12 Day Uganda Exclusive Safari

Day 1: Welcome to Uganda!

Arriving to a new and foreign place can be overwhelming. All your senses are operating in overdrive as you take in the unfamiliar sights, sounds and smells of your new surroundings. This is certainly the case for a first visit to Uganda. Your Wild Gallery Safaris Tour guide will be with you from the very beginning, welcoming you at the airport and navigating you expertly through the lively traffic, while you can lean back and watch your new world go by. If this is your first time traveling to Africa, you will never forget your first acquaintance with her.

The drive to your accommodation is about 1 hour. Along the way you will catch a glimpse of the shimmering waters of Lake Victoria on your right, see several matatus and boda bodas (local 4-wheel and 2-wheel taxis) weave daringly through traffic, smartly dressed residents in colorful fabrics negotiating the pot-holed streets, food stalls serving delicious Rolex and wooden carts heavily laden with our favorite staple food, the Matoke. Accomodation at Latitude O with no meals included.

Day 2: To Murchison Falls N.P

Your journey in Uganda will begin with one of the oldest conservation areas in the country; Murchison Falls National Park. The drive to Northern Uganda is long but rewarding, taking you through ever-changing landscapes, busy roadside markets and quiet rural villages.

Murchison Falls National Park is Uganda’s best-known and biggest nature reserve. Its most memorable feature is the Victoria Nile which cuts through the park, running along a series of rapids before shooting out of a narrow crack in an incredibly powerful waterfall. A boat safari during your stay will offer a closer look at the majestic falls while providing ample opportunity to see some of the incredible wildlife that the park is known for along the way.Bakers Lodge is an intimate safari-style lodge ideally located on the southern bank of the Nile river. From the raised deck of your private safari suite you will have excellent views over the river. Bathing elephants and hippos are regularly seen here and you’ll have a good perch for bird watching. Sunset from the restaurant is particularly spectacular so make sure you find your way there for complimentary sund owners. Accommodation at Bakers Lodge with Breakfast,lunch and dinner.

Day 3: Murchison Falls National Park

On your morning game drive a professional ranger with extensive knowledge of the park and its inhabitants will join you in your vehicle. As this is a private game drive you can ask your guide to tailor your trip towards specific birdlife and/or wildlife if you like.

The park is especially known for its massive elephant population, wide array of bird species and big herds of buffalo. Giraffes, lions, antelope and waterbucks can also be spotted here and if you search the trees carefully, you may even spot one of the elusive leopards.

The afternoon boat safari towards Murchison Falls is a special highlight of the day. On this private 3-hour journey upstream on the Victoria Nile to the base of the falls you will pass by breathtaking scenery, as well as many crocodiles, hundreds of hippos, buffaloes, water birds, monkeys and other animals that come down to the Nile for a cool drink in the hot of the day. For your comfort, complimentary drinks will be served on-board. The boat will drop you near the waterfall for your hike (1-1.5 hrs) up to the top of the falls. Make sure you are properly hydrated for the walk and be prepared to be blown away by the amazing views from the top.

Day 4: Murchison Falls National Park

The Nile Delta is the area where the Victoria Nile flows into Lake Albert. The banks of the delta are home to hundreds of bird species including the rare and prehistoric-looking shoebill stork. If you are a keen birdwatcher this trip is a “must-do”, but this 20-kilometer voyage downstream is also a very nice opportunity to see beautiful landscapes, the daily routines of the local fishermen who catch tilapia from their wooden canoes in Lake Albert, and of course some wildlife. It is not unusual to see elephants and hippos bathing in the river, or crocodiles resting on the banks. Looking over in the treetops you may see the first signs of life from the lively Eastern Fringed Monkeys or Baboons. One of the highlights of the 5-hour boat ride is a stop along the banks for a superb bush breakfast served by your private chef.

In the afternoon you can choose to go on another game drive in the park, or to just relax and enjoy your last afternoon at the lodge. It’s your day.

Day 5: To Fort Portal & Kibale Forest

Your journey to Kibale Forest will be your longest drive on this tour, but possibly the most scenic. The drive will take you through tea plantations, lively village markets and over rolling hills of lush green countryside that is so characteristic of western Uganda.

Kibale Forest National Park itself is an extensive tract of dense tropical rainforest located just south of the town Fort Portal. The various ecosystems in this space are reputed to harbor the highest density of primates in all of Africa. The rare red colobus monkey as well as the black and white colobus are just some of the primates you may encounter on your forest walks here. The highlight of a trip to Kibale Forest is of course to spend some time observing the wonderfully entertaining chimpanzees.

In the midst of the gently rolling evergreen hills of the Great Crater Lakes region you’ll find Papaya Lake Lodge with its series of luxurious cottages dotted along the slopes of an extinct volcano. Here you can enjoy the breathtaking views of the turquoise waters of Lyantonde Lake in complete privacy. Papaya’s fine cuisine combines culinary traditions from all corners of the world, prepared with top quality produce. This lodge has been built with great passion, esteem for local culture and the highest attention to detail.

Accommodation at Papaya Lake Lodge. with breakfast,packed lunch and dinner.

Day 6: Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest

No other animal reminds us so much of ourselves as the chimpanzee. Besides many common features and mannerisms, chimpanzees also share 98% of our human DNA, making them our closest living relatives. It is not so surprising then that we find the habits and biology of these primates so fascinating to study.

While Chimpanzees can be found in 21 countries throughout Africa, they are most easily sighted in Uganda due to the high concentration of the species here. On a Chimpanzee Tracking experience in Kibale Forest you will have the opportunity to follow an experienced guide into the forest to observe these fascinating creatures at a close range. Watching them interact with each other and go about their daily routine of grooming, playing and foraging is an incredible experience.

