12 Days Uganda Classic Wildlife Safari – Overview

The 15 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari Murchison falls Kibale forest Lake Bunyonyi & Lake Mburo is complete safari package that will take you through the most marvels of Uganda the pearl of Africa.

The safari offers you an opportunity to take park in the top tourism activities within Uganda’s national parks including wildlife viewing in Murchison falls national park, Queen Elizabeth, Chimpanzee tracking in the primate Capital-Kibale forest Park, Mountain Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

The interesting safari will start and end in Kampala will combine Uganda’s most majestic national parks with unique cultural experiences and taste of world class services from some of the finest lodges in Uganda.

12 Days Uganda Classic Wildlife Safari – Highlights

• Day 1: Arrive in Entebbe International Airport & Transfer to Kampala
• Day 2: Do Kampala City Tour
• Day 3: Transfer to Murchison falls National Park and do enroute Rhino trekking in Ziwa
• Day 4: Do morning game drive, afternoon boat cruise and hike to the top of the falls
• Day 5: Transfer to Hoima and enroute visit to Kibiro Salt Gardens and Hot Springs.
• Day 6: Transfer to Kibale National Park, lunch in Fort Portal town, afternoon Fort Portal Crater Lake hike and visit the Amabere g’ Nnyinamwiru caves
• Day 7: Do Chimpanzee trekking and afternoon Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary Tour
• Day 8: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park, visit the Rwenzori Art Foundation – the only bronze casting center in Africa & Ruboni Community craft & wax center en route & do the crater area drive upon arrival
• Day 9: Do morning game drive & Afternoon Chimpanzee trekking
• Day 10: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park & does a game drive in the Ishasha sector in search of tree climbing lions en route
• Day 11: Do Gorilla trekking and afternoon Cultural encounter with the Local Batwa
• Day 12:  Transfer from Bwindi to Lake Bunyonyi and do afternoon boat cruise and relaxation
• Day 13: Transfer from Lake Bunyonyi to Lake Mburo National Park and afternoon Boat cruise
• Day 14: Do morning Game drive and afternoon Boat Cruise
• Day 15: Hike and Nature walks in Lake Mburo-transfer to Kampala.

15 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari Murchison falls Kibale forest Lake Bunyonyi & Lake Mburo – Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Entebbe International Airport & Transfer to Kampala

Upon your arrival at Entebbe international airport, you will be picked up by our experienced driver guide who will transfer you to Kampala-the Capital City of Uganda for relaxation, dinner & overnight stay.

Accommodation: Kampala Serena Hotel (Luxury/Upmarket), Humura Resort (Mid-range),Buziga Country Resort (Budget/Basic)

Day 2: Do Kampala City Tour

Following your early morning breakfast, you will be picked up from your hotel to embark on city tour.

The City tour will take you through famous Kampala cultural sites like Kasubi tombs, Rubbaga Cathedral, Uganda Museum, Namugongo Martyrs Shrine -place where a number of Christians were burnt, Bahai Temple -the only one Bahai Temple in Africa, and late in the evening you will head to Ndere troop Centre -a place where you will enjoy cultural performances that will give you a glimpse of the way of living of the different tribes in Uganda. After the activity, the driver guide will drive you back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation:  Sheraton hotel (Luxury /Upmarket), Humura Resort (Standard/Mid-Range Hotels), Buziga Country Resort (Budget).

Day 3: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park & Do En-route Rhino Trekking in Ziwa

After your early morning breakfast in your Kampala Lodge, the driver guide will pick you up and embark on the 5hours drive on the north western side of Uganda to Murchison Falls National Park.

The drive from Kampala will take you through the flat landscapes of Nakasongora with savannah vegetation dotted with long horned Ankole cows.

After covering distance of 115km from Kampala in Nakitoma, you branch from the mainly route and drive 7 km to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.

While at the Sanctuary, you will explore the only white Rhinos protected in this part of Uganda .You will also have your wonderful Lunch at Kabalega dinner and thereafter proceed with the drive to Murchison Falls National park for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

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

Day 4: Do Morning Game Drive, Afternoon Boat Cruise & Hike To The Top of The Falls

After taking cup of coffee, embark on the drive through the park in search of the elusive wild game.

The rolling savannah combretum of Murchison Falls National Park supports a wide-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 provides thrilling opportunity for you to enjoy the views of elusive wild game.

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

After lunch and having rest, you drive to Paraa to link-up with the afternoon Lunch Cruise that sets of at 2:30pm and takes 3-4 hours of adventure.

