Uganda in 11 Days

Experience in 11 days’ time much of the best that Uganda has to offer! Travel in a counter-clockwise loop north, west and back east and see the diversity of Uganda’s flora and fauna. See the River Nile, the savannas of Queen Elizabeth, Lake Mburo NP, Murchison Falls, the tree climbing lions in Ishasha and the rainforests of Kibale and Bwindi. This tour through Uganda is the perfect combination of nature, culture, animals & fun! The tour will be guided by a local professional tour guide/driver. 

Itinerary

Day 1 – Welcome to Uganda!

You will be picked up from Entebbe airport by our representative for tonight. You will meet your driver/ guide tomorrow morning when he picks you up from your hotel. No meals included

Day 2 – Murchison Falls National Park

In the early morning you will be picked up from your accommodation by your driver/guide from Entugga Safaris. Today’s   journey will lead towards the north of the country to the great Murchison Falls National Park. The park’s name derives from its famous waterfall: the mighty Murchison Falls.  The Nile River divides the park into its north and south sections. At the spectacular Murchison Falls the world’s longest river explodes violently through a narrow cleft in the Rift Valley escarpment to plunge into a frothing pool 43m below. A game drive in the park allows you to be eye-to-eye with the African animal kingdom featuring elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, lions, leopards, different species of antelope and many bird species. You will have lunch en-route at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary allowing you to catch your first sight of wild life. After lunch you will continue to the park where you will stay overnight at your indicated Lodge in the itinerary.

Day 3 – Murchison Falls National Park

Get ready for an early wake up today! In the early morning hours animals are the most active, the sun is not yet so bright and temperatures are cooler. It offers the best time to spot wild animals. After an early breakfast you will go out on a game drive to explore the northern part of the park. Today you shall enjoy sights of a number of animals in their natural habitat: elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, lions, leopards, different species of antelope and many tropical birds may all be spotted during the game drive. So, keep your eyes open, they are all there in Murchison Falls National Park. You will also enjoy the Lake Albert shores in then after which you will head back for a quick lunch at your lodge.In the afternoon you will take a boat safari up the Nile River to Murchison Falls. Carefully watched by crocodiles, hundreds of hippos, buffaloes, water birds, monkeys and all the other thirsty wildlife that the Nile attracts, you will reach the base of the 43-meter-high falls which approach with a thunderous sound. After the boat safari you will hike to the top of the falls. From here you have a wonderful view and fantastic photo opportunities! Later you will retire for the evening at your Lodge for the night.

Day 4 – Drive to Kibale Forest National Park

After an early breakfast it is time to leave Murchison Falls NP and to continue your tour to Kibale Forest National Park. The drive is long, but incredibly scenic, passing through tea plantations and the lush green countryside which characterizes so much of Uganda. It takes an entire day with stops for lunch on the way. Later in the evening you shall reach Fort Portal town then head to the lodge to spend the night. You will stay at a nice accommodation close to Kibale Forest, where you will head from for the next day for chimpanzee tracking.

Day 5 – Chimpanzee tracking experience, drive to Queen Elizabeth NP

Today you will experience one the most exciting adventure in the jungles of Kibale Forest National Park and that’s chimpanzee tracking. The Park boasts the highest number of primate species in the world, including the chimpanzees. Approximately 5,000 chimpanzees live in the wild in Uganda, which makes it a perfect place to spot them! In the early morning you will go with an experienced ranger for chimp tracking; you might also see other monkey species that live here. Once you locate the chimpanzees you will have a full hour of close contact with them. Remember they are wild animals, we can never guarantee you to see them and might have to settle with hearing their hoots and hollers but with the trained guides, the chances are 98% to see them as close as possible. So, cheer up. After the chimpanzee tracking you will continue your journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The journey takes approximately 3-4 hours and could be more when Mother Nature dictates.

