Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe and Transfer to Hotel
Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be welcomed by your safari guide and transferred to your hotel near Lake Victoria. Depending on arrival time, you may relax at the lodge, enjoy the tropical gardens, or take an optional visit to nearby attractions. This day allows you to recover from travel while preparing for the upcoming wildlife adventure.
Day 2: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park via Rhino Tracking
After breakfast, you depart for northwestern Uganda toward Murchison Falls National Park. The journey takes you through rural landscapes and vibrant roadside towns. En route, you stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for an on-foot rhino tracking experience guided by rangers. This sanctuary plays an important role in rhino conservation in Uganda. After lunch, you continue to Murchison Falls, arriving in the afternoon with an optional visit to the top of the falls where the Nile River forces through a narrow gorge. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Day 3: Morning Game Drive and Nile Boat Safari
The day begins with an early morning game drive across the savannah plains where elephants, giraffes, lions, buffaloes, antelopes, and numerous bird species can be seen. The cool morning hours provide excellent wildlife viewing opportunities. In the afternoon, you enjoy a boat safari along the Nile River to the base of Murchison Falls, observing hippos, crocodiles, elephants, and birds along the riverbanks. The dramatic scenery near the falls is unforgettable. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
After breakfast, you begin the scenic journey southwest toward Kibale Forest. The drive passes through tea plantations, crater lakes, and the Albertine Rift Valley region. You arrive in the Fort Portal area in the afternoon surrounded by rolling hills and farmland. The remainder of the day is for relaxation at your lodge while enjoying the peaceful environment near the rainforest.
Day 5: Chimpanzee Trekking and Bigodi Wetland Experience
Today features chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest. After a ranger briefing, you enter the forest to search for habituated chimpanzee families. Once located, you spend time observing their social behavior, communication, and movements in the trees. In the afternoon, you visit Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary for a guided community walk that offers cultural insights and opportunities to see birds and other primates. Return to your lodge for relaxation and overnight.
Day 6: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Following breakfast, you travel south toward Queen Elizabeth National Park, passing scenic crater lakes and volcanic landscapes. Wildlife sightings may begin immediately upon entering the park, including elephants and antelopes grazing across the plains. After lunch at your lodge, you may enjoy an evening game drive depending on time and energy levels.
Day 7: Game Drive and Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise
An early morning game drive explores the Kasenyi plains where lions and other predators are often found. Herds of Uganda kob attract carnivores, making this area particularly rewarding for wildlife viewing. In the afternoon, you take a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel, famous for its large concentrations of hippos, buffaloes, elephants, crocodiles, and birds along the shoreline. This is one of the most productive wildlife viewing experiences in Uganda.
Day 8: Ishasha Tree-Climbing Lions and Transfer to Bwindi
Today you travel through the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, known for its rare tree-climbing lions often seen resting in fig trees. After searching for these unique predators, you continue to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, arriving in the afternoon. The evening is spent relaxing at your lodge surrounded by dense rainforest scenery.
Day 9: Gorilla Trekking Experience in Bwindi
After an early breakfast, you report to the park headquarters for a briefing before beginning your gorilla trek. Guided by rangers and trackers, you hike through dense forest terrain searching for a habituated gorilla family. Once located, you spend one unforgettable hour observing their behaviors and interactions. This encounter with mountain gorillas is widely regarded as one of the most powerful wildlife experiences in the world. Return to the lodge for relaxation and overnight.
Day 10: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for Relaxation
After breakfast, you drive to Lake Bunyonyi, one of Africa’s most scenic lakes surrounded by terraced hills and dotted with islands. The peaceful environment offers opportunities for relaxation, canoeing, birdwatching, or simply enjoying the spectacular views after the physical effort of gorilla trekking. Dinner and overnight at a lakeside lodge.
Day 11: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park and Evening Safari
You depart Lake Bunyonyi and travel toward Lake Mburo National Park. This park is known for zebras, impalas, elands, giraffes, and numerous bird species. After lunch and lodge check-in, you enjoy an afternoon or evening game drive across the rolling savannah landscape. The park’s smaller size allows for close wildlife encounters in a tranquil setting.
Day 12: Morning Nature Walk and Return to Entebbe
Your final day begins with a guided walking safari, offering a unique perspective of wildlife on foot with opportunities to see zebras and antelopes up close. After breakfast, you begin the return journey to Entebbe, with a stop at the equator crossing for photos and souvenirs if desired. Arrival in Entebbe is scheduled for your departure flight, marking the end of your 12-day Uganda wildlife safari.
