18 Days Best of Uganda Safari Tour

18 Days Best of Uganda Safari Tour offers you an extended safari in Uganda where you will explore the Pearl of Africa in great detail. This 18 Days Uganda Safari tour has you enjoying the best of Uganda’s wildlife, primates, nature, culture and great adventure. You will spend your 18 Days Uganda Safari tour gorilla trekking, chimpanzee tracking, game viewing, rhino tracking, boat cruising, canoeing, bungee jumping, white water rafting, as well as hiking the Rwenzori mountains. Whilst on the 18 Days Uganda Safari Tour, you will visit the home of the endangered mountain gorillas, Murchison Falls National Park for launch cruises and wild game viewing of say giraffes, buffaloes, elephants among others, Kibale National Park for chimpanzee tracking, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park for golden monkey tracking, Lake Bunyonyi, Lake Mburo National Park where a dazzle of zebras will be spotted every other time. This 18 Days Uganda Safari tour is best suited for travelers after exploring Uganda’s beauty in detail. This itinerary can be customized further to fit your preferences.

Tour Summary of 18 Days Best of Uganda Safari Tour

Day 1: Arrival, Transfer to Hotel
Day 2: Transfer to Jinja, White water rafting, Bungee jumping, source of the Nile visit
Day 3: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park, White Rhino tracking en-route
Day 4: Game Drive, Launch Cruise
Day 5: Top of the falls hike, Transfer to Hoima
Day 6: Drive to Fort Portal, Visit Amabeere Ganyina Mwiru, Crater Lakes hike, Transfer to Kibale
Day 7: Chimpanzee Tracking, Bigodi wetland
Day 8: Transfer to Semuliki, Sempaya hot springs, Drive to Kasese
Day 9: Rwenzori Mountains Hike
Day 10: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park, Game drive, Launch cruise
Day 11: Ishasha sector drive, transfer to Bwindi
Day 12: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi, transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Day 13: Golden monkey tracking
Day 14: Batwa cultural trail, transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
Day 15: Canoe ride, visit the Island communities
Day 16: Drive to Lake Mburo National Park, Night Game drive
Day 17: Banyankole community visit, drive to Kampala
Day 18: Departure

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival, Transfer to Hotel

Arrival, Transfer to Hotel: On this day 1 of your 18 Days Best of Uganda Safari Tour, our driver guide will meet you upon arrival at the Entebbe International Airport. He will brief you about your safari and thereafter proceed for a transfer to the hotel. Depending on your time of arrival, you may have a city tour of Kampala where you will learn of the country’s culture and history. You will also get an opportunity to do last minute shopping for your long safari in the many malls in the city. Dinner an overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 2: Transfer to Jinja, White water rafting, Bungee jumping, Source of the Nile visit

Transfer to Jinja: On this second day of your 18 Days Best of Uganda Safari Tour, you will wake up to a delightful breakfast at the hotel. After, you will transfer to Jinja, the home to true adventure which is only 80kms away from Kampala. While on your 2-hour drive to Jinja, enjoy the landscape and the beauty of Uganda right from the people to the magnificent Mabira rainforest. You may choose to try out some of the local street foods like plantain, roasted meat, chicken and lots of fruits sold en-route say at Najjembe where many travelers make a stop. You’ll proceed with the drive to Jinja at the Nile from where you will get to enjoy white water rafting. The Nile River is a long stretch that runs through many countries in Africa before it pours into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile’s rocks and cascades make white water rafting the more wonderful. White water rafting on the Nile is done with experienced raft companies like Adrift whose guides will be with you all throughout the experience. Your thrill is enhanced further with screams and cheers from the locals.
Bungee jumping: After, you will proceed for a bungee jumping experience. This is a very fast activity which takes not more than an hour of your time. Thereafter, you will go for lunch at a selected restaurant at the shores of the mighty River Nile.
Source of the Nile visit: After enjoying your lunch, you will go for an afternoon boat cruise on the Nile River for a chance to see the source of the Nile. This boat cruise is a good opportunity to see a number of water birds say the Kingfisher. You will get an opportunity to take pictures at the point where the Nile River starts. After, you will depart this great adventure capital for a transfer back to Kampala. Once at the hotel, you may get refreshed and have dinner at the hotel and thereafter enjoy a drink at the hotel bar or lounge. If you feel up to it, you may opt to experience Kampala Night life in any of the many clubs and casinos in the city. Overnight stay is at the hotel.

