13 Day Best of Uganda
Day 1: Kampala/Entebbe – Jinja – Full day in Jinja
After an early morning breakfast (not included in the quote) depart for Jinja City the famous city in Eastern Uganda, In Jinja, the Nile finds its origin; visit the Source of River Nile where it starts its 4000 km journey through Africa. Your driver guide will transfer you to the starting point of the water rafting where you will find other people waiting for an adventure filled day.
You shall have a whole days rafting experience on River Nile. You will go through half the rapids before lunch and the other half after lunch. In the late afternoon you will take a sundowner boat cruise to the source of the Nile retiring to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Optional activities
Quad bike safari, bungee jumping, horseback safari, kayaking
Accommodation:
Haven Lodge – click here for more info about your accommodation
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 2: Jinja Sipi
After an early breakfast, you will depart for Mbale town arriving at your lodge in time for lunch, after lunch, you will set off for a tremendous and fascinating Sipi falls hike via the local communities and plantation to the water falls, you will start the hike with the highest waterfall at 100m to the medium waterfall at 85m and finally to a lowest waterfall at 75m. This Sipi falls hike lasts at least 3-4 hours, return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation:
Sipi River Lodge – Click here for more info about your accommodation
Meal Plan: Full Board – Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 3: Sipi – Kidepo Valley National Park
After breakfast, you will check out of the lodge and depart for Kidepo valley national park. Kidepo valley National Park is situated at the extreme northern part of Uganda bordering south Sudan in the north and Kenya in the east. Once you get to the park, check in for lunch and embark on the evening wildlife viewing safari while on a game drive. Being the best savanna national park in Uganda, you will encounter a lot of wildlife species including herbivores such as elephants, buffaloes, Carnivores and hunters such as cheetahs, lions etc. after the game drive, and return for dinner at the lodge and overnight.
Accommodation:
Kidepo Savannah Lodge – click here for more info about your accommodation
Meal plan – Breakfast, lunch & Dinner
Day 4: Kidepo Valley National Park
This morning you will have an early breakfast before departing to the park for yet another fascinating game drive safari within the savanna plains of kidepo valley national park. Proceed with the drive in the wilderness of Narus valley to view the mammals as they quench their thirst, enjoy a view of the water birds and later on return to the lodge for lunch.
Community tours: after lunch, you may take some rest and embark on an evening community tour where you will spend ample time with the local Karamojong. You will visit their Kraals as you learn their cultural practices including milking, Visit their manyattas and enjoy a breath taking cultural performances of dance and drama to make your evening unforgettable as you return to your lodge for dinner and overnight
Accommodation:
Kidepo Savannah Lodge – click here for more info about your accommodation
Meal plan – Breakfast, lunch & Dinner
Day 5: Kidepo – Murchison Falls National Park
Today you will have an early breakfast and depart for Murchison Falls National Park, you will have a brief stop at Gulu town for lunch before continueing to Murchison, on arrival you will visit the top of the falls before checking in your lodge for overnight.
Accommodation:
Murchison River Lodge – click here for more information about your accommodation
Meal plan – Breakfast, lunch & Dinner
Day 6: Game drive and Boat Safari on River Nile
Murchison Falls National park is the biggest in Uganda and offers fulfilling game viewing. You will be transferred to launch site for the hot air balloons somewhere near the Paraa which is the Wildlife side of the park at around 5:00am. While here, you will be able to watch the assembling team do last minute preparations like pumping air into the balloon before you could soar high at day break. You will be given a briefing on the safety precautions, rules and regulations as you get ready to hop aboard the balloon. Once aboard, the pilot will launch for set off and the blowing wind will help the balloon rise to several feet off the ground and soar above the treetops. This will give you an aerial view of the Savannah below teaming with all kinds of wildlife, including large numbers of animals that crowd the Banks of the great Nile. At the end of this amazing hot air balloon tour, that normally takes about 1 hour, you are handed certificates that confirm your participation in this activity and then later, you finish off with a special bush breakfast and a bottle of Champagne. From there, you will carry on with your morning with a game drive around the park and then return to your place of accommodation. Continue with a game drives after the champagne breakfast which increases the chances of sighting different animals especially the predators that tend to go into hiding during the heat of the day. The game drive happen in the northern bank of River Nile, where we look out for giraffes, elephants, hartebeest, Buffaloes, Leopards, Lions and different bird species. In the after-noon, the safari will continue on River Nile – Nile boat safari towards the mighty Murchison falls. The relaxed boat safari provides more opportunities for spotting a variety of animals and birds and falls from. You have an opportunity to watch the falls from below.
Accommodation:
Murchison River Lodge – click here for more information about your accommodation
Day 7: Drive to the Chimpanzee in Kibale Forest National Park
Today we depart for the home of Chimpanzee in Kibale National Park. Kibale forest is home to 13 species of primates with the main attraction being chimpanzee tracking and bird watching. The journey to this tropical forest passes villages and colorful road markets. Lunch will en route or packed.
