16 Days Uganda Comprehensive Safari
The 16-day Uganda comprehensive safari is a rich tapestry of diverse wildlife, primate, and cultural experiences. It’s a journey of discovery, showcasing the best of Uganda, the Pearl of Africa. You’ll have the chance to explore over 4 National Parks, including the renowned Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, and Lake Mburo National Park. These are Uganda’s top 4 savanna parks. Your adventure also includes visits to two rainforest-protected areas, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Kibale National Park.
This long Uganda safari covers enjoyable activities including game drives, chimpanzee tracking, boat cruises, nature walks, and gorilla trekking. The four savanna parks offer the best game drive with a higher opportunity for you to observe the big game, plus other wildlife, including leopards, cheetahs, elephants, buffalo, lions, antelopes, and bird species. In Bwindi, you will experience most of the gorilla trekking, and in Kibale National Park, participate in chimpanzee tracking. Below is the detailed 16 Days Uganda Comprehensive Safari.
Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe for your 16 days safari in Uganda
Arrive at Entebbe International Airport (EBB) and you will meet with your Uganda driver guide. Overnight stay at a comfortable hotel in Entebbe City or Kampala, Central Uganda.
Day 2: Travel to Budongo Forest
Budongo Forest is one of Uganda’s remaining natural forests. It is located in the Northwestern side of Uganda, a 4—to 5-hour drive on the Kampala-Gulu highway. Driving up to Budongo includes a stop visit to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, where you will track rhinos, which is likely to take 2 hours. Leave Ziwa for Budongo Forest, accessing it through the Kichumbanyobo gate on the southern side of Murchison Falls National Park.
Day 3: Tracking Budongo chimpanzees, visit the top of the falls
Lying in the southern section of Murchison Falls National Park, Budongo Forest is one of the top chimpanzee trekking places in Uganda. The natural forest covers about 800 sq. km. It protects chimpanzees and other primates, including potto, playful olive baboons, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, etc. Trekking Budongo chimpanzees starts at 8:00 a.m. after a briefing on rules and regulations.
Guides will be assigned to lead you through a 2-4 hour trek in Budongo Forest. A maximum of one hour is guaranteed for observing the chimpanzee community closely, taking pictures, and more. After tracking chimpanzees, return to check out of the lodge and transfer to the northern sector of the park. Set off to the top of the falls to witness it as it explodes.
Day 4: Game drive, launch cruise- full-day experiences
After enjoying your African tea/coffee, leave the accommodation for a game drive. Today, your morning wildlife viewing session will be in a 4×4 vehicle. The northern game track offers a high chance of encountering wildlife species such as buffalo, elephants, antelopes, leopards, lions, birds, warthogs, giraffes, and many others. The morning wildlife viewing takes 2-3 hours, and after, lunch will be provided at the lodge.
Afternoon activity includes a boat cruise at the Jetty point around Paraa, taking you to the bottom of the falls. A boat cruise is done, leading you through the Victoria Nile with a chance to watch hippos, crocodiles, and aquatic birds.
Day 5: Game drive and Delta boat cruise
Enjoy a delicious African cup of coffee or tea before setting off for a game drive along the northern sector for the second phase. Look out for more wildlife species and birds, including the ones you missed the previous time. This is expected to run for 2-3 hours, and you will return for lunch. Then, an afternoon Delta boat cruise begins at 2:00 p.m. along the Albert Delta.
Day 6: Murchison Falls National Park via Hoima to Kibale National Park
Leave Northwestern Uganda to the Western region, another rich wildlife region with several national parks. Today, you will transfer from Murchison Falls National Park to Kibale National Park, and lunch will be provided en route.
Day 7: Chimpanzee tracking, wetland walk
A hot cup of tea/coffee at the lodge, after, transfer to Kanyanchu Visitor Center for briefing. The briefing is mainly to give you insight into chimpanzee trekking rules, allocation of park guides to accompany you, and each small group consisting of 6 visitors will be led by an armed guide. Kibale National Park hosts around 13 primate species, and a 2-4 4-hour chimpanzee tracking allows you to observe more than just chimpanzees in the park’s forest. You will encounter many other primates like baboons, colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, pottos, etc.
You will enjoy a maximum of 1 hour of a close encounter with chimpanzees. Closely observe their daily behaviors and take pictures. Return from the forest, have lunch, and then transfer to Bigodi wetland for a nature walk to experience the best community-based tourism. The guide from Bigodi will accompany you. Expect to see lots of primates during the two hours of nature walking. The popular primates include colobus monkeys, vervet, l’hoest, red-tailed monkeys, and baboons; mammals like sitatungas and birds like the Great Blue Turacos also reside here.
