8 Days Uganda safari to Murchison falls, Kibale, Queen Elizabeth and Bwindi national park
This 8 days Uganda safari is an exciting safari that will take you to the most visited national parks in Uganda including Murchison falls national park and Queen Elizabeth national park where you will be able to view different animals like buffaloes, elephants, giraffes, Uganda kobs, lions, leopards, waterbucks, bushbucks, hippos, Nile crocodiles, warthogs, oribi, Jackson’s hartebeest among others during the game drives and boat cruise. The 8 days Uganda safari will also take you to Kibale forest national park and Bwindi impenetrable national park where you will be able to spend time with the chimpanzees and mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.
Highlights of the 8 days Uganda safari
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Murchison falls national park-rhino tracking
Day 2: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale forest national park
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
Day 5: Morning game drive/Lion tracking experience and afternoon boat cruise
Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 7: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 8: Departure to Kampala
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Murchison falls national park
Depending on your location in Kampala or Entebbe on the first day of the 8 days Uganda safari, you will be picked by our driver guide who will brief you about the safari and then start the journey to Murchison falls national park which is located in northern part of Uganda. The journey takes about 5 to 6 hours’ drive and on the way you will have a stopover at Ziwa rhino tracking for rhino tracking. After rhino tracking, you will continue the journey with another stopover in Masindi town for lunch where after you will proceed to Murchison falls national park. Upon arrival, you will drive directly to the top of falls where you will be able to enjoy breathtaking views of the waterfall, take great photos among others. From the top of falls, you will drive to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Luxury accommodation: Nile safari lodge, Paraa safari lodge
Super midrange accommodation: Murchison River lodge, Twiga lodge
Midrange accommodation: Tilenga safari lodge, Pakuba safari lodge
Budget accommodation: Parkside safari lodge, Fort Murchison lodge
Meal plan: Lunch and Dinner
Day 2: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise to the bottom of falls
After having an early breakfast on the second day of the 8 days Uganda 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 elephants, lions, giraffes, Jacksons hartebeest, leopards, buffaloes, bush bucks, waterbucks, warthogs, Uganda kobs, oribi, view different bird species among others. After the morning game drive, you will return to the lodge for lunch.
After lunch, you will go for an afternoon boat cruise to the bottom of falls which takes about 2 to 3 hours. During the boat cruise, you will be able to enjoy great views of the scenery, view hippos and Nile crocodiles in water, view other animals like buffaloes, elephants, giraffes, warthogs, waterbucks along the shores, water birds like hornbills, cormorants, bee-eaters, kingfishers, fish eagles among others. After the boat cruise, you will drive back to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight as above.
Meal Plan: Full board (Breakfast, lunch and dinner)
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale forest national park
On the third day of the 8 days Uganda safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to start the journey to Kibale forest national park. It’s a full day journey and on the way you will enjoy views of the tea plantations, Rwenzori mountain ranges, beautiful scenery among others and a stopover in Fort Portal for lunch where after you will proceed to Kibale forest national park and upon arrival you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Luxury accommodation: Primate Lodge, Chimpundu lodge
Midrange accommodation: Chimpanzee forest lodge, Turaco treetops
Budget accommodation: Isunga lodge, Kibale forest camp
Meal plan: Full board (Breakfast, Lunch and dinner)
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
After an early breakfast on the fourth day of the 8 days Uganda safari, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to transfer to Kanyachu visitors Centre for a chimpanzee trekking briefing. After the briefing, you will start trekking in the forest in search of the habituated chimpanzees with an experienced park guide which takes about 2 to 5 hours depending on where the chimpanzees are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking you will be able to view other primate species like the black and white colobus monkeys, grey cheeked mangabey, red tailed monkeys, birds among others and once the chimpanzees are found, you will be able to spend one hour with them in their habitat which gives you a chance to learn more about their behaviors, habits, watch them feed, play, mate, hunt, fight, rest, take photos and record videos. After the one hour with the chimpanzees, you will return to the lodge for lunch.
