25 days Uganda safari takes you to explore the Pearl of Africa while you are driven through the vast ever green hills, plantations and valleys to have a unique and unforgettable safari experience in the country’s top safari destinations. On this safari, you will have wildlife encounters such as game viewing in several National Parks where you will be able to spot the Big 5 animals and many more mammals, trek through Uganda’s dense forests to have an up-close view of Uganda’s endangered primates due to habitat loss, poaching and diseases namely mountain gorillas, chimpanzees and golden monkeys. You will have a tour around Kampala which is Uganda’s capital while making visits to Uganda’s historical, cultural and religious sites before you proceed to Uganda’s adventure capital known as Jinja where you will indulge in adventurous water activities along the world’s longest River and its source.
Day 1: Arrival and Kampala city tour
A professional driver guide from Glory summit tours and travel will be waiting to receive you at the airport and immediately drive you to your reserved hotel in Kampala. You will check-in to freshen up after a long flight and later have your lunch. The driver guide will brief you about your safari itinerary and immediately set off for a tour around Uganda’s capital city. You will make visits to historical, cultural and religious sites such as the Uganda museum, Bahai temple, Namugongo Uganda martyrs shrines, Kabaka’s palace, Gadaffi National mosque, Namirembe cathedral and many more. You will get back to your hotel to have dinner and an overnight.
Day 2: Transfer to Jinja via Ssezibwa falls and Mabira forest – Source of the Nile
Today morning have your breakfast as early as 6:00am and set off eastwards to Jinja with a stopover at Ssezibwa falls where you will be taken for a 1 hours’ trek around the falls while you will enjoy its clear crystal waters, cool atmosphere filled with hissing birds and the surrounding green vegetation. You will proceed with another stopover in Mabira forest where you will have a 2 hours’ nature walk deep into the dense forests while following maintained trails. You will be able to spot several bird species, butterflies and primates after which you will proceed to Jinja arriving at the Nile to have your lunch in a restaurant. After lunch you will cruise on the boat to the source of the Nile while exploring fully beautiful features in Lake Victoria and admiring colorful birds the all-day roam the Lake. Retire off the Victoria waters to be driven to your booked hotel where you will check-in for dinner and an overnight.
Day 3: Quad biking and bungee jumping – Depart for Sipi falls
Have your morning breakfast and return to the Nile to engage yourselves in adventurous activities such as quad bike riding and bungee jumping. You will have fun as dress up in safety quad biking gears and you ride through villages along the Nile and returning to the starting point to embark on bungee jumping where you will kiss the Nile waters from a 40meter high bride. Return back to your lodging facility to have lunch before you checkout to be driven further northeastwards to Sipi falls located in Kapchorwa arriving in the evening to check-in at your reserved lodge for dinner and an overnight.
Day 4: Sipi Falls hike and cultural encounters
Have your morning breakfast, meet your guide and set off for your hike to all the three Sipi falls while following an 8km long trail that will take you through farmlands, tea plantations and communities. You will enjoy the breathtaking sceneries of green Mountain Elgon slopes viewed from the top and the Karamoja plains that are seen from a distance. The entire hike lasts for about 3 to 4 hours where you will have totally different experience as you visit the first waterfall, descend to the second and finally to the third where the trail is concluded. If interested you may as well abseil on the biggest waterfall which is so thrilling and sensational. Return back to your lodge for lunch after which you will further more make a hike into the local communities where you will mingle and interact with them as get to learn about their traditions and cultural values. Tribes around Sipi falls include the Sabinyi and Bagisu that still hold their ancient traditions and beliefs.
