12 Days Best Of Uganda Game & Primates’ Safari – S0A022

Uganda

Location

Duration

12 days
DESTINATION  UGANDA (Bwindi, Kibale, Queen Elizabeth National Park)
TRAVEL VALID  2026 – 2027
DURATION  11 NIGHTS / 12 DAYS
TRIP THEME  Nature & Outdoors
PROGRAM CODE  SOA022

Uganda’s remarkable diversity unfolds across this 12-day safari, taking you through a collection of the country’s most celebrated wildlife destinations and natural wonders. Beginning with rhino tracking at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and the dramatic spectacle of Murchison Falls, the itinerary combines classic safari experiences with some of Africa’s most sought-after primate encounters. Game drives across Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Ishasha, and Lake Mburo offer opportunities to spot elephants, lions, buffaloes, giraffes, antelopes, leopards, hippos, crocodiles, and countless bird species in a variety of stunning landscapes.

The journey continues into the lush rainforests of Kibale National Park, where chimpanzee tracking provides a fascinating glimpse into the lives of our closest relatives. Scenic drives through crater lakes, rolling hills, and coffee-growing regions add a cultural dimension to the safari before reaching Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, home to the endangered mountain gorilla. Spending time with a gorilla family in their natural habitat is widely regarded as one of the world’s greatest wildlife encounters and forms the highlight of this exceptional itinerary.

 

Itinerary At a Glance

1 Night – Entebbe / Kampala
2 Nights – Murchison Falls National Park
1 Night – Kibale Forest National Park
2 Nights – Queen Elizabeth National Park
1 Night – Ishasha Sector (Queen Elizabeth National Park)
2 Nights – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
1 Night – Lake Mburo National Park
1 Night – Entebbe / Kampala

Upon arrival at the airport, you will be warmly welcomed by our guide who will then take you your hotel for overnight stay in Kampala

Meals: N/A
Overnight: Kampala Serena Hotel

Transit Time: 1 hour

7 00 am: Depart for Masindi, via the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.  The sanctuary has been established to breed black and white rhino which got extinct in the country due to heavy poaching in the early 80s.  Lunch at the sanctuary and after, proceed to Murchison Falls NP for an overnight stay. You will stop at the Top of the Falls for a magnificent view of the falls from top as it falls 45 meters down, after,  proceed to your overnight Lodge.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight: Nile Safari Lodge

Transit Time: 5 to 6 hours

6 00am: An early morning game drive to look for the big five and their prey.  Before sunrise, they hunt as we hunt for them.  The lion, the elusive leopard, the laughing hyena, the silent elephant, the aggressive buffalos all share this park and struggle for survival.  It’s survival of the fittest.  If we are lucky, we shall see them all.  The warthogs and antelopes, as well as the giraffes are all out hiding in the tall savanna grass.  Return to the lodge for breakfast.

2:00pm, you will take a boat ride up the river to the bottom of Murchison Falls.  Hippos, crocodiles, buffaloes and other animals in search of water will be your hosts.  This cruise is also great for bird viewing and photography.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight: Nile Safari Lodge

Transit Time: N/A

After breakfast at 8.30am transfer to Kibale National Park via Fort Portal, Lunch will be en-route in Fort Portal. On arrival, check in to your Lodge and relax, you opt for an evening nature walk in Bigodi Community. Kibale Forest National Park is a large, protected block of rainforest, which has the highest number of primates in Africa such as Chimpanzees, Grey Cheeked Mangabey, Red Tailed monkey and Red Colobus. Overnight at

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight: Chimpundu Lodge

Transit Time: 7 to 8 hours

At 7.30am after breakfast, you will go for Chimpanzee tracking in the forest starting with a briefing at 7.30am and tracking starts at 8.00am, with a chance of seeing a variety of primates and bird species plus vegetation.

Kibale National Park contains one of the loveliest and most varied tracts of tropical forest in Uganda. Forest cover, interspersed with patches of grassland and swamp, dominates the northern and central parts of the park on an elevated plateau. The park is home to a total of 70 mammal species, most famously 13 species of primate including the chimpanzee.

It also contains over 375 species of birds. Kibale adjoins Queen Elizabeth National Park to the south to create an 180km-long corridor for wildlife between Ishasha, the remote southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Sebitoli in the north of Kibale National Park.

