20 Day Best of Uganda Classic Safari

Day 1, Arrival

Arrive Entebbe international airport, you will meet and greet with your Best of Uganda Classic Safari guide who will then transfer to your hotel for overnight.

Accommodation

• Papyrus Guest House
• Boma Guest House
• Lake Victoria Serena Resort Hotel

Day 2, Entebbe to Kampala city tour to Jinja

Start your private Best of Uganda Classic Safari with an early transfer to Kampala for a short city tour.

Among the places to visit on the include the Rubaga and Namirembe cathedrals, Gadafi mosque the largest in Africa, The Mengo King’s palace and Bulange, the Kabaka’s lake which is the biggest manmade lake in Uganda, the Uganda museum and Namugongo Martyrs shrine.

Continue the drive eastward to Jinja with lunch en-route, visit the source of the Nile with a canoe ride to the source.

Meal Plan: B, L, D

Accommodation

• Source of the Smile Guest House
• 2 Friends Guest House
• Wild Waters Lodge

Day 3, White water rafting on the Nile

Full day white water rafting adventure on the Nile, River has the best white water rafting in the world considered the finest and safest Grade 5 rapid in the world, no adventure safari would be complete without white water rafting in Jinja.

Rafting is and adventure of Fun! River Nile has 8 major Grade 5 rapids which are rafted and many other minor rapids which are carefully selected to maximize you fun and safety.

Meal Plan: B, L, D

Accommodation

• Source of the Smile Guest House
• 2 Friends Guest House
• Wild Waters Lodge

Day 4, Jinja to Murchison Falls National Park

Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park with Rhino tracking at Ziwa and lunch en-route.

The Best of Uganda Classic Safari drive northwards will take you via Luweero to Nakasongola and after tracking the rhinos you will continue to Murchison Falls National park on of the oldest parks in Uganda. First gazetted as a game reserve in 1926 Murchison Falls Park is located in the northern end of the Albertine Rift Valley Hosting over 76 species of mammals and 451 species of birds.

It is also bisected by the Victoria Nile which 45m over the remnant rift valley wall, creating the spectacular Murchison Falls. The river offers a great opportunity for a game drive and the regular visitors to the riverbanks include elephants, giraffes and buffaloes, while hippos, Nile crocodiles and aquatic birds are permanent residents.

Meal Plan: B, L, D

Accommodation

• Murchison River Lodge
• Paraa Safari Lodge
• Bakers Lodge

Day 5, Game drive and launch cruise

Early morning game drive in the park searching for the animals, major species likely to be sited on the game drive includes elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, kobs, and on a lucky day even a lion can be sited.

After lunch go for an afternoon boat cruise to the bottom of falls where you will disembark and take a hike to the top of falls, this is a rewarding African adventure as the hike is relatives and takes you along the water fall through a forested hill with great views of the waterfalls.

Meal Plan: B, L, D

Accommodation

• Murchison River Lodge
• Paraa Safari Lodge
• Bakers Lodge

Day 6, Delta cruise to Hoima

A Best of Uganda Classic Safari boat cruise to the delta is the only opportunity to spot the rear shoebill stork at the Nile delta in Murchison Falls National Park.

The Victoria Nile Delta is located 20km downstream from Parra where your journey starts, the delta is home of the shoebill and other wetland endemic species, the boat cruise is popular in the morning and more appealing for birders.

You will then drive along the Butiaba escarpment with great vies of the Albertine escarpment to Hoima town.

Meal Plan: B, L, D

Accommodation

• Hotel Kontiki
• Hoima Cultural Lodge
• Hoima Cultural Lodge

Day 7, Transfer from Hoima to Kibale national park

This day starts with a morning breakfast and drive to Kibale, picnic stops en-route and stunning views of the scenery will spice up the drive, tea plantations is one of the most friendly to your sight en-route, arriving in time for lunch at the lodge  and afternoon visit to Bigodi swamp.

A swamp walk will reward you a great experience hence contributing to the community in the end.

This is a community project aimed at improving the livelihoods of the local people, a local guide will lead you on a developed 4.5km trial through the swamp for approximately 3 hours where you can find several bird species including the great blue Turraccos, Hornibils Kingfishers and also Black and White Colobus, Red Colobus, Red Tailed Monkey, Grey Cheeked Mangabey, Olive Baboon, L’hoest Monkey, Vervet Monkeys can be spotted.

