13 Days Uganda highlights safari.
Visit the very best sites of Uganda the Pearl of Africa to watch the Big Five and also see Gorillas in their Natural habitats. The best safari option for two weeks.
Day1- Arrive at Entebbe International Airport- Pick up and drop off at Hotel in Kampala – Cassia Lodge BB.
Day 2-Travel to Murchison falls Np , Visit the Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary Have lunch and the top of the falls- Red Chilli camp BLD
Day 3- Game Watching safari drive Have lunch – Indulge in an afternoon Boat ride along the River Nile Red Chilli Camp BLD
Day 4- Chimpanzee tracking in Budongo forest –Kaniyo Pabidi and transfer to Hoima- Village walk – Hoima Kontik Hotel BLD
Day 5 – to Fort portal-Visit the Tooro Palace and Amabere Ga Nyina Mwiru- Have lunch Visit the crater lakes BLD
Day 6- Chimpanzee tracking and Nature walk in Bigodi BLD
Day 7- Transfer to Queen Elizabeth Np- Visit the Crater lakes and Katwe salt mines BLD
Day 8- Wildlife watching safari in Queen Elizabeth have lunch, Boat ride along the Kazinga Channel BLD
Day 9 – Game watching tour in Ishasha sector Transfer to Bwindi Np – Buhoma Bandas- Evening community walk BLD
Day 10 Optional Gorilla Tracking at an extra cost( must be booked in at the time of booking the tour with an extra US$ 600 together with the booking feed BLD 9 April, May and Nov -gorilla permit costs USD 600)
Day 11- Transfer to Kabale – Village walk – Take an evening canoe Ride – Dinner and over night at Arcadia cottages
Day 12- Transfer to Lake Mburo Np- nature walk to the salt lick area. Evening game drive
Day 13- Morning canoe ride and then transfer to Kampala – then to Entebbe for your flight back home
Day1- Arrive at Entebbe International Airport- Pick up and drop off at Hotel. BB.
A representative from AA SAFARIS & TOURS LTD will pick you up from the airport, brief you about the tour and transfer you to your hotel in either Kampala or Entebbe. You will be briefed about the package after which you will be left to rest as you enjoy and rehearse for your Uganda and Rwanda gorilla safari.
Dinner and overnight at
Luxury accommodation: Sheraton Hotel and Serena Hotel/ Imperial Botanical Beach hotel In Entebbe
Mid range accommodation: Grand Imperial Hotel/ Cassia Lodge / The Boma Guest house
Budget accommodation: Holiday Express hotel/ Central Inn Hotel .
N.B – Remember to ask for an early morning call because the next day requires an early morning start .
Day 2-Travel to Murchison falls Np , Visit the Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary Have lunch and the top of the falls- BLD
Take your early morning breakfast . Your guide from AA SAFARIS & TOURS LTD will meet you at your hotel and transfer you to Murchison Falls National Park. The drive will take you via Kawempe or Kasubi through the Luwero or Hoima road to Masindi. Take a stopover at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for Rhino Tracking . After have lunch and then proceed to the top of the Murchison falls – a beautiful view for those who love taking pictures! View how the longest river Nile explodes through a narrow ravine from a 100 meter gorge to a 35 meters wide gorge.
Murchison falls National Park is one of Uganda’s Largest National game parks and the only one where the River Nile – Longest river in Africa runs . It was launched under the British Colonial rule in 1952 and was renamed by the Late Idi Amin Dada {ruling president of Uganda between 1970-1979 } as Kabalega National park . He named it so because he never wanted it to have its colonial name “Murchison falls ” for since he had taken power, he was insecure that any place with a colonial name would be re taken by colonialists so he renamed it Kabalega Falls. It was safe to visit until in the 1990s when Kony rebels attacked the northern Part of Uganda . However , since their seizure of fire, Murchison falls Np has for the last 8 years been safe to visit and it is one of the commonly visited places amongst Uganda’s wildlife national parks only second to Bwindi Impenetrable national park .
