The 8 Days Uganda safari offers some of the country’s most thrilling wildlife encounters combined with breathtaking primate experiences. The tour focuses on experiences in Uganda’s major national parks such as game drives in Murchison falls national park and Queen Elizabeth national park.
Explore primate encounters like gorilla trekking and chimpanzee tracking in Bwindi impenetrable national park and Kibale national park respectively. This tour can also be customised basing on your safari interests, budget and travel time.
Safari highlights:
- Rhino tracking at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
- Game drive, boat cruise in Murchison falls national park & top of the falls experience
- Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale national park
- Game drive & boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth national park
- Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrabele national park
- Optional cultural experiences
Trip summary
Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe & transfer to Murchison falls national park with a stopover at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Day 2: Game drive & boat cruise in Murchison falls national park
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale national park
Day 4: Chimpanzee tracking and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
Day 5: Game drive and a boat cruise on Kazinga Channel
Day 6: Tree-climbing lions & transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 7: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 8: Transfer back to Entebbe for departure
Detailed itinerary – 8 Days Uganda safari
Day 1: Arrive at Entebbe and transfer to Murchison Falls national park with a stopover at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Arrive at Entebbe International Airport, meet your safari guide and head northwest to Murchison Falls national park, Uganda’s largest and oldest conservation area (5-7 hours). Have a stopover at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for a guided rhino tracking experience.
Get up close on foot to these massive creatures and observe how they live in this sanctuary. Enjoy your en-route lunch after visiting the rhinos before continuing with your drive to the park. Check into your lodge and relax before dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Game drive and boat cruise in Murchison falls national park
After your early breakfast, step out for a morning game drive on the northern bank of the Nile. This part of the park is rich in wildlife including elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, lions, leopards, waterbucks, Uganda kobs, plus a variety of bird species. Return to your lodge for lunch and relaxation after the game drive. In the afternoon, go for a thrilling boat cruise on the Nile River to the bottom of the magnificent Murchison Falls.
While on the boat trip you will encounter a variety of water-loving animals including elephants, buffaloes, crocodiles, and hippos. Don’t miss numerous species along the channel including cormorants, kingfishers, and the rare shoebill stork. Enjoy the breathtaking views of the powerful Murchison Falls when you get close to the bottom of the falls. You may also opt for a hike to the top of the falls to see how the waters of the Nile plunge into the narrow gorge to form the magnificent waterfall. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale national park
Have a relaxed breakfast at the lodge and embark on a scenic drive heading southwest to Kibale national park, the “Primate Capital of the World,” (6-7 hours). En-route, enjoy amazing views of diverse landscapes including rolling hills, plantations and local villages. Have en-route lunch at Fort Portal town, a scenic town with views of the mighty Rwenzori mountains. Arrive at your lodge, relax and enjoy your dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Chimpanzee tracking and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
After an early breakfast, head to the headquarters of Kibale national park for a briefing on chimpanzee tracking. Head into the forest to look for chimpanzees led by experienced park rangers. Meet these intelligent primates and spend the permitted magical hour in their presence observing how they feed, play and interact in their natural habitat.
While still in the forest, you may encounter other primates including L’Hoest monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, and grey-cheeked mangabeys plus a variety of bird species. Return to your lodge for lunch and relaxation after the trek. In the late afternoon, embark on a scenic drive to Queen Elizabeth national park with amazing views of the Rwenzori mountains and the Albertine Rift Valley. Enjoy an evening game drive through the park as you head to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Game drives and boat cruise on Kazinga Channel
Take an early breakfast and go for a morning game drive in the Kasenyi plains, a haven for wildlife such as lions, leopards, buffaloes, elephants, uganda kobs and hundreds of antelopes. Return to your lodge to relax and refresh.
In the afternoon, enjoy a thrilling and rewarding boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel which connects Lake George to Lake Edward. Witness a variety of wildlife along the channel including hippos, crocs, buffaloes, elephants as well as an array of waterbirds. return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Ishasha tree-climbing lions and transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
After breakfast, drive south of the park through the famous Ishasha sector, known for its breathtaking tree-climbing lions. Enjoy a game drive seeing other wildlife as you look for these elusive big cats usually seen hanging in fig trees.
Continue your journey to Bwindi impenetrable national park enjoying scenic of the beautiful Kigezi Highlands, often referred to as the “Switzerland of Africa.” Arrive and check into your lodge at Bwindi, relax and enjoy your dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Take an early breakfast and head to the park headquarters of Bwindi impenetrable national park for a briefing on gorilla trekking. You will be grouped together with other trekkers and assigned one of the gorilla groups to visit. Head into the forest led by park rangers and guides searching for the gorillas.
The trek may last anywhere between 1-6 hours depending on the location and movement of gorilla in the forest. Once you find them, you will spend one magical hour in their presence observing how the feed, play and rest in their natural habitat as you photograph them as well.
At the end of the experience, return to park headquarters and receive a gorilla tracking certificate from park officials. Return to your lodge to relax and refresh. In the evening, you may choose to go for a cultural tour in the Batwa pygmy community and explore their amazing culture and traditions. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 8: Transfer back to Entebbe
After a relaxed breakfast at your lodge, embark on a scenic drive bark to Entebbe/Kampala for your departure flight (8-9 hours drive). Enjoy scenic views along the way including a stopover at the Equator for photography and souvenir shopping.
Important considerations for the 8 Days Uganda safari
Gorilla permits and chimpanzee permits should be booked at 6 months in advance before the tracking date through a credible tour operator. A gorilla permit in Uganda is sold at $800 per person for foreign nonresidents while a chimpanzee permit is at $250 per person. The packing list for gorilla trekking includes sturdy hiking boots, khaki trousers, long-sleeved shirt, pair of gloves and a camera.
The best season for gorilla trekking and other safari experiences in Uganda is during the dry seasons in June to September and December to February. The minimum age for gorilla trekking in Uganda is 15 years. You need a relative level of fitness in order to manage the gorilla trekking encounter through the rugged and dense montane rainforest without much difficulty. Accommodation, transport and guiding services will be organised by your tour operator.