After lunch you will check out of the lodge and start the journey to Queen Elizabeth national park which takes about 2 to 3 hours’ drive and on the way you will have view of the crater lakes, tea plantations among others. Upon arrival in Queen Elizabeth national park, you will go for a short evening game drive in the park where you will be able to view animals like buffaloes, elephants, warthogs, waterbucks among others. After the evening game drive, you will drive to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Luxury accommodation: Elephant plains lodge, Mweya safari lodge
Super midrange accommodation: Kikorongo safari lodge, Katara lodge
Midrange accommodation: Elephant hab lodge, Buffalo safari lodge
Budget accommodation: Queen Elizabeth Bush lodge, Simba safari camp, Pumba safari cottages
Meal plan: Full board (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
Day 5: Morning game drive/ Lion tracking experience and afternoon boat cruise on Kazinga channel
After having an early breakfast on the fifth day of the 8 days Uganda safari, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to go for a morning game drive/ lion tracking experience in Kasenyi plains where you will be able to view animals like elephants, lions, leopards, buffaloes, bush bucks, waterbucks, warthogs, Uganda kobs, giant forest hogs, view different bird species among others. After the morning game drive, you will return to the lodge for lunch.
After lunch, you will go for an afternoon boat cruise on Kazinga channel a water body that connects Lake Edward and Lake George. During the boat cruise, you will be able to enjoy great views of the scenery, view large concentrations of hippos and Nile crocodiles in water, view animals like buffaloes, elephants, antelopes along the shores, water bird, view fishermen preparing their fishing gears among others. After the boat cruise, you will drive back to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight as above.
Meal Plan: Full board (Breakfast, lunch and dinner)
Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
After breakfast on the sixth day of the 8 days Uganda safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with the driver guide to transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park. On your way, you will have a stopover in Ishasha sector where you will be able to view the famous tree climbing lions during the game drive which will be lying up in acacia or fig tree branches. After the game drive, you will have en-route lunch and then continue the journey to Bwindi impenetrable national park. Upon arrival, you will continue to check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Luxury accommodation: Buhoma lodge, Sanctuary gorilla forest camp, Bwindi lodge
Super midrange accommodation: Mahogany lodge, Silverback lodge,
Midrange accommodation: Buhoma haven lodge, Engagi lodge, Gorilla mist camp
Budget accommodation: Buhoma community rest camp, Ruhija community ret camp
Meal plan: Full Board (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
Day 7: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
You will have an early breakfast on the seventh day of the 8 days Uganda safari, carry packed lunch and then meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a gorilla trekking briefing. After the briefing, you will be divided into groups of 8 people where each group will be allocated a gorilla family to trek, park rangers and an experienced park guide. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park takes about 2 hours to 7 hours depending on their location because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking, you will be able to view other wildlife species and once the mountain gorillas are found, you will be able to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to learn more about their behaviors, habits, watch them carry out their daily activities, take photos and record videos.
After the one hour with the gorillas, you will return to the starting point where you will be given a certificate for participating in gorilla trekking and later go for an optional cultural tour where you will interact with the local people in the neighboring communities. After the cultural tour, you will drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight as above.
Meal plain: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8: Departure to Kampala
After a relaxed breakfast on the last day of the 8 days Uganda safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to start the journey back to Kampala with en-route lunch on the way and a stopover at the Equator where you will buy souvenirs and take photos. Upon arrival in Kampala your driver guide will drop you off at Entebbe international airport for your departure flight or drop off at your hotel in Kampala
End of 8 days Uganda safari
8 days Uganda safari includes
- Chimpanzee trekking permit
- Gorilla trekking permit
- Park entrance fees/ Game drive
- Boat cruise
- Rhino tracking
- Top of falls drive
- Lion tracking experience
- Bigodi swamp walk
- Experienced English speaking driver guide
- Full board accommodation
- All meals at the lodge (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
- Ground transport in a 4WD safari vehicle
- Vehicle and fuel
- Bottled drinking water
8 days Uganda safari excludes
- International air flight tickets
- Visas
- Optional activities and accommodation not included in the itinerary
- Personal expenses like such as laundry services, buying souvenirs, crafts, Alcoholic drinks, hiring a porter, tipping among others.
