Uganda Tours and Safaris

Murchison Falls Safaris, Chimps Tracking Kibale, Rwenzori Mountains Trekking Game Drive and Boat Cruise on Kazinga Channel and Bwindi Gorilla Tracking plus so many tourists destinations in Uganda.

Dear our prospective visitor in Uganda, during this 18-Days safari, you will visit some of Uganda’s best tourist destinations that include; Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Murchison Falls National Park, Kibale Forest National Park, Rwenzori Mountain for a wonderful 7-day hiking up to the Margherita Peak, Queen Elizabeth National Park for game viewing and boat ride during which you watch many birds and animals, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, the home of Mountain Gorillas for gorilla tracking, Lake Bunyonyi’s memorable community and sightseeing activities before returning to Kampala.

FULL TRIP ITINERARY – 18 DAYS
DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN UGANDA – DRIVE TO KAMPALA

On this day upon your arrival, you will be picked from Entebbe International Airport by the driver guide and be transferred to Kampala. Enjoy your overnight at Victoria Travel Hotel, Hotel Africana, Hotel Triangle Kampala or Protea Hotel.

DAY 2: DRIVE TO MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK, TRACK RHINOS ENROUTE

After breakfast in Kampala, launch your trip to Murchison Falls National Park. Along the way in Nakasongola District, you will break off the highway to visit the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for Rhino tracking. You will spend about 3 hours trekking rhinos. Its amazing coming at close range to the gigantic rhinos. After trekking rhinos, you will have lunch at the Sanctuary canteen before continuing with journey through Masindi up to the park as you view the green flat landscape. Arrive at the park in the evening and make use of the remaining hours of the day by driving to the captivating top of Murchison falls. The top of the falls is an inconceivable scene indeed because it’s where the Nile, Africa’s the longest river goes through a narrow crevice in the rock (only 7 meters wide), before aggressively tumbling down 43 meters.

Murchison Falls Park is a habitat to a large number of African wild animals including Water buffaloes, elephants, Crocodiles, Lions, Leopards, Hippopotamuses, Antelopes, Giraffes, Uganda Kobs, Oribi and many other animals. The Nile River bank is a home to a variety of water birds, including the uncommon Shoe bill stork. Overnight at Red Chili Rest Camp, Murchison River Lodge, Sambiya Lodge, Pakuba Lodge or Praaa Safari Lodge (Full Board)

DAY 3: GAME DRIVE AND BOAT RIDE

Take breakfast and start enjoying an early morning game drive to catch up with the early risers. This exciting game drive will enable you spot animals like the jackals, hartebeests, oribi, bush bucks, bohor reed bucks, hyenas, giraffes, lions, antelopes, elephants and the Uganda kob among the many. You will rest from the game drive for anything to eat and later on lunch at the lodge. The afternoon time will be for an open launch cruise (Boat ride on the calm Nile). The boat trip will take you to the bottom of the falls where animals like the buffaloes, hippos, crocodiles, elephants and plenty of water birds like the herons, cormorants, ducks, bee-eaters, kingfishers, skimmers, fish eagles, the rare shoebill and many more species can be viewed from the peaceful sailing boat. The base of the falls is also an splendid moment. Overnight at Red Chili Rest Camp, Murchison River Lodge, Sambiya Lodge, Pakuba Lodge or Praaa Safari Lodge (Full Board)

DAY 4: DRIVE TO KIBALE PARK, THE HOME OF CHIMPS, LUNCH ENROUTE.

After an early breakfast, drive Kibale National Park, the home chimpanzees, have lunch enroute. You will drive through conventional homesteads and farms and this will enable you enjoy the good-looking sceneries along the way. Overnight at Ndali Lodge, Primates Lodge Kibale, Kibale Forest Camp or Chimps Nest (Full Board)

DAY 5: CHIMPS TRACKING IN KIBALE, DRIVE TO RWENZORI MOUNTAINS

In the morning, transfer to the park headquarters for briefing before heading through the forest to look for chimpanzees. You will come close to chimps and other primates like the red tailed monkeys, colobus monkeys and many more. The trek will give you an opportunity to view a wide range of primates, Birds and Butterflies in the shady thick trail. In the afternoon after lunch, drive off to Rwenzori Mountain. Arrive in the evening. Overnight Rwenzori Mountains Safari Lodge or Ruboni Community Camp (Full Board)

DAY 6: COMMENCE RWENZORI MOUNTAINS HIKING AT NYAKALENGIJA TRAILHEAD (1600m)

Soon after breakfast, leave the town and drive to the park offices for briefing after which you will begin mountaineering to Nyabitaba hut and later connect to Nyakalengija trail-head(1600m). With tour guides and porters hiking up to Nyabitaba hut going through the homesteads and the local plantations which is a wonderful experience. Then follow the trail along the Mubuku River, via the landslides and up and down rocks and bluffs. Cross the Mahoma River and climb steeply through the bracken fern slopes and Podocarpus forest to Nyabitaba Hut for an Overnight.

