Safari Overnight
The 18 Days Explore Uganda safari is all round country itinerary. Expect to visit several National Parks from the extreme North-east to Southwestern end of Uganda. This is an all-inclusive itinerary where you get a chance to enjoy the Big game encounters, great apes, adrenaline adventures in Jinja, and authentic cultural experiences. Top places to visit for you to explore as per this travel plan include Kidepo Valley National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Lake Mburo, Lake Bunyonyi, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Kibale National Park and Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Pick up & drive to the hotel
Our safari expert will be present at the Entebbe International Airport (EBB) to pick you up and later, you will be safely transferred to the hotel in Kampala. Arrive early for you to check in your hotel in Kampala and have a long evening of relaxation.
Day 2: Kampala-Jinja, Experience the best of whitewater rafting
A delicious cup of tea/coffee will be served by professional waiter/waitress. After breakfast, you will be picked up by your expert who also will take you through the travel plan and what is covered on this day. From Kampala, drive off to Jinja with en route expect to navigate via the spectacular Mabira Forest Reserve.
Arrive early at Jinja where you will take part in the thrilling whitewater rafting adventure. The whitewater rafting experience takes you through some of the strong rapids and grades on the Source of the Nile River. Jinja is found on the shores of Lake Victoria and is most popular as adventure capital of East Africa.
Day 3: Drive to Sipi, hike the Triple waterfalls
Leave Jinja early after you have enjoyed sumptuous breakfast and today, you will be visiting the Sipi waterfalls. Expect to reach the Sipi region early to engage in a guided hike to the triple waterfalls set on varying altitudes. At the Sipi Falls, you will appreciate their scenic beauty and also take as many pictures as you can. After the hike, you will proceed to your respective safari lodges in the Sipi Area or Mbale.
Day 4: Sipi to Kidepo National Park
Enjoy a hefty breakfast at the comfort of your lodge or hotel and later, be ready to connect to Kidepo Valley National Park. Kidepo is an isolated protected area set in the far North-eastern Uganda and is Uganda’s 3rd largest park with area coverage of 1442 sq. km. Kidepo is most popular for its diverse wildlife including cheetahs, giraffes, caracals, and more.
Day 5: A full-day in Kidepo
Expect to have a full day in Kidepo and this involves exploring the Narus Valley. Along the Narus Valley, you will have a chance to encounter wildlife such as waterbucks, reedbucks, lions, buffaloes, zebras, elephants, dik-diks, klipspringers and cheetahs, etc. After the morning game viewing session, return to settle at the lodge for you to lunch and resume with the afternoon session.
Day 6: Kidepo to Murchison Falls Park
After a hefty breakfast, your safari expert will be waiting to have your property packed in your 4×4 safari vehicle. Today, you will be exiting Kidepo for Murchison Falls National Park which is 7-8 hours’ drive and en route, you will have lunch. Enjoy the stunning views of the countryside in Northern Uganda.
Day 7: Game drive & boat cruise with a safari guide
Early morning, embark on a guided game drive to explore the wonders in Murchison Falls National Park- Uganda’s biggest park. On a game drive in Murchison, expected sightings include giraffes, elephants, buffaloes, elusive leopards, Jackson’s hartebeest, oribis, warthogs, and more. The Northern game tracks in Murchison also come with lots of astonishing bird sightings.
Drive back to the lodge where you will be offered lunch. Leave the lodge early for you to report to the Paraa Jetty where you will be expected to set off for a boat cruise. A boat cruise with an expert takes you on the Victoria Nile River. At a slow speed, you will be able to spot hippos, crocodiles, and water birds. You may combine a hike to the top of the falls provided the water levels at the base are low.
Day 8: Pick up from Murchison & Drive to Kibale
Have a delicious breakfast and after, you will meet the safari guide who will transfer you up to Kibale. Today’s journey will run for 6-7 hours via Hoima city to Fort Portal. Lunch will be enjoyed at leisure in Fort Portal then proceed to your respective accommodation for relaxation.
Day 9: Enjoy chimp tracking + Guided nature walk in Bigodi
Today’s chimpanzee tracking in Kibale will begin early with briefing about rules and regulations. You will depart from Kanyanchu Tourist Center after you have been allocated the park ranger guide. At 8:00 am, your actual chimp trek begin taking you deep into Kibale Forest to look for a habituated chimpanzee community. The overall trekking session with chimps lasts for 2-4 hours which includes an hour for up close and personal encounter.
Start walking back after you have enjoyed the one hour of photography. Have lunch and adequate relaxation then proceed up to Bigodi where you will meet the local expert to take you on a guided nature walk. More primates will be spotted on the Bigodi swamp walk including colobus monkeys, baboons, and others.
Day 10: Kibale to Queen Elizabeth Park, boat cruise
Pick up by an expert and you will be transferred to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Expect to connect to this savanna park via a spectacular area featuring the beautiful Crater Lakes. Later, drive and join the Kasese route to Queen Elizabeth Park with en route stopover to be made at the Kikorongo Equator crossing for photo taking. You will leave Kikorongo and connect to your lodge for a short relaxation and lunch.
At around 2 pm, you will be part of the enriching launch cruise on the Kazinga channel where you will spend 2 hours. The Kazinga channel launch cruise gets you the best sights of hippos, crocodiles, buffaloes, elephants, and many bird species.
Day 11: Enjoy a Game Drive & Transfer to Bwindi
Set off for the sunrise game drive through the Kasenyi plains and this will take 2-3 hours using a classic 4WD vehicle. Diversity of wildlife await for you to encounter including elephants, cape buffaloes, lions, waterbucks, bushbucks, warthogs, kobs, and bird species.
After the game drive, get back to check out and head to the Ishasha for another short game drive. At the Ishasha, your focus will be searching for the tree-climbing lions and other species then you connect to the lodge at Buhoma sector in Bwindi.
Day 12: Gorilla trekking with a park guide
Wake up early to enjoy a hefty breakfast and after, you will expected at Buhoma region for briefing. The park official will be available to take you on gorilla trekking rules and also to allocate gorilla groups plus guides. Around 8:00 am, you will exit Buhoma for the actual trek through the lush Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The gorilla trek with Buhoma gorillas will take 2-6 hours inclusive of an hour for up close and personal encounter with a family of mountain gorillas. You will be back later in the afternoon and have a long relaxation moment at the lodge.
Day 13: Batwa cultural experience & drive to Mgahinga
At leisure, you will have breakfast and then embark on the Batwa community visit around Buhoma region. Expect to have a close interaction with the Batwa pygmy –the historical dwellers in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. After the Batwa community visit, you will connect up to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Day 14: Golden monkey tracking
Golden monkey tracking in Mgahinga will begin early morning after you have been briefed at Ntebeko. The normal trek with a golden monkeys will run for 2-4 hours and expect to spend 1 hour on a face-to-face encounter inclusive of photography. In the evening, you will a long evening relaxation at the lodge.
Day 15: Mgahinga –Lake Bunyonyi, Enjoy a canoe ride
After breakfast, you will depart from Mgahinga National Park to Lake Bunyonyi. Arrive at Lake Bunyonyi –the deepest lake in Uganda. A canoe ride will be enjoyed on Lake Bunyonyi which involves visiting one of the magical islands.
Day 16: Lake Bunyonyi to Lake Mburo
You will leave your safari lodge ready for a transfer to Lake Mburo National Park. On arrival at Lake Mburo Game Park, you will check in your safari lodge to have a relaxed afternoon and lunch. You may consider a guided walk around the lodge then have a long afternoon rest.
Day 17: Game drive plus Launch cruise
Enjoy a hefty breakfast at the comfort of your lodge. After, catch up with the game drive through the savanna plains of Lake Mburo National Park expecting to enjoy sights of early morning risers. Lake Mburo Park is most famous for wildlife encounters such as zebras, giraffes, elands, topis, buffaloes, hyenas, warthogs, bushbucks, jackals, leopards, and many bird species.
A launch cruise session will commence in the afternoon along Lake Mburo. The 2-hour boat cruise on Lake Mburo allows you encounter hippos, crocodiles, and many water birds.
Day 18: Depart from Lake Mburo National Park for Kampala/Entebbe
Enjoy a hefty breakfast at the lodge and after, you will depart for Kampala/Entebbe. Have en route lunch break and at the Equator crossing, expect to have a water experiment or just photography moment. You will continue direct to Kampala or Entebbe after the great moments at Kayabwe Equator crossing.
End of safari
