This 18-Day Uganda Safari from Kigali will span 18 days, incorporating 9 major national parks and other popular tourism hot spots in Uganda such as the Amabere Ga’nyinamwiru caves in Fort Portal, Sipi Falls, Uganda Museum, among other destinations.
Visit the towering Rwenzori and Elgon mountain ranges for adventurous nature treks, mix and mingle with traditional communities for great cultural experiences.
The Uganda safari trip starts from Kigali, Rwanda and ends in bustling Kampala, Uganda.
18-Day Uganda Safari Highlights
- Day 1: Arrive via Kigali. Travel to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
- Day 2: Gorilla Trekking & Batwa Community Tour
- Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP
- Day 4: Morning Game Drive & Evening Boat Cruise
- Day 5: Transfer to Rwenzori Mountains, Bakonzo Community Tour
- Day 6: Mountaineering & Nature Walk
- Day 7: Rwenzori – Kibale NP. Evening Nature Walk.
- Day 8: Morning Chimpanzee Experience & Relax at the Lodge
- Day 9: Transfer to Semuliki NP with stopover at Amabere Caves
- Day 10: Nature Walk & Hot Springs Visit
- Day 11: Travel to Murchison Falls National Park
- Day 12: Game Drive & Boat Cruise
- Day 13: Transfer to Kidepo Valley National Park
- Day 14: Kidepo N/Park: Game Drive & Karamojong Community Visit in the Afternoon
- Day 15: Transfer to Mount Elgon National Park
- Day 16: Nature Walk & Sipi Falls Visit
- Day 17: Transfer to Kampala
- Day 18: Transfer to Entebbe Airport
Detailed 18-Day Uganda Safari Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive via Kigali. Travel to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, meet and greet your experienced driver guide who will first drive you to a nearby restaurant for refreshments and an optional city tour. Thereafter, your transfer to Uganda’s southern-based Mgahinga Gorilla National Park begins.
Drive across the nature-dotted landscapes of Northern Rwanda, enter Uganda through Kisoro at Cyanika border, until you arrive at your pre-booked place of accommodation on the fringes of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Refresh, have dinner, and slumber at the lodge.
Day 2: Gorilla Trekking & Batwa Community Tour
After a pre-sunrise breakfast, be briefed by the park’s head ranger and start your gorilla trekking right away. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is home to only one family, Nyakagezi, historically known to be nomadic, moving between Uganda and D.R. Congo. The family is now settled in Mgahinga as its permanent home.
Nyakagezi inhabits the lower slopes of the Virunga Mountains, offering an extremely magical viewing experience as the only mountain gorilla group with more than one silverback, all living in harmony.
During the trek, you have endless opportunities to spot other forest dwellers such as primates, forest mammals, ancient trees, extinct volcanoes, golden monkeys, among others.
Dedicate the evening to a community tour and reach out to the indigenous Batwa pygmies who live at the base of Gahinga Mountain. These were previously forest dwellers resettled from Bwindi and Mgahinga impenetrable forests and now live on the peripheries while still maintaining their traditional lifestyle.
Mix and mingle with them, listen to their stories, watch them dance to their cultural songs, and purchase at least a souvenir for memories and to support their handicraft businesses.
Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP
After breakfast, embark on a 4-hour drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park via the famous Ishasha sector.
Ishasha, situated in the south of Queen Elizabeth National Park, is a popular hub for tree-climbing lions. You will have lunch en route and continue to your lodge in the heart of Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Queen Elizabeth National Park boasts over 600 bird species and offers amazing opportunities for game viewing with a variety of big mammals like elephants, lions, waterbucks, warthogs, buffaloes, among others, calling it home.
Upon arrival at your lodge, refresh, have dinner, and stay overnight.
Day 4: Morning Game Drive & Evening Boat Cruise
Early in the morning after breakfast, embark on a game drive through the Kasenyi region in the center of the park, Queen’s Pavilion, in search of rare cat species like lions, leopards, and other wild game such as elephants, cheetahs, buffalos, antelopes, Uganda Kobs, among others.
This will take 3 to 4 hours, followed by a transfer back to the lodge for lunch or a picnic lunch.
Later, transfer to Mweya Jetty along Kazinga Channel for an afternoon boat cruise where you will spot numerous animals and birds such as crocodiles, hippos, elephants, buffaloes, antelopes, among others.
