17 Days Uganda Safari: Discover the Pearl of Africa in Depth

17 Days Uganda Safari: Explore the ‘Pearl of Africa‘ in detail! Uganda is rich in treasures big and little, from the source of the Mighty Nile to breathtaking waterfalls, quiet lakes, tropical forests, curious primates, grasslands, and the majestic Rwenzori Mountains. Allow us to assist you in discovering the untamed wonders of this African heartland with this full Uganda vacation.

Explore Uganda — The Pearl of Africa.

Itinerary Summary

Kampala: Boat Ride and Mountain Biking, Clifftop Bungee Jumping, Craft Markets
Jinja & Nile: Source of the Nile, Village Life, White Water Rafting, Bungee Jumping
Murchison Falls National Park: Nile River Boat Cruise, Game Drives, Diverse and Abundant Birdlife
Lake Albert: Blue Congo Mountains, Cultural Encounters, Bird-Watching
Kibale Forest National Park: Chimpanzee Trekking, Virgin Tropical Rainforest, Bird-Watching
Queen Elizabeth National Park: Crater Lakes, Tree-Climbing Lions, Boat Cruises on the Kazinga Channel
Bwindi Forest National Park: Close Encounters with Gorillas, Culture Encounters, Impenetrable Rainforest Trekking
Lake Mburo National Park: Biodiverse Wetland, Cultural Encounters, Night Game Drives, Rich Birdlife
Entebbe: City Tour, Botanical Gardens, Lake Victoria

Days 1 – 2: Kampala

To arrive in Jinja, take the scenic route via small villages and verdant fields.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Drive Time

International Arrival
International arrival. We will welcome you at the airport.
Drive to Jinja (2-3 hrs)

Day 2 – 4: Jinja & Nile

Jinja is the East African counterpart to more southern adrenaline cities like Victoria Falls and Cape Town for the daring.

Included Activities

Village visit: Visit a village in Jinja with a local guide and get a look into the daily lives of people in this corner of the world.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Drive Time
Drive to Murchison Falls (7-8 hrs)

Day 4 – 7: Murchison Falls

African Safari in Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda

Accept the Nile! Murchison Falls National Park takes its name from the Murchison Falls, where the powerful Nile erupts through a tiny 7-meter chasm and falls down to become a calm river teeming with hippos, crocodiles, buffaloes, elephants, and other wildlife.

Included Activities

Game Drives in Murchison Falls
This is one safari that your entire family will enjoy. These three-hour short game drives in Murchison Falls are suitable for our small guests as well. The tropical rainforest surrounding the falls is alive and brimming with a diverse range of wildlife. Set out early in the morning or late in the afternoon to observe Rothschild Giraffes, elephants, buffaloes, antelopes, lions, leopards, warthogs, Savannah birds, and other wildlife. The abundance of animals along the Buligi game paths provides a once-in-a-lifetime picture opportunity. The Honey Moon Track, for example, is an excellent location for seeing the tall and lanky giraffes. A lion or leopard lurking in the shadows at dusk can be quite a memorable viewing experience.
Boat Safari & Nature Walk in Murchison Falls
Unleash your inner nature lover with our Murchison Falls boat safari and nature walk, your ticket to a magnificent realm of foggy, whirling rivers and breathtaking waterfalls. On the boat voyage over the Nile to the base of Murchison Falls, the world’s most powerful cascade, you’ll see lazily lounging hippos and massive sunbathing crocs. With herds of elephants, buffaloes, antelopes, and rich birds on the banks of this gorgeous river, the experience just gets better. Disembark for a guided nature walk along the river’s banks to the top of the waterfall. There are numerous intriguing walking paths around Murchison Falls National Park that take you through the Rabongo or Budongo Forests, where you may see chimps, African wildlife, and birds in abundance.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Drive Time
Drive from Murchison Falls to Lake Albert (2-3 hrs)

Days 7 – 8: Lake Albert

Lake Albert is the northernmost lake in the Great Rift Valley, bordering Uganda and the Congo.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Drive Time
Drive to Kibale (4-5 hrs)

Days 8 – 10: Kibale Forest National Park

Kibale National Park, Uganda | Crater Safari Lodge

Kibale National Park‘s beautiful tropical rainforest contains one of the largest diversity and density of primates in Africa, with 13 species and over 1,000 chimps, making it a perfect place for chimp trekking.

