The 16 days Uganda comprehensive safari incorporates different experiences. It is all about exploring what Uganda, the Pearl of Africa has to offer the world with opportunity to visit over 4 National Parks. This comprehensive safari takes you to premier destinations such as Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, Lake Mburo National Park -these the top 4 savanna parks in Uganda. Your holiday also covers two rainforest protected areas of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Kibale National Park.
Enjoyable activities that this long Uganda safari covers include game drives, chimpanzee tracking, boat cruise, nature walk and gorilla trekking. The 4 savanna parks all offer the best of game drive with a higher opportunity for you to observe the big game, plus other wildlife including leopards, cheetahs, elephants, buffaloes, lions, antelopes, bird species. In Bwindi, you will experience the most of gorilla trekking and in Kibale National Park, participate in chimpanzee tracking.
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe for your 16 days safari in Uganda
Arrival 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 the remaining natural forests Uganda is still left with. It is located in the Northwestern side of Uganda, 4 to 5 hours’ drive on Kampala-Gulu highway. Driving up to Budongo includes a stop visit to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary where you will track rhinos and this is likely to take 2 hours. Leave Ziwa for Budongo Forest, accessing it through Kichumbanyobo gate in 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 800sq.kms and it protects not only chimpanzees, but also other primates including pottos, playful olive baboons, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, etc. Trekking Budongo chimpanzees starts at 8:00am after briefing on rules and regulations.
Guides will be assigned to lead you through a 2-4 hours’ trek in Budongo Forest and maximum of one hour is guaranteed for observing closely the chimpanzee community, 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 and today, your morning wildlife viewing session will be done in a 4×4 vehicle. The northern game track will present to you a high chance to encounter wildlife species such as buffaloes, 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 and this begins 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, aquatic birds.
Day 5: Game drive + Delta boat cruise
Enjoy a delicious African cup of coffee or tea, set off for a game drive along the Northern sector for the second phase. Look out for more wildlife species, birds including the ones you missed the previous. This is expected to run for 2-3 hours and you will return for lunch, then an afternoon Delta boat cruise begins at 2:00pm along the Albert delta.
Day 6: Murchison Falls N/Park via Hoima to Kibale N/Park
Leave Northwestern Uganda to Western region, another rich wildlife region with several national parks. Today, you will transfer from Murchison Falls National Park to Kibale National Park with lunch to 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 hours’ chimpanzee tracking allows you to observe more than chimpanzees in the park’s forest. You will come across lots of other primates like baboons, colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, pottos, etc.
You will enjoy maximum of 1 hour of a close encounter with chimpanzees, closely observing their daily behaviors and taking pictures. You will return from the forest, have lunch and then transfer to Bigodi wetland for a nature walk to experience the best of community-based tourism. The guide from Bigodi will accompany you and expect to see lots of primates during the two hours of nature walking. The popular primates to see include colobus monkeys, vervet, l’hoest, red tailed monkeys, baboons; mammals like sitatungas also reside here, birds like the Great blue turacos.
Day 8: Kibale to enjoy wildlife tour in Queen Elizabeth N/Park
Following an early morning African cup of tea/coffee, set off for Queen Elizabeth N/Park, 2-3 hours. Drive at leisure to allow you capture the best views and pictures of the Crater Lakes and on arrival at Queen Elizabeth N. Park western Uganda, be welcomed by sweeping plains, antelopes plus other wildlife. You may choose to relax back 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, after, exit the accommodation before sunrise to start your game viewing on Kasenyi plains. The morning game drive will reward you with great sights of the big cats, large herds of buffaloes, elephants, antelopes, birds and many others. This will be a wonderful 2-3 hours’ game viewing and you 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 + Katwe Salt Mines
Drive up to Kyambura Gorge, where you will find a nature forest within a gorge, an area also most famous as 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 face to face with them, take pictures and observe the chimp behaviors.
After, get back for lunch and relaxation, then the next visit will be made to Lake Katwe salt mines. Lake Katwe is a typical example of an explosive Crater Lake and it is endowed with salt. Local residents can be seen carrying out salt extraction here, get to know the different salt mining methods they use, challenges and more.
Day 11: Transfer to Ishasha, & later to Bwindi
Full day is dedicated to your exploration at Ishasha sector where you will observe tree climbing lions and other wildlife. After, enjoy a bush lunch and connect to check into the lodge in your next destination; Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The 331sq.kms Bwindi National Park is where mountain gorillas co-exist with chimpanzees.
Day 12: Day adventure- Gorilla Trekking
Join other visitors for briefing on gorilla trekking rules, allocation of gorilla groups and park guides. Today, you will enjoy 2-6 hours’ guided trekking to see the endangered mountain gorillas in the wild. Observing how these apes live will be strictly during one hour when you will also have a chance to take pictures, and then get back to the lodge for lunch and relaxation.
In the evening, walk into the Batwa community for a cultural visit one way you can 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 and during a cultural visit, you will have a deep understanding on how they were able to co-exist with wildlife for thousands of years.
Day 13: Lake Bunyonyi
Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi, Uganda’s deepest fresh water Lake located in Kabale, southwestern Uganda. This is one of the lava damned lakes found in Uganda and it has 29 islands and best referred to as place of small/little birds. You will have full day here chilling and enjoying the breathtaking views of the islands plus terraced hills in the surrounding.
Day 14: Canoeing/boat ride to the islands
A canoe ride on Lake Bunyonyi begins in the morning and you will be heading to one of magical islands preferably the Punishment Island/Upside down Island. Enjoy the stories told by the guides on ground about the lake and islands, get to see birds and so much more.
Day 15: Lake Mburo N/Park
A delicious breakfast early in the morning, after, transfer to Lake Mburo N/P with en-route view of beautiful countryside. Lake Mburo NP is rich in unique wildlife and it is here where lots of impalas live, elands, topis, zebras, waterbucks, bushbucks, giraffes, lion, leopards, buffaloes, hyenas, and 350 bird species. You set off for late afternoon game drive to observe most of the park’s wildlife, birds and retire for the night in the respective lodges.
Day 16: Back to Kampala/Entebbe
Enjoy breakfast early, after, exit Lake Mburo National Park and this will be after a nature walk or boat cruise. On a journey back to Entebbe/Kampala, expect to make a stopover at the Equator crossing to take pictures and stretch your legs.
