14 Day Uganda Safari – Explore the Pearl of Africa

A fortnight in Uganda Safari Overview

This 14 days Uganda safari takes you on a thrilling journey through  the Pearl of Africa. Starting with pick up in Entebbe before a visit to the famous Murchison falls national park via the Zziwa rhino sanctuary, visiting Fort Portal for a tour of the crater lakes and the Tooro palace, the top of the world and tea plantations.  Then continuing for chimpanzee trekking in Kibale national park, engaging in a safari around Queen Elizabeth national park for the Kazinga boat cruise and lion tracking as well as cultural tours.

During this Uganda safari, you will also engage in gorilla trekking in Bwindi national park and a batwa community tour and on the return journey make a stop at the equator and the tour will end with relaxing free day by the shores of Lake Victoria.

Safari Highlights

• Rhino tracking at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
• Game drives & boat safari at Murchison Falls
• Crater lakes and Tooro Kingdom tour in Fort Portal
• Tea plantation and Top of the World experience
• Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest
• Kazinga Channel boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth NP
• Lion tracking and cultural tour in Queen Elizabeth NP
• Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
• Optional Batwa cultural experience
• Scenic drive with Equator stop
• Lake Victoria relaxation day in Entebbe

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe international airport

Upon arrival, a guide will pick you up at Entebbe international airport and drive you to your hotel in Entebbe for check in, dinner and an overnight stay. Take this evening to relax and energize to embark on this ecstatic fortnight in the wild in Uganda.

Accommodation: 2 Friends Beach Hotel

Day 2: drive to Murchison falls national park via Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Kickstart the day with breakfast at your hotel  before checking out and heading to Murchison falls national park. You will have a stop at Zziwa rhino sanctuary in Nakasongola for a rhino tracking experience. After a short briefing, you will move the park rangers for a experience of rhino tracking on foot at Zziwa rhino sanctuary. During this activity, you will enjoy a close encounter with the rhinos and take photos of them in their natural habitat.

After completing this activity, you will have a stop for lunch in Masindi and your guide will drive you to Murchison falls national park for a top of the falls viewing experience. You will later continue to your lodge for check in and to prepare for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation: Pakuba Safari Lodge

Day 3: Game drive and boat cruise on the Nile

You will wake up early for an early morning game drive in Murchison falls national park to search for wildlife species such as lions, giraffes, elephants, leopards, elephants, buffalos, warthogs, impalas, waterbucks, impalas and many others as you watch the beautiful sunset.

After your morning game drive, you will return to the lodge for refreshments. In the afternoon you will engage in the bottom of the falls boat cruise which takes about 2 to 3 hours. During the boat cruise, you will see wildlife species around the water shores such as elephants, hippos, buffalos, crocodiles, giraffes as well as different bird species. You will also see the beautiful Murchison falls from your boat and later return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation: Same as Day 2

Day 4: Drive to Fort portal

After having breakfast at the lodge, you will check out and prepare for your drive from Murchison falls national park to Fort portal town. You will see wildlife species such as elephants, waterbucks, giraffes, impalas, topi among others in Murchison park in the savannah plains as you exit the park.

You will have a stop for lunch in Hoima town before continuing to Fort Portal where you will relax at the lodge and also have dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation: Mountains of the Moon Hotel

Day 5: Crater lakes tour and visit Tooro palace

Your breakfast will be served at the hotel in Fort Portal ahead of your exciting activities of the day including visiting the famous crater lakes. Your guide will take you to the different crater lakes including Lake Nyabikere, Lake Nkuruba, Lake Nyamirima,  among others. You will engage in a short hike to get to some of the craters and to enjoy the breathtaking views.

After the crater tour, you also visit the Tooro palace for an experience of the culture of the people of Tooro. During this experience, a local guide will take you around the palace grounds, you will get to learn about the pet names or empaako used in Tooro such as amooti, abooki, among others. After visiting the palace, you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation: Same as Day 4

Day 6: Tea plantation tour, top of world experience and drive to Kibale Forest national Park

After having breakfast at the lodge, you will engage in a tour of the scenic tea plantations in Fort portal town. During the tea plantation tour, you will learn and participate in the different stages of tea growing until it is ready for consumption including hand picking the tea and putting it in baskets. You will also taste a cup of the local tea.

