Safari Overview

The 10-day Best of Uganda safari will capture the highlights of Uganda combining primate experiences, wild safaris, breathtaking scenery, and cultural interactions designed for visitors who want a mix of adventure, relaxation, and exploration. The safari will give you a chance to see the big five; lions, rhinos, elephants, buffaloes, and leopards and other animals like hippos, crocodiles, waterbucks, bushbucks, giant forest hogs; primates like mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, vervet monkeys, olive baboons, mangabey, black and white colobus monkeys; birds like African green broadbill, great blue turaco, green-breasted pitta, fox's weaver, Rwenzori turaco, African finfoot, standard-winged nightjar, papyrus gonolek, Abyssinian ground hornbill, secretary bird, white-winged tern, grey-crowned crane, African skimmer, red-throated bee-eater, Shelley's Crimsonwing, black-breasted barbet, bar-tailed trogon, Doherty's bushshrike, saddle-billed stork, African fish eagle, regal sunbird, Rwenzori batis, elgon francolin, and handsome spurfowl; the beautiful scenery with the impenetrable forest, world's most powerful falls, lakes, crater lakes and the vegetation. The trip will start in Kampala and end in Kampala.

Detailed safari.

Day 1: Mabamba Swamp experience

Upon arrival at your agreed point, you will be met by a driver guide who will brief you on how you will move for the next 10 days, after which you will head to Mabamba Swamp, a Ramsar site located on the shores of Lake Victoria and renowned for its population of the elusive shoebill stork. While at Mabamba you will take a boat ride through the swamp, guided by an expert local guide who can help you spot a wide range of species, including the iconic shoebill. Expect to see birds like grey-crowned crane, lesser jacana, papyrus gonolek, orange weaver, black egret, black crake, goliath heron, warblers, little grebe, pigeons, turacos, cuckoos, nightjars, African finfoot, great snipe together with the elusive shoebill and many more which will take 2-3hours.

Once done, head back to Entebbe town for lunch, then to your booked hotel to relax, have dinner, campfire at night, or enjoy what makes Kampala a sleepless city or retire at will.

Day 2: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park

Wake up early, check out of your lodging, have breakfast, and exit Kampala for Murchison Falls National Park at 7:30 am through Luwero with an en-route to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to track some black and white Rhinos with a guide which takes about 2-3hours depending on their location.

Then have lunch, exit the sanctuary and continue to Murchison Falls National Park where you will spend the night. You will check into a lodge in time for dinner, rest, and reset for the next day.

Day 3: Morning game drive and boat cruise

Start the day with an early breakfast and then be driven into the by the guide to enjoy a game drive where you expect to see animals like leopards, hyenas, elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, hippos, kobs, bushbucks, oribis, grey duikers, and many more with birds like grey-crowned crane, giant kingfisher, giant heron, shoebill, African fish eagle, open-billed stork, black-bellied bustard, Abyssinian ground hornbill, and many more.

After the game drive you will head back to your hotel for lunch and relaxation before the boat cruise. With lunch out of the way, you will head out onto the Nile to enjoy the afternoon boat cruise to the bottom of the falls which takes about 2-3hours to see water animals like crocodiles, waterbucks, hippos, warthogs, and bird species like the rare shoebill stork, hornbills, flycatchers, herons and kingfishers with a guide to answer any questions you might have.

After the cruise, you will take a short to the top of the Falls, where you will experience the pressure of the falls, the rainbow, and the perfect spot for pictures. When done you will head back to the hotel in time for dinner after which you will retire for the night.

Day 4: Transfer to Kibale Forest

After breakfast, check out of your lodging, exit Murchison Falls National Park and head to Kibale Forest National Park, the drive will take 5-6 hours with a stopover in Fort-Portal for a hot lunch. The drive offers a mix of natural beauty, cultural encounters, and rural charm.

On arrival at Kibale Forest National Park, you will check in to your lodge and rest before you can have dinner. Once dinner is done, you will rest for the night in preparation for the next day.

Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi cultural walk

An early breakfast is scheduled after which you head to the Kanyachu Visitors Center at 7:30 am for a briefing before your trek, during this briefing the rules will be given on how to handle the trek in general then a park guide will be allocated to you. The trek goes on for about 30minutes-4hours. Once the chimps are found, you will be given an hour with them in their habitat. Other primates like baboons and monkeys plus different bird species will be seen during the trek.