Journey time – 7 hours
Accommodation:
Isunga Lodge – click here for more info about your accommodation
Meal plan: Dinner and Breakfast
Day 8: Chimpanzee tracking in their natural habitat
Chimpanzee tracking is a fulfilling adventure that takes you deep in the tropical forests with streams of water and abundant wildlife. You will start with a briefing from the ranger guide about your chimp trek. On your trek, you might have sightings of red-tailed monkeys, black-and white Columbus monkeys, butterflies, and birds calling from the canopies. With the help of your ranger guide, you will locate the chimps. Enjoy picture moments and watch them as they play, groom, and feed.
After chimpanzee trekking you will be transferred to Queen Elizabeth National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park is the most popular savanna park in Uganda and the best place to see lions including the Tree Climbing lions making it the perfect destination for a Uganda Wildlife Safari. It prides in a great diversity of habitats that include: lakes, savannah grasslands, forests and wetlands that serve as home to the biggest variety of large mammals in the country. Afternoon game viewing at the park culminating to your lodge for dinner and overnight
Accommodation:
Marafiki Safari Lodge – click here for more info about your accommodation
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 9: Transfer to Ishasha Sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park
Today after breakfast, our wildlife tour start with a boat cruise to Kazinga Channel, The Kazinga Channel in Uganda is a wide, 32-kilometre long natural channel that links Lake Edward and Lake George, and a dominant feature of Queen Elizabeth National Park. The channel attracts a varied range of animals and birds, with one of the world’s largest concentration of hippos and numerous Nile crocodiles. After you will be transferred to Ishasha, The Ishasha sector is notably recognized for its resident Tree climbing lions that are an exceptional attraction and one among the highlights on all safaris taken within Queen Elizabeth National park. In the southern section of this park, the Lions are now and again spotted hanging on braches of huge fig trees whereas the Uganda Kob (which are the major food to these lions) graze in the plains of the Ishasha sector.
Accommodation:
Enjojo Lodge – click here for more info about your accommodation
Meal Plan: Lunch, dinner and Breakfast
Day 10: Expedition to the Gorillas in Bwindi Forest
Today we start journey to the home of the gentle giants of Bwindi – Mountain gorillas. The journey takes us through the terraced hills of Kigezi highlands. Lunch will be along the way or at the lodge depending on time of arrival. Take your well-deserved rest at your hotel in the lodge.
Journey time – 2 hours
Accommodation:
Engagi Lodge – click here for more information about your accommodation
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch Dinner
Day 11: Mountain Gorilla trekking
Mountain gorillas are true gentle giants found in Bwindi impenetrable forest and Mgahinga gorilla national park in Uganda. Bwindi impenetrable forest is abounding with life hosting species of birds, butterflies, primates, mammals, and trees. Your ranger guide will guide you to in conjunction with early trackers to the enormous and rare mountain gorillas deep in the jungles of Bwindi. The trekking experience takes anything from on hour (rarely) to about 8 hours to accomplish, you only have one hour with gorillas to capture your finest moment. For those not interested in gorilla tracking can take a community village walk or short guided forest walk. As you reminisce on your gorilla experiences we depart for Lake Bunyonyi, the 2nd deepest lake in Africa. Enjoy stunning scenery – interlocking hills terraced by the locals as they practice farming named the “Switzerland of Africa” by Churchill, the great British diplomat. Afternoon boat ride in the lake, 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.
Journey time – 2 hours
Accommodation:
Arcadia Cottages – click here for more info about your accommodation.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch Dinner
Day 12: Journey to the home of Zebras – Lake Mburo national park
Lake Mburo National Park is a small gem in south western Uganda – en route to you pass through beautiful landscapes, plantations, and farms.
Our lunch will be at Igongo cultural Museum- exhibiting the life of the native people of the area. We will in the park later that afternoon and take a boat trip on Lake Mburo.
Journey time – 4 hours
Accommodation:
Mihingo Lodge – click here for more info about your accommodation
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch Dinner
Day 13: End of the Best of Uganda Itinerary
After breakfast you will be transferred back to Entebbe for your outbound flight back home or to your next destination via Equator for lunch and for pictures in the northern and southern hemisphere.
Tour includes
- Ground transport in a safari 4 x 4 or a safari minivan
- Gorilla permit fees
- Chimpanzee permit
- Park entrance
- Boat trips as mentioned in the itinerary
- Bottled water in the safari vehicle
- Full board accommodation for two nights
- Service of an English-speaking driver guide
- All mentioned activities except for the optional ones
Tour excludes
- Extras at the accommodation i.e. drinks, telephone, laundry etc.
- Tips to porters and driver/ guide
- Insurance
- Any item of personal nature
- Any service mentioned as optional in the itinerary or not mentioned in inclusion list
Gorilla trekking tips
- Bwindi impenetrable national park requires hiking, you should pace yourself and drink plenty of water.
- Eating, drinking and smoking near the gorillas is forbidden. Your ranger guide will communicate designated time and place for such.
- We encourage you to carry a rain poncho
- Waterproof walking shoes or hiking boots are essential.
- Gardening gloves for protection against stinging plants
- Long trousers and long sleeved sweaters or shirts while in the forest to avoid insect stings.
- Photography is permitted, although you must not use flash
- Porters are available to help you carry your day pack for a minimum fee of $20 or UGX 50,000