Discovering Uganda – 21 Days

Our 21-day trip enables you to discover Uganda: where the savannah meets the rainforest. Expect to see the animals of the savannahs (lion, elephant, buffalo, giraffe, hippo, and leopard) and up to 16 primate species, including gorillas and chimps!!. Amazingly too is that you will be able to enjoy Coffee Experience; an experience of a lifetime.

This trip specifically includes the most important and well known places and national parks of Uganda: Jinja, the source of the Nile, Sipi Falls, Murchison Falls National Park, Kibale Forest National Park, Semuliki National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi National Park, Mgahinga National Park, Lake Bunyonyi and Lake Mburo National Park

Trip Highlights

• Visit the source of the Nile in Jinja. If you dare you can go for rafting on the Nile
• Visit Sipi Falls, the highest waterfall in Uganda (100 m)
• Enjoy the Coffee Experience in Eastern Uganda along the slopes of Mt. Elgon
• Game drives on the savannahs of Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth National Park and Lake Mburo National Park
• Boat trip on the Nile to the Murchison Falls, where the Nile is forced through a gorge and drops 60 meters
• Spectacular wildlife viewing from the boat on the Nile where it reaches the delta into Lake Albert
• See the Chimpanzees and 12 other monkey species in Kibale Forest National Park
• Experience the spectacular hot springs in Semuliki National Park
• Boat trip on the Kazinga Channel with the biggest concentration of hippos and spectacular birds
• Search for the tree climbing lions in the Ishasha sector of the Queen Elizabeth National Park
• Meet the Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi National Park, an experience you will never forget!
• Visit the Golden Monkeys on the slopes of the Volcanoes in Mgahinga National Park
• Enjoy the silence and beautiful landscape of Uganda’s most beautiful lakes, Lake Mutanda and Lake Bunyonyi
• Do a game walk in Lake Mburo National Park to get close to the animals
• Visit the local people and/or the pygmies and experience their local way of living

Route

Day 1: Entebbe Airport – Entebbe

Day 2: Entebbe – Jinja 

Day 3: Jinja – Sipi Falls

Day 4: Coffee Experience in Mt. Elgon 

Day 5: Mt. Elgon – Lira

Day 6: Lira – Murchison Falls National Park

Day 7: Murchison Falls National Park

Day 8: Murchison Falls National Park

Day 9: Murchison Falls National Park – Kibale Forest

Day 10: Kibale Forest

Day 11: Kibale Forest – Semuliki National Park – Fort Portal 

Day 12: Fort Portal – Queen Elizabeth National Park

Day 13: Queen Elizabeth National Park

Day 14: Queen Elizabeth National Park Ishasha

Day 15: Ishasha – Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Day 16: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Day 17: Bwindi Impenetrable – Lake Mutanda

Day 18: Lake Mutanda – Mgahinga National Park – Lake Mutanda

Day 19: Lake Mutanda – Lake Bunyonyi

Day 20: Lake Bunyonyi – Lake Mburo National Park

Day 21: Lake Mburo National Park – Entebbe

Day to day program

Day 1: Entebbe Airport – Entebbe

Arrival at Entebbe Airport. Your guide will be there waiting for you. Pick up and proceed to your accommodation.

Included: airport transfer

Day 2: Entebbe – Jinja 

After breakfast we drive to Jinja. On the way to Jinja we will drive through some nice local villages. In Jinja we will visit the source of the River Nile by boat. It is also possible to go for White water-rafting, kayaking, quad biking or horse riding (optional activities) in the afternoon.

Please let us know if you want to go rafting. This must be booked in advance (certainly in high season).

Included: visit source of the Nile

Day 3:Jinja – Sipi Falls

We drive to Sipi Falls, a beautiful crater landscape on the slopes of Mount Elgon (4321 m). Make a beautiful walk to the 3 huge waterfalls. This area is known for its stunning panoramas and nice villages. It’s also possible to do Abseiling at Sipi Falls (Optional).  In the evening, go for sunset viewing and panoramic views of the Karamojong plains. Sipi Falls is the highest Waterfall in Uganda; the water falls down for 100 meters. In the evening, drive to Teryet, Kapchorwa with a perfect altitude of 2.600m. This region has always produced gold medal athletes such as Stephen Kiprotich, Joshua Cheptegei, Ruth Chemutai among others

Included: visit Sipi Falls

Day 4: Coffee Experience in Mt. Elgon Slopes

After the breakfast, we will have an amazing coffee experience with one of the communities that have specialized in the growing of Arabica coffee from the slopes of Mt. Elgon. Here each of us will be able to plant coffee seedlings, harvest coffee, roast coffee, locally brew coffee and of course take. We shall also be able to see coffee plants, which were planted as far as 1923. We shall go for honey harvesting with the community members. 

