This 12 Days best of East and western Uganda safari takes you to Uganda’s best wildlife destinations including Kidepo national park, Sipi falls, Murchison falls national park, Kibale national park, Queen Elizabeth national park, and last but not the least Bwindi Impenetrable national park and finally Lake Bunyonyi. These are the most popularly visited places in Uganda blended with different activities and experiences all enjoyed in 12 days in Uganda. You will start and end this trip in Kampala as the nearest city to connect to Entebbe airport. Book this Uganda safari and enjoy a lifetime experience.
Safari highlights
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Sipi falls
Day 2: Transfer to Kidepo national park (5-6 hours’ drive)
Day 3: Game viewing in Kidepo Valley and Narus Valley
Day 4: Brief morning game drive in Narus valley and transfer to Murchison falls national park (6-7 hours’ drive) – top of the falls visit
Day 5: Morning game drive and Boat cruise at the bottom
Day 6: Ziwa rhino tracking – transfer to Kibale National Park (6-7 hours)
Day 7: Chimpanzee tracking and Bigodi Swamp Walk
Day 8: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park – evening game drive
Day 9: Game drive and Kazinga channel launch cruise
Day 10: Ishasha game drive and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 11: Gorilla trek in Bwindi forest Park
Day 12: Transfer to Kampala/Entebbe (8-9 hours’ drive) – Departure
Detailed safari
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Sipi falls
Depending on your location in Jinja, set off as early as possible to reach Sipi falls at good time for the hike. You will be picked up by your safari guide and transfer to Sipi falls in Kapchwora district, it’s a 6-7 hours’ drive with en-route lunch. Sipi falls is located in the foothills of Mount Elgon just at the edge of Mount Elgon national park nearing the Kenya border and the falls consist of 3 waterfalls with the highest fall dropping at 100m. Depending on your ability, you can hike 2 of the waterfalls or hike all the 3 falls. After hiking, meet your guide and transfer to your accommodation for dinner and overnight stay at Sipi River lodge for Luxury or Mid-range options/ Sipi Valley Lodge for budget option
Day 2: Transfer to Kidepo national park (5-6 hours’ drive)
As early as 6 am, have your breakfast, check-out of the lodge to embark on 8-9 hours’ drive to Kidepo valley national park. It’s a full day drive with en route breaks for lunch and stretching and sites of the eastern and far North Eastern region of Uganda with its beautiful people. Arrive in the park late afternoon and proceed to check-in your booked accommodation with en-route evening game drive in Narus valley. Refresh and wait for dinner and stay overnight stay at Apoka Safari lodge for luxury option/Kidepo Savannah lodge for mid-range option/Apoka Rest Camp for budget option
Day 3: Game viewing in Kidepo Valley and Narus Valley
Have breakfast and head out for a game drive to explore the remarkable landscapes of Kidepo including the magical Narus Valley where you will have many chances of seeing a range of game including the herds of Cape Buffaloes, African elephants, Jackson’s Hartebeest, Klipspringer, Jackals and possibly Lions among others.
Brace yourself another thrilling game drive in the vast savannah of Kidepo Valley intercepted by patches of Borassus palm and the rising scenic hills. Drive to Kidepo valley close to south Sudan border to visit the hot springs and you can encounter Ostriches within the region although their numbers are highly threatened by poaching by south Sudanese. Dinner and overnight stay at accommodation as above
Day 4: Brief morning game drive in Narus valley and transfer to Murchison falls national park (6-7 hours’ drive) – top of the falls visit
On the 4th day of your 12 Days East and western Uganda Safari, After breakfast at your lodge, drive out for yet another thrilling game drive and explore more and missed animals in the park before you drive out of the park.
Embark on your journey to Murchison falls national park with en-route lunch in Gulu. Upon arrival in the park, continue to the top of the Murchison falls, enjoy the falls and also walk through the Bakers trail. Thereafter, proceed to your booked lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay Parkside Safari lodge for a budget option/Pakuba Safari Lodge/Paraa Safari Lodge for luxury option
Day 5: Morning game drive and Boat cruise at the bottom
Early morning after breakfast at your lodge, embark on a morning game drive in the northern part of the park to the delta. This is where you may spot various animal species like elephants, giraffes, lions, hyenas, cape buffaloes, leopards (on a lucky day), and different species of antelopes including the Uganda Kobs, Jackson hartebeest, Oribi, waterbucks among others. After the game drive, return to your lodge to refresh and have lunch.
