Those with more time to visit Uganda, sometimes called “The Pearl of Africa,” can enjoy this 16-day safari. The four national parks of the Savannah in Uganda—Kidepo Valley in the northeast, Murchison Falls in the north, Queen Elizabeth in the south, and Lake Mburo in the southwest—are covered on this safari. It gives you the opportunity to go on boat rides and game drives. Take a boat ride to the base of Murchison Falls in Murchison Falls National Park, float down the Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park, sail around Lake Mburo in Lake Mburo National Park, and end your day with a canoe ride on Lake Bunyonyi in the Kabale district of southwestern Uganda. Game drives in these four Savannah National Parks are second to none, and visitors have a good chance of seeing a wide variety of animals, including lions, leopards, buffalo, hippos, antelopes, and many more. Walking beside some of the world’s largest apes is the most exciting part of this trip. Chimpanzee trekking takes place three times in three distinct habitats: Budogo Forest, Kibale Forest National Park, and Queen Elizabeth National Park’s Kyambura Gorge. Trekking with mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is undoubtedly the high point. There are a number of village and community walks that will take you to the surrounding villages so that you may learn more about the people and their traditions, as well as ensure that you engage with the local communities surrounding these national parks. You will not be sorry that you booked this 16-day safari through the best of Uganda.
Overview
- Day 01: Drive to Budongo Forest via Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary for Rhino tracking: Overnight at Budongo Eco Lodge on Full Board
- Day 02: Morning Chimpanzee trekking
- lunch and visit to the top of the Falls: Overnight at Murchison River Lodge on Full Board
- Day 03: Morning game drive in Paraa and afternoon boat cruise to the bottom of the Falls. Overnight at Murchison River Lodge on Full Board Basis
- Day 04: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise to the Albert Delta: Overnight at Murchison River Lodge on Full Board Basis
- Day 05: Drive to Hoima Town for a cultural walk: Overnight at Kontik Hotel on Full Board
- Day 06: Drive to Kibale Forest National Park: Overnight at Rwenzori View Guest House on Full Board
- Day 07: Morning Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi Village wetland and community walk. Overnight at Rwenzori View Guest House on Full Board
- Day 08: Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park for an evening game drive in Mweya. Overnight at Bush Lodge or Buffalo resort on Full Board Basis
- Day 09: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel. Overnight at Bush Lodge or Buffalo Resort on Full Board basis
- Day 10: Morning Chimp trekking in Kyambura or Karinzu Eco-tourism site and an afternoon visit to Katwe salt mining site: Overnight at Bush Lodge or Buffalo Resort.
- Day 11: Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. Overnight at Broad Bill Forest Camp on Full Board
- Day 15: Gorilla tracking and village walk. Overnight at Broad Bill Forest Camp on Full Board Basis
- Day 13: Drive to Lake Bunyonyi for overnight at Crater Bay Cottages or Bird Nest Overseas Cottages on Full Board Basis
- Day 14: Canoeing and birding around Lake Bunyonyi: Overnight at Crater Bay Cottages or Bird Nest Overseas Cottages on Full Board Basis
- Day 15: Drive to Lake Mburo National Park via Igongo Cultural center arriving at the Park for an evening boat cruise on the Lake. Overnight at Lake Mburo Safari Lodge on Full Board
- Day 16: Early morning game drive and then transfer to Entebbe Airport via the Equator crossing.
Booking this African safari itinerary guarantees an unforgettable wildlife experience, immersing you in breathtaking landscapes and close encounters with iconic animals like gorillas, lions, elephants, and rhinos. It combines luxury and adventure, with expert guides ensuring safety and the best game-viewing opportunities. Carefully planned routes take you through diverse ecosystems, from savannas to lush wetlands, maximizing your chances of witnessing the Big Five. With seamless accommodations, cultural experiences, and conservation-focused travel, this itinerary offers a once-in-a-lifetime journey into the heart of Africa.
DAY 1: To Budongo Forest
Visit the Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary to see the restocked endangered White Rhinos as you begin your 16-day primate, game, and cultural tour of the country. After you’ve spent some time looking for wild rhinos, head on over to Budongo Forest in the conservation region of Murchison Falls National Park. Budongo Eco-Lodge is where you’ll spend the night on a full board basis.
