18-Day Discover Uganda Trip
This 18-day Discover Uganda trip is for those with more time to explore Uganda, also known as “The Pearl of Africa.” The safari covers Uganda’s four Savannah parks: Kidepo Valley, Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth, and Lake Mburo National Parks.
Activities
It offers game drives and boat cruises, including Murchison Falls, the Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth, Lake Mburo, and a canoe ride on Lake Bunyonyi. The parks provide excellent game drives with high chances of spotting antelopes, hippos, elephants, buffaloes, lions, and leopards.
Highlights
The highlight is trekking the world’s Great Apes. You will trek chimpanzees in Budongo Forest, Kyambura Gorge, and Kibale Forest National Park. The climax is gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. You will also interact with local communities through village and community walks. Booking this trip will be a memorable experience.
Brief Itinerary:
Day 01: Arrive, meet and greet, transfer to Entebbe Protea Marriot Hotel (Bed and Breakfast).
Day 02: Drive to Jinja, visit the source of the Nile. Overnight at Jinja Nile Resort (Full Board).
Day 03: Drive to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for Rhino tracking. Overnight at Budongo Eco Lodge (Full Board).
Day 04: Chimpanzee trekking in Murchison Falls National Park, visit the top of the falls. Overnight at Pakuba Safari Lodge (Full Board).
Day 05: Morning game drive in Paraa, afternoon boat cruise to the falls. Overnight at Pakuba Safari Lodge (Full Board).
Day 06: Morning game drive, afternoon boat cruise to the Albert Delta. Overnight at Pakuba Safari Lodge (Full Board).
Day 07: Drive to Kibale Forest National Park. Overnight at Chimpanzee Forest Guest House (Full Board).
Day 08: Morning Chimpanzee trekking, afternoon Bigodi Village wetland walk. Overnight at Chimpanzee Forest Guest House (Full Board).
Day 09: Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park, evening game drive in Mweya. Overnight at Elephant Hab Lodge (Full Board).
Day 10: Morning game drive, afternoon boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel. Overnight at Elephant Hab Lodge (Full Board).
Day 11: Morning Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge, visit Katwe salt mines. Overnight at Elephant Hab Lodge (Full Board).
Day 12: Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Overnight at Broad Bill Forest Camp (Full Board).
Day 13: Gorilla tracking and village walk. Overnight at Broad Bill Forest Camp (Full Board).
Day 14: Drive to Lake Bunyonyi. Overnight at Bunyonyi Overland Resort (Full Board).
Day 15: Canoeing and birding at Lake Bunyonyi, afternoon relaxation. Overnight at Bunyonyi Overland Resort (Full Board).
Day 16: Drive to Lake Mburo National Park via Igongo Cultural Center, evening boat cruise. Overnight at Lake Mburo Safari Lodge (Full Board).
Day 17: Early morning walking Safari, evening game drive.
Day 18: Early morning game drive, transfer to Entebbe Airport via equator crossing.
What to know:
- The trip can start any time on any date.
- Guided by post-COVID new normal safari guidelines.
- All-inclusive: activities, meals, permits, park fees, lodges, vehicle hire, and guide fees.
- Minimum participants: two people, maximum: seven people.
- Suitable for children aged 15 years and above.
- Starts and ends in Entebbe, Uganda.
- Trek chimpanzees in Budongo Forest, Kibale National Park, and Kyambura Gorge.
- Visit Jinja town, the source of the Nile.
- Trek endangered white Rhinos at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.
- Visit three National Parks for game drives: Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth, and Lake Mburo.
- Enjoy four boat cruises: Murchison Falls, Lake Bunyonyi, Lake Mburo, and the Kazinga Channel.
- Visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to see the only remaining white rhinos in Uganda.
- Walking safaris and village visits offer cultural interactions.
Detailed Itinerary
DAY 1: Arrive at Entebbe Airport
Upon your arrival, you will be met, greeted, and transferred to Entebbe town for an overnight stay on a Bed and Breakfast basis. Situated just 5 minutes away from the Entebbe International Airport, Entebbe has emerged as Uganda’s top tourism city, boasting a growing number of hotels and guest houses.
