16 Days Uganda wildlife, Gorilla and Chimpanzee trekking safari

Detailed Itinerary: 16 Days Uganda wildlife, Gorilla and Chimpanzee trekking safari

Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe International Airport and transfer to hotel

On arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will meet your Uganda tour guide from Wild Jungle Trails Safaris who welcomes you to the Pearl of Africa. After meeting and greeting your guide ensures a safe transfer to a prior booked accommodation facility in  Kampala –Uganda’s capital. On arrival at the hotel, you check in, have dinner, relax from jet lag and spend the night at the hotel.

Meal plan: Dinner
Accommodation Options: Kampala Luxury: Sheraton Hotel, Mid-range: Cassia Lodge 

Day 2: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park with a stop at the equator line and undertake an evening boat cruise in Lake Mburo.

boat cruise in Lake Mburo 16 Days Uganda wildlife, Gorilla and Chimpanzee trekking safari – Wild Jungle Trails Safaris

Early this morning, you have breakfast at the lodge then after be driven to Lake Mburo National Park in western Uganda. About 80.2km from Kampala, you will have a stop at the Equator line in Kayabwe for a photography session at the world’s centre line. Here you have an experience of the equator with water experiences. This is the best moment for photography at the half point of the world. After a photography moment here, you then continue with the drive to Lake Mburo National Park. Lunch is taken enroute most probably in Mbarara town. On arrival at the park in the evening, you undertake a boat cruise on the historic Lake Mburo. You then transfer to a booked lodging facility at sunset for dinner and spend the night.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Dive time / Distance: 4h 30min, 236km
Accommodation Options: Luxury: Mihingo Lodge, Mid-range: Rwakobo Rock Lodge /Arcadia Lodge, Budget:  Eagles Nest Lodge

Day 3: A morning game drive at Lake Mburo National Park and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

By sunrise, you have a morning game drive at Lake Mburo National Park. Known as “whispers of the wild”, this is one of the amazing parks to visit without carnivores. Wild animals that can be spotted in Lake Mburo National Park include, the Impalas, Zebras, Oribi, Waterbucks, Leopard, Topi, Hyena and many more. For the game drive, your Uganda safari driver guide accompanies you and about 2-4 hours are spent in the park.

After the game drive, you then embark on a drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in south western Uganda. Driving past the scenic Kigezi hills and the Rwenzori backdrop you arrive for check in, dinner and a nights’ stay at a booked accommodation facility.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Dive time / Distance: 5h 33min, 272km

Accommodation Options: Luxury: Buhoma Lodge/chameleon Hill Lodge, Midrange: Rushaga gorilla camp/Nkuringo Gorilla Camp, Budget: Buhoma Community camp/Gorilla Valley Lodge

Day 4: Mountain Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Gorilla and baby – 16 Days Uganda wildlife, Gorilla and Chimpanzee trekking safari – Wild Jungle Trails Safaris

After an early morning breakfast, your Uganda safari driver guide will pick you up from the accommodation facility for a drive to the gorilla trekking sector headquarters. At the headquarters, briefing on the tracking etiquette starts before 8:00am local time. During briefing, a total of 8 tourists are allocated a single gorilla family to trek according to fitness levels. Each gorilla safari Uganda trekker then receives a trekking stick and heads to the jungle in company of the park rangers and guides.

Mountain Gorilla trekking in Bwindi is unpredictable because of the movement behaviors of the gorillas and therefore the activity lasts about 6-8 hours. These hours are spent in search of the gorillas however only 1 hour is spent the presence of these gentle giants. At the end of this memory filled 1 hour, you return to the park headquarters where you receive a Uganda gorilla trekking tour certificate. Later after that, you meet with your safari driver guide for a drive to your lodging facility.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation Options: Luxury: Buhoma Lodge/chameleon Hill Lodge, Midrange: Rushaga Gorilla camp/Nkuringo Gorilla Camp, Budget: Buhoma Community camp/Gorilla Valley Lodge

Day 5: Have morning breakfast and then transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park through the Ishasha sector popular for tree climbing lions.

