12 Days Uganda Safari Holiday
12 Days Uganda Safari Holiday is a typical of an African wildlife safari and it all about immersing yourself into the untamed wilderness in Uganda, the Pearl of Africa. Get to explore Uganda’s biodiversity from the massive mountain gorillas to the white rhinos, Rothschild giraffes and lots of birds. This is a special Uganda safari tour designed for nature lover like you and it covers a visit to 4 National Parks.
Experience the ultimate mountain gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking, big game viewing, rhino tracking, cultural experience/community visit to support the local community and wildlife conservation. Your 12 days safari holiday in Uganda, Wildlife tour will begin and end in Entebbe.
Detailed safari – 12 Days Uganda Safari Holiday
Day 1: Entebbe city tour
Once you have landed into Entebbe Airport (EBB), meet your English-speaking professional driver guide. Get a warm welcome into the Pearl of Africa, and later, you will be briefed about your safari holiday in Uganda. A short excursion will follow (in case of early arrivals) and you will be visiting the Entebbe Botanical Gardens.
These botanical gardens were laid out in 1898 by A Whyte and they exist in zones. At the botanical gardens, you will have sight of diverse birds especially hornbills, primates like black and white colobus monkeys.
Other alternative places to explore in case you have adequate time; Mabamba Wetland for birding, UWEC to watch different wild animals or enjoy sunset cruise on Lake Victoria/cross to Ngamba Island a home to orphaned chimpanzees.
Accommodation
- Luxury: No. 5 Boutique Hotel
- Midrange: Boma Hotel Entebbe
Meals: B&B
Day 2: Entebbe-Safari Holiday in Murchison Falls National Park
Leave Entebbe city early after breakfast and you will be transferred to Murchison Falls National Park. This is the biggest of the 10 National Parks in Uganda, and it is the only one park found in the Northwestern part. Today, you will drive for 6-7 hours on Kampala-Gulu highway, but you will connect to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to track rhinos in the wild. A rhino trekking adventure takes about 2 hours and you will leave for Masindi where lunch will be offered, then last stop at the park to check in at the lodge.
Accommodation
- Luxury: Paraa Safari Lodge/Bakers Lodge
- Midrange: Pakuba Safari Lodge OR Murchison River Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drive time: 6-7 hours with free bottled water en-route
Day 3: Game drive safari, boat cruise
Early in the morning, meet your driver guide ready to kick start a game drive through the Northern game tracks. Murchison Falls N/Park is large, and today, you will be exploring the Northern game track which will get you exposed to wildlife such as lions, buffaloes, Uganda, oribis, Jackson’s hartebeest, waterbucks, leopards, elephants, birds.
Lunch will be enjoyed at the lodge, get refreshed and later, connect to Paraa Jetty for a boat cruise/launch cruise, 2-3 hours to the base of Murchison Falls. Before you get to the bottom of the falls, hundreds of hippos, crocodiles, aquatic birds will be at your exposure. At the base, you will be taking the best pictures of this powerful falls and in case the water levels aren’t much, you will trek to the top 45 minutes.
Accommodation
- Luxury: Paraa Safari Lodge/Bakers Lodge
- Midrange: Pakuba Safari Lodge OR Murchison River Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Murchison Falls to Kibale National Park Safari Tour
Leave the lodge you spent a night, and drive to Kibale National Park, 7-8 hours through Hoima oil city. En-route lunch will be enjoyed at Fort Portal and then you proceed to have a relaxed evening at the lodge in the cool rainforest of Kibale National Park.
Accommodation
- Luxury: Papaya Lake Lodge/Ndali Lodge
- Midrange: Primate Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Chimpanzee tracking, Bigodi
Enjoy a hefty breakfast, after, head off to Kanyanchu Visitor Centre to meet the tourism officials for briefing about chimpanzee tracking guidelines. In a group of 6pax, you will be led by an experienced Kibale National Park guide to search for chimpanzee communities in the wild.
Kibale alone has over 1500 chimpanzees out of 5000 that survive in Uganda. They share the same habitat with several other primates like red colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, blue monkeys, baboons, pottos, and 375 bird species.