Day 8: Kibale to enjoy a wildlife tour in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Following an early morning African cup of tea/coffee, set off for Queen Elizabeth National Park, 2-3 hours. Drive at leisure to allow you to capture the best views and pictures of the Crater Lakes. On arrival at Queen Elizabeth National Park, western Uganda, you will be welcomed by sweeping plains, antelopes, and other wildlife. You may relax at the lodge or opt for an afternoon game drive after lunch.
Day 9: Day experiences -Game drive, Launch trip
Wake up for an early breakfast, exit the accommodation before sunrise to start your game viewing on the Kasenyi plains. The morning game drive will reward you with great sights of the big cats, large herds of buffalo, elephants, antelopes, birds, and many others. This will be a wonderful 2-3 hours’ game viewing, and you will get back to settle for lunch. In the afternoon, connect to Kazinga channel for a recreational launch cruise, and this is expected to last for 2-3 hours with a chance to see crocodiles, hippos, birds, etc.
Day 10: Kyambura Gorge tour and Katwe Salt Mines
You can drive up to Kyambura Gorge. You will find a natural forest within a gorge, an area also most famous as the Valley of Apes. It will be at Kyambura Gorge where you will have another thrilling chimpanzee trekking experience. 2-4 hours, and you will come across a chimpanzee community. Spend one hour with them, take pictures, and observe the chimp’s behavior.
After lunch and relaxation, the next visit will be to Lake Katwe salt mines. Lake Katwe is a typical example of an explosive Crater Lake, and it is endowed with salt. Residents can be seen carrying out salt extraction here, learning about their different salt mining methods, challenges, and more. This is one of the best days of your 16-day Uganda Comprehensive Safari.
Day 11: Transfer to Ishasha, & later to Bwindi
A full day is dedicated to exploring the Ishasha sector, where you will observe tree-climbing lions and other wildlife. After, enjoy a bush lunch and check into the lodge in your next destination: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The 331 sq.Kms Bwindi National Park is where mountain gorillas coexist with chimpanzees.
Day 12: Day adventure- Gorilla Trekking
Join other visitors for a briefing on gorilla trekking rules, allocation of gorilla groups, and park guides. Today, you will enjoy 2-6 hours of guided trekking to see the endangered mountain gorillas in the wild. Observing how these apes live will be strictly for one hour, during which you will also have a chance to take pictures. Get back to the lodge for lunch and relaxation.
In the evening, walk into the Batwa community for a cultural visit. This is one way to appreciate collective efforts towards forest and gorilla/wildlife conservation. The Batwa are the original occupants of Bwindi Forest. They were only displaced when the park was gazetted in 1991. During a cultural visit, you will have a deep understanding of how they were able to coexist with wildlife for thousands of years.
Day 13: Lake Bunyonyi
Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi, Uganda’s deepest freshwater Lake in Kabale, southwestern Uganda. This is one of the lava damned lakes found in Uganda. It has 29 islands and is best known as a place of small/little birds. You will have a full day here chilling. And enjoying the breathtaking views of the islands, plus the terraced hills in the surrounding area.
Day 14: Canoeing/boat ride to the islands
A canoe ride on Lake Bunyonyi begins in the morning. You will be heading to one of the magical islands, preferably the Punishment Island or Upside-Down Island. Enjoy the stories told by the guides on the ground about the lake and islands, get to see birds, and so much more. This marks the end of your 14th day of the 16-day Uganda Comprehensive Safari.
Day 15: Lake Mburo National Park
A delicious breakfast early in the morning, after, transfer to Lake Mburo National Park with an en-route view of beautiful countryside. Lake Mburo National Park is rich in unique wildlife. It is here where lots of impalas live, elands, topis, zebras, and waterbucks. Bushbucks, giraffes, lions, leopards, buffalo, hyenas, and 350 bird species. You set off for a late afternoon game drive. You will observe most of the park’s wildlife and birds and retire in the respective lodges for the night.
Day 16: Back to Kampala/Entebbe
Enjoy breakfast early. After a nature walk or boat cruise, exit Lake Mburo National Park. On your journey back to Entebbe/Kampala, expect to make a stopover at the Equator crossing to take pictures and stretch your legs. This will mark the end of your spectacular 16-day Uganda Comprehensive Safari.
