Wild African Safaris believes that this 20 Day Best of Uganda Tour is the most exiting tour you can possibly do in Uganda. Experience all highlights in combination with the very best “off the beaten track” options like Kidepo Valley and the undiscovered Karamoja region.
HIGHLIGHTS:
- The remote Kidepo Valley NP
- Visit the Karamajong and Batwa (pymee) tribes.
- Visit all wildlife parks in Uganda!
- 2x Chimp permits and 1x Gorilla permit included.
Day 1: Start of the 20 Day Best of Uganda Tour
You will be picked up from the airport by a representative of your hotel. He will transfer you to your hotel. You will meet your driver/ guide tomorrow morning when he picks you up from your hotel.
Day 2: Jinja (Source of the Nile)
Today, you will make your way to the second largest town and the colonial manufacturing hub, Jinja. In Jinja the Nile River begins its journey from Lake Victoria all the way up to the Mediterranean Sea. Many activities are available around town (see options in Day 3) though please note that all activities today are at your own expense.
In Jinja, you will stay at The Haven – a wonderful lodge in a peaceful spot overlooking the river Nile with breathtaking views of the river rapids and excellent opportunities for watching the birds and local fishermen paddling dugout canoes.
Optional activities in Jinja
Today you can relax at the lodge or choose optional activities:
- White water rafting
- A horseback safari
- Quad-biking
- A day of whitewater kayaking on the river
- A sundowner cruise on the Nile
- A visit to the source of the Nile
- A visit to Jinja market
Day 3: Sipi Falls
After breakfast you drive through the eastern part of Uganda takes you to beautiful Sipi Falls, on a plateau 1800m above sea level.
The Sipi River flows over the foothills of Mount Elgon, forming a spectacular series of waterfalls (some nearly 100m high), surrounded by village walking trails and lush green coffee-producing hills. You will stay in a wonderful lodge. From your lodge you have beautiful views over one of the waterfalls.
Day 4: Sipi Falls hike, To Moroto
Prepare yourself for a beautiful day in paradise. After breakfast, choose to go on a 3-hour hike through the region. A local guide accompanies you on your hike to explain flora, fauna and culture.
Whichever option you choose, you can be certain that you pass many picturesque waterfalls, plantations and caves. Local villagers will be sure to greet you with ‘Jambo!’ and beaming smiles.
After this experience you continue your journey to Moroto the heart of the Karamoja region where you will spend the night in a simple but clean hotel.
Day 5: Nature Hike, Karamojong tribe and visit the traditional “Kraal”
After and early breakfast you will continue your journey to Moroto town.
Matoke Tours strives to be innovative and takes its responsibility by bringing you to places where no one else will go. One of these examples is Karamoja; an area in North-Eastern Uganda where the Karamajong people live. They are related to the Maasai in Kenya and live and dress similar. The main difference is that not any other tourist is going here. Only few years ago, tourism in Karamoja would not have been possible due to armed inter-tribal conflict but nowadays it’s safe.
In the early morning you leave for a scenic nature walk through the valley of Mt Moroto, the highest mountain of Karamoja. During the walk we will set camp at a traditional village of the So Tepeth mountain people.
Optional activity 20 Day Best of Uganda Tour: Night in the kraal US$ 20 per person
For the true adventurer you can sleep in one of the non-permanent Kraals. Here you will pitch your tent to spend an evening with a specific Karamajong family. Part of the evening is a goat roast ceremony. It’s a great event for them and they will be likely to sing and dance all night;
During a night at the kraal you will experience how the Karamajong lives. They will bring their cattle back in the kraal, they will make local beer (which you can try as well ) and you can be part of the bloodletting ceremony, whereby they tap blood from a cow to drink. After the traditional goat-roast you will have some dinner for yourself. After dinner you will spend the rest of the night interacting and dancing with the Karamajong or listening to the songs next to the fire until it’s time to go to sleep. After waking up in the early morning you can see the sunrise on the Karamajong Valley and see the Shepard’s take their cattle from the kraal to look for fresh grass on the plains.
