15 Days Explore Uganda Safaris : This 15 Days Uganda safari offers visitors an opportunity to enjoy a variety of Uganda’s main attractions for 2 weeks. This trip involves exploring the primates in Kibale national park, Bwindi Impenetrable national park and Mgahinga national park for chimpanzee trekking and gorilla trekking respectively. Wildlife experience in the savannah park including Murchison falls national park, Queen Elizabeth national park, Lake Mburo national park. These national park have unique attraction that make them independently attractive and worth visiting. Other attractions include; nature walks such as Ziwa rhino trekking on foot, Ngamba island, and Bigodi swamp walk. Water experiences like boat cruises, and water rafting. Enjoy, horseback riding as added activities of your interest. The trip starts and ends in Uganda – Entebbe airport. Accommodation facilities provided are only based on budget facilities.
Safari highlights
- Day 1: Arrival – Hotel (1 hour drive)
- Day 2: Murchison falls national park – Rhino trekking and top of the falls (5-6 hours)
- Day 3: Game drive and launch cruise – Murchison Falls
- Day 4: Drive to Kibale national park (7-8 hours)
- Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking experience
- Day 6: Visit Bigodi wetland – Queen Elizabeth national park
- Day 7: Game drive – boat cruise in Kazinga channel
- Day 8: Drive to Kisoro – Bwindi (6 hours)
- Day 9: Gorilla trekking
- Day 10: Another day at Bwindi – Kisoro
- Day 11: Volcano climbing/Golden monkeys – Mgahinga national park
- Day 12: All day at Lake Bunyonyi
- Day 13: Transfer to Lake Mburo national park – walking safari
- Day 14: Game drive/boat – transfer to Kampala
- Day 15: Ngamba Island and Departure
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Arrival – Hotel (1 hour drive)
Upon arrival at Entebbe airport, you will meet our company representative/guide who will be waiting to receive you and transfer you Kampala city which is 37km away. You will be transferred to your hotel to check-in and rest from the long flight. In the evening dinner will be served and spend a comfortable night at the hotel.
Accommodation and meals:
- Budget option: Forest cottages
- Mid-range option: Skys Hotel Naguru
- Luxury option: Sheraton hotel
Day 2: Murchison falls national park – Rhino trekking and top of the falls (5-6 hours)
On the 2nd day of your 15 Days Explore Uganda Safaris, enjoy morning breakfast and drive to Murchison falls national park. En route at the Ziwa Rhino sanctuary for rhino tracking, have lunch in Masindi town. Proceed to the park entering through Kichumbanyobo gate. You will visit the top of the falls and then proceed to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation and meals:
- Budget option: Heritage Safari lodge
- Mid-range option: Pakuba Safari lodge
- Luxury option: Paraa Safari lodge for luxury
Day 3: Game drive and launch cruise – Murchison Falls
Early morning breakfast and then go for a game drive where you will spot various animal species like elephants, giraffes, lions, Uganda kobs among others. Return for lunch at the lodge.
In the afternoon, you will go for a launch cruise on the park’s main tourist attraction the unique Murchison Falls as well as the River Nile with its streaming hippo and serried ranges of crocodile along the sandbanks, as well as large numbers of different species getting down to drink & bathe. Dinner and overnight at Lodge as above
Day 4: Drive to Kibale national park (7-8 hours)
After early morning breakfast, meet the driver and cross the 7 am ferry for a transfer to Kibale forest national park in the western part of the country. This is a full day drive with lunch en route. Arrive late afternoon and connect to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay
- Budget option: Isunga Lodge
- Mid-range option: Chimpanzee Forest Guest house
- Luxury option: Kyaninga lodge for luxury – full board
Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking experience
After early morning breakfast at the lodge, connect to Kibale forest for your chimpanzee habituation experience with your packed snacks and water. You will first report at the park headquarters for a briefing before entering the forest for the activity. This a full day activity so expect to see a lot of primate species like chimpanzees, monkeys and other animals like the forest elephants, buffaloes, bush pig and duiker, warthogs, reptiles as well as a colorful variety of butterflies. On finding the chimpanzees, you will be allowed to spend 1 hours’ with them. Return to the Lodge as above.
Day 6: Visit Bigodi wetland – Queen Elizabeth national park
On the 6th day of your 15 Days Explore Uganda Safaris, after your breakfast, the driver will take you for a nature walk at Bigodi wetland where you will enjoy the silence but only the whispers and sounds of birds, Bigodi wetland is where you will experience a lot of bird life and unspoiled nature and if you are good at birding, this is a great place to spot various bird species. Return to have your lunch.
In the afternoon, embark on your 3-4 hours’ drive to Queen Elizabeth national park, en route stop at the equator for pictures and the Katwe salt mine. Enter the park late afternoon and connect to your lodge to rest. Dinner well be served and spend a night.
Accommodation and meals:
- Budget option; Pumba safari cottages
- Mid-range option: Parkview Safari lodge
- Luxury option: Elephant Plains lodge
Day 7: Game drive – boat cruise in Kazinga channel
After your breakfast, you will set off to an early morning game drive. You will also encounter other animals like the lions, leopards, buffaloes, elephants, waterbuck, Uganda Kob and other types of antelopes. Then go back for lunch.
