18 Days Uganda Safari tour
This 18 days Uganda safari tour grants ample time to experience uganda. it starts in Kampala and ends in Kampala. it integrates rhino tracking at ziwa rhino sanctuary, proceed to Kidepo valley national park for a wildlife encounter , exit Kidepo for Murchison falls national park for a thrilling wildlife experience , later exiting Murchison for Kibale national park also known as the primates capital. at Kibale you will engage in chimpanzee trekking, later depart kibale and head semuliki national and to queen Elizabeth national Uganda’s second largest national park, to bwindi for gorilla trekking , to Mgahinga gorilla national park for golden monkey experience and finally to lake mburo national park before returning to Kampala thus ending the 18 days Uganda safari tour
Day 1: Arrival and hotel drop off
Following your arrival at Entebbe airport, our company representative together with the guide will be waiting to welcome you and transfer to Kampala city where you will spend a night. Dinner and overnight stay at Fairway Hotel and Spa for mid-range/Sheraton for luxury/Forest Cottages for budget Meal: Half Board
Day 2: Ziwa Rhino trekking and Transfer to Gulu
Considering the journey requires about 11 hours; pick up will be at 7:00 am and make an early start on your journey to Gulu. En route to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for Rhino trekking for 2 -3 hours’ Kidepo national park is far placed – northeast of Uganda, bordering Kenya to the east and South Sudan to the North. The journey can be very exhausting to drive direct to the park thus making it necessary to break the journey in Gulu and proceed the next day!
You will have stopovers along the way to enjoy a fruit or snack and stretch out. Lunch and arrive Gulu late afternoon. Dinner and overnight at Church Hill hotel
Day 3: Transfer to Kidepo Valley National Park, Game Drive
On the second day of your 5 Days Kidepo safari, we shall make our final trip to Kidepo Valley National Park. Wake up to a hot cup of coffee / tea and embark on a 3 hours’ drive to Kidepo national park where you will embark on a game drive in Kidepo valley in anticipation of seeing herds of buffalos, zebras, elephants, giraffes, hyenas, and cheetahs. You will enjoy a slow drive and you can be sure to seize picture moments while on your game drive and you can have stops at any moment you please.
Return to the lodge and spend the evening at leisure admiring the wilderness. Dinner and overnight at Kidepo Savannah lodge for mid-range/budget/Apoka lodge for luxury
Day 4: Morning game drive and Hot springs visit in Kidepo Valley
Have breakfast and brace yourself another thrilling game drive in the vast savannah of Kidepo Valley intercepted by patches of borassus palm and the rising scenic hills. Enjoy the stunning views of the morning sun shining over the hills of Lomej, the Lotukei Mountains to the north close to the Sudan border, the Morungole range to the southern boundary of Kidepo before the rays strike down to the endless valleys of Kidepo and Narus valley.
Return to the lodge for lunch and unwind a bit before embarking on a drive to Kidepo valley close to south Sudan boarder to visit the hot springs and you can encounter Ostriches within the region although their numbers are highly threatened by poaching by south Sudanese. Dinner and overnight at lodge as above.
Day 5: Drive to Murchison Falls national park (Full day drive)
Very early after breakfast, depart Kidepo via Gulu district for lunch then proceed to Murchison falls national park. This is a full day drive entering the park through one of the gates. Drive to connect to your lodge for a night rest at Pakuba safari lodge for mid-range/Heritage Safari lodge for budget/Paraa Safari lodge for luxury
Day 6: Top of the falls visit and boat cruise
After breakfast, connect to the top of the falls for an incredible experience of the falls. You will cross the 9 am ferry crossing hour and connect to the falls. Explore the top of the falls with great views of the great Murchison falls at different points. After spending a good time at the top of the falls, you will meet your driver and return for lunch.
After lunch, you will connect for an afternoon boat cruise along the Nile which will give you an exciting panoramic view at the bottom of the mighty Murchison falls. Along the cruise, you will encounter crocodiles, hippos, and birds on the river banks like kingfisher, cormorants and bee-eater. Return to the lodge with an en-route evening game drive to find some animals. Dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above
Day 7: Transfer to Kibale National Park
Early morning after breakfast, depart the lodge Proceed for your long journey to Kibale Forest National Park. This Park is a home to almost 13 primate species. These include red colobus and L’Hoest’s monkey and many more. You will have lunch in Kagadi. Proceed with the journey to Kibale forest. Dinner and overnight stay at Isunga lodge for budget/Chimpanzee forest guest house for mid-range/Kyaninga lodge for luxury
Day 8: Chimpanzee tracking and Bigodi Swamp Walk
After breakfast, you will set out for chimp tracking within the Kibale Forest. During your search, expect to see a lot of primate species like chimpanzees, monkeys and other animals like the forest elephants, bush pig and duiker, warthogs, reptiles and amphibians as well as a colourful variety of butterflies. Return to the Lodge for lunch.
After lunch go for a nature walk in the Bigodi swamp area and look out for most of the water loving bird species. The forest /Park have almost 335 species of birds and therefore a good place for birders. Return to the Lodge for dinner and overnight stay as above.
