include hippos, crocodiles, buffaloes, hippos, and so many water birds.
The launch cruise is 3 hours, you will be dropped at the bottom of the falls with a ranger guide, from here you will take a 20 minutes’ hike to the top of Murchison falls. Your guide will pick you and drive you back to the lodge.
Day 8- Travel to Kibale Forest National park.
After breakfast, check out and drive to Kibale Forest National Park, driving along the scenic Albertine rift valley escarpment and the countryside. You shall have enroute and proceed to Fort Portal town. Arrive in the late afternoon, check into your accommodation, and spend the rest of the day and overnight.
Day 9- Chimpanzee tracking and Bigodi Wetland walk
Wake up to an early breakfast at 6.30am, thereafter transfer to the visitor center for briefing. After briefing, the ranger takes the lead and you head into Kibale Forest to look for the chimpanzees and view lots of the other wildlife including primates, birds, and butterflies. When you return to the chimpanzees, you are allowed only an hour to view them and follow them around. Return to the lodge for lunch.
Later head out for walk in the Bigodi Wetland, rich with primates, and birds among an array of wildlife. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 10- Visit Sempaya Hot springs in Semuliki NP.
After breakfast, check out and transfer to Semuliki National Park situated about two – hours’ drive from Kibale Forest. Drive along the winding roads and upon arrival, walk to the iconic Sempaya Hot Springs – both male and female. Transfer to your accommodation for lunch or enjoy your packed lunch on the way.
Later set out for a game drive in the Tooro- Semuliki game reserve for some wildlife sighting which include Uganda Kob, reedbuck, savanna elephant, duiker, waterbuck, warthog, giant forest hog, and birds. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 11-Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National park and Evening game drive.
After breakfast check out of the lodge and travel to Queen Elizabeth National Park. You will stopover in Fort Portal town to have lunch. Proceed to and get to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
As you drive through the park to get to your accommodation, you will be treated to the scenic landscape dotted with beautiful crater lakes, lush grasslands, and occasional big game as you drive to your lodge
Day 12- Morning game drive and Boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel.
Wake up have breakfast and head out for early morning game
drive at 6.30am. The park is wonderful with lots of big game and a very
beautiful scenery. Expect to see lions, elephants, topis, kobs, buffaloes,
hyenas, and leopards in the Kasenyi Plains
Return to the lodge for breakfast and lunch. Later set out for the afternoon
boat ride on the Kazinga Channel – a natural stream of water joining Lakes,
Edward and George. The channel is home to a variety of wildlife and attracts
big game to drink water and cool off the heat.
Enjoy sightings of hippos, buffaloes, elephants, crocodiles,
monitor lizards, and so many birds.
Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 13- Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National park.
After an early breakfast, check out, drive through the Ishasha area of Queen Elizabeth National Park for a chance of sighting the Tree-Climbing Lions as well as a number of big game. Lunch en-route and proceed to southwestern Uganda for about 62km from Ishasha sector to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – home of the Mountain Gorillas for an ultimate gorilla tracking experience. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Day 14- Gorilla tracking and Batwa community visit
Wake up to an early breakfast, carry packed lunch, and transfer to the park offices at 7.30am for briefing by the rangers. You are assigned the habituated gorilla group you shall track and by 8.00am set off into Bwindi Forest to find the gorillas.
You spend an hour with the gorillas, return to find your driver, and refresh, later visit the Batwa community in the evening. The Batwa are one of the oldest tribes in the country and used to live in the forest. You get insight about their culture and how they used to live in the forest, performances and later return to the lodge.
Day 15- Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
Transfer to lake Bunyonyi and Spend the day enjoying the soothing atmosphere of Lake Bunyonyi and magnificent highland scenery all around. Take a canoe ride on Lake Bunyonyi and explore its islands, return to the lodge for lunch. Hike the highlands and visit local communities. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Day 16- Transfer to Lake Mburo National park.
After breakfast, leave Lake Bunyonyi and begin your journey
to Lake Mburo National Park. Upon arrival in Lake Mburo, drive through the park
as you go to you facility and view a
number of wildlife including zebras, impalas, buffaloes, elands, waterbucks,
birds.
Check in at your accommodation, refresh, and have lunch. Later set out for a
relaxing evening boat ride on the Lake Mburo and also view some wildlife
including hippos and several birds. Return to the lodge for dinner and
overnight.
Day 17- Morning nature walk or cycling and transfer to Kampala.
Wake up for an early morning nature walk into the park for a chance to encounter wildlife at close distance. You will be led by an armed ranger or alternatively, you could opt for a horse ride for this experience or do a bicycle safari. Return to the lodge, check out and travel back to Kampala. You will have lunch en-route. You also get to make a stopover at the Equator point for some picture moments.
Day 18- Kampala City tour and departure.
Wake up in the morning, embark on a Kampala city tour and visit the East African craft village and after lunch, drive to Entebbe International airport for your exit flight.