Included Activities

Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale:
Take advantage of the opportunity to meet one of Uganda’s most famous primates. The guided primate walk provides a unique opportunity to see wild chimps. As you journey into the Kibale forest in pursuit of the chimps, take in the sights and sounds of a lush tropical jungle. Skilled ranger guides will teach you about the creatures and vegetation you see along the trip. Feel connected to the jungle, which is also home to other primates such as red colobus monkeys and mangabeys, as well as spectacular wildlife. You may also stumble across mammal tracks in the forest, making this an adventure of a lifetime.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Drive Time
Drive to Queen Elizabeth North (2-3 hrs)

Days 10 – 13: Queen Elizabeth National Park

The lush savannah of Queen Elizabeth National Park, set majestically in the shadow of the Ruwenzori, surrounding Lake Edward and Lake George, provides perfect grazing for buffalo, elephants, and other antelope.

Included Activities

A boat safari on Kazinga Channel to Lake George in Queen Elizabeth:

The Boat Safari in the Kazinga Channel at Queen Elizabeth National Park will be a highlight of your Ugandan vacation. The waterway connects Lake George to the east and Lake Edward to the west, and its beaches are home to some of the best game viewing areas in the area. Our knowledgeable experts will join you on the boat and tell anecdotes about the region’s diverse flora and fauna. Beautiful vistas of the Rwenzori Mountains north of Lake George and the Kasenyi plains will captivate you. Buffaloes, elephants, and lions abound in the area, so don’t be shocked if you spot one among the grasslands’ foliage. On the boat safari, you’ll see hippos and sunbathing crocs, as well as a spectacular display of birds like African Fish Eagles, African Spoonbills, Great Cormorants, and African Skimmers, and pelicans.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Drive Time
Drive to Bwindi (2-3 hrs)

Days 13 – 15: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

Exploring Bwindi Impenetrable National Park | Gorilla Safari Lodge | Uganda

Look at the gorillas! Bwindi is home to approximately 340 critically endangered mountain gorillas, accounting for more than half of the world’s population.

Included Activities

Gorilla trekking
No other wildlife encounter in Africa compares to spending time face-to-face with some of the last remaining wild mountain gorillas. A gorilla trip requires you to be somewhat fit for the humid, muddy conditions of a jungle hike. Even during the dry season, the rainforest is a difficult environment to navigate: it is damp, rainy, and muddy, with some steep hills and dense foliage. Spending time with gorillas in the wild is well worth the effort, but be prepared to exhaust yourself on the journey. Your expert guide and tracker will lead you into the forest’s secret paths in search of a habituated gorilla family. Once located, approach the gorillas gently and settle in to study them from a distance of 7 to 10 meters. You will be with the gorillas for up to an hour, watching the adults forage and groom each other as the babies tumble and play. You will be under the watchful eye of the great silverback patriarch, whose protective soft brown eyes will continually sweep over his brood. It is a genuinely stunning experience to witness gorillas express regular human actions and emotions!

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Drive Time
Drive to Lake Mburo (5-6 hrs)

Days 15 – 17: Lake Mburo National Park

Lake Mburo is home to a diverse range of flora and wildlife due to its varied topography of rolling hills, wide grassy valleys, acacia grasslands, and marshes.

Included Activities

Bushwalk at Lake Mburo
Experience a guided bushwalk along the shores of Lake Mburo to stretch your legs and explore the minor beauties of nature.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Drive Time
Drive to Entebbe (6-7 hrs)

Days 17: Entebbe

A birdwatcher’s paradise! Entebbe, the former capital of Uganda during British colonization, has a population of 50,000 people and is located on the banks of Lake Victoria, the world’s second-biggest freshwater lake.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Drive Time
International Departure

Inclusions

• Accommodation and meals, as specified in the itinerary
• Activities and excursions, as specified in the itinerary
• Transportation services, as specified in the itinerary
• Your Trip Coordinator: a 24/7 point of contact supporting you during your trip
• Carbon emissions offsetting for your trip

Inclusions

• Entrance fees and meals, unless mentioned in the itinerary description
• Tips and personal expenses
• Visa and tourism fees
• Travel, health, and cancellation insurance
• International airfare

Want an in-depth insight into this 17 Days Uganda Safari itinerary? Essential Trip Information provides, visa info, How to get to Uganda, the Best Time to visit – pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.