12 Days Uganda Safari Tour: Overview

The 12-day Uganda safari tour is one of the best vacation Uganda tour  packages, offering unique wildlife species, gorillas, chimpanzees, and up to 11  other primates, communities, beautiful scenery, and birds.

The 12-day Uganda safari will take you to Uganda’s most splendid national parks, like Murchison Falls National Park in the northwest of Uganda, with its world’s most powerful waterfall and counts of giraffes, elephants, lions, buffaloes, and leopards, among others.

Kibale National Park, dubbed the primate capital of the world with the largest counts of habituated chimpanzees, Queen Elizabeth national Park, with its rare tree-climbing lions and chimpanzees; the adventurous Kazinga Channel, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, the natural home of the world’s critically endangered mountain gorillas; and the scenic Lake Bunyonyi, dubbed the lake of a thousand islands.

The 12-day Uganda Safari Tour will combine Uganda’s most splendid tourist activities with unique cultural experiences and a taste of world-class services from some of the best accommodation places in Uganda.

12 Day Gorilla Trekking Safari Uganda Wildlife & Chimpanzee Tracking Tour: Highlights

Day 1: Do Kampala City Tour

Day 2: Transfer to Murchison falls National Park and enroute Visit to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Day 3: Do an Early morning game drive, afternoon boat cruise and hike to the top of the falls

Day 4: Transfer to Hoima and enroute visit to Kibiro Salt Gardens and Hot Springs.

Day 5: Transfer to Kibale National Park, lunch in Fort Portal town, afternoon Fort Portal Crater Lake hike and visit the Amabere g’ Nnyinamwiru caves

Day 6: Chimpanzee tracking and afternoon Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary Tour

Day 7: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park, visit the Rwenzori Art Foundation, the only bronze casting center in Africa, the Ruboni Community craft & wax center en route, & do the crater area drive upon arrival

Day 8: Do morning game drive & Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable forest with enroute lunch at Ishasha sector.

Day 9: Do Gorilla trekking and afternoon Cultural encounter with the Local Batwa

Day 10: Transfer from Bwindi‘s to Lake Bunyonyi and do afternoon boat cruise and relaxation

Day 11: Transfer from Lake Bunyonyi to Lake Mburo National Park.

Day 12: Do morning Game drive and transfer to Kampala with stopover at the Uganda Equator.

12 Day Gorilla Trekking Safari Uganda Wildlife & Chimpanzee Tracking Tour: Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Do Kampala City Tour

Your knowledgeable guide will pick you up from your Kampala hotel after breakfast to begin a city tour.

The City tour will take you through famous Kampala cultural sites like Kasubi tombs, Rubbaga Cathedral, Uganda Museum, Namugongo Martyrs Shrine, a place where a number of Christians were burned, Baha’i Temple, -the only Bahai Temple in Africa, and late in the evening, you will head to Ndere troop Center, -a place where you will enjoy cultural performances that will give you a glimpse of the way of life of the different tribes in Uganda.

After the activity, the driver guide will drive you back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Sheraton hotel (luxury/upmarket), Humura Resort (Standard/Mid-Range Hotels), Buziga Country Resort (Budget).

Day 2: Transfer to Murchison falls National Park And En-route Visit to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

After your early morning breakfast in your Kampala Lodge, the driver guide will pick you up at 6:00 and embark on the 311 km, or about 5 hours’ drive, on the north-western side of Uganda to Murchison Falls National Park.

The drive from Kampala will take you through the flat landscapes of Nakasongora, with Savannah vegetation dotted with long-horned Ankole cows.

After covering a distance of 115km, you will be welcomed to Nakitoma, where you will divert from the main route, driving 7 kms to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.

While at the Sanctuary, you will explore the only white Rhinos protected in this part of Uganda .You will also have your delightful Lunch at Kabalega dinner and thereafter advance with the drive to Murchison Falls National park for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Paraa Safari Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Pakuba Safari Lodge (Mid-range/Standard) or Heritage Safari Lodge (Budget/Basic).

Day 3: Do an Early Morning Game Drive, an afternoon boat cruise, and hike to The Top of The Falls

Wake-up very early in the morning and drive to the park headquarters for an early morning game drive at 6:30 through the park tracks in search of the elusive wild game.