This morning, you have breakfast at the foothills of the gorilla land then transfer on a road drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Your drive through the scenic parts of western Uganda, get you to the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park popular for being inhabited by the tree climbing lions. Alongside tree climbing lions, you can easily spot several other wildlife species. You then check in at a booked lodging facility for dinner and a nights’ stay.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation options: Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge, Mid-range: Enganzi Lodge / Budget/Basic: Kazinga Channel Resort 

Day 6: Have a morning game drive and evening boat cruise on the Kazinga channel.

Kazinga channel 16 Days Uganda wildlife, Gorilla and Chimpanzee trekking safari – Wild Jungle Trails Safaris

Wake up for early morning breakfast on this day and prepare for a morning game drive in the plains of Queen Elizabeth National Park. The game drive lasts about 2-4 hours along with your Uganda safari guide. During this sunrise game drive there’s  a possibility of wildlife sightings including species like Elephants and buffaloes (common), lions (tree climbing lions), Hyenas, African Leopard, Buffaloes, antelope species like the Uganda Kob, topi and bushbuck.

After the game drive, you then have a lunch break and relax before embarking on an evening boat cruise. The boat cruise is undertaken on the Kazinga channel which connects lakes George and Albert. Here you sight wildlife on the water banks, hippopotami in the water as well as bird species.

After the boat cruise, you then return to your lodging facility for relaxation, dinner and spend the night there.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation options: Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge, Mid-range: Enganzi Lodge / Budget/Basic: Kazinga Channel Resort 

Day 7: Have a morning game drive and transfer to Kibale Forest National Park.

Early in the morning, you have breakfast at your lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park and then have another morning game drive. After the game drive,  embark on the drive to Kibale Forest National Park. The drive is about 3-4 hours via Hima-Katunguru Rd/Mbarara –Kasese Rd and Fort Portal Mpondwe road. On this drive you go via the scenic crater lakes that are a sign of old year’s volcanic activity. Arriving in the afternoon, your driver guide ensures a check in to a booked lodging facility.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation options: Luxury: Papaya Lodge, Mid-range: Chimpanzee Guest house, Budget/Basic: Isunga Lodge 

Day 8: Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest National Park in the morning and visit Bigodi wetland in the evening.

Bigodi wetland in the evening 16 Days Uganda wildlife, Gorilla and Chimpanzee trekking safari – Wild Jungle Trails Safaris

This morning, you have breakfast at your lodging facility then head out to the forest for chimpanzee trekking. With more than 1,500 chimpanzees in Kibale forest, the park is known as the world’s primate capital and the top Uganda chimpanzee trekking safari destination. Chimps are tracked along the Kanyanchu primate walk trails where there is a possibility of sighting other primate species like the vervet monkeys, red colobus monkeys and many more. For travelers planning to trek chimps in Kibale Forest National Park, you can opt for either a morning or evening chimpanzee trek. For over 25 years chimpanzees have been tracked in Kibale Forest and therefore there about 99% chances of coming close to these man like animals.

In the afternoon after chimp trekking, you take about 5 minutes drive to Bigodi wetland for a swamp walk. The nature walk in Bigodi swamp takes you through the beautiful trails of the swamp with several sightings of primates and bird species. After the nature walk, you then return to your lodging facility.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation options: Luxury: Papaya Lodge, Mid-range: Chimpanzee Guest house, Budget/Basic: Isunga Lodge 

Day 9: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park.

At your hotel or lodge in Kibale Forest National Park, you have breakfast then embark on a road trip to Murchison Falls National Park. The road drive takes about 7-8 hours across the Albertine rift valley. With sightseeing, you go past scenic backdrops, several tea plantations and could probably glimpse at the Blue Mountain of Congo on clear days. Arriving in Murchison Falls National Park, you check in to a prior preferred lodging facility where you rest for the night.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Luxury: Paraa safari Lodge, Mid range: Pakuba Safari Lodge, Budget: Heritage safari Lodge 

Day 10: Have a morning game drive, afternoon boat cruise and hike to the top of Murchison Falls.

hike to the top of Murchison Falls. – 16 Days Uganda wildlife, Gorilla and Chimpanzee trekking safari

By sunrise, at about 6:00am, your Uganda wildlife tour guide will pick you up for a transfer to the park for a morning game drive. With beautiful sights of the morning sunrise, you head out for the game drive with your safari guide, lasting about 2-4hours. During the game drive, you have chances of seeing wildlife species like Buffaloes, Elephants, Lions, Leopards and the Rothschild Giraffes (the highest population in the world).

