Safari Overview
The 14 days Best of Uganda Cultural Safari begins and ends in Kmpala. you will begin with learning and exploring the culture and history of the Baganda people found right here in the capital city Kampala, you will visit the Bunyoro kingdom before transferring to Kibale National Park for Chimpanzee tracking as well as Kibale National Park for a game drive and launch cruise. In Masaka and Sembabule, you will also learn more about the intriguing culture and traditions of the people living there before returning to Kampala where the safari will end.
Day 1: Arrival
Day 2: Kampala city tour
Day 3: Explore the Kabaka’s trail
Day 4: Transfer to Jinja
Day 5: Transfer to Kumi
Day 6: Back to Kampala
Day 7: Transfer to Hoima
Day 8: Visit the Bunyoro kingdom
Day 9: Drive to Kibale National Park, Chimpanzee trekking
Day 10: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 11: Game drive and boat cruise along Kazinga channel
Day 12: Transfer to Masaka
Day 13: Transfer to Sembabule district
Day 14: Transfer back to Kampala, Departure
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival
You will be received at the airport by one of our company’s representative who will then drive you to the hotel of your choice either in Kampala or Entebbe. You can get dinner and a good night sleep in preparation for the following day.
Meal plan: Dinner
Accommodation Options: Kampala Serena (luxury), or Cassia Lodge (mid-range), or Forest Cottages (budget)
Day 2: Kampala city tour
We start the day with breakfast before setting off for a tour of the capital city of Uganda, Kampala.
It is also referred to as the city of seven hills. We will also tour the Uganda Martyrs shrine in Namugongo where believers in Christianity were brutally murdered by the then king of Buganda Kabaka Mwanga. As we are visiting the place we shall gain some insights into the past of Buganda kingdom and the martyrs after which we shall proceed to the Uganda Museum. We shall make a stopover for lunch at Nandos restaurant or any other restaurant you may prefer. After your meal, we shall head to Ndere center to have a few of the traditional delicacies and beautiful music performances. We shall then drive back to the hotel for dinner and some rest.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Kampala Serena (luxury), or Cassia Lodge (mid-range), or Forest Cottages (budget)
Day 3: Explore the Kabaka’s trail
After breakfast, we will head for the Kabaka’s trail with a packed lunch where we will see the beautiful scenery as well as study the past of Buganda. You will get to appreciate the genuine traditional culture with music, storytelling, dance, spiritual healing plus craft making. Our trip begins with exploring the Buganda royal tombs in Kasubi which is the burial grounds for Kings and royals in Buganda and get the opportunity to see the world’s biggest grass thatched house which has bark cloth a traditional fabric derived from a local tree. Hereafter we shall move to the Kabaka’s lake which is a manmade lake in Kampala city then visit the Naggalabi coronation site. You will then head back to your hotel for dinner then some rest.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Kampala Serena (luxury), or Cassia Lodge (mid-range), or Forest Cottages (budget)
Day 4: Transfer to Jinja
We start today with an early breakfast followed by a trip to Jinja to see the popular and magnificent Sezibwa falls that burst through a twin river and the sole place for black water rafting in Africa. We then proceed to Jinja for lunch and then visit the source of the White Nile which is the longest river in Africa. We can then use a motorized canoe to go to the precise point where River Nile is believed to begin its journey and then move to Bujagali falls. We can then spend the night in Jinja.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Jinja Nile Resort (luxury), or King fisher lodge (mid-range)
Day 5: Transfer to Kumi
We drive to Kumi where we will view the Nyero Rock paintings which is renowned as one of the finest rock paintings in East Africa. The Nyero Rock Paintings are shroudedsecrecy and various mysteries. They were painted over four hundred years ago. Later in the day, we travel back to Sipi falls area where you can spend the night.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Sipi River lodge (luxury), or Lacam Lodge (mid-range), or El Crown’s nest campsite (budget)
Day 6: Back to Kampala
We start the day by walking to Sipi falls and then head back to the hotel and get ready to travel back to Kampala.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Kampala Serena (luxury), or Cassia Lodge (mid-range), or Forest Cottages (budget)
Day 7: Transfer to Hoima
We drive to Hoima district and make a stopover at Nakayima tree which is over four hundred years old and is located close to the Kampala-Fort Portal road. It is believed to hold the spirit of Ndahura, an ancient king of the Bachwezi. After the Nakayima tree, we proceed to Hoima where we shall reach in the evening. You can then have dinner and spend the night at a lodge or hotel of your choice.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Hoima cultural Lodge (mid-range), or Kontiki Hotel
Day 8: Visit the Bunyoro kingdom
We shall have a tour of Bunyoro and the site where the Bunyoro kings and other royals are buried before we drive to Fort Portal. We shall head southward to the western arm of the Ugandan rift valley through endless agricultural fields. You will experience the hospitality of the locals who will wave at you as you drive through. This gives you a small insight in the rural way of life. We will then go into the crater-lake region located beneath. At the end of day you can go back to your hotel for the night.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Mountains of the Moon Hotel (luxury), or Fort motel (mid-range), or Rwenzori view Guest house (budget)
Day 9: Drive to Kibale National Park, Chimpanzee trekking
We start today with breakfast then transfer to Kibale National Park which is popular for its huge numbers of primates and having the highest concentration of them worldwide. Over thirteen different species of primates have been documented in Kibale National Park. It is the perfect spot for chimpanzee tracking given the number of chimpanzees it inhabits. The primates that reside in the park include red colobus, vervet, the grey cheeked mangabeys, olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, as well as L’hoest and red tailed monkeys.
