Overview
This 9-day Uganda itinerary balances gorilla trekking with genuine savanna safari time, covering Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Queen Elizabeth National Park — a solid, well-rounded introduction to what makes Uganda distinct from a classic Tanzania or Kenya safari.
Days in Queen Elizabeth include boat safaris along the Kazinga Channel, where hippo and elephant gather in large numbers along the water's edge, alongside standard game drives through the park's open sections. The gorilla trekking days in Bwindi are the itinerary's centerpiece — a genuinely different, forest-based wildlife encounter.
Given permit availability, we recommend booking this itinerary with a reasonable lead time ahead of your travel dates.
See our guide to where to go in Uganda, or contact us to check current permit availability.
| Accommodation | Confirmed together with you — see the Rates tab for general comfort levels we work with. |
|---|---|
| Meals | Full board on safari days; meals as specified for any city/beach nights, per your final itinerary. |
Day by Day (9 days)
This is the first day of your trip and it will depend on either you will be jetting into the country on this day or you will be already in the country. Whatever the case, you will be met by our guide and thereafter transfer to Murchison falls national park a must-see for a variety of wildlife. Break lunch at Ziwa rhino sanctuary and after go for rhino tracking and dugout experience while searching for the rare stork shoebill. Thereafter visit the top of the falls and take amazing photographs of these landforms.
Dinner and overnight at Baker’s camp. Meal plan: F/B
Dawn game drive to spot a variety of early riser nocturnal animals and other wildlife like the big five which includes the lions, buffaloes, giraffes, elephants, leopards. Encounter more animals and birds. Return to the lodge for your African cuisine and thereafter prepare for a boat cruise along River Nile moving closer to the falls. While on this boat cruise expect to watch animals and birds along the river banks and take a stunning variety of photographs of these wildlife species. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Meal plan: F/B
Wake up in the morning and have your breakfast. Then from here you will jump on to your safari jeep and drive to Kibale forest national park with the fabled view of the mountain of the moon, Lunch en-route after taking a drive with an en-route scenic view. Dinner and overnight at Kibale primates lodge. Meal plan: F/B
After your breakfast, head to Kanyanchu headquarters for a briefing about dos and don’ts while searching the great apes. Thereafter enter into the jungle to trek the chimps while swinging in the branches of the trees, while looking for the apes there is another great opportunity to spot other primate-like white and black Columbus, Vervet monkeys, variety of birds and much more floras interesting to florist tourists. Return to the lodge for lunch and relax after in the afternoon go for a nature walk in Magombe swamp to search for birds like shoebill and others, primates. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Meal plan: F/B
Today after your breakfast, the local guide visits the KFRED association to participate in some rural projects like preparing local foods. Thereafter embark on your safari vehicle and drive to Queen National Park with an en-route scenic view of green covers, as you enter take an en-route game drive to spot some wildlife and birds, visit the Katwe Crater Lake to experience salt mining and a flamingo watching as the sun is setting off. Dinner and overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge.
Meal plan: F/B
Have your breakfast; thereafter go for a dawn game drive to spot nocturnal wildlife. This experience is much awesome at Kasenyi mating ground where you will meet a variety of wild animals like elephants, Kobs, Lions, warthogs, bush backs and waterbucks, topi among others. Return to lodge for lunch-relax and thereafter take a boat cruise along the Kazinga channel, this cruise acts as a clear platform for viewing wildlife and aquatic animals like buffaloes, elephants, crocodiles, hippos as well as birding. Return to the lodge for Dinner and overnight.
Meal plan: F/B
After breakfast and with the packed lunch drive to the southern sector and if by chance we shall spot the rare African tree climbing lions in the branches of the trees, spot other wildlife like elephants, buffaloes, leopards, and savannah birds. Thereafter drive to Bwindi forest the home of half the remaining mountain gorillas. Dinner and overnight at Buhoma lodge.
Meal plan: F/B
Have breakfast; prepare for briefing about the mountain gorillas from the park officials, after set off for the tracking experience inside the heritage jungle. Carry with you enough packed lunch and drinking water, rain jacket, walkable boots, hut, insect repellent, Camera, and any other gadget required for the activity. The rangers will provide you with a walking stick. Gorilla tracking is one of the unique activities you will enjoy while photographing and observing the gorillas. Then from here you get onto your safari vehicle and drive to Lake Bunyonyi where you will reach in the evening and check-in for dinner and overnight at Birds Nest lodge.
Meal plan: Full-Board
Have breakfast, thereafter embark our safari vehicle, and drive back to Kampala-Entebbe. Lunch en-route at Agip Motel in Mbarara and then proceed to the Equator and shop souvenirs to take home. You will proceed to reach Entebbe late in the evening and this will mark the end of this trip.
Rates Per Person
See "Accommodation & Meals" on the Overview tab for the general comfort levels available — send us your dates and group size for an exact quote.
Next: Inclusions →Inclusions
Included
- Private vehicle with your own driver-guide
- Park entry and conservation fees
- Accommodation as specified in your itinerary
- Meals as specified per day (full board on safari days)
- Airport pickup and drop-off
Excluded
- International flights
- Visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Tips and gratuities
- Personal expenses and souvenirs
Getting There
Tour Start & End
This trip starts in Kilimanjaro International Airport and ends in Kilimanjaro International Airport.
Airport Information
Kilimanjaro International Airport and Mwanza Airport are the most common arrival points, depending on your route.
Transfer Information
Airport pickup and all transfers between destinations are included and arranged by our team.
Accommodation Before/After
Need a night in Mwanza or Arusha before or after this trip? We can arrange that on request.