Day 5: Mt. Elgon – Lira

After breakfast there’s a possibility to stop for a coffee experience in Afterwards drive to Lira. En-route have a stop at the Nyero Rock Paintings, dating back to the iron age. Lira is a nice town with many markets, cafes etc. On our way we make some stops to meet the local people.

Included: Nyero Rock Paintings

Day 6: Lira – Murchison Falls National Park

Today we drive to Murchison Falls National Park, our first safari destination. We make a stop along the Nile to see Karuma Falls. In the late afternoon we make our first game drive (safari).

Murchison Falls is one of the most beautiful national parks of Uganda. One of the main attractions is the Nile, with the spectacular Murchison Falls, where the whole Nile is forced through a narrow gorge and falls 60 meters. Expect to see elephants, giraffes, lions, hippos, crocodiles, buffaloes and maybe leopards.

Included: game drive

Day 7: Murchison Falls National Park

Early morning game drive in this beautiful national park. Afternoon boat ride on the Victoria Nile up to the bottom of the falls and make the hike to the top of the falls.

The boat is the perfect platform to see and photograph many different bird species.

Included: game drive, boat trip, hike to the top of the falls

Day 8: Murchison Falls National Park

Game drive or optional boat trip on the Nile to the Delta. Game drive in the afternoon.

The delta area has the highest concentration of animals in Murchison Falls and the boat performs a perfect platform to see them. This is also the area where the elusive Shoebill Stork can be seen.

Included: game drives

Day 9: Murchison Falls National Park – Kibale Forest

After breakfast, we drive to Kibale Forest National Park. The journey takes you through the Albertan Escarpment of the western arm of the East African Rift valley with dramatic views, traditional homesteads and scenic views of the mountains of the moon. Reach Kibale Forest in the evening for dinner and overnight. Kibale Forest is a spectacular jungle and is best known as the Primates Capital of the World. In Kibale Forest live 13 primate species! Including chimps, baboons, black and white colobus, red colobus, gray cheeked mangabey and L’Hoest monkey.

Day 10: Kibale Forest

Chimpanzee tracking in the morning or in the afternoon. There is also an option to upgrade this 1-hour tracking to a Chimpanzee Habituation Experience, 4 hours tracking. Depending on the time of the chimpanzee tracking, we will go for the Bigodi Swamp Walk before or after the chimpanzee tracking. During this walk through the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary you will see many birds and primates. It is also possible to make a night walk through the forest to see the animals of the night, like bush babies (optional).

Included: chimp tracking, Bigodi Swamp Walk

Day 11: Kibale Forest – Semuliki National Park – Fort Portal 

After breakfast we will drive to Semuliki National Park. We enjoy the beautiful crater lakes on the way. In Semuliki National Park you will visit the Sempaya Hot Springs. Afterwards return to the lodge for dinner and overnight. Semuliki is a unique place and the only lowland jungle in East Africa, part of the Congo ecosystem.

Included: visit hot springs

Day 12: Fort Portal – Queen Elizabeth National Park

Transfer to the Queen Elizabeth National Park. On our way we pass the equator. Game drive in the afternoon. Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the best places in Uganda to see lions. Expect to see elephants, lions, many hippos, crocodiles, buffaloes and maybe leopards.

Included: game drive

Day 13: Queen Elizabeth National Park

Game drive in the morning. Boat trip on the Kazinga Channel in the afternoon. It is also possible to go for an experimental Lion Tracking (optional).

The Kazinga Channel is one of the highlights of Uganda and has the highest concentration of hippos in the world.

Included: game drive, boat trip

Day 14: Queen Elizabeth National Park Ishasha

After breakfast we drive through Queen Elizabeth National Park to the Ishasha sector in the South.. It is also possible to go for a chimp tracking in Kyambura Gorge or Kalinzu Forest reserve, or make a forest walk and visit the bat caves in Maramagambo (all optional).

