18 Days Of Uganda Safari Experience
Highlights
National parks & attraction sites & the respective activities:
- Sezibwa Falls – nature walk
- Mabira rainforest – forest walk
- Jinja – source of the nile, Bujagali
- Sipi Falls – Hike
- Kidepo Valley National Park – morning & evening game drives
- Murchison Falls National Park – game drive, launch cruise & top of the falls
- Kibale National Park – chimpanzee tracking, nature walk
- Semuliki – nature walk, evening game drive
- Queen Elizabeth National Park – game drives, boat cruise, community tour
- Bwind Impenetrable National Park – gorilla trekking
- Lake Bunyonyi – relaxation experience
- Lake Mburo National Park – game drive, boat ride & nature walk
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe International Airport
On arrival at Entebbe International Airport, your driver/guide welcomes you and transfers you to your hotel for relaxation, meals & overnight.
Day 2: Travel to Jinja – Sezibwa Falls, Mabira rainforest, Source of the Nile & Jinja tour
Have early breakfast and prepare for pick-up at 7.00am to start the trip to Jinja. Drive on the Kampala – Jinja highway and get to the Sezibwa Falls. Take a nature walk to savor the beautiful scenery around the falls with a chance of sighting some wildlife in the surrounding forest such as birds, monkeys, and squirrels. Thereafter proceed along the Kampala – Jinja highway and get to Mabira rainforest for a forest walk. Mabira is the only rainforest in Central Uganda and is an important water catchment area for Lake Victoria. Enjoy the nature experience in the forest with sightings of a number of wildlife including monkeys, forest birds, unique trees, lots of shrubs & butterflies. After the forest experience continue along the Kampala – Jinja higway, and get to Jinja town for your lunch. Thereafter continue and get to the Source of River Nile, the world’s longest river. Enjoy the spectacular scenery & soothing atmosphere at the site. You take a boat ride along the Nile to the spot known to be the start of this massive river. After the source experience take a tour of Bujagali. Bujagali was popular for her spectacular falls & rapids until recently when a dam, Bujagali Dam, has been constructed at the site. The falls & rapids were submerged forming a beautiful lake, the Bujagali Lake. The green scenery and serene atmosphere of Bujagali is a lovely experience. Thereafter transfer to your lodge for dinner & overnight.
Day 3: Transfer to Sipi Falls, Mt Elgon National Park – Hike
Wake up to an early breakfast at about 7.00am, check out and set off for Sipi Falls, Mt Elgon National Park. Drive on the Tirinyi highway and get to the Sipi Falls, at Sipi River Lodge. A set of 3 waterfalls, the Sipi Falls are Uganda’s most beautiful waterfall, situated at the base of the Mt Elgon. The area commands great views of Mt Elgon from up and Karamoja plains disappearing from below. Set off for a hike to each of the waterfalls, going through local farmlands, a verdant countryside, caves & rocks. The trek is about 7 km lasting about 4 hours. Return and transfer to your lodge for lunch, relaxation, dinner & overnight.
Day 4: Transfer to Kidepo Valley National Park
Wake up to an early cup of coffee feeling the cool winds blowing over you as you savor the beautiful scenery of Sipi. Check out and set off for Kidepo Valley National Park. Drive through Mbale & Sironko, to a bumpy road through Kotido, Kaabong & get to Kidepo Valley National Park. Check in at your lodge for relaxation, dinner & overnight. Lunch is enroute.