Day 6: To Kidepo National Park
Today you will travel to Kidepo valley N.P. A long but rewarding drive will take you passed one of the most beautiful scenery in Uganda.
If you can plan today on a Tuesday you’ll have the chance to experience an authentic Karamajong cattle market on Wednesday (that is today in this tour). Some herders walk for 5 hours to be able to buy or sell their goats, cows or chicken here. It’s a colorful and stunning sight and one of the few remaining authentic experiences. Don’t miss this!
After this thrilling experience it is time to enter into the most remote and pristine national park in the country, Kidepo Valley National Park. The park has some of the most amazing scenery in the country! For many people this is the most beautiful park of Uganda. Here you will find almost no tourists leaving you free to enjoy the park and its unique combination of wildlife without distraction.
You will stay in the beautiful and newly build Kidepo Savannah Lodge.
Day 7: Safari in Kidepo
In Kidepo Valley National Park you will find zebras, giraffes, elephants, lions and leopards. This is also the only place in Uganda where you can find the cheetah and ostrich.
Kidepo is famous for its lions relaxing on the rocks – a scene which may remind you of a certain Disney film. You might even be very lucky to spot a leopard or cheetah! Besides the 4×4 safaris you can also take a bush walk in the park with an armed ranger.
Day 8: To Murchison Falls N.P.
Today you continue your journey by crossing to the west of the country to Murchison Falls National Park.
Day 9: Murchison Falls National Park
Get ready for an early wake up today! In the early morning hours animals are the most active, the sun is not yet so bright and temperatures are cooler. It offers the best time to spot wild animals. After an early breakfast you will go out on a game drive to explore the northern part of the park.
Come eye-to-eye with the African animal kingdom: elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, lions, leopards, different species of antelope and many tropical birds may all be spotted during the game drive. So keep your eyes open, they are all there in Murchison Falls National Park!
In the afternoon you will take a boat safari up the Nile River to Murchison Falls. Carefully watched by crocodiles, hundreds of hippos, buffaloes, water birds, monkeys and all the other thirsty wildlife that the Nile attracts, you will reach the base of the 43-meter high Falls which approach with a thunderous sound.
After the boat safari you will hike to the top of the falls. From here you have a wonderful view and fantastic photo opportunities!
return back to your comfortable lodge, to enjoy a good meal and enjoy the views.
Day 10: Boat Safari on Delta
The Nile Delta is the area where the Victoria Nile flows into Lake Albert. A boat safari down the river towards Lake Albert is a “must do” for every birdwatcher as the banks of the delta are home to hundreds of bird species including the rare and prehistoric-looking shoebill stork. As well you will see hundreds of hippo and maybe even bathing elephant and huge crocs.
In the afternoon you can go for another game drive in the park. Or you can choose to relax at the lodge and enjoy the swimming pool.
YOU’RE ONLY HALF WAY THE 20 Day Best of Uganda Tour….THERE IS MORE TO COME!
Day 11 To Fort Portal & Kibale Forest
Today you will begin your journey to Kibale Forest N.P. The drive is incredibly scenic, passing through tea plantations and the lush green countryside which characterizes so much of Uganda.
After about seven hours’ driving, you stop for lunch in the cozy town Fort Portal (lunch is not inclusive). After lunch, you have time to walk around town, observe local life and/or visit the local market.
Then you drive one more hour to the lodge. Spend the late afternoon relaxing and enjoy a lovely view of the forest and its wildlife.
Day 12: Chimpanzee Tracking & Swamp Walk
Today you will experience some serious monkey business! Kibale Forest National Park boasts the highest number of primate species in the world, including the chimpanzees. Approximately 5,000 chimpanzees live in the wild in Uganda, which makes it a perfect place to spot them!
