On this 18 days Uganda safari, you will visit about 8 national parks and take part in different activities like boat cruises, game drives, community tours, primate watching and that is gorilla trekking and chimpanzee tracking.
In this safari you will take part in other activities that are outside the park such as visiting the source of the Nile, hiking Soroti Rock, Bigodi swamp walk, visiting Lake Bunyonyi and this means that the safari covers all sides of the pearl of Africa that is wildlife, nature and culture. Another Enroute attraction comes as a stopover at the Uganda equator in Kayabwe, Mabira forest, roadside markets among others. We know you will enjoy this safari.
Day 1: Transfer to a hotel in Kampala on your arrival
On arrival, our safari guide assigned to you will be eagerly waiting to receive you at the airport with a poster of your name. He will offer you a briefing after a warm welcome.
You will have a chance to purchase some things that may be required to use during the safari such as camera batteries and maybe charging the money to Ugandan currency. Thereafter, head to the booked hotel in Kampala but remember you have an optional activity of nightlife experience.
Day 2: Transfer to Soroti with a stopover at Jinja source of River Nile and Nature walk in Mabira Forest
Transfer to Soroti Town with en-route stopovers to visit attractions like the Mabira forest where you will take a walk that will take you to Griffin falls as you spot different primates like monkeys. Then proceed and then reach Jinja where you will be served with lunch and then take a tour hour boat cruise which will take you to the source of the Nile.
Explore the starting point of the longest river in the world as it finds its way to the Mediterranean Sea. Thereafter, you will proceed with a journey and spend a night in Soroti Town.
Day 3: Soroti rock climbing and transfer to Kidepo Valley National Park
Take breakfast and be ready with your packed lunch ad hike Soroti Rock that is in the middle of the town, if you are lucky enough, you will meet some local goats grazing on top of the rock.
Thereafter start a journey to Kidepo Valley National Park which is located in the North-Eastern part of the country. This is the most isolated national park in the country and has beautiful scenery. The park is a home to different wildlife such as lions, leopards, herds of buffalos, elephants, zebras, giraffes, warthogs, among others. Thereafter you will reach the late evening and transfer to the booked lodge in the park.
Day 4: Game drive and community tour
Since the park has diverse wildlife, you will embark on the morning game drive which takes place in the savannah valleys of the park. Be able to spot animals like lions, leopards, herds of buffalos, elephants, zebras, giraffes, warthogs, among others and birds like the love birds, ostriches, ground hornbills among others.
The game drive lasts for 3hours and then head back to the lodge to enjoy a fruitful breakfast. In the afternoon, embark on the community tour where you will visit the Karamajongs that neighbors the park. These people are related to the Masai people of Kenya and Tanzania in terms of culture. Enjoy the traditional dances and music, take a walk in their community and learn more about their ways of living. Head back to the lodge for dinner and retire
Day 5: Transfer to Murchison falls national park
Transfer to Murchison falls national park is the biggest conservation area in the country and again having a major attraction being the Murchison falls originally called Kabalega falls named after the King of Bunyoro. The park is again divided into two sections by the Albert Nile in the northern section being dominated by the savannah woodlands and the southern section being dominated by the forested vegetation that connects to the Mabira forest.
As you find your way to the park, you will have a stopover in Gulu Town and visit one of the local markets where you will buy some fruits like pineapple, Yellows, sugars canes or even a jackfruit that you will enjoy in the middle of the park as you take the game drive the next day. Arrive and transfer to the lodge.
Day 6. Game drive and boat cruise
Embark on an early game drive that will take place in the Northern sections where you will spot different animals such as lions, elephants, leopards, warthogs, among others and again have a chance to see different trees like Kigelia Africana, whistling acacia among others.
The game drive will take you to the hippo pool where you get out of the vehicle and enjoy the fruits you bought the previous day. After you will return to the lodge and then have leisure and immediately after lunch, you will proceed for a boat cruise that takes you through the Albert Nile which is part of the river Nile.
After watching the crocodiles, hippos and elephants, warthogs, buffalos, the boat will leave you at the bottom of the falls. Start a hike immediately passing Baker’s rock and then enjoy a breathtaking moment at the top of the falls. Spot a rainbow that is formed when water forces itself in a small cauldron. Thereafter the driver guide will be waiting for you and transfer you to the lodge.
