Day 1: Arrive in Uganda through Entebbe International Airport
Arrive on Uganda at her main entry point Entebbe International Airport where you will be warmly welcomed by one of our experienced company representative to transfer you to the lodge. Retire for relaxation, dinner and overnight
Accommodation:
Luxury: Sheraton hotel Kampala
Midrange: Cassia lodge
Budget: Commonlens Inn hotel
Day 2: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park.
After breakfast at your place of stay in Kampala, embark on the trip to Murchison Falls National Park in the north of Uganda, a journey of 311km about 5 hours’ drive. You traverse through the undulating hill slopes of Nakasongola before stopping in Masindi town for lunch and you will continue on the drive to Murchison Falls National Park for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Paraa safari lodge
Midrange: Pakuba game lodge
Basic: Red Chili Rest Camp
Day 3: Morning game drive and afternoon Nile launch cruise
You will wake up very early in the morning to go for a morning game drive where you will have a chance to spot early risers and nocturnal species before they return to their hideouts. This is the most beautiful national park in Uganda and this is because it hosts 4 of the big 5 animals and also it also home to one of the most beautiful and powerful falls in the world so far.
Traverse the rolling plains of Uganda’s largest National Park before returning later to the lodge for breakfast. The 3,893 sq. km park is home to a range of animals, and you will have a chance of viewing some of the Park’s residents including lions, giraffes, Jackson’s hartebeests, antelopes, buffalo, and elephants. For the birders, you will enjoy a cock tail of them as these areas support the secretary bird and the black chested snake eagle, to name a few.
In the afternoon, go for a boat trip to the base of Murchison Falls, where the Nile thunders through a small 7 meter gorge plunging 43 meters into the Nile on the way to Lake Albert. Lots of bird diversity can be spotted and numerous animals resting and drinking water along the banks of the Nile. The most common ones being hippos, buffaloes, Nile crocodiles and birds include, the African fish eagle, Yellow billed stork, Egyptian goose, Egrets, Malachite kingfisher among others. The launch cruise will take you close to the falls’ base where you will be shown the spot where Ernest Hemingway’s plane crashed during sightseeing tour to Murchison falls in 1954.
You can then get off the boat and go hiking up the side of the falls to the top.
After the cruise, you will drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Paraa safari lodge
Midrange: Pakuba game lodge
Basic: Red Chili Rest Camp
Day 4: Transfer to Hoima. Visit Kibiro Salt Gardens en route
After breakfast, embark on the journey to Hoima. Drive through pleasantly undulating landscapes of the Albertine rift before making a stopover at Kibiro salt gardens and hot springs en route on the steep shores of Lake Albert. You venture into the traditional means of salt extraction and learn how locals in this area have made a fortune out of this natural feature. The hike to the salt gardens is an adventurous experience of its own. Retreat from this activity and move on to Hoima for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Hoima Cultural Lodge
Midrange: Kontiki Hotel
Day 5: Transfer to fort portal and do Fort portal cultural tour: Visit the Amabere g’ Nnyinamwiru and the king’s palace
On your arrival in Fort portal, you will have lunch and proceed to Amabere g’ Nnyinamwiru caves driving across unequalled pleasant Nyakasura hills, while exploring the ancient Chwezi heritage. The local guide will explain to you both the scientific theories and the traditional belief behind the formation of the unique breast-like features.
The scientific theory believes that they are geological features made up of pillars, stalagmites and stalactites, while the traditionally they are believed to be the breasts of Nnyinamwiru the daughter of Bukuku a self-enthroned king of the Chwezi empire following the disappearance of Ishaza. Nnyinamwiru cut off her breasts in protest of her father to refuse to breastfeed her son Ndahura who was from the right royal descent and was meant to take the throne. After this heritage tour, you proceed to hike the Fort Portal Crater lake field which is surrounded by a series of crater lakes with a steep conical hill named Kyeganywa that offers you impressive vistas of the area and the legendary mountains of the moon viewed more clearly from a distance on a clear day.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Mountains of the moon hotel
Mid range: Fort Motel
Budget : Rwenzori view guest house
Day 6: Transfer to Semuliki. Visit Sempaya hot Springs and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
After breakfast, embark on the journey to Semuliki National Park driving through Fort Portal town, Uganda’s arguably tourism city and eventually continue to Semuliki. Upon arrival, you will begin with the Sempaya Nature Walk exploring both male and female hot springs at Sempaya. This walk rarely exceeds 4 hours and then you transfer back to Fort Portal for lunch and later to Queen Elizabeth National Park arriving in the evening for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Mweya safari lodge
Midrange: Ihamba Safari lodge
Budget: Simba Safari Camp
Day 7: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise along Kazinga channel.
