12 Days Uganda birding and wildlife safari
The 12 days Uganda birding and wildlife safari is an extraordinary safari that starts and ends in Kampala, Uganda. The safari will take you to savannah national parks including Murchison falls national park which is famously known for harboring the most powerful waterfall, Queen Elizabeth national park and Lake Mburo national park where you will view different animals like elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards, giraffes, hippos, rhinos, waterbucks, bushbucks, Uganda kobs, Jackson’s hartebeest, zebras, impalas among others during the game drives and boat cruise. The 12 days Uganda birding and wildlife safari will also take you to Mabamba swamp where you will be able to spot the prehistoric shoebill stork, Lake Bunyonyi which is the deepest lake in Uganda and Kibale forest national park and Bwindi impenetrable national park where you will be able to spend one hour with the chimpanzees and endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.
Highlights of the 12 days Uganda birding and wildlife safari
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to the hotel in Entebbe
Day 2: Birding in Mabamba swamp
Day 3: Transfer to Murchison falls national Park-Rhino tracking
Day 4: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Day 5: Transfer to Kibale forest national park
Day 6: Chimpanzee trekking and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
Day 7: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Day 8: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 9: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 10: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi-boat ride
Day 11: Transfer to Lake Mburo national park-evening game drive
Day 12: Walking safari and departure to Kampala
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to a hotel in Entebbe
Depending on your arrival time at Entebbe international airport on the first day of the 12 days Uganda birding and wildlife safari, you will be welcomed by our driver guide who will brief you about the safari and then transfer to the hotel in Entebbe for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Bird watching at Mabamba swamp
On day 2 of the 12 days Uganda birding and wildlife safari, your driver guide will pick you up from the hotel to transfer to Mabamba swamp for bird watching where you will be able to spot the prehistoric shoebill bill, other birds like the African fish eagle, malachite kingfisher, common sqacco heron, pied kingfisher, black-headed heron, papyrus gonolek among others. After bird watching, you will return to the lodge for lunch and spend the rest of the day at leisure. Dinner and overnight as above.
Day 3: Transfer to Murchison falls national park
After breakfast on day 3 of the 12 days Uganda birding and wildlife safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to start the journey to Murchison Falls National Park. The journey takes about 5 to 6 hours’ drive and on the way you will have a stopover at Ziwa rhino sanctuary for rhino tracking and then continue the journey with another stopover for en-route lunch. After lunch you will proceed to Murchison Falls National Park and upon arrival in the park you will drive directly to the top of the falls where you will have breath-taking views of the waterfalls, scenery, animals among others. From the top of the falls you will drive to check in at the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Morning game drive and boat cruise to the bottom of the falls
Morning game drive,
After an early breakfast on day 4 of the 12 days Uganda birding and wildlife safari, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to go for a morning game drive where you will be able to view animals like buffaloes, elephants, waterbucks, warthogs, giraffes, Uganda kobs grazing in the savannah plains with due, view predators like hyenas, lions, leopards among others before going back to their hiding areas, view different birds among others. After the game drive you will drive back to the lodge for lunch.
Boat cruise,
After lunch you will go for an exciting boat cruise to the bottom of the falls which starts at Paraa jetty landing site and takes about 2 to 3 hours. During the boat cruise you will be able to view large concentrations of hippos and crocodiles in water, view animals like elephants, buffaloes, warthogs, antelopes along the water banks, view water bird species like fish eagle, kingfishers, cormorants among others. After the boat cruise you will return back to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Transfer to Kibale national park
After breakfast on day 5 of the 12 days Uganda birding and wildlife safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Kibale National Park in western Uganda. The journey takes about 6 to 7 hours’ drive and on the way you will have en-route lunch and enjoy stunning views of the traditional homesteads, local people, beautiful scenery, views of the Rwenzori Mountains, crater lakes, tea plantations among others. Upon arrival in the park you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Chimpanzee trekking and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
Chimpanzee trekking,
After an early breakfast on day 6 of the 12 days Uganda birding and wildlife safari, you will meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a chimpanzee trekking briefing. After the briefing you will be allocated a chimpanzee family to trek and a park guide who is conversant with trekking trails. Chimpanzee trekking is an interesting activity that starts at 8:00am and takes about 30 minutes to 4 hours depending on where the chimpanzees are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food especially during the dry season. During trekking you will be able to see other primates, view some bird species, plants species among others. Once the chimpanzees are found you will be able to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to learn about their behaviors, habits, watch them feed, play, fight, hunt, mate, take photos and record the moments. After the one hour with the chimpanzees you will trek back to the park headquarters where you will meet up with your driver guide and return back to the lodge for lunch.