This will take 2-4 hours, followed by a transfer back to the lodge for dinner.
Day 5: Transfer to Rwenzori Mountains, Bakonzo Community Tour
After breakfast, your safari guide will drive you to Rwenzori National Park from Ishasha and immediately check in at the lodge or camp at the foothills of Rwenzoris.
In the afternoon, relax and refresh, have lunch, and in the evening undertake a cultural excursion to the Bakonzo communities in the neighborhood.
While here, enjoy fantastic folklore, cultural performances, cuisine, and drama of the Bakonzo people.
Get a chance to taste the Bakonzo’s staple food, fish, and cassava flour.
Day 6: Mountaineering & Nature Walk
Start your day with a cup of hot coffee to shake off the cold temperatures of this region, attend a 30-minute briefing session by the park rangers.
During this briefing, Rwenzori trekking procedures will be well explained, including the expectations.
A one-day nature trek in Mount Rwenzori National Park brings hikers to the lower ranges of this mountain, exposing them to exciting mammals, rare primates, beautiful amphibians, and a vast array of bird species.
The hike also offers opportunities to sight lush montane forests, three endemic chameleons of Rwenzoris, elusive leopards, bushbucks, blue monkeys, hyenas, olive baboons, and varied bird species.
Day 7: Rwenzori – Kibale NP. Evening Nature Walk
Have breakfast and immediately travel to Kibale National Park through Fort Portal. Check in at the lodge, have lunch, and relax. In the evening, take part in a nature trek guided by an onsite tour leader.
Trek to the neighboring tea plantations, meet the farmers, and participate in the processes of tea harvesting and preservation. Continue to visit the beautiful crater lakes synonymous with Fort Portal/Kibale region.
Day 8: Morning Chimpanzee Experience & Relax at the Lodge
After an early breakfast, leave the lodge for the park ranger station for a briefing about chimpanzee trekking rules by a park official. Begin trekking immediately.
During this activity, spot a number of animals such as blue monkeys, baboons, red-tailed monkeys, elephants, and different bird species.
Observe tropical rainforested trees that are over 150 years old. After 5 hours, trek back to the trailhead and then be driven back to your lodge. Have lunch and spend the entire afternoon relaxing or take a leisurely walk to the nearby craters.
Day 9: Transfer to Semuliki NP with stopover at Amabere Caves
Around 8 am after breakfast, transfer from Kibale NP to Semuliki NP en route to the historic Amabere Ga’nyinamwiru caves on the outskirts of Fort Portal.
Here you will hear the story of the Chwezi dynasty and see other breathtaking sites such as Nyakasura Falls, crater lakes, and the caves, among others. Have a picnic lunch at this place. This activity takes 3-4 hours, after which you will head to Semuliki National Park.
En route, enjoy sights of physical endowments such as rivers, Albertine Rift escarpments, Rwenzori ranges, among others.
Day 10: Nature Walk & Hot Springs Visit
Around 9:00 am after breakfast, be briefed by the head ranger about Semuliki National Park and head to the hot springs. Here, two stories will be told about the two hot springs based on traditional and geographic scientific stories.
Nature walks in Semuliki will bring you closer to a number of birds, primates, and mammal species such as baboons, monkeys, butterflies, and bird species like White-crested Hornbill, Black-casqued Wattled Horbill, Red-rumped Tinkerbird, African Piculet, and Yellow-throated Nicator, among others. After this long day excursion, drive back to the lodge for an overnight stay.
Day 11: Travel to Murchison Falls National Park
Following an early morning breakfast, transfer to Murchison National Park. En route, stop at Hoima town for lunch.
This journey will take around 8-9 hours. Check in at the lodge, have lunch, and embark on an evening game drive (if time permits).
Here you will spot attractions such as elephants, buffalos, and bird species. Later in the evening, retire back to the lodge for dinner.
Day 12: Game Drive & Boat Cruise
Start with a pre-sunrise breakfast followed by a game drive. Murchison Falls National Park is home to 4 of the big five mammals and contains one of the largest herds of buffalos and elephants and other lesser mammals.
Murchison game drive exposes you to beautiful mammals such as giraffes, hartebeests, waterbucks, elephants, warthogs, Uganda Kobs, and big cats like leopards, lions, spotted hyenas, among others.
