This 11 days Uganda safari offers an opportunity to explore Uganda’s unique culture, food, beautiful landscapes, and rich biodiversity including the different species of wildlife. The mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, and 13 primate species, over 1062 bird species, large mammal species which include hippos, zebras, Nubian giraffes, lions, buffaloes, elephants, leopards, and rhinos’ and antelope species. These include Uganda kobs, bushbucks, Jackson’s hartebeest, oribi, as well as reptiles like Nile crocodiles, giant monitor lizards.
It offers a chance to spot some big mammals like leopards, buffaloes, elephants, rhinos, giraffes, lions, among others. Visitors are accompanied by creative and professional tour guides and rangers with knowledge of wildlife. You will also be allowed to get outside the 4×4 game drive car. Unless you are pressed for time, the best way to see Uganda is to travel on foot and make an honest connection with the people. You will have nature and village walks and en-route stopovers at the equator and lookout points.
Highlights of the 11 days Uganda safari
Game drives, Nile river boat cruise, and top of the falls hike in Murchison falls national park
Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale forest national park
Nature walk in Bigodi swamp, Bigodi village Kibale
Fort portal city tour
Game drives and boat cruise on Kazinga channel in Queen Elizabeth national park
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park
Canoeing on Lake Bunyonyi
Walking safari in Lake Mburo national park
11 Days Uganda Safari Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival
On arrival, your guide will meet you at Entebbe international airport and transfer you to the hotel. Depending on time available, you may go to the beach or for Wild Frontiers sunset boat cruise on Lake Victoria Banga beach bay. The cruise features a comfortable double decked boat, soft or alcoholic drinks, and snacks. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
Accommodation: Protea Hotel Entebbe or Papyrus Guesthouse
Day 2: Entebbe to Murchison falls national park
Murchison falls national park is 305 km (5-hour drive) north west of Entebbe. The journey shall start early in the morning. You will have breakfast at the hotel and lunch on the way at Kabalega Dinner in Nakitoma. After lunch, you can proceed to visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary home to over 33 southern white rhinos. Tracking rhinos on foot is an excellent way to see one of the Big 5 mammals early on this trip. This is optional. You will enter the park via Kacumbanyobo Southern entrance gate. Drive through Budongo tropical forest and arrive at the Nile river. You will get out of the car and hike downhill to the Nile river to view Murchison falls, the world’s strongest waterfall. Return to the car and proceed to Paara bridge crossing over to the northern part of the park which is mostly savanna plains. Arrive at the lodge for dinner and overnight. The guide will tell you about the following day’s program.
Accommodation: Pakuba Safari Lodge located a few meters away from the Nile delta. The lodge offers a swimming pool, buffet meals, AC in the rooms,
The largest conservation area of Uganda, Murchison falls national park is rich in biodiversity including 78 mammals species and over 415 species of birds including shoebill stork. The protected area is located at the end of the Albertine rift valley and bisected by the Nile river into two unique areas. The northern banks contain savanna plains and are home to large mammal species including lions, leopards, Nubian giraffes, buffaloes, bushbucks, waterbucks, oribi, jackson’s hartebeest. The south banks include Budongo forest reserve, which is famous for harboring chimpanzees.
Day 3: Game drives and boat cruise
Breakfast is served early in the morning to begin the sunrise game drive. Enter the game tracks in search of wild animals that live in the savanna. Murchison falls doesn’t have zebras and impalas. The park has elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, lions, spotted hyenas, leopards, Uganda kobs, oribi, bush bucks, waterbucks, and hippos. You will seek relaxation at the Nile delta, where the Nile river enters into Lake Albert before returning via a different track to the lodge for lunch. After lunch, you will drive to Paara park headquarters for a boat cruise along the 17 km stretch of the Victoria Nile. Elephants, buffaloes, Nile crocodiles, hippos, and several water bird species such as African fish eagle, Egyptian goose, red throated bee-eaters and malachite, giant, and pied kingfishers are often encountered. Discover some of the beautiful Nyamusika rocky cliffs on the north banks. Once you’re back from the cruise, an evening game drive will be there on the way back to the lodge. Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 4: Murchison to Kibale forest national park
Murchison to Kibale is 300 km (5-hour drive) drive across the Butiaba escarpment with views of lake Albert and the Congo blue mountains. Going towards Kibale, you will stopover in Hoima town for lunch en-route and proceed via Fort Portal tourism city, the capital of Toro kingdom and visit the king Oyo’s palace. Arrive at the lodge on the edge of for dinner and overnight stay.
Kibale forest national park is famous for harboring 13 primate species including chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, gray cheeked mangabeys, red colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, L’hoest monkeys, olive baboons, and velvet monkeys. The park is located north east of Rwenzori Mountains in a volcanic field that is characterized by tuff cones, maars, and crater filled lakes— a beautiful place in Uganda for keen photographers.
