16 Days Uganda safari
Overview
The 16 Days Uganda Safari is a complete exploration of Uganda’s wildlife, primates, landscapes, culture, and adventure attractions. This unforgettable journey takes you through Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Murchison Falls National Park, Kibale Forest National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Lake Bunyonyi, Lake Mburo National Park, Sipi Falls, Jinja, and Mabamba Wetland.
Experience thrilling game drives, boat cruises, rhino tracking, chimpanzee tracking, mountain gorilla trekking, birdwatching, nature walks, cultural encounters, waterfall hikes, and adventure along the River Nile. This safari offers the perfect combination of wildlife viewing, primate experiences, and scenic beauty across Uganda.
Safari Highlights
- Chimpanzee trekking
- Gorilla trekking
- Nature walks
- Game Drive
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe and Transfer to Hotel
Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be welcomed by your guide and transferred to your hotel. Relax and prepare for the safari ahead.
Accommodation: ViaVia Entebbe / 2 Friends Beach Hotel / Airport Guesthouse Entebbe
Meal Plan: Dinner
Day 2: Shoebill Tracking in Mabamba Wetland and Entebbe Tour
After an early breakfast, transfer to Mabamba Wetland on the shores of Lake Victoria. Enjoy a guided canoe excursion through the papyrus channels in search of the rare shoebill stork and numerous other bird species.
Later return to Entebbe and visit attractions such as the Entebbe Botanical Gardens, local craft markets, and the shores of Lake Victoria.
Accommodation: ViaVia Entebbe / 2 Friends Beach Hotel / Airport Guesthouse Entebbe
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 3: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park via Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
After breakfast, depart for Murchison Falls National Park with a stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for rhino tracking.
Continue to the park and visit the top of Murchison Falls before proceeding to your lodge.
Accommodation: Pakuba Safari Lodge / Fort Murchison / Murchison River Lodge / Hornbill Bush Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 4: Morning Game Drive and Nile Boat Cruise
Enjoy a sunrise game drive in search of elephants, lions, giraffes, buffaloes, leopards, and numerous antelope species.
In the afternoon, enjoy a boat cruise to the base of Murchison Falls.
Accommodation: Pakuba Safari Lodge / Fort Murchison / Murchison River Lodge / Hornbill Bush Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Delta Boat Safari and Top of the Falls Visit
After breakfast, enjoy a boat safari towards the Nile Delta where birdlife is abundant and shoebill sightings are possible.
Spend the afternoon exploring additional wildlife areas within the park.
Accommodation: Pakuba Safari Lodge / Fort Murchison / Murchison River Lodge / Hornbill Bush Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 6: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
Travel through scenic western Uganda towards Kibale Forest National Park.
Arrive in the afternoon and enjoy the beautiful forest surroundings.
Accommodation: Chimpanzee Forest Lodge / Turaco Treetops / Kibale Forest Camp / Isunga Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 7: Chimpanzee Tracking and Bigodi Wetland Walk
Track chimpanzees in Kibale Forest and later enjoy a guided walk through Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary.
Accommodation: Chimpanzee Forest Lodge / Turaco Treetops / Kibale Forest Camp / Isunga Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 8: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park and Evening Game Drive
Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park and enjoy an evening game drive across the Kasenyi Plains.
Accommodation: Buffalo Safari Lodge / Twin Lakes Safari Lodge / Elephant Hab Lodge / Enganzi Game Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 9: Morning Game Drive and Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise
Enjoy a morning game drive followed by an afternoon boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel.
Accommodation: Buffalo Safari Lodge / Twin Lakes Safari Lodge / Elephant Hab Lodge / Enganzi Game Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 10: Transfer to Bwindi via Ishasha Sector
Travel through the Ishasha Sector searching for tree climbing lions before continuing to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Accommodation: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge / Bakiga Lodge / Buhoma Community Haven Lodge / Gorilla Mist Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 11: Gorilla Trekking Experience
Begin the day with a gorilla trekking briefing before entering the forest to search for mountain gorillas.
Spend one unforgettable hour with a gorilla family before returning to the lodge.
Accommodation: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge / Bakiga Lodge / Buhoma Community Haven Lodge / Gorilla Mist Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 12: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
After breakfast, drive to Lake Bunyonyi and spend the afternoon relaxing or exploring the lake’s islands.
Accommodation: BirdNest Resort Bunyonyi / Arcadia Cottages Bunyonyi / Lake Bunyonyi Eco Resort / Bunyonyi Overland Resort
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 13: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park
Travel to Lake Mburo National Park and enjoy an afternoon game drive.
Look out for zebras, impalas, giraffes, buffaloes, elands, and topis.
Accommodation: Rwakobo Rock Lodge / Kigarama Wilderness Lodge / Mpogo Safari Lodge / Mihingo Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 14: Walking Safari and Transfer to Sipi Falls
Enjoy a guided walking safari before driving to Sipi Falls in eastern Uganda.
Accommodation: Sipi Heritage Lodge / Rafiki Lodge Sipi / Sipi Valley Resort / Lacam Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 15: Sipi Falls Hike and Transfer to Jinja
Explore the spectacular waterfalls of Sipi and enjoy a coffee tour before transferring to Jinja.
Accommodation: 2 Friends Jinja / Nile Village Hotel & Spa / Jinja Nile Resort / The Mansion Hotel
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 16: Source of the Nile Tour and Return to Entebbe
Visit the Source of the Nile and enjoy a boat excursion before returning to Entebbe or Kampala for your departure flight.