The rolling Savannah combretum of Murchison Falls National Park supports a span of delightful wildlife such as elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, waterbucks, Jackson hartebeest, oribis, lions, and leopards, among others

The early morning game drive through the well-organized driving tracks of the delta area, Buligi tracks, Albert tracks, and Queen tracks provides golden chance for you to enjoy the views of elusive wild game.

After a rewarding drive of 3–4 hours, you will retire back to the lodge for relaxation and lunch while waiting for an adventurous boat cruise in the afternoon.

After lunch and having rest, you drive to Paraa to catch up with the afternoon adventurous Lunch Cruise that sets off at 2:30 and takes 3–4 hours of adventure.

Taking a boat cruise to the bottom of the Nile will not only reward you with views of the wild game when they are drinking on the riverside, but it will also take you to an area where you can have a clear glimpse of wildlife species like hippos, Nile crocodiles, and a range of water birds, such as the endangered species of the Shoebill Stork.

After exploring the boat cruise to the bottom of the falls, you will take a hike through a narrow path to the top of one of the world’s most powerful falls.

Upon reaching the top, you will enjoy the roaring sounds of the Nile as it crumbles its head on the impermeable rocks that have narrowed its way to less than 8 meters for centuries.

After that lifelong experience, you will retire to your lodge for dinner, memory-sharing, and overnight.

Accommodation: Paraa Safari Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Pakuba Safari Lodge (Mid-range/Standard) or Heritage Safari Lodge (Budget/Basic).

Day 4: Transfer to Hoima and En-route Visit to Kibiro Salt Gardens and Hot Springs

Take relaxed breakfast and embark on the transfer to Hoima. The interesting drive will take you along the Albertine escarpment, with prominent scenery of the rift valley .

You will advance through Bulisa, which is in the oil region of Uganda. You will have a stop en route at Kibiro Salt Gardens and hot springs and here you will be exposed to impressive local methods of fine salt extraction.

The views of the scenic Lake Albert and the Blue Mountains in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are very rewarding. From here, you will embark on the drive to Hoima for relaxation, diner and overnight.

Accommodation: Kontik Hotel

Day 5: Transfer to Kibale National Park, Lunch in Fort Portal Town, Afternoon Fort Portal Crater Lake Hike and Visit The Amabere g’ Nnyinamwiru Caves

After your jolly breakfast, embark on a transfer drive of about 5 hours to Fort Portal, one of the most beautiful towns in Uganda.

The drive will take you through the majestic country side landscapes dotted with rural setting and beautiful local populations.

Arrive in Fort Portal town for lunch, after which you will advance to do the Fort Portal Crater Lake Hike to gain magnificent views of the Fort Portal explosion crater.

You will also visit the Amabere g’ Nnyinamwiru caves, where a magical Nyakasura River falls over them, forming wonderful water fall.

The unique caves have breast-like features which the locals attach a great cultural connotation and are thought to date back to the Chwezi era. Retreat from the activity and get to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Ndali Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse (Mid-range/Standard) or Rwenzori View Guesthouse (Budget/Basic).

Day 6: Chimpanzee Tracking And Afternoon Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary Tour

After an early morning breakfast, embark on the highly rewarding Chimpanzee Tracking encounter in the primate Capital of the world, Kibale Forest National Park.

The park is proud of its 13 primate species, including the newly discovered Chimpanzee species, which is now open for tourist visits.

The chimpanzee trekking encounter in the primates Capital starts at Kanyanchu tourism center at 8:00 local time in the morning and the professional UWA Park ranger will lead you throughout the fascinating processes of tracking the chimpanzees in their natural Habitat.

The trek exposes you to stunning flora, other primate species, including black and white colobus monkeys, and birds before meeting face-to-face with the chimpanzees.

The Chimpanzees will seduce you in a state of stupefaction as they swing through the branches, make pant-hooting calls, play with each other, and imitate your body language, along with other features that will make your one full hour with them a life-time experience of its own.

