18-Day Safari Exploring Almost All Uganda National Parks

Overview

This tour will take you to the best places of a wonderful country Uganda. You will visit and experience the very best tour Elisha Tour and Travel safaris has to offer! Travel from East to West and North to South and see the diversity of Uganda’s flora and fauna. The mountains of Sipi Falls, one of the best parks in the world; Kidepo valley, meet the Karamojong, explore the River Nile, the savannas of Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls and the rain forests of Kibale and Bwindi.

This tour through Uganda is the perfect combination of nature, culture & animals and you will overnight in the best budget-range accommodations or camps in Uganda.

Highlights

• Kampala City
• Sipi Falls
• Kidepo Valley National Park
• Murchison Falls
• Queen Elizabeth
• Kibale National Park
• Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
• Lake Matanda and Lake Bunyonyi

Day 1: Tour around Kampala City

Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport you will be met by a Elisha Tours and Travel Safaris Uganda guide/drive who will welcome you to Uganda – the Pearl of Africa. Thereafter, you will be transferred to your booked accommodation. In case you have had an early landing in Uganda, you may opt to go out and tour the acactus hotel. You will stay in a nice lodge with beautiful views on Lake Victoria. The hotel has cozy safari style furnished rooms, equipped with satellite TV, fridge bar, telephone, fan, balcony with lake-view and a comfortable bathroom.

Day 2: Transfer to Jinja for Water Rafting (Source of the Nile)

You will be picked up very early in the morning and start you journey to Jinja. Along the way you will see Mabira Forest, Sugar plantations in Lugazi and finally the World’s longest river Nile. Jinja lies on the shore of Lake Victoria, about 3 hours East from Kampala. This town is famous as the historic source of the river Nile and at the same time the adrenaline capital of East Africa. Besides enjoying peaceful sunsets, birdlife and tranquility, this is also where visitors get their adventurous fix. Enjoy white-water rafting. Jinja has a gorgeous natural setting with crumbling colonial architecture. It also has a vibrant downtown and broad leafy residential streets set next to the Nile River that you will also enjoy.

Day 3: The Beautiful Sipi Falls

You will start your journey to Kumi District to the sipi falls on this day. A drive through the north-eastern part of Uganda, to the foothills of Mt Elgon you reach a plateau 1800m above sea level where the beautiful Sipi Falls are located. These green area has a spectacular series of waterfalls (some nearly 100m high), surrounded by village walking trails and lush green coffee-producing hills. There are three falls separated by steep hillsides. It is quite cool here compared to the other parts of Uganda with temperate weather conditions. You will relax and enjoy the fresh air and the calm environment away from city hustles and traffic. Later in the day, a coffee tour and community visits are some of the activities you can enjoy besides the hikes.

Day 4: Nature Hikes and Visit the Traditional Kraal

Elisha Tour and Travel  Safaris strives to be innovative and takes its responsibility by bringing you to places where no one else will go. One of these examples is Karamoja; an area in North-Eastern Uganda where you can learn about traditional life of the Karamojong, the most traditional tribe still living in Uganda. In the early morning breakfast, you will leave for Moroto the area occupied by the Karamajongs. On reaching, you will have a scenic nature walk through the highest mountain of Karamoja. During the walk we will set camp at a traditional village of the So Tepeth mountain people.
After this, you’ll meet the Karamajong living in a Kraal, better known as Manyatta or Boma in Swahili. A Kraal is basically a village made out of huts surrounded by fences made of wood and thorns. These are put up to keep the cattle in and to protect them against rival tribes and wild animals. Some of the Kraals are permanent and others are temporarily.

Day 5: Transfer to Kidepo Valley National Park

Wake up to the sights, sounds and smells of pastoral life and after breakfast we will continue our journey north through the rugged Karamoja scenery towards Kidepo Valley. In the morning you can still enjoy this unique opportunity to spend more time with the Karamojong tribe. After this thrilling experience it is time to travel to the most remote and pristine national park in the country: Kidepo Valley National Park.