Murchison Falls National Park alone hosts up to 400 species of birds, including migratory and endemic species. Most of these can be seen during an early morning game safari.
Some of these include the rare shoebill stork inhabiting the lower wetlands of Lake Albert near the delta point. Other common sightings are Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill, Eastern Grey Plantain-eater, Black-headed Gonolek, Speckle-fronted Weaver, African Quail-Finch, Black-billed Barbet, Piapiac, and many more.
Retire in the mid-morning, head back to the lodge for refreshment, have lunch, and later drive to Paraa Jetty to wait for the 2 pm boat cruise.
The Victoria Nile launch cruise sails to the bottom of the waterfalls where you can get off the boat and hike to the top of the falls. This is another interesting activity where you view the world’s most powerful falls from a closer distance.
Take pictures and transfer back to your lodge for evening relaxation and overnight stay.
Day 13: Transfer to Kidepo Valley National Park
After breakfast, depart from Murchison Falls National Park and begin your drive to Kidepo National Park. Located in the northeast, where Uganda borders with Kenya and South Sudan, this wildlife-filled game park is Africa’s most virgin and wilderness area.
Its unique climate and sprawling savannah attract a wide range of animals and birds that find a permanent shelter here.
Upon arrival, check in at the lodge, and if time permits, proceed to the park’s savannah ranges for a sunset game safari or visit the neighboring Karamajong communities to explore their unique and spectacular lifestyle.
Day 14: Kidepo N/Park: Game Drive & Karamojong Community Visit in the Afternoon
This is your second day in Kidepo National Park. It begins with an early breakfast, and depending on your place of accommodation, you can start the game drive before sunrise to see the most elusive species of Kidepo Valley.
With the park ranger, visit Narus Valley, a hub for all animals in this park, including African elephants, leopards, lions, bushbucks, duikers, jackals, giraffes, bush pig, ostrich, herds of buffalos, and more.
The game drive will last approximately 3-4 hours. Return to your lodge for late breakfast or early lunch.
Relax and later in the evening, transfer to the communities to see the Manyatta huts, kraals, and enjoy the epic traditional lifestyle of the Karamajong people. If it’s a market day, shop for traditional craft items.
A Karamajong community visit will unveil their traditions, norms, culture, dress code, and food. Learn about their rich history and be entertained through their traditional performances, songs, recitations, and drama.
In the evening, transfer back to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 15: Transfer to Mount Elgon National Park
Have breakfast and transfer southwards to Mt. Elgon in eastern Uganda. The journey will take between 5-6 hours. Check into your hotel, have lunch, and relax.
Day 16: Nature Walk & Sipi Falls Visit
At around 8:00 am, hike Mt. Elgon and view the longest volcanic base in the world, located on the Uganda-Kenya border.
During this trek, encounter numerous bird species, most endemic to this place, including African Blue Flycatcher, Cinnamon Bee Eater, Luhder’s Bushshrike, Mackinnon’s Fiscal, Hartloub’s Turaco, Baglafecht Weaver, Mustached Tinkerbird, Chinspot Batis, etc.
Other resident mammals include forest buffalos, forest elephants, Defassa waterbuck, duikers, forest hogs, bush pigs, and more animals.
Have lunch at the hotel and in the evening go for a Sipi Falls tour where you will see the three waterfalls plummeting from a high cliff, creating one of the spectacular sceneries in this region.
Day 17: Transfer to Kampala
After morning breakfast, transfer to Kampala city in central Uganda.
Upon arrival, visit the Uganda Museum, which houses a varied and well-captioned ethnographic collection displaying ancient dress codes, hunting tools, ancient kingdoms, African traditional religions, traditional medicine, recreation, sports, agriculture, and many other archaeological displays.
Afterward, drive to one of the city’s renowned craft markets to purchase African souvenirs to take back home with you. Later, transfer to your hotel for dinner and rest.
Day 18: Transfer to Entebbe Airport
Today, have a relaxed breakfast and depending on the flight time, undertake another city tour in Kampala and Entebbe towns.
Later, be transferred to Entebbe Airport for your flight back home, bidding farewell to Uganda, marking the end of your 18-Day Uganda Safari from Kigali.
End of 18-Day Uganda Safari from Kigali.
