13 Days Classic Uganda Safari tour : These 13 Days Uganda safari allowed to explore 50 percent of Uganda’s most attractive destinations including Murchison falls national park, Kibale national park, Queen Elizabeth national park, Bwindi Impenetrable national park, Mgahinga national park, Lake Mburo national park and Lake Bunyonyi. All these destinations have unique features that are worth visiting. Jinja town is home of the Source of the Nile with exciting water activities such as white water rafting, kayaking, Bungee jumping, boat cruise on Lake Victoria, horseback rides, mountain biking to mention a few. Murchison falls National Park is home to the most powerful waterfalls in Africa along the River Nile. It also has plenty of wildlife like to see as compared to any other national park in Uganda. Kibale national park is home to the endangered chimpanzees in Africa. It is said to be the best destination in Africa to see the chimpanzees and other 12 primates’ species such as the Colobus monkeys, Red Velvet monkeys and many others. Queen Elizabeth national park is a home to the tree climbing lions in Uganda, making it the second place in Africa to see the tree climbing lions after those in Lake Manyara in Tanzania. This park also has a few more animals to see and a good destination for birdwatching especially during the boat cruise along the Kazinga channel. Bwindi Impenetrable national park is home to half of the remaining mountain gorilla in the world. Bwindi forest is divided into 4 sectors of gorilla trekking. This is the only place to enjoy and explore the endangered mountain gorillas. Lake Mburo national park is the smallest savannah national park in Uganda with fewer animals to see to however very unique since they can only be spotted in Lake Mburo national park, they include the Impalas. These animals are interesting that it is where the capital city of Uganda “Kampala city” derived her name. Lake Bunyonyi is Uganda and East Africa’s deepest lake with estimated depth of about 44meters to 900 meters deep and a width of about 7 kilometres to 25 kilometres wide. Visiting Lake Bunyonyi is the best way to end your gorilla trekking safari as a way of relaxing before you return to your final destination.
Safari highlights
Day 1: Airport pick up – Hotel
Day 2: Transfer to Murchison falls national park
Day 3: Morning game drive and Boat cruise and evening game drive
Day 4: Delta boat trip and top of the falls visit
Day 5: Transfer to Kibale National Park (7-8 hours)
Day 6: Chimpanzee tracking and Bigodi Swamp Walk
Day 7: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park – Kazinga channel boat cruise and evening game drive
Day 8: Lion tracking and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable national park
Day 9: Gorilla trekking experience
Day 10: Golden Monkey tracking – Lake Bunyonyi
Day 11: Batwa community and transfer to Lake Mburo national park
Day 12: Walking safari and horseback game drive and Boat ride on Lake Mburo
Day 13: Transfer to Kampala/Entebbe/Departure
Detailed safari
Day 1: Airport pick up – Hotel
Upon arrival at Entebbe airport, you will be met by your safari guide and transferred to a hotel in Kampala. Depending on the time of arrival, you may do a brief Kampala city tour. Dinner and overnight stay at Kampala Serena Hotel for luxury/Fairway hotel for mid-range/Forest Cottages for budget
Day 2: Transfer to Murchison falls national park
You will be picked up by your driver/guide to start the tour at the hotel after your breakfast. Connect to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, about 3 hours’ drive from Kampala. It’s the only place where you will see the rhinos in Uganda, get briefing from the rangers then start your trekking activity of the rhinos for about 2 hours. Have lunch then connect to Murchison falls national park arriving in the evening and check-in your lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at Nile Safari lodge for Luxury option/Pakuba Safari lodge for mid-range/Heritage Safari lodge for budget
Day 3: Morning game drive and Boat cruise and evening game drive
Early morning after breakfast at your lodge, embark on a morning game drive in the northern part of the park to the delta. This is where you may spot various animal species like elephants, giraffes, lions, hyenas, cape buffaloes, leopards (on a lucky day), and different species of antelopes including the Uganda Kobs, Jackson hartebeest, Oribi, waterbucks among others. After the game drive, return to your lodge to refresh and have lunch.
In the afternoon you will go for a boat cruise to see the magnificent falls along the River Nile. Cruising along the bottom of the falls will expose you to the park’s streaming hippo and serried ranges of crocodile along the sandbanks, different bird species and large numbers of different species getting down to drink & bathe. After the boat cruise, return to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay.
Day 4: Delta boat trip and top of the falls visit
On the 4th day of your 13 Days Classic Uganda Safari tour, you will be picked very early from you lodge, connect for your morning boat trip to the delta, this boat is interesting in that it increases your chances to see the shoebill stock and animals as most of them converge at the delta for water. It’s a 3-4 hours experience with breakfast on the boat. After exploring the animals and birds at the delta, return to your lodge for lunch.
After lunch and resting a bit, drive to the top of the falls and meet the mighty Murchison falls and Uhuru falls. This is a more relaxing activity as you sight the falls at different viewpoints. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay at Bakers’ lodge as above
Day 5: Transfer to Kibale National Park (7-8 hours)
After early morning breakfast, meet the driver and transfer to Kibale forest national park in the western part of the country. This is a full day drive with late lunch in Fort portal town. Arrive late afternoon to Kibale forest and proceed to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay at Kyaninga lodge for luxury/Chimpanzee Guesthouse for mid-range/Isunga lodge for budget
Day 6: Chimpanzee tracking and Bigodi Swamp Walk
On the 6th day of your 13 Days Classic Uganda Safari tour, after breakfast, you will set out for chimp tracking within the Kibale Forest. During your search, expect to see a lot of primate species like chimpanzees, monkeys and other animals like the forest elephants, bush pig, and duiker, warthogs, reptiles and amphibians as well as a colorful variety of butterflies. Return to the Lodge for lunch.
