10 Days Best of Uganda Wildlife and Gorillas Safari

Safari Overview

A classic Uganda circuit connecting rhinos, Nile landscapes, chimpanzees, savannah wildlife and mountain gorillas. 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 – Murchison Falls – Kibale – Queen Elizabeth – Bwindi – Lake Mburo – Entebbe.

Detailed Day-by-Day Safari Itinerary

Day 1: Entebbe to Murchison Falls via Ziwa

Begin early and travel north toward Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for a guided tracking activity, subject to its operating arrangements. Continue to Murchison Falls National Park with lunch en route. The long drive is broken by stops for refreshments and views. Check in to your accommodation and discuss the following morning's wildlife activities.

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

Day 2: Murchison game drive and Nile cruise

Go on an early game drive in search of giraffes, elephants, buffaloes and other animals of the savannah. Return for lunch before joining a scheduled boat excursion along the Victoria Nile toward the falls. Watch for hippos, crocodiles and birds near the riverbanks. Finish with dinner and a restful evening at the lodge.

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

Day 3: Murchison Falls viewpoints and onward travel

Visit a designated viewpoint to appreciate the force of the Nile squeezing through its narrow gorge. Afterwards, start a long road transfer toward Fort Portal and the Kibale area. The route offers changing farmland and regional scenery with several breaks. Overnight near Kibale to prepare for the next day's forest activity.

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

Day 4: Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale

Attend a morning briefing with a park ranger before following forest trails in search of chimpanzees. The animals may move quickly, and trekking time cannot be guaranteed. After lunch, enjoy a low-key visit around the Kibale community or a guided Bigodi walk if prearranged. Return to your accommodation in the evening.

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

Day 5: Travel to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Journey south from Kibale through crater-lake country and rolling landscapes. Enter Queen Elizabeth National Park and check in at your chosen accommodation. If arrival time allows, take a short wildlife drive nearby. Relax at the lodge while your guide prepares for tomorrow's full game-viewing day.

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

Day 6: Wildlife drive and Kazinga Channel

Depart at dawn for a game drive in the park's grassland and bush habitat, looking for elephants, antelope, buffaloes and birds. After a midday break, board a scheduled boat trip along the Kazinga Channel, an excellent place for observing hippos and waterbirds. The day balances active viewing and comfortable downtime.

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

Day 7: Ishasha sector and the Bwindi forest

Continue south through the Ishasha area, where lions sometimes rest in trees. Search carefully without treating any sighting as guaranteed. Journey into the misty Bwindi highlands and check in near your confirmed gorilla trekking sector. Prepare your boots, packed lunch and rainwear for an early start.

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

Day 8: Mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi

After an official briefing, follow professional rangers into the forest to locate one habituated mountain gorilla family. Conditions vary from straightforward sections to steep, muddy trails. Spend the allowed time observing their natural behaviour, keep the required distance and follow ranger instructions. Return to your lodge for an unhurried evening.

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

Day 9: Bwindi to Lake Mburo area

Leave the forest and drive northeast through highland landscapes toward Lake Mburo National Park. Break for lunch and enjoy time at your accommodation. If timing and park access permit, add a late game drive along open tracks. The day is primarily a transfer that brings you closer to Entebbe.

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

Day 10: Morning activity and Entebbe return

Enjoy an early guided walk or wildlife drive in the Lake Mburo area, then have breakfast and depart toward Entebbe. Lunch and comfort stops are made on the way. Your driver-guide will finish at the agreed hotel or airport, allowing a sensible buffer for onward travel.

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.