DAY 7: JOHN MATTE HUT (3350M)

Move from Nyabitaba hut, take the path that drops you down through the forest to the Kurt Shafer Bridge, just below the confluence of the Bujuku and Mubuku Rivers. Ascend via the bamboo forest, traversing a long and exhausting stretch of slippery moss-covered rock. From Nyamileju rock shelter, on clear-sight days, Mount Stanley and Mount Speke can be seen before passing into the sector of the giant heather, lobelia and groundsel. The ending stretch to the John Matte hut is across a tiring bog, the first of many for which the mountain is renowned. Overnight at John Matte Hut (FB)

DAY 8: BUJUKU HUT (3900M)

Following John Matte Hut, the trail goes down to cross River Bujuku and enters Lower Bigo Bog, home of giant lobelias. Jumping a tussock after the other, the bog is crossed but at times the feet taste the freezing ooze. The Upper Bigo bog gives way to Bujuku Lake, with the sight of Mt Baker to the South and Mt Stanley to the West. Bujuku Hut, correctly positioned in the shadow of Mount Baker and Mount Speke, is in a narrow valley below Stuhlmann Pass. Be ready for this trail which can be very cold for you as well as to the dwellers of Rwenzori. Overnight at Bujuku Hut (FB)

DAY 9: ELENA HUT (4541M)

Leaving from Bujuku, via the marshland, the trail climbs the slopes west of the lake, passing through the magical Groundsel Gully as it goes up to Scott-Elliot Pass at 4372m. A metal ladder takes you over a steep section after which the trail splits into two at the head of the gully. The right path goes up to Elena Hut and Mount Stanley on a steep trail over huge boulders while the left path leads to Scott-Elliot Pass and down to Kitandara Lakes. Overnight at Elena Hut even though the nights may be cold (FB).

DAY 10: MARGHERITA PEAK (5109m)

Climbing Margherita peak (5109m) to the base of the Stanley Glacier continues. Basing on the weather and one area familiarity, it can be a walk of between 4 to 7 hours to the summit of Margherita. It is a rough walk over three glaciers, slippery rock, ice and very open on many sides. The bodily healthy hikers are the only ones for this and it is a technical climb which needs roping up, crampons and appropriate equipment for cold, windy and icy conditions. It is good to try the final climb in a group of at least four-two climbers and 2 guides; (the extra guide has to be paid for at the time of booking).

Climb on to the glacier, cross the Stanley Plateau and move on with the ascent. Basing on altitude sickness, fog and weather, scramble up to the summit of Margherita, the Rwenzori peak. It is not guaranteed that everyone will reach the summit because of the altitude and the tough conditions. So do not get disappointed if you do not. Coming back to Scott-Elliot pass, you get spectacular views back to Bujuku Lake and Mount Speke, up to Mount Stanley and down to the Kitandara Lakes. Once over the pass the trail enters an alpine zone of sparse vegetation and rough boulders. Go down to Kitandara Hut for overnight, past the Kitandara Lakes. (If you do not wish to climb the peak, you can have more restful day walking from Elena Hut to Kitandara Hut 4,023m.) (FB)

DAY 11: GUY YEOMAN HUT (3260M)

From Kitandara, the trail goes up steeply to the headwall, spreading out from the Mount Baker base and proceeds to the south side of the mountain to Fresh field Pass. On a good day, you see part of the Congo in the west and Mount Stanley in the north. From the pass, the long muddy goes down, going through the rock shelter at Bujongolo, this is the base camp for the historic expedition by the Duke of Abruzzi in 1906 (FB).

DAY 12: NYABITABA HUT (2650M)

This hike will lead via the path down but can be slippery and mud-spattered with little to hold on. Consequently, you must be careful balancing over the vertical mud or steep rocks. Overnight at Nyabitaba Hut (FB).

