12 Days Uganda Safari – Overview

12 Days Uganda safari is designed to offer you an encounter with wildlife, culture, scenery, adventure and Eco tours.

The safari tour takes you to Lake Mburo National Park – the smallest Savannah park in Uganda where Impala can be encountered and with great counts of Burchell’s zebra not forgetting eland – the world’s second largest antelope.

Community cultural tour to have an encounter with Ankole long horned cattle and its surrounding practices at Enyemebwa center, mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, game viewing including tree climbing lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park, boat cruise on the 45km long Kazingaa Channel amidst sights of Nile crocodiles and Hippos, adventure hike to legendary mountains of the moon – the Ruwenzori as described by greekn geographer in 150 AD, Chimpanzee trekking along with 12 primate species in Kibale national Park, heritage and scenic encounters at Amabere g’ Nnyinamwiru caves and Fort Portal crater lake field, Mpanga tea estate cycling, the Mplalo yoayl tombs visit, World’s powerful Murchison falls encounter, game viewing in Murchison Falls National Park featuring the Big five i.e. lions, buffaloes elephants, leopards with Rhinos in the adjacent Rhino sanctuary not forgetting the giraffes and Jackson hartebeest. The boat rude on River Nile is also incorporated to make your 12 days Uganda safari memorable.

12 Days Uganda Safari – Highlights

• Day 1: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park & an evening nature walk
• Day 2: Do a community cultural tour (Enyemebwa center) & transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
• Day 3: Do gorilla trekking & have an evening Batwa/Bakiga cultural performance
• Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park & do Ishasha game drive
• Day 5: Do morning game drive & afternoon Kazinga Channel Launch cruise
• Day 6: Do Maramagambo forest walk & transfer to Kasese
• Day 7: Do Mount Rwenzori Hiking & transfer to Fort Portal
• Day 8: Do Chimpanzee trekking & visit Amabere g’ Nnyinamwiru caves & do Fort Portal Crater hike
• Day 9: Do Mpanga tea estate cycling & transfer to Hoima & do Bunyoro heritage trail & Hoima town walk.
• Day 10: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park & visit the top of the falls.
• Day 11: Do morning game drive & afternoon boat cruise
• Day 12: Transfer to Kampala & visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary en route.

12 Days Uganda Safari – Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park & an Evening Nature Walk

Transfer from your place of abode in Kampala after breakfast heading to the south west of Uganda 240km about 3 – 4 hours’ drive to Lake Mburo National Park.

You will make a stop at the equator crossing – Kayabwe for amazing water experiment to justify the geographical divide between the north and southern hemispheres.

Continue to Lake Mburo National Park to check in at your lodge, have lunch and relax so as to prepare for an evening nature walk.

Exploring wild game on foot at the same time enjoying the acacia scenic landscape of Lake Mburo is very rewarding. Wild game like Burchell’s zebra, topis, Impala, oribis, warthog, eland, deffasa waterbuck might be encountered.

The Savannah vegetation marked by rolling grassland and thicket with acacia wood land dotted with rolling hills with protruding Precambrian rocks not forgetting series of Lakes that mark the valley floors combine to make the nature walk encounter at certain look out points like Kazuma hill memorable while in Lake Mburo National Park. Retire for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Mihingo Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Arcadia Cottages (Midrange/Standard) or Eagles Nest (Budget/Basic).

Day 2: Do a Community Cultural Tour (Enyemebwa center) & Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

The Enyemebwa center is under the auspices of Ankole Cow Conservation Association (ACCA) which is motivated by the desire to conserve the Ankole long horned cattle.

The selected beautiful cows (Enyemebwa) thrive at that center along with other traditions that include the kraal, herd’s man hut, respective handicrafts, and the entire setting that features that of the traditional Hima people of Ankole.

The morning tour will give an opportunity to have an experiential touch with the herdsmen, participate in hand-milking, brushing the cows and setting out to graze in the traditional range lands of Ankole.

You can have a chance of watering the cattle on hand crafted water trough made up of soil before mid-day.

After this encounter, embark on the transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable national Park (Rushaga) 272km. Have lunch at Igongo cultural center and continue to arrive in Bwindi in the evening for relaxation and overnight.

Accommodation: Chameleon Hill Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Gorilla Valley Lodge (Midrange/Standard) or Wagtail Eco-Safari Camp (Budget/Basic).

Day 3: Do Gorilla Trekking & Have an Evening Batwa/Bakiga Cultural Performance

It is this long waited date when you will come across the critically endangered mountain gorillas that only exist in Bwindi and Virunga Volcanoes.

You will wake up early for a heavy breakfast before gathering at the Park headquarters Buhoma for briefing at 08:00 about the conduct of gorilla trekking.

You will head to the forest after briefing in search of these apes and though the trek is a bit challenging, it is one of those activities that you will never forget to have done in Uganda.