Accommodation: No Overnight Accommodation
Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch
Optional Activities
Entebbe and Mabamba
- Uganda Wildlife Education Centre Visit
- Botanical Gardens Tour
- Sunset Boat Cruise on Lake Victoria
- Fishing Experience
Murchison Falls National Park
- Hot Air Balloon Safari
- Sport Fishing
- Night Game Drive
- Bird Watching Safari
- Nature Walk
Kibale Forest National Park
- Chimpanzee Habituation Experience
- Crater Lakes Tour
- Coffee Experience Tour
- Community Visit
Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Lion Tracking Experience
- Chimpanzee Tracking in Kyambura Gorge
- Katwe Salt Lake Tour
- Maramagambo Forest Walk
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
- Batwa Cultural Experience
- Gorilla Habituation Experience
- Waterfall Trail Walk
- Community Cultural Tour
Lake Bunyonyi
- Canoeing
- Island Hopping
- Ziplining
- Bird Watching
- Nature Walks
Lake Mburo National Park
- Horseback Safari
- Boat Cruise
- Mountain Biking
- Night Game Drive
Sipi Falls
- Abseiling
- Mountain Biking
- Community Walk
- Mount Elgon Hiking
Jinja
- White Water Rafting
- Kayaking
- Bungee Jumping
- Quad Biking
- Horseback Riding
- Sunset Nile Cruise
Tour Includes(16 Days Uganda safari)
- Travel in a 4×4 car
- Professional guide
- Park fees
- Accommodation
- Meals
- All Activities In Itinerary
Tour Excludes
- Alcoholic drinks
- Laundry
- Tips
- Shopping
- Insurance
- Anything not included per itinerary
Uganda’s Longest Standard Circuit
At sixteen days, this itinerary is among the most comprehensive single-country trips we offer, giving genuine time to virtually every major Uganda destination: Bwindi and Mgahinga gorilla trekking, Kibale Forest chimpanzees, Queen Elizabeth’s tree-climbing lions and Kazinga Channel, Murchison Falls’ dramatic Nile scenery, and typically further stops such as Lake Mburo, Kidepo Valley, or Kampala’s cultural sites depending on the specific route.
A trip this length is genuinely rare among standard itineraries, and it suits travelers who want to experience Uganda at an unhurried pace rather than compressing the country’s full range into a shorter, more rushed circuit.
How a Sixteen Day Trip Is Paced
Given the distances involved in covering most of Uganda’s major parks, this itinerary mixes road transfers with short domestic flights where useful, keeping travel days manageable without sacrificing the range of destinations covered. Rest days and lower-intensity travel days are built in deliberately between the trip’s more demanding trekking and game-drive activities.
Because this itinerary spans over two weeks, booking well in advance matters considerably, both to secure gorilla and chimpanzee permits across multiple parks and to lock in accommodation at each stop before availability tightens closer to your travel dates.
Practical Notes
A Uganda e-visa or East Africa Tourist Visa, arranged before travel, is required for most nationalities, along with a yellow fever vaccination certificate if arriving from a country with risk of transmission. Travel insurance covering trekking or wildlife activities and medical evacuation is strongly recommended, and malaria prevention is worth discussing with a travel health clinic ahead of your trip.
US dollars printed after 2009 are widely accepted for park fees, permits and lodge bills, while local currency is more practical for tips and smaller day-to-day purchases. Mobile network coverage is generally reliable at lodges and along main routes but becomes patchy inside the parks themselves.
Because permits and lodge availability are limited, particularly during the June to September and December to February peak seasons, we recommend booking this itinerary well in advance, especially given the multiple destinations and border crossings this trip involves.
Tipping is customary though not compulsory. Rangers and trackers typically receive a tip at the end of any trekking activity, scaled to group size, while your driver-guide, who accompanies you throughout the trip, is usually tipped separately at the end. We’re glad to advise on typical tipping ranges when you book.
A private 4×4 safari vehicle with an experienced English-speaking driver-guide accompanies you throughout this itinerary, handling both park game-viewing tracks and the road transfers and border crossings this trip involves.
Physical Preparation for Gorilla Trekking
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi is graded as moderate to strenuous depending on where the assigned family is ranging that day. Trails climb steep, muddy ridges through tangled vegetation, and altitude in the park ranges from roughly 1,160 to 2,607 metres, so a reasonable level of fitness helps considerably. Porters are available at the trailhead for a small fee and are worth hiring — they carry daypacks, offer a steadying hand on slick sections, and their fee directly supports the local community bordering the park. Waterproof hiking boots with good ankle support, a long-sleeved shirt and trousers to guard against nettles and safari ants, gardening gloves, and a rain jacket are the essentials most trekkers wish they had packed. Because Bwindi sits in a genuine rainforest, showers are possible in any month, so dressing in breathable layers rather than heavy clothing keeps the trek comfortable.
Golden Monkey Trekking at Mgahinga
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, tucked into the Virunga volcanic range on Uganda’s border with Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, is one of the few places on earth where golden monkeys can be tracked in the wild. These endangered primates move in large, playful troops through the bamboo zone on the lower slopes of Mount Sabinyo, Mount Gahinga and Mount Muhabura, and a trek typically takes less time and involves gentler terrain than gorilla trekking, making it a good option for travellers wanting a primate experience without a full-day hike. The park also protects a small population of transboundary mountain gorillas that move freely between Uganda, Rwanda and Congo, and on the years they are present in Uganda, gorilla permits are issued here as well.
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All in Africa Safaris arranges tours to Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania
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Visit the magical national parks of Uganda known as Bwindi Forest and Queen Elizabeth National Park including gorilla trekking and wildlife views for travelers
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