Overview

Explore Uganda's natural wonders as you take part in this 21-day Uganda safari beginning by visiting the Entebbe Botanical Gardens through the lush green vegetation to the savannah areas of the country. The safari is a highlight of gorillas, chimpanzees, Golden monkeys, and wildlife adventures in the savannahs accompanied by adventurous activities in Jinja.

Kampala city tour will create memories as you visit some of the notable attractions like the national museum full of history, Nakasero market, King's palace, and more. Visiting Lake Bunyonyi the second deepest lake in Africa gives a chance to explore the 29 islands hence unveiling its beauty. Therefore, this safari covers culture, wildlife, and scenic views.

Detailed Itinerary

Day1. Arrival at Entebbe International Airport and Botanical Gardens tour

The driver guide will be at the airport waiting to receive you and on landing, he will take you through a briefing about this amazing safari. Immediately get all that you will need for your safari like batteries or a charger in case you forgot one at home and then the safari will begin by visiting the Botanical Gardens of Entebbe which will depend on the arrival time.

The botanical gardens are located just 5 kilometers from the airport and offer a wide range of attractions beginning with different ecosystems, primates, birds, and other small insects. After, head to the hotel booked for your first night.

Day2. Head to Jinja Adventure City (enroute visit Sezibwa Falls and Mabira forest)

Have an early morning breakfast with a cool breeze from Lake Victoria and then head to Jinja in Eastern Uganda known as the only East African adventure city. While on the way, have several stopovers including one of Sezibwa Falls in Mukono district.

This is a significant area mainly for Baganda culture known to be a source of blessings. Another stopover will be in the Mabira forest for a nature walk to enjoy primates like the Varvet monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, and more. Proceed to Jinja where you will arrive in the evening to start preparing for your dinner.

Day3. Adventure activities

Take part in different activities depending on your choice such as white water rafting, bungee jumping, quad biking, horseback riding, and then not missing the source of river Nile through a boat cruise. This day will be full of fun and more memories will be created with local guides.

Day4. Drive to Sipi Falls and hike

Take a scenic drive to Sipi Falls after breakfast at your hotel and then upon arrival, immediately begin the hike of this amazing feature in eastern Uganda. The hike is through Arabic coffee gardens as you learn about coffee growing and later on, through the three different falls which will create memories from both historical and geographical perspectives about the formation of these falls.

The hike will last for about 4 to 5 hours as you will enjoy your packed lunch on this trail. Return to the lodge booked with optional traditional performances.

Day5. Return to Kampala and drive to Lake Mburo National Park

Have breakfast and embark on a journey to Lake Mburo National Park through Kampala city. This journey is quite beautiful with a stopover at the Uganda equator in Kayabwe. Here, you can buy some souvenirs, take part in the experiment, buy some snacks, and be served with late lunch and after proceed with a journey.

Lake Mburo National Park is the smallest Savannah Park in the country but known for having unique animals such as the elands, zebras, and impalas which cannot be found elsewhere in other Uganda National Parks.

Day6. Nature walk and boat ride

Take a guided nature walk in the park after breakfast which will last for about 2 hours exploring animals like oribi, zebras, impalas, hyenas, hippos, reed backs, bush pigs, warthogs, and many more. One of the places that can't be missed is salt lick where most of the animals will gather to enjoy the salt rock.

After lunch, take a boat ride on Lake Mburo to watch hippos playing, crocodiles resting, and buffalos. Take a close look at different bird species such as fish eagles, hamerkop, kingfishers, Egrets, and more.

Day7. Head to Lake Bunyonyi enroute visit at Ankole-Kigezi museum

Have a leisurely breakfast and head to Lake Bunyonyi the second deepest lake in Africa dotted with 29 historical islands. While on the way, visit the Biharwe Eclipse and the Ankole-Kigezi museum to get an insight into what these two cultures have. Proceed and route lunch at one of the roadside restaurants which will create everlasting memories as you taste local dishes. Arrive and check-in at the booked resort beach.

Day8. Leisure day at Lake Bunyonyi

Have a leisurely breakfast and the local guide will be ready to take you to explore the different corners of this beautiful lake by taking part in different activities like a boat cruise to visit notable islands, zip lining, Hiking to one of the surrounding hills to have an aerial view of the lake and many more others.

Day9. Transfer to Mgahinga gorilla National park

Leave Lake Bunyonyi for Mgahinga Gorilla National Park for another adventure in style. The smallest national parks offer great experiences that are unique which are gorilla trekking, golden monkey trekking, and the Batwa cultural trail. The road trip is amazing as you enjoy the meandering road, terraced highland areas, and more. Arrive and check in to your lodge to prepare for the next day's activities.

Day10. Golden monkey trekking and visiting the Batwa cultural trail

Have breakfast and head to the park offices where you get an exercise of learning about the dos and don'ts such as the use of the flashlight camera is highly recommended, don't feed wild animals and more others. Trekking will begin with the guidance of the park ranger guide passing through the forest and this gives a chance to spot more of the monkeys, plants, and birds.

Meeting the golden monkeys in the bamboo trees is amazing as you watch them play, feed, search for food, and more while recording memorable experiences. After the trek, head back to the lodge to enjoy lunch followed by the Batwa cultural trail which is led by a Twa guide and park guide and this will take you into the forest to explore the ancient home of the Batwa people.