An experienced ranger will take you chimp tracking in the morning or afternoon; you might also see other monkey species that live here. Once you locate the chimpanzees you will have a full hour of eye-to-eye contact with them. Since they are wild animals, we can never guarantee you to see them and might have to settle with hearing their hoots and hollers.
Your swamp walk (2-3 hours) will take you through grassland, small communities and some beautiful scenery, where the locals are likely to greet you with enthusiastic waves. It is usual to spot three to four different primate species during this walk, though the highlight is catching a glimpse of the great blue turaco!
Optional 20 Day Best of Uganda Tour: Chimpanzee Habituation tracking:
At an additional fee of only $70 us dollar pp you do the chimpanzee habituation tracking instead of the regular chimpanzee tracking. This will take all day and you will be 100% sure to have a very close enounter with your closest relatives. Book this in time because only 6 persons per day are allowed to go. Your swamp walk can be postponed to the next morning.
Day 13: Queen Elizabeth N.P.
In the morning, you can relax at your lodge. You will then continue your journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Queen Elizabeth is Uganda’s second largest park, located at the base of the majestic Rwenzori Mountain range, adjacent to Lake Edward and Lake George. The park has prolific game, including gazelle, Uganda kob, warthog and waterbuck. Lions are often sighted both in and at the entrance to the park. Be prepared for huge numbers of hippo and elephant, and keep your eyes peeled for a leopard lazing in the sunshine.
In the late afternoon you will go for a game-drive into the park.
Marafiki Safari Lodge is located on a unique location and has been designed and handcrafted using local materials, fitted by artisans from the local community.
Overlooking Lake George in the Queen Elizabeth National Park it offers private safari tents on raised wooden floors and canvas walls that can be rolled up to allow you to sit comfortably watching the Savannah Plains with breath taking views across the Park and the Rwenzori Mountains. Watch wildlife from your verandah and fall asleep to the roaring of Lions on the distant savannah. This truly is Africa!
Day 14: Park Game Drive & Boat Safari
Today you wake up early. A little before sunrise coffee, tea and donuts will be served in the lounge before we head out for a long game drive in time to see the first rays of light. You will search for all the wildlife in the park and are likely to come across Elephant, Buffalo, Lion, Waterbuck, Leopard, Uganda Kob, and many Warthogs.
A well-deserved brunch will be served back at the lodge in the late morning.
In the afternoon you will take a boat safari along the Kazinga Channel which joins Lake George and Lake Albert.
Here, you will see a lot of hippos (more than you can possibly imagine!), as well as a variety of other animals which come to the waterhole to drink or bathe. You can expect to see buffalo, crocodile, bathing elephant, and a range of beautiful birds. This will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of your tour.
After the boat-safari you game drive back to the lodge.
Optional activity for 20 Day Best of Uganda Tour: Lion Tracking:
For visitors who yearn to get up close to wild African fauna, a research trip is a rewarding adventure. This new and unique experience allows visitors to actively participate in monitoring some of lions in the park, using locator devices and learn habituation calls, as well as monitoring weather, surroundings and behavior. The results are added to researchers’ databases, contributing valuable information to the overall understanding of wildlife ecology – and helping to conserve this wonderful ecosystem. This will as well gives you a 95% chance to see the lions!
The number of people on each outing is limited in order to reduce stress on the animals and to increase the quality of the experience for visitors.
For visitors who yearn to get up close to wild African fauna, a research trip is a rewarding adventure. This new and unique experience allows visitors to actively participate in monitoring some of the exotic birds and mammals that fill the park, using locator devices and learn habituation calls, as well as monitoring weather, surroundings and behavior. The results are added to researchers’ databases, contributing valuable information to the overall understanding of wildlife ecology – and helping to conserve this wonderful ecosystem.
The experiential tourism activities currently available are Mongoose Tracking, Lion Tracking, Hippo Census, and Bird Counts. The number of people on each outing is limited in order to reduce stress on the animals and to increase the quality of the experience for visitors.
