This 15 Days Explore Uganda Wildlife Safari: takes you to Jinja to the Source of the Nile, Lake Bunyonyi and to some of the best six Uganda National Parks. The safari first takes you to Jinja Town located in south-eastern Uganda about 87 km from Kampala City and it where the source of the River Nile is located. Jinja is also the hot spot for adventures that include white water rafting, bungee jumping and quad biking. The safari then takes you to Mt. Elgon National Park, renowned for the scenic beauty of its cliffs, waterfalls, caves, and unique flora. The safari continues across to Kidepo Valley National Park in Northern Uganda, an area seldom visited by tourists because of its remoteness, to see the beautiful and the unique unspoiled landscape and incredible variety of wildlife in this hidden haven. You will then head to Murchison Falls National Park, the largest national park in Uganda, renowned for its scenic beauty and the spectacular falls from which it derives its name. One of the highlights of the 15 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari will be an encounter with the wild but habituated chimpanzees in Kibale Forest National Park, the primate capital of the world. The safari does not miss out on Lake Mburo National Park for wild nature walks; the only park in Uganda where a wildlife safari can be conducted on foot.
Activities
- Game drive
- Boat cruise
- Visit to the water falls
- Community visits
- Chimpanzee tracking
- Gorilla trekking
- Hiking
- Game walks
Travel Schedule
Day 1: Arrival in Uganda and briefing on safari plan
Day 2: Travel to Jinja – Tour of Source of the Nile
Day 3: Transfer to Mt. Elgon National Park
Day 4: Exploration of Mt. Elgon
Day 5: Transfer to Kidepo Valley National Park
Day 6: Community Visit and Game Drive
Day 7: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park
Day 8: Game Drive – Boat Cruise
Day 9: Transfer to Kibale National Park
Day 10: Chimpanzee Tracking – Transfer to Bwindi
Day 11: Gorilla Trekking – Community Tour
Day 12: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi – Canoe Ride
Day 13: Hike and Tour of Lake Bunyonyi
Day 14: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park – Boat Cruise
Day 15: Game Walk – Drive back to Entebbe
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival and transfer to accommodation
On your arrival in Entebbe, you will be welcomed and transferred by a representative of Great Nest Image Safaris to your place of accommodation. You will spend an overnight here and get a briefing of the tour.
Accommodation Options
- Protea Hotel (Luxury)
- Imperial Botanical Beach Hotel (Midrange)
- Airport View Hotel (Budget)
Day 2: Transfer to Jinja – Source of the Nile Tour
Our guide will pick you at 7.00am from where you are residing and drive you to Jinja in the eastern part of the country. There will be an excursion to Ssezibwa Falls in Lugazi town. You will also have a brief stopover at Mabira forest, the largest remaining tropical forest in Central Uganda. You will then continue to the Source of the Nile in Jinja. You will explore the source of the Nile by boat and later have a brief drive through this historical town before heading to your accommodation.
Accommodation Options
- Source of the Smile Hotel (Luxury)
- Gately on the Nile (Midrange)
- Chel & Vade Cottages (Budget)
Day 3: Depart Jinja – Transfer to Mt. Elgon National Park
You will after an early breakfast drive eastward to Mt. Elgon. You will have a stopover at Sipi falls for a cultural feel and continue to Kapchorwa town located on the foothills of Mt. Elgon. En-route you will drive past tea and sugarcane plantations, lush green forests and grasslands, colorful fruits beautifully displayed by the roadsides and enjoy a varied display of landscapes and local communities. You will have lunch in Kapchorwa and proceed to tour the Sipi falls located between beautiful hills and waterfalls. Your dinner and overnight will be at one of the selected lodges adjacent to the Sipi falls.
Accommodation Options
- Mbale Resort Hotel (Luxury)
- Lacam Lodge (Midrange)
- Crow’s Nest Rest Camp (Budget)
Day 4: Mt. Elgon Exploration
You will have breakfast and thereafter take a walk to the Mt. Elgon Forest Exploration Center for a briefing on the activities of the day. You can go for an interactive Cultural Community Walk in the Bunduri Community not far from Mt. Elgon. This community group, based in Budadiri, offers cultural dances, guided coffee tours and community nature walks. Visitors can discover the region’s cultural dances, food preparation, folklore and its famous delicacy malewa bamboo shoots. There is also a tour of Mt. Elgon’s famous Arabica coffee processing plants, which supports local farmers.