Later, return for Lunch at the lodge, after Lunch, transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park driving through the crater regions of Fort Portal and Kasese (for coffee experience) with several stops for scenic views and photography. Proceed to the park arriving in the evening for check in. Overnight at:

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight: Kyambura Gorge Lodge

Transit Time: 2 to 3hrs

6.00 am: Take an early game drive in the park with high expectations of seeing Lions, Hippos, Buffaloes, Leopards, Spotted Hyenas, Elephants, Antelopes and the elusive Giant Forest Hog in this park. Return to your accommodation for breakfast and rest.

2.30pm: Take the boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, a channel that connects Lake Edward to Lake George. Believed to be the biggest Hippo concentration in Africa, this area is also great for bird viewing as well as viewing many other wildlife as they come to take a drink of water. This launch cruise offers an excellent platform for photography.  Over 550 species have been spotted and recorded here that include Great White and Pink-Backed Pelicans, Great and Long-Tailed Cormorants, Open-Billed Stork, African Jacana, Malachite and Pied Kingfishers are. Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner, overnight at

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight: Kyambura Gorge Lodge

Transit Time: N/A 

After breakfast, have a Game drive in the morning as we drive through the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth, Ishasha Sector which is famous for tree climbing Lions. It is somewhat uncommon for lions to climb trees. There are no more than 2 populations in whole world of such lions that do actually climb trees as one of their daily behaviors. One of these populations is found here within the Ishasha area. The other population is found in Lake Manyara National Park in the Southern part of Tanzania. Later head to your lodge for Lunch.

You may opt for the evening game drive to see more wildlife or relax for the rest of the evening.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight: Ishasha Wilderness Camp

Transit Time: 2 to 3 hours 

Early morning Game drive in search of more tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha sector. Later transfer to Bwindi for your overnight stay.

The Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is where you have the best chance of spotting a mountain gorilla family going about their business. Once you have your permit, you are led across the rugged terrain and though the awe-inspiring jungle to where the gorillas were seen yesterday and then you track them and follow them. Aside from the amazing gorilla interactions, there are numerous forest walks and 346 species of birds to track down, many of which are amazingly colorful. Evening, you will relax at the lodge to prepare for tomorrows tracking. Overnight at

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight: Gorilla Forest Camp-Luxury Tents

Transit Time: 1 to 2 hours 

After an early breakfast, depart to the park headquarters and proceed for briefing from park ranger guides at 7.30 before starting your Gorilla trek at 8.00am through steeply forested and beautiful landscape along several animal trails. Some of the terrain is steep and strenuous, but the reward of watching gorillas undisturbed in their natural habitat is unmatched.

Waterproof ankle shoes are recommended or good athletic shoes. Wear thick long pants (not light weight khakis) to protect your legs from the underbrush. Bring heavy, long socks that can be pulled up over the pants to prevent any problems with stinging nettles and ants. Bring a pair of sturdy garden gloves and protect your camera with a rain cover (a plastic bag or shower cap can work!).

No more than eight people may visit any gorilla family on any given day so you can be assured of an intimate experience with these with these impressive animals. Once you reach the gorillas you have an unforgettable hour to spend with them.

After the trek, you will return to the lodge for lunch. This afternoon, you will be taken on a village walk to the communities around the park. This is a great opportunity to meet the people surrounding Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. It also is a unique way to support the local community.

Enjoy the evening relaxing at the camp and trade stories with fellow adventurers.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight: Gorilla Forest Camp-Luxury Tents

Transit Time: N/A 

After breakfast, depart for Lake Mburo National Park, having a game drive while entering the park arriving in the early afternoon. Lake Mburo is an extension of the Tanzanian Plains with big herds of zebra, impala, eland and other savannah species plus the recently introduced Giraffes. For birders, this is one of the best places to find African Fin foot, Papyrus, Bush Shrike, etc. Lunch will be at the lodge and in the evening, you will take another Game drive to different section of the park in look out for more wildlife. Overnight at:

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight: Kigambira Safari Lodge-Luxury Cottages

Transit Time: 5 to 6hrs

6.30 am: Enjoy an early morning game drive before dawn to see the animals, namely the Zebras, antelope, topi, buffalos and impala. Return to the lodge for breakfast. Proceed to Entebbe, Via the Uganda Equator for a short stop to take pictures, Lunch and shop for crafts from several shops in this area. Proceed to Entebbe after and check in at your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight:
Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort and Spa

Transit Time: 4 to 5 Hours

After Breakfast depending on your flight time, you will transfer to Entebbe Airport for your outbound flight departing.