Day 5: Transfer to Pian Upe game reserve – evening game drive
Wake up to a scrumptious breakfast, checkout of your lodge facility at Sipi and meet your driver guide to be transferred to Pian Upe game reserve. This drive lasts for about 1 and a half to 2 hours and arriving to check in at your reserved lodge. Pian Upe game reserve is the second largest Uganda’s protected area after Murchison Falls National Park and derives its name from two pastoral tribes “Pian” the Karamojong speaking tribe that inhabited the southern sector of the present day reserve and the “Upe” a Kalenjin speaking tribe of the Pokot people believed to have originated from Kenya. You will have lunch after which you will hit the Pian Upe plains for a game drive. You will spot several animals for example roan antelopes, Jackson’s hartebeests, waterbucks, giraffes, cheetahs, Uganda kobs, mountain reedbucks, elands, duikers, klipspringers, impalas and many more. Return back to the lodge for dinner and an overnight.
Day 6: Morning game drive – Nature walk
Have your morning breakfast and return to explore the Reserve’s plains on a 4WD popup safari vehicle where you will be able to spot several animals for example impalas, elands, zebras, giraffes, cheetahs, waterbucks, reedbucks, hartebeests, greater kudus, roan antelopes, side stripped jackals, hyenas, leopards to mention but a few with other several bird species. Return to your lodge for lunch after which your will return to explore the reserve on foot. You will be escorted by a ranger and a tour guide to have an up-close view of several animals and bird types. Return back to the lodge to have dinner and an overnight.
Day 7: Depart for Kidepo National Park – IK cultural encounter
Today morning have your relaxed breakfast and checkout of your lodge in Pian Upe to be transferred to Kidepo National Park. This journey to far away in the northeastern region of the country lasts to about 6 hours with a lunch en route along the way arriving to check-in at your booked lodge. You will have lunch after which you will make a hike to Mountain Morungole where you will encounter the ancient occupants of the current Kidepo National Park known as the IK people. You will learn about their history, culture, lifestyle, how their traditional instruments are made for example beads, stools, visit Manyatta homesteads and many more. Descend back to your lodge for dinner and an overnight.
Day 8: Morning game drive – Nature walk
Wake up to a hefty breakfast and head off for a game drive in the Park’s flat plains while having your eyes on several bird types and animals for example elephants, giraffes, elands, buffaloes, oribis, Jackson’s hartebeests, cheetahs, lesser kudus, Uganda kobs, klipspringer, reedbucks to mention but a few. Return to the lodge to have lunch before you set off for a nature walk in the Narus valley. You will be accompanied by an armed ranger to protect from any animal attack as you walk through the Park’s walking trails while you closely spot several animals and bird species before you return back to your lodge for dinner and an overnight.
Day 9: Depart for Murchison Falls – evening boat cruise and top of the falls hike
Have your breakfast and checkout to be transferred to Murchison falls National Park. The drive lasts to about a few minutes to an hour where you will arrive to check in at your booked lodge for relaxation as you wait to have an early lunch. After lunch you will head off for a boat cruise to the bottom of the falls that sets off at exactly 2:00pm. Along your cruise, you will sail through schools of hippopotamuses while seeing several bird species roam the River and Nile crocodiles lying along the River banks. You will sail back to be driven to the top of the falls where you will be able to see the world’s strongest water falls closely as water forces its way through a 7 meter wide gorge forming thunderous sound and splashing water that will shower you upon hiking to the top. You will view the entire water falls after which you will be driven back to your lodge for dinner and an overnight.
Day 10: Morning game drive – Evening game drive
Wake up very early in the morning for your breakfast and proceed for a game drive in the Park’s plains where you will able to see the Big 4 animals namely lion, leopard, elephant, African buffaloes and other animals for example giraffe, warthogs, oribis, Jackson’s hartebeests, waterbucks to mention but a few with a lot of bird species. You will later on return to your lodge for lunch after which you will proceed to the Park’s jungle in the evening to see other animals that you might have missed out during the morning game drive. Return to your lodge for relaxation, dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 11: Transfer to Ziwa Rhino and wildlife ranch
Today you will have your breakfast served very early in the morning, check out of the lodge facility in Kidepo National Park and set off for your 7 hours’ drive to Ziwa rhino sanctuary located in Nakasongola. Ziwa rhino sanctuary is the only home to white rhinos in Uganda with a wide variety of bird species and several other wildlife. Along your way you will have your lunch en-route arriving in the evening to have dinner and an overnight as you wait to encounter rhinos in their natural habitat.