In the rugged semi-arid valleys in the extreme northeast of Uganda, Kidepo Valley National Park lies hidden away in a lost and not frequently visited corner between Uganda’s borders with Sudan and Kenya. It is a long but very rewarding journey to get to this area with some of the most beautiful scenery in Uganda. You’ll experience an afternoon game drive in the wild Narus valley where herds of elephants & buffalos as well as beautiful sights of lions and leopards sitting on various valley rocks can be spotted.

Day 6: Kidepo Game Drive

idepo Valley national park is one of the few parks in Uganda where you can do a walking safari. An armed ranger is joining you for your safety and you will explore the wilderness on foot. During this activity you get the chance to experience the wildlife up-close, a totally different experience than game-viewing by car. Buffalo, waterbuck, giraffe, warthog, zebra, bush-buck and of course the naughty baboons can be seen all year round as well as many different bird species. The guide stops regularly, not merely searching for game, but telling you about birds, insects, trees, animal droppings, the medicinal use of plants and which animals eat which plants.

Today in the afternoon you will go for another game drive in this amazing national park. The savannah is ringed by mountains and rocky ridges. It has a profusion of big game and hosts 475 bird species and over 80 mammal species, of which 28 were not known to occur (or very rarely) in any other Ugandan park. For example; ostriches, zebras, bat-eared foxes, aardwolves, caracals, cheetahs, and greater and lesser kudus. Kidepo Valley National Park ranks among Africa’s finest wildernesses and is ranked no. 3 on the list of CNN of best national parks in Africa. Let’s try to get that famous lion king picture of a lion on a rock before you’ll spend another night at Kidepo Savannah Lodge.

Day 7:- Transfer from Kidepo to Murchison Falls National Park

After an early breakfast we’ll leave the camp and have one last chance to enjoy the beauty of Kidepo and maybe get a sight of any animals we missed. From the park gates it is a two-hour drive through the rugged landscape (and roads!) of northern Uganda to Kitugum and then a further hour to Gulu where we will stop for lunch. From Gulu we’ll head south on good roads to the northern gates of Murchison Falls NP, Uganda’s best-known and biggest nature reserve. With the impressive and powerful Murchison waterfall and its remarkable animal populations, this is a must visit in the Pearl of Africa We’ll have the opportunity to take a slow drive in the late afternoon through the park before setting up camp in the delta area of the park.

Day 8: Game Drive and the Mighty Falls

After an early breakfast, it is time to explore the park. On the Game drive, you  will  spot as many animals as possible. While driving through the park you can come eye-to-eye with the African animal kingdom. Hopefully you see them all; elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, lions, leopards, different species of antelope and many tropical birds. They are all there! A professional ranger with extensive knowledge on the park and its inhabitants will join you in your car. The park is especially known for its massive elephant population, huge array of bird species and big herds of buffalo. You will discover some of the parks ecosystems and different scenery with dense woodland, extensive savannahs and rolling grasslands. 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 afternoon boat safari towards the Murchison Falls is a very special activity, it takes approximately 3 hours and goes along the Victoria Nile to the base of the Falls. You can imagine; this boat safari will show you breathtaking scenery. Cold drinks are for sale on board for when you get thirsty for a local beer or a soda. Carefully watched by crocodiles, hundreds of hippos, buffaloes, water birds, monkeys and all the other (also thirsty) wildlife that the Nile attracts you go to the bottom of the powerful Murchison Falls. If you like hiking, the boat can drop you near the waterfalls and you can hike up to the top (this takes around 1 or 1,5 hours). The views are amazing!

Day 9: Transfer to Kibale National Park

Have breakfast in the morning and depart for Kibale forest National Park. Have Lunch at Fort Portal and proceed in the view of the Rwenzori Mountains. A guided nature walks in the Bigodi wetland sanctuary to see various bird species, butterflies and primates. Dinner and overnight stay at Bigodi.