Day 5: Kidepo Valley National Park – Morning & Evening Game Drive
Wake up to a dream breakfast, amidst spectacular views of Africa’s best wilderness of semi-arid plains ending in a rugged horizon & a brilliant wildlife. Kidepo Valley National Park is rated best for Africa’s most spectacular landscape & best Buffalo herds. Set out for an exciting game drive in Kidepo Valley National Park for great wildlife sightings & scenic views of mountains & valleys. Expect to see buffalos, elephants, giraffes, Jackson’s hartebeests, lions, elands, Ostriches, Oribis, waterbucks, zebras, and lots of birds & animals. Return to the lodge for lunch and relaxation. Later set out for an evening game drive for yet more wildlife sightings and more unique discoveries. Return for dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park
Have early breakfast, check out and set off for Murchison Falls National Park. Travel through Kitgum and get to Gulu for your lunch. Thereafter proceed and get to Murchison Falls National Park. Transfer to your lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Early Game Drive, Launch Cruise along the Nile
Have early breakfast and set out for the early game drive by 6.30am. Explore the game trails on the northern side of River Nile for lots of wildlife sightings. Expect to see lots of Uganda kobs, Jackson’s Hartebeest, buffalos, giraffes, Oribis, Waterbucks, Elephants, bushbucks, Lions, Hyenas, Warthogs, the elusive leopard, lots of savanna birds & a lush landscape. The game drive lasts about 4 hours, return to the lodge for lunch. Later set out for an afternoon Lanch Cruise along River Nile to the base of the Murchison Falls. Expect sightings of lots of wildlife along the banks including hippos, elephants, crocodiles, buffalos, warthogs, lots of colorful birds such as cattle egrets, skimmers, fish eagles, red-throated bee eater and hopefully the elusive shoebill among others. The Launch lasts about 3 hours, return to your lodge for dinner & overnight.
Day 8: Top of the Murchison Falls – Transfer to Kibale National Park
Have early breakfast, check out and drive to the top of the Murchison Falls for the breathtaking sight of the Murchison Falls. The Nile squeezes through a tiny gorge about 7meters wide and explodes into the world’s strongest waterfall. The sight is simply breathtaking with incredible picture moments. Thereafter proceed out of Murchison Falls National Park and set off for Kibale National Park. Drive along Lake Albert to the escarpment area for panaromic views of the western Rift Valley. Get to Hoima town for your lunch, thereafter proceed via Fort Portal and get to Kibale National Park. Check in at your lodge for relaxation, dinner & overnight.
Day 9: Kibale National Park – Chimpanzee tracking, Nature Walk
Have early breakfast and transfer to the ranger station by 7.30am for briefing. By 8.00am you set off to track habituated chimpanzees in Kibale Forest National Park. Kibale National Park popular for the high concentration of primates, known to be the highest in Africa. The park hosts Uganda’s largest population of chimpanzees and up to 13 species of primates including red Colobus, the rare l’Hoest monkey, grey-cheeked Mangabey, olive baboon, bush baby, black-and-white Colobus, potto and red-tailed and blue monkeys. There is a number of ground animals including leopards, branded and marsh mongoose, swamp otter, warthogs, giant hogs, about 500 elephants, buffalos, bush pigs, gold pigs and duiker, lions, hippos, Ichneumon, serval, and the rare sitatungas. Over 375 species of birds have been recorded in the park. After a successful chimp experience, return to the lodge for relaxation and lunch. Later set out for an evening nature walk in Bigodi swampland for a nature experience, sighting some wildlife including monkeys, birds, & butterflies. Return to the lodge for dinner & overnight.
