12 Days Uganda Classic Wildlife Safari –  Overview

The 12 Days Uganda Classic Wildlife Safari is one of the comprehensive safari packages that are organized by prime Safaris & Tours for tourists interested in wildlife viewing experiences in the Pearl of Africa.

This complete Safari package will allow you to explore Kampala Capital City which is a destination endowed with different attractions ranging from historical to cultural and religious attractions.

The Safari takes you through Uganda’s largest protected park- Murchison Falls National Park located in the northwestern part of Uganda with its world’s powerful Murchison Falls.

Thereafter it joins you to the world’s primate Capital – Kibale National Park which is the only forested park in Uganda with the highest population of habituated Chimpanzees in the whole of East Africa.

The thrilling tour package will then surprise you with life time experience of trekking the Mountain gorillas in their natural habitat of Bwindi Impenetrable National.

Before it comes to an end, it will connect you with the loveliest Lake Bunyonyi dubbed the lake of a thousand islands and here you will meet your adventure experience.

12 Days Uganda Classic Wildlife Safari – Highlights

• Day 1: Arrive at Entebbe International Airport & do Kampala City Tour- City tour to Cultural, Religious and Historical Attractions.
• Day 2: Transfer to Murchison falls National Park & Enroute Rhino trekking in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.
• Day 3: Do morning game drive, afternoon boat cruise & Hike to the top of the falls
• Day 4: Transfer to Hoima with tour to Kibiro Salt Gardens on the shores of Lake Albert
• Day 5: Transfer to Fort portal Area, lunch in Fort Portal town, afternoon Fort Portal
• Day 6: Do morning Chimpanzee trekking & Bigodi wetland walk in the afternoon
• Day 7: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park & Do an afternoon boat cruise
• Day 8: Do a morning game drive & Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
• Day 9: Do gorilla trekking & an evening Cultural encounter with the Batwa Communities.
• Day 10:  Transfer from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to Lake Bunyonyi & does an afternoon boat cruise
• Day 11: Transfer from Lake Bunyonyi to Lake Mburo National Park & Afternoon boat trip.
• Day 12: Do a morning Game drive & Transfer to Kampala with a stopover at the Uganda Equator.

12 Days Uganda Classic Wildlife Safari – Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive at Entebbe International Airport & do Kampala City Tour- City Tour to Cultural, Religious and Historical Attractions.

Immediately you arrive at Uganda’s main entry point -Entebbe International Airport, you will be welcomed by your English speaking driver guide who will then transfer you to Kampala city to embark on memorable city tour.

Kampala Capital city is a unique destination of its own and thus taking Uganda safari without exploring the City makes your Uganda Safari not comprehensive.

The City tour will take your through stunning Kampala sites such as Namirembe and Rubaga Cathedrals located with in Kampala Center, Baha’i temple- the only  worship place for the Bahai followers in the whole of Africa located  in Kikaya Hill overlooking Kampala City, Gadhafi Mosque dubbed after late president Gadhafi’s contribution to its construction ,Kasubi tombs, Kabaka’s palace, Kabaka’s Lake, historical monuments and museums like the Uganda National Museum, National buildings like the parliament, educational Institutions like Makerere University, Traditional hospitals like Mulago hospital, Mengo and Nsambya hospitals.

However, Due to the fact that all these attractions cannot be explored in one single day, you will be required to choose the ones you can tour in one day.

After exploring the City tour, you will retire back to your Kampala Lodge for Dinner and Overnight.

Accommodations: Sheraton Hotel (Upmarket /Luxury), Acacia lodge (Mid-Range/Standard), Buziga Country Resort (Budget).

Day 2: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park & Enroute Rhino Trekking in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.

Following an early morning cup of tea, depart Kampala heading to north western direction to Murchison Falls National Park through Kampala Bombo road about 5 hours without en-route stopovers.

On your way, you will see the legendary Luwero triangle, today which has turned out into a small town with a trading center known for its agonizing history of the Baganda massacre.

Continue and branch off from Nakitoma to head to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to trek the Rhinos.