Meal Plan: B, L, D

Accommodation

• Chimpanzee Guest House
• Primate lodge
• Ndali Lodge 

Day 8, Chimpanzee Tracking

Kibale forest has over 1,450 individuals (Chimpanzees) protected within the park. At Kanyanchu, a community of chimpanzees has been habituated since 1991, allowing visitors an outstanding opportunity to Track these apes in their natural Habitat.

Tracking starts at 7am with a briefing at Kanyanchu Park headquarter where you will be allocated rangers to take you to the forest. An safari advance team already in the forest keep tracking the chimps and communicates with your ranger on the radio call. Tracking can last for 2 to 4 hours depending on how far the chimps could be feeding.

In the afternoon visit the crater lakes with a walk to the top of the world alternatively relax at the lodge.

Meal Plan: B, L, D

Accommodation

• Chimpanzee Guest House
• Primate lodge
• Ndali Lodge

Day 9, Kibale forest to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Morning relaxed drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park with an African snack lunch en-route, and afternoon launch cruise on the Kazinga channel will give you great views of several game including Hippos, Buffaloes, elephants and birdlife that queen Elizabeth National Park has to offer, off the boat cruise and continue with and evening game drive in the park before returning to your lodge for an overnight.

Meal Plan: B, L, D

Accommodation

• Baboon Safari Lodge
• Parkview Safari Lodge
• Kasenyi Safari Lodge

Day 10, Queen Elizabeth Ishasha Sector

Morning savanna game drives in the Kasenyi plains through to Katwe Kob mating grounds. Most of the animals you are likely to find here include impalas, sitatungas and lions when lucky enough.

Continue the Best of Uganda Classic Safari drive to Ishasha sector in the northern part of the Park for Lunch and an afternoon game drive searching for tree climbing lions in the cactus tree branches.

Meal Plan: B, L, D

Accommodation

• The River Lodge Ishasha
• Ishasha Jungle Lodge
• Ishasha Wilderness Camp

Day 11, Queen Elizabeth to Bwindi Gorilla Park

Morning Best of Uganda Classic Safari game drive in the Ishasha plains to increase your chances of seeing the endangered lions and a leopard depending on how lucky you are you may come in sight with the big cats, before transferring to Bwindi Gorilla Park arriving for lunch relax at you booked gorilla lodge in Bwindi, contemplating on the Gorilla Trekking adventure the next morning.

Meal Plan: B, L, D

Accommodation

• Buhoma community Camp
• Mahogany Springs Lodge
• Gorilla Forest Camp

Day 12, Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park located in south-western Uganda edge at the edge of the great east African Rift Valley. It is a home to over 400 species of mountain gorillas about half of the world’s population. Many of these are habituated in families that are daily visited by tourists. The forest is also a home to over 350 species of birds and 400 flora species.

Gorilla trekking starts at 8am after a briefing at the park headquarters, you will trek through the dense steep forest searching for the gorillas depending on where they were seen making nests the previous evening. The trekking can last 2-7 hours depending on how soon you find the gorillas; this is influenced by the location they stayed overnight. Trekking can be a tasking adventure, but coming to a facial close-up with these close relatives to human is a reward worthy to earn

Meal Plan: B, L, D

Accommodation

• Buhoma community Camp
• Mahogany Springs Lodge
• Gorilla Forest Camp

Day 13, Batwa Forest People’s Culture Experience

Having had a great morning breakfast, set out for the Batwa Cultural walking experience.

This part of the Best of Uganda Classic Safari will give you a glance of how the Batwa previously lived in the forest before they were evicted when the forest was gazetted into a national park in 1991. In the afternoon relax at the lodge.

Meal Plan: B, L, D

Accommodation

• Buhoma community Camp
• Mahogany Springs Lodge
• Gorilla Forest Camp

Day 14, Bwindi to Mgahinga National Park

Driving from Bwindi National park to Mgahinga National Park is an interesting adventure itself, the route is characterised by stunning sceneries of undulation hills and several beautiful features en-route  which gave this area the names “Switzerland of Africa” arriving for lunch and relax at the lodge.