The 2 – 8 hours activity involves hiking up the hills, descending down the valleys, walking through swamps and maneuvering the way through thickets which have formed the background of this Impenetrable forest before coming in direct contact with gorillas.

The one full hour is at your disposal to maximize your experience with gorillas as you them forage, play, socialize and also gaze at you in a sign of welcoming and saying good bye.

The opportunity to take as many photos as you can is availed to you while asking questions to your guide about these apes is up to your discretion.

The experience is rewarding and worth undertaking. Your picnic lunch will take you through the activity after which you will descend to the lodge for relaxation.

In the evening the Bakiga or Batwa dance groups can be invited at the lodge to give you a thrilling traditional entertainment. This will en rich your cultural encounters in Uganda.

Accommodation: Chameleon Hill Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Gorilla Valley Lodge (Midrange/Standard) or Wagtail Eco-Safari Camp (Budget/Basic).

Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park & do Ishasha Game Drive

After breakfast transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park – the highest visited Game Park in Uganda 309km.

The drive involves traversing the rolling hill of Kigezi and eastern forested landscapes of Bwindi as you make your way to the north before approaching the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park – Ishasha where you will undertake simple game drive in search of tree climbing lions that tend to rest on the fig tree branches.

The tree climbing lions thrive in only in this part of Uganda and in Lake Manyara National Park but Ishasha offers ideal encounters because of its short trees.

You might be lucky to spot some and then continue to your respective lodge for relaxation and overnight.

Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge (Upmarket/luxury), Enganzi lodge (Midrange/standard) or Pumba Safari Camp (Budget/Basic).

Day 5: Do Morning Game Drive & Afternoon Kazinga Channel Launch Cruise

Wake up very for a cup of coffee before setting of for the game drive activity in the Savannah game park of Queen Elizabeth.

The early departure at 06:00 gives you an opportunity to see night hunters like hyenas getting back to their hiding places and early risers setting off to look for what to eat.

The drive through the Kasenyi and channel tracks gives a probable opportunity to see a range of game including; Lions, buffalo, elephants, elusive leopard (if too lucky), defassa water bucks, Uganda kobs, Oribis, side stripped jackal among other wildlife.

Return to the lodge after this 3 -4 hour game drive and relax till lunch time. After lunch, you will gather at Mweya for a recreational afternoon launch cruise leaving at 03:00pm taking 2 hours exploring the magical offerings of Kazinga Channel including the sights of water birds and wild game drinking on the channel side, the Nile crocodile and the Hippos.

The 45m channel that stretches from Lake George to Lake Edward has tranquil waters that always give pleasure and psychological satisfaction to any traveler on Uganda safaris. Retire from the boat at 5 pm for relaxation and overnight.

Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Enganzi Lodge (Midrange/Standard) or Pumba Safari Cottages (Budget/Basic).

Day 6: Do Maramagambo Forest Walk & Transfer to Kasese

After breakfast, embark on the nature walk in the Maramagambo forest to have an encounter of the natural offerings in this mature tropical forest.

You will marvel at amazing tree species, forest canopy, forest birds including; African Finfoot, Black Cuckoo, Red-chested Cuckoo, African Emerald Cuckoo, Black Coucal, Yellow bill, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Blue-throated Roller, Black Bee-eater, Barbets, Brown-eared Woodpecker, Red-throated Wryneck, Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike and Honey guide.

You will enjoy the bat cave where a colony of bats thrives alongside the giant python. Return to the lodge for lunch and relaxation after which you will embark on the transfer to Kasese area for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Ihamba Safari Lodge (Upmarket/Midrange) or Ruboni Community Camp (Budget/Basic).

Day 7: Do Mount Rwenzori Hiking & Transfer to Kibale National Park

Transfer early after breakfast to Mount Rwenzori (Nyakalengija) for the whole day Rwenzori hiking encounter.

The hiking encounter exposes you to raised landscapes of Mount Rwenzori offering impressive scenic views of the ridges and glaciers and the rift valley flats below.

It is a perfect one day active adventure exploring the legendary mountains of the moon as described the famous Greek geographer Ptolemy in 150AD towering to 5,109m above sea level making it the tallest mountain range in Africa and the third highest in Africa.

Return from the activity at 5:30 pm and transfer to Kibale National Park for relaxation and overnight.

Accommodation: Primate Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Chimpanzee Guesthouse (Midrange/Standard) or Kibale Forest Camp (Budget/Basic).

Day 8: Do Chimpanzee Trekking & Visit Amabere g’ Nnyinamwiru Caves & Do Fort Portal Crater Hike

Transfer after breakfast to Kanyanchu tourism center (Kibale National Park) to catch up with briefing at 08:00am from the park rangers about the Chimp trekking conduct.

Set off to this forest of Kibale after the short briefing in quest of Chimpanzees. The 2 – 5 hour trek will expose you amazing tree species and wildlife including other 12 species of primates like Colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, Red tailed monkeys and olive baboons.