After a splendid morning cup of coffee at your hotel, embark on the drive across the fascinating rolling savannah range lands of Queen Elizabeth in search of wild game. The stretch to the Kasenyi plain, the renown mating ground offers you a lifetime opportunity of encounter numerous families of wild game in a single glance including elephants, buffaloes, water bucks and Kobs along with predators like lions, leopards and jackals. The game drive takes 3 – 4 hours and you retreat back to the lodge for relaxation and lunch. After lunch, you continue to Mweya jetty to catch up with a boat trip at exactly 4 pm. The 2 hour boat cruise offers a chance to explore the 45 km long Kazinga Channel which links the twin lakes, George and Edward, the channel is known to be the capital of Hippos and Nile crocodiles. Its banks are usually fully stocked with numerous wild game like elephants and buffaloes which can be seen along quenching their thirst from the Kazinga waters on a hot day. Retreat from the activity and do the game drive along the channel track as you proceed to the lodge.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Mweya safari lodge
Midrange: Ihamba Safari lodge
Budget: Simba Safari Camp
Day 8: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Do game drive in Ishasha in search of tree climbing lions
After breakfast, transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. En route Ishasha, in the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, the exit to the Bwindi impenetrable national park where you will do a game drive looking for the elusive tree climbing lions, the unique Species that are only found in this part of Uganda with another group known to be living in Lake Manyara National Park in the south of Tanzania. However, low lying fig trees of Ishasha offers a closer contact with these unfamiliar species than any other part. You will eventually arrive in Bwindi in the evening for relaxation dinner and overnight.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Gorilla Safari lodge
Mid range: Bakiga Lodge
Budget: Broad bill forest camp
Day 9: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi and transfer to lake Bunyonyi
After an early morning breakfast you will be briefed by your ranger / tour guide and after start your gorilla trekking journey, you will enter into the amazing rainforest (gorilla sanctuary) as it offers an exciting, heavily forested and dense landscape interrupted by plenty of animal trails that provide access for tourists tracking these resident animals. Mammals thriving here include majorly the endangered mountain gorillas, elephants, buffaloes, giant forest hogs, the rare golden monkey, black-fronted Duikers, bushbucks, leopards to mention but a few. HOWEVER, The charming mountain gorillas form the highlight of the park, you will continue to the misty Bwindi forest in search of the world’s most sought after and endangered species. The trekking adventure takes you through impressive hikes exploring the attractive forest landscapes characterized by rugged terrain which makes it quite challenging to explore.
The time and track taken while looking for these beautiful primates varies according to their movements, “Remember they are also wild animals”. The duration of the activity is between 2 – 8 hours inclusive of one (1) hour direct contact with these unfamiliar creatures as they forage, socialize and make their joyous tactics with the frightening eyes of the Silverback. Once tracked, observing, spending time with and photographing these gentle, peaceful and shy apes is a unique, breathtaking, inspiring, and thrilling life time memorable adventure that leaves you desiring to have it again. Upon reaching the starting point, you will proceed to Lake Bunyonyi driving through the fascinating over hanging highlands of Kigezi with splendid sceneries. Arrive at the legendary Lake Bunyonyi in the afternoon and relax at your lodge before you would embark on a fascinating sunset boat cruise to discover the lake with 29 Virgin Islands that have earned it a nick name as the lake of a thousand Islands. Retreat from this experience and unwind at the banks, relax, dinner and overnight.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Arcadia Cottages
Mid range: Bunyonyi Safaris Resort
Budget: Supreme Adventure Park
Day 10: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park & do evening game drive
After breakfast, embark on the trip to Lake Mburo National Park, a journey of 199 km about 3– 4 hours’ drive traversing the impressive plain lands in the countryside of south western Uganda before getting to Igongo Cultural Center 12km past Mbarara town for a traditional sumptuous lunch. You will later continue for a distance of 33 km to Lake Mburo National Park for an evening game drive activity exploring the park’s savannah low lands with impressive faunal and floral species. Retire for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Mihingo safari lodge
Midrange: Arcadia cottages
Budget: Eagles’ Nest
Day 11: Morning game walking safari and transfer back to Kampala
After breakfast, embark on a fascinating game walking safari after the sunrise to explore the magnificent savannah acacia landscapes with gentle rolling hills marked with the extrusive Kopje rocks and other ancient Precambrian rocks that have existed in that locality for the past 500 million years. The animals which can be encountered include; Impala antelope which only exists in this small but rich national park, Lake Mburo National park, Burchell’s Zebra, Rothschild Giraffes, Topis, water bucks, warthogs, among other wildlife. Retreat from the 3 – 4 hour activity and undertake the transfer back to Kampala 240 km about 4 hours’ drive. You will make a stop at Uganda Equator crossing Kayabwe for an amazing photo session for memories.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Sheraton hotel Kampala
Mid range: Cassia lodge
Budget: Commonlens Inn Hotel
Day 12: Transfer to Jinja and view the source of the Nile
Be among the few individuals in the world to view the source of the world’s longest river and take as many photos as you can and undertake a recreational boat trip in the Nile.
At this point, the mighty Nile starts its 5000 km journey to the Mediterranean sea where it pours its waters. Retire in the evening and transfer back to the hotel.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Sheraton hotel Kampala
Mid range: Cassia lodge
Budget: Commonlens Inn Hotel
Day13: Visit the Entebbe Wildlife Education Centre (the zoo) and evening departure through Entebbe international airport
Our driver guide will drive you to the Entebbe Wildlife Education Centre (the zoo) where you will have a chance to encounter even the most elusive animals that you might have missed in the wilderness and later head to the airport after lunch as you get your flight back home. You can also purchase as many souvenirs as you can, at Entebbe airport from Uganda’s duty-free shops.
End of safari with Love Uganda Safaris
