18 Days Uganda Safari

18 Day Uganda Typical safari

This safari starts and ends in Kampala, You are to visit many different tourist attractions including; Lake Mburo National Park famous for Zebras, Mgahinga National Park common for mountain gorillas and the Batwa trail, Bwindi impenetrable National Park famous for gorilla trekking safaris, Queen Elizabeth National Park where you will enjoy a boat cruise on Kazinga channel, Visit Murchison falls national park to see lots of wildlife species, Kibale national park known for chimpanzee trekking, Get to visit Ngamba Island chimpanzee sanctuary as well as Jinja to enjoy the source of the Nile.

Tour highlights

Day 1: Arrival at the airport & Transfer to the hotel.

Day 2: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park

Day 3: Morning game drive& a boat cruise

Day 4: Transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Day 5: Sabyinyo volcano climbing

Day 6: Gorilla trekking

Day 7: Batwa cultural experience

Day 8: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Day 9: Morning game drive & Boat cruise on Kazinga channel

Day 10: Transfer to Kibale National Park.

Day 11: Chimpanzee trekking in the Forest

Day 12: Transfer to Murchison falls National Park

Day 13: Morning game drive & a boat cruise

Day 14: Have a delta Boat safari

Day 15: Transfer back to Kampala city

Day 16: Transfer to Jinja

Day 17: Have a half-day tour to Ngamba Island.

Day 18: Transfer to the Entebbe International Airport

 

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival at the airport & Transfer to the hotel.

Upon your arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you are welcomed by the company representative who welcomes you and transfers you to your respective booked hotel in Kampala.

Overnight as follows.

Luxury: Kampala Serena Hotel

Mid-range: Cassia Lodge

Budget: Forest Cottages

Meal Plan: Bed and Breakfast

Day 2: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park

Breakfast early in the morning and after proceeding with your drive to Lake Mburo National Park. Have a stopover at the equator to perform an experiment of tropical balance. Take some photos as well before continuing with your drive to the park. Upon arrival at the park,  have lunch as you prepare for an afternoon game drive where you are able to see many animal species including; zebras, elands, impalas, birds, and many more.

After, return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Overnight and dinner as follows

Luxury: Mihingo Safari Lodge

Mid-range: Mburo Safari Lodge

Budget: Eagle’s Nest

Meal plan: Full board

Day 3: Morning game drive& a boat cruise

After having breakfast at the lodge, proceed to explore the park on a game drive in search for animal species including; impalas, zebras, buffaloes, elands, topis and birds like the rare shoebill stork, white-winged Warbler, as well as the crested Francolin. After return to the lodge for your lunch as you prepare for a boat cruise on the lake. The common animals to be seen here include; crocodiles, fish species, hippos, water birds and many more.

After return to the lodge for dinner and overnight

Luxury: Mihingo Safari Lodge

Mid-range: Mburo Safari Lodge

Budget: Eagle’s Nest

Meal plan: Full board

Day 4: Transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Have breakfast and then proceed for a guided nature walk in the park where you are to see many animals that you missed on your previous game drives. After, proceed with your drive to Mgahinga National Park, famous for 3 different volcanoes that are hiked as well as the mountain gorillas. Have lunch in the rolling hills of southwestern Uganda before continuing to Kisoro, rest at the hotel upon your arrival.

Overnight at Mount Gahinga Lodge

Moderate: Mucha Hotel

Budget: Ikoro Hotel

Meal plan: Full Board

Day 5: Sabyinyo volcano climbing

Have breakfast and then head to the trail to start the hike for the day. Mgahinga has got three challenging volcano peaks. Hiking up the mountain takes you up the ridge along the eastern side of the peak. The climb to the second peak includes walking a ridge with great drops into the gorges of Uganda and Rwanda. The hike to the third peak is so steep with many ladders and mush scrambling. Once you reach the top, you will be in Rwanda, DRC and Uganda and this is a triple experience. The whole hike takes 8 hours to cover the 14km stretch depending on your speed and strength. You are also advised to carry with you a lot of drinking water and warm clothing as well as rain gears during the hike.