Game drive in the afternoon in Ishasha in search of the tree climbing lions

In Ishasha there are 4 prides of lions that climb the trees. Unique in the world! The other attractions of Ishasha are the Topis, not found anywhere else in this National Park.

Included: game drives

Day 15: Ishasha – Bwindi Impenetrable 

Early morning game drive in Ishasha to see the tree climbing lions. Afterwards we drive to Bwindi Impenetrable. On our way, we pass through interesting villages and have some breath-taking views of the mountains.

Bwindi Impenetrable is a unique jungle, with many monkey species. Bwindi is one of the 2 places in the world where you can find Mountain Gorillas!

Included: game drive

Day 16:Bwindi Impenetrable 

Gorilla tracking!!! Early morning departure with your ranger to search for one of the world’s most interesting and endangered animals, the Mountain Gorilla! You will spend one hour with one of our closest relatives. An experience you will never forget.

Day 17:Bwindi Impenetrable – Lake Mutanda

In Bwindi it is possible to do one of the optional activities: second gorilla tracking, forest walk, birding walk or a community experience with the exceptional Batwa people. Afterwards transfer to Lake Mutanda, one of the most beautiful places in Uganda.

On a clear day you can see the 3 volcanoes in the distance. Relax at the lodge or do one of the following activities (one activity included): boat trip on the lake, walk along the lake or to the local people, go for a swim, or visit the pygmies.

Included: 1 activity to choose from: boat trip on the lake, walk along the lake or to the local people, swimming, visit the pygmies

Day 18: Lake Mutanda – Mgahinga National Park – Lake Mutanda

Early breakfast, visit Mgahinga National Park and do one of the activities there, or stay near the lake and do one of the activities near the lake. One activity included for today. Activities in Mgahinga National Park: make a nature walk, go for a birding or primate walk, visit the golden monkeys or climb one of the volcanoes. Later transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for overnight on Uganda’s beautiful lake.  Mgahinga National Park is part of the Virunga Volcanoes and borders Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park. Apart from Mountain Gorillas, the stars of Mgahinga are the golden monkeys, a subspecies of the Blue Monkey.

Included: 1 activity to choose from: nature walk, birding or primate walk, golden monkeys, climb one of the volcanoes

Day 19: Lake Mutanda – Lake Bunyonyi

Today we will drive to Lake Bunyonyi. Possible activities for today in Lake Bunyonyi: make a nature walk, go for a birding walk, go canoeing, take a swim or visit the local community. One activity included. Lake Bunyonyi is one of the deepest and most beautiful lakes of Uganda. This crater lake is located at an altitude of 2.000m and is created by multiple volcanic eruptions. Because of the altitude the lake is safe to swim in, as there are no diseases or hippos and crocodiles in the lake.

Included: 1 activity in Lake Bunyonyi to choose from: nature walk, birding walk, canoeing, swimming, visit local community

Day 20: Lake Bunyonyi – Lake Mburo National Park

After breakfast we drive to Lake Mburo National Park. Game drive or optional boat trip on the lake in the afternoon. In the evening, we make a night game drive with high chances of seeing leopards. Lake Mburo is one of the 2 national parks with zebras and the only national park with impalas in Uganda. There are no elephants and lions, so walking safaris are possible.

Included: game drive, night game drive

Day 21: Lake Mburo National Park – Entebbe

Game drive or game walk in the morning. On our way, back we can make a stopover at the Equator for photos. Transfer to the airport for your departure.

Included: game walk or game drive

Package Includes:

– Arrival and departure Airport Transfers
– Flying Doctors – Emergence air rescue from any point of the safari circuit
– All entrance fees.
– Full board accommodation on tour
– Service of an English speaking driver guide
– Transport based on excellent safari Vehicle rebuilt for a comfortable game viewing
– Driver’s Salary and allowances and park fees for vehicle and driver
– Game drives and activities as per the Itinerary
– Complimentary bottle of water daily
– Complementary of printed Safari hat and T-shirt
– Government taxes

Package Excludes:

– Extras at the lodges i.e. drinks, telephone, laundry, Internet etc.
– International flight
– Departure tax
– Tips to drivers (highly recommended)
– Visa, Travel Insurance