The 18 days Uganda safari is an interesting long safari for visitors coming to Uganda to spend their leisure and research purposes. This will have 17 nights and 18 days touring both primates and wildlife starting from the airport in Entebbe from where you proceed to Uganda’s capital city passing in Mabira forest and a visit to different places and then drive to jinja at the source of the river Nile which is the longest river in the world. Proceed with your safari to Murchison falls national park for your boat cruise and game drive with a stopover at the Ziwa Rhino sanctuary for trekking these animals.
On the following day of your safari, continue to the top of Murchison falls and then to Hoima city to have look at the Kibiro salt gardens before setting off to Kibale national park in western Uganda for a chimpanzee trekking and tea plantation experience. The journey will go on to Queen Elizabeth national for the game drive and boat cruise at Kazinga channel and after head to Bwindi impenetrable national park for gorilla trekking having done with its drive to lake Bunyonyi for relaxation moments and transfer to Semliki for a game drive and bird watching at Ntanda and Sempaya. Upon the apex of your 18 days Uganda safari, head to lake Mburo national park for a game drive and boat cruise from where have a cultural experience of the Banyankole people after departing to Kampala and back to the airport and flying back home.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival at the airport in Entebbe.
Begin your 18-days Uganda safari with a pick-up from the airport by our company representative together with your safari driver guide who will greet you and brief you about your safari and the after drive heading to your booked lodge in Kampala for your dinner and overnight stays but in case you arrived a bit earlier, you will enjoy a tour through Kampala city and visit places such as the Namugongo martyrs shrine, the Bahai temple and many other interesting places which will add satisfaction on you.
Day 2: Transfer to Jinja at the source of river Nile
After early morning breakfast at your lodge, your driver guide will meet you and drive you to the eastern side of Uganda in Jinja a journey that will cover a distance of 80km in 2 hours from Kampala which is the capital city of Uganda and at the same time the largest city in Uganda where you will pass through Mabira forest, sugarcane plantations people’s homesteads and many more places up to the main source of river Nile.
The place is nice and will allow you to have views of the source of the world’s longest river, the Nile. Check-in at your hotel for lunch and after head for a white water rafting experience. This is a guided activity that will last for a full hour still in the water with trained rescue guides who will be ready to help you in case the water pushes you off. Head back to your hotel for dinner.
Day 3: Transfer to Murchison falls National Park
Have your morning dish at the hotel and head to northeastern Uganda in Murchison falls national park where you will pass through the Luwero triangle and Nakasongola district. On your way to this park, you will have a 2-3 hour stopover at Ziwa Rhino sanctuary for trekking one of the big five animals, the Rhinos. After proceeding with the journey to the park have views of this Savanah game park and then check in at your lodge for your accommodations.
Day 4: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
This day will begin your breakfast and be followed by a transfer to the northern part of the park for a game drive where there is a wide variety of wild games. This game drive will enable you to have looked at animals such as Elephants, buffalos, bushbucks, lions, olive baboons, giraffes, warthogs and many more. Return to the lodge for your lunch.
In the afternoon, drive to the park at Paraa and up to the mighty Murchison falls an activity that will take 2 hours. On your launch cruise, you expect to meet a variety of animals including large schools of hippos, crocodiles, snakes and other aquatic animals not forgetting many bird species such the kingfishers, harmer kops, pelicans, black crakes plus different species of butterflies. Retreat to your lodge for dinner and overnight stays.
Day 5: Top of Murchison falls visit and transfer to Hoima city
With your breakfast well served at your lodge, drive to the top of Murchison falls located in the southern part of the park where you will explore a point where river Nile which is the longest river in the world is forced to pass through a small narrow gap just 7 metres wide before flowing down to 43 meters deep to the devil’s cauldron.
On this point have photographs as many as possible and after embark on a journey to Hoima where you will have stopovers at key points such as the Kibiro salt gardens for its historical information and see how the local people exchange other goods to earn a living. Proceed with the drive to the hotel in Hoima for relaxation and overnight stays.
Day 6: Transfer to Kibale national park
On your 6th day of this beautiful 18 days Uganda safari, have a nice breakfast after which start your journey to the western part of Uganda in Kibale national park which is also called the primate of the world because of home to the highest number of primates making a total of 13 including the closest relatives of man, chimpanzees. This five-hour drive will pass you through the homes of the Batooro people, farmlands and beautiful landscapes. Check-in at your lodge for your dinner
Day 7: Chimpanzee trekking and Tea plantation experience
After being served your breakfast, head to the Kibale national park headquarters at 8:00 am for your payments and briefing from the park rangers who will take you to the park for trekking these primates. They are the closest relatives of a man sharing almost 95-99% DNA similar to that of man and trekking them is unpredictable however it may take 2-7 hours but depend on the location where they grazed from the previous night. As soon as these primates are reached, only one hour will be given to you in their presence so take photos and videos and return to your lodge for a short relaxation.
After the evening, meet your guide from Isunga cultural community who will brief you shortly about the walk to the plantations. Immediately after the briefing, set off for the activity where you will explore the tea estates in the area as he is giving you the required information about tea planting and all other processes it undergoes. On your walk, have views of different crater lakes, Kibale national park, and Mountain Rwenzori ranges and after walk back to your lodge for meals.