Approximately four to five hours of driving time
Dinner and Lunch Menu
Accommodation: Budongo Eco Lodge
DAY 2: Budongo Chimpanzee trekking and the top of the Falls visit
Following your morning meal, make your way to the forest headquarters to receive a safety briefing before your chimpanzee trekking adventure. After that, you’ll set out on your primate walk through the Budongo Forest with the help of knowledgeable rangers. Along your trek, you’ll see a variety of forest plants, birds, and other primates. You will have one hour to observe and take pictures of the habituated chimpanzees or chimpanzees whenever you get close enough to them. After that, you will be returned to the lodge. Bring your own lunch or place an order for a cooked lunch to eat at the lodge when you get back. After lunch, you’ll take a short game drive to Murchison Falls National Park, where you can watch the Nile River gushing over a tight valley and then erupting into one of the world’s most formidable waterfalls. Afterwards, you’ll make your way to either the Pakuba Safari Lodge or the Murchison River Lodge to spend the night.
About two hours of driving time
Daily Routine: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Accommodations: Pakuba Safari Lodge or Murchison River Lodge
DAY 3: Morning game drives and boat cruise on the Nile
The 16-day primate, wildlife, and culture tour is sure to be an adventure. This means you’ll have to get up bright and early to catch a ferry to Paraa, on the northern banks of the Nile, where your morning game drive will begin. It is possible to see antelopes, hippos, buffalo, giraffes, and, if you’re fortunate, big cats like lions and leopards along the park’s northern bank. Take a boat ride to the base of the Falls after returning to the lodge for lunch. As you make your way from the jetty point to the base of the Falls, keep an eye out for water birds, herds of buffalo, crocodiles, hippos, and other aquatic animals that inhabit the Nile River. You will hike upstream until you reach the base of the Falls, where you can see the water squirming through a little valley before erupting in what is often considered to be the most powerful waterfall on Earth. Make your way back to the lodge where you had spent the night.
Dietary Routine: Three Meals a Day
Comfort Inn on the Murchison River and the Pakuba Safari Lodge
DAY 4: Morning game drive and late afternoon delta cruise
Following an early morning meal, you will go out again for a wildlife drive along the Nile’s northern bank in the hopes of spotting any of the untamed creatures you may have missed on your earlier excursions. After you have had lunch, head back to the lodge for a late afternoon boat ride to the Albert delta. Elephants, buffaloes, and hippos are all making the journey across the delta, and crocodiles are likely taking advantage of the situation to prey on the unsuspecting creatures. Additionally, you have a good possibility of seeing the uncommon Shoebill stock. Gather everyone back at the lodge for the night:
Dinner, Lunch, and Breakfast Menu
Lodges on the Murchison River and Pakuba Safari
DAY 5: Hoima Town for a cultural walk
Leaving Murchison Falls National Park, you will have a three-hour drive to Hoima town after breakfast. You might take a picturesque route to the escarpments and Hoima town via Lake Albert, depending on the road conditions. Upon checking into your hotel, you have the option to participate in a cultural stroll or simply relax and enjoy the lodge’s cultural performances to gain a deeper understanding of the local peoples’ traditions and customs.
Three hours of driving
Dinner, Lunch, and Breakfast Menu
Kontik Hotel and Hoima Cultural Lodge: Places to Stay
DAY 6: To Kibale National Park.
Leaving Fort Portal town, you’ll be driving to Kibale Forest National Park. Lunch will be provided in Fort Portal Town before you continue on to Rwenzori View Guest House for check-in. There isn’t much to do today, but you can take a trip around Fort Portal town to view the sights if you have the time.
Travel time: about four hours
Dinner, Lunch, and Breakfast Menu
Rwenzori View Guest House: A Place to Stay
DAY 7: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi Wetland Walk
Arrival at the Kibale National Park headquarters at Kanyanchu is scheduled for after breakfast. Join other trekkers for a briefing here before heading into the jungle on your chimpanzee trekking adventure. A knowledgeable ranger or guide will lead you on a primate trek through Kibale Forest National Park. An opportunity to see a habituated chimpanzee group awaits you in this woodland. Observe the antics of these great apes for an hour if you like. You have permission to snap pictures. Check that your cameras are in the area. On the same route as the chimpanzees, you may also see thirteen other primate species in Kibale National Park. Countless bird species also inhabit woodlands. There is yet another sanctuary for avian enthusiasts right here.
