The perfect way to see the very best Uganda has to offer in just over a week, our eight day Highlights of Uganda safari fits in chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park, gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable, and a game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
You’ll get a taste for Uganda’s stunning wildlife diversity and leave with a lifetime of memories.
Your Journey Mapped Out
Ready to set out? Your adventure awaits!
- DAY 1 – ENTEBBE – KIBALE FOREST NATIONAL PARK
- DAY 2 – KIBALE FOREST NATIONAL PARK
- DAY 3 – KIBALE FOREST NATIONAL PARK – QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK
- DAY 4 – QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK
- DAY 5 – QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK – BWINDI IMPENETRABLE NATIONAL PARK
- DAY 6 – BWINDI IMPENETRABLE NATIONAL PARK
- DAY 7 – BWINDI IMPENETRABLE NATIONAL PARK – LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK
- DAY 8 – LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK – ENTEBBE
You'll set out from Entebbe after breakfast and make the drive northwest towards Kibale Forest National Park.
It's a long drive, but you'll break it up with a stop in the town of Fort Portal for lunch and the chance to stretch your legs.
Upon arrival, you'll venture into the Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary for a guided tour along its elevated boardwalks. Surrounded by towering stands of papyrus, you'll look for the sanctuary's resident birds, primates, and game including the rare L'Hoest monkey.
You'll then overnight either within the park or on its outskirts.
You'll get your opportunity for a close encounter with our closest living relative today, as you'll trek into the forest proper in search of its resident chimpanzees.
Habituated to humans, these animals are nonetheless wild, and you'll need to trek some distance into the park for your opportunity to observe their treetop antics. Watch them leap from tree to tree, play and fight, and even show off their fearlessness with daring displays of bravery.
You'll return to your lodge in time for a hot lunch and overnight close to the park.
For those interested, a full day chimpanzee habituation experience can be arranged. On this experience, you'll instead spend your entire day tracking the movements of the chimpanzees as they eat, travel, and sleep.
After breakfast, you'll bid farewell to the cool mountain forest and prepare for warmer weather as you drive down to the wide open spaces of Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Uganda's premier game drive destination is sure to delight, and you'll have your chance to spot its resident lions, elephants, hyenas, antelope, baboons, and giant forest hogs on an afternoon game drive on your way to your lodge.
You'll take an early breakfast before heading out for your full day Queen Elizabeth experience.
Your morning game drive will take you into the Kasenyi region of the park, which is famous for its large numbers of lions who prey upon the area's resident Ugandan kob antelope.
Home to four of the Big Five (the rhino again being absent), Queen Elizabeth National Park's savannah closely resembles the landscape you'd find in the Serengeti or on the Maasai Mara, and you can expect to see elephants, warthogs, lions, antelope, and possibly even the reclusive leopard during your game drive.
Your afternoon offers up a totally different kind of safari, as you'll take a boat out onto Kazinga Channel. This boat ride will not only show off the park's more than 600 bird species, but also offer you the chance to spot buffalo, Nile crocodile, hippos, and elephants as they wallow in the waterway that connects Lake Edward and Lake George.
You'll then overnight within the park.
Today, you'll take a game drive en route to the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. A highlight is sure to be passing through the Ishasha section of the park, which is famous for its resident tree-climbing lions.
Upon arrival in Buhoma, you'll take a guided tour of the village that acts as the gateway to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This is not only a great opportunity to learn more about Ugandan culture, but also a good time to buy some last minute souvenirs.
It's time for what is sure to be the highlight of your trip: a once in a lifetime opportunity to hike into the mountain rainforest and spend some time with the famed 'gorillas in the mist'.
Starting after an early breakfast, you'll attend your pre-trekking briefing before being assigned into a group and heading out into the forest on foot. There's no guarantee how long or short your trek will be, as it depends on the gorillas and the weather, so you could be in the park anywhere from one hour to six or more.
Regardless of how long or short the hike, the reward at the end is the same: a magical hour observing these magnificent creatures as they relax, play, and feed at the heart of the jungle.
Once your hike is complete, you'll return to your lodge for dinner and some well-earned rest.
For those with a little extra energy, a guided waterfall hike or a village tour can be arranged upon request.
You'll bid farewell to the mist-shrouded jungle today as you begin your journey back towards Entebbe.
Your next stop is the small Lake Mburo National Park. A dry park that exists in stark contrast to the verant forests of Bwindi, Lake Mburo is home to a variety of wildlife including zebras and giraffes. With no large predators to fear, it's the perfect place to take a guided walking safari, and that's precisely what you'll do after your lunch.
In the evening, you'll take a game drive to see a few more of the park's inhabitants before turning in.
You'll make your way back towards Entebbe after breakfast today, with a stop at the equator line to snap a photo of yourself standing in two hemispheres at once.
The Trip Cost Includes
- Pick-up or Drop-off service from and to Airport(in our own vehicle)
- Transportation to and from!!
- Food all along the trip(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and a cup of coffee or tea) and accommodations during the trip in hotels with family environment
- Transportation, food, accommodation and insurance of Guide during the trip
- Down jacket, all-season sleeping bag, duffel bag and trekking map(in case if you don’t have your own. Down jacket, sleeping bag and duffel bag must be returned after completion of the trip)
- First Aid Medical Kit(Your guide will carry the Medical Kit but we also advise to bring yourself for your own use, as far as possible)
- All the required permits and paperwork
The Trip Cost Excludes
- International Airfare
- Visa Charges
- Hotel Expenses(In Kathmandu, some packages do include hotel expenses)
- Your travel and medical insurance
- Personal Expenses such as shopping, bar bills, hot shower, telephone, laundry, titbits etc
- Food and accommodations in Kathmandu
- Services not mentioned or not promised by the agent/agency
- Emergency expenses such as expenses on chartered helicopter.
Annapurna Base Camp is a Grade B or a moderately difficult trekking route. So any fit person can do this trek, even if you do not have any previous experience. You should be aware of what to expect and mentally prepare for it. Then, as long as you will to, you can.
On average, you walk about 4 to 6 hours per day. One or two days can be as less as 3hrs and one or two days can be as long as 7hrs.
The highest altitude reached is 4190m. This is the elevation of Annapurna Base Camp. ABC is the highest we will climb in this trek.
Yes, you can charge batteries en route. Charger should be brought. There are hot shower facilities as well. You may have to pay certain amount for both ($1-$2). Negotiate. Also, hot water facility could be free at lower elevation.
No. There are no ATMs on this trek route. You will have to draw enough cash in Pokhara or Kathmandu. There are a number of ATMs in these cities. Everything is paid in Nepali rupees. So money should be exchanged before the start of the trek.
Yes. Internet can be accessed in most places. Sometimes, there might be some technical problems. Internet in Nepal is not as fast as you are used to and at times you can just lose connection.
Not really. It depends on you. If you want, ABC trekking can be done independently. You could hire a guide and a porter by yourself instead of going through an agency or not hire a guide at all. Although, not having a guide can be a little problematic during off season.
It really depends on you. Is it your first time in Nepal? How confident are you of being able to find your way around? How pressed on time are you? If you go through an agency, it will be costlier but everything will be planned. You will only have to come, trek and return.
For Annapurna region, pay for guides range from $20 to $30 per day and porters take $15 to $25 per day.
