A 16 days Uganda all-Round safari offers maximum exploration of the country’s diverse destinations. This is tour worth memorable by visiting most of Uganda’s national parks where you can find the true Africa’s wildlife. Visit the source of the Nile, Mabira forest, Griffin and Sezibwa falls and also the local craft markets in Jinja.
Scenic road trips passing through the verdant tea and banana plantations, Uganda equator, and crater Engage in community walks that take you to discover the unique cultures of Uganda like Batooro, Bakiga and Batwa. Therefore, this safari enables you to explore both wildlife and culture of this country. This 16 days Uganda all-round safari will start and end in Kampala or Entebbe.
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Pick up from Entebbe airport to the hotel in Kampala
Transfer to your booked hotel room in Kampala the capital city of Uganda on the arrival at the airport. This is where you will be served with dinner after you have been welcomed by the driver guide at the airport in Entebbe. The guide will brief you about the weather, history of the country and the safari movements, features, and the activities to be carried during the tour.
Day 2: Travel to Jinja and visit Sezibwa falls, Mabira forest walk and source of R. Nile in Jinja
After a spiced cup of tea, you will start the journey heading to Jinja in eastern Uganda. This district is famous for its source of Nile, industries and factories, power dams, among others. The road trip starts at exactly 8:00am and you will visit Sezibwa falls along the way. This feature represents significant cultural beliefs by the Baganda people. Not only a traditional feature, it is also a natural attraction good for photography.
After an hour, you will transfer to Mabira forest where you will take a forest walk to Griffin falls. The walk rewards you to several primates like Mangabeys, olive baboons; red tailed monkeys. Birds are also available, and include blue headed crested mornarc, the black bellied seed cracker and Cassin hawk eagle. The griffin falls are located in the middle of Mabira forest giving an impressive view as you pass through the canopy bridge that is suspended from both sides.
Head to Jinja after the nature walk passing through sugar cane and tea plantations. Also, factories can be seen. On the arrival, take your lunch as you relax a bit. Head for a boat cruise on Lake Victoria taking you to the source of River Nile as you view crocodiles. There are also lots of different bird species, and tortoises among others. Take photos on the arrival at the source as you spot the point where the longest river in the world begins its way to the Mediterranean Sea.
Day 3: Travel to Fort Portal in western Uganda – Uganda’s tourism city
Travel to the tourism city (Fort Portal) in western Uganda surrounded by tea plantations and the Rwenzori ranges. The journey to Fort Portal rewards with a number of beautiful sightings, like the forests, tea and banana plantations, beautiful hills covered by rocks among others. Fort Portal is the only town in Uganda with an English name and also the only town where you can access over 3 national parks in less than 2 hours. All the roads to these parks are well tarmacked.
The journey from Jinja to this town can take 7-8 hours depending on speed and stopovers with the major one to have your lunch en-route. On arrival, you will check in the accommodation for your dinner.
Day 4: Visit Sempaya hot springs in Semuliki NP and Amabere caves in Fort Portal
Take breakfast and with your packed lunch, head to Semliki National Park, a 2 hours’ drive with views of the Rwenzori ranges. The park is known for its hot springs – male and female hot springs where you find water boiling from the underground.
The walk to the hot springs is rewarding as you spot a number of primates like olive baboons, red tailed monkeys and lowland chimpanzees. Birds to see in the park include the Rwenzori turaco, blue headed crested Mornarc, Cassin’s hawk eagle and black bellied seed cracker, among others. You can boil eggs, matooke or irish in the hot springs that boil with temperatures of up to 100 degrees Celsius. After take a drive back to Fort Portal.
Visit the Amabere Ga’Nyinamwiru caves that are traditionally believed to be the breasts of the daughter of King Bukuku. She is called Nyinamwiru whose breasts were cut by her parents due to refusal to marry the husband they wanted. So, they had to hang the breasts in the caves and until now the milk still drips. You will also hike to different hills, visit some crater lakes as you view the waterfalls.
Day 5: Chimpanzee tracking and Tea plantation visit
Have a drive to Kanyanchu information centre for briefing after your breakfast. This will take 30 minutes from the lodge. Head to the Kibale forest to search for chimpanzees. These share 98% of DNA with humans, making them our closest cousins of all primates. Trekking takes 2-4 hours depending on the movement of these great primates.
You will be allowed to interact with these creatures for only 1 hour as you take photos while they are feeding, playing or searching for food. You should know that Kibale National Park is well known for harboring up to 13 primates. A number of red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, Mangabeys, pottos, black and white colobus monkeys may be encountered during the trek. You will also have a chance to spot different bird species, animals and tropical trees which are over 100 years old.
Head back to the lodge for a hot lunch and in the evening visit tea plantations and factories. The local guide will tell you the stories and the process of tea growing from the nursery bed to the cup. Late in the evening return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Community tour and Travel to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Take a community tour either to Bigodi or Isunga communities to learn more about the Batooro and Bakiga cultures that live within the community. Kibale National Park is located in Tooro kingdom and the Bakiga came as a result of migration due to over population in their home districts in south-western Uganda. You will be involved in food preparation classes, traditional dances, meet the local brewers if you’re lucky to taste on the locally brewed liquor.
After transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park in western Uganda covering districts of Kasese, Kamwenge, Rubirizi, and Rukungiri. The park has several wildlife ranging from the animals, vegetation to water bodies and birds like crater lakes, big cats, big mammals like the elephants, buffalos, hippos, and crocodiles.