Should you arrive early, various optional activities await. You may opt to explore the town of Entebbe on foot, venture into the Botanical gardens, or embark on a boat excursion to Ngamba Island. Additionally, you have the opportunity to visit the Uganda Wildlife Education Center..
Meal Plan: Breakfast
Hotel: Protea Marriot Hotel Entebbe
DAY 2: Jinja Source of the Nile
This morning, you will drive to Jinja town, known as the ‘adventure capital of Uganda’ via Kampala. The journey will take you through small towns, the Mabira forest, a tropical rainforest, roadside markets, and tea and sugar plantations.
You will arrive in time for a lunch break and a boat ride to the Source of the River Nile. It would be unfair for you to visit Uganda and then miss out on visiting the Source of the River Nile. River Nile is the second longest river on planet Earth.
Drive time: Approximately 2-3 hours
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Lodging: Jinja Nile Resort
DAY 3: Jinja to Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary.
Drive from Jinja to Nakasongola via Kampala, towards the north of Uganda, to visit the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for Rhino tracking. This is a perfect opportunity to track White Rhinos in the wild. Rhinos became extinct in Uganda in the 1970s due to over-poaching for their treasured horns.
They have now been reintroduced in the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in the hope that when their population improves, they can be reintroduced in some of Uganda’s National Parks. Have an opportunity to track these endangered species and learn more about them.
Drive time: approximately 4-5 hours
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Lodging: Budongo Eco Lodge
DAY 4: Budongo Chimpanzee tracking
After breakfast, you will walk to the forest headquarters for a briefing about Chimpanzee trekking Dos and Don’ts. Thereafter, start your primate walk in the Budongo Forest guided by well-trained and experienced ranger guides. Your walk will expose you to other primates, birds and different plant species in the forest.
Once you get into proximity with the Chimpanzees or one community/party of habituated chimpanzees, you will be allowed one hour of observations and photography before you return to the Lodge. You may carry a packed lunch or order a hot lunch, which you can have when you return to the lodge.
In the afternoon, you will drive to Murchison Falls National Park for a brief game drive via the top of the falls to see how the Nile waters squeeze through a narrow gorge only later to explode into what has been referred to as one of the most robust and most powerful waterfalls on planet Earth. Thereafter, you will proceed to Murchison River Lodge or Pakuba Safari Lodge overnight.
Drive time: Approximately 2-3 hours
Meal Plan: Lunch and Dinner
Lodging: Murchison River Lodge or Pakuba Safari Lodge
DAY 5: Game Drive and boat cruise to the bottom of the Falls
Following breakfast, set out on a morning game drive to catch sight of nocturnal animals before their retreat. Traverse the Nile Delta, spotting giraffes, lions, hyenas, elephants, buffalos, Uganda Kobs, waterbucks, and other wildlife.
After lunch, embark on a boat cruise to the bottom of the iconic Murchison Falls. Along the Nile, witness an array of wildlife before witnessing the mighty falls’ breathtaking spectacle.
Once at the bottom of the falls, you may opt to hike to the top of the falls to see how the mighty River Nile squeezes itself through a narrow gorge only to explode into what has been referred to as the strongest waterfalls in the world. Thereafter, you will drive back to the lodge for an overnight stay.
Drive time: Approximately 2-3 hours
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Lodging: Pakuba Safari Lodge
DAY 6: Game drive and boat cruise to the Albert Delta
Begin the day with a morning game drive and an afternoon boat cruise to the Albert Delta. This offers further wildlife encounters along the Nile’s banks. Expect to see large herds of elephants, buffalos, Uganda Kobs, giraffes, and possibly lions and leopards.
In the afternoon, partake in a boat cruise on the Albert Delta, providing a glimpse of unique bird species, including the elusive shoebill stork.
Drive time: Approximately 2-3 hours
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Lodging: Pakuba Safari Lodge
DAY 7: Drive to Kibale Forest National Park
After breakfast, embark on a picturesque drive to Kibale Forest National Park. En route, soak in the countryside views of small towns, roadside markets, tea plantations, and homesteads, with a lunch stopover in Fort Portal town.
On arrival, you will check into your lodge and relax for the evening.
