12 Days Best of Uganda Wildlife Safari

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Pick up at Entebbe Airport

A warm welcome at Entebbe Airport to Uganda by your driver guide. After, transfer to the hotel that you had booked before and depending on the traffic jam, expect to spend 45 minutes-1 (one) hour from Entebbe to Kampala.

Day 2: Ziwa Rhino Tracking & safari to Murchison Falls N/Park

Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is the only destination in Uganda where rhinos can be seen in the wild. You will drive from Kampala via Luweero-Gulu highway and branch off to Ziwa which is found in Nakasongola district. This is where 32 Southern white rhinos live and you will track them and the guide will accompany you.

Other activities offered at Ziwa include night/day nature walks, birding (shoebill trek), canoe ride, etc. After in depth learning about the rhinos, transfer to Masindi and lunch will be provided at the hotel. You will connect up to your lodge via Kichumbanyobo gate with keeping an eye on primates, birds and other wildlife.

Day 3: Game drive safaris & Launch trip

Game drive safari in Murchison Falls National Park starts early before the sun rises and in a 4x4 tourist vehicle with pop-up roof for uninterrupted view of the big game and other animals. The animals to see – the Rothschild giraffes, hartebeest, elephants, buffaloes, oribis, warthogs, lions, birds and more. Taking 2-3 hours enjoying wildlife viewing, you will be exploring the Northern game tracks and after, lunch will be served at the wilderness lodge.

The afternoon will be best spent enjoying a 2-3 hours’ boat safari along the Victoria Nile connecting up to the base of Murchison Falls. A range of aquatic wildlife will be sighted including hippos, crocodiles, birds and later, trek to the top of falls to observe the Murchison Falls while it forces itself into a narrow rock measuring about 8m.

Day 4: Day trip to Kibale National Park

Early breakfast, after depart from Murchison Falls NP for the primate capital of the world, Kibale located in Kabarole district. En-route, the key cities to drive through include Hoima, Fort Portal (where lunch stopover will be made) and finally, continue to check in at primate safari lodge that was booked.

Day 5: Morning chimpanzee trekking & afternoon swamp walk at Bigodi Wetland

Kibale is a host to over 1500 of Uganda’s 5000 chimpanzees and today, you have a lifetime opportunity to see these interest apes in the wild not at the zoo. The morning chimpanzee tracking starts at 8:00am after briefing on guidelines and allocation of park guides. It will last about 2 to 4 hours, but you have so much to see including the black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, l’hoest monkeys, butterflies, floral species, vervet, baboons, red colobus monkeys, and birds.

After lunch, the last activity at Kibale today will be Bigodi Wetland walk. This wetland will enrich you with primate, bird experiences and so much more. Undertaking this swamp walk means you have supported the community development in this area.

Day 6: Queen Elizabeth National Park for wildlife safari

After breakfast, transfer to Queen Elizabeth N.P where you will have addition of wildlife viewing experience. En-route, don’t miss the breathtaking view of mystical Rwenzori Mountains of the Moon, the Crater Lakes and endless plains.

Day 7: Wildlife viewing & boat tour

Before the sunrise, you should be already at Kasenyi track for a morning game drive that is expected to take 2-3 hours. Here you will see the big game freely roam not caged like those at the zoo. Other wildlife such as antelopes, birds will be sighted and you will transfer back to have lunch at the lodge. In the afternoon, Kazinga channel will your area of interest for boat safari and hippos, crocodiles, birds will be spotted along the banks/shores.

Day 8: Primate safari to Bwindi

Drive to Bwindi National Park after breakfast, but expect an en-route wildlife viewing at Ishasha, a renowned location for tree climbing lion watching. You will continue to the primate safari lodge in Bwindi after a bush lunch.

Day 9: Trek Bwindi mountain gorillas

Meet the park official to be assigned to a gorilla family and park guide, then at 8:00am begin your trek to see mountain gorillas. Your gorilla trek in Bwindi will take 2 to 6 hours and maximum of one hour will be enjoyed with mountain gorillas capturing every bit about them. Cultural entertainment and interaction at the Batwa community will be had later in the evening.

Day 10: Wildlife tour to Lake Mburo

After breakfast, begin your wildlife tour to Lake Mburo National Park, about 6 hours and you will relax at the lodge. This park is a host to diversity of wildlife and it is the best to see the Burchell’s zebras, impalas, elands, topis, Kobs, oribis, and more.

Day 11: Wildlife viewing Lake Mburo & boat trip

In a 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up, wildlife viewing in Lake Mburo National Park takes you through its magical plains, and you will keep an eye on impalas, zebras, giraffes, leopards, birds, lion, buffaloes and others. In the afternoon, explore Lake Mburo hidden treasures from hippos, crocodiles to aquatic birds while on a boat cruise.

Day 12: Departure

Leave Lake Mburo after an early breakfast and as you exit, keep an eye on some incredible wildlife. At Equator crossing, make a stopover for water experiment and photography, then lunch before you proceed to Entebbe or Kampala.