Others are the spotted hyenas, oribis, warthogs, and habituated chimpanzees in Kyambura Gorge. There are also several bird species like African mourning dove, swamp nightjar, and grey-headed kingfisher among others. On arrival you will take an evening game drive to spot several features and after head to the lodge for dinner.
Day 7: Game drive and boat cruise on Kazinga channel
Take an early game drive in Kasenyi plains with perfect setting of savannah vegetation that attracts the most animals. These include the animals such as herds of Uganda kobs, lions, warthogs, elephants, buffaloes among others.
After the game, take a 2:00pm boat cruise on Kazinga Channel to gaze upon the busking crocodiles, monitor lizards, hippos. Different bird species like African fish eagle and other migratory birds can be seen. After a great adventure, you will disembark to the lodge for your dinner and overnight.
Day 8: Transfer to Mgahinga NP
Transfer to Mgahinga after breakfast where you will have a chance to trek the remaining mountain gorillas. This park is the smallest national park in the country with an area coverage of 33.7 square kilometres.
The park is also a birders’ haven with over 180 species of birds including Rwenzori night jar, speckled mouse bird, black kite, white-napped raven among others. Mammals are also there for you to see, and are duikers, bushbucks, elephants, jackals, leopards, and warthogs among other. On arrival, you will check in the place of accommodation as you prepare to have your dinner.
Day 9: Gorilla trekking and Batwa community tour
Take a drive and head to the park headquarters after your breakfast where the park ranger guide will meet you. This is to take you through short notes about the guidelines on how to trek the endangered species. You will also receive all the required information about the forest, gorilla families, other attractions that can be found in the park and activities carried out in the park.
You will head to the forest to trek the mountain gorillas, while spotting other residents you encounter. These include Rwenzori night jar, speckled mouse bird, black kite, Rwenzori turaco. Primates like vervet monkeys, olive baboons, and black and white colobus monkeys among others are also present on the way.
Trek back and drive to the lodge for your lunch as you prepare for the community walk in the afternoon. An experience with the culture of Batwa people awaits. This is through the traditional dances, traditional meals, herbs, art and craft among others.
Day 10: Golden Monkey experience
Another marvelous day starts after breakfast and head to the park for another briefing. Move to the forest for golden monkey trekking. These primates can only be found in the Virunga ranges within Mgahinga NP in Uganda and Volcanoes NP in Rwanda. They give an impressive view as you watch them playing by jumping from one tree to another, groom their young ones and even feeding on fruits and leaves. After trekking which can take between 2-4 hours, you will head back to the lodge for your relaxed lunch.
Day 11: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi and visit Lake Mutanda enroute
Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi in Kabale via Lake Mutanda to experience the beauty of this country. Lake Mutanda gives an impressive view as you take a canoe ride, participating in fishing and take memorable scenic photos. After, head to Lake Bunyonyi which gets its name from the small birds that are found in and around the lake. It is the 2nd deepest lake in Africa, and its all year cool weather has earned it a nick name, the “Switzerland of Africa”. On arrival, you will be served with food and check in the resort for your overnight.
Day 12: Lake Bunyonyi exploration
Explore Lake Bunyonyi as you take a canoe ride around the lake with the help of a local guide, well equipped with information. You will tour the 29 islands which are well terraced hence giving a great view. You will meet the Bakiga culture and get entertainment from their traditional dances.
Day 13: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park and lunch enroute at Igongo Cultural Center
Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park after a heavy breakfast. Gaze through the vehicle window to see the Kigezi highlands or stop to capture a scenic photo through the well terraced landscapes. Also gaze on the farms for the Banyankole with the long horned cattle as you approach Mbarara town.
Have a lunch en-route in Igongo Cultural Centre, the home of Ankole culture and known for its large museum that showcases most of the cultures in south western region. Later, proceed to Lake Mburo National Park, the smallest savannah NP in the country. It is famous for its impalas and zebras. Check in at the lodge and prepare for the next day activities.
Day 14: Wildlife Exploration in Lake Mburo N/park (game drive and boat cruise).
Explore the wildlife in this savannah national park through taking a morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise to spot Rwenzori night jar, speckled mouse bird, black kite. Animals are very many and easy to see. They include animals like the impalas, zebras, buffaloes and giraffes. Do not miss to see the crocodiles, hippos, monitor lizards and other water mammals during an afternoon boat cruise.
Day 15: Transfer to Kampala and city tour
Transfer to Kampala after a spiced tea while listening to the beautiful birds’ songs using Mbarara-Masaka road. The road trip rewards you with a number of attractions and the main one being the Uganda equator in Kayabwe. Get some lunch, after a geographical experiment and also buy some souvenirs. Later on, proceed to Kampala and check in a hotel either in Entebbe or Kampala. Alternatively, you may take a city tour in Kampala or Entebbe to explore its history, cuisine, or its lively night life.
Day 16: Visit UWEC and a drop off at Entebbe International Airport
After a cup of coffee, visit Entebbe Zoo (the Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Centre) to watch several wildlife in captivity. Some are as follows; the chimpanzees, lions, olive baboons, giraffes, cheetah, leopards. Birds common there include the rare shoe bill stock, pigeons, the owl among others. And the tour will end after the drop off at Entebbe International Airport.