Wetland walking in Bigodi Village is scheduled for after lunch. Friends of the park and the nearby neighborhood created and oversee this trail. Everyone who signs up for this hike will be helping out the locals in the Kibale Forest National Park area. We at Experiya Tour Company highly recommend this walk to our clients because the proceeds will go toward helping the locals maintain and improve their wetland for the future.
A Three-Day Menu That Includes Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
The Chimpanzee Forest Guest House and the Isunga Lodge are two available options for lodging.
DAY 8: To Queen Elizabeth National Park
Your journey from Kibale National Park to Queen Elizabeth National Park will take three to four hours after breakfast. Along the way, you’ll get to visit some charming little towns, the foothills of Mount Rwenzori, several little rivers that flow from those mountains, and, of course, the Equator at Kikorongo. Arriving at Bush Lodge, you can unwind before getting ready for your late-afternoon game drive in Mweya. The antelope, buffalo, warthog, elephant, and plethora of other wild species, including leopards and lions, call this area of Queen Elizabeth National Park home. Keep in mind that seeing a lion or leopard is by no means certain. Have a restful night’s sleep at the lodge.
About three to four hours of driving time
Dinner, Lunch, and Breakfast Menu
Sleeping arrangements: Pumba Safari Lodge or Elephant Hab
DAY 9: Game drive and Boat Cruise.
You will return to the Kasenyi plains to watch the game after having coffee first thing in the morning. The great cats typically go hunting for prey about this time in the morning. Lions and leopards, whether hunting or enjoying their prey, are likely to be spotted. Still, we won’t be able to promise it. Among the various animals you might expect to encounter are buffalo, hippos, antelopes, and countless more. After lunch, you have the option of heading back to the resort or taking a quick drive to Mweya jetty for a boat ride on the Kazinga Channel in the afternoon. One of the best things to do at Queen Elizabeth National Park is to go on this two-hour boat ride. You can see antelopes, crocodiles, elephants, buffalo, hippos, and more than 300 of the 700 species of water birds that have been recorded here. Stop back at the lodge for the night.
Dinner, Lunch, and Breakfast Menu
Sleeping arrangements: Pumba Safari Lodge or Elephant Hab
DAY 10: Chambura Chimp trekking and Katwe salt mines
You will be taken to Kyambura after breakfast to meet up with the other trekkers for a briefing. Then, you will begin your chimpanzee walk in the canyon. Several varieties of plants and animals call this canyon home, and your knowledgeable ranger guide will point them out to you. You will be granted permission to spend one hour photographing chimpanzees after you locate a group of them. After your journey, have lunch and some down time at the resort. Then, it’s time to see the salt mines at Lake Katwe. The salt-rich Lake Katwe is located in an explosive crater. This lake has been used for salt extraction by the locals for many years. On your tour of the salt mines, a member of the local community will fill you in on the process of salt extraction, the difficulties encountered, and the opportunities that have arisen. The salt extraction operation at Lake Katwe is a wonderful illustration of how humans and other animals may coexist peacefully in a natural setting. Proceed back to the lodge to spend the night.
Timetable for Three Meals Per Day
Elephant Hab or Pumba Safari Lodge: Where to Book Your Stay
DAY 11: To Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
The Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park lies in southwestern Uganda, and it is shared by the districts of Kabale, Kanungu, and Kisoro. You will get to drive there after breakfast. Traveling to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park entails passing terraced gardens growing Irish potatoes and, on sometimes, tea amidst the undulating hills. It is expected that you will reach the Lodge for the night sometime in the late afternoon. Rare mountain gorillas and chimpanzees live side by side in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, which is home to about half of the world’s mountain gorillas.
