12-Day Best of Uganda Safari Adventure

Route: Entebbe → Mabamba Swamp → Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary → Murchison Falls → Kibale Forest → Queen Elizabeth NP → Bwindi Impenetrable Forest → Lake Bunyonyi → Lake Mburo → Entebbe Highlights: Shoebill stork, rhino tracking, Big Five game drives, Nile boat safari, chimpanzee trekking, tree-climbing lions, Kazinga Channel cruise, mountain gorilla trekking, Lake Bunyonyi relaxation, Lake Mburo game walk Meal plan: Full Board on safari days; Bed & Breakfast in Entebbe. Packed lunches on trekking days.

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Quick Overview

Day	Destination	Meals
1	Arrival in Entebbe	Dinner
2	Entebbe → Mabamba → Ziwa → Murchison Falls	B, L, D
3	Murchison Falls	B, L, D
4	Murchison Falls → Kibale Forest	B, L, D
5	Kibale → Queen Elizabeth NP	B, L, D
6	Queen Elizabeth NP	B, L, D
7	Queen Elizabeth → Bwindi	B, L, D
8	Bwindi – Gorilla Trekking	B, L, D
9	Bwindi → Lake Bunyonyi	B, L, D
10	Lake Bunyonyi → Lake Mburo	B, L, D
11	Lake Mburo → Entebbe	B, L, D
12	Entebbe → Departure	B

Key: B = Breakfast · L = Lunch · D = Dinner

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Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1 — Arrival in Entebbe

Activities:

• Meet and greet at Entebbe International Airport
• Transfer to hotel
• Evening safari briefing and dinner
• Optional: Entebbe Botanical Gardens if time allows

Accommodation:

• Budget: K Hotels Entebbe
• Mid-range: Papyrus Guest House
• Luxury: The Boma Entebbe or Best Western Premier Garden Hotel

Meals: Dinner

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Day 2 — Entebbe → Mabamba Swamp → Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary → Murchison Falls NP

Activities:

• Early morning Mabamba Swamp canoe ride for shoebill stork — one of Uganda’s most sought-after bird species
• Drive to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for on-foot rhino tracking — the only place in Uganda to see wild white rhinos
• Lunch en route in Masindi
• Continue to Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda’s largest and oldest conservation area, first gazetted as a game reserve in 1926
• Visit the top of Murchison Falls, where the Nile thunders through a narrow 6-meter gorge

Accommodation:

• Budget: Hornbill Bush Lodge or Bwana Tembo Safari Camp
• Mid-range: Murchison River Lodge or Pakuba Safari Lodge
• Luxury: Paraa Safari Lodge or Nile Safari Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

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Day 3 — Murchison Falls National Park

Activities:

• Morning game drive in the northern sector — look for elephants, Rothschild’s giraffes, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, Jackson’s hartebeests, waterbucks, and warthogs. With good fortune, lions and leopards may be encountered
• Afternoon Nile boat cruise to the base of Murchison Falls — a 3-hour round trip providing stunning wildlife sightings, including hippos, crocodiles, elephants, and buffalo
• The park is home to over 144 mammal species and 556 bird species
• Optional night game drive for nocturnal wildlife

Accommodation: Same as Day 2 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

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Day 4 — Murchison Falls → Kibale Forest

Activities:

• Drive south through tea plantations and rolling countryside
• Arrive at Kibale Forest National Park — Africa’s primate capital, covering 795 sq. km of tropical rainforest and dotted savanna grassland
• Afternoon Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary swamp walk — enjoy birdwatching, observe primates, and learn about the wetland ecosystem
• Optional crater lakes tour near Fort Portal

Accommodation:

• Budget: Chimpanzee Forest Guest House
• Mid-range: Isunga Safari Lodge or Crater Safari Lodge
• Luxury: Kyaninga Lodge or Primate Lodge Kibale

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

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Day 5 — Kibale Chimpanzee Trekking → Queen Elizabeth NP

Activities:

• Early morning chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest — observe chimps feeding, grooming, and playing in the canopy. Kibale hosts up to 12 other primate species, including red-tailed monkeys, Uganda mangabeys, L’Hoest monkeys, black-and-white colobus monkeys, and olive baboons
• After lunch, drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park — Uganda’s most popular tourist destination, spanning the equator
• Stop at Lake Katwe Salt Mines for a cultural visit

Accommodation:

• Budget: Pumba Safari Cottages or Simba Safari Camp
• Mid-range: Twin Lakes Safari Lodge or Ihamba Lakeside Safari Lodge
• Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge or Elephant Plains Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

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Day 6 — Queen Elizabeth National Park

Activities:

• Sunrise game drive on the Kasenyi Plains — look for elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, warthogs, waterbucks, lions, and elusive leopards
• Afternoon boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel — connecting Lake Edward and Lake George, famous for large pods of hippos, crocodiles, elephants, buffaloes, and an impressive selection of water birds
• The park is home to four of the Big Five, with steadily increasing populations of lion, elephant, and leopard

Accommodation: Same as Day 5 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

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Day 7 — Queen Elizabeth NP (Ishasha) → Bwindi

Activities:

• Drive through the Ishasha Sector for tree-climbing lions — one of only a couple of reliable places in Africa to see lions lounging in giant fig trees
• Continue to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park — home to roughly half the world’s remaining mountain gorillas
• Bwindi has over 19 habituated gorilla families spread across four sectors: Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga, and Nkuringo
• Optional afternoon Batwa community visit