Meals: Breakfast

Transit Time: 20 Minutes

Trip Inclusions

  • All Services as specified in the itinerary
  • All private transfers
  • Accommodation and meals as detailed in the itinerary based on double
  • Private 4x4 safari vehicle with popup roof for Game Viewing & Fuel for the whole trip
  • Services of an English-speaking driver/guide
  • 1 Gorilla permit per person for Bwindi
  • 1 Chimp Permit for Kibale per person
  • All park entry fees for all the parks
  • Rhino Tracking at Ziwa
  • Bigodi Swamp Community Walk
  • Crater Tours
  • Entrance to all sites indicated
  • Top of the falls tour Murchison Falls
  • Game drive in Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth, Lake Mburo and Ishasha
  • Boat Cruise to the Bottom of the Murchison Falls & Kazinga Channel Queen Elizabeth
  • Drinking Water per day
  • All local taxes and levies
  • AMREF Evacuation Insurance Cover

Trip Exclusions

  • Personal expenses & Tips
  • Meals and drinks where they are not indicated
  • Air tickets both domestic and International
  • Visas
  • Personal Insurance
  • Alcoholic beverages and others not mentioned above
  • Optional Activities
  NB: Gorilla permits, Chimpanzee permits are subject to availability at the time of booking and therefore require booking and payment in advance

Booking Form

Shades Of Africa Safaris – Terms & Conditions

1. Bookings /reservations policy
All bookings/reservations are made through Email for the purposes of referencing.
All booking vouchers are sent via email tour client for their reference
All purchases are subject to re-confirmation within 3-4 business days.
All confirmed bookings should be confirmed with a 50% deposit to secure reservations.
The balance is paid 7 days before travel to allow us to clear with our suppliers on time.
Late reservations and modifications will attract a fee to secure reservations imposed on us by our suppliers.

2. Travelers name
All travelers/visitors are responsible to ensure their names match their passport/Id card names.

3. Inclusions/Exclusions
All inclusions on the tour package cover’s hotel service charges, Meal plan, transport(air/rail), entry & park fees, sightseeing, game drives as shown on each of the itinerary.
The Shades of Africa Travel ltd reserves the right to modify the tour arrangements for smooth operation of the tour.
The tour package doesn’t include items of personal nature, tips, gratuities.

4. Ticketing policy
All airfares or Train tickets are offered as a portion of our tour prices. These fares are subject to change without notice and on certain peak periods may not be available.
Air ticket cancellation subject airlines/Trian penalties and handing fee
All tickets for children are subject to Airline/train rules and regulations.

5. Child policy
Child above 12yrs of age sharing with 2 adults will be charged 50% of adult rate.
Children on own room sharing pay 75% of adult rate.
The company provides child seats on our fleet of vehicles on request.

6. Transport Policy
All our tour packages have included transport which is done by our fleet of vehicles
All our fleets have professional drivers/tour guides
All our fleets are fully insured incase any misfortunes
All our fleets are fully registered with the regulatory bodies.

7. Cost/Price
All our tour packages are customized as per the client request and are packaged in regards to seasons/destinations.
Price may vary with regards to the seasons/destination
All Prices are subject to 16% VAT.

8. Payment
Payment is required by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express) or by cash transfer to the Shades of Africa Travel Ltd Bank Account, cheques, and pre-paid credit cards. Third parties may pre pay/credit or debit card presented at the start of the engagement must always be in the name of the traveler booking the tour package. Vouchers cannot be transferred, ie the person named on the voucher as the traveler must be the person reserves the booking.

9. Cancellation Policy:
Notice of cancellation must be made in writing to Shades of Africa Travel Ltd and the following scale of cancellation fees will be applied.

NOTE: Shades of Africa travel reserves the right to accept or decline any passenger or any trip should that person physical or mental condition impede the operation of the tour or the rights, welfare or enjoyment of other tour.

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