16-Days Around Uganda Safari

You will have breakfast & drive through Kampala & head eastwards along the Kampala - Jinja highway to Jinja., home to Source of the Nile while passing through coffee, tea & sugar plantations & the colourful roadside fruit/vegetable markets. You will make your first optional turn-off at Sezibwa Falls. The name Ssezibwa is a local idiom referring to “something endless”. The Sezibwa falls are also considered an important cultural & spiritual site for the Baganda people. They also one of the top things to see in Uganda. The site is under the administration of the Buganda culture and tourism department. The Sezibwa falls are characterized by several rocks with sharp edges & a large pool below. From the falls, the river Ssezibwa flows all the way to Lake Kyoga. The area around the falls is home to small primates like Vervet & red-tailed monkeys. Snakes like the African cobra, green mambas & horned adder also call the place home. Other animals include otters, tadpoles, mongooses & wild cats.

OR You will make your second optional turn-off at Mabira Rainforest - the largest forest in Central Uganda. You will head out for zip lining or a 2-hour trek to the track the habituated Grey-cheeked Mangabeys, watch lots of birds, monkeys, squirrels & enjoy the aroma of an African jungle. After your optional activities at Mabira Central Forest Reserve, you will get back to the main road & drive to Jinja for your lunch & go for sunset boat safari to the spot where John Speke discovered the source of the Nile. After your sunset boat safari, you will check in to Nile River Camp or Brisk Hotel Triangle or Afro Smile Hotel & Guest House for your dinner & overnight stay. Lunch, dinner + bottled drinking water are included.

On this day, you will have your breakfast and go for the two activities you would have chosen before from the following; White Water Rafting on Nile River. Tubing on the Nile River. Quad biking. Kayaking on the Nile River. Horseback riding. Visit to Busowoko Falls. Tour Jinja City including the Railway museum After your doing your 02 chosen activities, you will return to your preffered accommodation for your dinner & overnight stay. Breakfast, lunch, dinner + bottled drinking water are included.

You will have breakfast & transfer to Gulu city with a stopover at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary & Wildlife Ranch to track White Rhinos. You will arrive to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in the morning hours, make your lunch orders & enter the territory of southern white rhinos on foot where well-trained rangers will guide you through the bush to where the White Rhinos are. You will get the opportunity to watch these endangered, magnificent creatures in their natural habitat. Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch is the proud home of the only white rhinos in Uganda. Located in Nakasongola district, not only can you find rhinos, but a wide variety of bird species and other wildlife. The wildlife ranch has become a popular destination for tourists looking for adventure. After your White Rhinos trek, you will continue & arrive to Gulu City in the evening & check in to Boma Hotel Gulu or African Roots Guest House for your dinner & overnight stay. Breakfast, lunch, dinner + bottled drinking water are included.

On this day, you will have your breakfast & transfer to Kidepo Valley National Park. The drive will take you through the Karamojong villages and you will also be rewarded with splendid views of the countryside. Kidepo Valley National Park is Uganda’s most isolated national park, but the few who make the long journey north through the wild frontier region of Karamojong would agree that it is also the most magnificent with ranks among Africa’s finest wildernesses. You will arrive to Kidepo Valley National Park in the afternoon, have lunch and go for afternoon/evening (sunset) game drive where you will be able to see various animals like; Zebras, Elephants, Buffaloes, Giraffes, Lions among others. After your afternoon/evening (sunset) game drive, you will check in to Kidepo Savannah Lodge or Zebra Safari Lodge – Kidepo for your dinner & overnight stay. Breakfast, lunch, dinner + bottled drinking water are included.

On your morning game drive, a ranger with extensive knowledge of the park will join you in your vehicle. The Park is known for its massive elephant population, wide array of bird species & big herds of buffalo. Giraffes, lions, antelope and waterbucks can also be spotted here & if you search the trees carefully, you may even spot the elusive leopards. In the afternoon, you will visit the Karamojong/IK Community. Here you will spend time in a Karamojong/IK village learning about their traditional way of life, traditional kraals, traditional dance, their typical manyattas & colourful blankets among others. You will also spend a wonderful evening with Karamojong & IK people & have an insight of their way of life & beliefs. At the end of the tour, you will be able to understand why their pride makes them slow to adapt to globalization. After, you will return to your preferred accommodation for your dinner & overnight stay. Breakfast, lunch, dinner + bottled drinking water are included.

After your breakfast, you willl drive south west to Murchison Falls NP, Uganda’s biggest National Park in Uganda. The drive will take you through the Karamojong villages where you will also be rewarded with splendid views of the countryside with several stopovers landscape & beautiful sceneries viewing. You will have a stop in Gulu town for lunch & to purchase some items then proceed to the Park. You will arrive to Murchison Falls NP in the afternoon, have lunch & go for your afternoon game drive where you will expect to see elephant, buffalo, antelopes & giraffe & keep your fingers crossed for lion & leopard. The game track network converges at Delta Point where the Nile flows north out of Lake Albert; this is a convenient place to stop for refreshments & view water birds offshore & distant hippos. After, you will check in to Fort Murchison Lodge or Red Chilli Hideaway or Hornbill Bush Lodge for your dinner & overnight stay. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner + drinking water are included.

