The 21-day Uganda safari is amazingly an incredible 3 week expedition in Uganda, taking you through all the 10 National Parks and other exceptional tourist attractions. The 20-night, 21 days safari in Uganda covers destinations such as Kidepo Valley National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Kibale National Park, Mt. Elgon National Park, Rwenzori Mountains National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi, Mgahinga, Semuliki National Park, Lake Bunyonyi and others. The long Uganda safari begins and ends in Kampala/Entebbe.
Detailed Itinerary
Breakfast early in Kampala, pick up from your hotel and then drive 1-2 hours to Jinja via Mabira Forest on Kampala-Jinja highway. A brief stopover be made at Mabira Forest for nature walk and proceed to Jinja for early lunch, relax and after, catch up with your white water rafting adventure. This will be done along the Source of the Nile and sunset boat cruise late in the afternoon/evening.
Accommodation
Luxury: Jinja Nile Resort
Midrange: 2 Friends Jinja
Basic: Paradise Hotel
Enjoy breakfast, after, drive to Sipi Falls on Mt. Elgon, about 5 hrs. Get lunch in a hotel Mbale and proceed to Sipi Falls Area for evening relaxation, dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation
Luxury: Sipi River Lodge
Midrange: Lacam Lodge
Budget: Noah’s Ark
Have an early morning breakfast, after, head off for a hike to triple Sipi Falls on Mt. Elgon. The triple falls range in different elevation from 85m, 75m and 100m respectively and today, you will have a chance to explore both or 2 of them.
Accommodation
Luxury: Sipi River Lodge
Midrange: Lacam Lodge
Budget: Noah’s Ark
After breakfast, transfer to Kidepo Valley National Park 1442sq.kms vast savanna park in Northeastern Uganda, 7 to 8 hrs. Lunch in Moroto Town and go to check into your accommodation for dinner, overnight stay.
Accommodation
Luxury: Apoka Safari Lodge
Midrange: Kidepo Savanna Lodge
Budget: UWA Bandas
After a heavy breakfast, embark on a long day game drive along Narus Valleys to look for the wild cats plus other different animal species. It is in Kidepo where you have a chance to see the cheetahs, plus large herds of buffaloes, elephants, antelopes, birds etc. Retreat for lunch, after, head off to Kidepo valley near South-Sudan border to explore the hot springs, sight birds like ostriches.
Accommodation
Luxury: Apoka Safari Lodge
Midrange: Kidepo Savanna Lodge
Budget: UWA Bandas
After a delicious breakfast, check out of the lodge then set off via Narus Valleys as you keep an eye on the creatures you missed the previous day. Later, head off to Murchison Falls and lunch be offered in Gulu before you connect to Murchison Falls N/P.
Accommodation
Luxury: Paraa Safari Lodge
Midrange: Fort Murchison or Pakuba Safari Lodge
Budget: Heritage Lodge or Red Chili Camp
Have a leisurely breakfast, after, go for a game drive along the Northern Murchison Falls National Park sector. The complete 2-4 hours game drive allows you sight interesting species of wildlife including buffaloes, warthogs, elephants, lions, elusive leopards, birds etc. Retreat from a game drive at 11:00am, enjoy early lunch at leisure and later at 2:00pm, meet other visitors at starting point of your launch cruise on Victoria Nile. This leads you up to the bottom of the falls while spotting crocodiles, hippos, water birds then dinner, overnight back at the booked lodge.
Accommodation
Luxury: Paraa Safari Lodge
Midrange: Fort Murchison or Pakuba Safari Lodge
Budget: Heritage Lodge or Red Chili Camp
Early morning, enjoy a leisurely breakfast and after, set off for a visit to the top of the falls. After your mesmerizing experience at powerful Murchison Falls which squeezes itself into a narrow gorge of 7m, drive to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for rhino tracking.
Accommodation
Amuka Safari Lodge
Breakfast early and after, drive from Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to Kibale National Park, Kabarole district in Western Uganda. En-route lunch will be at Fort Portal, then have a refreshing evening at the lodge in Kibale.
Accommodation
Upmarket: Papaya Lake Lodge, Kyaninga Lodge
Midrange: Primate Lodge, Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse
Budget: Kibale Forest Camp, Isunga Lodge
A hefty breakfast and after, drive or walk up to Kanyanchu Visitor Center depending on your lodge’s location. Be briefed on chimpanzee tracking rules starting at 7:00 am and at 8:00 am, leave to look for chimpanzees 2-4 hours with opportunity to strike your eyes on other interesting primates including red-tailed monkeys, colobus monkeys, bush babies; birds, flora, butterflies etc. Get back, have lunch then head off for a guided nature walk in Bigodi.
