An 18-day Uganda safari focusing on gorillas, chimpanzees, wildlife, and culture offers a comprehensive exploration of Uganda’s diverse attractions. This itinerary typically includes gorilla and chimpanzee trekking, wildlife game drives, boat cruises, cultural experiences, and visits to various national parks and reserves.
Day 1: Warm welcome to Uganda
On arrival at Entebbe International Airport. A representative from Cycads Africa Safaris shall welcome you and transfer you to your accommodation. You shall be briefed by our driver guide regarding the tour, and also respond to all your questions. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 2: Transfer to Sezibwa Falls, Mabira Forest & Jinja
After an early morning breakfast, start your journey off with eastern Uganda. You will drive through Kampala and head eastwards along the Kampala – Jinja highway. The first turn-off is to the Sezibwa Falls, a Buganda cultural heritage site, with beautiful waterfalls and a cool atmosphere. Spend an hour here hiking the rocks, watching birds, and learning about the myths of the falls and the ancient traditional worship that is still practiced here. Thereafter, return to the road and make another stopover at Mabira Rainforest – the largest forest in Central Uganda. Head out for a 2-hour trek to track the habituated Grey-cheeked Mangabeys, watch lots of birds, monkeys, and enjoy the aroma of an African jungle. Return and get back on the road and drive to Jinja. Check in at your accommodation, have lunch, and thereafter head out for an hour boat ride on Lake Victoria to the Source of the Nile after transfer to your lodge.
Day 3: Transfer to Mbale – Sipi Falls hike experience
Today, you will drive out of Jinja and head further eastwards through Mbale town to Sipi Falls in Kapchorwa District. The Sipi Falls are a series of three stunning waterfalls situated in the foothills of Mountain Elgon. The Sipi Falls area, found at the base of Mount Elgon, is particularly famous for Bugisu Arabica Coffee produced and grown by the Local farmers.
Check in at the accommodation (Sipi River Lodge), refresh, and thereafter head out for a 3 – 4-hour trek up and down the foothills of Mountain Elgon, visiting each of the three waterfalls and enjoying spectacular vistas from up Mountain Elgon to the flat plains of Karamoja in the distance. Return to your lodge for lunch. Later, you could opt to walk through the local communities and coffee farmlands. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Day 4: Depart Mount Elgon for Kidepo Valley National Park
Today, after an early breakfast, embark on a long drive to the north of Uganda and get to Kidepo Valley National Park – arguably Africa’s most spectacular wilderness. Lunch en route. Arrive at the park in the evening and transfer to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
The Park lies in the rugged, semi-arid valleys between Uganda’s borders with Sudan and Kenya, some 740 km from Kampala. It has a profusion of big game and hosts over 77 mammal species as well as around 475 bird species. Kidepo is Uganda’s most isolated national park, but the few who make the long journey north agree that it is also the most magnificent and ranks among Africa’s finest wildernesses.
Day 5: Explore Kidepo Valley National Park on a game drive
After your early morning breakfast, start your drive through the Narus Valley, where you will have a nature walk to the Hot springs. In the afternoon, after lunch, you will enjoy another game drive. Kidepo Valley National Park is a savannah landscape that extends in all directions. It is home to elephants, zebras, giraffes, huge herds of buffalo, warthogs, duikers, Jackson’s Hartebeest, lions, leopards, cheetahs, and hundreds of bird species. Afterward, you will retire to your accommodation, and later in the evening, you may opt to do a community visit.
Day 6: Depart the Land of Cheetahs for Murchison Falls National Park
After an early breakfast, check out and depart for Murchison Falls National Park – Uganda’s largest game park. You will stopover in Gulu town to have lunch. You will get to Murchison Falls National Park in the evening, transfer to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Morning Game drive and afternoon boat cruise on the Victoria Nile
After breakfast, depart for an early morning game drive across the rolling plains of Uganda’s largest National Park, where you will have the opportunity of viewing lions, giraffes, elephants, Leopards, Hyenas, buffalo, and Jackson Hartebeest. Oribi, Waterbucks, Uganda Kobs, among others. For any birder, this area supports the secretary bird, like the black chested snake eagle, Tawny and Marshal Eagles, Carmine and Swallow-Tailed Bee-Eaters, and many others. Later, you’ll return to your lodge for lunch and after go for an afternoon boat cruise on the Nile, where you will spot lots of animals, including hippos, crocodiles, and several water birds. Thereafter, you will return to your lodge or have an optional evening game drive. Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 8: Depart Murchison Falls National Park to Kibale Forest National Park
After a relaxed breakfast, you will check out of the lodge and drive to the top of the falls. While there, you will enjoy the spectacular view of the most powerful waterfall in the world, Murchison Falls. Thereafter, you will transfer to Kibale Forest National Park. On your way, you will have a stopover for lunch in Fort Portal before proceeding to Kibale Forest National Park. you may have a short city drive and then proceed to Kibale Forest National Park, where you will arrive in the late afternoon, check into your accommodation, and spend the rest of the day and overnight at the lodge.