You will have lunch and also engage in a visit to the top of the world where you will enjoy a view of the different attractions around Fort Portal including the crater lakes, tea plantations and so much more. After this experience, your guide will drive you to the lodge in Kibale national park for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation: Turaco Treetops

Day 7: Chimpanzee tracking and Bigodi tour

You will wake up early for breakfast at the lodge and proceed to the park headquarters at Kanyanchu for a briefing on chimpanzee trekking. After a briefing from the rangers and also divided into groups to begin your search for the chimpanzees in Kibale forest. During the search for the chimpanzees, you will encounter other primates like black and white colobus monkeys, baboons and also a variety of bird and butterfly species. You will also learn about the different tree species found in the forest.

An hour will be spent with the chimpanzees when you find them in Kibale forest and you will enjoy taking photos and recording the chimpanzees and observing their behavior. After completing the activity, you will return to the park headquarters where you will receive your certificates. You will also engage in the bigodi tour during your visit to Kibale national park which is a guided nature walk and also an activity to experience the rich biodiversity and beauty of the bigodi wetlands.

Bigodi is also a good birding spot and you will see various bird species during your tour and see more primates like black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, olive baboons, L’hoest monkeys, vervet monkeys and also blue monkeys. After this tour, you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation: Same as Day 6

Day 8:Drive to Queen Elizabeth national park and Kazinga boat cruise

You will have breakfast and check out of the lodge in Kibale national park and your guide will drive you to Queen Elizabeth national park. You will arrive in time for lunch at your lodge in Queen Elizabeth national park.

After lunch you will engage in a boat cruise which takes place on Kazinga channel where Lake Edward and Lake George meet. During the boat cruise, you will enjoy seeing bird species along the water shores and also see wildlife species such as schools of hippos, buffalos, elephants, Nile crocodiles among others.

After the boat cruise, you will be driven to the lodge for a relaxing evening and dinner and overnight stay overlooking the open plains of Queen Elizabeth national park.

Accommodation: Elephant Plains Lodge

Day 9: Lion tracking experience and visit local community

Your tea or coffee will be served at the lodge as you prepare for the lion tracking experience in Queen Elizabeth national park. This activity is an off the track experience in the park that involves searching for the lions around the savannah plains, getting close to the lions from the safety of the safari vehicle and observing their behavior. You will see other wildlife species during your search for the lions. Queen Elizabeth national park is also known for the tree climbing lions.

After returning to the lodge for lunch, you will engage in a visit to the local community for a feel of the way of life of the locals, enjoy traditional dance performances and also have an optional visit to a local school and also arts and craft shops. You will return to the lodge after this experience for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation: Same as Day 8

Day 10: Drive to Bwindi national park

After breakfast at the lodge and checking out, you will engage in a morning game drive around Queen Elizabeth national park in search of wildlife species like lions, leopards, elephants, buffalos, among others and then continue your drive to Bwindi national park where you will check in at the lodge.

Accommodation: Four Gorillas Lodge

Day 11: Gorilla Trekking and optional Batwa cultural tour

You will wake up for early breakfast at the lodge and your guide will drive you to the park headquarters for the gorilla trekking briefing. After briefing, you will be divided into groups of 8 and allocated rangers. You will move into the Bwindi impenetrable forest to being the search for the gorillas following different trails and when you find the gorillas, you will spend 1 hour with them.

After seeing the gorillas, return to the park headquarters to receive your certificates. Engage in an optional batwa cultural tour and interact with the locals, get to know more about their culture, watch and participate in traditional dances and later your guide will drive you to the lodge.

Accommodation: Four Gorillas Lodge

Day 12: Drive to Entebbe

After having breakfast at the lodge in Bwindi, you will check out and start your journey to Kampala. Take a drive through scenic landscapes in the country side and also have a stop at the equator to take photos and for a chance to buy souvenirs of your trip. You will also have a stop for lunch in Mbarara and after lunch you will continue to Kaazi beach resort to relax by the shores of Lake Victoria.

Accommodation:  2 Friends Beach Hotel

Day 13: Day in Entebbe

After several days of adventure and travel, day 13 is dedicated to unwinding and soaking in the tranquility of Lake Victoria. You’ll begin your morning with a relaxing yoga or massage session to help your body recover from the trekking and road journeys. Later, enjoy a guided birding walk along the shores of Lake Victoria, where you’ll spot a variety of bird species that thrive in this lush lakeside ecosystem.

For those seeking a bit more adventure, an optional boat ride to Mabamba Swamp can be arranged—this is one of the best spots in Uganda to catch sight of the rare and iconic shoebill stork. As the day winds down, you may choose to indulge in a sunset beach BBQ dinner, offering a beautiful lakeside ambiance and a delicious way to close your Uganda safari experience.

Accommodation: Same as Day 12

Day 14: Departure

After a cup of tea or coffee at the hotel, you will be driven to Entebbe airport for your flight which will bring the tour to an end.