Day 10: Chimpanzee Trekking and Bigodi Swamp Walk

Today you will track the most famous inhabitants of Kibale National Park, the chimpanzees. Chimpanzees share 98% of human genes making them our closest living relatives. They are found in 21 countries throughout Africa, but are most easily sighted in Uganda due to their dense populations. Today, in Uganda, there are approximately 5,000 chimpanzees left in the wild. The Chimpanzee Trekking experience here is done on several well maintained walking trails. There is also a wonderfully diverse concentration of other primates, more than any other forest in East Africa, in fact. Besides our delightful cousins, the chimpanzees, you can find red colobus, red-tailed guenon, white-nosed monkey, gray-cheeked mangabey, blue monkey, L’Hoest’s monkey, and the black and white colobus monkey. In addition, you may see olive baboons, bush babies and nocturnal pottos. after tracking, you have the opportunity for a guided walk through the swamps of Bigodi swamps. This activity will take you to the Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary which features 8 primate species, over 200 bird species and many reptiles. During the walk – which takes 2 to 3 hours – you have a chance to many animals but the highlight is catching a glimpse of a famous bird; the Great Blue Turaco.

Day 11: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Scenic Queen Elizabeth National Park is located in south western Uganda and is most often included in visitors’ itineraries. It is the second largest park in the country and located at the base of the majestic Rwenzori Mountain range, next to Lake Edward and Lake George which are joined by the Kazinga channel. Few reserves in the world have such a high biodiversity with landscapes including savannah, bushland, wetlands and lush forests. On your first game drive, it is time to explore the Queen Elizabeth National Park with her 200 kilometers of well-maintained game viewing tracks. We advise for you to be alert and pro-active on your game drive to help the ranger spot as many animals as possible.With an astonishing 5000 hippos, 2500 elephants and over 10,000 buffalo thriving in its grasslands and shorelines, this park guarantees sightings of some of Africa’s most iconic species. All being well you see elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, different species of antelope and just maybe some of the exciting predators such as; lion, leopard, civet, genal and serval cats. Ten species of primates enjoy the park’s diverse habitats. Vervet and black-and-white colobus monkeys are easily spotted in the trees, and of course the boldest species; baboons! They are all there! A professional ranger with extensive knowledge on the park and its inhabitants will join you in your car so you can ask your guide to search for specific birdlife or wildlife.

Day 12: Queens Game Drive and Boat Cruise on Kazinga Channel

After you have enjoyed your breakfast you will be taken for a morning game drive in time to see the sun rise. The morning is the best time for a game drive as the African animal kingdom tends to be most active when during the golden hours of the first sunlight touching the savannah. You will continue the search for all the wildlife; elephant, buffalo, lion, waterbuck, leopard, Uganda kob, warthog and do not forget about the birds and the primates.

After lunch, you will take a boat safari along the Kazinga Channel. Here, you will see a lot of hippos (more than you can possibly imagine), as well as a variety of other animals which come to the waterhole to drink or bathe. You can expect to see: Buffalo, Crocodile, bathing Elephant, and a range of beautiful birds. This will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of your tour.

Day 13: Chimpanzee and Tree climbing in Ishasha Sector to Bwindi

Early in the morning you will go for a hike in the Kyambura gorge; another gem in the far eastern corner of Queen Elizabeth National Park. This gorge is also called the “Valley of Apes” and is another world on its own. Drained by River Kayambura it now has a rich wildlife bio-diversity, including a family of 16 chimpanzees and many bird species. The view from the top is very impressive as you look down a gorge filled with lush green tropical vegetation amidst an impressive valley. A hike through the gorge gives you the opportunity to see chimpanzees and other types of primates including red-tailed monkey, black-and-white colobus, baboons and vervet monkeys. This green-riverine forest also offers shelter to several forest birds. Although the chance of spotting chimpanzees is not as high as on an official trekking in Kibale or Budongo forest, this landscape is among the most impressive in Uganda and absolutely worth visiting.

After the hike you will drive in about 2,5 hours to the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park (Ishasha sector). This part is famous for its’ tree-climbing lions. While lion cubs around the world frequently climb trees for fun, adults rarely do. However, these lionesses enjoy spending the hot afternoons snoozing in fig trees to get away from the tsetse flies and to enjoy a cool breeze. This is the most memorable sight in the park as you have never seen such photogenic lions posing for your camera before. Meanwhile don’t miss the stunning scenery and superb birdlife in this southern remote section of the park either.

