13-day Uganda safari takes you across some of the country’s best-known landscapes, from the rhino sanctuary and open savannah of the north to the forests and mountains of the southwest. Along the way, you’ll have the chance to track rhinos, watch wildlife on game drives, take a boat safari on the Nile, search for chimpanzees in Kibale Forest, and spend time with a habituated mountain gorilla family in Bwindi. The journey starts in Entebbe and heads north to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and Murchison Falls National Park before turning south through Kibale Forest, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Lake Bunyonyi and Lake Mburo. There is plenty to look for along the way, including elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, lions, leopards and antelopes, with chimpanzee tracking and gorilla trekking adding some of the most memorable moments of the trip. It is a good choice if this is your first safari in Uganda and you want to see more than just one side of the country. The days move between game drives, boat safaris, forest trekking and wetland walks, with time around Lake Bunyonyi and Lake Mburo to slow down and enjoy the scenery before the journey comes to an end.
Safari Highlights
- 13-day private Uganda wildlife and primate safari
- Rhino tracking at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
- Visit to the top of Murchison Falls
- Morning wildlife drive in Murchison Falls National Park
- Nile boat safari towards the base of Murchison Falls
- Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park
- Guided Bigodi Wetland walk
- Crater lake scenery around the Kibale and Queen Elizabeth region
- Queen Elizabeth National Park morning game drive
- Kazinga Channel boat safari
- Wildlife drive through the Ishasha sector
- Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
- One hour with a habituated mountain gorilla family once located
- Lake Bunyonyi canoe experience and highland scenery
- Lake Mburo boat safari
- Lake Mburo game drive for zebras, impalas, elands and other wildlife
- Equator stop on the return journey
- Private 4×4 safari vehicle with an English-speaking driver-guide
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1, Arrival at Entebbe International Airport
Arrive at Entebbe International Airport, where your driver-guide will meet you and take you to your hotel in Entebbe. After your flight, the rest of the day is yours to relax and settle in. You can exchange money, rest at the hotel, or spend some time around Entebbe if you arrive early. Your guide will also go through the safari with you, confirm the departure time for the following morning, and make sure you are ready for the journey ahead. There is no need to pack the first day with activities. It is a chance to rest after the flight and start the safari feeling refreshed.
Overnight
Entebbe
Day 2, Ziwa Rhino Tracking and Transfer to Murchison Falls
Leave Entebbe early in the morning and drive north to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, about 3 to 3.5 hours away. This gives you time to arrive for the morning rhino tracking experience, when the cooler conditions make walking more comfortable. At Ziwa, head out with your guide to track the sanctuary’s rhinos on foot. This is a chance to get close to these powerful animals while learning how they live and move through the sanctuary. After the tracking experience, have lunch before continuing to Murchison Falls National Park. The drive from Ziwa to the southern entrance of Murchison Falls National Park takes roughly 3 to 4 hours, depending on the route and road conditions. Once inside the park, continue to the top of Murchison Falls. Here, the Victoria Nile squeezes through a narrow rocky gorge before plunging into the river below, creating one of the most powerful sights in the park. After visiting the falls, continue to your accommodation for dinner and an overnight stay.
Overnight: Paraa Safari Lodge
Day 3, Murchison Falls Game Drive and Nile Boat Safari
Start the morning with an early game drive across the savannah north of the Nile. This is a good time to look for Rothschild’s giraffes, elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, hartebeests, oribis and warthogs as they move through the plains. Lions are also among the animals you can look out for, while leopard and hyena sightings depend on where they are moving that day. Return to the lodge for lunch and some time to relax before heading back to the river for an afternoon boat safari. Cruise along the Nile towards the base of Murchison Falls, where hippos and Nile crocodiles are a regular part of the river scene. Elephants, buffaloes and other animals often come down to the water to drink, while kingfishers, African fish eagles, herons and other waterbirds can be seen along the banks. The closer you get to the falls, the more dramatic the river becomes, with wildlife gathering along the shoreline. After the boat safari, return to the lodge in the evening and settle in for the night.
Day 4, Transfer from Murchison Falls to Kibale Forest
After breakfast, leave Murchison Falls and start the drive south towards Kibale Forest. This is a long transfer day, with the journey taking around 7 to 8 hours, depending on your exact lodge, road conditions, and stops along the way. The drive takes you through Hoima and Fort Portal, with the scenery changing as you move from the northern savannah towards the greener landscapes of western Uganda. Have lunch along the way and continue towards Kibale, arriving in the late afternoon or early evening. Once you reach the Kibale area, check in and settle in for the evening ahead of your chimpanzee trekking experience the following day.