Day 9: Hot Springs visit and night game drive at Semiliki national park
Before dawn, have breakfast and depart for Semuliki National Park through the eastern Albertine area. Semuliki National Park located in the basin of the western rift valley is one of the parks endowed with many habitats ranging from rain forests, Riparian forests to short and high grass Savannah, enter the park and visit the hot springs before you drive to your lodge in Semiliki reserve.
Enter the reserve and check-in your lodge, have lunch then connect for an afternoon game drive/evening game drive. This park offers surprises because you can never tell what to find and it is also the only park in Uganda. Dinner and overnight at Semiliki Safari lodge for luxury/Ntorongo lodge for mid-range
Day 10: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
After enjoying your cup of coffee in the morning, depart the park and embark on your journey to Queen Elizabeth national park-home to the tree climbing lions. Depending on your time, have a stopover for lunch and at the Equator to take some pictures before entering the park. Connect to exploration crater lakes in the park before you proceed to rest at your lodge. Dinner and overnight stay at Parkview Safari lodge for mid-range/Pumba Safari lodge for budget/Kyambura Gorge lodge for luxury
Day 11: Lion tracking/Game drive and Launch cruise
Early in the morning after breakfast, you will set out for the lion tracking experience and game drive in search for early risers in the Kasenyi area. The park has diverse eco-system of grassy plains, rivers, crater lakes, forests, swamps and lakes. These are a home to various types of wildlife and a game drive in Queen Elizabeth will reward you with views of animals such as lions, antelopes, buffalos, elephants, waterbuck, Uganda Kob and other types of antelopes.
Return to your Lodge for lunch and after, go for a 3 hours launch cruise along the Kazinga Channel and into Lake Edward. This cruise will let you pass through a place of the highest concentration of hippos and you may also see many animals drinking at the water’s edge. The cruise also offers good platform for photography, bird watching and game viewing. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight as above.
Day 12: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
You will set out for the game drive in Ishasha area and expect to see the rare tree climbing lions. The lions can be seen up on the fig trees. However it’s not a guarantee that the lions will be seen. Sometimes it depends on the luck and time of reaching the area. You will have lunch in the Ishasha sector and after you will proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable forest National Park in preparation for your next day Gorilla trek. Dinner and overnight stay at Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge/Buhoma Haven lodge for mid-range/Rushaga Gorilla Camp for budget/
Day 13: Gorilla trek in Bwindi forest Park
Early in the morning after breakfast and a briefing from the UWA officials, set off for the gorilla tracking. This is a once life time experience and unforgettable adventure. The ranger guides will lead you into the thick forest and start your search for the endangered Mountain Gorillas. You will move up and down the rugged terrain until you finally meet these harmonious creatures that will entertain you with performances for about1hour.
The activity can take 2 -7 hours since the gorillas move up and down. This is an awesome and exciting moment. En-route, there are other types of the primates such as the monkeys, birds and more. Return for dinner and overnight stay as above.
Day 14: Golden Monkey tracking – community tour
After breakfast, you will transfer to Mgahinga National Park for briefing about the Golden monkeys with your packed food and water. Later enter the forest to search for the monkeys. On finding them, spend an hour viewing them while taking pictures and videos.
Later visit the Batwa Pygmies and Participate in the cultural performances and so on. Return for dinner and overnight at Mulehe lodge for mid-range/Travellers’ Rest hotel for budget/Gahinga lodge for luxury
Day 15: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
After breakfast, you will transfer to Lake Bunyonyi which is one of the deepest lakes is Africa. The Lake has almost 32 Islands. The Lake is a good stop over for relaxation for people from trekking Mountain Gorillas. Upon arrival, you will go on a boat ride. This will enable you visit most of the islands on the Lake.
Each Island is named according to the bird species found on the Island and some were named because of their purposes for example the Punishment Island which is the smallest and was used by the Bakiga people to drop their girls who got pregnant before marriage. After the Boat ride, return back to the Lodge for relaxation while you watch the beautiful sunset. Dinner and overnight at Bunyonyi Overland Resort/Bunyonyi BirdNest lodge – Luxury/Bunyonyi Arcadia lodge for mid-range
Day 16: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park
Start your day with early morning breakfast and after you will transfer to Lake Mburo National Park. You will reach Mbarara town in time for lunch after which you will enter the Park with a game drive en-route which will give you clear views of animals such as Zebras, Buffaloes and elands. Upon reaching the park headquarters, Register and later go for the evening nature walk along the Kigambara loop. This loop offers interesting guided walks alongside the Lake. Dinner and overnight stay at Mihingo lodge for luxury/Arcadia lodge Lake Mburo for mid-range/Eagles Nest lodge for budget
Day 17: Walking safari and Boat ride on Lake Mburo
Early morning, after your breakfast, meet your ranger guides for your walking safari, this tour is no different from a game drive except that here you will walk on foot to find the animals. Return to the Lodge for refreshments, Lunch and in the afternoon go for a boat ride on Lake Mburo which will get you quite close to Crocodiles and Hippos. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight as above.
Day 18: Transfer to Kampala/Entebbe/Departure
Early morning, you will have breakfast and after en route game drive for the early risers and other missed animals on the previous game drive before embarking on a journey back to Kampala with en route Lunch and at the Equator for water experiments and photographs, Royal drum Village at Mpambire for souvenirs. Proceed to Kampala and drop-off at Entebbe airport for your flight back home.
End of 18 days uganda safari tour