After the game drive, you have a lunch break and then transfer to the boat cruise start point for a great 2 hours cruise on the Nile waters. The boat cruise takes cruises past numerous hippopotami down to the bottom of the mighty Murchison Falls.

From the bottom of the falls, the hike to the top of the mighty falls starts taking about 1 hour and giving the best chances for beautiful pictures of the falls. Arriving on the top of the thunderous falls, you meet the driver guide for a transfer to your lodging facility.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Luxury: Paraa safari Lodge, Mid range: Pakuba Safari Lodge, Budget: Heritage safari Lodge 

Day 11: Transfer to Kidepo Valley National Park.

By sunrise you will be awake for breakfast and preparation for a drive from Murchison Falls National Park to Kidepo Valley National Park. Continuing with your wildlife safari in Uganda, you embark on the drive covering 402km taking about 8-9 hours. You drive through the native homeland of the Acholi people to the Karamoja region of north eastern Uganda. By sunset, you arrive to one of the best accommodations in Kidepo Valley National Park where you spend the night.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Luxury: Apoka Safari Lodge , Midrange: Kidepo Savannah Lodge, Budget: Apoka Hostel Bandas   

Day 12: A morning game drive in Kidepo Valley National Park and a community tour in the evening.

Covering 1,442km, Kidepo Valley National Park is a truly unspoiled landscape with numerous wildlife species inhabiting the savannah plains. In the morning after breakfast, you get into the unspoiled trails for a 2-4 hours game drive. There’s a possibility of sighting wildlife species like the cheetah, lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras and many more. Kidepo Valley National Park is also an ideal Uganda birding safari destination with about 60 endemic bird species.

After the game drive, you have a lunch break then embark on an evening community tour in the Karamojong communities. On this tour, you have chance to interact with community members, through, Music, dance and drama. After a visit to the community, you then return to your lodging facility where you spend the night.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation Options: Luxury: Apoka Safari Lodge , Mid-range: Kidepo Savannah Lodge, Budget: Apoka Hostel Bandas   

Day 13: Transfer from Kidepo Valley National park to sipi falls in Kapchorwa.

On the thirteenth day of your trip in Uganda, your wildlife encounters in the national park are almost ended and the adventure time starts. After breakfast, you embark on a drive to the spectacular sipi falls in Kapchorwa district.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Luxury: Sipi Lodge,  Mid-range: Rafiki Lodge, Budget: Crow’s Nest

Day 14: Hike Sipi falls and transfer to Jinja.

Waking up in the lush country side, you have early morning breakfast at your lodging facility then take time to hike the spectacular sipi falls. The sipi falls hike lasts about 2-3 hours along side professional guides who take you along all the trails to the top of the falls. After the hike, you then return to the lodge for refreshment and lunch then transfer to Jinja.

Accommodation Options: Luxury: Wildwaters Lodge, Midrange: Jinja Safari hotel 

Day 15: White Water rafting at Jinja source of the Nile.

You have breakfast at the peaceful banks of the Nile River then after head for the white water rafting experience. Whitewater rafting starts with a briefing at the start point then after get into the 3-6 hours rafting activity. White water rafting can be for first timers or seasonal rafters with an option of Grade 5, Grade 3 or white water introduction. The minimum age is 16 years.

During white water rafting in Jinja safety is a priority with experienced and qualified river crew on board, extensive safety briefing and practice is done before the raft as well as safety raft and kayakers are involved in each trip.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Luxury: Wildwaters Lodge, Midrange: Jinja Safari hotel 

Day 16: Transfer to Entebbe International Airport for a departure flight.

On this last day of your 16 days safari in Uganda, depending on the time of your departure flight, you have breakfast then be driven to Entebbe International Airport for a departure flight. The drive from Jinja to Entebbe International Airport is about 4 hours.

End of 16 Days Uganda Wildlife, Gorilla and Chimpanzee trekking safari