Accommodation Options
- Mbale Resort Hotel (Luxury)
- Lacam Lodge (Midrange)
- Crow’s Nest Rest Camp (Budget)
Day 5: Transfer to Kidepo Valley National Park
After a very early breakfast, embark on an adventurous road trip to the very far north east of Uganda – to the wild, remote and much lesser visited Kidepo Valley National Park. You will have lunch on the way and then continue the journey as you view the beautiful landscape and African lifestyle. The road trip will take around 10 hours depending on the weather conditions which determine the state of the roads in this part of the country. You will spend the night at one of the lodges in the park.
Accommodation Options
- Apoka Safari Lodge (Luxury)
- Kidepo Savannah Lodge (Midrange)
- Apoka Rest Camp (Budget)
Day 6: Community – Game drive in Kidepo
Today you will have a lazy morning allowing you to rest after the long journey. In the late morning hours, you will be taken on a Savannah Safari guided cultural village tour where you will learn about the nomadic lifestyle of the people around Karenga and Kidepo. During this cultural tour you will visit the Karamajong homesteads (manyattas) and see the kraals of cattle, the traditional costumes, stools, spears, headdress, knives, bows and arrows, jewelry, grinding stones and utensils all made locally by the natives. In the evening, after lunch an an afternoon rest, you will be taken for a sunset Savannah Safari game drive to explore more of Kidepo Valley National Park. You will return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation Options
- Apoka Safari Lodge (Luxury)
- Kidepo Savannah Lodge (Midrange)
- Apoka Rest Camp (Budget)
Day 7: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park
After an early breakfast, we will set off for the tranquil Murchison Falls National Park. The drive will take you through Kitgum and Gulu towns taking approximately 8 hours before reaching Murchison Falls National Park. You will be transferred straight to your lodge where you will check in and spend the night.
Accommodation Options
- Paraa Safari Lodge (Luxury)
- Fort Murchison (Midrange)
- Red Chili Rest Camp (Budget)
Day 8: Game Drive – Boat cruise
After breakfast, proceed for a game drive on the northern bank of the Nile, giving you a great chance of seeing animals such as giraffes, elephants, lions, hartebeests and different species of birds. After Lunch, the safari will be continued with a boat cruise on the Victoria Nile to the base of the Murchison Falls. Look out for the Nile crocodile, hippos, water bucks and a variety of bird species. Upon reaching the bottom of the waterfalls you will disembark and climb your way up to the Top of the falls where you will be rewarded with amazing views of the falls. After return to your lodge, and enjoy a good night`s rest.
Accommodation Options
- Paraa Safari Lodge (Luxury)
- Pakuba Safari Lodge (Midrange)
- Red Chili Rest Camp (Budget)
Day 9: Murchison Falls National Park – Transfer to Kibale National Park
After an early morning breakfast, you will check out of the lodge and head to Kibale National Park in western Uganda. The drive will take around 7-8 hours taking you past the Kijura and Bunyoro escarpments. You will have packed lunch on the way. Dinner and overnight will be at your reserved lodge.
Accommodation Options
- Kyaninga Lodge (Luxury)
- Mountains of the Moon (Midrange)
- Kibale Forest Camp (Budget
Day 10: Chimpanzee tracking – Transfer to Bwindi
After breakfast you will report at the briefing point for a breakdown of the rules before tracking the chimpanzees. The trek for the chimpanzees takes 2-3 hours and it will provide you with the opportunity to see other primates and animals as well as birds, and various species of butterflies and insects. You will have lunch at your lodge and thereafter drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.