After lunch, go for a nature walk in the Bigodi swamp area and look out for most of the water-loving bird species. The forest /Park has almost 335 species of birds and therefore a good place for birders and some primates. Return to the lodge, dinner and overnight stay.
Day 7: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park – Kazinga channel boat cruise and evening game drive
On the 7th day of your 13 Days Classic Uganda Safari tour, in the morning after breakfast, meet your guide and check-out of the lodge. Set off for Queen Elizabeth national park with en-route visit of the crater lakes. It’s a 3-4 hours’ drive from Fort portal to QENP. The park has diverse eco-system of grassy plains, rivers, crater lakes, forests, swamps, and lakes. Stop for a photo at the Equator and Katwe salt mine for a tour before you proceed to check-in your lodge to refresh and have lunch.
After lunch, go for boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel and into Lake Edward. This cruise will let you pass through a place of the highest concentration of hippos and you may also see many animals drinking at the water’s edge. The cruise also offers a good platform for photography, bird watching, and game viewing. Thereafter connect for an evening game drive in the Kasenyi area. Dinner and overnight stay at Kyambura Gorge lodge for luxury/Parkview Safari lodge for mid-range/Pumba Safari Cottages for budget
Day 8: Lion tracking and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable national park
On the 8th day of your 13 Days Classic Uganda Safari tour, early in the morning after breakfast, you will set out for the game drive in search for the lions on a lion tracking experience. Given that lions are hardly spotted in the park; an off track activity was introduced to enable visitors see the lions in the Kasenyi area. You will also be able to spot other animals such as antelopes, buffalos, elephants, waterbuck, Uganda Kob and other types of antelopes.
Set out to transfer to Bwindi forest national park via Ishasha area for chances of spotting the rare tree-climbing lions. The lions can be seen upon the fig trees. However, it’s not a guarantee that the lions will be seen. Sometimes it depends on the luck and time of reaching the area. You will then drive out of the park and proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park with en-route lunch. Your accommodation will depend on which sector we will find gorilla permits for you. Check-in your lodge and prepare for your next day Gorilla trek. Dinner and overnight stay at Buhoma lodge/Mahogany Springs lodge for luxury/Buhoma Haven lodge for mid-range/Buhoma Community Rest Camp for budget
Day 9: Gorilla trekking experience
Early in the morning after breakfast and a briefing from the UWA officials, set off for the gorilla tracking. This is a once lifetime experience and unforgettable adventure. The ranger guides will lead you into the thick forest and start your search for the endangered Mountain Gorillas. You will move up and down the rugged terrain until you finally meet these harmonious creatures that will entertain you with performances for about1hour. The activity can take 2 -7 hours since the gorillas move up and down. You will be allowed to spend 1 hour with the gorillas. This is an awesome and exciting moment.
After trekking, connect to Kisoro. Dinner and overnight stay at Gahinga lodge for luxury/Lake Mulehe Safari lodge for mid-range/Travellers’ Rest Hotel for budget.
Day 10: Golden Monkey tracking – Lake Bunyonyi
On the 10th day of your 13 Days Classic Uganda Safari tour, after breakfast, you will transfer to Mgahinga National Park for briefing about the Golden monkeys with your packed food and water. Later enter the forest to search for the monkeys. On finding them, spend an hour viewing them while taking pictures and videos.
After trekking, have lunch then proceed to Lake Bunyonyi which is one of the deepest lakes in Africa. The Lake has almost 32 Islands. The Lake is a good stopover for relaxation for people from trekking Mountain Gorillas. Upon arrival, you will go on a boat ride. This will enable you to visit most of the islands on the Lake.
Each Island is named according to the bird species found on the Island and some were named because of their purposes, for example, the Punishment Island which is the smallest and was used by the Bakiga people to drop their girls who got pregnant before marriage. After the boat ride, return back to the Lodge for relaxation while you watch the beautiful sunset. Dinner and overnight at Bunyonyi Overland Resort – Budget/Bunyonyi BirdNest Lodge for luxury/Bunyonyi Eco-lodge for mid-range
Day 11: Batwa community and transfer to Lake Mburo national park
On this day, you will have breakfast and then visit the Batwa people where you will go and pay a visit to the Pygmies and Participate in the cultural performances and so on. Thereafter set off to Lake Mburo National Park. It’s a 5-6 hours’ drive. Arrive late afternoon in the park with a game drive en-route which will give you clear views of animals such as Zebras, Buffaloes, and elands. Dinner and overnight stay at Mihingo lodge for luxury/Arcadia Lodges/ Eagles Nest Lodge for budget
Day 12: Walking safari and horseback game drive and Boat ride on Lake Mburo
Early morning and connect for a horseback ride. You will go for a one and half session. Thereafter connect for your prepared bush breakfast. Thereafter, connect for walking safari where you will view wildlife on foot. Find the animals like the giraffes, zebras, impalas, buffaloes to mention a few. Return to the Lodge for refreshments, Lunch and in the afternoon go for a boat ride on Lake Mburo which will get you quite close to Crocodiles and Hippos. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight at lodge as above.
Day 13: Transfer to Kampala/Entebbe/Departure
Early morning, you will have breakfast and after, say good bye to the lodge staff and drive out of the lodge with en-route game drive for any missed animals on the previous day. Connect on a journey back to Kampala with en-route lunch and at the Equator for water experiments and photographs, Royal drum Village at Mpambire for souvenirs. Proceed to Kampala and drop-off in Kampala/Entebbe airport for your flight back home from a Uganda Safari Tour.