After transfer to Bwindi impenetrable National Park

Dinner and overnight at Buhoma Lodge

Mid-range: Silverback Lodge

Budget: Buhoma community rest camp

Meal plan: Full Board

Day 6: Gorilla trekking

Have breakfast and then be transferred to the headquarters for a pre gorilla briefing by the park rangers and wardens by 7:00 am. After this briefing, proceed to the forest to track the gorillas, spend some time observing these gorillas as they get to interact with one another, you are given one hour interacting with them as you take some photos. You are advised to carry packed lunch and drinking water since the time to spend in the jungle is unpredictable. After the trek, return to the lodge for a late lunch as you prepare to go for a community walk to experience the lifestyle of the local people.

Dinner and overnight at Buhoma Lodge

Mid-range: Silverback Lodge

Budget: Buhoma community rest camp

Meal plan: Full Board

Day 7: Batwa cultural experience

This is one of the most thrilling activities in the park since it includes visit the Batwa pygmies, which is an indigenous people who lived in Bwindi impenetrable Forest. These were known as the keepers of the forest and survived by hunting, gathering fruits and plants within the forest. These people lived in harmony with the forest and other animals including the mountain gorillas, they built huts out of the leaves to make shelter, these moved in search for fresh food. Get to enjoy their local lifestyles of these people.

Dinner and overnight at Buhoma Lodge

Mid-range: Silverback Lodge

Budget: Buhoma community rest camp

Meal plan: Full Board

Day 8: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

After having breakfast, you drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park commonly known to host the highest biodiversity ratings of any game park with lakes, forests, savannah grassland and wetlands. Go through Ishasha sector famous for tree-climbing lions, and search for the game and if you are lucky, you are to spot tree-climbing lions, then continue to the Northern part of the park.

Dinner and overnight at

Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge

Moderate: Park View Lodge

Budget: Enganzi Safari Lodge

Meal Plan: Full Board

Day 9: Morning game drive & Boat cruise on Kazinga channel

Have breakfast in the morning and after head for the game drive along the Kasenyi tracks to search for lions, cape buffaloes, warthogs, waterbucks, kobs, mongoose, hyenas, and many more. After the game drive, return to the lodge for your lunch as you prepare for the boat cruise on Kazinga channel, where you are to see many water animals including; crocodiles, hippos, water birds and many more. The cruise gives you an opportunity to take some photos since you view the animals up close.

Dinner and overnight at

Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge

Moderate: Park View Lodge

Budget: Enganzi Safari Lodge

Meal Plan: Full Board

Day 10: Transfer to Kibale National Park.

Have breakfast and then start your drive to Kibale National Park, get a chance to visit the palace of the youngest king in the World, Tororo Kingdom Palace for a cultural and historical briefing. Have lunch in Fort Portal before continuing to visit the crater lakes and then continue to your hotel for the night before chimpanzee trekking the next day.

Dinner and overnight at

Luxury: Ndali safari Lodge

Moderate: Mountains of the moon hotel

Budget: Kibale Forest Camp

Day 11: Chimpanzee trekking in the Forest

Have breakfast in the morning and then proceed for chimpanzee tracking briefing at the park headquarters by the rangers, after you are led into the forest to search for the chimpanzees, These are mobile primates and viewing them is s unpredictable but the walk is so thrilling and takes between 4 to 6 hours. The forest is home to many chimpanzees and other primates including L Hoestes, mangabeys, Red Colobus, grey-cheeked butterflies, and birds. Get back to the lodge in time for lunch and in the afternoon, you go for Bigodi swamp walk to see more primates as well as birds. Gets a chance to interact with the local communities living in the area.

Dinner and overnight at

Luxury: Ndali safari Lodge

Moderate: Mountains of the moon hotel

Budget: Kibale Forest Camp

 

Day 12: Transfer to Murchison falls National Park

After breakfast, you head to Murchison falls National Park and this is a full day drive via the Aertine Escarpment of the western Rift valley passing through the countryside traditional homesteads. Upon your arrival, you might visit the top of the falls before proceeding to the lodge.