Lunch will be served after the trek at the lodge, thereafter you will get ready for the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary for a walk, accompanied by a local guide you will learn more about the different cultures, local medicines, and traditional life. Storytelling will be done by the community people, plus the history and issues being faced by the developing community will also be looked at.

While at the sanctuary you will see birds and primates even chimpanzees which might be rare while on the hike and this will take about 3 hours. Return to the hotel in time for dinner after which you will take leave and rest for the night at will.

Day 6: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park

Once breakfast is done, you will check out of your lodging, and exit from Kibale Forest for Queen Elizabeth which will take about 2-3 hours. As you leave Kibale Forest, you'll pass rolling hills covered in bright green tea plantations and as you approach the park, the landscape transitions into open savannah plains with scattered acacia trees with a chance to spot some wildlife, such as elephants or antelope, near the park boundary. Once at your lodging, you will check in and rest; lunch will be served then you will head out for a boat cruise at the Kazinga channel.

The cruise will take 2-3hours with a guide to avail answers to any questions you might have during the boat cruise; during the cruise, you will see water animals like the hippopotamus, buffaloes, elephants, water bucks, crocodiles, and bird species including the African skimmer, African fish eagle, yellow-billed stork, raptors, kingfishers, black-headed gonolek, bee-eaters and more. Head back to the hotel in time for dinner and after dinner, you can enjoy the evening by the fire as you relive the experiences of the days and retire at will.

Day 7: Morning game drive and Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable

Have breakfast and then head out for the morning drive through Queen Elizabeth with a guide and expect to see 4 of the big five: elephants, buffaloes, lions, bush backs, kobs, leopards, hyenas, antelopes, giant forest hogs giraffes, colobus monkeys as well as several bird species like warblers, papyrus gonolek, kingfishers, honey guide, ross's turaco and more, then return to your lodging, prepare to check out as you wait for lunch.

With lunch out of the way, exit Queen Elizabeth for Bwindi impenetrable which will take 4-5hours during which time you will enjoy the country's beautiful natural and cultural diversity. You will get to Bwindi in time for dinner, check into your lodging, and rest for the night.

Day 8: Gorilla trekking and Batwa cultural tour

Rise up early, have breakfast, and head to the briefing spot by 7:30 am where you shall be given the guidelines and safety precautions to be followed by a guide to ensure a smooth trek before you head into the forest to experience it. Depending on the targeted Gorilla families given to you to trek, the trekking will take between 30minutes-6hours, it's during this time that you shall get to see the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat, how they live, care for each other, care for their young, how and when they eat, all this will be done with a guide and armed ranger on route with you.

During the trek, you will be given water and a snack for when you need it. When done with the trekking, you will go back to your lodge and freshen up, have lunch, and then visit the Batwa people for a community cultural experience. With the help of a local guide, you will be involved in different community activities like music, dance and drama, crafting, and honey harvesting. Storytelling will also be key as a way to learn the Batwa people's history and what makes them an interesting group of people. You will then return to the hotel, have dinner, and retire for the night.

Day 9: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi

Wake up in time for breakfast and checkout, after which you will exit the park for Lake Bunyonyi which will take about 3-4 hours. During this time you will enjoy the green scenic views and also have some picture moments as beautiful views must be captured for memories. You will get to your lodge at Lake Bunyonyi in time for lunch, after which you will check and rest before you set out for some canoeing and relaxation by the lake.

Head out for canoeing on Lake Bunyonyi with 29 islands to be visited, you will not miss out on the most popular island which is ‘Punishment Island' and also get to see some birds like the grey shrikes, kingfishers, herons, sunbirds, raptors, bee-eaters, widow birds, and weavers and after you will relax by the lake and enjoy the sunset and this is breathtaking for a view. You will return to the lodge in time for dinner, after which you can relax and retire at will.

Day 10: Checkout and departure

Wake up to a beautiful breakfast, and then check out of the lodge and prepare for your departure for Kampala which will take about 9 hours. Have a stopover in Mbarara for lunch and at the equator, for stretching, picture-taking moments, and exploring the craft village after which you will continue to Kampala and will be dropped off at the agreed-upon point which will mark the end of your 10 days best of Uganda safari.