Afternoon, go for a 3 hours launch cruise along the Kazinga Channel 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 good platform for photography, bird watching and games. Dinner and overnight stay at as above
Day 8: Drive to Kisoro – Bwindi (6 hours)
After breakfast, meet your driver to depart for Bwindi. Proceed to Bwindi with en route lunch in Kabale town then drive through the rolling hills of Kabale and Kisoro, arrive early afternoon at the lodge where you will check-in, have dinner and spend a night.
Accommodation and meals:
- Budget option: Buhoma Community Rest Camp
- Mid-range option: Buhoma Haven Lodge
- Luxury option: Gorilla Heights lodge
Day 9: Gorilla trekking
Have breakfast and transfer you to park offices for briefing about Mountain Gorilla trekking by a local guide. The time taken is usually between 2-8 hours depending on the movement of the gorillas. Meeting the gorillas unexpectedly is one of the most captivating lifetime experiences. You will have a chance to observe and take pictures at very close range. You will observe adults feeding and groaning among themselves. After an hour with the long-awaited gorillas, your guide and rangers will lead you back to the starting point where your driver will readily be waiting to transfer you back to the lodge. Depending on the time you return from the trekking activity, you may do an optional community tour. Have dinner and overnight stay as lodge above
Day 10: Another day at Bwindi – Kisoro
You will have breakfast and embark on one of the many optional adventures in Bwindi including Batwa experience, guided forest walk or a tour of the villages around the Park. Have lunch and in the evening, drive to an accommodation near kisoro to spend a night bringing you closer to Mgahinga national park and also have your dinner.
Accommodation and meals:
- Budget option: Mucha Lodge
- Mid-range Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge
- Luxury option: Lake Mutanda Resort
Day 11: Volcano climbing/Golden monkeys – Mgahinga national park
On the 11th day of your 15 Days Explore Uganda Safaris, wake up early and drive to Mgahinga national park for briefing from your ranger guides about the hike. The park is located on mount Gahinga one of the 8 Virunga mountains with the lowest height of about 3,474m. The hike is between 6-8 hours’ hike depending on your fitness. You will hike through the bamboo cover, if luck is on your side you may encounter the golden monkeys and the gorillas. Reaching the top is so fulfilling and interesting as you enjoy the cool air and the breeze from the giant lobelia in the carter swamp. You will then return at your starting point to meet your driver and go back to your lodge to rest.
Alternatively you can do the golden monkey trekking activity on the same mountain. The activity takes 2-6 hours depending on the location of the golden monkeys. On finding them, spend an hour the monkeys before you return to meet your driver to drive back to the lodge.
Day 12: All day at Lake Bunyonyi
On this day after you enjoying your breakfast, you will set off to Lake Bunyonyi to chill and relax. This is a 2 hours’ drive arriving Bunyonyi late morning. The lake is located between Kisoro and Kabale in the southwestern Uganda close to the border with Rwanda. It’s believed to be the second deepest lake in Africa with the depth between 44m and 900m and its about 7 to 25kms wide.
Take a boat trip to some of the fascinating islands on the lake – Kyahugye Island where you will find some wildlife including the Zebras, waterbucks, impalas and Kobs. Visit Akampeine island (a punishment island) where pregnant unmarried girls were dumped to die, the Bwama and Njuyeera Island-where missionary Dr. Leonard Sharp founded a leper colony. Return in the evening at the lodge to relax and chill. Dinner and overnight stay
Accommodation and meals:
- Budget option: Bunyonyi Overland resort
- Mid-range option: Arcadia cottages
- Luxury option: Bunyonyi BirdNest Lodge
Day 13: Transfer to Lake Mburo national park – walking safari
On the 13th day of your 15 Days Explore Uganda Safaris after breakfast, meet your driver and be transferred to Lake Mburo national park. Enter the park and connect to your lodge for lunch, relax then later go for a walking safari with a ranger guide. This activity is not different from a game drive except that you will be viewing animals on foot. Expect to see animals like the Zebras, Elands, Impalas, Topis, and Buffaloes. Spend the rest of your evening relaxing at the lodge.
Accommodation and meals:
- Budget option: Eagles Nest Lodge
- Mid-range option: Rwakobo Rock lodge
- Luxury option: Mihingo lodge
Day 14: Game drive/boat – transfer to Kampala
After breakfast, depending on your how you want to explore the park, you will either go for a morning game drive or do a boat trip on Lake Mburo. Later set off to Kampala/Entebbe, en route lunch in Masaka town and Equator. Proceed to Kampala then to your hotel in Entebbe.
Accommodation and meals:
- Budget option: Via Via Guesthouse
- Mid-range option: Best Western Garden Hotel/2 Friends Guesthouse
- Luxury option: Entebbe Protea Hotel
Day 15: Ngamba Island and Departure
On the 15th day of your 15 Days Explore Uganda Safaris, ater breakfast, meet your driver guide who will drive you to the connect boat to Ngamba Island for the Chimpanzee feeding experience. Upon arrival at the sanctuary, you will be directed to the visitor’s center where you will be given an introduction to the project, its history, residents and their plight. You will receive an educational orientation by a chimpanzee caregiver and view a feeding of the chimpanzees from the visitors’ raised platform area along the edge of the sanctuary fence. Enjoy lunch and other afternoon activities. Other optional activities include Ngamba Trail, Chimpanzee feeding and visiting the fishing villages.
Later get on the boat back to the landing where your driver will be waiting to transfer you back to hotel. Later evening, connect for your ongoing flight at Entebbe airport. End of Uganda trip