On arrival at the Sanctuary, you will visit the only White Rhino species protected in this part of Uganda. Have lunch at Kabalega dinners and after which proceed with the drive to Murchison falls National Park.

Accommodation: Paraa Safari Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Pakuba Safari Lodge (Mid-range/Standard) or Heritage Safari Lodge (Budget/Basic).

Day 3: Do Morning Game Drive, Afternoon Boat Cruise & Hike To The Top of The Falls

Right after an early morning relaxed breakfast, embark on an early morning game drive through the park in search of the elusive wild game.

The rolling savannah combretum of Murchison Falls National Park supports a range of wild game including the elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, water buck, Jackson hartebeest, oribis, lions, leopards among others .

The early morning drive through the well-arranged driving tracks of the delta area, Buligi tracks, Albert and Queen tracks will provide you a thrilling opportunity to enjoy the views of elusive wild game.

After rewarding drive of 3 – 4 hours, you will retreat back to the lodge for relaxation and lunch while waiting for an afternoon boat cruise.

After lunch, you drive to Paraa to catch-up with the afternoon Lunch Cruise that sets of at 2:30pm. The boat cruise to the bottom of the Nile will offer you an opportunity to enjoy the glimpse of wildlife species like Hippos, Nile Crocodiles, Buffalos, and a range of water birds such as the endangered species of the Shoebill Stork when they are driving on the shores of the river.

After exploring the boat cruise to the bottom of the falls, you will turn to hiking through narrow path to the top of the falls. Upon reaching the top, you will enjoy the roaring sounds of the Nile as it crumbles its head on the impermeable rocks that have narrowed its way to less than 8m for centuries past.

Thereafter that life time experience, you will to your lodge for dinner, experience sharing and overnight.

Accommodation: Paraa Safari Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Pakuba Safari Lodge (Mid-range/Standard) or Heritage Safari Lodge (Budget/Basic).

Day 4: Transfer to Hoima With Tour to Kibiro Salt Gardens on The Shores of Lake Albert

Depart Murchison falls national park to Hoima after breakfast. The journey will take you through the fascinating Albertine escarpment to the famous oil region in Bulisa.

The rewarding drive will see you a arrive at Kibiro Salt Gardens and hot springs where you will be exposed to skillful local methods of fine salt extraction only found in this part of Uganda.

Besides the Kibiro salt Gardens, you will enjoy the views of the famous Lake Albert and the sights of the great Blue Mountains on the Democratic Republic of Congo.

From here, you will continue with the drive to Hoima for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Kontik Hotel

Day 5: Transfer to Fort portal Area, lunch in Fort Portal town, Afternoon Fort Portal Crater Lake Hike and Visit The Amabere g’ Nnyinamwiru Caves

After your early morning cup of coffee, you will embark on 5 hours’ drive from Hoima to Fort portal dubbed the tourism town of Uganda due to its strategic location in the middle of different natural wonders that make Uganda the pearl of Africa.

The drive will take you through the impressive country side landscapes with rural setting and local populations.

Arrive in Fort Portal town for lunch after which you will continue to do the Fort Portal Crater Lake Hike to gain impressive views of the Fort Portal explosion crater.

You will also visit the Amabere g’ Nnyinamwiru caves with a magical Nyakasura River falling over them forming beautiful water fall.

The caves have breast like features which the locals attach a great cultural connotation and are thought to date back to the Chwezi era. Retreat from the activity and get to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Kyaninga Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse (Mid-range/Standard) or Rwenzori View Guesthouse (Budget/Basic).

Day 6: Do Morning Chimpanzee Trekking & Bigodi Wetland Walk in The Afternoon

Immediately you finish your early morning breakfast, you will be taken to Kanyanchu headquarters for early morning briefing about dos and don’ts of Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest National Park.

Thereafter, you will walk through the forest with an experienced guide who will be enlightening you about both wildlife and plants life.

Once you come across the charming Chimpanzees, you will be allowed one memorable hour to interact with the primates.

