8 Days private Uganda safari vacation is one Uganda’s best safari package customized to cover the best national parks in Uganda in a short time period. This unique itinerary encompasses activities like game drives, rhino tracking, chimpanzee tracking, lion tracking, canoeing, and mountain gorilla tracking.

The target destinations to be explored on your 8-day tour in Uganda include Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Murchison Falls National Park in the Northwest; Kibale National Park in Kabarole district. You will also visit Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Lake Bunyonyi.

Brief Itinerary

Day 1: Pickup from Hotel – Transfer to Murchison Falls – Ziwa rhino tracking

Day 2: Morning game drive – Afternoon launch cruise at the bottom of the falls

Day 3: Transfer to Kibale national park

Day 4: chimpanzee tracking & depart for Queen Elizabeth Park

Day 5: Lion tracking – launch cruise along the Kazinga channel

Day 6: Ishasha tree climbing lions – Transfer to Bwindi national park

Day 7: Mountain gorilla trekking – Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi

Day 8: Canoeing – Transfer to Entebbe for departure

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Pickup from Hotel – Transfer to Murchison Falls – Ziwa rhino tracking

Have a delicious cup of tea/coffee early morning and after, meet your safari guide for briefing about this special 8-day trip. After having insight about your itinerary, board your comfortable safari vehicle and today, you will be paying a visit to your first destination as per this itinerary which is Murchison Falls National Park.

En-route to Murchison Falls Park on Kampala-Gulu highway, you will branch off to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. At Ziwa, expect to engage in the guided and on foot walk with rhinos. On locating rhinos, explore their behaviors and take pictures of these unique mammals while in their natural environment.

From Ziwa, drive to Masindi for lunch break and later, continue to your pre-booked accommodation in Murchison Falls National Park.

Accommodation

  • Luxury: Paraa Safari Lodge/Bakers Lodge
  • Midrange: Pakuba Lodge/Murchison River Lodge
  • Budget: Red Chili Rest Camp

Day 2: Morning game drive – Afternoon launch cruise at the bottom of the falls

Depart from your respective safari lodges and head off through the Northern game tracks. Explore different wildlife during the 2-3 hour game drive in a 4×4 safari car. The northern game track of Murchison Falls Park is popular for its rewarding game viewing experiences. Expect to see various animals ranging from lions, giraffes, warthogs, elephants, warthogs, cape buffaloes, and birds.

You will back to have lunch and end the day with an exciting boat or launch cruise on the Victoria Nile. The encounters to expect on a boat cruise include hippos, crocodiles and water birds.

Accommodation

  • Luxury: Paraa Safari Lodge/Bakers Lodge
  • Midrange: Pakuba Lodge/Murchison River Lodge
  • Budget: Red Chili Rest Camp

Day 3: Transfer to Kibale National Park

Enjoy a delicious cup of tea/coffee and after, check out of your lodge. Today, you will be transferred to the next destination which is Kibale National Park, home to all 13 primate species, 375 bird species and several butterflies.

En-route to Kibale, expect to enjoy the stunning landscapes especially the scenic rift valley escarpments; homesteads in Hoima. On arrival at Fort Portal, you will make a stopover and this is when you will have some lunch. Continue from Fort Portal to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Accommodation

  • Luxury: Ndali Lodge
  • Midrange: Primate Lodge
  • Budget: Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse/Isunga Lodge

Day 4: Chimpanzee tracking & depart for Queen Elizabeth Park

Set off from your lodges to Kanyanchu where you will meet the park officials who will take you through briefing about chimpanzee tracking regulations. The park official will subdivide you into 6 pax and each group will have an experienced park ranger guide to lead them.

Today’s morning chimp trek begins at 8:00am and expect to spend about 2-4 hours in the jungles. As you search for chimpanzees, several other primates will be at your exposure including colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, l’hoest monkeys, olive baboons and others.

A special one hour will be spent face-to-face with chimp community and after, return to have some relaxation and lunch. Later, you will be paying a visit to Queen Elizabeth Park, driving via Kasese.

Accommodation

  • Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge/Katara Lodge
  • Midrange: Elephant Plains/Buffalo Safari Lodge
  • Budget: Simba Camp

Day 5: Lion tracking – launch cruise along the Kazinga channel

Wake up early morning to enjoy your cup of tea or coffee and after, set off to enjoy a guided lion tracking experience. You will be searching for lions in the wild and expect to have a deep understanding on the different behaviors of these mammals, take pictures then you will return to the lodge.

At the lodge, you will have lunch and in the afternoon, you will have a launch cruise on Kazinga channel. This will be an exciting 2-3 hour launch cruise and expect to see hippos, crocodiles and aquatic birds.

Accommodation

  • Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge/Katara Lodge
  • Midrange: Elephant Plains/Buffalo Safari Lodge
  • Budget: Simba Camp

Day 6: Ishasha tree climbing lions – Transfer to Bwindi National Park

Transfer to Bwindi after having your cup of tea/coffee. Today, you will be transferred to Bwindi and expect to enjoy an en-route game drive at Ishasha. At Ishasha, you will search for the unusual tree climbing lions and other amazing mammal species. You will have lunch in the wild and later, transfer to Bwindi to chill in your pre-booked accommodation.

Accommodation

  • Luxury: Buhoma Lodge
  • Midrange: Ichumbi Lodge/Engagi Lodge
  • Budget: Buhoma Community Rest Camp

Day 7: Mountain gorilla trekking – Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi

Get up early for you to enjoy a hefty breakfast at the lodge and later, the driver/safari guide will pick you up. Before you hit the jungles in search for gorillas, you will be briefed about the rules and regulations for gorilla trekking. The long day gorilla trek will go for at least 2-6 hours and includes an hour for you to have a face-to-face encounter with a family of mountain gorillas.

After interacting with gorillas, you will walk back and the park official will issue you with a gorilla trekking certificate. Later, proceed to your lodge to relax a little and then transfer to Lake Bunyonyi.

Accommodation

  • Luxury: Bunyonyi @Birdnest
  • Midrange: Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort
  • Budget: Bunyonyi Overland Resort

Day 8: Canoeing – Transfer to Entebbe for departure

Have a hearty breakfast and after, embark on a canoe ride with the local expert. Today, expect to pay a visit to one of the 29 islands that make Lake Bunyonyi such a scenic lake. You will also come across some interesting birds and after, get back to check out of your accommodation. From Lake Bunyonyi, you will drive back to Kampala/Entebbe and expect to make a stopover at the Equator crossing for photography.

End of safari

Inclusions

  • Game drives
  • Gorilla permits
  • Chimpanzee tracking
  • Ziwa rhino tracking
  • Airport transfers
  • Transportation in a 4WD vehicle
  • Accommodation and all meals as per this trip plan
  • All park entry fees

Exclusions

  • Visa
  • Tipping
  • Laundry services
  • International flights
  • Beverages
  • Visas
  • Passports