Retreat from the activity, which tends to take 2–5 hours to embark on the transfer to Bigodi wetland. The Bigodi wetland lies in close proximity to the park, so connecting there is less hectic.

The Bigodi wetland walk exposes you to typical eco-tourism encounters in Uganda. The impressive flora and fauna existing along with the local community is indeed rewarding to encounter.

The sights of great blue turaco and the Sitatnga may not be missed. Retreat from the activity back to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Ndali Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse (Mid-range/Standard) or Rwenzori View Guesthouse (Budget/Basic).

Day 7: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park, Visit The Rwenzori Art Foundation, Ruboni Community craft, Wax Center En-route & Do The Crater Area Drive Upon Arrival

Transfer from Kibale after your breakfast to Queen Elizabeth National Park .The drive distance of 157 km (about 3 hours’) on a rough road is very interesting.

You will have your first stop at the Rwenzori Art Foundation, which is the only bronze casting center in the whole of the African continent and is located in the shadows of the Rwenzori Mountains.

You may participate in the wonderful process of sculpture making, which is a common activity done in the center.

Sparing time to tour the Ruboni community wax and craft center exposes you to the local traditions and the usage of local knowledge to modern development.

Thereafter, proceed to Queen Elizabeth National Park, driving through the crater, which offers you views of different wildlife such as olive baboons and elephants and not forgetting the magical scenery before connecting to Mweya for an afternoon Kazinga Channel boat cruise, which will reward you with the possibilities of confronting the hippos, Nile crocodiles, other wild game drinking on the channel side and counts of water birds. Retire back to your lodge in the evening for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge (Luxury), Katara Lodge (Mid-range/Standard) or Pumba Safari Cottages (Budget/Basic).

Day 8: Do Morning Game Drive & Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest With En-route Lunch at Ishasha Sector

Wake up very early in the morning, like at 6:00am, take your breakfast, and embark on an early morning game drive at 6:30am in the rolling Savannah plains of Queen Elizabeth National Park.

The drive will take you through Kasenyi tracks with the chances of meeting the nocturnal wildlife species when they are retreating back to their hiding grounds and also confronting the early morning risers when they are starting their daily activities of looking for food.

The different species of wild game that may be seen during the game drive include the elusive leopard, defassa waterbuck, Uganda kob, side-stripped jackal, Oribis elephants, lions, buffaloes, and antelopes, among others.

The tracks are well designed to increase your chances of encountering wild game in their natural habitat, Queen Elizabeth National Park.

After a 3- to 4-hour game drive covering about 200 kilometers, you embark on transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest .

The drive will take you through the Ishasha sector, where you will have the possibility of confronting the tree-climbing lions that tend to lie on the branches of fig trees during day.

You will have stopover for lunch in Ishasha and thereafter, continue with the drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, arriving in the evening for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Buhoma Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Engage lodge (Midrange/Standard) or Buhoma Community Rest Camp (Budget/Basic).

Day 9: Gorilla Trekking And Afternoon Cultural Encounter With The Local Batwa

Wake up early in the morning, like at 6:00 and take your hefty breakfast. That will give you the energy to hike the hills and slope the valleys when looking for the unique species of mountain gorillas.

After taking breakfast, driver guide will transfer you with your packed lunch and bottled water to the Park headquarters in your respective gorilla trekking region for an early morning briefing at about 70:30 to 8:00 about the etiquette of gorilla trekking in Uganda Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

While at the park headquarters, you will meet other trekkers, and you will be divided into groups of eight individuals who are only allowed to trek with one specific habituated gorilla family.

After a briefing, an experienced UWA ranger guide will lead you to the trailhead, where thrilling gorilla trekking starts.

You will enter an ancient, thick, dark impenetrable forest to begin hiking the hills and sloping the valleys when looking for the unique species of mountain gorillas inhabited in the famous Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

The trek can take you between 2 and 8 hours to confront the mountain gorillas, and once up close, you will be allowed to spend one magical hour with these stunning apes.

During this time, you can decide to sit down, listen to gorilla crumble, study how these apes go about their daily activities, and take as many photos as possible.

When the one hour is done, you will walk back to the park headquarters and retire back to your lodge for a late lunch and relaxation.