Overnight: Chimpanzee Forest Lodge
Day 5, Chimpanzee Trekking and Bigodi Wetland Walk
Start the morning with an early breakfast before heading to the chimpanzee trekking briefing point in Kibale National Park. Once the briefing is done, enter the forest with your ranger guide and begin looking for a habituated chimpanzee community. The time spent searching depends on where the chimpanzees have moved that morning, but once you find them, you can spend up to one hour watching them. Keep your ears open for their calls as you move through the forest. You may see them moving through the canopy or coming down to the forest floor, while monkeys, forest birds and other small forest life add to the walk along the way. Return to the lodge for lunch and some time to relax. In the afternoon, head to Bigodi Wetland for a guided walk through the wetland and surrounding woodland. This is a gentler way to spend the afternoon, with good opportunities to see monkeys, colourful birds and butterflies as you walk through the community area. The walk also gives you a chance to see how the communities around Kibale have built tourism and conservation into everyday life. Return to the lodge in the evening and relax after a full day in the forest.
Chimpanzee Tracking
Day 6, Crater Lakes and Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Enjoy a relaxed breakfast before heading out to see some of the crater lakes around Fort Portal and Kibale. The morning gives you time to take in the rolling volcanic hills, crater lakes, farmland and countryside before leaving the area. After the visit, continue by road to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The drive takes about 2 to 3 hours, depending on your exact starting point and lodge in the park. Arrive in the Queen Elizabeth area in the afternoon and continue to your lodge. Once you enter the park, keep your eyes open, as you may already begin seeing wildlife along the way. Settle in for the evening and get a good night’s rest ahead of an early start the following morning.
Overnight: Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge
Day 7, Queen Elizabeth Game Drive and Kazinga Channel Boat Safari
Start the morning early with a game drive across the Kasenyi Plains while the temperatures are still cool and wildlife is active. Keep your eyes open for lions, elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, warthogs and other animals moving through the savannah. Leopards are also found in the area, although seeing one is always a matter of luck. Return to the lodge for lunch and some time to relax before heading out again in the afternoon. Later, take a boat safari along the Kazinga Channel, one of the highlights of a visit to Queen Elizabeth National Park. From the water, you get a different view of the park, with hippos gathering along the channel and elephants and buffalo coming down to drink. Keep watching the shoreline as you cruise, as the channel is also a great place to see a wide variety of waterbirds. After the boat safari, return to the lodge for dinner and a relaxed evening.
Kazinga Channel cruise
Day 8, Ishasha Wildlife Drive and Transfer to Bwindi
After breakfast, leave the northern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park and drive south through the Ishasha sector. Allow around 2 to 3 hours for the drive, depending on where you are staying and the condition of the park roads. Ishasha is famous for its tree-climbing lions, so keep an eye on the large fig trees as you drive through the sector. You may also come across buffaloes, elephants, topi, Uganda kobs and other wildlife along the way. Take your time with the drive, as the wildlife sightings are part of the journey to Bwindi. Stop for lunch before leaving Ishasha and continue south towards the forested hills of southwestern Uganda. The drive from Ishasha to the Bwindi area generally takes around 2 to 4 hours, depending on which Bwindi sector you are heading to and the location of your lodge. Your accommodation should be booked in the same Bwindi sector as your confirmed gorilla trekking permit. The main sectors are Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo. Staying close to the correct sector makes the following morning much easier, particularly because gorilla trekking starts early. Arrive at your lodge in the late afternoon or evening, check in, have dinner and get an early rest ahead of tomorrow’s gorilla trek.
Overnight: in the sector assigned to your gorilla permit.
Day 9, Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Start the day with an early breakfast, collect your packed lunch and head to the park briefing point. Here, your ranger guides will take you through what to expect in the forest, how to move safely along the trails and how to behave when you come face to face with the gorillas. From the briefing point, you set off into Bwindi in search of your assigned gorilla family. The trek can take anywhere from 2 to 7 hours, depending on where the gorillas have moved and how difficult the terrain is. The forest can be steep, muddy and humid, so good hiking shoes, rain protection, drinking water and a small daypack will make the walk much easier. Once you find the family, you settle in and spend one hour with them. This is the part of the safari you have been waiting for. You might find the silverback resting nearby while females feed and the younger gorillas climb through the vegetation, play with one another or stay close to the group. When your time with the gorillas comes to an end, you begin the walk back through the forest. Return to the lodge for a well-earned rest after a full day in Bwindi.