The park is a home to over 76 kinds of mammals and commonly seen are Girraffes, Elephants , Buffaloes, Warthogs, spotted Hyenas, leopards, side stripped Jackals, a pride of Lions if the savannah grass is not very high among others. Above 450 Bird species have been recorded in Murchison falls that include water bird, raptors and the legendary shoebill stork. While Reptiles include,snakes which are usually see in bird beaks when they fly, huge Nile Crocodiles and savannah Monitors. Murchison falls Np is also home to primates and monkeys that can be found in Budongo forest . These include;Chimpanzees, Bush babies, l’hoest Monkeys, Black and White Colobus Monkeys, red tailed monkeys among others.
You will later transfer to your lodge for dinner and over night at ;
Budget – Red Chilli
Standard – Sambiya River lodge or Budongo Eco lodge
Luxury – Paraa Safari Lodge or Nile Safari Camp
Day 3- Game Watching safari drive Have lunch – Indulge in an afternoon Boat ride along the River Nile BLD
Arise early , prepare your selves and drink a warm cup of coffee or tea in order to warm your body up for the morning game watching safari in search for the early riser. You will search for buffaloes, elephants, Rothschild giraffes, Kobs, water-bucks, oribi, lions, hyena, a leopard if lucky and the birds. Returns to the lodge relax until lunch time. After lunch, head for a Boat ride along Victoria Nile to the bottom of the falls. The Boat ride along the River Nile takes three hours. The Murchison Falls are an astounding flaunt of the supremacy of scenery. Expect to see the Nile crocodiles, hippos, bird species and buffaloes, elephants drinking along the Nile. Return to the lodge of dinner and overnight.
Day 4- Chimpanzee tracking in Budongo Forest –Kaniyo Pabidi and transfer to Hoima- Village walk BLD
After breakfast,head to Kaniyo Pabidi for briefing about chimpanzee tracking in Budongo forest.you will walk under mature old tree species and you will be able to view a number of bird species like puvel’s illadopsis, the chocolates-backed Kingfisher, the white-thigh horn bill, the chocolates-backed Kingfisher which cannot be found anywhere else in East Africa. Have breakfast and transfer to Hoima.Dinner and overnight at
Budget Hoima Kolping Hotel
Standard- Hoima Kontik Hotel / African Village Hotel
Day 5: Transfer to Fort Portal and a city tour
Have breakfast and head to Fort Portal. Go for a city tour and visit the Amabere Ganyinamwiru which is a limestone place full of stalagmites and stalactites. These are traditionally known as the breasts of Nyinamwiru the mother of the first king of Bachwezi. Visit also the crater lakes in the area. Dinner and overnight at
Budget -Primates Lodge cottages/ Rwenzori View Guest house
Moderate – Nyinabilitwa Country resort
Luxury – Kyaninga Lodge / Primates Lodge Tents / Ndali lodge/ Mountains of the moon Lodge
Day 6- Chimpanzee tracking and Nature walk in Bigodi
After breakfast, head to Kibale National park headquarters for briefing about chimpanzee tracking and then slope into the forest and start looking for the chimpanzees. While looking for the chimpanzees, you will be able to view other primates like the black and white colobus monkeys, L’hoest.View how the chimpanzees jump from one tree to another and how they pick fruits from trees. Return to the lodge for lunch and in the afternoon go for a swamp walk and view the different primates and bird species. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Day 7: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Have breakfast and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park famous for a number of wildlife like the hippos, buffaloes, elephants, kobs and a number of bird species. Visit the crater lakes like Lake Katwe famous for salt and continue for lunch. Have lunch at the lodge then head to the Kazinga channel for the boat cruise that may give you the opportunity to see Crocodiles, Hippos, water birds and land mammal at the waters edge. Dinner and Overnight at
Budget – Simba safari lodge / Bush Lodge
Moderate – Ihamba Lodge / Hippo Hill camp
Luxury -Mweya safari Lodge / Katara Lodge
Day 8: Game drive and launch cruise
Early morning, after breakfast, go for a game drive and view the early raisers like the lions, water bucks,warthogs,buffaloes,Hippos and birds mostly those that are found mainly in the Albertine rift valley. The park boasts one of the highest bio diversity ratings of any game park in the world, from the open Savannah to Rain forest, dense swamps. Return to the lodge and have breakfast. In the afternoon, go for a launch cruise on Kazinga channel and view a number of water birds, elephants, buffaloes drinking from the shores of the lake. Dinner and overnight
Day 9: Transfer to Bwindi Np
Early in the morning after breakfast, transfer to Bwindi National Park famous for the rare mountain gorillas. The park has 8 habituated groups which visitors are allowed to visit and one for scientists and researchers. Pass through the Ishasha sector which is found in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park famous for the tree climbing lions. Dinner and overnight at your lodge depending on the gorilla group to be tracked.