The sights of Birds cannot be avoided while their songs will offer you natural entertainment through the jungle. You will marvel at the Chimpanzees as the roll themselves on tree branches, munch fruits and make their pant – hooting calls.

After utilizing your one hour, you will have a picnic lunch and return to the starting point for short relaxation and preparation for another activity.

In the afternoon, you will have lunch in Fort Portal town before continuing to visit the Amabere g’ Nnyinamwiru caves – the breast like features that date back in the pre historic era with great attachment to the Chwezi heritage.

The breasts (Amabere) are believed by the locals to belong to Nnyinamwiru the daughter of Bukuku who was a self-imposed King of the Bachwezi.

The maiden daughter cut her breasts in protest of being refused to breast feed her only son Ndahura who later became a prominent King of the Chwezi Empire.

The encounter also involves the hiking the Fort Portal Crater field. The famous Kyeganywa hill rises in a conical shape and its summit presents great sight-seeing moments of the range crater hollows and crater lakes including Saaka, Bikere among others not forgetting the distant views of Mount Rwenzori on a clear day. Retire for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Kyaninga Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Mountains of the Moon Hotel (Midrange/Standard) or Rwenzori View Guesthouse (Budget/Basic).

Day 9: Do Mpanga Tea Estate Cycling & Transfer to Hoima & do Bunyoro Heritage Trail & Hoima Town Walk.

Transfer after breakfast to Mpanga tea estate close to Fort Portal town for a tea estate cycling encounter. You will do a cycling tour through the tea plantations, have an opportunity to participate in tea plucking with the estate workers and then pay a visit to the tea factory to get acquainted with the process of tea growing and processing.

After this activity that lasts 2 – 3 hours, you will transfer to Hoima an approximate 5 hour drive on a rough road.

Upon arrival, you will visit undertake the Bunyoro heritage trail and pay visit to Mpalo Royal Tombs. The visit to the Mpalo Royal Tombs allows you to encounter the tombs of historical Kings of Bunyoro like King (Omukama) Kabalega who is famously known for resisting against the British rule in Bunyoro and his wide range of equipment that he used in his leadership and everyday life.

Upon return from this activity, you will walk through the Hoima town to explore the way of life of the local people, visit the local markets and explore new products before returning to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Kontik Hotel/ Kolping Hotel.

Day 10: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park & Visit The Top of The Falls.

After breakfast, embark on the transfer to Murchison Falls National Park and upon arrival, you will visit the top of the Murchison falls.

Embark on the exploration of the top of Murchison Falls which is the powerful waterfalls in the world to marvel at the Nile River which is the longest River in the world squeezing itself to pass through an 8m ravine before falling 43m to what has been termed as the Devils Cauldron forming a thunderous roar with a plume of spray marked by trade mark rainbow.

Sir Samuel Baker was the first European to marvel at this feature on 14^th March 1864 on his Nile expedition from the north and named after the then president of the Royal Geographical society – Sir Roderick Murchison. Retire for relaxation and overnight.

Accommodation: Paraa Safari Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Murchison River Lodge (Midrange/Standard) or Heritage Safari Lodge (Budget/Basic).

Day 11: Do Morning Game Drive & Afternoon Boat Cruise

Wake up very early for a cup of coffee and then head to Paraa ferry crossing at 7:00am (if you slept in the south) to the northern sector of the Park where game drives are carried out.

The possible sights of various wildlife including; elephants, buffalo, Jackson hartebeest, Kobs, lion, leopard, giraffe among other wildlife will leave you with a taste of African Savannah wilderness.

The activity takes 3 – 4 hours after which you will return to the Paraa ferry crossing at 11:00am to go back to your lodge for relaxation and memory sharing.

After your stimulating lunch, gather at the Paraa for an after boat cruise on the Nile at 02:00pm. This boat trip has got captains and guides who have cruised on this waters for years and will be glad to share with every piece of information that you would wish to gather on this trip including any bird species and wildlife both aquatic and land that might present its self.

The shoe-bill stork can be luckily seen on this boat while the great sights of Nile crocodiles – the second largest reptile in the world and the Hippos would make up your trip up to the base of the falls. The boat takes 3 hours after which you will have marked the end of your day’s adventures.

Accommodation: Paraa Safari Lodge (Upmarket/luxury), Murchison River lodge (Midrange/standard) or Heritage Safari Lodge (Budget/Basic).

Day 12: Transfer to Kampala & visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary En-route.

Transfer after breakfast to Kampala – the Uganda’s capital city 311km about 5 hours’ drive excluding stops en route.

Drive to the south and branch off from the main road at Nakitoma 115km from Kampala for 7 km drive to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to track white rhinos that only thrive at this place in the whole of Uganda. You will have lunch en route and continue to arrive in Kampala in the afternoon.

End of The 12 Days Uganda Safari.

Getting There