The 15 days Uganda special safari covers the top tourist destinations in the Pearl of Africa. The actual expedition begins and ends in Kampala, with the first visit to be made to Murchison Falls National Park with an en-route tour at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary home to rhinos. This special safari package also covers stunning wildlife parks such as Kibale National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Lake Mburo, and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. It offers combined wildlife and primate encounters, guaranteeing unforgettable African wilderness experiences. Below is the detailed 15 Days Uganda Special Safari itinerary.
Day 1: Arrival and transfer to a hotel
Day one will be dedicated for you to travel to the Pearl of Africa, and meet our company representative at Entebbe International Airport (EBB). You will have a briefing about your trip on this day and for early arrivals, you may carry out the Entebbe city tour and then transfer to a hotel for dinner and an overnight stay. Alternatively, you may take an amazing Kampala city. However, this depends on your arrival time as you may advise.
Day 2: Entebbe to Murchison Falls National Park and Rhino tracking at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Set off from Entebbe city for Murchison Falls National Park, Northwestern Uganda and you will be driving along the Kampala-Gulu highway. Branch off at Nakasongola district to track rhinos at Ziwa Sanctuary and later continue to Masindi for lunch. From Masindi, drive to the top of the falls (optional) for photography and then proceed to check in at your comfortable place of stay.
Day 3: Morning game drive in the Northern circuit & boat cruise
You will leave the lodge after breakfast and set off for a game drive along the Northern circuit of Murchison Falls National Park. This part of the park allows you to enjoy the sight of wildlife including leopards, lions, cape buffaloes, Jackson’s hartebeest, reedbucks, oribis, waterbucks, hyenas, Rothchild giraffes, and more.
On a game drive, expect to take 2-3 hours and you will have lunch at the lodge. At 2:00 pm, you will meet the park guide for a boat/launch trip excursion along the Victoria Nile taking 2-3 hours. A variety of aquatic life should be expected to be encountered on the Victoria Nile launch cruise and they include hippos, crocodiles, and bird species.
Day 4: Kibale National Park for a chimp tour
Enjoy a hefty breakfast, after which, meet your driver guide for a transfer to Kibale National Park, the world’s renowned capital of primates. This will take about 7-8 hours and lunch will be provided on arrival at Fort Portal City. From Fort Portal, drive for about 26km and you will check in at your favorite safari lodge.
Day 5: Morning chimpanzee tracking -Kibale & Bigodi Wetland walk
Start the day with breakfast, after, connect to Kanyanchu Tourist Center for a briefing about chimpanzee trekking guidelines. The park guides will be assigned to lead guests visiting chimpanzees and an actual trek begins at 8:00 am. Chimps share a lot with humans, about 98.8% of their DNA and you will have one hour to explore more about their daily behaviors, and take pictures.
Kibale is home to over 1500 chimpanzees and these share the same habitat with other primates which you will come across during your trek. These include the red colobus monkeys, L’hoests monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, black and white colobus monkeys, etc.
In the afternoon, you will be visiting Bigodi Wetland for a guided nature walk. The 2 hours guided nature walk through Bigodi lets you enjoy the sight of diverse primates, birds, and colorful butterflies.
Day 6: A tour of Queen Elizabeth National Park
Enjoy an early morning breakfast, after, leave Kibale for Queen Elizabeth National Park. Be guaranteed the scenic drive, view the Crater Lakes, the vast banana plantations, and more. Have enough time in the evening to relax at the lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Day 7: Wildlife encounter along Kasenyi plains & boat cruise
Wake up early and breakfast will be served to you. After, leave the lodge for a 6:00 am guided game drive along the Kasenyi Plains. This is a rich wildlife area that will reward you with incredible sightings of elephants, bushbucks, lions, leopards, striped jackals, hyenas, warthogs, and plenty of birds. Once you return from the Kasenyi game drive, lunch will be provided at the comfort of your lodge.
In the afternoon, your driver guide will transfer you to the Kazinga channel depending on your lodge location. The Kazinga channel launch cruise will take 2-3 hours and you will come across several hippos, crocodiles, and aquatic birds.
Day 8: Ishasha game safari & Bwindi trip
Have breakfast early morning and after, drive to the Ishasha area for a short game drive. This will get you the most incredible wildlife encounters especially the tree climbing lions, topis, and other antelope families. A picnic lunch will be enjoyed at Ishasha or drive to Savanna Resort Hotel for a delicious meal. From Ishasha, visit Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Southwestern Uganda.
Day 9: Gorilla trekking in Uganda’s lush Bwindi
Delicious breakfast be enjoyed while still at the lodge. Then you set off for a briefing about gorilla trekking rules and regulations. Gorilla families will be allocated on this day by the park official. An actual visit to explore mountain gorillas starts at 8:00 am lasting for 2-6 hours. The time includes one hour of a magical encounter and photography.
The evening will be spent relaxing at the lodge or visit the Batwa community with an experienced guide. The Batwa once lived in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest as hunters and gatherers, then they were displaced when it was gazetted as a National Park.
Day 10: Lake Bunyonyi expedition
You will leave Bwindi for Lake Bunyonyi- this is Uganda’s deepest lake with 29 splendid all scattered on it. It is the best place for relaxation after your unforgettable gorilla trekking in Bwindi and today, you will have adequate time chilling at its shores.
Day 11: Boat ride & community tour
After breakfast, you will explore Lake Bunyonyi on a boat/canoe ride to one of the islands. You will have an insight into the lake’s rich-historical and cultural islands, sight some birds and then get back for relaxation. A cultural or community walk will be done in the nearby local communities. The Batwa or Bakiga or just chill or if you love swimming. alternatively, you may go swim then return to the lodge for relaxation and overnight stay.
Day 12: Bunyonyi tour to Lake Mburo National Park
A hefty breakfast in the morning, after you will embark on a road trip to Lake Mburo National Park. This is where you will find plenty of impalas, zebras, buffaloes, hippos, elands, reedbucks, topis, giraffes, and birds. Arrive early and have enough time to chill at the lodge.
Day 13: Game drive & Lake Mburo launch tour
After breakfast early in the morning, you will go explore Lake Mburo NP wildlife on a guided game drive. This will expose you to the park’s diverse wildlife species like impalas, zebras, warthogs, buffaloes, elands, birds, and more. In the afternoon, meet your safari leader for a transfer to Lake Mburo to enjoy a launch trip for 2-3 hours. This allows you to encounter hippos, crocodiles, and birds.
Day 14: Bush walk/cycling & drive back to Kampala
Get up early and have a sumptuous breakfast. Later on, embark on a bush walk or cycling tour in Lake Mburo National Park. Or go cycling to see the park’s huge profusion of wildlife on the bike. Ride back while sighting several zebras, giraffes, elands, impalas, and birds then check out of the lodge. You will then drive back to Kampala/Entebbe to have a relaxed evening.
Day 15: Departure at Entebbe Airport
After breakfast, you will connect to Entebbe Airport to take a flight back home or continue to the next destination. It is today that marks the end of your 15 days safari in Uganda. This will mark the end of your 15 Days Uganda Special Safari.