Budget accommodation package- Buhoma Community bandas or Bwindi View bandas or Nkuringo campsite tents or Virunga Hotel or Nkuringo safari centre
Moderate- accommodation package- Lake Kitandara camp or Nkuringo camp site or Wagtail Eco lodge or similar
Upmarket accommodation package- Engagi lodge or Buhoma lodge or Gorilla Resort camp or Traveler’s rest camp or Silver back lodge
Luxury accommodation package- Gorilla Forest Camp or Clouds Lodge or Gahinga Volcanoes Lodge , or Volcanoes Bwindi safari Lodge
Day 10 : Gorilla Trekking or Village walk to the Batwa area.
After breakfast and with packed lunch, go for briefing by park ranger guides about gorilla tracking at the park headquarters. Hike into the forest and start looking for the gorillas starting from where they were last seen the previous day. When you come across them, spend one hour with the gorillas and see how they feed, play with each other. Gorilla trekking can take 8 hours depending on the kind of weather and where the gorillas are. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Day 11- Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi Kabale
Lake Bunyonyi is not only the deepest Lake in Uganda but the most beautiful I should admit. One is simply mesmerized by its striking supernatural beauty as it snakes along Uganda’s scenery by rings of terraced farms only to realize foliage enunciating this awesome lake as a gorgeous outskirt. Lake Bunyonyi which gets its name Bunyonyi from a local word which means “place of bird” is a bracing place of solace , comfort, reflection name it. It was named Bunyonyi because it is a home to so many bird species . It is no doubt a good idea to stay here after your days of Uganda gorilla safari in Bwindi Impenetrable Np . Enjoying the beauty
Day 12- Transfer to lake Mburo Np
Take your breakfast on time and head to Lake Mburo National Park. This park is a famous home to a large population of Zebras and impalas. The park also has a number of Uganda kobs, impalas, bush-bucks, dickers and antelopes. Have lunch and then in the afternoon , you will indulge in a nature walk to the salt lick lake area and view a number of wildlife licking salt from the lake. Then in the evening , you will indulge in a canoe ride .Dinner and overnight at Rwonyo bandas.
Day 13- Game and bird watching safari in Lake Mburo Np and then transfer to Kampala.
Having enjoyed Uganda safari highlights , pack your things so well and head to the wilderness for an early morning game viewing safari in Lake Mburo National park . You will search for the early risers in lake Mburo national park . Lake Mburo national park is the perfect national park for bird watchers . In this small Savannah wildlife safari national park , your bird searching safari dreams will be fulfilled . Its landscape is beautiful and it includes; lakes, Savannah , wetlands, Acacia tree all favoring the perfect home for bird species. Lake Mburo Np is a home to over 313 different types of birds which include; the Shoe bill stork ,see the White -Winged Warbler, the Nubian Woodpecker, the Coqui Francolin,find the Black- billed barbet,Black Bellied Bustard and Flappet larks, spot the Brown parrot, search for the crested Francolin, common Quails, the Barefaced Go-away bird, the Greenwood Hoopoe, the Barefaced Go-away bird, the Nubian Woodpecker, the African-grey Horn-bill,Trilling Cisticola, the Lilac-breasted Roller, Black Bellied Bustard, the Red necked spur fowl,African-Wattled Plover Rufous napped, Southern Red Bishop, Rufous chested Swallow and Yellow-throat Long claw to mention but a few. End of Safari with AA Safaris and Tours Ltd