Your safari breakfast will be served before the day breaks so that you can start your morning game drive as the sun comes up. Sunrise is the best time for wildlife spotting as animals tend to be the most active during the “golden hours”, when the first rays of sunshine come to rest on the savannah. Elephants, buffaloes & several species of antelope are some of the characters you may come across today, & if you’re lucky, you may even spot a lion or leopard. You will return for lunch in the afternoon & go for a 3-hours boat safari upstream on the Victoria Nile to the falls where you will pass by breathtaking scenery, as well as many crocodiles, hundreds of hippos, buffaloes, water birds & animals that come down to the Nile. The boat will drop you near the waterfall for your hike (1-1.5 hrs) up to the top of the falls. You will go for a short sunset game drive & return to the lodge for dinner & overnight stay. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner + drinking water are included.

On this day, you will enjoy your last sunrise & breakfast in this beautiful National Park in Uganda with a walk to top of Murchison Falls for about 30 minutes to 1 hour. Here is your chance to see the beauty of the Nile perfected. Marvel at the immensely powerful falls, caused by the 50m-wide Nile being funnelled into a 7-metre cleft in the rocks. Dropping 40 metres with a thunderous roar, the falls create a beautiful rainbow and an impressive plume of spray-they were once described as the most spectacular thing to happen to the Nile along its 6700-kilometre length. You will immediately start your journey from Entebbe to Kibale Forest National Park through Fort Portal town. Fort-Portal rests in the shadow of the fabled Mountains of the Moon. You will enjoy spectacular views of the Mountains and tea fields along the way with other several stopovers for beautiful scenery, landscape viewing among others before reaching Fort Portal for your lunch at Fort Portal Garden Restaurant.

In the afternoon after your lunch, you will go for a guided Crater Lakes & Plantation Walk. The landscape south of Fort Portal is dotted with picturesque crater lakes, some over 400m deep. These crater lakes are breathtakingly beautiful to behold, and offer one of the best hiking places in the area. The hikes lead you through several crater lakes, villages, tea plantations and waterfalls. After your guided Crater Lakes & Plantation Walk, you will check in to Lake Nkuruba Nature Reserve & Community Campsite or Kibale Forest Camp or Kibale Forest Lodge for your dinner & overnight stay. Breakfast, lunch, dinner + bottled drinking water are included.

After breakfast, you will go deeper into the forest on a Swamp Walk in the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary; home to 8 primate species, over 200 bird species, butterflies and various reptiles. The vegetation in this swamp is also a key attraction to the plant lovers. Some travellers also come to this jungle swamp to study the different plant types that the swamp holds. Some of the dorminant plant species in this swamp include; common papyrus, polita fig trees & wild palms. OR, Alternatively, go to Kibale National Park for Chimpanzees Tracking/Trekking experience (optional).

You will return for your lunch & go for another guided walk-in nature at Semuliki National Park where you will be able to see abundant wildlife including; baboons, red tailed Colobus monkeys, Vervet monkeys, various bird species, butterflies, Sempaya hot springs and many more. After your guided walk in Nature, you will check in to Lake Nkuruba Nature Reserve & Community Campsite or Kibale Forest Camp or Kibale Forest Lodge for your dinner & overnight stay. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner + bottled drinking water are included.

After breakfast, you will go for a guided walk in Nature at Amabere caves where you will be able to view stalagmites, crater lakes, and birds viewing, hill climbing among others. Amabere Ga Nyina Mwiru Caves is a historic site believed to be the birthplace of the founding King of Bachwezi. The Amabere Ga Nyina Mwiru meaning ‘Breasts of Nyinamwiru’ were named after the stalactites that form in the caves. They resemble the breasts of a woman, though some would say it looks more like a cow’s udder.

After your guided walk in nature at Amabere caves, you will embark on an exciting drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park situated in the shadows of Mt. Rwenzori with several stops along the way for equator experience and landscape viewing before reaching the Park. You will arrive in the afternoon and have your lunch before embarking on your afternoon game drive where you will expect to view animals like elephants, buffaloes, Lions, bush pigs, antelope’s families among others. After your afternoon game drive, you will check in to The Bush Lodge or Pumba Safari Lodge or Tembo Safari Lodge for your dinner & overnight stay. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner + drinking water are included.

On this day, you will wake up early and have breakfast and go to Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park or Kalinzu Forest Reserve for Chimpanzees Tracking/Trekking experience where you will have the opportunity to follow an experienced guide into the forest to observe these fascinating creatures at a close range. Watching them interact with each other and go about their daily routine of grooming, playing and foraging is an incredible experience. While your chances of encountering Chimpanzees are high at 90% during your tracking/trekking excursion, it is never 100% guaranteed. These are, after all, wild animals with wills and minds of their own! The guide will provide detailed explanations, not only on primates but on all the forest fauna and flora and will ensure that your walk is both informative and enjoyable.