Day 6 – Game drive & boat cruise

In the morning you wake up for an early morning drive in search for wild life in Queen Elizabeth National Park Uganda’s second largest park, located at the base of the majestic Rwenzori Mountain range, adjacent to Lake Edward and Lake George. The Park is amazing presenting the visitors with two types of vegetations, including gazelle, Uganda kob, warthog and waterbuck. Lions are often sighted both in and at the entrance to the park. Be prepared for huge numbers of hippo and elephant, and keep your eyes peeled for a leopard lazing in the sunshine. In the afternoon you will take a boat safari along the Kazinga Channel which joins Lake George and Lake Albert. Here, you will see a lot of hippos (more than you can possibly imagine!), as well as a variety of other animals which come to the waterhole to drink or bathe. You can expect to see buffalo, crocodile, bathing elephant, and a range of beautiful birds. This will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of your tour.

Day 7 – Game Drive in to Ishasha to Bwindi National Park

Today in the morning you can go for another game drive in Queen Elizabeth NP, or you can choose to do one of the optional activities we offer in Queen Elizabeth (see below). Then, you will proceed to the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park, to the so called Ishasha sector. Ishasha is home to the famous tree-climbing lions! Here in Ishasha unlike in the other parts of the world where only lion cubs frequently climb trees, the lions here climb trees and hang in there for a nap. The adult lions in Ishasha are an exception in the world. It is thought that they sit in the branches to get away from the tsetse flies and to enjoy a cool breeze. With luck you might spot a few of them during your game drive plus other animals like Topis.

Day 8 – Gorilla Tracking in Bwindi Forest

Today is the big day for gorilla trekking, meet Uganda’s gentle giant! For most people this is the absolute highlight of their tour in Uganda. The gorillas you track belong to one of nine habituated family groups who can tolerate the presence of humans for a brief period every day. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest boasts both mountain gorillas and chimpanzees – the only forest in Africa which can make this claim. It also hosts five other species of primate, 113 species of mammal, over 200 butterflies and 360 birds.You will be accompanied by an experienced who will point out signs of previous gorilla activity, including dung, nests and chewed bamboo shoots. Your track will be an exciting journey along forested slopes, entwined vines, bushes and bamboo before you eventually reach the gorilla family.The time taken to track the gorillas can be as few as 2 hours to as many as 7 hours. Once the gorillas have been located, your group will be allowed a maximum of one hour with them. Coming face-to-face with a mountain gorilla is a truly humbling and emotional experience. This is a fantastic and privileged opportunity to get up close and personal with Uganda’s very own ‘Gorillas in the Mist’.

Day 9 – Proceed to Lake Bunyonyi – Boat ride on lake

Early this morning you will be driven through the misty ranges of Bwindi slopping down to the place considered by many as the “Switzerland of Africa” Bunyonyi. With its scenic beauty you will be amazed by the lake whose name means “A group of Birds” It is the deepest lake in Uganda but also the most secure lake in the country with no crocodiles, no diseases no Bilharzia and therefore the safest lake in the pearl to have an evening swim. A lot of activities are carried out here including canoeing. Please talk to your guide if you need anything in particular

Day 10 – Bunyonyi -Lake Mburo National Park.

After breakfast, you will continue your journey to Lake Mburo National Park which is one of Uganda’s smallest parks, but certainly not to be underestimated. It is the only Ugandan national park (besides Kidepo Valley NP) which is home to zebra, eland and impala, as well as an abundance of other wildlife like the giraffe. The lake itself is full with hippos and crocodiles. You will stay just outside the park boundaries and from your verandah and restaurant, you have a great view over the park and its wildlife. You will do an evening game drive then later relax at the lodge

Day 11 – Bush walk – Entebbe -PCR Flight

This morning you will go for a bush walk in Lake Mburo N.P. one of the two parks in Uganda where bush walks with an experienced ranger are permitted. This opportunity should not be missed. From footprints and animal droppings the ranger will be able to tell you which animal has left it and how long ago. It is exciting to approach wildlife at such close range.

Image Gallery

Included & Excluded