Overview
The 18 days Uganda long safari is an expansive tour package that involves and all round trip of Uganda. The trip starts and ends at the Uganda airport. It takes you to the source of the Nile River, Sipi falls, Mabira forest, Ssezibwa falls, Kidepo valley national park, Murchison falls national park, Kibale national park, Queen Elizabeth national park, Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and Lake Mburo national park.
It gives you a perfect introduction to the mystical wildlife of Uganda including the elephants, buffaloes, Impalas, tree climbing lions, leopards and many other species. The trip also exposes you to the mighty mountain gorillas and their close cousins the chimpanzees. Cultural and heritage tours are another thing that can’t miss out on this 18 days tour in Uganda.
Highlights
Day 1: Arrival at the airport and transfer to the lodge
Day 2: Ssezibwa falls and Mabira forest
Day 3: Jinja town tour
Day 4: Sipi falls tour
Day 5: Transfer to Kidepo valley national park
Day 6: Morning game drive and visit to the Kanangorok Hotsprings
Day 7: Transfer to Murchison falls national park
Day 8: Morning game drive and a boat cruise at the Victoria Nile
Day 9: Transfer to Fort Portal town
Day 10: Amabere ga nyina mwiru caves and travel to Kibale national park
Day 11: Chimp tracking and Bigodi wetland
Day 12: Bigodi community and drive to Queen Elizabeth national park
Day 13: Morning game drive and launch cruise at Kazinga channel
Day 14: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park
Day 15: Gorilla trekking and Batwa community
Day 16: Travel to Lake Mburo national park
Day 17: Walking safari and a boat ride on Lake Mburo
Day 18: Departure
Details
Day 1: Arrival at the airport and transfer to the lodge
On landing at Entebbe airport, be received by the company representative with a courteous welcome. After a simple briefing about Uganda and the whole safari, then transfer to the hotel for relation, dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Ssezibwa falls, Mabira forest and travel to Jinja
In the morning, after breakfast, commence the journey to Mabira forest. Driving along Kampala – jinja highway, the first stopover will be at Sezzibwa falls. This is a cultural heritage site of Buganda kingdom rich with traditional folklore that is narrated by the site guide.
The falls are spectacular confined in the beautiful lush scenery. For birdwatchers, there are plenty of birds and some monkeys are also spotted in the surroundings. Hike up the rock outcrop to the top of the falls for better views of the area.
From here, the next stop over is in Mabira forest, the largest natural forest in Uganda. Have lunch and an exciting nature walk in the forest to spot several primate species like the monkeys, bird species, butterflies plus small mammals like the squirrels as well as a variety of tree species.
After this, then drive directly to Jinja town for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Source of the Nile and White water rafting.
In the morning, of course after breakfast, embark on the safari vehicle to commence the journey to the source of the Nile to see the exact point where John Speke saw the Nile water separating from that of Lake Victoria. Have a boat ride on the source of the Nile and then lunch.
From here, the most adventurous moment about the early stages of the trip comes, it’s now time to raft the white waters of the Nile. Satisfy your adventure thirst with an unforgettable experience at the Nile. Everything about the rafting is wonderful, the breathtaking scenery, great food and the rapids are simply a blast. Having rafted the Nile, now drive back to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Sipi falls tour
Having had a palatable breakfast, travel to Sipi falls on Mount Elgon in Eastern Uganda. These are impressive waterfalls simply for abseiling adventure and beautiful sights. Hiking to the top of Sipi falls presents spectacular sights of awe-inspiring beauty of a small stream running down from an amazingly impossible height.
Also visit the nearby coffee plantations and the local farmers, the taste of the local coffee is a guarantee except to those that don’t wish.
In the evening, have a walk in Mbale town in preparation for the longer day tomorrow.
Day 5: Transfer to Kidepo valley national park
In the morning, have an early breakfast and embark on a safari vehicle to start in the journey to Kidepo valley national park. This is the only true African wilderness is also the best national park for game drives in Uganda. The journey itself is an experience of its own, have beautiful views of the rock outcrops lying along the highway and have a lunch stopover.
Day 6: Morning game drive and visit to the Kanangorok Hot springs
Have an early breakfast and go for a game drive. Like earlier mentioned, Kidepo valley national park offers the best game drive experiences, in just a few minutes of the drive, you immediately start spotting the cheetahs, warthogs, buffaloes, elephants, zebras, giraffes and several others.
In the afternoon after lunch, drive to the Kanangorok Hot springs, a treasure hidden within the arid areas of Kidepo valley. You will be shocked of a spring in a semi-arid area.
Day 7: Transfer to Murchison falls national park
Early morning, have breakfast and checkout of the lodge. Embark on the safari vehicle and transfer to Murchison falls national. This is the largest park in Uganda and the journeys also takes a full day, though it’s still an experience of its own.
You will have an enroute lunch as you drive through the beautiful savannas that lie along the highway and views that are so breathtaking
Day 8: Morning game drive and a boat cruise at the Victoria Nile
Have breakfast and have a game drive around the park. You will spot different wildlife species ranging from lions, cheetahs, elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, oribis, warthogs and many others. Have strenuous views of the beautiful landscape covered by savanna grassland.
After lunch, have an afternoon launch cruise at the Nile and see its banks covered with crocodiles, hippos and elephants. Also spot several bird species and clear views of the Murchison falls which is the most powerful waterfall in the world.
