Safari Overview
This fifteen day trip to Uganda will provide you with a true experience of Uganda. This experience will enable you see Ugandans as they go about their daily lives and also get the opportunity to take a look at the diverse wildlife and the exceptional landscape. You will interact with people from various cultures and get an insight into the cultures as well as learn how to prepare the different traditional food, crafts plus their unique dances. To supplement this, you will take part in different adventures such as game drive that enable you to see the different animals such as elephants, lions, rhinos, various bird species buffaloes as well as hippos up close. You can also enjoy boat cruises, chimpanzee trekking as well as gorilla trekking.
Day 1: Arrival in Uganda for cultural safari
Day 2: Transfer to Murchison falls National Park, visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.
Day 3: Game drive and Boat Safari in Murchison Falls National Park
Day 4: Cultural Tour in Bunyoro Kingdom
Day 5: Transfer to Tooro Kingdom.
Day 6: Explore the History and culture of beautiful Fort portal Town
Day 7: Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park
Day 8: Culture experiences with Kikorongo Women Community
Day 9: Game drive and boat safari
Day 10: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable forest
Day 11: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable national park
Day 12: Batwa cultural trail in Bwindi Impenetrable forest
Day 13: Transfer for the Ankole Culture Encounter
Day 14: Cultural and village experiences
Day 15: Transfer to the airport
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Uganda for cultural safari
When you arrive at Entebbe International Airport you will graciously welcomed to this beautiful country by a hospitable guide from Travel Gorge Tours who will then take you to your hotel.
Meal plan: Dinner
Accommodation Options: Kampala Serena (luxury), or Cassia Lodge (mid-range), or Forest Cottages (budget)
Day 2: Transfer to Murchison falls National Park, visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.
On our way to Murchison Falls, we make our first stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary which is popular for its multitudes of rhinos. The reserve gives you the authentic feel of Africa’s wilderness and it is perfect for a walk. You will receive a short briefing from your ranger guide before you start your walk to the rhinos. If the rhinos are a bit far, you can drive for a little distance before getting out and starting to walk.
You will have a lunch break before proceeding to your lodge to rest in preparation of your adventure in Murchison falls national park the following day.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Nile Safari Lodge (luxury), or Pakuba Safari Lodge (mid-range), or Fort Murchison (budget)
Day 3: Game drive and Boat Safari in Murchison Falls National Park
The trip to Murchison Falls starts at the break of dawn for a game drive to the northern banks of River Nile. During the game drive, we look for various wild animals like elephants, buffaloes, lions, kob, elephants, leopard, different bird species as well as Jackson’s hartebeest.
You will then take a boat cruise on River Nile in the afternoon for game viewing at close quarters. While on the boat ride you will be able to see many animals drinking water at the banks as well as residents like a number of water birds, hippos and crocodiles.
You will walk up to the top of the falls. Your driver guide will then pick you up and take you to the lodge for the night.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Nile Safari Lodge (luxury), or Pakuba Safari Lodge (mid-range), or Fort Murchison (budget)
Day 4: Cultural Tour in Bunyoro Kingdom
After a quick breakfast, we set off for Hoima district which is the headquarter for Bunyoro Kingdom. Hoima is where Bunyoro kingdom is situated and where the Omukama lives.
We reach Hoima at around lunch time and after a meal we take a look around the palace if it is available to the public. After exploring the palace, we visit the royal tombs where previous deceased kings are buried then study about Bunyoro kingdom and its various traditions. We shall them go to the market located in the town center after which we shall return to the hotel and get entertained by cultural dances from a group from the surrounding community.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Hoima cultural village (mid-range), or Kontinki Hotel (budget)
Day 5: Transfer to Tooro Kingdom.
We shall travel to Tooro kingdom after breakfast. Tooro Kingdom was initially part of Bunyoro Kingdom but it was formed by one of the princes without his father’s permission. Fort Portal is approximately a six-hour drive from Hoima but this is dependent on the condition of the road.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Kyaninga Lodge (luxury), or Mountains of the Moon (mid-range), or Rwenzori View Guesthouse (budget)
Day 6: Explore the History and culture of beautiful Fort portal Town
Amabere ga nyinamwiru is a very popular cultural site which has a very interesting historical beliefs. It is our first stop after breakfast where we can climb Nyakasura hill which provides an excellent view of Mountain Rwenzori and the three crater lakes. You will also see the foot print which the locals believe belonged to the Bachwezi.
After Amabere ga nyinamwiru we shall be hosted by a local family that will teach us about cooking and eating some of the traditional food. We will also explore the palace and get educated about the Tooro culture.