In the afternoon you will go for a boat cruise to see the magnificent falls along the River Nile. Cruising along the bottom of the falls will expose you to the park’s streaming hippo and serried ranges of crocodile along the sandbanks, different bird species and large numbers of different species getting down to drink & bathe. Dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above.
Day 6: Ziwa rhino tracking – transfer to Kibale National Park (6-7 hours)
On the 6th day of your 12 Days East and western Uganda Safari, After early morning breakfast, meet the driver and transfer to Kibale forest national park in the western part of the country.
Set off very early from your hotel as early as 7:00 am after breakfast, meet your driver/guide and connect to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in the Nakasongola district. It’s about 2-3 hours’ drive from Murchison falls national park. On arrival at the sanctuary, connect for your rhino tracking experience. Meet with your rangers for a briefing about the rhinos then connect for trekking with your trekking gears basically boots or good hiking shoes. Rhinos are easy to track on foot. On finding them, view them for about an hour’s experience.
After tracking, embark on a 4-5 hours’ drive to Kibale forest national park and connect to your booked accommodation for relaxation, dinner, and overnight stay at Chimpanzee Guesthouse for mid-range/Isungu lodge – Budget option
Day 7: Chimpanzee tracking and Bigodi Swamp Walk
After breakfast, you will set out for chimp tracking within the Kibale Forest. During your search, expect to see a lot of primate species like chimpanzees, monkeys and other animals like the forest elephants, bush pig, and duiker, warthogs, reptiles and amphibians as well as a colorful variety of butterflies. Return to the Lodge for lunch.
After lunch, go for a nature walk in the Bigodi swamp area and look out for most of the water-loving bird species. The forest /Park has almost 335 species of birds and therefore a good place for birders. Dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above
Day 8: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park – evening game drive
After breakfast, meet your safari driver and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park which is a 3 hours’ drive. Upon arrival at the lodge, have lunch and spend your afternoon at leisure. You will do an evening game drive in the Kasenyi area. Dinner and overnight stay at Pumba Safari Cottages for budget/Elephant Hub lodge for mid-range/Elephant Plains Lodge for luxury
Day 9: Game drive and Kazinga channel launch cruise
On the 9th day of your 12 Days East and western Uganda Safari, Early in the morning after breakfast, you will set out for the game drive in search for early risers in the Kasenyi area. The park has diverse eco-system of grassy plains, rivers, crater lakes, forests, swamps, and lakes. These are home to various types of wildlife and a game drive in Queen Elizabeth will reward you with views of animals such as lions, antelopes, buffalos, elephants, waterbuck, Uganda Kob and other types of antelopes.
Return to your Lodge for lunch and after, go for a 3 hours’ launch cruise along the Kazinga Channel and into Lake Edward. This cruise will let you pass through a place of the highest concentration of hippos and you may also see many animals drinking at the water’s edge. The cruise also offers a good platform for photography, bird watching, and game viewing. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight as above.
Day 10: Ishasha game drive and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
On the 10th day of your 12 Days East and western Uganda Safari, you will set out for the game drive in Ishasha area and expect to see the rare tree-climbing lions. The lions can be seen upon the fig trees. However, it’s 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 you will proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in preparation for your next day Gorilla trek. Dinner and overnight stay at Buhoma Community Rest Camp for budget/Buhoma Haven Lodge for mid-range/Mahogany Springs Lodge for luxury
Day 11: Gorilla trek in Bwindi forest Park
Early in the morning after breakfast and a briefing from the UWA officials, set off for the gorilla tracking. This is a once lifetime experience and unforgettable adventure. The ranger guides will lead you into the thick forest and start your search for the endangered Mountain Gorillas. You will move up and down the rugged terrain until you finally meet these harmonious creatures that will entertain you with performances for about1hour.
The activity can take 2 -7 hours since the gorillas move up and down. This is an awesome and exciting moment. En-route, there are other types of primates such as monkeys, birds and more. Return for dinner and overnight stay as above.
Day 12: Transfer to Kampala/Entebbe (8-9 hours’ drive) – Departure
Early morning, you will have breakfast and embark on a journey back to Kampala/Entebbe with en-route lunch and at the Equator for water experiments and photographs, Royal drum Village at Mpambire for souvenirs. Proceed to Kampala and drop off at Entebbe airport for your flight back home.
