Our exciting 8 Days Uganda Safari takes you for mountain gorilla trekking, Chimpanzee tracking, wildlife viewing, local community cultural experiences, and beautiful scenery viewing in Uganda – the Pearl of Africa.
On this 8 Days Uganda Safari, you will have a great chance to encounter the two iconic primates – Mountain Gorilla and Chimpanzee – as well as the Big 5 animals of Africa – Rhino, Elephant, Buffalo, Lion, and Leopard – in the wild.
Beginning in Entebbe/Kampala, you will visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and explore Murchison Falls National Park, home to 4 of the Big 5 and the world’s strongest waterfall. Then, you will track wild chimpanzees on foot in Kibale Forest, and tour Queen Elizabeth NP, home to tree-climbing lions and a huge variety of birds.
The top highlight of this 8 Days Uganda Safari tour is undoubtedly mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable. You will get to spend time with these gentle giant apes in the wild, experiencing one of the most thrilling and memorable wildlife encounters in the world!
Main Safari Activities
- Rhino tracking on foot in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
- Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
- Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest
- Game drives in Murchison Falls National Park
- Boat cruise to the bottom of Murchison Falls
- Visiting the top of Murchison falls
- Game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Boat cruise on Kazinga Channel
- Searching for the tree-climbing lions in Ishasha
- Community Tour/Batwa Pygmies Cultural Experience at Bwindi
- Uganda Equator Crossing Experience
Safari Highlights
Day 1: Track Wild Rhinos on Foot in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary & Visit Murchison Falls National Park.
Day 2: Enjoy a Morning Game Drives in the Northern Savannah Plains & Afternoon Boat Cruise to the Bottom of Murchison Falls.
Day 3: Visit the top of the falls & travel to Kibale Forest National Park.
Day 4: Have a Chimpanzee tracking adventure in Kibale Forest & transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Day 5: Enjoy a morning game drive in Kasenyi Plains, afternoon Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise, and evening game drive along the Channel Track.
Day 6: Search for Tree-Climbing Lions in Ishasha Sector & Travel to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Day 7: Mountain Gorilla trekking in Bwindi; Optional Evening Community Tour/Batwa Pygmies Cultural Experience.
Day 8: Drive Back to Entebbe/Kampala via the Uganda Equator.
Detailed Safari Itinerary
Day 1: Visit Murchison Falls National Park.
Your amazing 8 Days Uganda safari begins today.At 6.30 am, our tour driver/guide shall pick up from your accommodation in Entebbe or Kampala. You’ll then set off on a drive of approximately 311 kilometers (5-6 hours) northwest to Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda’s largest, oldest, and one of its best game parks.
You’ll travel through lively towns, roadside markets, and quite rural villages. You will have a stopover at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, the only place in Uganda where you can track, see, photograph, and even film rhinos in their natural habitat.You’ll have a thrilling two hours rhino tracking adventure on foot in the company of an expert local ranger guide.
Next, you’ll enjoy a good lunch at the nearby Kabalega Dinner and then continue to your overnight lodge Murchison Falls NP. Covering 3,893 km2, this park is home to 76 mammal species including 4 of the Big 5, more than 450 bird species, and spectacular scenery.
Here, the longest river in the world (Nile) bisects flourishing savannahs, flanked by lush riverine woodlands, before bursting through a tiny rocky gap to form the world’s most powerful waterfalls, the Murchison Falls.
Accommodation Options:
Luxury: Paraa Safari Lodge/Bakers Lodge/Nile Safari Lodge
Mid-range: Pakuba Safari Lodge/Murchison River Lodge
Budget: Hornbill Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: Lunch & Dinner
Day 2: Game Drives & Boat Cruise
After breakfast at 6.00 am, you will head out on a three to four-hour morning game drive. You will explore the scenic savannah grasslands of Murchison Falls National Park’s northern sector.
You will watch the beautiful sunrise as you search for Rothschild’s Giraffes, Cape Buffalos, African Elephants, Lions, Leopards, Hyenas, Warthogs, Hippos, Antelopes, Patas monkeys, Baboons, and more.
You will also look out for special bird species such as Saddle-billed Stork, Pel’s Fishing Owl, Goliath Heron, Ground Hornbill, Grey Crowned Crane, and Great Blue Turaco. You may even be lucky to catch a glimpse of the rare prehistoric-looking shoebill, one of the most sought after Uganda birds. After a game drive, you will return to the lodge for lunch and some time to relax.