DAY 13: NTAKALENGIJA TRAILHEAD (1600M), DRIVE TO QUEEN ELIZABETH NP, DO LAUNCH CRUISE ON KAZINGA CHANNEL

From Nyabitaba hut, move down gently to the mud-covered paths to the trailhead. Arriving late morning, drive though Kasese town and head to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the most excellent treasures of Uganda and named after Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II when she visited Uganda in 1954. The vast park has over 95 species of mammals and 600 species of birds that have been recorded. After checking in at the lodge, you take a rest, have lunch and then go for a launch cruise on the Kazinga Channel. Kazinga channel found in Queen Elizabeth National Park joins Lake George and Lake Edward. Any tourist to this park cannot fail to be impressed by the Channel’s astonishing variety.

At Kazinga Channel, many buffalos relax in the water while big herds of elephants and different bird species can be seen enjoying themselves along the channel shores. Many visitors who participate in the 2 hour-long launch cruise along the channel look upon it as the highlight of their African safari. There are also concentrations of hippos and birds. In short, this water sail works as an exceptional platform for clear photography taking, wide-ranging bird-watching and an across-the-board game viewing. Retire in the evening to Bush Lodge, Enganzi Lodge, Kingfisher Kichwamba Lodge or Mweya Safari Lodge (Full Board)

DAY 14: GAME DRIVE IN THE PARK AND LEAVE FOR BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST

You will wake up early enough, take your breakfast and then set off for a morning game drive, during which you will have an opportunity to spot hippos, elephants, spotted hyenas, lions, leopards, stripped jackals, bushbucks, water bucks and warthogs and many wild animals. After the game drive, you will return to the lodge and check out to drive off for Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, the home of Mountain Gorillas going through the southern part of the park. Lunch enoute, arrive in the late after noon. Accommodation at Buhoma Community Bandas, Gorilla Mist Camp or Mahogany Springs (Full Board)

DAY 15: GORILLA TREKKING IN BWINDI FOREST

Get breakfast and head to park offices for briefing by a local guide and then set off to the forest equipped with packed lunch to start your gorilla trekking. The time taken is between 1- 8 hours depending on the movement of the gorillas. Facing physically these colossal mountain gorillas is one of the most moving experiences you can ever have. You will have a chance to observe and take pictures and you will enjoy them from a close range observing adults feeding, grooming and resting as the youngsters play and move backward and forward in a satisfyingly humorous display. With time allowing, you may use the evening enjoying guided village walk to nearby communities to observe and familiarise yourselves with the local who are neighbours to the gorillas or else you will take rest. Accommodation at Buhoma Community Bandas, Gorilla Mist Camp or Mahogany Springs (Full Board)

DAY 16: DRIVE TO LAKE BUNYONYI

Take breakfast in the morning and drive off to Lake Bunyonyi, the deepest lake in Africa, its characterized by very good scenery and incredible waters. Once there, you will take a nature walk around the lake. Also visit the typical Abaheesi (black smiths) societies or to the Bukora Cave. After lunch, use the afternoon or evening for a boat ride and go for a cycling tour of the area, going to Orugano Rain Forest which has diverse plants and animals and some community tourism through interaction with the Batwa (pygmies) who inhabit parts of the forest and its surrounding areas. Overnight at Bunyonyi Overland Resort, Arcadia Cottages, Jajama Panorama or Birdnest at Bunyonyi (Full Board).

DAY 17: DRIVE TO KAMPALA

In the morning, enjoy breakfast and then checkout to start your journey to Kampala. Lunch enroute (Mbarara or Masaka Town). After lunch, proceed with journey to Kampala but stop at the Uganda Equator, this is where there an imaginary line the divides planet earth into two sections (North and South Hemisphere). Take photos at the equator and visit the craft and souvenir shop at this site, spending about 40 minutes and then proceed to Kampala. Proceed to Kampala and arrive in the evening. Enjoy your overnight at Victoria Travel Hotel, Hotel Africana, Hotel Triangle Kampala or Protea Hotel.

DAY 18: ENTEBBE AIRPORT TRANSFER

On this day, you will be transferred to Entebbe International Airport 1-2 hours to your flight. But before you leave Kampala, you can visit some shopping places like Nakumatt or Garden City, visit National Theater and Buganda Road Craft Villages, just for a simple feel of Kampala city and shopping of souvenirs. End of Uganda Tours and Safaris.