12 Days Uganda Safari
12 Days Uganda Safari
The 12 days Uganda safari is a truly unique and unforgettable adventure experience through Uganda’s top safari destinations. Enjoy game viewing in national parks, trek through the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to search for the mountain gorillas, have quality time with wild chimpanzees of Kibale Forest and many more. This is a unique, personalized journey through Uganda’s ever-changing landscapes and parks flush with endemic, colorful wildlife.
Safari highlights,
- Lake Victoria
- Game drives
- Boat cruises
- Chimpanzee tracking
- Rhino tracking
- White water rafting
Day 1: Travel to Ssese islands: Lake Victoria
After breakfast head to Nakiwogo and aboard the ferry to Kalangala, Ssese islands. The ferry leaves at 2 pm on Lake Victoria and reaches at Lutoboka bay in Bugala Island after 3hr ride.
On the ferry, you won’t have to go hungry there’s a cafeteria you can get to order anything of your choice, you get to see many islands as you near Kalangala (better if you have a set of binoculars), water birds and enjoy the calm breeze of the waters plus the experience which goes along with traveling on water. Enjoy the sight and the feeling of being far away from the noise in the city, Kampala as you get to relax your body and the understand the true sense of a holiday.
Accommodation at Brovad Sands Lodge
Day 2: Ssese island tour
After being treated to a hearty breakfast, go for a nature walk in the forest and proceed for a boat trip which will leave you admiring the islands on the lake. Among other islands, we have Bugala, Bubeke, Bukasa, Banda and Buvuma islands which are more popular. Go back to the hotel to enjoy a mouthwatering traditional buffet.
You can relax and later resort to the many activities available such as swimming in the free bilharzia water, taking a sunbath, steam bath, bicycle riding and ride to explore the forest and the sites on the biggest amongst the Ssese Islands such as the BIDCO palm oil project and fishing is another fair option.
Accommodation at Brovad Sands Lodge
Day 3: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
After taking breakfast to continue your tour by driving to Bwindi. Welcome to Bwindi where gorillas are the center of attraction, a distinct feature for Uganda’s tourism. Bwindi national park, Mgahinga National Park alongside Rwanda’s Volcanoes Park and Congo’s Virunga Volcanoes are habitats to the only endangered mountain gorillas left in the whole world.
Accommodation at Bakiga Lodge
Day 4: Gorilla Trekking Tour
After breakfast, go for a game drive around the park. This is the best way to explore the park. You may see impalas and zebras around as you drive near Sanga and Nshara gates. Along the roads, you can see buffalo, bushbuck, common duiker, bushbuck, Defassa waterbuck, and hippopotamus at any time of the year.
You may see klipspringers as you pass through Ruroko tracks. The Rwizi track will give you sightings of impalas, eland, Burchell’s zebra and birds around the fringing swamps.
In the afternoon, you will transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
Accommodation at BirdsNest@Bunyonyi
Day 5: Lake Bunyonyi Islands
Today after a good night sleep, wake up and enjoy the rays of the sun over Lake Bunyonyi. It is surrounded by beautiful hills terraced by the locals as they grow potatoes and other crops for their food and excess for sale.
Take a canoe ride to some of the 29 Islands that will give you an overview of the cultural and history of the area. Most notable is the story of the ‘punishment island’ your guide will share this story while on your boat ride.
In the afternoon, you can dive in the lake for a swim, go bird watching, or hike up a steep hill for more views of the lake and its islands. Alternatively, you can set by the lake shores and enjoy reading a book.
Accommodation at BirdsNest@Bunyonyi
Day 6: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
After breakfast transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park via Ishasha route. Gaze at the beautiful tree-climbing lions. Start with a game drive to Kasenyi plains where you are likely to be rewarded with a view of waterbucks, Elephants, Leopards, Buffaloes, Hyenas and a variety of Antelope species. Check in at Mweya Safari lodge and have lunch. After lunch, enjoy the unique 2-hour boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel and into Lake Edward. This trip passes through possibly the highest concentration of Hippos, buffalos, elephants other animals seen drinking at the water’s edge. Lookout for resident species like flamingos, red chest, Papyrus Gonolek, pink-backed pelicans, malachite kingfishers, yellow crown, water thick-knee, yellow-billed stork, shoebill stock. Don’t forget your camera.