After relaxation, you will be driven to the nearby Batwa community for a memorable, refreshing cultural encounter.

Here, you will be guided by a local guide who will take you to the different communities to see how people have managed to survive through farming.

You will see how local brew is processed from fresh bananas and forest remedies to get beer and Waragi and you will also enjoy the performances done by the local Batwa women groups.

After that interesting cultural encounter, you will drive back to your respective lodge for dinner and overnight.

After the activity, you will retreat back to your lodge for dinner, memory sharing, and overnight.

Accommodation: Buhoma Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Engagi lodge (Midrange/Standard) or Buhoma Community Rest Camp (Budget/Basic).

Day 10: Transfer From Bwindi‘s to Lake Bunyonyi And Do Afternoon Boat Cruise And Relaxation

After an early morning breakfast, you will depart Bwindi, driving through the fascinating Kigezi Highlands, for an afternoon boat cruise, relaxation, dinner, and overnight at Lake Bunyonyi.

Lake Bunyonyi is another major tourist stopover that is undeniably amazing. It is the second-deepest lake in Africa; it contains lots of tasty crayfish, so get set for a culinary delight.

Bunyonyi is a local word that means “many small birds” in direct translation. It’s a perfect stopover for committed birders and travellers who are from hectic gorilla trekking activities.

On arrival to Lake Bunyonyi, you will drive to your lodge for check-in and lunch and you will proceed to catch up with the afternoon boat cruise. You will also participate in refreshing activities such as swimming in the bilharzia-free waters of Bunyonyi, You can also enjoy the evening nature walks in the Bunyonyi Islands .

After exploring the different adventurous activities in lake Bunyonyi, you will retire to your lodge to chill in the fire place while enjoying cool evening of Bunyonyi, You will have your dinner and stay overnight.

Accommodation: Birdnest @Lake Bunyonyi Resort (Upmarket/Luxury), Lake Bunyonyi Eco-resort (Midrange/Standard) or Byoona Amagara Island Retreat (Budget/Basic)

Day 11: Transfer From Lake Bunyonyi to Lake Mburo National Park

After an early morning breakfast, you will embark on a drive transfer from Lake Bunyonyi to Lake Mburo national Park, a distance of 199 kilometers.

The drive will take you through impressive country side landscapes with rural setting and local populations.

Upon your arrival in Lake Mburo National Park, you will have your lunch and afterwards proceed to catch-up with the afternoon boat cruise, which sets off at 2:30 on the magnificent waters of Lake Mburo and takes you across 2-3 hours of adventure.

Not only does the boat trip offer you opportunities to encounter the game while drinking on the lakeside, but it also draws you closer to counts of Hippos, Nile Crocodiles and a range of water birds such as the colorful Kingfishers, magnificent Fish Eagles, Hammerkops and their enormous nests and even the prehistoric-looking Shoebill. Retreat back from the activity to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Mihingo Safari Lodge (Luxury), Arcadia Cottages Mburo (Mid-Range), Eagle’s Nest (Budget).

Day 12: Do the Game game drive and transfer to Kampala With Stopover at The Uganda Equator

After an early morning breakfast, embark on an interesting game drive through the park in search of wild game.

The connection of game tracks found in the eastern part of the park passes through a variety of beautiful landscapes, such as acacia woodland, wetlands vegetation, and Savannah grassland, which supports the survival of different wildlife grazers, including gigantic eland antelope, zebras, waterbucks, Klipspringer and the rare Topi, impala, warthog, oribi, buffalo, and Defassa reedbuck.

The game drive, which takes 2-3hours hours and covers a distance of 150 km, is very rewarding, with views of different wildlife species and an extra view of different bird species.

After the activity, you will retire back to the park headquarters and then proceed with the drive to Kampala.

On your way, you will by-pass Mpigi village, famous for the Royal Drums Makers and, of course, the Ugandan Equator, where you will have your lunch stopover, take photos and shop for a souvenir.

You will arrive to Kampala late in the evening, approximately at 6-7 and the driver will drive you back to your Kampala/Entebbe hotel for dinner and overnight.

End of the 12 Day Uganda Safari Tour