14 Days Uganda Northern Savannah and Primate Safari

Safari Overview

An extended Uganda itinerary combining remote Kidepo wildlife with Murchison Falls, Kibale, Queen Elizabeth and Bwindi. This is a private safari proposal, with your accommodation choices and activity arrangements agreed before booking. Travel times are indicative and depend on roads, weather, park arrangements and border formalities where applicable.

Suggested route: Entebbe – Kidepo – Murchison Falls – Kibale – Queen Elizabeth – Bwindi – Lake Bunyonyi – Entebbe.

Detailed Day-by-Day Safari Itinerary

Day 1: Welcome to Entebbe

Arrive in Uganda and transfer to your Entebbe hotel, where your guide will introduce the travel programme. Rest after your flight or take a gentle outing nearby if arrival time allows. This first night keeps the northern journey from beginning immediately after a potentially tiring international connection.

Overnight: A suitable lodge or hotel in the overnight destination, chosen after your preferred comfort level and availability are confirmed.

Day 2: Travel to Kidepo Valley region

Take an available scheduled or chartered domestic flight toward the Kidepo area, subject to routing and availability; a long overland transfer is an alternative. Transfer to your selected lodge overlooking the open wilderness. Use the evening to settle in and watch the changing colours of the landscape. Domestic flight costs and schedules require confirmation.

Overnight: A suitable lodge or hotel in the overnight destination, chosen after your preferred comfort level and availability are confirmed.

Day 3: Kidepo Valley game drives

Spend the morning on a guided game drive across Kidepo's remote savannah and valley landscapes. Look for buffaloes, elephants, giraffes and plains wildlife against a backdrop of rugged hills. Break for lunch and explore another part of the park later in the day. The exact route depends on road conditions and recent animal movements.

Overnight: A suitable lodge or hotel in the overnight destination, chosen after your preferred comfort level and availability are confirmed.

Day 4: A second day in Kidepo

Continue exploring Kidepo with an early game drive and a more relaxed afternoon at the lodge. Time in this remote park allows your guide to respond to wildlife sightings and changing light rather than rushing between locations. An approved community experience can be arranged by prior agreement, with local customs and photography permissions respected.

Overnight: A suitable lodge or hotel in the overnight destination, chosen after your preferred comfort level and availability are confirmed.

Day 5: Travel back to the central region

Leave Kidepo by an available domestic flight via Entebbe, or begin an extended overland return if that has been selected. Overnight in Entebbe or a suitable stop along the driving route. This transfer day will be finalised around actual air schedules, avoiding any assumption of direct air links between remote parks.

Overnight: A suitable lodge or hotel in the overnight destination, chosen after your preferred comfort level and availability are confirmed.

Day 6: Northwest to Murchison Falls

Set off toward the Murchison Falls region with a possible stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for a guided visit. Break for meals and reach your lodge later in the day. The drive offers an opportunity to appreciate Uganda's changing countryside. Prepare for a full game-viewing and river day ahead.

Overnight: A suitable lodge or hotel in the overnight destination, chosen after your preferred comfort level and availability are confirmed.

Day 7: Murchison wildlife and river safari

Begin before the heat builds with a game drive through savannah habitat, searching for elephants, giraffes, antelope and other species. In the afternoon, enjoy a scheduled Nile boat cruise to the base of the falls area. Watch waterbirds and river wildlife from the vessel. Return to your lodge for a quiet evening.

Overnight: A suitable lodge or hotel in the overnight destination, chosen after your preferred comfort level and availability are confirmed.

Day 8: Falls viewpoint and travel to Kibale

Visit an accessible viewpoint overlooking Murchison Falls, subject to park directions, and continue south toward Fort Portal. This is one of the longer transfer days and includes breaks for meals and comfort. The landscape gradually changes toward farmland and forest. Arrive at your Kibale-area lodge in the evening.

Overnight: A suitable lodge or hotel in the overnight destination, chosen after your preferred comfort level and availability are confirmed.

Day 9: Chimpanzee experience in Kibale

Attend the official park briefing before entering Kibale Forest with experienced rangers. Track a habituated community of chimpanzees, listening for calls and movement among the trees. The encounter and walk length vary with their location. Optional community or wetland activities can be fitted in later if practical and available.

Overnight: A suitable lodge or hotel in the overnight destination, chosen after your preferred comfort level and availability are confirmed.

Day 10: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth

Continue south past scenic crater lakes to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Check in to your lodge and, if time allows, enjoy a short game drive. The park's mosaic of savannah, wetlands and volcanic features supports many birds and mammals. Relax and plan the next day's wildlife viewing with your guide.

Overnight: A suitable lodge or hotel in the overnight destination, chosen after your preferred comfort level and availability are confirmed.

Day 11: Wildlife drive and Kazinga Channel

Take an early game drive looking for elephants, buffaloes, kob and other park wildlife. Later join a boat trip along the Kazinga Channel, where hippos and waterbirds are frequently seen. A boat trip offers a different perspective and a break from the vehicle. Return to the lodge after the afternoon activity.

Overnight: A suitable lodge or hotel in the overnight destination, chosen after your preferred comfort level and availability are confirmed.

Day 12: Ishasha to Bwindi forest

Journey into Ishasha, where tree-climbing lions are sometimes seen, then continue to the Bwindi highlands. Stops for wildlife and photography depend on road conditions and available time. Check in near your assigned trekking sector and confirm your park reporting time. Spend the evening preparing for a potentially demanding forest hike.

Overnight: A suitable lodge or hotel in the overnight destination, chosen after your preferred comfort level and availability are confirmed.

Day 13: Mountain gorillas and Lake Bunyonyi

Trek mountain gorillas in Bwindi with park rangers after the required briefing. The duration is unpredictable, and the trek may be strenuous. Once back at the trailhead, transfer to Lake Bunyonyi only if the chosen sector and timing permit; otherwise overnight near Bwindi and shift the lake stop to the next day. Your guide will prioritise a comfortable pace.

Overnight: A suitable lodge or hotel in the overnight destination, chosen after your preferred comfort level and availability are confirmed.

Day 14: Return to Entebbe

Begin the long final road journey from the southwest to Entebbe, with breaks for lunch and refreshments. If the previous evening was spent near Bwindi, include a scenic stop at Lake Bunyonyi en route when practical. Arrive at the agreed hotel or airport subject to traffic; a late flight or extra Entebbe night is recommended.

Overnight: Safari ends after the agreed drop-off; additional accommodation can be arranged if required.

What Your Safari Quotation Can Include

• Private vehicle and professional driver-guide for the agreed route
• Accommodation in the agreed category for the confirmed nights
• Meals as specified in your final written quotation
• Park entries and pre-booked activities explicitly listed as included
• Airport, hotel or border transfers listed in the itinerary

Normally Excluded Unless Quoted Otherwise

• International flights, visa costs and personal travel insurance
• Gratuities, extra drinks and personal purchases
• Optional experiences not specified in the confirmed programme
• Gorilla, chimpanzee and golden monkey permits unless clearly included in the final quotation
• Any costs arising from independent programme changes

Important Safari Planning Notes

Gorilla trekking participants must be at least 15 years old. Permit availability is limited and every trek follows the relevant park authority rules. Wild animals move freely, so sightings and trekking durations cannot be guaranteed. Accommodation and activities are proposed options until we confirm space and receive your approval. Please share your travel dates and group size for a current quotation.

Ready to enquire? Use the safari enquiry form below and mention this itinerary. We can discuss preferred lodges, routing and a realistic travel pace before finalising your booking.