12 Days Classic Uganda Safari : Our 12 Days Classic Uganda Safari itinerary is devised to provide you with the finest safari experience in the Pearl of Africa. It includes the best of all the destinations you will visit on your Uganda safari.
Highlights:
- Game drives on the savannahs of Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park and Lake Mburo National Park
- Launch cruise on the Nile to the bottom of Murchison Falls.
- Chimpanzee tracking in Uganda’s Primate Capital – Kibale Forest National Park
- Gorilla tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
- Enjoy the serenity at the beautiful Lake Bunyonyi – the second deepest Lake in Africa
- Boat ride on Lake Mburo
Itinerary:
Day 1: Transfer to Murchison falls National Park
Pick up from Kampala and drive to Murchison Falls National Park – one of the most beautiful parks in Uganda. It is approximately 7 hours’ drive from Kampala to Murchison Falls.
You may visit the top of Murchison falls if time allows. Visit the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, the only place in Uganda where you can find the white Rhino. One of the main attractions in this beautiful park is the magnificent Murchison Falls, where the Nile is forced through a narrow gorge, falling 60 meters deep.
Dinner and overnight at the accommodation of your choice. (High End, Mid-range and Budget accommodations are available)
Day 2: Game drive and launch cruise – Murchison Falls
After an early breakfast, you will depart for morning game viewing in Murchison Falls National Park. Expect to encounter abundant wildlife including giraffes, lions, elephants, hippos, buffaloes, crocodiles, and possibly leopard.
In the afternoon, you embark on a boat cruise on the Victoria Nile to the bottom of the falls – the distinctive Murchison Falls, which are the park’s spectacular tourist attraction. The launch cruise offers a perfect platform for photography and great views of hippos and crocodiles along the sandbanks, as well as a variety of bird species.
Dinner and overnight at the accommodation of your choice. (High End, Mid-range and Budget accommodations are available)
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
After breakfast drive to Kibale Forest. It is possible to visit the amabere ganyinamwiru stalagmites and cascades site in Fort Portal, as well as the crater lakes, en route. Both activities are optional. After lunch, proceed to Kibale Forest National Park, where you will arrive in the late afternoon.
Kibale Forest is Uganda’s primate capital, a unique jungle, with 13 primate species including chimps, baboons, clolobus monkeys (black and white colobus, red colobus), L’Hoest monkey and grey cheeked mangabey.
Dinner and overnight at a lodge. (High End, Mid-range and Budget accommodations are available)
Day 4: Chimpanzee tracking – Kibale forest
This day you will depart for chimpanzee trekking in the morning or afternoon. It is possible to make a community walk in the Bigodi wetland Sanctuary for those interested in primates and birds. You have a chance to experience the local people’s way of living. You can also have an optional visit to the crater lakes.
Day 5: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
After breakfast, drive to the Queen Elizabeth National Park (approximately 4 hours’ drive) via the equator where you make a stop-over for photographs. Game drive in the afternoon where you may get to see elephants, lions, Uganda Kobs, hippos, crocodiles, buffaloes, and on a lucky day leopard.
Dinner and overnight a lodge in Mweya area. (High End, Mid-range and Budget accommodations are available)
Day 6: Game drive and launch cruise – Queen Elizabeth National Park
Game viewing in the Kasenyi area and / or visit the Katwe salt pans, where you will encounter locals engage in salt extraction, before returning to the lodge for lunch.
In the afternoon, go on a launch cruise on the Kazinga channel that connects Lakes Edward and Gorge. The Kazinga Channel has the highest concentration of hippos in the world and is one Uganda’s highlights.
Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight. (High End, Mid-range and Budget accommodations are available).
Day 7: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
After breakfast, drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park via Ishasha sector, south of Queen Elizabeth national park, where you may see famous tree-climbing lions. You will stop for lunch along the way and later proceed to Bwindi, arriving in the late afternoon. Dinner and overnight at a lodge in Bwindi. (High End, Mid-range and Budget accommodations are available).
Day 8: Gorilla tracking – Bwindi
Gorilla Tracking!! After an early breakfast you will be transferred to the park headquarters for a briefing before you embark on your gorilla trekking excursion. The Mountain Gorilla is one of the most interesting and endangered animal presumed to be our closest relative. Trekking could take 2 hours or more, depending on the gorilla movements. Once you find them, you will be allowed maximum 1 hour watching them at close range. After trekking, you will return to the starting point to receive your certificate. Later transfer your lodge for dinner and overnight. (High End, Mid-range and Budget accommodations are available)
Day 9: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before your transfer to Lake Bunyonyi in Kabale, also known as the Switzerland of Africa! The journey takes you through interesting villages, with beautiful landscapes and scenic views of the Virunga Mountains from a distance.
Have a lunch break in Kabale town and then proceed to Lake Bunyonyi for a boat excursion to Bushara Island, where you will enjoy a reviving nature walk along a forest trail with excellent bird watching! Depart Bushara and return to the loading site before proceeding to one of the beautiful islands for dinner and overnight.
Day 10: Lake Bunyonyi
Day at leisure. Possible activities for this day may include nature walk, birding walk, canoeing, swim or visiting the local community (all activities optional).
Dinner and overnight at the previous accommodation. (High End, Mid-range and Budget accommodations are available)
Day 11: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park
After breakfast we drive to Lake Mburo National Park with a lunch break in Mbarara. Arriving in Lake Mburo in the late afternoon or evening. Participate in a game drive or boat trip on the lake in the afternoon if time allows. In the evening, it is possible to make a night game drive with high chances of seeing leopards.
Lake Mburo is one of the two national parks in Uganda with zebras and the only park with impalas in Uganda. There are no elephants and lions, so walking safaris are possible.
Dinner and overnight at your lodge in Lake Mburo. (High End, Mid-range and Budget accommodations are available).
Day 12: Game drive and transfer back Kampala
After an early morning wildlife excursion or game walk, you will be transferred to Kampala. Drive back to Kampala and drop you off at your lodge or Entebbe airport for your onward flight.
End of safari