The 12 Days Uganda Safari is a memorable one where you visit different national parks both savannah and forested ones. There will be a great chance to meet the endangered mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, four of the big five animals, endless scenery and many more. Take part in game drives, hiking, boat cruises, community tours, gorilla trekking, nature walks, chimpanzee tracking and more.
The national parks that will be visited are Lake Mburo, Bwindi Impenetrable, Queen Elizabeth, Kibale and Murchison Falls. Visit the Isunga community at the edge of Kibale Forest and view different crater lakes, tea plantations, and coffee gardens and learn how the local people live. There will be different stopovers but the main one will be at the point where the equator crosses Uganda and not forgetting the optional city tour in either Kampala or Entebbe on your first day of arrival.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1. Arrival and optional city tour in Entebbe / Kampala
Arrive at Entebbe International Airport and the driver guide will be ready to pick you up and have an optional activity of a city tour either in Entebbe or Kampala. There is a lot to explore and enjoy while touring one of the cities in Uganda such as the beaches in Entebbe, religious sites, market centers and many more. The driver’s guide will take you to the agreed and booked hotel.
Day 2. Transfer Lake Mburo and boat cruise
Wake up and transfer to Lake Mburo National Park after breakfast and this will create everlasting memories. This is the smallest savannah park in Uganda and again takes a record to be the only park near Kampala, the capital of Uganda. This park has its uniqueness being the home of the impalas and zebras.
While on the way, have a main stopover at Kayabwe, a point where the Equator crosses Uganda. While here, take photos and buy some snacks and souvenirs. Proceed with the journey and find yourself in Lake Mburo ready to take a boat cruise after lunch. Expect to meet animals like crocodiles, hippos, impalas and more birds. Head to check in the lodge for your dinner.
Day 3. Game drive and nature walk
Head for a morning game drive to search for wildlife such as zebras, impalas, elands, buffalos, Oribis, waterbucks, leopards, hyenas, Topis, reedbucks and more. The game drive takes about 3 hours depending on what is spotted while in the plains. Lunch will be served followed by an evening nature walk accompanied by a park ranger guide.
Day 4. Transfer to Bwindi National Park
Leave Lake Mburo National Park and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable national park, a renowned park in the world to home half of the remaining gorilla individuals.
There is a lot to encounter while on the way such as visiting the Igongo cultural center to learn about the Banyankole and Bakiga cultures, visiting the Ankole Kigezi museum and many more others. Proceed to the park lodge in the evening to check in and enjoy dinner.
Day 5. Gorilla trekking experience
An exciting and remarkable day as you prepare to encounter the gorillas. Take breakfast and then head to the briefing point to get the trekking rules as the officials crosscheck the gorilla trekking permits.
Begin the search with the guidance of the park ranger guide as you meet different animals like L’Hoest’s monkeys, red-tailed monkeys and many more others. Spend an hour in the presence of a gorilla family and this will be a great experience of capturing memories. Later on, head back to the lodge and this marks the end of the day.
Day 6. Head to Queen Elizabeth NP
After lunch at the lodge, embark on a journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park home to the tree-climbing lions and migratory birds. As you penetrate the interior, spot these tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha sector. Formerly known as Kazinga Channel National Park and later changed to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Arrive and have an evening game drive where you will encounter different animals like Ugandan Kobs, elephants, buffalos, topi, waterbuck, warthog, giant forest hog, Nile crocodile, leopard and more. Arrive and check-in at the lodge.
Day 7. Full day in Queen Elizabeth NP
Have a morning game drive in the park and then an afternoon boat cruise on Kazinga channel. There are different animals and birds that you will encounter while taking part in this tour.
Animals expected to be spotted are Ugandan Kobs, hippopotamus, topi, waterbuck, warthog, giant forest hog, Nile crocodile, leopard and birds like Flamingos, Eurasian Marsh Harrier, Pallid Harrier, Avocet, Montagu’s Harrier, Common Greenshank, Little Stint, Gull-billed tern, Red-capped Lark and more.
Day 8. Transfer to Kibale National Park
Leave Queen Elizabeth National Park and transfer to Kibale National Park in western Uganda. This park is well renowned for hosting 13 primates such as chimpanzees’ man’s closest cousins. Pass through the land of craters that are Ndali – Kasenda craters areas and have a view of different craters. Have an optional activity of Isunga homemade coffee experience or Bigodi swamp walk. Before checking in the booked lodge.
Day 9. Chimpanzee tracking and Isunga community tour
Like in Bwindi National Park, wake up and enjoy breakfast followed by a drop off at the park offices for briefing. Kanyanchu visitor center is where briefing takes place, cross checking of the gorilla permits and assignment of the park ranger guide. Head to the forest and begin the search while spotting other creatures like Vervet monkeys, olive baboons, red tailed monkeys, colobus monkeys and more. Spend an hour in the presence of the chimps capturing memories.
After the experience, you will head back to the lodge for lunch and then take a community walk in Isunga village with a local guide from Isunga Cultural Community Tours/Association. Discover different crater lakes, homesteads, food and cash crops and many more others.
Day 10. Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park
Leave Kibale and transfer to Murchison Falls National Park with an enroute stopover at a restaurant for lunch. Taste local dishes and proceed to the mighty Murchison Falls National Park. This park has the world’s strongest waterfalls which roars like thunder and passes through a narrow cauldron. Arrive and head to the lodge booked.
Day 11. Game drive, boat cruise and visit top of the world
Have a wonderful time as you take a morning game drive in the savannah plains expecting to meet animals like Giraffes, Buffaloes, Bushbucks, Elephants, Hartebeests, Oribis, waterbucks, warthogs and more. Have a stopover at the hippo pool where you enjoy fruits. Take a boat cruise after lunch to enjoy water-loving animals and birds.
Also, enjoy the beautiful scenery of the waterfalls from the bottom. Later on, visit the top of the falls and enjoy the rainbow, roaring sound of the falls and then return to the lodge
Day 12. Head back to Kampala
Leave Murchison Falls NP and transfer back to Kampala with a stopover at Ziwa rhino sanctuary for rhino trekking. Be dropped at the airport and this will mark the end of the safari.