Approximately five to six hours of driving time
Three-Day Menu: Breakfast, Lunch, and Supper
Accommodations: Trekkers Tervan Lodge or Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge
DAY 12: Gorilla tracking and Village walk
Join fellow trekkers at the park headquarters after breakfast. You will then be assigned a gorilla family to accompany on your journey. The park rangers will, of course, brief you thoroughly on what to do and not to do before you ever set foot in the gorilla habitat. Your journey into the breathtaking Impenetrable Bwindi Forest will begin after that when you are driven to the meeting place of your designated gorilla family. Walking with the mountain gorillas could take anything from half an hour to three quarters of a day, depending on the area you visit. Keep in mind that hiking with gorillas can be rather physically demanding. You will have an hour to see the gorillas and snap pictures once you locate them. This time may fly by, but the experience you gain will be priceless. After that, you’ll head back to the park headquarters to pick up a certificate that acknowledges your contribution to the conservation of these mountain gorillas, which are in risk of extinction. Get some rest at the lodge before a village walk in the evening to get to know the locals around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. By taking this stroll, you can better understand the people’s motivations for protecting the forest and its inhabitants, the gorillas. A donation in kind is one way you may help them out. This is completely optional, so please keep that in mind.
Dinner, Lunch, and Breakfast Menu
Rooms: Trekkers Tervan Lodge or Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge
DAY 13: To Lake Bunyonyi
Visit Lake Bunyonyi in Kabale District after a drive through Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. One of Uganda’s three “Lava Dammed Lakes” is Lake Bunyonyi. Lava from one of the volcanoes filled a river channel, forcing water to flow back and creating what is now known as Lake Bunyonyi. The native term for little birds is bunyonyi. The number of tiny birds in this area is the reason the lake received its name. Rumor has it that Lake Bunyonyi is the second-deepest lake in East Africa, and the deepest lake in Uganda. You will not be disappointed by the magnificence of Lake Bunyonyi. When you’re ready to unwind after your gorilla hike in Uganda, this is a great spot to do so.
Travel time: around three to four hours
Timetable for Three Meals Per Day
Place to Stay: Birdnest Retreat
DAY 14: Canoeing or Hiking
You can take your time enjoying breakfast while you take in the sights of the lake and hills in the distance. You might choose to paddle a canoe across the lake to see the many islands, each of which has a fascinating history. As an example, you’ll go to the Island of Punishment. According to legend, this island was the final resting place for young women who had been known to produce children outside of legally recognized marriages. This will keep you occupied all day, and I guarantee you will love it. On the other hand, you might choose to hike around Lake Bunyonyi. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives supported by Experiya Tour Company include a number of initiatives in this region. This is yet another chance for tourgoers who wish to make a difference in the world to participate in volunteer activities. Have a restful night’s sleep at the lodge.
Dinner, Lunch, and Breakfast Menu
Bridnest Resort: Where to Stay
DAY 15: To Lake Mburo National Park
Visit the Great Lakes Museum or the Igongo Cultural Center in western Uganda to have a better understanding of the ethnic groups’ cultures before making the drive to Lake Mburo National Park after breakfast. We will stop for lunch on the way. On your way to Lake Mburo National Park, you’ll be punctual for your evening game drive. Many species, including zebras, impalas, and giraffes, visit Lake Mburo National Park. Have a restful night’s sleep at the lodge.
About six hours of driving time
Dinner, Lunch, and Breakfast Menu
Rwakobo Rock or Lake Mburo Safari Lodge: Where to Stay
DAY 16: Drive to Entebbe International Airport
Experiya Tour Company has concluded your 16-day safari today. Either go on a morning walking safari or head straight to Entebbe International Airport; it all depends on when your flight leaves. Visiting the Equator crossing in Kayabwe will undoubtedly be an opportunity for photography and stretching.
Travel time: around five or six hours
Planned Meals: Morning Meal and Lunch
Includes
Excludes
- All transportation as scheduled
- All Activities Included in the itinerary
- All park entrance fees
- Meals: breakfast – lunch and dinner as shown
- English speaking driver guide
- Complementary bottled water
- Airport transfers on first and last day
- Every Accommodation included
- Anything outside the regular itinerary
- Alcoholic beverages and bottled drinks
- Any items of personal nature
- International vaccinations
- Local and international flights
- Personal Travel insurance
- Visa Fees
- Tips and souvenirs
Collection of Unforgettable Moments
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