Meal Plan: B, L, D

Accommodation

• Kisoro Tourist Hotel
• Travellers Rest Hotel
• Volcanoes Gahinga Lodge

Day 15, Volcanoe Hiking

Today’s Best of Uganda Classic Safari adventure will take you up the volcanoe and descend same day, volcanoe climbing is approximately 6 hours, 3 hours ascending and 3 hours of decent depending on how physically fit you are. In the evening it will be time for a well earned relaxation at the lodge.

Meal Plan: B, L, D

Accommodation

• Kisoro Tourist Hotel
• Travellers Rest Hotel
• Volcanoes Gahinga Lodge

Day 16, Golden monkey tracking and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi

Golden Monkeys are a rear species of primates, in East African they are found only in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda and Volcanoes Park in Rwanda. The golden monkey track in Uganda is a gentle steep but an interesting two-hour trek through former farmlands to the bamboo forest.

On a clear day, you may view the Virunga Volcano ranges. After lunch at the lodge transfer to Lake Bunyonyi.

Meal Plan: B, L, D

Accommodation

• Crater bay Cottage
• Bunyonyi Eco Resort
• Birdnest Bunyonyi Resort.

Day 17, Lake Bunyonyi

Lake Bunyonyi located in south west Uganda is believed to me the second deepest lake in  Africa, at 1,962 metres above sea level it receives moderate temperature throughout the with cool waters in the morning and in the evening. The lake has 29 islands which give a beautiful scenery that you will never afford missing on your safari to Uganda, the lake and its surroundings are an a habitat to several species of birds hence its name Lake Bunyonyi, Meaning a lake of small birds. This makes the lake a hotspot for birders.

Canoe rides on the lake and visit the local village, afternoon relaxation at the lake swimming and enjoying the stunning views of the lake, islands and the surroundings, Lake Bunyonyi is safe and Bilhazia free.

Meal Plan: B, L, D

Accommodation

• Crater bay Cottage
• Bunyonyi Eco Resort
• Birdnest Bunyonyi Resort.

Day 18, Bwindi to Lake Mburo National Park

After morning breakfast transfer to Lake Mburo National Park, a stopover at Mbarara the city of milk for lunch will be a refreshing moment before heading to Lake Mburo Rwonyo peninsular for an afternoon boat cruise.

The park is the smallest of the Uganda’s protected savannah parks with lots of metamorphic rocks and a home to over 350 species of birdlife, zebras and buffaloes are the face of the game in this savannah land. Elands, Oribi, Waterbucks, Hippos, Reedbucks, Topi and a Leopard can also be spotted on a lucky day.

Meal Plan: B, L, D

Accommodation

• Eagles Nest Lodge
• Rwakobo Rock Lodge
• Mihingo Lodge

Day 19, Game drive and Horseback Safari

A morning game drive in Lake Mburo National park is a perfect way to view the endemic animals of this habitant, buffaloes, Zebras, Elands and several species of Kobs cannot be missed on a game drive. The lucky ones may see the big cats including a Leopard, the biggest chances of seeing the cats are when someone takes a night game drive.

In the afternoon it will be time for a horseback safari; this is an exciting way to see the wildlife without any engine sound and fumes. You feel part of nature on this Best of Uganda Classic Safari and often get the chance to see the animals at a very close range though the number of animals to see depends very much on the time of year and the rain fall in the area.

The rides are adjusted according to the your riding skills, for beginners and inexperienced riders only walk the horses, in fact a walk on a horse is the best way to view game. It is peaceful and relaxing and you get very close to the animals. For advanced riders there are also lovely stretches for trotting and cantering the horse.

Meal Plan: B, L, D

Accommodation

• Eagles Nest Lodge
• Rwakobo Rock Lodge“
• Mihingo Lodge

Day 20, Lake Mburo to Entebbe and Departure

The last day of your safari starts with a short game drive out of the park with the last chances of enjoying the view of the beautiful game in Lake Mburo National Park. Drive back to Entebbe with lunch en-route and a stop at the Equator arriving in time to check in for your flight back home.

Meal Plan: B, L

End of the 20 Day Best of Uganda Classic Safari.

We believe you have enjoyed your holiday in the most hospitable country, the Pearl of Africa!

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