Experiential tours lasts between one and three hours. They usually take place in the early morning or evening, or occasionally at night. All activities must be booked through the Visitor Information Centre in Mweya at least 24 hours in advance.
For visitors who yearn to get up close to wild African fauna, a research trip is a rewarding adventure. This new and unique experience allows visitors to actively participate in monitoring some of the exotic birds and mammals that fill the park, using locator devices and learn habituation calls, as well as monitoring weather, surroundings and behavior. The results are added to researchers’ databases, contributing valuable information to the overall understanding of wildlife ecology – and helping to conserve this wonderful ecosystem.
The experiential tourism activities currently available are Mongoose Tracking, Lion Tracking, Hippo Census, and Bird Counts. The number of people on each outing is limited in order to reduce stress on the animals and to increase the quality of the experience for visitors.
Experiential tours lasts between one and three hours. They usually take place in the early morning or evening, or occasionally at night. All activities must be booked through the Visitor Information Centre in Mweya at least 24 hours in advance.
Day 15: Chimps & tree climbing lions
In the early morning you will visit the Kyambura Gorge. A hike through the gorge gives you the opportunity to see habituated chimpanzees and other types of primates including red-tailed monkey, black-and-white colobus, baboons and vervet monkeys. Although the chance of spotting chimpanzees is only 50%, the landscape is among the most impressive in Uganda and is absolutely worth it!
After this amazing experience you will continue your journey.
Ishahsa is home to the famous tree-climbing lions. While lion cubs around the world frequently climb trees for fun, adults rarely do. The adult lions in Ishasha are an exception to this. It is thought that they sit in the branches to get away from the tsetse flies and to enjoy a cool breeze. If you are lucky you might spot a few during your game drive!
Your accommodation for tonight is the Enjojo Lodge, which is surrounded with acacia forest, lush vegetation with palm trees and scattered grasslands. Find birds, monkeys, and other wildlife around your cottage!
Day 16: Lake Mutanda/Bwindi
Today you drive to Lake Mutanda in the south-western part of Uganda; close to the borders with Rwanda and Congo. You cross a beautiful part of the country often referred to as ‘the Switzerland of Africa’. You will see a great country-side, bamboo forest and have great views over the Virunga Mountains. For lunch you will stop at a local restaurant on the road (lunch is not inclusive).
Perched on a peninsula in Lake Mutanda in the shadow of the Virunga Mountain Range, Mutanda Lake Resort offers comfortable accommodation combined with the most beautiful views on planet earth. Situated between Kisoro town, Mgahinga and Bwindi National Parks the Resort makes a perfect base for gorilla trackers, volcano hikers, bird lovers as well as those looking for a secluded place in nature.
Day 17: Gorilla Tracking in Bwindi Forest
Today is the big day… prepare yourself for an encounter with one of Bwindi’s gentle giants: the endangered mountain gorilla. For most people this is the absolute highlight of their tour in Uganda.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest boasts both mountain gorillas and chimpanzees – the only forest in Africa which can make this claim. It also hosts five other species of primate, 113 species of mammal, over 200 butterflies and 360 birds. The gorillas you track belong to one of nine habituated family groups who can tolerate the presence of humans for a brief period every day.
The time taken to track the gorillas can be as few as 2 hours to as many as 7 hours. Once the gorillas have been located, your group will be allowed a maximum of one hour with them. Coming face-to-face with a mountain gorilla is a truly humbling and emotional experience. This is a fantastic and privileged opportunity to get up close and personal with Uganda’s very own ‘Gorillas in the Mist’.
Days 18: Lake Mutanda/ Batwa Trail
Today you can choose to unwind from your trip at this stunning location. You can as well opt for some wonderful optional activities from the lodge.The south-western part of Uganda is known as ”Little Switzerland” , a lush, mountainous region dotted with freshwater lakes, which makes it the perfect base for a number of activities beyond gorilla tracking. The area is great for walking, hiking, mountain biking, cultural village tours, bird watching or water sport activities.