Day 7: Transfer to Kibale national park and crater lakes exploration
Enjoy breakfast and then head to the Kibale national park, this is a home to primates 8ncluding the human cousin chimpanzee. Other primates are L’Hoest’s monkeys, olive baboons, red-tailed monkeys, colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, and grey-cheeked mangabeys
It’s comprised of different tree species like mahogany, Prunus Africana among others, butterflies, bird species among others and these have made the forest to be used as a research area worldwide. On the arrival, you will take Crater Lake explorations where you will be able to visit different crater lakes like Lake Nyabikere, Nyinabulitwa and Nyamirima that are located near the park headquarters. Then, head to the lodge where you will spend a night.
Day 8: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi swamp walk
Attend briefing exercise after breakfast and then head for chimpanzee tracking in Kibale forest where you will have a chance of one hour in their presence. While in the forest meet other primates like vervet monkeys, colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys among others and birds like the green breasted pitta, great blue turacos among much more.
Trekking experience takes about 4hours and after you will be rewarded with a certificate of recognition for trekking. Later after lunch, head for a swamp walk in Bigodi wetlands, and on this point, you will enjoy different primates like vervet monkeys, colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, olive baboons and birds like the Ross’s Turacos, great blue turacos, Papyrus gonoleke, common bulbul among others. Thereafter return to the lodge for your dinner and retire.
Day 9: Transfer to Semuliki national park and visit Amabere Ganyinamwiru caves Enroute
Head to Semulik national park is located in the ranges of Rwenzori Mountains in Bwamba County, Bundibugyo District. The park is famous for its hot springs that are female and male those have cultural history attached to them. These are formed as a result of pressure that comes from underground with hot water.
The road trip to the park rewards you with a view of a rift valley escarpment and again the Rwenzori ranges. Visit the hot springs as you pass through the forest that rewards you with primates like colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, olive baboons among others with different unique bird species.
After boiling your egg or potato, enjoy as you relax at the springs. Embark on the journey to Fort portal again passing through the meandering road and be served with hot lunch or enjoy your packed lunch. After visiting the Amabere Ga’Nyinamwiru caves, that are having cultural stories attached about the Bacwezi people which are the stalactites and stalagmites that end forming caves. Enjoy the Nyakasura falls and the hike Mwegenywa hill which will be influential to view three crater lakes that are Kigere, Wabikere and Saaka with the Rwenzori ranges behind. Retire after returning to the lodge.
Day 10: Isunga Cultural Community tour and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
Visit Isunga Cultural Community at the edge of the Kibale forest where you will explore the two cultures that live in Isunga village. The Bakiga and Batooro will entertain you through their cultural dances music and meal tasting. Take a community walk and discover more about the lifestyle of these two cultures as you learn their languages.
After enjoying a traditional meal, you will embark on the journey to Kasese – home of Queen Elizabeth National Park which is accompanied by a beautiful view of crater lakes, Rwenzori ranges, and farm gardens or plantations of bananas, maize cotton among others. Queen Elizabeth National Park is a famous conservation area and the most visited national park in the country. It has a lot that can be spotted such as wildlife, lakes, culture among others. You will head to the booked lodge on your arrival.
Day 11: Game drive and boat cruise
On this day of the safari, get involved in the game drive early morning where you will be able to spot animals like the spotted hyenas, leopards, lions, elephants, buffalos, warthogs, jackals among others accompanied by the beautiful scenery of the park and the sunrise in the wild.
The game drives last for 3hours and then head to the lodge for lunch thereafter, embark on the afternoon boat cruise on the Kazinga channel where you will spot elephants, buffalos and warthogs on the shores while the crocodiles and hippos in the Channel. The channel connects Lake Edward and George that are in the park. The boat cruise takes 2 to 3 hours but of an exciting and memorable experience.
Day 12. Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Head to Bwindi impenetrable national park passing via the Ishasha sector where you will have an opportunity of gazing at the rare tree-climbing lions that are normally resting in the big fig tree as they watch over their prey. Ishasha sector also inhabits other animals like antelopes and elephants that are normally spotted as they cross from one end to another.