Taking boat cruise to the bottom of the Nile will not only reward you with the encounters of the wild game when they are drinking on the river side, but it also takes you to an area where you can have clear glimpse of wildlife species like Hippos, Nile Crocodiles and a range of water birds such as the endangered species of the Shoebill Stork.

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 5: Transfer to Hoima And En-route Visit to Kibiro Salt Gardens and Hot Springs.

In the morning after breakfast, you will embark on the transfer to Hoima. You will drive along the Albertine escarpment with great scenery of the rift valley.

The drive through Bulisa which is in the oil region is very interesting before making a stop en route at Kibiro Salt Gardens and hot springs will expose you to impressive local methods of fine salt extraction.

The views of the scenic Lake Albert and the views of the Blue Mountains on the Democratic Republic of Congo are very rewarding. From here, you will embark on the drive to Hoima for relaxation and overnight.

Accommodation: Kontik Hotel (Mid-Range) African Village Guest Farm (Budget)

Day 6: Transfer to Kibale National Park, Lunch in Fort Portal town, Afternoon Fort Portal Crater Lake Hike & Visit The Amabere g’ Nnyinamwiru Caves

Transfer after breakfast for about 5 hours’ drive to Fort Portal Area.

The scenic drive will take you through the charming country side landscapes dooted with picture rolling hills and farmed land.

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 7: Do Chimpanzee Trekking & Afternoon Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary Tour

Early morning after breakfast, report to the park headquarters at Kanyanchu tourism Centre for an early morning briefing about the etiquettes of chimpanzee trekking in Kibale national park .

After briefing, an experienced UWA Ranger guide will lead you into the forest trail to trek the Chimpanzees and along the way, the trek will expose you to stunning flora as well as other primate species such as black & white colobus monkey ,Red-tailed and blue monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey, olive baboon, bush baby and potto.

After 2-5 hours of trek, you may come up-close to the chimpanzees and you will be allocated one hour to stay with these human brothers.

The Chimpanzees will seduce you in a state of stupefaction 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 life time experience of its own.

Disembark from the activity to your lodge for relaxation and lunch. After lunch, transfer to Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary for an afternoon tour.

The Bigodi wetland walk will expose 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 Sitatunga may not be missed. Retreat from the activity back to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

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

Day 8: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park, Visit The Rwenzori Art Foundation – The Only Bronze Casting Center in Africa & Ruboni Community Craft & Wax Center En-route & Do The Crater Area Drive Upon Arrival

After your early morning breakfast, depart Kibale heading to Queen Elizabeth National Park 157km about 3 hours’ drive excluding stops en route.

You will have your first stop at Rwenzori Art foundation which is the only bronze casting center in the whole of African Continent that is located in the shadows of Rwenzori Mountains.

You may participate in the wonderful process of sculpture making of which is the common activity done in the Centre.

Sparing time to tour the Ruboni community wax and craft center exposes you to the local traditions and the usage of local knowledge to contemporary development.

Thereafter proceed to the Queen Elizabeth NP, driving through the crater which affords you with views of the wildlife like olive baboons and elephants not forgetting magical scenery before connecting to Mweya for an afternoon Kazinga Channel boat 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), Enganzi Game Lodge (Mid-range/Standard) or Pumba Safari Cottages (Budget/Basic).

Day 9 : Do Morning Game Drive & Afternoon Chimpanzee Trekking

After an early morning breakfast, embark on an early morning game drive at 6:30am in the rolling savannah plains of Queen Elizabeth National Park.

The park’s diverse ecosystem of grassy plains, tropical forest, rivers, swamps, lakes and volcanic craters is home to an incredible abundance of wildlife.

Look out for buffaloes, lions, elephants and other wild life in their natural habitat. After 3 -4 hour game drive covering about 200 kilometers, you will retire back to your lodge for relaxation, memory sharing and lunch.

Thereafter, embark on an interesting afternoon chimpanzee trekking in the Kyambura gorge that starts from 2:00pm .

The Kyambura Gorge experience is more than exploring chimpanzees in their natural environment, the activity stretches an extra mile to teach you about the ecosystems of Kyambura Gorge’s atmospheric “underground” rainforest, including vegetation types; bird identification and behavior; and chimp and monkey ecology.

While at the site, you stand a pretty good chance of hearing and seeing our distant cousins-Chimpanzees as they are habituated.

The activity which lasts between 2-3 hours is very rewarding and after the activity, you will retire to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Enganzi Lodge (Midrange/Standard) or Pumba Safari Cottages (Budget/Basic).

