This 12 days Uganda safari tour takes you to the primates and wildlife national park in Uganda including, Murchison falls national park in the northwest, Queen Elizabeth national park and Kibale national park in the western part to the far south-western part of Uganda to Bwindi impenetrable national park, Jinja and Kibale national park.
Safari highlight
Day 1: Birding excursion at Mabamba wetland and transfer to Lake Mburo national park – walking safari – evening game drive
Day 2: Early morning game drive and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable national park (6 hours’ drive)
Day 3: Gorilla trekking experience
Day 4: Golden monkey tracking – Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park – Ishasha sector
Day 5: Ishasha game drive – afternoon boat cruise along the Kazinga channel
Day 6: Lion tracking (Optional)/Morning game drive and transfer to Kibale national park
Day 7: Chimpanzee Trekking – Bigodi Swamp
Day 8: Transfer to Murchison falls national park – top of the falls hike
Day 9: Morning Game drive and launch cruise
Day 10: Ziwa rhino tracking – transfer to Jinja
Day 11: Full day Jinja excursion – boat trip on Lake Victoria
Day 12: Transfer to Entebbe – Departure
Detailed Safari
Day 0: Arrival at Entebbe airport – own hotel booking
Day 1: Birding excursion at Mabamba wetland and transfer to Lake Mburo national park – walking safari – evening game drive
Meet your safari driver to start your trip as early as 7 am to transfer to Mabamba wetland for the shoebill stork and the grey crowned crane. Mabamba swamp is located around the shores of Lake Victoria and is one of the best birding sites in Uganda that offers visitors an excellent birding experience and an encounter with different bird species. This site is the best place in Uganda with higher chances to encounter the rare shoebill stork. Your local guide will meet you and take a canoe ride at Mabamba where you will get closer to different bird species that reside here.
Thereafter, embark on your journey to Lake Mburo national park en-route stop at the Equator and en-route lunch. Arrive in the afternoon, check-in at your lodge for relaxation before you go for a walking safari, this is similar to a game drive except that you will be viewing wildlife on foot, encounter animals like the Zebras, impalas, giraffes to mention a few, while returning to the lodge, enjoy an evening game drive. Dinner and overnight stay at Eagles Nest lodge for budget/ Arcadia Cottages for mid-range/ Mihingo Lodge for luxury
Day 2: Early morning game drive and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable national park (6 hours’ drive)
On the 2nd day of your 12 days Uganda safari tour, Early morning after breakfast, head out for a game drive in search for the early risers on a good day you may spot the lions and the leopards. Other animals to find include; Giraffes, Zebras, Impalas, waterbucks, Buffaloes, warthogs, just to mention a few.
Thereafter, embark on your journey to Bwindi Impenetrable national park. It’s a 5-6 hours’ drive with en-route lunch. Upon arrival at the park, check in lodge for relaxation. Dinner and overnight stay at Rushaga Haven Lodge for budget/Ichumbi Gorilla lodge for mid-range/Four Gorilla lodge for luxury
Day 3: Gorilla trekking experience
Have breakfast and transfer you to park offices for briefing about Mountain Gorilla trekking by a local guide. The time taken is usually between 2-8 hours depending on the movement of the gorillas. Meeting the gorillas unexpectedly is one of the most captivating lifetime experiences. You will have a chance to observe and take pictures at very close range. You will observe adults feeding and groaning among themselves. After an hour with the long-awaited gorillas, your guide and rangers will lead you back to the starting point where your driver will readily be waiting to transfer you back to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above
Day 4: Golden monkey tracking – Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park – Ishasha sector
After breakfast, set off as early as 5 am to Mgahinga national park with your trekking gears for Golden monkey tracking. Gather at the park head offices with other tourists for briefing about the Golden monkeys before you enter the forest, hiking through the trial that leads to where the Golden monkeys could be. On a lucky day you may encounter the gorillas again, different birds and forest animals. Trekking may take 2-5 hours depending on their location. On meeting them, you will spend an hour in their presence before you return to meet your guide.