Accommodation
Upmarket: Papaya Lake Lodge, Kyaninga Lodge
Midrange: Primate Lodge, Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse
Budget: Kibale Forest Camp, Isunga Lodge
Enjoy a hot cup of tea or coffee, after, leave Kibale for Semuliki N/Park. On early arrival, have adequate relaxation, and then take a short walk at the park as you look out for interesting forest birds, primates etc.
Accommodation
Luxury: Semuliki Safari Lodge
Midrange: Ntoroko Game Lodge
Budget: Kirimia Guesthouse
Early morning breakfast, after, go visit the Sempaya Hot Springs and pygmies at Ntandi. Today is the day you will perform an experiment to confirm how powerful these hot springs are - ensure you have your banana or an egg. Retreat afterwards, to have lunch, later in the afternoon, undertake a game drive to see varied animal species including elephants, leopards, birds etc.
Accommodation
Luxury: Semuliki Safari Lodge
Midrange: Ntoroko Game Lodge
Budget: Kirimia Guesthouse
Have an early breakfast, after, embark on 4-5 hrs drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda’s second largest National Park sitting in Western side of the country. Get to the park early, have a leisurely lunch and later in the afternoon or evening, go enjoy a boat cruise for 2-3 hours with a chance to sight lots of swimming hippos, basking crocodiles, aquatic birds etc.
Accommodation
Luxury: Katara Lodge/Mazike Lodge
Midrange: Bush Lodge/Marafiki Lodge
Budget: Simba Camp/Mweya Hostels
After breakfast, meet your guide for early morning game drive on Kasenyi sector, Queen Elizabeth NP on day 14 of your 21 days Uganda safari. Enjoy great views of elephants, lions, buffaloes, leopards, birds, Kobs and then later get back for lunch. After lunch, drive to Rwenzori Mountains National Park for relaxation, dinner and overnight at booked lodge.
Accommodation
Luxury: Equator Snow Lodge
Midrange: Margherita Hotel
Budget: Camping
Breakfast early morning, after, take a walk through the scenic vegetation zones of Rwenzori Mountains foothills. This also gets you a chance to interact with Bakonzo in their local communities, learn more about their interesting lifestyles, traditions etc.
Accommodation
Luxury: Semuliki Safari Lodge
Midrange: Ntoroko Game Lodge
Budget: Kirimia Guesthouse
Leave Rwenzori Mountains NP after breakfast for 6 hours’ drive to Bwindi National Park. Have lunch en-route and dinner, overnight stay at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park lodges. Bwindi is found in Kabale district, Southwestern Uganda and it is a famous home to 459 mountain gorillas.
Accommodation
Luxury: Chameleon Hill Lodge
Midrange: Rushaga Gorilla Lodge
Budget: Nshongi Camp
After breakfast, go get briefed about gorilla trekking rules at Rushaga or Nkuringo. You will be assigned to any of the 9 mountain gorilla groups in Rushaga or any family depending on the region in Bwindi. Trekking to see gorillas commences at 8: 00am with a guide lasting for 2-6 hours. You get back after one hour with gorillas, photography and relax at the lodge and if time, your energy allows, visit Batwa community.
Accommodation
Luxury: Chameleon Hill Lodge
Midrange: Rushaga Gorilla Lodge
Budget: Nshongi Camp
Have a delicious breakfast, and then leave Bwindi for Mgahinga National Park in Kisoro District. This is about 2-3 hours’ drive and upon arrival, check into the lodge, relax and later, go visit the Batwa community for a thrilling cultural experience.
Accommodation
Luxury: Mount Gahinga Lodge
Midrange: Lake Mutanda Resort
Budget: Travelers Rest Hotel
Rise up early for an early breakfast, after, get briefed on day 19 of 21 Uganda safari about golden monkey tracking rules. A total of about 5 hours should be expected to spend searching for golden monkeys which range only in the Virunga Conservation Area which Mgahinga NP is part. Spend only one hour with them, take photos, learn about their daily behaviors and then return to refresh at the lodge.
Accommodation
Luxury: Mount Gahinga Lodge
Midrange: Lake Mutanda Resort
Budget: Travelers Rest Hotel
After breakfast in a lodge in Mgahinga, meet the driver guide for transfer to Lake Mburo National Park a home to countless zebras, elands, impalas, and also lions, buffaloes, birds etc. Check into your accommodation choice relax or set off for a boat cruise later in the afternoon/evening.
Accommodation
Luxury: Mantana Tented Camp
Midrange: Rwakobo Rock, Arcadia Lodge Lake Mburo
Budget: Camping
Have breakfast, after, set off for a morning game drive to see the diversity of Lake Mburo National Park animal species including giraffes, buffaloes, elands, impalas, zebras, birds. After, continue to Kampala but make a stopover at Equator crossing at Kayabwe after lunch in Igongo Cultural Center.