After this, we move to the Omukama’s palace in Tooro (the king of Tooro) to learn about the kingdom and its past. We shall then go to the royal tombs for the deceased kings of Tooro then visit the famous Amabeere ga Nyinamwiru (which means the breasts of Nyinamwiru) in Nyakasura. We shall then go back to the hotel for dinner and some rest.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Mountains of the Moon Hotel (luxury), or Fort motel (mid-range), or Rwenzori view Guest house (budget)
Day 10: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
We travel to Queen Elizabeth National Park early in the morning after breakfast. We shall have a game drive from the entrance of the park to your hotel where you will have the opportunity to see the diverse wildlife that reside in the park. We then have dinner and turn in for the night.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodation options: Katara Lodge, or Mweya safari lodge (Luxury), or Park View Lodge, or Enganzi Lodge (Midrange), or Bush Lodge
Day 11: Game drive and boat cruise along Kazinga channel
We start with a game drive in the morning through Kasenyi tracks and the mating grounds for kobs with the aim of seeing the predators that stalk them like giant forest hogs, hyenas, lions elephants, buffaloes among others. After the game drive, we shall have a boat cruise on the Kazinga channel which is known for having one of the highest number of hippos in Africa and numerous migrant birds. We could be lucky to see other animals as they come to drink water from the channel or to cool off. We then head back to the lodge for dinner and a good night’s sleep.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodation options: Katara Lodge, or Mweya safari lodge (Luxury), or Park View Lodge, or Enganzi Lodge (Midrange), or Bush Lodge
Day 12: Transfer to Masaka
We set off for Masaka where you will spend the night
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodation options: Tropic Inn or Hotel Brovad
Day 13: Transfer to Sembabule district
We shall travel to Sembabule district and tour the Ntusi mounds which are manmade and traditionally believed to be female and male. Many of the other features here have been disturbed by human settlement. Ntusi village is one of the rare islands with heavy archeological depositions of later Iron Age and is enclosed by a very wide expanse of barren rolling grassland. We shall also stop by Bigobyamugenyi Fort which is about 16km from Ntusi mounds. Traditionally the villagers believe that Bigobyamugenyi and Ntusi are related because they are both related to the great Bachwezi rulers. We shall spend the night at Rainbow motel in Sembabule. We can engage with the locals and maybe visit some of their schools.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodation options: Rainbow motel
Day 14: Transfer back to Kampala, Departure
We shall travel back to Kampala and make a stop at the equator for a cup of tea and some photographs before proceeding to our next stopover at Mpambire drum makers to watch and see how drums are made. We shall then proceed to Kampala where we can go to Nakasero crafts market at the national theatre or Buganda Road shopping for keepsakes. You can then continue to the airport for your scheduled flight which will close our tour.
Tour Includes:
- Full board accommodation as detailed in itinerary
- Service of an English-speaking driver guide
- Ground transport in a 4WD safari Vehicle
- Bottled water in the car
- Chimpanzee permit
- Community cultural experiences
- Park entrance
- Boat & Canoe trips
- Park entrance
Tour excludes
- Personal expenses on drinks, telephone, laundry etc
- Tips to porters and driver/ guide
- Insurance
- All activities listed as optional
- International Flight Tickets
- Visas
- Covid Tests