Thereafter proceed to Bwindi national park which is a home to mountain gorillas, which are normally trekked by visitors in four sectors. The park is located in the Kigezi highlands and this means that the gorillas can be traced in the altitude between 2000 and 4500 meters above sea level. On arrival, you will head to the lodge where you will be welcomed with a glass of juice.
Day 13: Gorilla trekking and Batwa community tour
Gorilla trekking normally starts at 08:00hours with a briefing immediately after breakfast. The briefing exercise covers a lot of things and this means that one need not miss out. The exercise uncovers the rules and regulations that enable you to trek smoothly, all required information about the forest and its inhabitants, assignment in the group of 8 visitors to trek with, also cross-checking the gorilla trekking permits.
Thereafter head to the forest where you will spend about 4 hours including an hour in the presence of these endangered species. While in the forest, you will have a chance to spot other attractions in form of primates, birds and trees. After the great experience, head back to the park offices where you will be able to receive a gorilla trekking certificate of recognition to trek in this forest.
Head for lunch at the lodge followed by a visit of the Batwa Community where you will enjoy the traditional dances and music; learn about their language, herbal medics among others. The day ends at the park lodge as you prepare to head to Lake Bunyonyi the next morning.
Day 14: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for relaxation
Head to Lake Bunyonyi which gets its name from the small birds that were discovered by the early explorers. Bunyonyi is a local word meaning small or little birds; this is the second deepest lake in Africa after Tanganyika and third in the world. It has over 10 islands and the most interesting ones being the punishment and leprosy islands.
The resorts on the lake are well constructed and designed making one not miss visiting this lake. On the arrival, you will have leisure as you take a look at the waters of the lake maybe even sipping a beer or enjoying a glass of wine.
Day 15: Explore the lake
Take a boat cruise and visit the different islands such as the punishment island that was used in ancient as a punishment area for ladies who could get pregnant in the house of their fathers before marriage. The brother to the pregnant lady would take the lady to this island and then left, most of the ladies did not survive because they drew in water as they try to swim and some who survived were rescued by poor fishermen who could not be able pay dowry. Another interesting island is the Leprosy Island that was used as a quarantine area for people suffering from leprosy.
After 2 to 3 hours cruising, you will return to the resort and then hike one of the hills around maybe Kakoko hill which will give you an aerial view of Lake Bunyonyi. After the hike, you will return to the resort for your dinner.
Day 16: Transfer to Lake Mburo national park with a stopover at Igongo cultural Centre
Take a transfer after leisure breakfast at the Resort on Lake Bunyonyi which is the smallest savannah national park in the country and is the nearest park to the capital city of Uganda Kampala. The park has diverse wildlife that will be spotted on your visit and the outstanding attraction being impalas that are only found in this park in the whole country.
The journey passes through the terraced hills covered with pineapple gardens, Ankole cattle farms among others. Your drive will include a stopover at the Igongo Cultural Centre where you will have lunch and then visit the Ankole Kigezi museum full of art pieces and history about the Bakiga and Banyankole cultures. Arrive at the park and check in the accommodation facility that will be booked for you.
Day 17: Game drive and boat cruise
As then the park is blessed with diverse wildlife, get involved in the morning game drive where you will have a chance to spot these animals like impala, zebra, eland, topi, bushbuck, buffalo, leopard, hyena, warthogs, Jackal and birds like brown chested wattled plover, grey crowned crested crane, Tabora cisticola, African finfoot and so much more.
After lunch head for a boat cruise that takes place on the largest lake in the park that is Lake Mburo where you will be able to spot aquatic species like hippos and crocodiles.
Day 18: Transfer back to Kampala and drop-off at Entebbe airport
The safari will end after enjoying breakfast at the park lodge and then transfer to Kampala with an en-route stopover at the Uganda equator for lunch and take some photos.
The Uganda equator is located in Kayabwe, Mpigi, giving a great opportunity for photo shooting. Be dropped at the airport in Entebbe and this will be the end of your 18 days Uganda safari.