In the afternoon, you will take a leisurely three-hour boat tour on the historic Nile River. You will see gigantic Nile crocodiles slip beneath the waves and pods of Hippo grunt and jostle. You will also see countless waterbirds, as well elephants and buffalos quenching their thirsty in the world’s longest river.
You’ll pause a short distance from the bottom of the Murchison Falls. Here, you’ll marvel at the 50m wide Nile River thundering through a rock gap less than 8 meters wide before falling 45m to what has been termed as the devil’s cauldron below, forming a plume of spray marked by a thunderous roar and a permanent rainbow. It is a truly unforgettable experience!
Day 3:Top of the Falls Visit & Travel To Kibale
After a leisurely breakfast on day three of your 8 days Uganda safari and drive to the top of the Murchison falls to see the world’s strongest waterfalls from a different perspective. After witnessing magical waterfalls, you will proceed on a drive of about 366 (6 hours) south across the scenic Albertine rift valley, through rural Ugandan villages.
You will reach Fort Portal town in time for lunch. Fort Portal is another scenic area of the country, situated shadow of the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains (a.k.a Mountains of the Moon) and is famous for its many tea plantations.
You will have lunch in one of the best restaurants in the time and then continue to Kibale National Park, which contains one of the loveliest and most varied tracts of tropical forest in Uganda.
At 770km2, Kibale Forest is reputable for having the greatest density and diversity of primates in all of East Africa, a total of 13 primate species including over 1500 chimpanzees, the man’s closest living relatives. You’ll reach your camp or lodge in the late afternoon for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
Accommodation Options:
Luxury: Crater Safari Lodge/Kyaninga Lodge/Primate Lodge Kibale
Midrange: Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse-Cottage/Kibale Forest Camp
Budget: Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse -Main house
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 4: Chimpanzee Tracking & Transfer To Queen Elizabeth NP
Day four of the 8 days Uganda safari will start at 6.00 with a good breakfast.
Then, you will transfer to the park’s visitor center at Kanyanchu to do your thrilling Chimpanzee tracking encounter which begins at 8.00 am prompt.
You will begin with a short briefing at 7.00 am from the excellent local park ranger guides. After that, you’ll explore the lush forest jungle on foot in search of wild Chimpanzees. These highly intelligent apes share about 98% of our genetic make-up and are considered our closest living relatives
Chimp trekking typically lasts between two to six hours and is packed with all sorts of exciting encounters. Kibale has a 95% success rate of seeing them, which is far greater than any other location which offers chimpanzee trekking in Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Democratic Republic of Congo.
After finding the Chimpanzees, you’ll be able to spend one captivating hour observing these fascinating primate as they go about their lives, and you may find yourself wondering how remarkably similar their behavior is to our own.
You’ll then return to your lodge for lunch. After lunch, you will embark on a drive of about 2-3 hours south to the famous Queen Elizabeth National Park. You will arrive with a game drive at your lodge for the next two nights.
Accommodation Options:
Luxury: Kyambura Gorge Lodge/Mweya Safari Lodge
Midrange: Enganzi Game Lodge/Bush Lodge
Budget: Pumba Safari Cottages
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 5: Game Drive & Boat Cruise
After an early breakfast on day five of your 8 days Uganda safari tour, go on a thrilling morning game drive in Queen Elizabeth NP.
A UN Biosphere Reserve, this 1978km2 park is Uganda’s leading and most scenic game park. It is situated on the floor of the Great Rift Valley, in the shadow of the Mountains of the Moon.
The game park has diverse ecosystems, including rolling savanna, tropical rainforests, sparkling lakes, and fertile wetlands, which makes it a perfect habitat for over 610 bird species, 95 mammal species, and 10 species of primates.
You’ll explore the vast savannah plains of Kasenyi, the park’s most popular game viewing circuit thanks to the resident herds of Uganda Kob and the lions that prey on them. You’ll also keep your eyes out for buffalos, Elephants, Forest Hogs, Leopards, Hyenas, Waterbucks, Bushbucks, Jackals, warthogs, etc…
After the game drive, you will head back to the lodge for relaxation and lunch. In the afternoon, enjoy a relaxing 2-hour boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, which is home to some of the world’s largest concentrations of hippos, huge Nile Crocodiles, Elephants, and a plethora of water birds.
After the boat cruise, you will enjoy a game drive along the Channel Track as you head back to your lodge for relaxation, dinner and a good night’s sleep.