Day 3: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park, White Rhino tracking en-route

Transfer to Murchison: Today, you will wake up to a sumptuous breakfast at the hotel. Check out and proceed on a transfer to Murchison Falls National Park where you will get to gaze at the most thunderous waterfalls in the world. The park is about 5 hours away from Kampala. You will however make a stopover at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for a white rhino tracking experience. It is only here in the whole of Uganda that you will see these rear creatures which were re-introduced in 2005. Rhinos are a great add on to the great big5 that you will see while on this 18 Days Uganda Safari tour. After your rhino tracking adventure, you will have lunch at a selected restaurant at the sanctuary after which you will proceed with your drive to Murchison Falls National Park. Once in the park, you will proceed to the lodge for check-in and get to relax as you await your dinner and overnight stay.

Day 4: Game Drive, Launch Cruise

Game Drive: After a very early breakfast at the lodge, you will go out for a game drive in the vast savannah landscapes of Murchison Falls National Park. You will take tracks like Queen, Albert, Pakuba where you will be rewarded with abundant wildlife and amazing landscapes. Giraffes, lions, leopards, African elephants, Cape buffaloes, Oribis, the ever forgetful Jackson’s Hartebeest, warthogs, are some of the wildlife you will see among so many others. Birds cannot be missed out either, you will see a number of them. This game drive can take up to 4 hours. After, you will return to the lodge, relax a bit and then have your lunch.
Launch Cruise: After lunch, you will have an afternoon launch cruise on the Nile Delta, which will reward you with not only freshness great landscape viewing but also a number of water animals like serried ranges of hippos and crocodiles. Waterbirds like the elusive shoebill stork can be sighted. This launch cruise takes you to the bottom of the falls, and takes only 2 hours. After, you will return to the lodge where you will have dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 5: Top of the falls hike, Transfer to Hoima

Top of the falls hike: After an early breakfast, check out of the lodge and proceed for another cruise that will have you disembarking and hiking to the top of the falls. Enjoy the hike and the beautiful very thunderous falls. This is a good opportunity to have some really nice photography session.
Transfer to Hoima: Your driver-guide will be waiting for you at the end for a transfer to Hoima. En-route, you may make a stopover at Kibiro Salt Gardens where you will get to see the locals, predominantly female, extract salt and make it good and ready for consumption locally. After, you will continue with your drive to Hoima where you will check-in at the hotel and have lunch. Spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 6: Drive to Fort Portal, Visit Amabeere Ganyina Mwiru, Crater Lakes hike, Transfer to Kibale

Fort Portal Experience: This 6th day of your 18 Days Best of Uganda Safari Tour has you waking up to a sumptuous breakfast at the hotel and then drive to Fort Portal on a 5-hours countryside scenic drive. Lush farmlands are what you are most likely to see with their owners busy tilling them or even cultivating. Once in Fort Portal, you will have lunch and then proceed to visit the Amabeere Ganyina Mwiru caves from where you will learn of the cultural beliefs attached to them. You will also get to take part in a crater lakes hike. While at the top of hills like Kyeganywa, you will see a range of crater lakes as well as the Rwenzori Mountains if the day is clear enough. After, proceed on a transfer to Kibale National Park, check in at the lodge, have dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 7: Chimpanzee Tracking, Bigodi wetland eco-walk

Chimpanzee Tracking: After an early breakfast at the lodge, you will transfer to Kanyanchu Tourism Centre in Kibale National Park from where you will start your chimpanzee tracking adventure. You will be briefed by park officials about the activity at hand, how to go about it and the rules and guidelines to follow. After which, you will start your chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest adventure at 8am. Whilst in Kibale Forest looking for the chimpanzees, look out for other primates like the bush baby, grey-cheeked mangabey, L’hoest’s monkeys, olive baboons, among others. kibale Forest National Park is a birder’s haven with loads of birds like the African Pitta, Afep Pigeon, white-napped Pigeon, Red-chested Owlet, crowned eagle, yellow-rumped Tinker bird, blue-breasted kingfisher, among so many others.
Bigodi wetland: Once you encounter the chimpanzees, you will take time to watch them as they swing in the trees, feed on fruits, socializing, mating and so much more. You may take pictures and videos if you want to and after an hour that you are allocated, trek back to the starting point where you will meet your driver guide. The whole chimpanzee trekking in Kibale activity can take 2-5 hours.
eco-walk: After enjoying your packed lunch and resting a bit, you will transfer to Bigodi wetland for an afternoon eco-walk. With over 138 species of birds, birds are sure to be spotted, as well as the sitatunga and primates. Thereafter, you will return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 8: Transfer to Semuliki, Sempaya hot springs, Drive to Kasese