Day 12: Rhino trekking – Canoe ride on Lugogo wetland
Grab yourself a cup of coffee and be driven to the park headquarters where an experienced ranger guide will take you through a briefing about Rhino trekking. You will set off as you are driven to a spot where you will get off the car and walk deep into the bushes while you look for the where abouts of the rhinos. After you have located them, an hour will be allowed as you get close to them in about 6 to 7 meters. You will observe their behaviors, learn about their habits while your guide shares information about the rhinos and answers questions in case they come up. Return back to the lodge for lunch after which you will proceed for a canoe on the waters of Lugogo wetland. You will have the opportunity to see various animals and bird species for example the elusive shoebill stork, palm nut vulture, kingfishers, Egyptian goose, African fish eagle, herons among others. You will get off the canoe to be driven back to your lodge for diner and a night stay.
Day 13: Transfer to Kibale National Park – Crater lakes visit
This beautiful day starts with a morning breakfast, checkout of the lodge and be driven to Kibale National Park. This is a 4 hours’ drive while traversing plantations and local markets arriving to check in at your booked lodge and have lunch. After lunch you will proceed for a tour around Kibale’s crater lakes where you will be led by your guide on foot as you make hikes to volcanic steep slopes arriving to several lakes such as Lake Nyabikere, Lake Nyinambuga, Lake Nyamasagani and many more. You will able to see several bird species as you enjoy the scenic beauty of Mountain Rwenzori ranges and other landscape features. You will later on be driven back to your lodge for dinner and an overnight as you wait to encounter our close cousins in their natural habitat the next morning.
Day 14: Chimpanzee trek – Bigodi wetland sanctuary
You will have your breakfast served very early in the morning, meet your driver guide to be transferred to the Park headquarters to catch up with a briefing about chimpanzee trekking dos and don’ts. After the briefing, ranger guides will lead you into Kibale’s rainforests as you look out for the where abouts of the chimpanzees. Locating them may last for 1 to 4 hours depending on their movement after which an hour will be allowed as you closely follow after them as they feed and play in the tree canopies. Return back to have lunch at the lodge before you head off for a visit to Bigodi wetland sanctuary where you will able to spot several other primates, mammals and bird species for example the great blue turaco, cuckoos, weavers, hornbills to mention but a few. You will be driven back to your lodge for dinner and an overnight.
Day 15: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth N/P – Evening game drive
Have your morning breakfast and check out to set off for your drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park with a stopover at the equator line in Kikorongo where you will witness a place where the earth is divided into two equal parts. You will take photos at the equator monument after which you will head off for a cultural entertainment as you make a visit to the Kichwamba orphanage foundation. You will later proceed to check in at your lodge and have lunch after which you will hit Queen Elizabeth National Park’s savannah plains for an evening game drive. During the game drive expect to see several animals for example lions, elephants, buffaloes, warthogs, waterbucks, Uganda kobs to mention but a few with various bird kinds. Return back to your lodge to have dinner and an overnight.
Day 16: Morning game drive – afternoon boat cruise
After your morning breakfast, head off for a game drive in the northeastern parts of the park known as the Kasenyi plains where you will witness several animals like Uganda kobs, warthogs, waterbucks, reedbucks, sitatungas, oribis, bushbucks, elephants, buffaloes, lions, giant forest hogs, topis to mention but a few. During your game viewing, you will lookout for bird species such as grey backed fiscal, grey crowned cranes, white-tailed lark, black lured babbler, red-throat spur fowls and many more. Get off the plains and return to your lodge for lunch after which you will head off for an afternoon boat cruise where you will sail through schools of hippopotamuses as you closely see crocodiles sunbathing along the Kazinga banks. Many animals will be seen quench their thirst along the Kazinga shores while others wallow to cool their temperatures and these include buffaloes, reedbucks, waterbucks and many more. Return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight.