Day 14:  Gorilla Trekking and Batwa Culture

Today is the big day… Prepare yourself for an encounter with one of Bwindi’s gentle giants: the rare Mountain Gorilla. For most people this is the absolute highlight of their tour in Uganda.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a highlight for many visitors as this is where they will be visiting the home of the gentle giants. The park lies in southwestern Uganda on the edge of the Rift Valley. Uganda’s oldest and most biologically diverse rainforests lies on the mist-covered hillsides. This magnificent forest dates back over 25,000 years, even surviving the last Ice Age (most forests disappeared). Bwindi forest has an incredible diversity of flora and fauna and is the only forest in Africa which can make claim to host both mountain gorillas and chimpanzees. In fact, half the worlds’ population of gorillas live here divided over nine habituated family groups. Also 5 other primate species, 120 species of mammal, over 220 butterflies and 360 bird’s species call Bwindi home. This is the place to see the critically endangered mountain gorillas up close for your very own ‘Gorillas in the Mist’ moment.

Day 15: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for Relaxation

After breakfast, we shall start our journey to lake Bunyonyi in kabale District. Lake Bunyonyi is framed by lush, green-terraced hills that reach a height of (2,200 – 2,478m) with 29 islands of various shapes and sizes scattered across the water that make it most magical — you could admire them all day. You shall have an exciting boat ride on Lake Bunyonyi. In the afternoon you may have optional activities; a Canoe boat ride, a swim in the Bilharzia free lake, you may also explore a nearby village. Residents are happy for you visit and are open to explain their daily lives.

Day 16: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park

After your breakfast, and brief visit of Kabale town, you will start your journey to Lake Mburo. Lake Mburo is a small national Park but should certainly not be underestimated. This is the only place in southern Uganda to see zebras and the only park in the country with impalas, slender mongoose and giant bush rats. You can also look for hyenas, leopards, topis, elands and the beautiful Rothschild’s giraffes, not to mention the lake itself which is teeming with hippos and crocodiles. There are a lot of wonderful activities on offer, such as horse-riding, bush walks, boat safari on the lake and a mountain bike safari. It is exciting to approach the wildlife at such close range, especially combining the fresh air with the beautiful scenery of Lake Mburo National Park. Enroute lunch in Mbarara town and visit to the Igongo cultural Center.

Day 17:  Nature walk and boat cruise

What sets Lake Mburo Park apart from others is that Nature walks can be taken anywhere within the park with an armed Uganda Wildlife Authority Guide at your side. On an early morning guided walk you often encounter hyenas that are returning to their dens after a night of being on the prowl – at the same time you can often see hippos returning from grazing during the night and returning to Lake Mburo to keep cool during the day and protect their sensitive skin from the sun. On a nature walk you will often see Zebras, Giraffes, Eland, Topi and other antelopes, buffalos. birds, butterflies. Take the Trail to the top of the hills and see Lake Mburo and beyond, from this vantage point you have a great view of 9 of the regional lakes found in the area.

In the afternoon, a boat ride on Lake Mburo gets you in touch with the flora and fauna of the lake. Along the bank, you will see lots of animals coming to water especially during the dry season. There are hippos, crocodiles, buffaloes, antelopes, zebras, also 3 kinds of otters are found in the lake itself When it comes to birds you can see Malachite Kingfishers, Pied Kingfishers, African Fish Eagles, Rufous Long-tailed Starlings, Blue-headed Weavers, Green-necked Doves, Hammerkops, Pelicans, Herons, Cormorants and even rare Shoebill Storks. A boat safari on Lake Mburo will allow you to see both crocodiles and hippos up close in their natural habitat and continues to be a major attraction in the park.

Day 18: Exit Lake Mburo and Transfer back to Kampala

Early in the morning have a guided nature walk again, return to the camp for a healthy breakfast. After, you will start your journey back to Entebbe. You will go cross the equator and experience being the Northern and Southern Hemisphere the same time an also have time to take photos. Buy a few souvenirs in the craft shops and have a quick picnic lunch. Later you depart for the Airport and take your flight back home.