Day 9: Transfer to Fort Portal town
Early morning, have breakfast and checkout and transfer to Fort Portal town. This being a long journey we shall set off in the morning, have a lunch stopover in Hoima town and proceed. You will have beautiful sceneries of the western hills and nice photography back grounds. Pass through the Albertine escarpments on the way to Fort Portal.
Day 10: Amabere ga nyina mwiru caves and travel to Kibale national park
In the morning, have breakfast and drive to Amabere ga nyina mwiru caves. Hike through the hills and explore the famous Amabere caves that are believed to be a place where kabaka (king) Bukuku hid his daughter Nyina mwiru to stop her from getting married. The story attached on these caves makes the place more authentic. The hike still enables you to see the numerous crater lake of Fort portal and the Nyakasura falls
Later in the afternoon after lunch, proceed to Kibale national park. The famous primate capital of the world harboring more than 10 primate species with the chimpanzees as the most popular one.
Day 11: Chimp tracking and Bigodi community
Have an early morning breakfast and head to the park headquarters for briefing about chimp trekking. Now start the trek I the forest to search for the habituated chimpanzees that call Kibale forest a home. Walk through the forest, coming across several tree species, other primate species like the colobus monkeys, baboons as well as the forest elephants.
The trek becomes more rewarding when you meet with the chimpanzees, the nearest cousins of the mountain gorillas. Watch them play with their colleagues, jumping from one branch to another all just makes the experience so amazing
Later in the afternoon after lunch, visit the Bigodi community, the nearest village to Kibale forest national park and explore the way of life of the people that dwell here. The women’s group in Bigodi does hand crafts and you can get unique souvenirs to carry home in remembrance of the Uganda tour
Day 12: Bigodi wetland and drive to Queen Elizabeth national park
After a delicious breakfast, go to the Bigodi wetland for birding and watching several primate species like the baboons and monkeys. Bigodi wetland is an extensive swamp homing a number of primates, walking through the swamp, having to pave your way out is an experience of its own that can never be forgotten.
In the afternoon, you checkout of the lodge and travel to Queen Elizabeth national park. The park was named after the its visit by the Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth national park with a varsity of wildlife species dwelling here including even one the rarest species; the tree climbing lions that are only found in her Ishasha sector and in Tanzania.
Day 13: Morning game drive and launch cruise at Kazinga channel
Having had your breakfast, now go for the morning game drive in Queen Elizabeth national park, a drive that only takes a few minutes to start spotting the various wildlife species including the buffaloes, elephants, lions, warthogs, Uganda kobs, hyenas, bushbucks and many others.
The drive goes around the numerous craters and crater lakes that the park encompasses in its hills and valleys, creating an amazing scenery.
Have a launch cruise at the famous Kazinga channel that connects Lake Edward to Lake George. It is probably one of the longest channels in the world. A sail at the edge of the channel gives clear views of the large hippos and elephants that be cooling their skins in its water. The shores are covered with various sea bird species making it a good birding spot for bird lovers.
Day 14: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park
From breakfast, we transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable national park, a renowned destination for gorilla trekking in the whole world, drive through the Ishasha sector where the tree climbing lions are likely to be spotted on almost every drive that goes through this region of the park. The drive still gives you comprehensive views of the Rwenzori Mountain of the moon and virunga chain of mountains on the boarder of Uganda, Rwanda and Congo.
Day 15: Gorilla trekking and Batwa community
An early breakfast and move to the park headquarters for briefing from the local guides. After start on the journey into the impenetrable forest on the hunt for mountain gorillas. Gorilla trekking involves a simple hike through the montane forest without clear paths but rather having to pave your way to the top with the help of the local guide.
On the search, meet several other primate species like the white and black colobus monkeys, baboons and others as well as different bird, butterflies and reptile species. When you the gorilla family, spend an hour with them, watching them play from one tree branch to another, fight each other and their way of life. Take as many pictures as you want provided the camera doesn’t have a flash.
Later visit the Batwa community, the first inhabitants of the impenetrable forest of Bwindi, experience how they used to hunt in the bush using the arrow and bow, visit the community’s shrines and also taste the local cuisines of these ancient people, Also engage in the in the traditional dance and songs performed here.
Day 16: Travel to Lake Mburo national park
Early morning, have breakfast and checkout of the hotel. Start on the journey to Lake Mburo national park; the smallest park in Uganda. Despite its small size, the park is a wild gem with various attractions never thought of before. On the way, have beautiful sights of kigezi hills, Rwenzori Mountains of the moon plus several other attractions.
Day 17: Walking safari and a boat ride on Lake Mburo
In the morning, unlike other parks with game drives, you will instead have a walking safari through the park to have closer encounters with the wildlife and also experience nature out of the 4 wheel vehicles. In a few minutes you will immediately have sights of the impalas, zebras, giraffes, buffaloes, waterbucks, elephants plus so many others.
Later in the afternoon after lunch, have a relaxation with a boat cruise on Lake Mburo. It gives you the best chances to breathe in the freshest air also spot several wildlife species that come to drink water from the lake in the afternoon. Also spot numerous bird species, the park is simply a birders’ haven.
Day 18: Departure
Early morning, have breakfast and then check out of the hotel and drive directly to the airport to catch up with your flight. That will be the end of your 20 days in Uganda.
