8 Days Explore Uganda Safari
This 8 Days Explore Uganda Safari takes you to Uganda’s most visited destinations, including Murchison Falls National Park, Kibale Forest National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Main activities to enjoy on your trip include game drives, gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking, and boat cruises; other activities include nature walks, community tours and birding. This trip will bring you face-to-face with these great apes in the middle of the rain forests, i.e., Kibale Forest and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
Safari Highlights
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Murchison Falls – Rhino tracking and top of the falls visit
Day 2: Morning game drive and launch cruise
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale National Park—Bigodi Swamp Walk
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking—Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 5: Lion tracking/Morning game drive and boat cruise
Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 7: Gorilla trekking experience.
Day 8: Return to Kampala/Entebbe (8-9 hours’ drive) – Departure
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Murchison Falls – Rhino tracking and top of the falls visit
Depending on your location, you will be picked up by our company representative/driver, who will drive you to Murchison Falls National Park, en route to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary (2-3 hours’ drive) for a rhino trekking experience.
After the activity you will have lunch, then connect to Murchison Falls National Park, entering through the Kichumbanyobo gate from Masindi town. Arrive in the park in the evening and connect to your lodge to rest. Dinner and overnight stay at Tilenga Safari Lodge for budget, Pakuba Safari Lodge for mid-range, and Nile Safari Lodge for luxury on a full board basis
Day 2: Morning game drive and launch cruise
Early morning breakfast and then go for a morning game drive at the delta, where you may spot various animal species like elephants, giraffes, lions, and Uganda kobs, among others.
Return and have lunch, then at 2 pm, you set off for a launch cruise at the bottom of the Murchison Falls along the River Nile, enjoying streaming views of hippo and sereyed ranges of crocodiles along the sandbanks, as well as large numbers of different species getting down to drink & bathe. After the boat cruise at the bottom of the falls, you will be picked up by your driver to return to your lodge. Dinner and overnight at the lodge as above
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale National Park—Bigodi Swamp Walk
Have breakfast and embark on your drive to Kibale National Park—the best safari destination in Africa for chimpanzee tracking. Arrive in Fort Portal town at a good time for lunch, then connect for a nature walk at Bigodi Swamp for about 2 hours, then drive to your lodge. Dinner and overnight stay at Chimpanzee Forest Lodge for mid-range, Kibale Forest Lodge for budget, and Kibale Lodge for luxury on a full board basis.
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking—Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
After breakfast, you will go for chimpanzee trekking with your packed food and water. Meet your guide at the head office, then enter the rainforest to start searching for the chimpanzees; this will take 2-5 hours to find the chimpanzees. On seeing them, you will spend 1 hour with the chimpanzees while taking pictures.
After tracking, embark on a 3-hour drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park from Fort Portal with an en-route lunch. Dinner and overnight at Bush Lodge for budget, Elephant Hub Lodge for mid-range, and Elephant Plains Lodge for luxury
Day 5: Lion tracking/Morning game drive and boat cruise
After breakfast early morning, go for a lion tracking experience where you are guaranteed to view the lions, and enjoy an en-route game drive at the Kisenyi area where you will spot a good number of wildlife, including elephants, buffaloes, and all species of antelopes.
After enjoying your lunch at the lodge, go for your boat trip along the Kazinga channel for yet another wildlife/bird watching experience as you cruise on Lake Edward/George. Dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above
Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
After breakfast, drive out of the park to connect to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park (home of Uganda Mountain Gorillas). Dinner and overnight at Buhoma Community Rest Camp for budget, Buhoma Haven Lodge for mid-range, or Mahogany Springs Lodge for luxury
Day 7: Gorilla trekking experience.
Wake up early, have breakfast, and connect to the forest with your packed food and water. The briefing from the park warden about the gorillas starts at 8 am, where you will be guided on highlights about the way of life of the gorillas you will be tracking. The hike can take anything from 2 to 8 hours. Once you reach the gorillas, you are allowed to spend one hour with them as you stand 6 meters away. Return to the lodge to unwind and have dinner and an overnight stay as above.
Day 8: Return to Kampala/Entebbe (8-9 hours’ drive) – Departure
After breakfast at the lodge, proceed back to Kampala/Entebbe with an en-route lunch in Mbarara town and the Equator. Arrive in Kampala/Entebbe late afternoon and either be dropped off at a hotel you advise or at Entebbe Airport for your check-in flight and late flight back home.
End of 8 Days Explore Uganda Safari.
