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Overview
12 Days Uganda Primate & Big Five Safari
Tour Highlights
- Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe – Welcome to Uganda
- Day 2: Transfer to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary & Murchison Falls National Park
- Day 3: Game Drive and Nile River Boat Safari
- Day 4: Scenic Drive to Kibale Forest National Park
- Day 5: Chimpanzee Tracking & Bigodi Wetland Walk
- Day 6: Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park – The Medley of Wonders
- Day 7: Morning Game Drive & Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise
- Day 8: Ishasha Sector – Tree-Climbing Lions & Transfer to Bwindi
- Day 9: Gorilla Trekking Experience in Bwindi
- Day 10: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi – The Place of Little Birds
- Day 11: Drive to Lake Mburo National Park – The Zebra Plains
- Day 12: Morning Nature Walk & Return to Entebbe
Detailed
12 Days Uganda Primate & Big Five Safari
Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe – Welcome to Uganda
Arrive at Entebbe International Airport, where your safari guide will warmly welcome you. You’ll be transferred to your hotel for relaxation after your flight. Depending on your arrival time, you may take an optional visit to the Entebbe Botanical Gardens or Uganda Wildlife Education Centre along Lake Victoria.
Accommodation: Hotel No.5 / Papyrus Guest House
Meal Plan: Dinner
Day 2: Transfer to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary & Murchison Falls National Park
After breakfast, depart for the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in Nakasongola for a guided rhino tracking experience — your first of the Big Five. Continue to Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda’s largest park, known for its sweeping savannahs and the mighty Nile River cutting through the rift valley. In the evening, check into your lodge overlooking the park.
Accommodation: Paraa Safari Lodge / Pakuba Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Game Drive and Nile River Boat Safari
Embark on an early morning game drive across the Buligi and Delta sectors in search of elephants, giraffes, lions, buffaloes, and leopards. After lunch, take a boat cruise on the Nile to the base of the magnificent Murchison Falls. You’ll see hippos, crocodiles, and an array of birds such as African fish eagles and bee-eaters. Later, hike to the top of the falls to witness the Nile squeeze through a narrow gorge before plunging dramatically below.
Accommodation: Paraa Safari Lodge / Pakuba Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Scenic Drive to Kibale Forest National Park
Depart Murchison Falls for a scenic journey south to Kibale Forest National Park, famous for harboring 13 primate species. The route takes you through the tea plantations of Fort Portal and the lush crater lake region. Arrive in the afternoon and relax at your lodge surrounded by rainforest sounds.
Accommodation: Chimpanzee Forest Lodge / Turaco Treetops
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Chimpanzee Tracking & Bigodi Wetland Walk
After an early breakfast, set out for a thrilling chimpanzee tracking experience in Kibale Forest. Follow experienced rangers through the forest as you watch the chimps play, feed, and communicate in their natural environment. In the afternoon, visit the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary for a community-guided nature walk rich in birdlife and primates, including red-tailed and colobus monkeys.
Accommodation: Chimpanzee Forest Lodge / Turaco Treetops
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6: Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park – The Medley of Wonders
After breakfast, travel south to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Enjoy breathtaking views of the Rwenzori Mountains and stop briefly at the equator line for photos. In the afternoon, take a game drive through the Kasenyi plains where elephants, lions, and antelopes roam freely.
Accommodation: Elephant Plains Lodge / Mweya Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7: Morning Game Drive & Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise
Start the day with a game drive to spot lions, leopards, hyenas, and the Uganda kob. After lunch, enjoy a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel — a haven for hippos, crocodiles, and hundreds of waterbirds. The cruise offers close-up views of elephants bathing along the shores.
Accommodation: Elephant Plains Lodge / Mweya Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8: Ishasha Sector – Tree-Climbing Lions & Transfer to Bwindi
Travel south through the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, renowned for its rare tree-climbing lions often seen lounging in fig trees. Continue your journey to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, home of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas. Arrive in the late afternoon and settle into your forest lodge.
Accommodation: Buhoma Lodge / Gorilla Mist Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9: Gorilla Trekking Experience in Bwindi
After an early breakfast and briefing, venture deep into the misty jungle with expert trackers in search of a gorilla family. The trek may take several hours, but the reward is profound — a full hour in the company of these gentle giants, watching them feed and play in their natural home. This is one of Africa’s most emotional wildlife encounters.
Accommodation: Buhoma Lodge / Gorilla Mist Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 10: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi – The Place of Little Birds
After breakfast, drive to the scenic Lake Bunyonyi, one of Africa’s deepest and most beautiful lakes, dotted with 29 islands. Spend the afternoon canoeing, swimming, or relaxing as you take in the tranquil scenery.
Accommodation: Birdnest Resort / Arcadia Cottages
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 11: Drive to Lake Mburo National Park – The Zebra Plains
Travel to Lake Mburo National Park, a serene landscape of rolling acacia woodlands and lakes. Upon arrival, enjoy an afternoon game drive where you may spot zebras, elands, topis, impalas, and giraffes. Evening nature walks or a night game drive can be arranged to spot nocturnal animals like bushbabies and leopards.
Accommodation: Mihingo Lodge / Rwakobo Rock
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 12: Morning Nature Walk & Return to Entebbe
Start your day with a guided nature walk through the park, an intimate way to observe Uganda’s plains wildlife. After breakfast, drive back to Entebbe, stopping at the Equator for photos and souvenir shopping. Depending on your flight schedule, you’ll be transferred to the airport for your departure — marking the end of an incredible journey across Uganda’s primate forests and Big Five savannahs.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch
What To See?
12 Days Uganda Primate & Big Five Safari