Transfer to Semuliki, Sempaya hot springs, Drive to Kasese: After breakfast, drive to Semuliki National Park which is only 2-3 hours away. Once you get there, you will take a Sempaya nature walk that will have you exploring the Sempaya hot springs. These hot springs can sprout up to 2m high and boil at more than 100 degrees Celsius that you can even boil an egg or plantain. During the eco-walk, you might also encounter primates like the black and white colobus monkeys. After lunch, you will get to proceed on a transfer to Kasese via Fort Portal. In Kasese, you have an opportunity to visit the Ruboni craft village where you will find women crafting different items like mats and baskets. You can actually join them and get to learn basket weaving. Thereafter, you will transfer to your lodge at the foothills of the Rwenzori where you will have dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 9: Rwenzori Mountains Hike

Rwenzori Mountains Hike: On this 9th day of your 18 Days Best of Uganda Safari Tour, you will have breakfast at the lodge and then gather at the Nyakalengija park station from where you will start your whole day Rwenzori Mountains hike. Rwenzori mountain has an elevation of 5,109m above sea level and has a snow caped peak all throughout the year. This one-day hike has travelers enjoying great views of various peaks, the glaciers flowing down the mountain are a sight to behold as well as the great savannah landscapes of the beautiful Queen Elizabeth National Park with lakes Edward and George. You will have a lunch stop over during the hike of the Rwenzori mountains. After, you will trek back to the foothills from where you will catch your breath, have dinner and an overnight stay at the lodge.

Day 10: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park, Game drive, Launch cruise

Transfer to Queen Elizabeth: After a very early breakfast at the lodge, you will transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park for a morning game drive. This morning game drive will see you taking the Kasenyi stretch that will reward you with great numbers of wildlife say kobs, bushbucks, waterbucks, buffaloes, elephants, among s many others.
Game drive, Launch cruise: You will have your lunch at the mweya peninsular, and thereafter proceed for an afternoon launch cruise on the amazingly beautiful Kazinga channel that will have you sighting water animals like hippos and crocodiles and a number of water birds. At the shoreline not so far off, animals can be seen taking an afternoon dip or drink to quench their thirst say buffaloes, elephants, kobs, to mention but a few the launch cruise of Kazinga channel takes 2 hours. After, you will transfer to the lodge, and get to enjoy yet another game drive. Once at the lodge, you will check in and relax as you await dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 11: Ishasha sector drive, transfer to Bwindi

Ishasha sector drive: On this 11th day of your 18 Days Best of Uganda Safari Tour, you will wake up to birds singing outside beckoning you to step out and enjoy the beautiful freshness of the area. You will have breakfast at the lodge as you have small birds flying around. After breakfast, check out of the lodge and proceed for a game drive in the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, famous for the tree-climbing lions. You will spot them lazing around on the trees or out and about as they scout for their prey. Other animals can also be spotted say elephants, kobs, buffaloes, among others.
transfer to Bwindi: After lunch, you will continue with a transfer to Bwindi which is only 4 hours away. Once in the park, check-in at the lodge, relax as you await your dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 12: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi, transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Gorilla trekking in Bwindi: This 12th day of your amazingly beautiful 18 Days Uganda Safari tour has you enjoying a thrilling gorilla trekking in Bwindi adventure. After an early breakfast at the lodge, you will depart the lodge with your packed lunch for the park headquarters from where you will meet other trekkers. Park officials will brief you about gorilla trekking and also give you rules and regulations you are supposed to follow during the trek. After, you will be placed in groups of 8 and allocated a gorilla family to trek. You will then embark on the search of mountain gorillas in Bwindi. Bwindi has well over 459 gorillas that it inhabits. Once you find your allocated gorilla family, you will spend an hour with them as they pluck leaves and frits for food, groom each other, make nests for the night, as the juveniles play around. You may take pictures and make videos, and also ask questions from the rangers and guides about the gorillas and their habit. After spending an hour with the gorillas, you trek back to the starting point with a lunch stopover where you get to enjoy your packed lunch. Once at the starting point, you will be awarded a gorilla trekking certificate.
transfer to Mgahinga: Your driver guide will be ready to transfer you to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Once in the park, check in and relax as you await dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 13: Golden monkey tracking

