14-Day Uganda Safari Experience
Overview
The 14-Day Uganda Safari Experience is the ultimate journey through Uganda’s most remarkable wildlife, primate, and cultural destinations. This safari takes you across the country’s most celebrated national parks and attractions including Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Murchison Falls National Park, Kibale Forest National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Lake Bunyonyi, Lake Mburo National Park, and Jinja.
Experience rhino tracking, chimpanzee trekking, mountain gorilla encounters, thrilling game drives, boat cruises, cultural experiences, relaxation by scenic lakes, and adventure at the Source of the Nile. This itinerary offers a complete exploration of Uganda’s diverse landscapes and extraordinary wildlife.
Safari Highlights
- Chimpanzee trekking
- Canopy walks
- Nature walks
- Kigali city tour
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe and Transfer to Hotel
Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be met by your safari guide and transferred to your hotel. Relax and prepare for your Uganda safari adventure.
Accommodation: ViaVia Entebbe / 2 Friends Beach Hotel / Airport Guesthouse Entebbe
Meal Plan: Dinner
Day 2: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park via Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
After breakfast, depart for Murchison Falls National Park. Stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for rhino tracking before continuing to the park.
Visit the top of Murchison Falls where the Nile squeezes through a narrow gorge before plunging into the river below.
Accommodation: Pakuba Safari Lodge / Fort Murchison / Murchison River Lodge / Hornbill Bush Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 3: Morning Game Drive and Nile Boat Cruise
Enjoy an early morning game drive across the northern plains of Murchison Falls National Park.
Look out for elephants, lions, giraffes, buffaloes, leopards, hartebeests, and Uganda kobs. In the afternoon, enjoy a boat cruise to the base of Murchison Falls.
Accommodation: Pakuba Safari Lodge / Fort Murchison / Murchison River Lodge / Hornbill Bush Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 4: Delta Boat Cruise and Top of the Falls Visit
After breakfast, enjoy a boat excursion to the Nile Delta, one of Uganda’s best birdwatching areas and a prime location for spotting the shoebill stork.
Spend the afternoon exploring additional sections of the park and enjoying wildlife viewing opportunities.
Accommodation: Pakuba Safari Lodge / Fort Murchison / Murchison River Lodge / Hornbill Bush Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
Depart Murchison Falls and travel through western Uganda towards Kibale Forest National Park.
Arrive in the afternoon and enjoy the peaceful forest environment.
Accommodation: Chimpanzee Forest Lodge / Turaco Treetops / Kibale Forest Camp / Isunga Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 6: Chimpanzee Tracking and Bigodi Wetland Walk
After breakfast, participate in chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest National Park.
Later, enjoy a guided walk through Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary where you may encounter monkeys, birds, and other wildlife.
Accommodation: Chimpanzee Forest Lodge / Turaco Treetops / Kibale Forest Camp / Isunga Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 7: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park and Evening Game Drive
After breakfast, drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Enjoy an evening game drive in the Kasenyi Plains in search of lions, elephants, buffaloes, and numerous antelope species.
Accommodation: Buffalo Safari Lodge / Twin Lakes Safari Lodge / Elephant Hab Lodge / Enganzi Game Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 8: Morning Game Drive and Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise
Begin the day with a morning game drive before enjoying an afternoon boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel.
The channel is famous for large concentrations of hippos, crocodiles, elephants, and birdlife.
Accommodation: Buffalo Safari Lodge / Twin Lakes Safari Lodge / Elephant Hab Lodge / Enganzi Game Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 9: Transfer to Bwindi via Ishasha Sector
Travel through the Ishasha Sector while searching for the famous tree climbing lions.
Continue to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and check into your lodge.
Accommodation: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge / Bakiga Lodge / Buhoma Community Haven Lodge / Gorilla Mist Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 10: Gorilla Trekking Experience
After an early breakfast, attend a briefing before entering the forest in search of mountain gorillas.
Once located, spend one hour observing these incredible primates in their natural habitat.
Accommodation: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge / Bakiga Lodge / Buhoma Community Haven Lodge / Gorilla Mist Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 11: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
After breakfast, transfer to Lake Bunyonyi and enjoy a relaxing afternoon surrounded by terraced hills and beautiful islands.
Accommodation: BirdNest Resort Bunyonyi / Arcadia Cottages Bunyonyi / Lake Bunyonyi Eco Resort / Bunyonyi Overland Resort
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 12: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park
After breakfast, travel to Lake Mburo National Park.
Enjoy an afternoon game drive in search of zebras, impalas, giraffes, elands, buffaloes, and topis.
Accommodation: Rwakobo Rock Lodge / Kigarama Wilderness Lodge / Mpogo Safari Lodge / Mihingo Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 13: Walking Safari and Transfer to Jinja
Begin the day with a guided walking safari before departing for Jinja.
Arrive in the evening and check into your lodge overlooking the Nile.
Accommodation: 2 Friends Jinja / Nile Village Hotel & Spa / Jinja Nile Resort / The Mansion Hotel
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 14: Source of the Nile Tour and Return to Entebbe
After breakfast, enjoy a boat excursion to the Source of the Nile and explore Jinja’s most famous attraction.
Later, drive back to Entebbe or Kampala for your departure flight or hotel drop-off.