Day 9: Chimpanzee tracking and Bigodi swamp walk
Today, you will track the most famous inhabitants of Kibale National Park, the chimpanzees. With over 1,450 individuals protected within the park, Kibale Forest is home to the largest number of the endangered chimpanzees in Uganda, as well as the threatened red colobus monkey and the rare L’Hoest’s monkey. The forest has one of the highest diversities and densities of primates in Africa, totaling 13 species. In the afternoon, after tracking, you have the opportunity for a guided walk through the swamps of Bigodi. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 10: Drive to Semuliki National Park
After breakfast, check out and transfer to Semuliki National Park, situated about two and a half hours’ drive from Kibale Forest. Upon arrival, hike to the iconic Sempaya Hot Springs. Transfer to your accommodation for lunch, later set out for a game drive for some wildlife sighting which includes Uganda kob, reedbuck, savanna elephant, duiker, waterbuck, warthog, giant forest hog, and birds. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 11: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Today, you will drive to the world-famous Queen Elizabeth National Park. You will stopover in Fort Portal town to have lunch, then you will proceed to the park and have an evening game drive in search of wildlife species such as Hippos, Buffalos, and others. Thereafter, return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Briefly, Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda’s most visited game park and arguably the most scenic. The national park protects the vast Savannah plains, bushland, wetlands, and forests that lie at the base of the Rwenzori Mountain range. Kazinga Channel, which flows through the park and connects Lake George in the East to Lake Edward in the West, attracts a rich array of birds and animals, including the infamous Nile crocodile and one of the world’s largest concentrations of hippos. On your first game drive, you will explore the park along with a 200-kilometer network of well-maintained game viewing tracks.
Day 12: Morning Game drive and boat cruise along the Kazinga channel
On this day, after your breakfast and head out for an early Morning Game Drive. There are over 100 mammal species that include Lions, Hippos, buffalo, Leopards, Spotted Hyenas, Elephants, and the elusive Giant Forest Hog in this park. The Primates include Chimps, Black and White Colobus Monkeys, Blue, Black-faced Red Colobus, Red-tailed Monkeys, and Olive Baboons.
Later in the day, when the sun is high in the sky and the animals make their way to the river for a drink, we will head to Kazinga Channel for an exciting boat cruise. You will spot more hippos today than you can imagine. Herds of elephants and buffalo will also wander down to the shoreline to bathe in the cooling waters. A boat cruise is a fantastic way to get close to wildlife, and for many visitors, and the highlight of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Important to note that the Kazinga Channel has the highest concentration of Hippos in the World.
Day 13: Visit Katwe Salt Lake and the crater lakes visit
On this day, you will have breakfast and head westwards to Katwe Salt Lake for an amazing experience of how salt is mined from the lake, there after you will have lunch and head for a drive to the crater lakes, concluding the day with an evening game drive. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.
Day 14: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park via Ishasha sector
After breakfast, you will have a morning game drive in Ishasha, discovering other hiding spots that the tree-climbing lions enjoy. Afterward, you will proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The park is home to the endangered mountain gorillas. This fascinating mountain forest hosts chimpanzees and spectacular birds. Then head to the camp and relax for the preparation of gorilla trekking the following day. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.
Day 15: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi & Batwa Community Walk
On this day, you will wake up very early, have breakfast, pick a packed lunch, and transfer to at park offices for a briefing by the rangers. You are assigned the habituated gorilla group you shall track and set off into Bwindi Forest to search for the Gorillas. After locating the Gorilla, you will spend one hour with them, then return to find your driver, who will transfer you back to your lodge, refresh, and later visit the Batwa community. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Day 16: Canoe ride and relaxation at Lake Bunyonyi
On this day, you shall have an exciting Canoe ride on Lake Bunyonyi. In the afternoon, you may have optional activities: a Canoe boat ride, a swim in the bilharzia-free lake, or you may also explore a nearby village. Residents are happy about your visit and are open to explaining their daily lives or spending all day enjoying the soothing atmosphere of Lake Bunyonyi and the magnificent highland scenery all around. Lunch, dinner, and an overnight at your lodge.
Day 17: Drive to Lake Mburo National Park and game drive
After breakfast, check out and travel to Lake Mburo National Park. Upon arrival in Lake Mburo, drive through the game trails and view a number of wildlife including zebras, impalas, buffaloes, elands, waterbucks, birds, and marvelous scenery.
Continue to check in at your accommodation, refresh, and have lunch, or you may opt to have Lunch in Mbarara town. Later, set out for a relaxing evening boat ride on Lake Mburo and also view some wildlife, including hippos and several birds. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 18: Nature walks and transfer back to Kampala/ Entebbe
Early in the morning, have a guided nature walk, return to the lodge for a hearty breakfast. After that, you will start your journey back to Entebbe. Cross the equator and have time to take photos at the equator. Buy a few souvenirs and have a quick picnic lunch. Later, you depart heading to Entebbe International Airport.