Day 10: Transfer to Semuliki National Park – Nature Walk, Evening Game Drive
Have early breakfast, check out and drive to Semuliki National Park with great views of the Rwenzori Mountains on one side and the Western Rift Valley on the other side. Get to Semuliki National Park, and set off for a Nature Walk with a tour of the famous Sempaya Hot Springs. Semuliki National Park is a meeting point of the vast West African jungles and the East African savanna. The park is Uganda’s only geopark, and a representative of the Democratic Republic of Congo extending to East Africa some of the wildlife species of West Africa countries. Expect wildlife encounters including a number of primates and bird species. Return and transfer to your lodge for lunch and relaxation. Later set out for an evening game drive in the Toro-Semuliki Wildlife Reserve for scenic views of the Wesern Riftvalley and some wildlife sightings including kobs, savannah elephant, reedbuck, warthogs, vervet, bushbuck, waterbuck, duiker, bushpig, giant forest hog and a number of birds. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 11: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park – Boat Ride along the Kazinga Channel
Have early breakfast, check out and set off for Queen Elizabeth National Park. Get to Queen Elizabeth National Park in time for lunch. Later set out for the afternoon boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel. The Kazinga Channel is natural stream of water joining Lakes and Edward. The channel is wildlife magnet hosting lots of animals & birds along its banks. Expect to see lots of hippos, crocodiles, elephants, antelops and an array of colorful birds. The boat cruise lasts about 2 hours, transfer to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 12: Queen Elizabeth National Park – Early Game Drive, Lake Katwe Tourism Experience
Have early morning breakfast and transfer to the Kasenyi plains for the game drive. With an early start by about 6.30am you stand a good chance of catching the nocturnal such as hyenas, leopards, mongoose, and lions. Expect to see lots of Uganda kob, buffalos, elephants, Oribis, waterbucks, baboons, warthogs, lots of birds and beautiful scenery of rolling hills and crater lakes. The game drive lasts 4 hours, return to your lodge for lunch and relaxation. Later set out for a tour of the Lake Katwe Tourism Center and sight thousands of flamingos in Lake Manyanyange, and an experience of the traditional salt mining at Lake Katwe & the local fishing village. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 13: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Have early breakfast, check out and transfer to the southern sector the park, Ishasha for a chance to sight the famous tree-climbing lions and a number of big game. Thereafter proceed out of the park and travel to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Check in at your lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight. Expect to lunch enroute after Ishasha.
Day 14: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – Gorilla Trekking Expedition
Get up for your early breakfast, ready in your tracking attire, pick your packed lunch and transfer to the park offices for briefing from the rangers. Thereafter transfer to the start of the trek and start the search for a habituated mountain gorilla group. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to about 400 mountain gorillas, which is half of the world’s remaining population of mountain gorillas. There are 12 habituated gorilla groups, 11 of which are available for tracking and the remainder for research purposes. You could take from a few minutes to several hours to locate your assigned gorilla family depending on how far the gorillas would have moved. After a successful gorilla trekking expedition return to your lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 15: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi – Canoe Ride
After your breakfast, check out and travel to Lake Bunyonyi. Lake Bunyonyi is the ultimate relaxation spot after a lifetime of adventures accross Uganda & the strenuos gorilla trek. The atmosphere is cool, serene & peaceful surrounded with great views of the highly terraced Kigezi highlands. The lake is believed to be bilharzia free and safe from dangerous water animals such as crocs and snakes, making it safe for swimming. Check in at your lodge for lunch and relaxation. Later set out for a relaxing canoe ride on the lake, traversing around the islands on the lake while you savor the scenery of terraced highlands. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 16: Lake Bunyonyi – Community tours, relaxation
After your breakfast & relaxation, you could make a tour to the famous Pigmy communities. Return to the lodge for lunch and relaxation. Later have dinner and overnight.
Day 17: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park – Game Drive, Boat Ride
After your breakfast, check out and set off for Lake Mburo National Park. Lake Mburo National Park is Uganda’ smallest of the savanna parks, and second smallest of all the national parks. It is endowed with diverse habitats of open savanna, lakes, swamps, forests, thickets, rocky outcrops and dry hillsides that are home to a diversity of plants and animals. It is the best park for sightings of zebras, elands, topis and impalas. Get to the park, and drive along the game tracks for great wildlife sightings. Proceed and get to your lodge for lunch. Later set out for an afternoon Boat ride on Lake Mburo. You get sight hippos, buffalos, antelops and birds such as pelicans, fish eagles, herons and the rare shoebill. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 18: Early Nature Walk – Departure
Wake up to an early morning nature walk at about 6.00am to catch the nocturnal such as the hyenas and mongoose and observe lots of wildlife at a close range. Return from the nature walk and have your breakfast. Check out and set off to Entebbe International Aiport to catch your flight back home.
Tour Inclusions
Transport – tour vehicle, drive, fuel
Full board accommodation for 17 nights
All meals
Bottled water
Gorilla permits
Chimpanzee permits
Access fees
Guide fees
All activities as indicated in the itinerary
Exclusions
Gratitude and tipping
Alcoholic drinks
Travel insurance
Curion shop purchases
Phone bill and other personnal expenditure