15 days uganda wildlife and activity holiday

Overview

This Uganda wildlife and activity safari takes you on an exciting adventure through the heart of Uganda. Starting from Kampala, you will go on a journey of white-water rafting, safari game drives, chimp, and gorilla tracking, and much more.

You will go to the best tourist attractions in Uganda such as Jinja, Murchison Falls, Kibale, Queen Elizabeth N.P, Bwindi Impenetrable, Lake Bunyonyi, and Lake Mburo. You will see animals like zebras, giraffes, elephants, rhinos, lions, leopards, hippos, chimps, gorillas, and much more.

The trip program is perfectly balanced to allow for the exploration of the beautiful wilderness and culture of Uganda.

Take a closer look at the detailed itinerary and get a better idea of how this safari would work out for you. Additionally, keep in mind that all our trips are completely customizable and can be tailored to fit your specific needs.

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Airport pickup

Our driver/guide will be waiting at Entebbe International Airport to pick you up and then transfer you to your accommodation for the night.

Accommodation: Papyrus Guesthouse Entebbe

Meal plan: Dinner

Day 2: White Water Rafting in the Nile, Jinja

Early in the morning, after your breakfast, you will be driven to Jinja for a white-water rafting experience which can either take a full day or half-day depending on your choice.

This is one of the most exciting rafting trips on earth going up to 31 km and includes a fantastic barbeque lunch and complimentary drinks after the trip. 

Accommodation: 2 Friends Resort, Jinja

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 3: Drive to Murchison Falls National Park

Your day will begin with a scenic drive to Murchison Falls National Park – northwest of Jinja. The journey will take approximately 8 to 9 hrs with a stopover at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for Rhino Tracking. From Ziwa, you will stop for lunch in Masindi Town.

After your lunch, you will continue to Murchison Falls National Park and have a chance to stop by the ‘top of the falls’ where you can see the Nile’s beauty perfected. This is where the Nile compresses from a width of 50 meters into a 7-meter canyon that forms the waterfall after which the park is named.

From here, you will continue to your accommodation where you will rest for the night.

Accommodation: Fort Murchison

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 4: Safari Game Drives in Murchison Falls National Park

Early morning, your guide will take you for a wildlife safari game drive on the northern bank of the river Nile. Here, you will spot Elephants, Lions, Cape buffalo, Rothschild’s giraffe, hartebeest, Waterbuck, Oribi, Bushbuck, Bohor reedbuck, hyena, and if you are lucky, the leopard.

You will return to your lodge for breakfast, rest and lunch before heading out for the afternoon boat cruise. The boat cruise takes you upstream on the calm Victoria Nile to the base of the falls stopping just a few meters from the “Devil’s Cauldron”.

While on the boat cruise, you will have a chance to marvel at the hippos floating in the water, and crocodiles as well as elephants, waterbuck, Uganda kob and many other animals over this 19 km stretch of the Nile.

For bird-watching enthusiasts there are many chances of seeing bird species like the Goliath heron, Egyptian goose, Brown pelican, Red-throated bee-eater, various kingfishers, Fish eagles, cormorant, and the rare shoebill stork. 

After the boat cruise, you will return to your accommodation.

 Accommodation: Fort Murchison

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 5: Drive to Kibale Forest National Park

After early morning breakfast, you will be driven to Kibale National Park via Hoima and Fort Portal. This drive will take a total of around 6 hours with interesting landscapes, green countryside, traditional homesteads, tea plantations, and much more.

You will have lunch in Fort Portal and then continue to your accommodation where you will relax and await the next day’s activities.

Accommodation: Kibale Forest Camp

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 6: Chimpanzee Tracking in Kibale National Park

After early morning breakfast, your driver/guide will drive you to Kibale National Park office where you will be briefed about the activity of tracking chimpanzees in the wild.

You will then go on a guided primate walk in search of chimpanzees and 12 other primates including l’ Hoestes, Red colobus, blue, red-tailed monkeys, brown monkeys, and grey-cheeked mangabey.

The park rangers will provide detailed explanations, not only on primates but on all the forest fauna and flora, and will ensure that your walk is informative and enjoyable.

After finding the chimps, you will spend 1 hour with them before heading back to the park offices.

You will go back to the lodge for lunch & refreshments.

After lunch, you will visit the community and take a walk in Bigodi Swamp – which is the home of the great blue Turaco bird. The swamp is home to around 200 bird species and 8 primate species. Later, return to your accommodation for dinner & overnight stay.

Accommodation: Kibale Forest Camp

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 7: Visit caves and craters. Afternoon transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

After breakfast, you will start the day with a cultural tour of the Amabere ga nyina mwiru caves – a great historic site located 10km from Fort Portal town.

