Classic Africa Safari in Uganda – 11 days

Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport you will be met by a member of the Naturetrack Expeditions team who will transfer you by road to your hotel in Entebbe.
Overnight The Boma Hotel Entebbe

You will link up with our tour guide in Kampala at 8am and together you will head to western Uganda to Lake Mburo National Park. You will arrive in Lake Mburo National Park in the late mid-morning; you will check into your accommodation, have some time to relax and also have lunch at your accommodation. After lunch at 2pm you will head out to the lake for an afternoon boat ride to see several water animals and water birds that include hippos, crocodiles, shoe bill stork and many more.

After the Boat ride you will retire to your accommodation for dinner and a night rest.

Overnight Mantana Tented Camp / Kigarama Lodge / Rwakobo Rock
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

You will be up early by 6am and head to the wild for a guided morning safari walk to see the numerous animals in the park up-close that include zebras, impalas, warthogs, giraffes, buffaloes among others. You will also see several birds that make their home in the park as well the nature of the park that has some anthills, several tree species and a mixture of vegetation.

The game drive will end by 10am and then you will head back to your accommodation to freshen up and after have a late breakfast before you head to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is where your gorilla trekking experience will be enjoyed and is known for sheltering almost half the World’s population of mountain gorillas

Overnight Mahogany Springs (High-end), Engagi Lodge / Haven Lodge (Mid-range), Ride For a woman / Buhoma Community (Low cost)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Spend the day on Classic Safari in Uganda exploring Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in a guided forest walk to see one of the Word’s sought-after creatures.

Make sure that you have a good breakfast before moving to the Park Headquarters for briefing. The real adventure will begin by 8:00am, by slowly following the lead of the Ranger guide who creates trails through the impenetrable forest.

This lasts 1-5 hours or even longer of but once gorilla nests are spotted, you will breathe a sigh of relief. You will strictly be allowed to spend only one hour which you will use to take photos, observe and even ask questions.

Return for lunch at the Lodge and have the rest of the afternoon at leisure-unwind at the Lodge while being treated to riveting views of undertaking a community/village walk that will make it possible to learn about the culture, way of life and traditions of aboriginal Batwa people.

Overnight Mahogany Springs (High-end), Engagi Lodge / Haven Lodge (Mid-range), Ride For a woman / Buhoma Community (Low cost)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Depart for Queen Elizabeth National Park with a game drive in the Ishasha sector known for its tree-climbing lions. You can start your game drive in the Ishasha sector under large fig trees and look for other animals like elephants, buffalo, and hyenas. Copntinue to the norther sector of Queen Elizabeth Park, do evening game drive before you check into your accommodation for an overnight.

Overnight Mweya Hostel/Bush lodge tents (low cost), Buffalo Safari Lodge/Bush Lodge/Enganzi (mid-range), Elephant plains Safari Lodge/Katara Lodge (high-end)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

The day begins early when we start with a morning game drive and head to the mating ground of the Uganda Kobs. We search for lions, elephants, buffaloes and other wild animals in their natural habitat. Alternatively, you can decide to experience a second chimp tracking in the lush Kyambura Gorge (pre-booking required).
In the afternoon we take on a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel, a natural channel between Lake Edward and Lake George. The channel is 33 km long and 2-3 km at its widest points. The scheduled 2-hour boat ride (beverages and snacks included!) will cover a 12-14 km stretch of the channel, with almost guaranteed excellent wildlife sightings including multitudes of hippopotamus – possibly the world’s highest concentration – Nile crocodiles, wallowing buffaloes on its reedy banks, elephants, and many birds.

Overnight Mweya Hostel/Bush lodge tents (low cost), Buffalo Safari Lodge/Bush Lodge/Enganzi (mid-range), Elephant plains Safari Lodge/Katara Lodge (high-end)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

After breakfast, we drive to Kibale National Park via the lovely town of Fort Portal, resting in the shadow of the fabled Mountains of the Moon and famous for her many tea plantations. After stopping for lunch at a local restaurant, time permitting you will explore the crater lakes and continue on to the Park and check in at Primate Lodge.