When you are interested in tribes/ culture you should not miss this: A new tourism trail, result of a collaboration between the Uganda Wildlife Authority and the United Organisation for Batwa Development in Uganda, is helping the indigenous Batwa pygmy people to keep their culture alive, following their eviction from the forests of southwest Uganda more than two decades ago. The Batwa are Uganda’s traditionally forest-dwelling pygmy people. About a century ago, there was a conflict between the Batwa and the Bantu speaking people in the region. The Bantu tried to expel the Batwa people from the area, so they hideout in Garama Cave. The Bantu had no idea there was a hidden cave in the forest and therefore could not find the crafty Batwa. Your guide will explain how the Batwa lived and fought out of this cave. The cave is 342 meters in length and 14 meters deep, and is now only inhabited by bats, The walk to and from the cave passes through mountain woodland with plenty of opportunity to enjoy the scenery or watch birds.
Day 19: Lake Mburo National Park
After breakfast, you will travel to Lake Mburo National Park, one of Uganda’s smallest parks, but certainly not to be underestimated. It is the only Ugandan national park (besides to Kidepo Valley NP) which is home to zebra, eland and impala, as well as an abundance of other wildlife – not to mention the lake itself, which is teeming with hippos and crocodiles! Last but not least: The Uganda Wildlife Authority recently brought 15 giraffes from Murchison falls to lake Mburo (1st July 2015)!
You will stay just outside the park boundaries, but it will feel like being in the middle of the park. From your verandah and restaurant you have a great view over the park and its wildlife.
Optional activity for 20 Day Best of Uganda Tour: Night game drive
A night game drive in Lake Mburo national park is absolutely great! You have chances of seeing Hyena, different nocturnal animals and it’s probaply your best chance to spot a leopard. Your night safari is either just before dinner or just after dinner and takes about 2 hours.
Day 20: Bush walk, to Entebbe
This morning you will go for a bush walk.
Lake Mburo N.P. is one of two parks in Uganda where bush walks with an experienced ranger are permitted. This opportunity should not be missed. From footprints and animal droppings the ranger will be able to tell you which animal has left it and how long ago. It is exciting to approach wildlife at such close range.
Optional activity 20 Day Best of Uganda Tour: Mountain bike Safari
It’s very exciting to make a safari by mountain bike. Get active and get close to zebra, gazelle, Eland and sometimes even giraffe!
After brunch at the lodge, you will drive back to Kampala or Entebbe (Airport) stopping at the equator for the requisite snapshot and a bit of souvenir shopping.
Accommodation for tonight is not inclusive in the program. If you wish to depart tonight from Entebbe Airport, make sure your flight is at 10 pm or later. If you want us to book one (or more) nights in Kampala and/or Entebbe, please let us know.
End of the 20 Day Best of Uganda Tour.
Transport
Our standard offering for 1 or 2 persons for this specific tour is a 4wd ToyotaLandcruiser Prado or Nissan Patrol with pop-up roof for easy safari viewing. All passengers will have a dedicated window seat. When you are 3 or 4 persons the bigger moddel is included as listed in the first upgrade option at no additional costs.
Scroll down for transport upgrade options:
Upgrade to 4wd a Full-Sized Toyota Landcruiser
The Toyota Landcruiser is the most used safari vehicle in Africa, It’s strong, it’s high up and spacious. Of course it looks good, too!
The car suits a maximum of 5 persons and has a pop-up roof for a perfect safari view!
The extra costs for this option is $50 per day extra.
Upgrade to 4wd Extended Toyota Landcruiser
The extended Landcruiser is for some the ultimate safari vehicle in Africa. It’s 4wd, spacious, high up and strong. The extended land cruiser has even a fridge on board!
There is aircon in the car and, of course, an open roof for an excellent safari view. The extended landcruiser is suitable for a maximum of 7 persons.
The extra costs for this option is $120 per day extra. (divided by number of persons traveling). These costs don’t apply when you are traveling with 6 – 7 persons, as this car will be included.