You will be accompanied by an informed guide who knows more about this place. remember to carry along a flashlight, hiking boots, long trousers, etc since you are going to enter the caves. Thereafter, you will hike the explosion crater lakes surrounding this area and then return to Fort Portal town for lunch and a visit to the Tooro Kingdom Palace.

In the evening, drive to Uganda’s second-largest park, Queen Elizabeth National Park while enjoying the changing views of the mystical Rwenzori Mountain ranges

Accommodation: Bush Lodge

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 8: Wildlife Safari in Queen Elizabeth NP

After breakfast, you will go for an early morning wildlife safari game drive in this park. Queen Elizabeth National Park’s diverse ecosystem of grassy plains, tropical forests, rivers, swamps, lakes, and volcanic craters is home to an incredible abundance of wildlife.

With the massive Rwenzori Mountains as a backdrop, you will have excellent opportunities to see lions, leopards, giant forest hogs, cape buffalos, elephants, defassa waterbuck, Uganda Kobs, Topi, and bushbuck

After lunch, you will go for a 2–3-hour boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel and into Lake Edward. This take will take you through possibly the highest concentration of hippos. Many animals may be seen drinking at the water’s edge.

This launch cruise offers great opportunities for photography, bird watching, and game viewing. The prolific bird life is colorful and stupendous with more than 600 different species.

Accommodation: Bush Lodge

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 9: Ishasha Sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park.

After your breakfast, you will go the south to Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Ishasha is well known for its tree-climbing lions which like to take their daily rest up in the trees.

Your drive through the park will present more wildlife viewing opportunities and you will reach the lodge in time for lunch. 

You will later go for an evening game drive in search for the tree-climbing lions as well as other animals such as elephants, buffalos, antelopes and more.

Accommodation: Embogo Lodge

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 10: Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After an early morning breakfast, you will leave Ishasha for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This is a 6 hours journey passing through the Kigezi Highlands an area known as the “Switzerland of Africa”. The journey takes you through terraced hills and winding roads to the Bwindi Forest. You will have a stop-over along the way for lunch.

Accommodation: Rushaga Gorilla Lodge / Buhoma Haven lodge

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 11: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi.

Today is the big day! Prepare yourself for an encounter with the gentle giants; the rare mountain gorillas.

For most people, this is the absolute highlight of their tour. You will go into the forest in groups of not more than 8 in search of mountain gorillas. En route, your guide will point out previous signs of gorilla activity such as dung, nests, and chewed bamboo shoots.

Your trek will be an exciting journey along forested slopes, entwined vines, bushes, and bamboo. Upon finding the gorillas, you will spend a maximum of 1 hour with them after which you will be led back to the starting point.

In the evening, you will go for a community visit and cultural experience of the local Bakiga and Batwa tribes that live close to Bwindi. You will learn about their lives, history, and traditions.

Accommodation: Rushaga Gorilla Lodge/ Buhoma Haven lodge

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 12: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi in Kabale.

After breakfast, you will leave Bwindi and go to Lake Bunyonyi. Lake Bunyonyi is located in the Kigezi region and is also the deepest lake in Uganda with more than 20 small islands.

Here you will get to enjoy swimming, dug-out canoeing, sunbathing, hill climbing or mountain bike riding, and cray fishing.

Accommodation: Bunyonyi Overland Resort

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 13: Drive to Lake Mburo national park

After having your breakfast, you will drive to Lake Mburo National Park. The journey will take approximately 5 hours, including a stopover in Mbarara for lunch. 

You will reach the park early enough to do both a wildlife game drive and a boat cruise on Lake Mburo. You will be able to see animals like zebras, elands, buffalos, and oribi, among others.

Birdwatchers will enjoy more than 250 species of birds found in Lake Mburo, including Papyrus Gonolek, Brown-faced Lapwing, Carruthers Cisticola, the extraordinary White-winged Warbler, and the Bare-Faced Go-Away bird.

Accommodation: Rwakobo Rock

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 14: Lake Mburo to Kampala

After breakfast, proceed for a wildlife safari walk in Lake Mburo National Park. An armed ranger will escort you to make sure you are protected. You may also come across a herd of zebras peacefully grazing alongside the long-horned Ankole cattle. For those willing to get up a bit earlier, you may be able to see Lake Mburo’s hyenas in their cave.

You will return to the lodge for lunch after which you will be driven back to Kampala.

You will have a stopover at the Mpigi Royal Drum Makers where you will witness the making of ceremonial drums using methods passed down for many generations. There will also be time to stop at the equator for photographs.

Accommodation: Papyrus Guesthouse

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 15: Kampala City tour

After breakfast, you will go for a city tour of Kampala. You will visit places such as the Uganda Museum, Craft Centre, Owino Market, Kibuli Mosque, Namirembe Cathedral, and other areas of cultural interest like the Buganda Kingdom Palace (Bulange).

After the city tour, you will be transferred to Entebbe International Airport for your departure flight.

Accommodation: None. (Last day)

Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch