21 DAYS UGANDA SAFARI.
Overview.
Discover Uganda’s most beautiful national parks on this long Uganda safari. Spend 21 Days on a Safari in Uganda and get an opportunity to visit all different sites and places that make Uganda the Pearl of Africa. This long tour takes you to all the most exciting safari destinations in Uganda including Kidepo Valley national park, Queen Elizabeth national Park, Murchison Falls, Bwindi, Sipi Falls, Lake Mburo, Lake Bunyonyi and Ssese Islands for a memorable holiday experience.
Detailed tour.
Day 1: Arrival.
On arrival at Entebbe International Airport, our safari driver/guide will meet and greet you and then transfer you to your accommodation in Entebbe. You will be briefed about your 21 days Uganda safari. Depending on the time of arrival, we can either do a tour around Entebbe. Later head back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Transfer to Jinja, Explore the Source of R. Nile & White water Rafting Adventure.
You will enjoy an early breakfast and start on the journey to Jinja - Uganda’s former industrial town during the colonial times found in Eastern Uganda. The drive takes you across several small towns with local food vendors hoping on people in vehicles to buy from them. Ahead we shall see huge sugarcane and tea plantations in the Lugazi area.
Passing through Mabira forest, we shall proceed and reach Jinja town and immediately visit the source of R. Nile. At the source of this legendary river, you will also get a chance to see the mighty River Nile (longest river in Africa) starting its journey all the way to the Mediterranean Sea. Have lunch and enjoy Half-day white water rafting in the afternoon. After drive to the lodge for check in, dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Transfer to Sipi falls and afternoon nature walk.
Rise early in the morning for breakfast, check out of the hotel with a packed lunch to Sipi Falls for a nature walk. Here you will undergo a nature walk to the spectacular Sipi Falls, which has its origins from Mountain Elgon and you may have a chance to see the caves, plantations of coffee, matooke along the way. Later we shall check in at the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 4: Transfer to Moroto.
Rise and shine, breakfast served early before we leave the stunning views of Sipi falls and start our journey to Moroto town, off the beaten track by going through the tribes, hoping for a market day to visit the tribes; bumpy roads with a scenic reserve area and a total village set up are the highlights here. On reaching Moroto, we shall immediately check in to the hotel, have a rest and watch the sun set in the evening. Dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Drive to Kidepo Valley National Park.
On the fifth day, we shall make our trip to Kidepo Valley National Park. Wake up to a hot cup of Coffee / tea and embark on a 3 -hours and half drive to Kidepo Valley National Park where you will embark on a game drive in Kidepo valley in anticipation of seeing herds of buffaloes, zebras, elephants, Rothschild giraffes, hyenas, and cheetahs.
You will enjoy a slow drive, you can be sure to seize picture moments while on your game drive, and you can have stops at any moment. Then we shall drive to the lodge check in and spend the evening at leisure admiring the wilderness. Dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Kidepo Valley National Park - game drive.
On this day, we shall do a Game drive and a cultural walk. You will enjoy breakfast as you admire the true wilderness and an out of the world experience! When breakfast is done, you will set out for another rewarding game drive through the open savannah, rocky outcrops, forests and rings of mountains. Drive extensively up to Kanangorok Hot Springs and brace yourself for photo opportunities and chances of catching sight of more wildlife especially lions sitting on the rocks as they scan the park for possible prey.
Drive back to the lodge to relax and have lunch. In the afternoon, head out for a cultural tour to the Karamojong people for a truly unique experience. The Karamojong are predominantly pastoralists and live purposely to fight for their cattle as it is in their belief that every cattle in the world belongs to them. A visit to the Karamojong is a truly rewarding experience you should look forward. Later transfer back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Transfer to Murchison Falls National park.
Wake up Early for breakfast then leave the park in the morning with packed lunch and transfer through Gulu - Uganda’s biggest town in the North. Continue through the flat scenic landscapes with local villages and enjoy the Ugandan countryside. We arrive at the park in the afternoon where we shall check in the lodge immediately to relax and enjoy the park views. Dinner and overnight.
Day 8: Murchison falls NP – Game drive and Boat trip.
Early breakfast and go for a morning game drive in the Northern sector of the park. On a good day, you may have a chance to see animals like buffaloes, antelopes, lions, elephants and many more. Bird species may include the Black chest snake Eagle, blue napped mouse birds, the secretary bird and many more. After the game drive we shall drive back to the lodge and relax, then have lunch.
After lunch, enjoy a boat cruise on the placid Victoria Nile to the bottom of the magnificent Murchison Falls where the Nile plunges through a narrow crevice and over a 40-meter drop. En route, you may be able to see the Nile crocodile, pools of hippos, water bucks and a variety of bird species then drive back to the lodge, on our way we shall still enjoy a game drive. Dinner and overnight.
Day 9: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park.
Early morning after breakfast, we continue driving through the undulating highlands of southwestern Uganda on our way to the greener and beautiful Fort Portal area. Travelling on both asphalt and unpaved roads, you pass through traditional Ugandan Villages where you see people at work tending their traditional crops of maize, sorghum and beans.
The lush rolling hills of this region provide good photo opportunities. As you approach Fort Portal in the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains, you enter Uganda’s famous tea plantation region. A carpet of green spreads before you, as far as the eye can see, and seems an unusual contrast to the countryside through which you have just passed.
After dinner, you might be interested in the optional forest walk in the evening to see the nocturnal primates such as the bush baby, which has a surprising night cry, and potto.
Day 10: Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale National Park.
Our day starts with an early breakfast before meeting our tour guide on a briefing of chimpanzee trekking in Kibale forest. We then head off on foot to track the chimpanzees of Kibale national park, home of an impressive 500 chimpanzees. The dense jungles are considered the best place to view chimpanzees in Africa. The chimpanzees are commonly found feeding on fig tree fruits in the game park.
The guided walk offers a great opportunity to learn more about chimpanzees and other primates along with the various creatures of the jungle. Kibale national park covers 795km squared mostly equatorial rainforest terrain. This national park is home to numerous forest wildlife species, boasting one of the highest concentrations of primates in the world. The 13 primate species include black and white colobus monkeys etc.
Day 11: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Today, you will wake up ready for breakfast and check out of your lodge. You will then embark on a journey to Queen Elizabeth national park. You will arrive ready for lunch and later on the evening, pay a visit to the salt lakes of Katwe and tour the local community. You will head to the lodge, have dinner and overnight.
Day 12: Queen Elizabeth NP – Game drives and boat cruise.
After coffee, we set off on an early morning game drive in Queen Elizabeth national park exploring the area along Kasenyi and Queens’s Mile. Wildlife sightings include elephants, lions, buffaloes, Uganda Kobs, waterbucks, warthogs and various bird species. In the evening, we embark on a two - hour boat trip on Kazinga channel, getting up close to hippos, buffalos and other wildlife.
The boat trip offers excellent bird watching opportunities as well as the chance to see elephants, warthogs and kobs. The banks of the channel are home to a rich variety of wildlife. This ride will leave you with an amazing experience on water. When back on the shores, you will ride back to the lodge for dinner and night.
Day 13: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
This morning, you will depart the lodge with all your belongings and set out for a game drive in the Ishasha area bracing yourself for a chance to see the rare tree-climbing lions. The climbing lions can be seen lounging in the fig trees during mid- morning as they rest from the previous night’s strenuous hunt!
However, it is not a guarantee that the lions will be seen. Sometimes it depends on the luck and time of reaching the area. You will have lunch in the Ishasha sector and after proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable forest National Park in preparation for your next day Gorilla trek. Later head to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 14: Gorilla trekking.
After an early morning breakfast, you will drive to the park headquarters for briefing with your packed lunch and later go for gorilla trekking, this could take 4-8 hours depending on the movement of the gorillas. After trekking, meet your driver and transfer back to the hotel where you will unwind as you reflect on the memorable gorilla trek. Later head to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 15: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi.
After breakfast, you will depart for Lake Bunyonyi, which is one of the deepest lakes in Africa. Lake Bunyonyi has almost 32 Islands and is a good stop over for relaxation from trekking Mountain Gorillas. Upon arrival, you will go on a boat ride, which will enable you visit most of the islands on the Lake. Each Island is named according to the bird species found on the Island and some were named because of their purposes for example the Punishment Island, which is the smallest and was used by the Bakiga people to drop their girls who got pregnant before marriage.
You will also learn a lot more about the Islands and the people that inhabit them and after the Boat ride, return back to the Lodge for relaxation while you watch the beautiful sunset. Later head to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 16: Transfer to Lake Mburo NP.
After breakfast, you will start on a long journey to Lake Mburo national park. As we drive straight to our resting and chilling zone, we shall have a stopover in Mbarara town for lunch and then proceed to Lake Mburo National park, enter the park with a game drive en-route having a chance to see a number of wildlife and zebras since Lake Mburo is the home for zebras.
On reaching the lodge, we shall have lunch then check in at your lodge, we can have the whole afternoon for resting, swimming, personal interests as well as enjoying the scenic views of Lake Mburo. Later head to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 17: Nature walk and Boat cruise on Lake Mburo.
Breakfast will be served early and after go for the hyena walk with in the Park. This is a guided walk where you will be escorted by a park ranger from the Uganda wildlife Authority who will provide you with vital information about the Park and the trail.
Return to the lodge after the walk for Lunch, in the evening you will head for a game drive. Retire at your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 18: Game drive and transfer to back Kampala.
On this day, you will wake up ready for breakfast, get ready for a game drive in Lake Mburo national park were you might see some of these various mammals like buffaloes, topi, impala, zebra, jackals, leopard, warthog, bushbucks among others plus primates like the vervet monkeys, olive baboons with numerous bird species like the black billed barbet, white winged warblers and crested francolins. After this game drive, you will drive to Entebbe. Later head to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 19: Transfer to Kalangala- Ssese islands.
After breakfast, you will be transferred to Nakiwogo on MV Kalangala ferry, cross and reach the Bugala islands the piece of paradise surrounded by water. The islands will eventually unwind you from all the adrenalin activities, relax and enjoy some peace and quiet before you go back to home at the end of your trip. It happens to be close to Entebbe airport, so can end your trip there.
The Ssese archipelago is found southwest of the huge Lake Victoria and comprises of 84 different islands with two primary tourist Islands, which include the Bugala Island and Banda Island. Among the tourist attractions here are vervet plus Colobus monkeys, several bird species as well as numerous colorful butterflies. Later head to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 20: Explore Ssese Islands.
Following breakfast, have a nature walk on the island or enjoy birding just as you may prefer. In the afternoon you may relax on the beach and have a swim as well as sun bathe, take the canoe ride around other neighboring islands or do sport fishing. Certainly, you will never be bored with all these numerous activities. Head to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 21: Transfer back to Entebbe.
Today after breakfast, you will return to the main land at Entebbe by Ferry and from there the driver guide will transfer you to the Entebbe international airport for your air transfer back home.