Accommodation at Enganzi Safari Lodge
Day 7: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
After breakfast, you will embark on a scenic Uganda highlights safari road trip northwards to Kibale Forest passing through Fort portal town, a beautiful town overlooking the Mountains of the moon. Taking the western scenic route to Kibale National Park, this journey will take you through the Albertine rift found in the western Arm of the Great East African rift valley. You will reach Fort portal early evening proceed to your Lodge to check in Have Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge of your choice.
Accommodation at Chimpanzee Forest Lodge
Day 8: Chimp tracking
After morning breakfast, transfer to Kibale national park which is just 4hrs away. Relax and check in at Primates lodge/ Chimps Nest. Take a short-guided nature walk to Bigodi swamp sanctuary, a good site for birders. The Great Blue Turaco and Papyrus Gonolek can easily be marked among the other bird 137 species. Take lunch and relax; go track chimps near Kanyanchu. There are other primates in the area like the golden monkey, L’Hoest monkey, baboons, white and black colobus monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey, red colobus, blue monkeys, and pottos. Other animals involve forest elephants unique from the common type, giant forest hogs, and a striking tree species.
Accommodation at Chimpanzee Forest Lodge
Day 9: Connect to Murchison falls through the Albertine Rift.
Start early morning driving to Murchison falls national park. Enjoy the beautiful and scenic journey across the Albertine escarpment on this western side of Uganda. When you reach, drive straight to the top of the falls.
Accommodation at Pakuba Safari Lodge
Day 10: Game Viewing in the Delta circuit
Early morning go for a game drive in the Northern Nile delta circuit, quite a sight for checking out a high awareness of wildlife. You will spot the leopards along the leopard track, Jackson’s hartebeest, large concentrations of Uganda Kobs and large families of the Defassa waterbuck, together with giraffe herds, groups of the dainty oribi. The high supply of Kobs attracts pride of lions to the delta too.
The delta also attracts birders with specials like the Abyssinian ground hornbill, shoebill (herons, waders, and egrets around small pools of water) Senegal thick-knee and Denham’s bustard.
In the evening head out for a launch trip on the famous Nile River and value God’s creation of the Murchison Falls, the largest crocs, Hippos, and elephants playing in the water. After such a lovely encounter retires to your lodge.
Accommodation at Pakuba Safari Lodge
Day 11: Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary is a two-hour drive from Kampala to Nakasongola, via Masindi route on the way to Murchison Falls National Park. Rhinos roam freely in an area of 7,000 ha (about twice the size of Mgahinga National Park) of dry savannah, laced with swamps and the cactus-like euphorbia candelabrum trees.
The sanctuary was established in 1998 with aim of re-introducing the white and black rhinos which were heavily poached to nonexistence during Amin’s era of the 1970s. In December 2001, 2 rhinos were transferred from Kenya to Uganda. You begin with tracking the rhinos; walk and even camp in the bush. Rhinos have to be imported from other countries so they can take part in Uganda’s breeding programme. Continue to Kampala reaching in the afternoon.
Accommodation at Dolphine suites
Day 12: Water Rafting
After breakfast, we head to Jinja, Eastern Uganda. If time allows, we will have a quick stop at Mabira Forest for birders. Explore the Nile and later drive up to 2 friends Guesthouse/ Kingfisher safaris resort/ Gately on the Nile for a buffet lunch. Relax at the hotel; swimming is available through optional before driving to these eye-catching Falls.
With the biggest rafts on the river, you will see how professional rafters are able to handle and conquer carefully the most challenging rapids. After a full demonstration, it’s your turn to get on the water and try your water rafting skills. Watch the local fishermen and the rich birdlife. Watch out for a series of wild rapids in the ‘Bad place’. We may later go for a brief tour around Jinja town to have a look at those old beautiful colonial buildings and Jinja market.
Accommodation at Source of the Nile Hotel
Day 13: Back to Entebbe for a flight back home.
On this day, you will wake up earl and prepare to transfer to Entebbe for your flight back home. You will relax at a beach in Entebbe depending in your flight departure time.
End of Safari
This trip will cost 3,780USD per person traveling
The safari includes,
- Park entry fees
- Boat cruises
- All activities mentioned in the itinerary
- Accommodation
- All meals
- An English-speaking guide
- Transportation
- Gorilla tracking permits
- Chimpanzee tracking permits
- Lake Bunyonyi
- Ssese islands-Lake Victoria
The safari excludes,
- Visas
- Tips
- Alcoholic drinks
- Personal insurance