12 Days Uganda Complete Safari Circuit

Safari Overview

Experience Uganda from the Nile and savannah to its great primate forests, with time for lakeside and highland scenery. 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 – Jinja – Murchison Falls – Kibale – Queen Elizabeth – Bwindi – Mgahinga – Lake Mburo – Entebbe.

Detailed Day-by-Day Safari Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Entebbe

Arrive at Entebbe International Airport, meet your guide and transfer to your hotel. Depending on the flight schedule, enjoy a relaxed walk, garden visit or time beside Lake Victoria. The opening day is intentionally gentle so you can recover from travel and discuss your preferred pace for the coming days.

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

Day 2: Excursion to Jinja and the Nile

Travel east toward Jinja for views of the Nile and the wider Lake Victoria region. Enjoy a planned boat excursion or other suitable riverside experience according to your interests. Later return west toward Kampala or stay near Jinja depending on the selected lodge plan. Optional adventure activities can be quoted separately.

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

Day 3: Travel to Murchison Falls via Ziwa

Set off early for northwestern Uganda, with a stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for a guided rhino experience where available. Continue toward Murchison Falls National Park, taking breaks for refreshments and lunch. The road transfer fills much of the day. Check into your lodge and rest ahead of wildlife activities.

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

Day 4: Murchison Falls wildlife and Nile boat

Take an early game drive to explore the park's open savannah, home to giraffes, elephants, antelope and many other species. In the afternoon, board a scheduled boat cruise on the Victoria Nile toward the falls. Watch hippos and birds from the water and absorb the dramatic river scenery before returning to your lodge.

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

Day 5: Falls viewpoint and transfer toward Kibale

Visit a designated viewpoint near the falls as access allows, then start a long journey south toward the Fort Portal and Kibale region. Drive through varied countryside and break for lunch along the way. Reach your forest-area lodge in the evening and prepare for chimpanzee tracking.

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

Day 6: Chimpanzees in Kibale Forest

Enjoy a ranger-led chimpanzee trek after the morning briefing. Listen for calls and follow trails through the tropical forest to search for a habituated community. The walking route changes with the animals' movements. Later consider a guided visit to the Bigodi community or wetlands, subject to time and booking.

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

Day 7: Explore Queen Elizabeth National Park

Travel south to Queen Elizabeth National Park and settle at your lodge. Enjoy an afternoon wildlife drive through a suitable sector of the park, where elephants, buffaloes, kob and birds may be encountered. Rest in the evening and prepare for a boat trip the next day.

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

Day 8: Kazinga Channel and Ishasha

Start with a morning game drive or relaxed breakfast, depending on your chosen schedule, followed by a boat safari along the Kazinga Channel. Later drive south toward Ishasha for an overnight in or near the sector. Wildlife viewing here may include antelope, elephants and occasionally tree-climbing lions.

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

Day 9: Ishasha to Bwindi gorilla country

Enjoy an early wildlife drive or short outing before continuing toward Bwindi. Climb into lush terraced mountains and forested landscapes, reaching the accommodation near your confirmed trekking sector. Your guide will review the gorilla visit rules and arrange an early breakfast and packed lunch for the morning.

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

Day 10: Gorilla trekking and forest afternoon

Following the official briefing, hike into Bwindi with rangers to find a habituated mountain gorilla family. The terrain can be steep and conditions change quickly. Your guided group follows strict viewing limits and park instructions. Return to your lodge and spend the remainder of the day at leisure.

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

Day 11: Mgahinga golden monkeys

Travel early toward the Kisoro and Mgahinga area, with golden monkey tracking at Ntebeko if permit timing and routing allow. Explore bamboo and montane forest with professional guides, then continue to accommodation around Kisoro or Kabale. Because sector distances vary, the day may be adjusted into a quieter transfer if needed.

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

Day 12: Lake Mburo and return toward Entebbe

Depart southwestern Uganda for the Lake Mburo region. Take a guided wildlife drive if the schedule allows, then continue to Entebbe for a late arrival or overnight. This is a long final day; an additional night can be added for a more comfortable return. Your guide will arrange the agreed drop-off.

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.