Visit some of the caves where they used to live, learn about their herbal medicine, their food (roots and leaves) learn about hunting techniques, and more. Head back to the lodge for your dinner and last night in this park.

Day11. Head to Bwindi national park and Batwa community tour

Have breakfast and head to Bwindi National Park renowned for homing a large population of mountain gorillas in the world. The park has 22 habituated gorilla families that are ready to be visited in the four sectors and these are Ruhija, Buhoma, Rushaga, and Nkuringo.

On arrival, have lunch and proceed to the Batwa community for a walk. The community exposes you to how these groups of people live outside the forest through traditional music and dances, storytelling, and selling their handmade crafts. Head back to the lodge for your dinner and night stay.

Day12. Gorilla trekking

Wake Up and Engage is an amazing adventure to trek the rare apes and at the same time the primates, and mountain gorillas in their natural environment. The experience begins with a briefing at the park offices where you will be assigned a park guide and escorts, hiring Porters, knowing the rules and regulations such as don't use flashlight cameras, keeping a distance from the gorillas, don't litter the park premises, and many more others.

The experience will begin with the help of the park ranger guide while spotting monkeys like the black and white colobus, vervets, red-tailed monkeys, and many more others. Meeting the gorillas will enable you to spend an hour in their presence capturing great memories. After the experience, head back to the lodge for lunch and leisure.

Day13. Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park, spend a night in the Ishasha sector

The driver guide will take you to Queen Elizabeth National Park a journey from south west to the western part of the country. This park is known for its diverse wildlife and endless plains of savannahs covered with acacia trees, lakes, and forests like Kyambura Gorge. You will spend your night in the Ishasha sector a region known to be home to the rare tree-climbing lions.

Day14. Game drive in Ishasha and afternoon boat cruise

Take a morning game drive in the Ishasha sector with the aim is searching for tree-climbing lions that are always found in tree branches aiming at hunting prey. This sector has different wild animals including Buffaloes, Topis, Uganda Kobs, and more.

After the 3 hours of a game drive, head to Mweya to enjoy lunch followed by a boat cruise on Kazinga channel where you expect tome wildlife such as buffalos, elephants, Uganda kobs, crocodiles, hippos, and birds like Egrets, pelicans, hammerkops, fish eagles, vultures and more. Head to the booked lodge for your dinner.

Day15. Morning game drive and head to Kibale National Park

Head for a morning game drive where you get a chance to spot more of the wildlife such as jackals, warthogs, spotted hyenas, lions, leopards, elephants, buffalos, and more which will last for 2 hours. After head to Kibale National Park home to 13 primates hence known as the primate capital of the world.

The journey goes through the twin lakes of Ndali Kasenda and these are Lake Nyinambuga and Lake Kifuruka. Arrive at the hotel and have a leisurely evening after lunch.

Day16. Chimpanzee tracking and crater lakes walk with Isunga Cultural Community Tours

Breakfast will be served followed by a short drive to Kanyanchu Visitors Centre where briefing takes place. This briefing will not be so different from that in Bwindi National Park for gorilla trekking only that here, the terrain is not steep. After, head into the forest and begin spotting plants, monkeys, and birds while enjoying the forest ambiance.

Meeting a community of chimps is rewarding as they practice their daily work of searching for food, feeding, and playing as they jump from one tree to another, and many more others. Spend an hour in their presence capturing memories as you learn about their behaviors.

After, head for a Crater Lakes walk with a local guide from Isunga Cultural Community Tours at the edge of Kibale National Park inclusive of the hike to the top of the world hill which stands at 1445m above sea level. The walk takes about 3 to 4 hours while passing through local markets, banana plantations, tea estates, gardens, local homesteads, and more. Return to the lodge for your dinner.

Day17. Optional activity in Kibale or Fort Portal

Take part in any optional activity in Kibale National Park or Fort Portal such as the Bigodi community tour, cycling in the crater, boda boda adventure to visit different agro-tourism plants, or take a tour in Fort Portal where you can visit the Amabere caves, Toro palace or the Tooro botanical gardens.

Day18. Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park

Head to the largest protected area in Uganda which is Murchison Falls National Park with its unique Vegetation and beautiful scenery of the Murchison Falls, the world's strongest waterfall located on the Nile River.

The park is divided into two by the river Nile making the southern part a rain forested area and the northern part covered with savannahs great for wildlife viewing. Have an en-route lunch and buy some fresh fruits such as passion fruits, pineapples sweet bananas, and others.

Day19. Exploring Murchison Falls National Park (game drive and afternoon boat cruise)

This day will be for exploring Murchison Falls National Park by taking part in the morning game drive, afternoon boat cruise, and a hike to the top of the falls. These experiences will introduce you to the beauty of the park as you discover different wild animals, birds, and stunning scenery. Among the animals are elephants, buffalos, baboons, duikers, waterbucks, warthogs hippos, crocodiles, and many more others.

Day20. Return to Kampala, enroute Rhino trekking

Head back to Kampala after breakfast and visit the Ziwa rhino sanctuary where you will trek the rhinos in the wild and this will take about 2 hours. While on the trek, spot bush bucks, duikers, and more of the birdlife. After proceed to Kampala and spend your last night at the booked hotel.

Day21. Short city visit in Kampala and Drop-off at Entebbe airport

Visit some of the notable attractions in Kampala such as the Uganda Museum, Kabaka's Palace Nakasero market, and more. Later on after lunch, head to the airport to board your flight back home and this will mark the end of the safari.