After lunch, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park. On the way you will enjoy great views of the crater lakes, tea plantations and upon arrival you will go for an evening game drive in the park where you will be able to spot different animals including elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks, Uganda kobs, warthogs, bush bucks, lions, leopards among others. After the game drive, you will drive to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Morning game drive/Lion tracking experience and afternoon boat cruise
Game drive
After an early breakfast on day 7 of the 12 days Uganda birding and wildlife safari, you will meet up with your driver guide to go for a morning game drive where you will be able to view animals like elephants, lions, leopards, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, bushbucks, warthogs, giant forest hogs, bird species among others. After the game drive you will drive back to the lodge for lunch.
Boat cruise,
After lunch you will go for an amazing boat cruise on Kazinga channel a water body that connects Lake George and Lake Edward. The scheduled boat cruise starts at 2:00pm and takes about 2 to 3 hours, during the boat cruise you will be able to cruise near large concentration of hippos and crocodiles in water, animals like elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks, warthogs on the shores of the lake, bird species, view fishermen preparing their fishing gears among others. After the boat cruise you will drive to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 8: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
On day 8 of the 12 days Uganda birding and wildlife safari, you will have breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park in south western part of Uganda. On the way, you will have en-route lunch and then continue with the journey to Bwindi forest national park. Upon arrival in the park you will check into the lodge, have dinner and overnight.
Day 9: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Gorilla trekking,
After an early breakfast on day 9 of the 12 days Uganda birding and wildlife safari, you will carry packed lunch and meet up with your driver to transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the rules, regulations and expectations of gorilla trekking. Gorilla trekking takes about 30 minutes to 7 hours depending on where the gorillas are located. During trekking, you will have views of colorful bird species, animals, primates, plant and tree species among others. Once the mountain gorillas are found you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural environment which gives you an opportunity to watch them carry out their daily activities like feeding, breast feeding, playing, ask questions, learn more about their behaviors, habits, take photos and take pictures.
After the encounter with the endangered mountain gorillas, you will trek back to the park headquarters where you will be awarded a certificate for participating in gorilla trekking and then meet up with your driver guide to transfer back to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 10: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi-boat ride
On day 10 of the 12 days Uganda birding and wildlife safari, you will have a relaxed breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Lake Bunyonyi in Kabale district. Upon arrival, you will go for an amazing boat ride where you will be able to explore the 29 islands, view different bird species, animals, terraced farmlands among others. After the boat ride, you will drive to the lodge for lunch where after you will either spend the rest of the day at leisure or engage in optional activities like Zip lining, nature walk, cultural tour among others. Dinner and overnight.
Day 11: Transfer to Lake Mburo national park-evening game drive
After breakfast on day 11 of the 12 days Uganda birding and wildlife safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with our driver guide to transfer to Lake Mburo National Park. Upon arrival, you will check into the lodge for lunch where after you will relax and later go for an evening game drive where you will be able to view animals like buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, waterbucks, impalas, topi, oribi among others. After the game drive, you will drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 12: Walking safari and departure to Kampala
After an early breakfast on the last day of the 12 days Uganda birding and wildlife safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to go for a guided nature walk in the park where you will get up-close and personal with different wildlife species, enjoy the cool breeze, view and listen to sounds of bird species singing in trees, spot variety of bird species, take beautiful pictures among others.
After the walking safari, you will drive out of the park and start the journey back to Kampala with en-route lunch and a stopover at the Equator where you will take photos and buy souvenirs. From the Equator, you will proceed to Kampala arriving early evening and upon arrival your driver guide will drop you off at Entebbe international airport for your departure flight or drop off at any place of advise.
End of 12 days Uganda birding and wildlife safari
Tour includes
- Gorilla trekking permit
- Chimpanzee trekking permit
- Rhino tracking
- Top of falls
- Park entrance fees/game drives
- Boat cruise fees
- Birding in Mabamba swamp
- Lion tracking experience
- All activities included in the itinerary
- An English speaking driver guide
- Full board accommodation
- Pick up and drop off
- Vehicle and fuel
- Bottled water
Tour excludes
- Air flight tickets
- Visas
- personal insurance
- Optional activities not included on the itinerary
- Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, cigarettes, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter, tips, among others