Day 6: Track Tree-Climbing Lions & Travel to Bwindi
Have a leisurely breakfast today and head towards the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park (Ishasha).
Take a game drive in search of rare tree-climbing Lions who spend long lazy days dozing in the pretty fig trees. The Uganda Kob, which they watch from the branches, graze the plains and enjoy game watching – make sure to look out for buffalo, elephants, Topi, and a huge variety of birdlife.
After a short game drive, exit the park and continue south through rolling hills, and traditional homesteads and enjoy panoramic views. Enjoy lunch somewhere en route before you eventually reach Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, a World Heritage Site. This 321km2 park lies on the edge of the Rift Valley.
Its mist-covered hillsides are blanketed by one of Africa’s oldest and most biologically diverse rainforests, containing almost 400 plant species. More famously, this “impenetrable forest” protects 50% of the world’s last remaining Mountain Gorillas – about 459 gorillas at last count.
It also provides shelter to a further 120 Uganda mammals and 351 bird species, including 23 Albertine Rift endemics. You arrive in the evening for relaxation before your gorilla trek tomorrow.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Haven Lodge Buhoma/Gorilla Forest Camp/Buhoma Lodge
Mid-range: Gorilla Mist Camp/Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
Budget: Trekkers Tavern Ruhija
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive Distance & Time: Approx. 130-220 km or 4-7 hours
Day 7: Mountain Gorilla Trekking
After an early breakfast at around 6.30 am, you will transfer to the park headquarters where you will register at 7.00 am and be briefed on gorilla trekking by the local ranger guides. The actual gorilla trek starts at 8.00 am.
The trek takes 2 to 7 hours and can be relatively strenuous, wet and uncomfortable at times but the incredible biodiversity of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and the chance to see rare mountain gorillas in the wild makes it so worthwhile.
We recommend hiring a local porter who can carry your pack and provide expert, local one-on-one assistance on the trek. It not only makes for a more comfortable trek, but it also provides valuable employment opportunities to local people.
Once you encounter a family of mountain gorillas, you’ll be able to stay with them for one hour and observe them feed, groom, play, and interact with each other, all under the watchful eye of a giant silverback.
Coming face to face with a family of gorillas is sure to be a life-affirming experience that will be etched on your mind forever. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the lush wilderness of the rainforest. At the end of the day the comforts of the hotel beckon, along with a chance to reflect on a memorable day. Freshen up with a hot shower and enjoy a hearty dinner.
Local school or orphanage or Batwa pygmy village visits, and curio shopping are all optional activities that can be enjoyed around the park.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Haven Lodge Buhoma/Gorilla Forest Camp/Buhoma Lodge
Mid-range: Gorilla Mist Camp/Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
Budget: Trekkers Tavern Ruhija
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 8: Drive Back To Entebbe via the Equator.
This morning you will wake up to the beautiful surroundings of Bwindi and enjoy delicious breakfast in this peaceful setting at the lodge.
Then, you’ll leave the Bwindi behind and embark on a drive back to Kampala or Entebbe (about 8 hours). This scenic drive will take you through small rural villages, coffee and banana plantations, and rolling hills.
You’ll have a lunch stop at Igongo Cultural Centre in Mbarara, the biggest town in western Uganda. The center is a huge commercial enterprise, featuring a 5-star hotel, a top restaurant, craft centers, shops and luckily one of the best museums in the all of Uganda.
After lunch, you’ll continue your way making another stop at the Uganda Equator Crossing at Kayabwe.
Here, you can stand in the middle of the world with one leg in the Northern hemisphere while the other in the Southern and pose for a photo! It is also an impressive site for purchasing memorabilia to take back home as a memento of this this incredible 8 Days Uganda Safari.
You’ll reach Kampala/Entebbe where your tour driver/guide shall drop you off at your post-tour accommodation or transfer you to the Entebbe Airport for your onward flight. Safe Travels!
Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch
End of the Safari
Inclusions
- Full board accommodation on the safari
- Gorilla Trekking Permit
- Chimpanzee Tracking Permit
- Transportation in a 4WD safari vehicle
- Service of the English Speaking Driver/Tour Guide. Any other foreign language speaking guide can be arranged on request.
- Bottled drinking water in the safari vehicle
- Entrance Fees for the park
- All safari Activities Mentioned in the itinerary
Exclusions
- International flight fare
- Uganda Visa fee
- Laundry services
- Tips
- Drinks of personal nature like alcohol