Accommodation:

• Budget: Buhoma Community Rest Camp or Rushaga Gorilla Haven Lodge
• Mid-range: Gorilla Valley Lodge or Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
• Luxury: Buhoma Lodge, Mahogany Springs, or Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

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Day 8 — Bwindi – Mountain Gorilla Trekking

Activities:

• Early breakfast and briefing by Uganda Wildlife Authority guides at the ranger station (typically 8:00 AM)
• Trek into the misty Bwindi jungle — treks last 1–8 hours depending on where the gorillas have moved overnight
• Spend exactly one hour with a habituated gorilla family (strictly enforced)
• Maximum 8 people per gorilla family per day
• Terrain is dense rainforest with steep slopes — moderate to strenuous fitness required
• Porters are highly recommended ($15–20 tip) — they carry bags and help on steep slopes

Accommodation: Same as Day 7 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner — packed lunch provided for trekking

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Day 9 — Bwindi → Lake Bunyonyi

Activities:

• Scenic drive to Lake Bunyonyi — one of Africa’s deepest and most stunning lakes, surrounded by rolling hills and scattered with 29 islands
• Relax by the lake — the waters are hippo- and crocodile-free, making them safe for swimming
• Optional boat ride to explore the lake’s unique islands, including the historic Akampene (Punishment Island)
• Optional community walk or canoe ride

Accommodation:

• Budget: Bunyonyi Overland Resort
• Mid-range: Arcadia Cottages or Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort
• Luxury: Heritage Lodge or BirdNest Resort

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

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Day 10 — Lake Bunyonyi → Lake Mburo National Park

Activities:

• Drive to Lake Mburo National Park — Uganda’s smallest savannah park, located between Kampala and Bwindi
• Afternoon boat ride on Lake Mburo — glide past hippos, crocodiles, and waterbirds while taking in scenic lakeshore views
• Game drive for zebras, impalas, buffaloes, elands, and over 350 bird species
• Optional night game drive at extra cost

Accommodation:

• Budget: Eagle’s Nest
• Mid-range: Rwakobo Rock or Mburo Safari Lodge
• Luxury: Mihingo Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

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Day 11 — Lake Mburo → Entebbe

Activities:

• Morning guided nature walk or game drive in Lake Mburo — a rare opportunity to track zebras on foot with an armed ranger
• Drive back to Entebbe — approximately 4–5 hours
• Stop at the Uganda Equator crossing for photographs and local craft shopping
• Lunch en route
• Overnight in Entebbe

Accommodation:

• Budget: K Hotels Entebbe
• Mid-range: Papyrus Guest House
• Luxury: The Boma Entebbe or Best Western Premier Garden Hotel

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

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Day 12 — Entebbe → Departure

Activities:

• Breakfast at hotel
• Optional last-minute shopping or Entebbe Botanical Gardens
• Transfer to Entebbe International Airport for departure

Accommodation: None — day room can be arranged at extra cost Meals: Breakfast

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What to Expect: Gorilla Trekking

Detail	Information
Permit cost (2026)	$800 per person for non-residents
Foreign resident permit	$700 per person
East African citizen permit	$250 per person
Habituation experience	$1,500 per person (half-day with researchers)
Group size	Maximum 8 people per gorilla family
Time with gorillas	Exactly 1 hour (strictly enforced)
Trek duration	1–8 hours depending on gorilla location
Distance hiked	1–10 km depending on gorilla location
Minimum age	15 years old
Best time to trek	June–September and December–February
Booking	Permits must be booked months in advance — popular dates sell out

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What to Expect: Chimpanzee Trekking

Detail	Information
Permit cost (2026)	$250 per person for foreign non-residents
Habituation experience	$300 per person
Time with chimps	1 full hour with a habituated community
Other primates	Up to 12 other primate species, including red-tailed monkeys, Uganda mangabeys, L’Hoest monkeys, and black-and-white colobus monkeys

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Meal Plan Summary

Meal Plan	Includes	Typical Use
Bed & Breakfast (B&B)	Room + breakfast	Arrival and final night in Entebbe
Half Board (HB)	Room + breakfast + dinner	Optional at some lodges
Full Board (FB)	Room + breakfast + lunch + dinner	Standard for all safari days

Note: Full Board is standard for organized safari groups. Packed lunches are provided on gorilla and chimpanzee trekking days. Half Board suits guests who take lunch out in the field during long activity days, while Full Board is popular with organized safari groups.

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What’s Usually Included

• Airport transfers
• Ground transport in a 4×4 safari vehicle
• English-speaking driver-guide
• Accommodation as listed
• Meals as per meal plan
• Park entrance fees
• Game drives and boat cruises
• Rhino tracking
• Chimpanzee trekking permit
• Gorilla trekking permit
• Bottled drinking water in the vehicle
• Uganda Equator crossing visit

What’s Usually Excluded

• International flights
• Uganda visa
• Travel insurance
• Drinks and alcoholic beverages
• Tips and gratuities
• Porter fees during gorilla trekking
• Optional activities
• Personal items

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Best Time to Travel

Season	Months	Trail Conditions	Crowds
Dry season	June–September	Best trail conditions, easier hiking, clearest views	Most popular and most expensive
Short dry season	December–February	Second-best option, fewer tourists	Moderate
Long rains	March–May	Trails muddy and slippery, permits available with less competition	Low
Short rains	October–November	Wet but doable	Low

Gorilla trekking is possible year-round, but trail conditions vary significantly by season.