Are you wondering on how best you can spend your 12 days while in Uganda. Here is a proposed 12 day itinerary that you need to discover, its a mixture of both gorillas and wildlife. The 12-day Uganda wildlife and primate safari is an amazing safari that takes you in to Uganda’s top tourism destinations to discover the beauty of wildlife and gorillas. The trip starts from Sipi falls where you will enjoy the clear views of the waterfalls then cross to Uganda’s largest national park Murchison to enjoy the game drives and boat cruises as you spot wildlife. From here, you will drive to Budongo forest to have a close encounter with the chimpanzees.
Day 6 takes you to Queen Elizabth national park for a game drive and a boat cruise along Kazinga channel a 32km to see plenty of wildlife and birdlife. Queen Elizabeth is a home to some of the big 5 safari thus offering you an ultimate adventure. Your trip commences to Bwindi impenetrable national park to see gorillas in their natural habitat for a once life experience. These 12 days primate and wildlife safari ends with a canoe ride and relaxation at lake Bunyonyi the Switzerland of Africa. This trip is an amazing trip that leaves you immersed in to Uganda’s nature and wildlife.
Brief itinerary
Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe and transfer to the hotel.
Day 2: Transfer to sipi falls.
Day 3: Hiking to visit all the three waterfalls at Sipi & coffee tour
Day 4: Transfer to Murchison falls national park.
Day 5: Game drive, evening boat cruise and visit top of the falls.
Day 6: Transfer to Budongo, chimp trekking.
Day 7: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park.
Day 8: Game drive and evening boat cruise.
Day 9: Transfer to Bwindi passing via Ishasha sector.
Day 10: Gorilla trekking and cross to Lake Bunyonyi.
Day 11: Canoe ride and relaxation.
Day 12: Transfer from lake Bunyonyi to Entebbe.
Detailed itinerary for the 12 days Uganda wildlife and primate safari.
Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe and transfer to the hotel.
Upon arrival at the airport, our guide will be ready to receive you and take you through your 12 days travel plan in Uganda. From here you will transfer you to the hotel in Entebbe for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation: Best western (midrange), Via Via Entebbe (Budget)
Meal plan: Bed & breakfast
Day 2: Transfer to sipi falls.
After breakfast, you will checkout of the hotel and transfer to sipi falls that are situated in Kapchorwa which is north East of Mbale. The falls are encompassed with two nearby districts that is Sironko and Mbale. You will encounter the Sipi Falls at the edge of Lays Mountain Elgon National Park as you approach the Kenyan border. The Sipi Falls are mainly made up of the 3 which are the Chebeti, Ngassire and the Kapkwai falls. You will have a stop over at jinja for your en route meal then proceed with your journey to Sipi. You will arrive at the lodge and check in, where you will have dinner and spend the night while you await the excitement and adventure that will come the next day.
Accommodation: Home of Friends
Meal plan: Full board
Day 3: Hiking to visit all the three waterfalls at Sipi & coffee tour.
Following an early breakfast, you will meet your local guide and set out to view all three waterfalls. You will travel a 7 to 8-kilometer route that leads you in to local towns and tea and banana plantations, which are the area’s principal economic crops.
During your journey of exploring the waterfalls, you will enjoy the breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside, which includes the verdant slopes of Mount Elgon and the far-off flat plains of Karamoja. The plunge, breathtaking vistas, cakes, and rainbows are just a few of the experiences that each waterfall has to offer.
Your full adventure, takes 3 to 4 hours, with a stop over at the first waterfall, then descending to the second, and eventually reaching the third which is the largest and most significant, at the trail’s end. You will return to your lodge for lunch. After lunch, you will visit the local coffee farms where you will learn more about the coffee production process from seed to cup, and enjoying a tasting of the locally grown Arabica coffee. The tour often includes seeing the coffee plants, the eco-friendly drying process, and learning about traditional ways of drying the coffee.
Later you will return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation: Home of Friends
Meal plan: Full board
Day 4: Transfer to Murchison falls national park.
Very early in the morning, you will rise up, take your hearty break fast then prepare to transfer to Murchison falls national park. The park is Uganda’s largest park famously known for its powerful falls and home to the big 5 animals.
En route lunch will be taken on the way then proceed on transferring to Murchison falls national park arriving in the late evening. Check in at your lodge, dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation options: Luxury: Chobe Safari Lodge/Paraa safari Lodge, Pakuba / Sambiya safari Lodge (midrange), Heritage safari Lodge/Red Chili Rest Camp. (Budget)
Meal plan: Dinner& Breakfast.
Day 5: Game drive afternoon boat cruise and visit top of the falls.
Early in the morning after breakfast, your guide will be ready to take you to the jungle in search of wildlife and bird species. The game drive exposes you to sightings of wildlife species like Elephants, Lions, Leopards, Giraffes, Kobs, Buffaloes, baboons, and many more.
After the game drive in Murchison falls national park, you will drive back to your lodge for lunch and refreshments. From here proceed with a boat cruise to the bottom of the mighty Murchison Falls with spectacular views and a view of several aquatic species on the river banks. After a boat cruise, you will go and visit the top of the falls. You will be able to view the breathtaking views of the powerful falls.
Later you will return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Meal Plan: Lunch and Dinner.
