16 DAYS UGANDA SAFARI.

Overview.

The 16-day Uganda safari rewards you with the great experience of primate watching, scenic viewing, hiking, game viewing, cultural encounters, and much more through visiting seven national parks in Uganda.

Some of the activities to engage in are nature walks, game drives, boat cruises, and community visits. Cultures that you will encounter on this safari include the Batooro, Bakiga, Baganda, Bagishu, and Batwa and these will reward you with the best memories. The safari covers the big five animals as you visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, big mammals and big cats.

Detailed itinerary.

Day 1: Entebbe airport and transfer to Kampala at the hotel.

On arrival, you will be briefed about the safari by the tour guide and then transferred to a booked hotel in Kampala. Depending on your arrival time, take a visit to either Entebbe or Kampala to discover the attractions in these towns.

Day 2: Transfer from Kampala to Murchison Falls NP.

Depart to the biggest national park in the country which is Murchison Falls National Park after breakfast, home to 4 of the big five. The journey is rewarding as you traverse through the hills, forests, and local markets among others. You will have a stopover in Luwero at the roadside market to buy some fresh fruits like passion fruits, yellows, jack fruit, and pineapples among others.

Another stopover at Ziwa rhino sanctuary, get a chance to trek Rhinos in the wild. These rhinos were recently introduced in Uganda. After proceed to Murchison Falls National Park where you will spend a night.

Day 3: Morning game drive-launch cruise.

An early morning drive takes place in the northern sector which is the savannah and good for wildlife viewing. The drive takes you to the hippo pool where you will spot hippos at the Albert Nile. While on the game drive which takes about 3 hours, you will spot animals like elephants, buffalos, giraffes, warthogs, lions, leopards, and antelopes among others, and also tree species like the whistling acacia.

Take an afternoon boat cruise along the Victoria Nile where you will spot hippos, crocodiles, and elephants on the river banks. You have an option of hiking to the top of the falls and if you're lucky enough, spot the rainbow that is formed when water squeezes itself into the small tunnel. Return to the lodge for your dinner.

Day 4: Transfer to Kibale National Park.

Make a transfer to Kibale National Park after breakfast, this park is home to 13 species of primates including the rare chimpanzees. The journey rewards you with beautiful scenery, filled with natural forests, and tea and banana plantations.

On your arrival, you can take crater explorations in Kasenda-Ndali craters and explore the beauty of this region. Then check in the accommodation in or around Kibale National Park.

Day 5: Chimpanzee Trekking and Isunga Cultural Community

After morning breakfast, head to the park offices in Kanyanchu where you will receive the information concerning chimpanzee trekking and the forest at large. You will also go through the dos and don'ts while trekking the chimps to make the activity enjoyable.

Then penetrate the Kibale forest and start a search for them, have a chance to spot other primates and birds such as the white and black colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys, and the great blue turacos among others. The trek takes about 3 hours of adventure and an hour will be allocated to you after setting your eyes on them. Then trek back to the park offices for lunch and relaxation.

After lunch, enjoy the Batooro and Bakiga cultures in the Isunga cultural community, all in one spot. Get entertained and learn from their culture through traditional dances like ‘Ekizino' for Bakiga, ‘orunyenge' for Batooro, traditional meals among others, take community walks, and experience more. Visiting this community is worth a lifetime experience.

Day 6: Kibale National Park - Semuliki National Park and visit the hot springs.

Transfer to Semuliki National Park on the foothills of Rwenzori Mountain ranges after breakfast. The journey rewards you with a great view of Rift Valley escarpments, and many more. On arrival, you will be briefed about the park and then take nature walks to be able to visit the hot springs which have a traditional story behind its formation.

It is also known as the country's birding hub, composed of unique bird species, and good for butterfly-watching. The animals that can be spotted include red-tailed monkeys and black and white colobus monkeys among others.

Day 7: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park, with a route visit at Amabere Ga'Nyinamwiru caves.

Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park passing via Fort Portal Town after breakfast. You have a stopover at Amabere Ga'Nyinamwiru caves to explore the ancient Bacwezi culture. Visit the stalactites and stalagmites that over the years form a cave and these have a traditional story attached to them.

If time allows, you will take a hike to Kyeganywa Hill where you will have a view of Rwenzori ranges, Fort Portal City, and the three crater lakes - Kigere, biker,e, and Saaka.

Proceed after lunch and you will be welcome by running wild animals in the park such as antelopes, elephants, buffaloes, and warthogs.

Day 8: Game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Head to the game drive in the Kasenyi sector of the park where you will spot several animals such as elephants, buffaloes, warthogs, and Uganda kobs among others. The game drive takes 3 hours.

In the afternoon, you will head for a boat cruise on the Kazinga channel after lunch where you will spot hippos, crocodiles, and many other reptiles, birdlife, and mammals.

Day 9: Visit Katwe Salt Lake and transfer to Bwindi National Park.

Visit Lake Katwe and explore how salt is mined traditionally and then transfer to Bwindi National Park in southwestern Uganda. The park is well known for sheltering the world's biggest mountain gorilla population.

It is also a good hub for birders, with over 300 bird species including 23 Albertine Rift Valley birds. Check in the accommodation facility on your arrival as you prepare for another activity the following day.

Day 10: Gorilla trekking and Batwa experience

This adventure starts immediately after breakfast, followed by breakfast then head to the park headquarters for a briefing exercise. Here, you will be informed about what you need to follow while trekking these gorillas also is allocated to a group of 8 people to trek one gorilla family smoothly.

The park ranger guide will guide you through the forest as you search for these gentle giants, and on finding them, you will be granted an hour of creating memories.

After lunch, take a Batwa community experience and discover more about Uganda's cultures. The walk takes you to the local Batwa pygmies to learn and get entertained by their culture, music and dances, story tales, and traditional dishes. Return to the lodge late evening.

Day 11: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park via Lake Bunyonyi.

Make a transfer to Lake Mburo National Park via Lake Bunyonyi in Kabale to capture photos of a breathtaking viewpoint. Lake Bunyonyi is one of the great lakes in southwestern Uganda that offers an appealing sight. Then hit Mbarara – Kabale road and make another stopover at Igongo Cultural Center for lunch and a short visit to the Ankole - Kigezi museum.

Proceed to the smallest savannah national park in Uganda, filled with abundant wildlife. The park is home to the famous Lake Mburo which is perfect for sport fishing, boat cruises, and incredible reptile species like crocodiles and hippos. Be welcomed with antelopes grazing together with Ankole cattle as you enter the park. Check in the accommodation site for your dinner.

Day 12: Game drive, return to Kampala, and stopover at Uganda Equator.

Take a morning game drive and then traverse through the Ankole farms, stopover at the Uganda equator for photos, experiment,t and maybe purchase some handcrafts. Head to Kampala for a nightlife option and a night stay.

Day 13: Travel to Jinja and visit the source of the River Nile.

Take a road trip to Jinja where you will visit route attractions like the Sezibwa Falls, Mabira forest, and then the source of the River Nile in Jinja. This will reward you with experience and memories of culture, mostly the Baganda culture.

The journey rewards you with primate sightings like olive baboons, vervet monkeys,s and red-tailed monkeys, and tea and sugar plantations in the Buikwe district among others. A night will be spent in Jinja city.

Day 14: Travel to Mbale for the Sipi Falls tour.

Depart to Mbale district after crossing the cable bridge in Jinja and head to the amazing Sipi Falls. A hike through coffee plantations is rewarding. Sipi Falls has three different falls, all giving a great hiking experience.

Day 15: Depart to Kampala.

Head back to Kampala and make a city tour where you will visit the Uganda National Museum in Kamwokya, and the religious centers like the Gadhafi mosque, Bahai temple, Namirembe, and Rubaga cathedrals. Check inn at your city hotel for dinner and a night's stay.

Day 16: Transfer to Entebbe International Airport.

Take a cup of tea or coffee and then transfer to Entebbe International Airport to return home, marking an end to this 16-day Uganda Safari.