Day 10 : Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park & Does a Game Drive in the Ishasha Sector in Search of Tree Climbing Lions En-route

Immediately after taking cup of coffee, embark on the drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

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

The drive also exposes you to other wildlife. Thereafter, proceed 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 11: Do Gorilla Trekking & Afternoon Cultural Encounter With The Local Batwa

On this specific day, you will take hefty breakfast that will give you the energy to hike the hills and slope the valleys when searching for gorillas.

After breakfast, your driver guide will drive you with your packed lunch, bottled water, to the Park head Quarters in your respective gorilla trekking region for an early morning registration and briefing at about the etiquettes of gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

In this session, you will meet other trekkers and be divided into groups of eight individuals who are only allowed to trek one specific habituated Gorilla family.

After briefing, UWA experienced ranger guide will lead you to the trail heads where thrilling gorilla trekking experience starts from.

You will entre in the ancient, thick dark impenetrable forest to begin hiking the hills and slopping the valleys when looking for the unique species of the mountain gorillas inhabited in the famous Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

The trek can take you between 2-8 hours to meet face to face with the mountain gorillas and once up close, you will be allowed to spend one magical hour with these stunning apes.

During this time you can decide to sit down listen to gorilla crumble, study how these apes go about their daily activities and you can take as many photos as possible.

When the one hour is done, you will walk back to the park headquarters and retire back to your lodge for late Lunch, 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.

Thereafter the activity, you will retreat back to your lodge for dinner, memory sharing and overnight.

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

Day 12:  Transfer From Bwindi to Lake Bunyonyi & Afternoon Boat Cruise

Right 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.

Bunyonyi is a local word that means “many small birds” in direct translation. It’s a perfect stopover for committed birders and travellers who are from hectic gorilla trekking activities.

On arrival to Lake Bunyonyi, you will drive to your lodge for check-in, lunch and you proceed to catch up with the afternoon boat cruise ,also participate in refreshing activities such as swimming in the bilharzia free waters of Bunyonyi, you can also enjoy the evening nature walks in the Bunyonyi Islands .

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, you will have your dinner and overnight.

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

Day 13: Transfer From Lake Bunyonyi to Lake Mburo National Park & Afternoon Boat Cruise.

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 fascinating rolling hills and picturesque landscape of south western Uganda.

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

The boat trip which takes around 2-3 hours of adventure will not offer you opportunities of confronting the wildlife game like Hippos, Nile Crocodiles, buffaloes, Elephants along the shores of the lake but you will meet 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 14: Do Morning Game Drive & Afternoon Horseback Safaris

Following an early morning cup of Coffee, depart the lodge heading to the park for an 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 are alive with unique wildlife species like gigantic eland antelope, zebras, waterbucks, Klipspringer and the rare Topi, impala, warthog, oribi, buffalo, Defassa reedbuck.

The 2-3hours game drive will offer an opportunity to have an account of different bird species. After the activity, you will retire back to the lodge for lunch and refreshment as you wait to embark on an afternoon Horseback Safari.

After lunch, embark on Horseback safari that is organized by Mihingo lodge and sets off at 2:30pm .The pleasure like activity will reward you with the views of wildlife, including eland and buffalo, warthog, topi, impala, duiker, bushbuck, waterbuck and zebra.

The four-hour hack takes you up to hilltop viewpoints with the option of bush breakfasts or sundowners. Thereafter the activity, Retreat back to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

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

Day 15 : Hike & Nature Walks in Lake Mburo & Transfer to Kampala.

After taking a relaxed breakfast, embark on an early morning Hike and Nature Walks in Lake Mburo national park.

The activity done through the guidance of an experienced guide will take you to a salt lick area where unique wildlife species converge in the salty rocks, you may also meet the hyenas returning to their dens and hippos retreat back to the lake and also along the way you will enjoy the views of different bird species such as Harrier Hawk, Green Pigeon, Narina Trogon, Grey-backed Cameroptera and Double-toothed Barbet.

After exploring the nature walks, you will retreat back to the park headquarters and thereafter embark on drive transfer back to Kampala.

You will drive through a magnificent hilly countryside and lush cultivation on an approximately four-hour journey.

Lunch stopover at the Equator crossing in Kayabwe. On arrival to Kampala, you will have short stopover to shop for souvenir and thereafter, you drive to the airport for your onward flight back home.

End of The 15 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari Murchison Falls Kibale Forest Lake Bunyonyi & Lake Mburo

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)