Accommodation: Turaco Treetops, Crater Safari Lodge or Kyaninga crater lodge. The lodges are built on the edge of the crater lakes to give you relaxation.
Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi swamp walk
After breakfast, you will drive to Kanyanchu visitor center and meet the rangers to brief you about the dos and don’ts of chimp trekking. Visitors are accompanied by rangers to spend 1 hour with the chimps. Other primate species may be seen during the guided walk through the forest. Return to the lodge and lunch will be followed by a nature walk in Bigodi swamp in the community. The walk lasts 1-2 hours depending on interests in birds and primates. Bigodi swamp is home to over 200 birds and 8 primate species. The swamp is managed by the community and is a source of raw materials for handicrafts such as mats and baskets. After the walk, you will go back to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 6: Kibale forest to Queen Elizabeth national park
Queen Elizabeth N.P. is 133 km (2-hour drive) south of Kibale. You will cross the equator line and stop there for photoshoots and move on to Kyambura escarpment, a lookout point for views of the rift valley and the mountains of the moon backdrop. Arrive at the lodge midmorning and wait for lunch. After lunch, it will be time to visit Kazinga channel which connects lake Edward and lake George. Kazinga channel attracts wild animals including elephants, buffaloes, hippos, Nile crocodiles, waterbucks, and water bird species. The boat cruise lasts 2-3 hours. Visitors should carry their own snacks and drinks on the boat. Game drive on the way back to the lodge.
Queen Elizabeth national park is the most visited park in Uganda. The protected area is located on the leeward side of Rwenzori mountains and contains diverse habitats such as savanna, humid tropical forests, and Kazinga channel and swamps. The park is rich in biodiversity including 97 mammals species and over 600 species of birds. Zebras, impalas, and giraffes aren’t found in the park. There are lions, leopards, buffaloes, spotted hyenas, Uganda kobs, bushbucks, hippos, and topi.
Accommodation: Katara Lodge or Park View Safari Lodge located on the edge of Kyambura escarpment with views of the rift valley.
Day 7: Queen Elizabeth to Bwindi Impenetrable national park
The journey to Bwindi is scenic as you drive towards the Kigezi highlands and Virunga mountains (Mufumbiro ranges) at the edge of the Albertine rift valley. You will depart Queen Elizabeth N.P. with a game drive through Ishasha wilderness which is famous for harboring tree climbing lions. Arrive at Bwindi late evening. Bwindi impenetrable forest is a UNESCO world heritage site famous for harboring 459 gorillas, which is almost half of the world’s mountain gorillas.
Day 8: Gorilla trekking and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
After breakfast, you will drive to the briefing center to meet the rangers to brief you on gorilla trekking rules and regulations. You will be allocated to a gorilla family and then hike to search for it. The trek can last 1 to 5 hours depending on the location of the primates. Once the gorillas are located, you are allowed to spend 1 hour taking photos and observing them. You will be awarded a Uganda Wildlife Authority gorilla trekking certificate. Upon return from the forest, you will have lunch afterwards and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi to relax. Lake Bunyonyi is a lava dammed lake and the second deepest in Africa with a maximum depth of 128 feet. There are no hippos and crocodiles and swimming is allowed for experienced swimmers.
Accommodation: Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort or BirdNest Resort
Day 9: Lake Bunyonyo to Lake Mburo national park
Enjoy breakfast and a canoeing experience on Lake Bunyonyi, which is 271 km (6-hour drive) north east of Lake Mburo. Depart for Lake Mburo via Mbarara city with lunch en-route at Igongo restaurant. Arrive at lake Mburo in the afternoon and check in at your lodge.
Accommodation: Mihingo Safari Lodge built on a rock outcrop with views of the park.
Lake Mburo is Uganda’s smallest savanna protected area with rich biodiversity including 68 mammal species and over 300 species of birds. It is where you will see zebras, impalas, and giraffes in a single place on this trip. The park has no lions, elephants and fewer leopards. The place is safe to do a walking safari, cycling, and horseback riding.
Day 10: Walking safari and transfer to Kampala capital city
Enjoying a guided bush walk with a ranger allows you to experience the African bush. Alternatively, you can do a cycling or horseback safari from Mihingo lodge. From there, you will depart Lake Mburo and transfer back to Kampala capital city. Dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation: Protea Hotel or Serena Hotel
Day 11: Departure
You will be transferred to Entebbe airport for your flight departure. Depending on the time the plane is scheduled to depart, you may take a Kampala city tour and visit Gaddafi mosque. The mosque has a tall minaret that offers aerial views of Kampala city. End of 11 days Uganda safari