You will return for lunch & later in the day when the sun is high in the sky & the animals make their way to the river for a drink, you will head to Kazinga Channel for an exciting boat safari. You will spot more hippos today than you can possibly imagine. Herds of elephants & buffalos will also be wandering down to the shoreline to bath in the cooling waters. It will be a wonderful experience. After the boat safari on Kazinga Channel, you will go for a sunset game drive before returning to your preferred accommodation for your dinner & overnight stay. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner + drinking water are included.

On this day, you will wake up early & have your breakfast then go for morning (sunrise) Game drive at Ishasha sector, Queen Elizabeth National Park. Instead of scanning your eyes across vast savannah grasslands, look up & you might find something lurking in the sycamore-fig trees.

After your Game drive, you will drive to the “Switzerland of Africa” area known as the Kigezi Highlands with its terraced hillside & winding roads. Along the way, you will enjoy spectacular views of the mountainous countryside & this comes with many incredible photography opportunities. More notably, this “impenetrable forest” protects over 400 population of Gorillas – approximately half of the population in the world, among which are a number of habituated groups, that can be tracked by visitors. You will arrive in the late afternoon & check in to Gorilla Bluff Lodge or Ride 4 a woman or Rushaga Gorilla Haven Lodge for your dinner & overnight stay. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner + drinking water are included.

After your breakfast, you will hike to the park headquarters just meters from the lodge for briefing by UWA guides before transferring to the starting point for Gorillas tracking. You will enjoy Gorillas tracking in Bwindi. Bwindi has the biggest concentration of Gorillas, given its small size. The search for Gorillas goes through the thick untamed rainforest, where you’ll be scrambling over mossy rocks & through deep undergrowth. Watching Gorillas in their natural habitat is an experience that will last a lifetime. The experienced ranger guides will willingly share with you a lot of information about the history & lifestyle of these Gorillas. After Gorillas tracking, you will visit the Batwa community for them to take you through their traditions like traditional dance, beer making, setting fire before checking in to Travellers Rest Hotel in Kisoro or Golden Monkeys Guest House for your dinner & overnight stay. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner + bottled drinking water are included.

Just like gorilla trekking, you will go for Golden monkey tracking starting with pre-tracking briefing at the Park headquarters. Hiking through the forests to sight Golden monkeys is not so strenuous like Gorillas tracking because Golden monkeys live in lower areas, so you will not track for more than 3 hours. When you encounter Golden monkey family, you will be given one hour to spend with them (to take photographs & observe their behavior). With this activity, there is no minimum number of visitors & the age limit is 12 years.

In the afternoon after lunch, you will go for canoe ride on a scenic lake Bunyonyi. This lake is the only one were you can ride a canoe to visit all the 29 islands on this lake including the floating Island & the punishment Island where young girls who got pregnant before marriage would be dumped & left to die. You will check in to Itambira Island, Seeds of Hope Hotel or Bunyonyi Overland Resort for your dinner & overnight stay. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner + drinking water are included.

After an early breakfast, you will leave Lake Bunyonyi & drive to Lake Mburo National Park via Kabale Town. You will be welcomed into the park by various herds of zebra, buffalo, Eland, and antelope as they graze in the savannah grass. You will arrive in the afternoon, have lunch & go for afternoon game drive where you will be assured of spotting Zebras, Buffalos, Impalas, Warthogs, Waterbucks among others. Also, when it comes to the birds, you will view the malachite kingfishers, African Fish eagles, blue headed weavers, Rufous long tailed starlings, Herons, pelicans, the rare shoebill as well as the cormorants. After your afternoon game drive, you will check in to Hyena Hill Lodge or Eagles' Nest Lodge for your relaxation, dinner & overnight stay. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner + drinking water are included.

On this day, you will enjoy your last sunrise in this beautiful side of Uganda with a guided walk-in nature (walking safari with a guide) where you will spot Zebras, Giraffes and Eland, Topi, Antelope, Cape buffaloes among others on close range. If the time and conditions allow, you will take the trail to the top of the hills and see Lake Mburo and beyond. From this vantage point, you will have a great view of 9 of the twelve lakes surrounding Lake Mburo National Park.

After your walking safari (guided walk-in nature), your guide will drive you across the beautiful sceneries back to Kampala or Entebbe or drop you off at Entebbe International Airport 3 hours before your departure time with a stopover at the equator for equator experience and photos moments. Please make sure your flight departure is after 6 pm at the very earliest. For flights departing before 6 pm, you will need an extra night in Entebbe, which we can help arrange for you at an additional cost. Please note: You can also choose an alternative departure route (at an additional cost), or fly to Entebbe. Did we hit all the items on your travel bucket list for this safari? If not, don’t worry. We specialize in tailor-made tours and can customize this program to create your dream trip. Contact us to create your personalized program. Breakfast, Lunch + drinking water are included.