We shall also visit a weekly village market and you can buya few souvenirs or just engage with them.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Kyaninga Lodge (luxury), or Mountains of the Moon (mid-range), or Rwenzori View Guesthouse (budget)
Day 7: Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park
After breakfast, we will move to the briefing place for the chimpanzee trekking to learn how to behave around the chimpanzees. Following a short briefing, you begin your trek through the rain forest of Kibale which can last from an hour to three depending on where the chimpanzee community you are tracking is. As you trek through the forest, you may come across a couple black and white colobus monkeys, numerous bird species as well as red tailed monkeys.
After chimpanzee trekking, we will be hosted by Tinka’s place for a local lunch before trekking through the village. We make stopovers by the village’s church, traditional healer as well as the primary school. You will also be told about the division of work based on sex for example the responsibilities of women in the village. You will learn about the history of Bigodi which is narrated through the story of the “Village of Two tribes” plus the different traditional ceremonies. The money earned from these activities is invested in health, sanitation and generally improving the lifestyle of the locals. It is spent on educating people on the importance of biodiversity through various activities like drama shows at local schools, dance and music.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Kyaninga Lodge (luxury), or Mountains of the Moon (mid-range), or Rwenzori View Guesthouse (budget)
Day 8: Culture experiences with Kikorongo Women Community
The day begins with breakfast very early in the morning then we set off for Kikorongo Women Community which is situated in Kasese close to Queen Elizabeth national park. Kikorongo can be translated to mean “too much sunshine” from Lukonzo which is the language of the natives. Kikorongo is located along the equator therefore you will experience a lot of sunshine when you get here.
You can take part in traditional fire making, music, dance and drama which can be combined with a short craft workshop which you can indulge in before or after the show. You can take a cooking class as well which trains you on how to prepare their traditional food.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Kyambura Gorge Lodge (luxury), or Twin Lakes Safari Lodge (mid-range), or Elephant Hab Lodge (budget)
Day 9: Game drive and boat safari
We wake up early and head to the mating grounds of the Uganda Kobs looking for the predators that prey on most of them in the area especially lions. While on the game drive, you may come across other animals like elephants, buffaloes plus warthogs. You can return to your hotel during lunch time if you did not move with it.
Later in the afternoon, we can take a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel and watch hippos plus crocodiles bathing in the afternoon sun. Kazinga channel is popular for having the largest number of hippos worldwide.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Kyambura Gorge Lodge (luxury), or Twin Lakes Safari Lodge (mid-range), or Elephant Hab Lodge (budget)
Day 10: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable forest
We start the morning after breakfast and depart for Bwindi Impenetrable National park to see the mountain gorilla as well as experience their beautiful culture. Bwindi is popular for being the home to the endangered mountain gorillas and it inhabits over 300 of them.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Buhoma Lodge (luxury), or Haven Lodge (mid-range), or Buhoma Community Rest Camp (budget)
Day 11: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable national park
This is the most exciting activity for most tourists since they get up close with the gorillas of Bwindi. Hiking while searching for a gorilla family can take an hour or more depending on where the gorilla family you are tracking was last seen. Your driver guide will take you to the briefing point in the morning as you eagerly prepare to see these gentle giants which are among the great Apes.
After the briefing session, you will be divided into groups and each group will be given a different gorilla family to track and your hike with your ranger guide and porters.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Buhoma Lodge (luxury), or Haven Lodge (mid-range), or Buhoma Community Rest Camp (budget)
Day 12: Batwa cultural trail in Bwindi Impenetrable forest
We start the day off with breakfast and then head to the starting point for the Batwa cultural experience. The Batwa used to inhabit Bwindi Impenetrable forest and depended on it for their survival. The Batwa guides will lead you through this cultural trail and tell you more about their lives when they lived in the forest. You will get the opportunity to get to know about how they related with the animals, what they ate and their general lifestyle in the forest.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: Buhoma Lodge (luxury), or Haven Lodge (mid-range), or Buhoma Community Rest Camp (budget)
Day 13: Transfer for the Ankole Culture Encounter
We shall have breakfast before we depart for Kibigo which is situated in Mbarara district and drop by the Great Lakes Museum and have a short tour of it. We then head to a rural homestead
where you will get to see the traditional lifestyle in contrast to the modern way of living. You will visit a modern home that has a traditional lifestyle.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: homestead
Day 14: Cultural and village experiences
The day starts before the break of dawn with milking of the long horned Ankole cows. We then have our breakfast from the farm and then take a stroll through the village. You will be able to interact with the way of life of the Ankole people, go to the field with the herdsman, as well as take part in their farming activities. You will also be enlightened about their native habits, customs, lifestyle plus their delicious food. Later in the evening, you can be treated to entertainment by a non-professional local group that performs traditional dances and sings traditional songs.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and Dinner
Accommodation Options: homestead
Day 15: Transfer to the airport
The last day involves driving you back to the airport for your flight back to your home country. We appreciate you for choosing Uganda as your tourist destination and we would be thrilled to have you again.
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
- Gorilla 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 Test