Have en-route lunch then proceed to Queen Elizabeth national park, which is a 5 hours’ drive to Ishasha sector. Upon arrival, check-in at your lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at Enjojo Game lodge for budget/Ishasha Jungle Lodge for mid-range/Ishasha Wilderness Camp for luxury
Day 5: Ishasha gane drive – afternoon boat cruise along the Kazinga channel
On the 5th day of your 12 days Uganda safari tour, After breakfast, connect for a morning game drive in the Ishasha sector for chances of seeing the tree climbing lions and the rare lions. While on the game drive, expect to see other animals like the antelopes. After the game drive, connect to the northern part of the park, check-in at your lodge, have lunch and later afternoon, you will go for a launch cruise along Kazinga channel where you will get an opportunity to see a number of bird species, elephants and buffalos, hippos and crocodiles at the lake shores. Drive to check-in your lodge, dinner and overnight stay at The Bush Lodge for budget/Buffalo Lodge for mid-range/Elephant Plains Lodge for luxury
Day 6: Lion tracking (Optional)/Morning game drive and transfer to Kibale national park
You will wake up early and head out for an optional lion tracking experience with a morning game drive to catch up with the early risers in the Kasenyi sector – a known mating ground for kobs and a hunting ground for lions. While on the game drive, expect to see some of the big four game including lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, also different species of antelopes, warthogs and white Colobus monkeys just to mention a few.
After the game drive, transfer to Kibale national park with en-route Crater Lake tours exploring the crater lakes. Proceed to your booked lodge for check-in, dinner and overnight stay at Isunga lodge for budget/Chimpanzee Forest Lodge for mid-range/Chimpundu Lodge for luxury
Day 7: Chimpanzee Trekking – Bigodi Swamp
Wake up early and drive to Kibale Forest to the briefing point before you head in the forest in search of the exuberant chimpanzees groups in the Kibale forest. Tracking chimpanzees in their natural habitat as they swing from the branches in the canopy high above the forest floor, is a thrilling experience. Though they can be difficult to spot, you will be in no doubt of their presence as the forest is alive with their noisy calls. Spend an hour in their presence. After trekking, go for a swamp walk in Bigodi swamp – one of the richest swamps with birds and primates like Baboons, redtailed monkey, Black and white monkey among others. Diner and overnight at lodge as above
Day 8: Transfer to Murchison falls national park – top of the falls hike
On the 8th day of your 12 days Uganda safari tour, After breakfast, check-out of the lodge and transfer to Murchison falls national park. It’s a 6-7 hours’ drive with en-route lunch. Entebbe the park via the Kichumbanyobo gate from Masindi town, connect to the top of the Murchison falls, explore the falls before you proceed to check-in at your lodge to rest. Dinner and overnight stay at Pakuba Safari lodge for mid-range/Parkside Safari Lodge for budget/Paraa Safari Lodge for super mid-range
Day 9: Morning Game drive and launch cruise
Early morning breakfast and then go for a morning game drive where you may spot various animal species like lions, leopards, hyena, elephants, giraffes, Uganda kobs among others. Return and have lunch.
Later afternoon, you set off for a launch cruise at the bottom of the Murchison Falls along River Nile, enjoy streaming views of hippo and serried ranges of crocodile along the sandbanks, as well as large numbers of different species getting down to drink & bathe. Return to your lodge with en-route game viewing. Dinner and overnight at lodge as the above
Day 10: Ziwa rhino tracking – transfer to Jinja
On the 10th day of your 12 days Uganda safari tour, After breakfast, transfer to Ziwa rhino sanctuary for your on-foot rhino tracking experience. You will receive a briefing and then track rhinos for about 1-2 hours’ drive. Embark on your journey back to Jinja with en-route lunch in Kampala. Upon arrival at afternoon, check-in at your booked hotel for relaxation, dinner and overnight, stay at Wildwater Lodge
Day 11: Full day Jinja excursion – boat trip on Lake Victoria
After breakfast, spend your morning at leisure relaxing at the lodge. Later afternoon, connect to visit the source of the Nile and a boat cruise on Lake Victoria. Dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above
Day 12: Transfer to Entebbe – Departure
After breakfast, do a Jinja excursion tour visiting some of the places like the Itanda falls, Railway Museum and other places as advised by the driver. Thereafter, embark on your drive back to Entebbe through the beautiful countryside with ne-route lunch. Upon arrival in Entebbe, you will either be dropped off at Entebbe international airport for your onward flight back home, marking the end of your safari.