In the afternoon, you will have an incredible treat of nature at Bigodi Wetland. Explore diversity of primates in addition to what you observed at Kibale Forest and birds like the Great Blue Turacos.
Accommodation
- Luxury: Papaya Lake Lodge/Ndali Lodge
- Midrange: Primate Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 7: Kibale to Queen Elizabeth Safari Holiday in Uganda
After breakfast, exit Kibale National Park for 2-3 hours’ drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. En-route, don’t miss to see the beautiful Crater Lake dotted in different parts and vast banana plantations.
Accommodation
- Luxury: Elephant Hub Lodge/Mweya Safari Lodge
- Midrange: Enganzi Lodge/Buffalo Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch + Dinner
Drive time: 2-3 hours
Day 8: Game drive & launch cruise
Wake up fresh, enjoy breakfast and leave before the sun rises for a game drive. Catch up with early risers and you will be exploring the Kasenyi plains, for 2-4 hours of game viewing in a 4×4 safari vehicle with pop up roof. Enjoy uninterrupted view of diverse wildlife such as spotted hyenas, antelopes, buffaloes, huge elephants, lions, leopards and warthogs, birds.
A boat cruise along Kazinga Channel will begin after lunch and the excursion takes 2-3 hours. At the comfort of your boat, enjoy clear view of hippos, crocodiles, birds and other animals, the surrounding vegetation etc and later, return to have dinner, refreshment at the lodge.
Accommodation
- Luxury: Elephant Hub Lodge/Mweya Safari Lodge
- Midrange: Enganzi Lodge/Buffalo Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch + Dinner
Day 9: Queen Elizabeth N/Park Ishasha game drive & Bwindi
After a hefty breakfast, transfer to Ishasha sector for a guided game drive- this is part of Queen Elizabeth National Park safari holiday. Enjoy view of the tree climbing lions, plus other wildlife like topis, birds, elephants, etc. Later, transfer to check in at the lodge in Bwindi National Park where gorilla trekking will be done the following day.
Accommodation
- Luxury: Buhoma Lodge/Volcanoes Bwindi Lodge/Retreat Gorilla Forest Lodge
- Midrange: Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge/Engagi Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 10: Gorilla Trekking
Trekking Uganda gorillas in Bwindi starts early after breakfast and briefing about gorilla tracking rules. Each gorilla family in Bwindi will be visited in a group of 8pax and actual adventure to see the endangered mountain gorillas takes 2-6 hours, inclusive of 1 hour of close encounter, photo taking. Retreat afterwards, get a gorilla trekking certificate and drop off at the lodge for relaxation. In the evening, have the best of Batwa pygmy experience as they entertain you with cultural dances, music performances.
Accommodation
- Luxury: Buhoma Lodge/Volcanoes Bwindi Lodge/Retreat Gorilla Forest Lodge
- Midrange: Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge/Engagi Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 11: Lake Mburo + boat cruise excursion
Leave Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for Lake Mburo National Park, about 6 hours’ drive. Enjoy the scenic countryside en-route, settle for lunch at the lodge in Mburo N. Park and later in the afternoon, set off for a launch or boat cruise on Lake Mburo 2-3 hours. A huge population of aquatic species will be spotted like hippos, crocodiles, birds, etc.
Accommodation
- Luxury: Mihingo Lodge/Kigambira Safari Lodge
- Midrange: Mburo Safari Lodge/Rwakobo Rock Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 12: Game drive/horseback riding & depart Lake Mburo
Embark on an enriching guided game viewing tour in Lake Mburo National Park to see the common elands, impalas, zebras, waterbucks, African buffaloes, topis, giraffes, birds like rufous bellied herons, crowned cranes, etc. Get back to check out, and perhaps, leave with packed lunch to enjoy en-route. At Equator, you will have a stopover for photography and proceed to Entebbe marking the of 12 days exclusive safari holiday in Uganda.
End of safari
Safari inclusions
- Park entry fees
- 4×4 tourist vehicles
- Driver guide service
- Bottle of mineral water on board
- Accommodation + meals
Safari exclusions
- Beverages
- Visas
- Laundry
- Tips
- Shopping