The Chimpanzees will lure you in a state of amazement as they swing through the branches, make pant hooting calls, play with each other, and imitate your body language along with other features that will make your one full hour with them a memorable experience of its own.

Retreat from the activity which tends to take 2 – 5 hours to embark on the transfer to Bigodi wetland. The Bigodi wetland, lies in close distance to the park thus connecting there is less hectic.

The Bigodi wetland walk exposes you to typical eco –tourism encounter in Uganda. The impressive flora and fauna existing along with the local community is indeed rewarding to encounter.

The sights of great blue turaco and the Sitatnga may not be missed. Retreat from the activity back to lodge for relaxation dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Kyaninga Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse (Mid-range/Standard) or Rwenzori View Guesthouse (Budget/Basic).

Day 7: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park & Do Afternoon Boat Cruise

Have a relaxed breakfast and thereafter, embark on the transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park 157km about 3 hours’ drive excluding stops en route.

You will make a stop at Rwenzori Art foundation – the only bronze casting center in Africa in the shadows of Rwenzori Mountains.

The process of sculpture making of which you will be free to participate in will be rewarding. The extension to visit the Ruboni community wax and craft center expose you the local traditions and the applicability of indigenous knowledge to contemporary development.

Continue to the Queen Elizabeth NP, drive through the crater are with possible views of the olive baboons and elephants not forgetting magical sceneries before connecting to Mweya for an afternoon Kazinga Channel boa cruise which will offer you possibilities of encountering Hippos, Nile crocodiles , wild game drinking on the channel side and counts of water birds. Retire in the evening for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge (Luxury), Katara Lodge (Mid-range/Standard) or Pumba Safari Cottages (Budget/Basic).

Day 8: Do Morning Game Drive & Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

On this specific day, you will wake up for an early morning cup of tea and after which you will embark on the game drive at 6:30am in the rolling savannah plains of Queen Elizabeth National Park.

The drive will take you through Kasenyi with the opportunities of confronting wildlife species like the elusive leopard, defassa waterbuck, Uganda kob, Side stripped Jackal; Oribis elephants, lions, buffaloes, Antelopes among others.

After 3 -4 hours of game drive, you will retreat back to the starting point. Thereafter, embark on the interesting drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

The drive will take you through the famous Ishasha sector where you will have possibilities of encountering tree climbing lions that tend to lie on the branches of fig trees.

Have your stopover for Lunch at Ishasha and thereafter continue with the drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park arriving in the evening for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Chameleon Hill Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Gorilla Mist Camp (Midrange/Standard) or Broadbill Forest Camp (Budget/Basic).

Day 9: Do Gorilla Trekking & An evening Cultural Encounter With The Batwa Communities.

After an early morning breakfast, report to the Park headquarters for registration and join other trekkers in an early morning briefing from the senior park officials about the etiquettes of Gorilla Trekking at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Immediately after briefing is done, you will enter the jungle to trek through thick creepers and undergrowth with your guides to find the Gorillas.

The trek may take you between 2-8 hours to encounter the Mountain gorillas and this will mainly depend on the movement of the apes.

The steeply forested landscape is incredibly dense but crisscrossed by numerous animal trails allowing access to tourists.

Once up-close to the apes, you will be given one magical hour to View and interact with these stunning apes plus taking photographs.

Retire back to the starting point after the one hour and proceed to your lodge for a late lunch and relaxation.

After relaxation, you will be driven to the nearby Batwa community for memorable, refreshing cultural encounter.

Here you will be guided by a local guide who will take you to the different communities to see how people have managed to survive through farming.

You will see how local brew is processed from fresh Bananas and forest remedies to get beer and Waragi and also enjoy the performances done by the local Batwa women groups.

After that interesting cultural encounter, you will drive back to your respective lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Chameleon Hill Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Gorilla Mist Camp (Midrange/Standard) or Broadbill Forest Camp (Budget/Basic).