Overnight and Dinner as follows.

Luxury: Paara Safari Lodge

Mid-range: Murchison River Lodge

Budget: Red chilli Lodge

Meal plan: Full Board

Day 13: Morning game drive & a boat cruise

Have breakfast and then transfer for a game drive to the northern bank in search of animals like the giraffes, lions, leopards, elephants, oribis, Jackson’s hartebeests, kobs, Buffaloes and many bird species. After return the lodge for lunch and relax as you prepare for a boat Cruise on River Nile to the bottom of the falls where you have the chance to see crocodiles, hippos, buffalos, waterbucks, elephants and many bird species. Get an option of hiking to the top of the falls.

After return to thelodge and relax, dinner and overnight

Luxury: Paara Safari Lodge

Mid range: Murchison River Lodge

Budget: Red chilli Lodge

Meal plan: Full Board

Day 14: Have a delta Boat safari

After having breakfast, head for a 4 to 5 hours boat trip to the Delta region famous for the high populations of game. You have a chance to see elephants, lions, bushbucks, buffaloes, as well as birds. You can relax at the poolside at your lodge or relax at the lodge in the afternoon.

Luxury: Paara Safari Lodge

Mid range: Murchison River Lodge

Budget: Red chilli Lodge

Meal plan: Full Board

Day 15: Transfer back to Kampala city

Have breakfast and proceed for a game drive to see many wildlife species that you missed on your previous game drives. After start your drive back to Kampala arriving late afternoon.

Dinner and overnight at Kampala Serena Hotel (Luxury)

Moderate: Urban City Blue Hotel

Budget: Cassia Lodge Kampala

Meal Plan: Full Board

Day 16: Transfer to Jinja

Have breakfast and then transfer to Jinja city, along the way you will visit Mabira forest with an opportunity of seeing many animal species including; the birds and monkeys. You also visit Sezibwa falls which is a spiritual and cultural centre where people are believed to come for blessings, fortunes and wealth. You have lunch in Jinja town and then visit the source of the Nile for a boat cruise to see the source of the Nile.

The alternative visit to Jinja is to have a full or half day white water rafting, the other activities to engage in include; Bungy jumping, Kayaking, quad biking, as well as Horse riding.

After, get back to Kampala and get dropped at the Hotel for dinner and overnight

Kampala Serena Hotel (Luxury)

Moderate: Urban City Blue Hotel

Budget: Cassia Lodge Kampala

Meal Plan: Full Board

Day 17: Have a half day tour to Ngamba Island.

Have breakfast at the Hotel and the driver guide takes you to Entebbe Zoo to catch a boat cruise that takes you to Namba Island sanctuary known for conserving the orphaned chimpanzees. Get the opportunity of feeding these chimpanzees and spend some time with them and watch them as they play around. Have lunch and prepare to get back to the boat which brings you back to Entebbe. In case you have some time, visit the zoo and see many different wildlife species.

After return to the hotel for dinner and overnight

Kampala Serena Hotel (Luxury)

Moderate: Urban City Blue Hotel

Budget: Cassia Lodge Kampala

Meal Plan: Full Board

Day 18: Transfer to the Entebbe International Airport

Depending on your flight time, you are transferred to Entebbe Airport to catch your flight back to Home.

END OF SAFARI

 

Tour inclusions

• Transportation by a 4×4 station wagon
• 1 gorilla permit
• 1 chimpanzee permit
• Community walk in bwindi
• Accommodation and meals as per the itinerary
• 2 game drives
• Igongo Cultural visit
• Boat cruise
• Park fees
• Driver/ Guide allowance
• Enroute lunches
• Ranger guide fees
• Airport transfers
• Drinking water
• All activities in the itinerary

Tour exclusions

• Expenses of personal nature
• Tips
• Drinks like beers or sodas
• Telephones
• Cigars