Day 8: Depart to Semliki national park.
After early morning breakfast at the lodge, and then embark on the 1-2 hours’ drive to Semliki national park and have views of the places around the park arriving at the lodge in time for a late lunch and then after drive to the Sempaya hot springs where you will explore the male hot spring also known as Bitente and the female which is also known as the Nyansimbi. These springs are hot to 100 degrees Celsius and you will participate in boiling eggs, bananas and many more. Retreat to your lodge for your dinner.
Day 9: Game drive and bird watching
On the morning of this day, head to Toro Semliki reserve early in the morning to catch up with the rush of animal species coming from their hiding places to get food at the surface. Expect to have looks of games such as African elephants, buffalos and many more that will add a smile to your face.
Head for lunch at the lodge and then move for birding in Sempaya and Ntandi which are rewarding places for birders. The places are known for homing birds like white crested hornbills, red-billed dwarf hornbills, piping hornbills, yellow throates nicator and many more. Return to the lodge for your dinner.
Day 10: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Enjoy your morning dish at your lodge and drive heading to Queen Elizabeth National Park Uganda’s top most diversified national park with a wide range of wildlife from the savannah vegetation to the rain forest. This transfer will take a 3-4 hours’ drive passing through the communities of the Bakoonzo and Bamba located on the foothills of the mighty Rwenzori mountains. Report to your lodge for your prepared accommodations.
Day 11: Game drive and afternoon launch cruise
After your meals in the morning, embark on a morning game drive which is usually done at Kasenyi. The drive will take you for 2-3 hours which you have a high chance of spotting animals like African Elephants, buffalos, the rare tree-climbing lions, giraffes, giant forest hogs, leopards, Uganda kobs, spotted hyenas and many more species.
Drive back for your lunch at the lodge. Having done with the lunch, embark on your afternoon launch cruise which is mostly done on the Kazinga channel which connects lake Edward and lake George. On your launch cruise, expect to see large schools of hippos just close to you and crocodiles plus bird species like the pink-backed pelicans, kingfishers and many other creatures resident on this channel. Return to the lodge for dinner.
Day 12: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable National Park
After breakfast, embark on a 4-hour drive to Bwindi impenetrable national park which is famously known for homing half of the endangered mountain gorillas of the world where you will use the shortest route via the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park.
The park is also home to large numbers of wildlife and birdlife. Check-in at your lodging facility for your accommodations and night stays
Day 13: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Be served with the hearty breakfast that will give you the energy for this gorilla trekking after which drive to the park for your registration and briefing from the ranger guide. This briefing will mainly focus on the dos and don’ts to follow when with these giant apes.
Head for the trekking in the forest the activity takes 1-8 hours but follow the movements made by these animals and the location where they grazed the previous day. Note that as soon as you reach them, you will be in their presence for one hour taking photographs, listening to their calls and other behaviors exhibited by these animals. Have your trekking certificate and drive back to the lodge for your meals
Day 14: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for relaxation
After your breakfast at the lodge and then after embark on a journey to lake Bunyonyi a journey that will take you 4 hours’ drive. The lake is the deepest and is known as home to several small water birds and many small animal species. Take a canoe around the lake after your lunch for more sightings of birds like egrets, kingfishers, pelicans and many more and return to the lodge for dinner.
Day 15: Transfer to Lake Mburo national park
Have a well-balanced breakfast at the lodge and immediately after the drive head to lake Mburo national park a journey that takes 3-4 hours to have spectacular views of the lake, and homesteads and arrive at the lodge in time for your lunch.
After continuing with the journey to Lake Mburo for a boat ride which will give you a chance to see hippos and crocodiles just a few feet from the boat. Take photos and ride back to the shores from where your driver guide will pick you up and drive you to the lodge for your dinner and overnight stays.
Day 16: Game drive and Nature walk
On the morning of this 18 days Uganda safari, we will have a delicious breakfast at the lodge and after head for a game drive in lake Mburo national park where you are expected to meet games like African Elephants, buffalos, zebras, warthogs, elands, impalas, Uganda kobs, waterbucks and many more.
Report for your lunch at the lodge and after head for a nature walk where you will have looks of like three animals licking salt on the salty soils. Enjoy the atmosphere at the lake and then after drive back to the lodge for your evening meals.
Day 17: Banyankole cultural experience
On this 17th day of your 18 days Uganda safari, optionally take a morning game drive at the park and have more sightings of the animals in the jungle and then return for lunch at the lodge and embark on a cultural tour of the Banyankole people where you will have sights of their long-horned cattle, take part in cultural activities such as milking their cattle, treating their sick animals, caring for their cows like spraying them using local methods like use of the local fibers and from there drive back to your lodge and then to Kampala city having a stopover at the equator crossing in Kayabwe for photographic moments and after proceed to your booked lodge for dinner.
Day 18: Transfer back to Kampala and fly back home.
On the morning of your 18 days Uganda safari, enjoy your breakfast and then drive heading to Entebbe international airport for your flight back home.