While your chances of encountering chimpanzees are high during your tracking excursion, it is never 100% guaranteed. These are, after all, wild animals with wills and minds of their own!

In the afternoon you will have time to enjoy the lodge which boasts a pool with beautiful views of the surrounding landscapes.

Day 7: Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda’s most visited game reserve and arguably the most scenic. The national park protects the vast savannah plains, bushland, wetlands and forests that lie at the base of the Rwenzori mountain range. Kazinga Channel, which flows through the park and connects Lake George in the east to Lake Edward in the west, attracts a rich array of animals and birds, including the infamous Nile crocodile and one of the world’s largest concentration of hippos. On your first game drive you will explore the park along a 200-kilometre network of well-maintained game viewing tracks.

Accommodation at Kyambura Gorge Lodge with breakfast ,lunch and dinner

Day 8: Lion Tracking & Boat Safari on Kazinga Channel

In the morning we offer you an opportunity to contribute to an important conservation program in Queen Elizabeth NP. On this unique Lion Tracking research trip you will follow a research team, off the safari jeep tracks and into the bush, in search of one of the lion prides in the park. A tracking device in the vehicle will leady you directly to the lions where you will spend some time observing these charismatic cats. The data collected by the researchers will further the conservation program in the park, while you get a unique and intimate insight into the lives and habits of these fascinating predators.

Later in the day when the sun is high in the sky and the animals make their way to the river for a drink, we will head to Kazinga Channel for a private boat safari. You will spot more hippos today than you can possibly imagine. Herds of elephants and buffalo will also wander down to the shoreline to bathe in the cooling waters. A boat safari is a fantastic way to get close to wildlife and for many visitors the boat safari is the highlight of their visit to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Accommodation will be at Kyambura Gorge Lodge with breakfast ,lunch and dinner

Day 9: Coffee Tour & Game Drive in Ishasha Sector

The beautiful place that you have been spending the past two nights used to be an old coffee store. The lodge is still very involved in the coffee industry in the area and this morning you will go on a Coffee Tour to explore the transformation of coffee bean into delicious Ugandan coffee. The process is all done by hand, by local community members. Sampling some of the coffee will make for a good start of your day and buying some coffee to take home will make a good souvenir as well as support the local community.

The southern part of Queen Elizabeth National park is our next destination. This area is famous for its tree-climbing lions. While you will often see lion cubs climbing trees for fun, adults very rarely do this. In Ishasha however, the lions like to spend the hot afternoons snoozing on a shaded fig tree branch. The raised elevation exposes them to a nice breeze as well as providing an escape from the bothersome tsetse flies below. While you are on the hunt for the tree climbing lions don’t miss the stunning scenery and excellent birdlife in this remote spot of the park.

In the late afternoon you will enjoy sundowners arranged by your lodge at a secluded viewing point. Here you can savor the last views of the landscape before a stunning African sunset closes the chapter on this day.

Accommodation will be at Ishasha Wilderness Camp with Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 10: Bush Breakfast & Travel to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Before you say goodbye to the savannah and head further south to the rainforest, we invite you to a bush breakfast in the wilderness, complete with a dining set-up and a personal chef. Enjoy your morning coffee as the first rays of sunshine come to rest on the plains.

While you won’t want to leave this beautiful place, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, the home of the Mountain Gorillas of Uganda, awaits.

You will be staying in the northern part of the forest, called Buhoma. You will be introduced to the communities that live in the outskirts of the forest here and welcomed to support the locally founded and managed women’s empowerment initiative Ride 4 A Woman. Join these local women as they go about their daily lives and learn how to weave baskets, sew with traditional fabrics or cook a delicious Ugandan meal.

For the coming two nights you will stay at Buhoma Lodge, an intimate lodge with spectacular views over the forest, and one of only two lodges that is located within the park. You will stay in one of the ten chalets which are carefully and spaciously designed using locally sourced materials. Your private veranda with wonderful vistas, complimentary house drinks and massage will ensure a sublimely relaxing stay. Accommodation will be at Buhoma Lodge with Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.

Day 11: Gorilla Trekking

Encountering the rare and endangered Mountain Gorillas of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is an experience of a lifetime.

Half of the world’s population of gorillas live under the mist-covered canopies of Uganda’s oldest and most biologically diverse rainforest. In the company of an experienced park ranger you will be tracking the whereabouts of one of the nine habituated family groups who live in the park.

Your tracking experience will be an exciting, yet challenging, journey along forested (often muddy and slippery) slopes, tangled vines, thick vegetation and bamboo forests before you reach the territory of these gentle giants. En-route, your ranger will point out telltale signs of previous gorilla activity like dung, nests and chewed bamboo shoots. Depending on the location of the gorillas on any given day the walk can take anything from 2 to 7 hours. Once the family of gorillas has been located, settle in to your surroundings and enjoy the hour you have to quietly observe these fascinating primates whose habits and mannerisms remind us so much of our own.

Encountering the mountain gorillas in the wild is a truly humbling and emotional experience, one that you are sure to remember for the rest of your life.Accommodation will be at Buhoma Lodge with Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.

Day 12: Transfer to Kihihi – Flight to Entebbe

Enjoy your last sunrise in this beautiful corner of Uganda. In the early morning your guide will drop you off at Kihihi airstrip for your domestic flight to Entebbe.

Departure time from Kihihi:

09.45 AM or 11.40 AM

Arrival time in Entebbe:

11.25 AM or 13:30 PM

* Timings may vary depending on aircraft routing.
** Kihihi flights are subject to prevailing weather conditions.

Accommodation for tonight is not included in the program. If you require one (or more) nights in Entebbe or Kampala please let us know and we can arrange it for you. want us to book one (or more) nights in Kampala and/or Entebbe, please let us know.