Accommodation: No Overnight Accommodation
Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch
Optional Activities
Murchison Falls National Park
- Hot Air Balloon Safari
- Sport Fishing
- Bird Watching Safari
- Night Game Drive
- Nature Walks
Kibale Forest National Park
- Chimpanzee Habituation Experience
- Crater Lakes Tour
- Coffee Experience Tour
- Community Visit
Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Lion Tracking Experience
- Chimpanzee Tracking in Kyambura Gorge
- Maramagambo Forest Walk
- Katwe Salt Lake Tour
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
- Batwa Cultural Experience
- Gorilla Habituation Experience
- Waterfall Trail Walk
- Community Cultural Visit
Lake Bunyonyi
- Canoeing
- Ziplining
- Island Hopping
- Nature Walks
- Bird Watching
Lake Mburo National Park
- Horseback Safari
- Boat Cruise
- Mountain Biking
- Night Game Drive
Jinja
- White Water Rafting
- Kayaking on the Nile
- Bungee Jumping
- Quad Biking
- Horseback Riding
- Sunset Boat Cruise
Tour Includes
- Travel in a 4×4 car
- Professional guide
- Park fees
- Accommodation
- Meals
- All Activities In Itinerary
Tour Excludes
- Alcoholic drinks
- Laundry
- Tips
- Shopping
- Insurance
- Anything not included per itinerary
Two Weeks Across Uganda’s Highlights
This fourteen-day itinerary gives genuine time to Uganda’s major destinations, typically combining Bwindi gorilla trekking, Kibale Forest chimpanzees, Queen Elizabeth National Park’s savannah wildlife, and Murchison Falls’ dramatic Nile scenery, without the rushed pacing a shorter circuit covering the same ground would require.
At this length, rest days and lower-intensity travel days are built in deliberately between the trip’s more demanding trekking and game-drive activities, keeping the overall experience comfortable despite covering considerable ground across the country.
Practical Notes
A Uganda e-visa or East Africa Tourist Visa, arranged before travel, is required for most nationalities, along with a yellow fever vaccination certificate if arriving from a country with risk of transmission. Travel insurance covering trekking or wildlife activities and medical evacuation is strongly recommended, and malaria prevention is worth discussing with a travel health clinic ahead of your trip.
US dollars printed after 2009 are widely accepted for park fees, permits and lodge bills, while Ugandan shillings are more practical for tips and smaller day-to-day purchases. Mobile network coverage is generally reliable at lodges and along main routes but becomes patchy inside the parks themselves.
Because permits and lodge availability are limited, particularly during the June to September and December to February peak seasons, we recommend booking this itinerary well in advance given its length and the number of destinations involved.
Tipping is customary though not compulsory. Rangers and trackers typically receive a tip at the end of any trekking activity, scaled to group size, while your driver-guide, who accompanies you throughout the trip, is usually tipped separately at the end. We’re glad to advise on typical tipping ranges when you book.
A private 4×4 safari vehicle with an experienced English-speaking driver-guide accompanies you for the entire trip, handling both park game-viewing tracks and the longer road transfers this itinerary involves.
Gorilla Permits and Booking
Only a limited number of gorilla trekking permits are issued for Bwindi each day, one per visitor per habituated family, which keeps groups small and disturbance to the gorillas to a minimum — a maximum of eight visitors are allowed with each family per day. Because demand regularly outstrips supply during the peak dry seasons, permits are best secured well in advance of travel; we handle the full booking process through the Uganda Wildlife Authority as part of your itinerary so you arrive with everything confirmed. Each permit covers one hour with the gorillas once they are located, though the trek itself to reach them is unregulated in length. Visitors under fifteen years of age and anyone showing symptoms of a communicable illness are not permitted to trek, a rule designed to protect the gorillas, which share close to 98% of human DNA and are highly susceptible to human respiratory infections.
Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise
The Kazinga Channel, a natural waterway linking Lake Edward and Lake George inside Queen Elizabeth National Park, is home to one of the largest concentrations of hippopotamus in Africa alongside Nile crocodiles, buffalo herds and an exceptional variety of water birds including pelicans, kingfishers and African fish eagles. A two-hour launch cruise along the channel is one of the most reliable wildlife-viewing activities in the park because animals gather along the banks to drink, offering close, unhurried sightings that game drives cannot always guarantee. The cruise is included as a core activity on itineraries through Queen Elizabeth and runs at set times in the late morning and afternoon to align with when wildlife activity along the water is highest.
Game Drives in Murchison Falls National Park
North of the Nile, the open savannah of Murchison Falls National Park supports healthy populations of Rothschild’s giraffe, Jackson’s hartebeest, oribi, and large herds of buffalo, along with elephants and, with a bit of luck, lion. Morning game drives are generally the most productive, when temperatures are cooler and animals are more active before retreating to shade later in the day. The park’s delta area, where the Nile meets Lake Albert, is also a strong spot for shoebill stork sightings, a prehistoric-looking bird that draws dedicated birders from around the world. As Uganda’s largest national park, distances between game-viewing circuits are considerable, so most visitors spend at least two nights here to properly cover both the northern and southern sections.
Chimpanzee Tracking in Kibale Forest
Kibale Forest National Park protects one of the highest densities of primates in Africa, and its main draw is tracking habituated chimpanzee communities through the forest understory. Treks typically last one to three hours and reward visitors with close views of chimps feeding, grooming and moving through the canopy, along with their loud, distinctive pant-hoot calls echoing through the trees. Beyond chimpanzees, Kibale is home to eleven other primate species, including L’Hoest’s and red colobus monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys and the elusive nocturnal potto, making it a rewarding stop even beyond the headline chimp trek. For visitors wanting a deeper experience, a full-day chimpanzee habituation permit allows several hours with a community from dawn, following researchers as they carry out their morning routine.