Accommodation Options
- Gorilla Heights Lodge (Luxury)
- Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge (Midrange)
- Silver back Lodge (Budget)
Day 11: Gorilla trekking – Community Tour
The most exciting day of your safari! The briefing is at 8 am and you will learn about gorilla etiquette. Then you will start walking and hiking in the impenetrable forest until you find the gorillas. For one hour, you are allowed to watch those majestic giants! The whole activity can last from a few hours up to a full day, depending on the location of the gorillas as they range freely in the impenetrable forest. Depending on the duration of the track you can either relax in the afternoon at the lodge and just enjoy the view or go for a walk around and explore the village or walk up to the highest football field with the best view ever. Also today, you will carry a packed lunch.
Accommodation Options
- Lake Bunyonyi Eco-Resort (Luxury)
- Bunyonyi Overland Resort (Midrange)
- Amasiko Homestay (Budget)
Day 12: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi – Canoe Ride
Early in the morning, you will enjoy a heavy breakfast and then check out of your lodge and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi. On arrival, you will check in at the lodge of your booking at Lake Bunyonyi, have lunch and after go for a canoe-ride on the lake.
Day 13: Hike and Canoe on Lake Bunyonyi
This day you can choose to either have a canoe-ride on Lake Bunyonyi or a walk through the surrounding hills. The landscape around the lake is made up of steep slopes covered with lush green vegetation protruding from the water’s edge. Bunyonyi means “place of little birds” and as the name suggests, there is plenty of birdlife around the lake. You can get to know the seven islands, visit the local families and admire views of Volcano Mountains.
Accommodation Options
- Lake Bunyonyi Eco-Resort (Luxury)
- Bunyonyi Overland Resort (Midrange)
- Amasiko Homestay (Budget)
Day 14: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park – Boat Cruise
You will have an early breakfast and travel to Lake Mburo National Park centered on a series of swamp-fringed lakes rich in bird life while its green acacia woodland harbors wildlife like the Zebra, warthog, Elands, Impala among others. You will have lunch in Mbarara town and continue the drive to the park. In the afternoon you will go for a 2-hour boat ride on Lake Mburo and get quite close to the water animals that include crocodiles and hippos. You will have dinner and overnight at the lodge of your booking.
Accommodation Options
- Muhingo Eco Lodge (Luxury)
- Lake Mburo Safari Lodge (Midrange)
- Eagles Nest Camp (Budget)
Day 15: Game walk – Drive back to Entebbe
After breakfast go for an adventurous tour of the park on foot with an experienced game ranger who will explain to you which animals have left behind footprints and droppings and how long ago. Lake Mburo National Park is one of the two parks in Uganda where it is permitted to go for tour on foot. You will after the game walk return to the lodge for lunch and later set off on your return journey to Kampala. You will have a stopover at the Equator where you will have an opportunity to stand in two hemispheres at the same time and take some photos. You will arrive in Entebbe in the late afternoon and connect with your departure flight before or after a rest depending on the time of your flight.
END OF SAFARI
Includes
- Accommodation as per the itinerary
- 4WD safari vehicle with pop-up roof
- Bottled drinking water
- Rhino trekking fees
- Ferry crossing fees
- Boat trips
- Visit to the top of the Murchison falls fee
- Chimpanzee trekking permit in Kibale National Park
- Gorilla trekking permit for $700 per person
- Services of an English Speaking Driver/guide.
- Game drives
- Community visit fees
- Guided nature walks
- Pick up and Return airport transfers
Excludes
- Other drinks
- Laundry
- Tips to local guides
- Telephone expenses
- Porter fees while trekking Gorillas and Chimpanzees
- Personal insurance
- Cigarettes
SAFARI TRANSPORT
Standard 4X4 Safari Vehicles
Our standard mode of transport is by road and we use 4×4 Safari vehicles. Each Safari vehicle comes with a professionally trained driver/guide with fuel for the whole safari. We also have very comfortable super customs which can carry up 6 people with their luggage also have small vehicles like Alphads, Harrier and much more that can carry 4-5 people.
Requirements for the Explore
- A Visa – you can apply for the visa online or very easily get one at the point of entry into the country (airport)
- Chimpanzee Tracking permits costs USD200 per person while Gorilla trekking permits costs USD700 per person. You can apply and secure these online but experience has shown that it is better coordinated when you send money to the tour firm to handle it for you at no extra cost.
- Travel & Health insurance – This should be arranged by you in your home country before you travel.
- Physical fitness
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