Bwindi gorilla trekking in Uganda
Day 10, Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi and Canoe Experience
After breakfast, leave Bwindi and drive towards Lake Bunyonyi. The journey takes about 1.5 to 3 hours, depending on your starting point in Bwindi and road conditions. After the early mornings and physical effort of gorilla trekking, this is a good day to slow the pace. The road takes you through the hills of southwestern Uganda before opening up to the beautiful waters of Lake Bunyonyi, surrounded by steep, cultivated hills and scattered islands. Check in at Arcadia Lodges Lake Bunyonyi, then take some time to settle in and enjoy the views over the lake. In the afternoon, head out on a canoe or boat trip across Lake Bunyonyi. Your local guide can take you between some of the islands while sharing stories about the communities around the lake, local farming and life along the water. Return to the lodge later in the afternoon and enjoy a quiet evening overlooking the lake.
Overnight
Arcadia Lodges Lake Bunyonyi
Day 11, Lake Bunyonyi to Lake Mburo National Park
Enjoy breakfast overlooking Lake Bunyonyi before setting off for Lake Mburo National Park. The drive takes around 4 to 5 hours, depending on the road conditions and stops along the way. As you leave the steep hills around Lake Bunyonyi, the landscape gradually opens up into rolling countryside, cattle country and savannah. Arrive at Lake Mburo around lunchtime or early afternoon and settle in at your lodge. After some time to relax, head out for a boat safari on Lake Mburo. Keep an eye out for hippos in the water, Nile crocodiles along the shoreline, African Fish Eagles, kingfishers and other waterbirds. The boat gives you a different view of the park and its wildlife before you return to the lodge before dark.
Overnight: Rwakobo Rock
Day 12, Lake Mburo Game Drive and Guided Walking Safari
Start the morning with an early game drive through Lake Mburo National Park, moving through its open grasslands and acacia woodland as the park comes alive. Zebras and impalas are some of the animals you’ll have a good chance of seeing, along with giraffes, elands, buffaloes, topi, waterbucks and warthogs. The open plains make for enjoyable game viewing, with plenty to look out for as you move between the different areas of the park. Return to the lodge for lunch and some time to relax. In the afternoon, head out with a ranger for a guided walking safari. On foot, the pace is slower and you have time to look closely at animal tracks, feeding signs, birds and the vegetation around you. It is a completely different way to enjoy Lake Mburo after spending the morning in a safari vehicle. Return to the lodge for your final evening in the park.
Day 13, Morning Game Drive, Equator and Return to Entebbe
Begin the day with one final early game drive through Lake Mburo National Park. It is your last chance to enjoy the park’s plains wildlife before leaving for Entebbe. Return to the lodge for breakfast, check out, and begin the drive towards Kampala and Entebbe. The journey from Lake Mburo to Entebbe takes roughly 4 to 5 hours by road, depending on traffic and the exact location of your lodge. Along the way, stop at the Uganda Equator for photographs, refreshments and some time to browse the locally made crafts before continuing towards Entebbe. Arrive in Entebbe later in the day for drop-off at your hotel or Entebbe International Airport. If you are flying home the same evening, choose a late evening international flight. The drive from Lake Mburo is several hours, and traffic around Kampala and Entebbe can add to the journey time, so it is worth leaving a comfortable margin between your arrival and flight departure.
Inclusions and Exclusions
Included
- Airport pickup and final Entebbe drop-off
- Private 4×4 safari vehicle and fuel
- English-speaking driver-guide throughout the safari
- 12 nights accommodation
- Meals as stated in the confirmed itinerary
- Park entrance
- Kibale chimpanzee trekking permit
- Bwindi gorilla trekking permit at the confirmed current rate
- Bottled drinking water during road transfers and game drives
Excluded
- International flights
- Uganda visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Accommodation before or after the confirmed safari dates
- Alcoholic and premium drinks
- Porter fees during gorilla trekking
- Tips for driver guides, ranger guides, porters and lodge staff
- Laundry and other personal expenses
- Souvenirs and personal shopping
- Optional activities not listed in the confirmed itinerary
- Any government permit or park fee increases introduced after quotation