Golden monkey tracking: Today, you will gather at the Ntebeko park headquarters of Mgahinga after your breakfast at the lodge, for a golden monkey tracking experience. The process of golden monkey tracking is literally the same with gorilla trekking. Golden monkeys can only be found in the Virunga conservation area. During the tracking exercise, other primates can be seen say gorillas. Watching these golden monkeys is very interesting as they exhibit their playfulness. For their playfulness, taking pictures is quite an activity that requires timing and patience. Lunch will be had in the jungles. You will return to the lodge, have dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 14: Batwa cultural trail, transfer to Lake Bunyonyi

Batwa cultural trail: A Batwa cultural trail in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is one cultural encounter that you will enjoy and live to remember. After enjoying your breakfast at the lodge, you will have a Batwa cultural trail guided by the Batwa themselves. The Batwa are an indigenous group of people who were ancient inhabitants of the forest and co-existed with the forest and the animals up until of recent when they got evicted. They embarked on taking tourists through their life while they still lived in the forest. This Batwa cultural trail has travelers being shown along a trail how the indigenous Batwa hunted, collected wild honey, cooked with local pots, made fore from sticks, had council meeting in caves, and so much more. They also get to share knowledge on medicinal plants and leaves, as well as plants and wild fruits that are good for eating. A song and dance session climaxes the Batwa cultural trail.
transfer to Lake Bunyonyi: After, you will embark on a transfer to Lake Bunyonyi, making a lunch stopover at a selected restaurant. You will reach Lake Bunyonyi in the late afternoon hours. You will proceed to check in at the hotel, and take time to take in the beauty of the surroundings. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.

Day 15: Canoe ride, visit the Island communities

Canoe ride, visit the Island communities: After enjoying a sumptuous breakfast at the lodge with a wonderful view, you will go for a recreational canoe ride. This canoe ride makes a number of docks allowing you to have a sight-seeing spree. You will also get to visit the Island communities along the way, giving you an opportunity to their way of life. Get to take part in some activities like local brew making, which you can taste after. This is a whole day activity, and lunch is had along the way.

After, you will return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 16: Drive to Lake Mburo National Park, Night Game drive

Drive to Lake Mburo: This 16th day of your 18 Days Uganda Safari Tour has you driving to Lake Mburo National Park on a 5-6 hours’ drive. You will reach the park just in time for lunch at your lodge of stay. Dazzles of zebras welcome you to Lake Mburo National Park. You will spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure, resting and relaxing with a book or listening to some good music.
Night Game drive: Later, you will head out for a night game drive in Lake Mburo National Park. This night game drive has you sighting a number of nocturnal animals in Lake Mburo National Park, for example the Aardvark, side-stripped jackal, bush pig, spotted hyenas, serval cat, jenet cat, civet, porcupines, hares, among so many others. this night game drive is done in the company of a well-trained ranger guide.

After, you will return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 17: Banyankole community visit, drive to Kampala

Banyankole community visit, drive to Kampala: Today, you will wake up very early in the morning and head out for a Banyankole community visit that has you taking part in a number of local activities. At Enyemebwa center, you will meet up with herds men heading out to milk the cows. You can take part in this activity if you can, say carrying milking equipment, tying a rope on the cows and then milking the cow with your hands as the milk pours on in the milking pot. You proceed to do all the activities that the local herds men do say caring for sick cows, brushing their skins and then heading out to graze them. You will also get to visit the vast banana plantations and participate in pruning or weeding them, taking part in cooking and a number of other activities available. You can also learn a word or two in Runyankole. After, you will embark on a transfer to Kampala making a stopover for lunch at a selected restaurant. You will get to have a polar water experiment at the Equator in Kayabwe, and also photo moment where you stand on two different hemispheres at the same time. After, you will continue on your drive to Kampala, arriving in the evening. Check in at the hotel and relax as you await your dinner and overnight stay.

Day 18: Departure

Departure: On this last day of your 18 Days Uganda Safari Tour, depending on your flight schedule, you will proceed to depart the hotel and be transferred to Entebbe International Airport for an outbound flight.

End of 18 Days Uganda Safari Tour

Inclusions;

Gorilla trekking permit
Chimpanzee tracking permit
Golden monkey tracking permit
Transportation to and from the airport and during the safari
Service of a 4WD safari vehicle perfect for game viewing and photography
Services of a professional English speaking driver-guide
En-route lunches
All park entrance fees and activities in the itinerary
Full board accommodation
Bottled drinking water in the tour vehicle

Exclusions:

Air ticket
Visas
Beverages
Tips and souvenirs
Extra activities not included in the itinerary
Personal expenses like laundry, telephone, cigarettes etc.