Drive time: Approximately 6-7 hours
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Lodging: Chimpanzee Forest Guest House
DAY 8: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi wetland walk
After breakfast, you will drive to Kibale Forest National Park headquarters for a briefing about Chimpanzee trekking. You will be divided into groups and assigned a park ranger/guide who will lead you on your trek. Your trek will expose you to a variety of wildlife, birds, and plant species in the forest.
Once you locate the Chimpanzees, you will be allowed an hour of observation and photography before you return to the lodge for lunch. After lunch, you will go on a Bigodi wetland walk. This is a community-based tourism project that benefits the local people.
The walk will take you through swampy areas where you will see different bird species, primates, and plant species. After the walk, you will return to the lodge for an overnight stay.
Drive time: Approximately 2-3 hours
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Lodging: Chimpanzee Forest Guest House
DAY 9: Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Following breakfast, journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park, traversing Uganda’s countryside with its charming towns, roadside markets, tea plantations, and homesteads. Upon arrival, settle into your lodge for the evening.
Drive time: Approximately 6-7 hours
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Lodging: Elephant Hab Lodge
DAY 10: Game Drive and boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel
Start the day with a morning game drive through Queen Elizabeth National Park‘s savannah plains, spotting elephants, lions, buffaloes, Uganda Kobs, and various bird species. After lunch, embark on a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, offering close encounters with hippos, crocodiles, elephants, and buffaloes along the channel’s banks.
Drive time: Approximately 2-3 hours
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Lodging: Elephant Hab Lodge
DAY 11: Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge
Following breakfast, head to Kyambura Gorge for a Chimpanzee track, navigating lush forests to encounter habituated chimpanzee communities. After lunch, visit the Katwe salt mining site, learning about traditional salt extraction methods and local history.
Drive time: Approximately 2-3 hours
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Lodging: Elephant Hab Lodge
DAY 12: Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Journey to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, winding through Uganda’s scenic countryside with terraced hills, homesteads, and tea plantations. Upon arrival, settle into your lodge for the evening.
Drive time: Approximately 6-7 hours
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Lodging: Broad Bill Forest Camp
DAY 13: Gorilla trekking and village walk
Embark on a Gorilla trek in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park after breakfast, encountering these majestic creatures in their natural habitat. After lunch, participate in a village walk, immersing yourself in local cultures and traditions.
Lodging: Broad Bill Forest Camp
Drive time: Approximately 6-7 hours
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
DAY 15: Canoeing and birding at Lake Bunyonyi
Start the day with a canoe ride on Lake Bunyonyi, exploring its numerous islands and admiring its scenic beauty. This serene experience provides excellent birdwatching opportunities, with sightings of the African fish eagle, herons, and kingfishers.
After the canoe ride, return to the lodge for lunch. Spend the afternoon relaxing, swimming, or taking a leisurely walk to soak in the beauty of Lake Bunyonyi.
Drive time: Approximately 2-3 hours
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Lodging: Bunyonyi Overland Resort
DAY 16: Drive to Lake Mburo National Park
Following breakfast, embark on a drive to Lake Mburo National Park via the Igongo Cultural Center. Enjoy scenic views of Uganda’s countryside, passing terraced hills, homesteads, and tea plantations. Upon arrival, check into your lodge and relax for the evening.
Drive time: Approximately 6-7 hours
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Lodging: Lake Mburo Safari Lodge
DAY 17: Walking safari and game drive
Begin the day with a walking safari in Lake Mburo National Park, offering close encounters with wildlife such as zebras, impalas, and elands. After the walking safari, return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, embark on a game drive through the savannah plains, spotting giraffes, buffaloes, hippos, and more.
Drive time: Approximately 2-3 hours
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Lodging: Lake Mburo Safari Lodge
DAY 18: Drive to Entebbe International Airport
After breakfast, embark on a scenic drive to Entebbe International Airport, passing through Uganda’s picturesque countryside with its small towns and roadside markets. Enjoy a stopover at the equator crossing for photographs and a leisurely lunch break before continuing to the airport for your departure flight.
Drive time: Approximately 6-7 hours
Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch
This 18-day Discover Uganda trip offers an unparalleled exploration of Uganda’s diverse wildlife, landscapes, and cultures. From trekking with chimpanzees and gorillas to boat cruises on iconic waterways, this journey is designed to provide a comprehensive and unforgettable safari experience in the heart of Africa.