Day 10:  Transfer From Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to Lake Bunyonyi & Does Afternoon Boat Cruise   

After an early morning breakfast, you will depart Bwindi driving through the fascinating Kigezi Highlands for an afternoon boat cruise, relaxation, dinner and overnight in Lake Bunyonyi.

Lake Bunyonyi is another major tourist stopover that is undeniably amazing. It is the second deepest lake in Africa; it contains lots of the tasty crayfish, so get set for a culinary delight.

On arrival to Lake Bunyonyi, you will drive to your lodge to check-in and lunch. After lunch, proceed to catch up with the afternoon boat cruise, you may also participate in other activities such as swimming in the bilharzia free waters of Bunyonyi .

After exploring the different adventurous activities in Lake Bunyonyi, you will retire to your lodge to chill in the fire place while enjoying cool evening of Bunyonyi.

Accommodation: Birdnest @Lake Bunyonyi Resort (Upmarket/Luxury), Lake Bunyonyi Eco-resort (Midrange/Standard) or Byoona Amagara Island Retreat (Budget/Basic

Day 11: Transfer From Lake Bunyonyi to Lake Mburo National Park & Afternoon Boat Trip.

After an early morning breakfast, you will embark on drive transfer from Lake Bunyonyi to Lake Mburo national park drive distance of 199 kilometers.

The drive will take you through the rolling winding hills and terraced landscapes of western region and head to the Lake Mburo National Park.

Upon your arrival at Lake Mburo National Park, you will have your lunch and afterwards proceed to catch-up with the afternoon boat cruise which sets of 2:30pm on the magnificent waters of Lake Mburo.

The boat trip may offer you opportunities of encountering the wild game such as Hippos, Nile Crocodiles and a range of water birds such as the colorful Kingfishers, magnificent Fish Eagles, Hammerkops and their enormous nests and even the prehistoric-looking Shoebill. Retreat back from the activity to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Mihingo Safari Lodge (Luxury), Arcadia Cottages Mburo (Mid-Range), Eagle’s Nest (Budget).

Day 12: Do Morning Game Drive & Transfer to Kampala With Stopover At The Uganda Equator.

After an early morning breakfast, embark on the interesting game drive through the park in search of wild game.

The connection of game tracks found in the eastern part of the park passes through a variety of beautiful landscape such as acacia woodland, wetlands vegetation, savannah grassland which supports the survival of different wildlife grazers including gigantic eland antelope, zebras, waterbucks, Klipspringer and the rare Topi, impala, warthog, oribi, buffalo, Defassa reedbuck.

After the activity, you will retire back to the park headquarters and then proceed with the drive to Kampala.

On your way, you will by-pass Mpigi village, famous for the Royal Drums Makers and of course the Ugandan Equator, where you will have stopover for photo shot, water experiment and shop for a souvenir.

Thereafter, you will advance with the drive to Kampala. On your arrival at Kampala, the guide will take you direct to your Kampala hotel or Entebbe International Airport for your scheduled flight back home.

End of The 12 Days Uganda Classic Wildlife Safari

Getting There

Safari Inclusions

• Chimpanzee Permit (for chimpanzee trekking safaris)
• Gorilla Permit (for gorilla trekking safaris)
• Full Board Accommodation on Safari
• Transportation in either 4X4 Safari Van or 4X4 Safari Land Cruiser all with Pop up roof & AC
• Fuel
• Professional English Speaking driver guide. Any other foreign language speaking guide can be arranged on request.
• Entrance fees to the tourist sites including Protected areas mentioned
• Activity fees of the tourist activities mentioned
• Bottled water while on safari
• Border crossing fees (for cross border safaris)

Safari Exclusions

• General tips for the driver guide, site guides and service staff at the lodges
• Laundry Services
• Other Beverages / drinks of personal nature like Alcohol
• International Flights (Arranged on request)
• Domestic Flights (Arranged on request)
• Visas
• Optional Activity fees
• Other extras not mentioned in the Itinerary
• Airport Transfer (Arranged on request)
• Accommodation in Kampala or Kigali unless it is part of the Itinerary (Arranged on request)