Accommodation options: Luxury: Chobe Safari Lodge/Paraa safari Lodge, Pakuba / Sambiya safari Lodge (midrange), Heritage safari Lodge/Red Chili Rest Camp (Budget).
Day 6: Transfer to Budongo, chimp trekking.
Kick start the day with a tasty break fast at your lodge, meet with your guide and drive from Murchison to Budongo for your chimpanzee trekking experience. Budongo is a home to over 80 individuals of the chimpanzee species. Chimpanzee trekking starts with a briefing at the park headquarters about the perfect way to behave with these chimpanzees in their natural habitat.
From the briefing, you will go in to the jungle, the terrain is generally flat so worry less about the hard trek, however on some occasions when they are quite far from Kaniyo Pabidi in search for food with in their habitats you will need to encounter a long trek. Note only one hour is offered for you to spend with these chimpanzees, take photos, and also see how they go about their daily activities.
After the experience drive with your guide to the lodge for lunch and overnight stay.
Accommodation: Budongo Eco lodge.
Meal plan: Half Board.
Day 7: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park.
Wake up early in the morning, enjoy breakfast, check out at your lodge and prepare to transfer from Budongo to Queen Elizabeth national park. The park is second largest park and it lies in the western parts of Uganda. The park is a home to the big 5 animals and plenty of bird species.
En route lunch will be taken in Fort portal then later prepare to transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park arriving in the late evening.
Check in at your lodge, dinner and overnight stay
Accommodation options: Mweya safari lodge (luxury), Adavark (midrange), Song bird (Budget).
Day 8: Game drive and evening boat cruise.
Start the day with a cup of coffee to warm up before going on the wildlife drive on the Kasenyi plains. You will be amazed at how the early risers interact with each other in the wild as you see many species that call this place home, including Cape buffaloes, lions, elephants, Uganda Kob, topi, Defassa waterbuck, and bush bucks. After that, you will return to the lodge with your lunch ready to eat, change, and depart for the two-hour boat ride down the Kazinga Channel a 32 km long natural channel that connects both lake George and Edward.
A boat cruise around Kazinga channel offers many sighting of the hippos, crocodiles, buffaloes, various bird species such as red chest, papyrus Gonolek, pink backed pelicans, malachite kingfishers, yellow crown, water thick-knee, yellow-billed stork, shoe bill stock.
Thereafter head back to lodge dinner and rest.
Accommodation options: Mweya safari lodge (luxury), Adavark (midrange) Song bird (budget)
Meal plan: Full Board.
Day 9: Transfer to Bwindi passing via Ishasha sector.
Grab a cup of tea in the morning then do a morning game drive passing through the Ishasha sector as you cross to Bwindi impenetrable national park. This sector of Queen Elizabeth is perfect for game drive due to its presence of the tree climbing lions and plenty of both the animal and bird species. You will later proceed to Bwindi impenetrable national park arriving in th late evening.
Check in at your lodge, dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodations: Gorilla leisure lodge (luxury) Ichumbi lodge (midrange), Rushaga haven lodge(budget)
Meal plan: Dinner and Break fast.
Day 10: Gorilla trekking and cross to Lake Bunyonyi.
Morning.
After breakfast, you’ll be taken to the parks head quarters for a briefing in the morning. The briefing entails park rangers equipping trekkers with vast knowledge about the perfect conduct to behave with the gorillas while in their natural habitat.
Trek and Observation.
You will depart for your gorilla trek into the indigenous forest in search for the Gorillas. This trek gives you the opportunity to immerse yourself into the strange but intimate part of the rain-forest where you will hear live calls of colorful birds and plenty of monkey species. Upon encountering these gentle giants, only one hour is offered for interaction. This one hour includes taking flashness photos and also viewing these apes go about their daily activities (like feeding, sleeping, breast feeding etc)
Afternoon
Your guide will drive your back to your lodge to have a tasty lunch after your gorilla trekking experience. From here drive to Lake Bunyonyi the Switzerland of Africa.
Evening
Relaxation at lake Bunyonyi, dinner and overnight stay at your lodge.
Accommodations: Arcadia cottages (Luxury), Bunyonyi Eco resort (midrange)
Meal plan: Half Board.
Day 11: Canoe ride and relaxation.
On this day, early in the morning you will enjoy your morning meals at your lodge then prepare and do a canoe ride. You can take a canoe ride and visit some of the islands of the lake such as the punishment island. At this island you will be able to learn about the history of these place as well as enjoy the wonderful views of the surrounding.
Later return to your lodge for lunch and relaxation around. In the late evening enjoy dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodations:Arcadia cottages (Luxury), Bunyonyi Eco resort (midrange).
Meal plan: Full Board.
Day 12: Transfer from lake Bunyonyi to Entebbe.
Very early in the morning as you watch the sun rise in the woods. Wake up, eat breakfast, and check out of from your lodging. From here, head to Entebbe with a stop over for lunch in Kabale. Upon reaching Entebbe, you will bid fare well to your guide then fly out. Safe travels.
Tour Inclusions.
A full-time professional English-speaking guide.
Gorilla and Chimpanzee trekking permits.
All activities on itinerary & park entry fees.
All accommodations mentioned in the itinerary.
Transport in Standard Safari vehicle
All meals specified on Full Board.
En route meals.
Safe bottled drinking water.
Tour exclusions.
International Flights
Items of Personal Nature such as souvenirs etc.
Tips and Gratuity
Laundry.