Kibale Forest National Park is an extensive Biodiversity National Park in South Uganda and also known as the “Primate Paradise” has one of the greatest variety and concentration of primates in Africa including our famous cousins the Chimpanzee, Red Colobus Monkeys, Vervet Monkeys, L’Hoest’s, Black-and- White Colobus and the Olive Baboons. There is also a wide array of unique birds, forest elephants (smaller and hairier than the more familiar savannah elephant) and much more.

This afternoon after lunch enjoy a guided nature walk through the Bigodi wetland.

Bigodi Swamp Walk is an initiative of the local community and is known for its rich diversity of birds and primates. The path and board walk maybe flooded and muddy after heavy rainfall and gumboots are recommended. The walk is about 4km in length taking 3-4 hours at birding pace with local community guides. All proceeds from eco- tourism go back to into the community, a conservation project well worth supporting.

Overnight: Midrange: Turaco Tree Tops – Luxury Cottages / High end: Primate Lodge Kibale- Luxury cottage
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Today the forest opens its doors for a sensational chimpanzee tracking experience.
Following the pre-tracking briefing, you will walk or drive to the trailhead for the start of an unforgettable adventure – hiking in the footsteps of the habituated family of chimpanzees. En-route, your guide will enthral you with stories and facts about the forest and her other inhabitants including other species of primates and birds and other big mammals.

Upon sighting the chimpanzees, you will spend an unforgettable one hour with them as they go about their daily life – feeding, playing, grooming, taking care of their young, howling and screeching, in their natural habitat.

In the afternoon visit the crater lakes of Kibale, return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Midrange: Turaco Tree Tops – Luxury Cottages / High end: Primate Lodge Kibale- Luxury cottage
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Today you will meet your guide and drive to Murchison Falls National park for overnight at Pakuba safari lodge, you will have an en-route visit to the top of the falls and an evening game drive to search for late grazers then you will proceed to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Murchison falls National Park is the largest National Park and conservation area in Uganda with an area of 3840 kms. The River Nile divides the park into the north and south sectors and forms fall where it flows over the western rift valley escarpment. Here, the river is forced through a 6-metre gap in the rocks and cascades into a boiling pot 40 meters below. A boat cruise up-stream to the falls provides an unforgettable experience! Visitors are able to watch a variety of animals. These include elephant, buffalo, giraffe, lion, hippo, crocodile, several antelope species and many species of bird life along the Nile as the boat travels along.

Overnight Fort Murchison (low cost) or Pakuba Safari Lodge (Mid-range) or Paara Safari Lodge (High end)
Meal Plan:Breakfast, lunch and dinner

After breakfast , you will go for your morning game drive that will provide you an opportunity of spotting wild game that includes, giraffes, buffaloes, antelopes, hippos and if lucky cats such as lions and leopards. Return to the lodge for a lunch break before proceeding to the pier for your two hour boat cruise to the bottom of the falls to witness how river Nile squeezes itself in a narrow gorge before exploding out producing an experience of a lifetime, during your cruise you will as well encounter various wild animals elephants, hippos as they enjoy the banks for river Nile, reptiles and birds.

Overnight Fort Murchison (low cost) or Pakuba Safari Lodge (Mid-range) or Paara Safari Lodge (High end)
Meal Plan:Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Today is your last day on this Classic Africa safari in Uganda you will meet your guide and drive back to Kampala/Entebbe via the Rhino Sanctuary for on-foot rhino tracking and hot lunch after you will Proceed for drop off to end your safari.

About Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Ziwa rhino sanctuary is a popular destination and most of the safari travelers travelling from Murchison towards Kampala/Entebbe include a stop at the sanctuary as a permanent part of their itineraries. Feedback from visitors is extremely positive, and our visitor numbers are expected to continue to grow.
A security force of 80 Rangers of which many are armed, patrols the fence, guard the gates, and monitor the rhinos 24 hours per day. The sanctuary is not only home to the rhinos but also to approximately 20 other species of wildlife as well as 300 different bird species highlighting Uganda’s unique biodiversity and emphasizing the importance of conserving it. The conservation effort is proving successful as we see the numbers of wildlife growing within the sanctuary. While here you will also go in search of the elusive shoe bill one of the Great birds and one not to miss while on safari in Uganda.