Day 17: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable N/P – Lake Mutanda visit
Wake up to grab yourself a cup of coffee and set off for your drive southwards while having your last stare at the wildlife in the Park. You will drive through the Ishasha sector where you will have time watching tree climbing lions hang and rest in fig tree branches after which you will proceed via Kabale-Kisoro road with your lunch en-route along the way arriving in the afternoon to check-in at your reserved lodge to freshen up and stretch your muscles. You will later on be driven to Lake Mutanda to unwind after a long drive from Queen Elizabeth National Park. You will sail along the Lake as you watch several bird species and capture the beautiful sunset which is so exceptional. You will be driven back to your lodge to have dinner and an overnight.
Day 18: Gorilla trek – Batwa cultural experience
Today morning have your breakfast served and be driven to the park headquarters for a briefing about gorilla trekking where you will be allocated the gorilla family that you will go trekking. Ranger guides will lead you into Bwindi’s misty forests to embark on the search of the gentle giants in their natural habitat. Locating the gorillas may last for about 1 to 6 hours depending on their movement after which you will spend an hour amidst the gorillas as you closely spot them go by their routine duties. Return back to the lodge for your lunch after which you will head off to encounter the former forest keepers of Bwindi forests. During this cultural experience, the Batwa will demonstrate how they lived, hunted, collected wild honey, used forest plants as medicinal herbs and many more. You will be excited by their cultural performances after which you will return back to your lodge for dinner and an overnight.
Day 19: Transfer to Mgahinga National park – Batwa trail experience
Today have your morning breakfast and checkout to be driven further to the southern region of the country. This drive lasts for about 2 and a half hours where you will arrive by midday to check-in at your pre-arranged lodge. You will have your lunch served after which you will set off for a Batwa trail experience where you will have a glimpse into the historical lifestyle of the marginalized Batwa community from a forest ancient life perspective. You will have a physical touch of their lifestyle as you physically engage yourself in activities such as the use of bow and arrow for hunting, local dish preparation, collecting leaves, roots and stems for medicinal herbs and many more. This cultural experience commences at the Ngarama caves where their king used to reside and it also acted as a hideout during an attack from enemies. You will enjoy a cultural performance from the Batwa women after which you will return back to your lodge for dinner and an overnight.
Day 20: Golden monkey trek
Have your morning breakfast and report to the Park headquarters for a briefing about golden monkey trekking. After the briefing, set off on foot to go and have the most active adventure where you will encounter the golden monkeys feed on bamboo shoots and leaves while others jump from one bamboo tree to another. Golden monkey trekking lasts for about 30minutes to 4 hours after which you will be in golden monkeys’ presence for an hour as you watch them feed and play. You will be driven back to your lodge for lunch and relaxation as you wait to have dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 21: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi – community visits
Today morning, have your breakfast and checkout to be driven to Lake Bunyonyi as witness the beauty of the Switzerland of Uganda evidenced by its green vegetation and terraced rolling hills. Arrival will be in the early afternoon to check-in at your pre-arranged lodge and have your lunch served. After lunch you will head out for community visits as you move around Bunyonyi communities on foot to meet Uganda’s welcoming people. You will make a hike into the surrounding hills while traversing lush green vegetation and banana plantations arriving in human settlements to experience their traditional ways of living, cultural beliefs and traditions as mythical stories are told to you. Return back to your lodge in the evening to have dinner and an overnight.
Day 22: Whole day Lake Bunyonyi (visits to Islands)
Have your morning breakfast and have your lunch packed before you meet your driver guide to be driven to Lake Bunyonyi where you will spend the entire day exploring the Lake. You will cruise on the Lake waters while you make visits to several Islands for example Akampene Island also known as the Punishment Island where young girls who got pregnant before marriage were taken and tired on the tree till death as a form of punishment, Kyahugye Island where you will encounter some animals like zebras, waterbucks, impalas and many more, Bwama Island where leprosy infected people were treated, Bushara Island that is covered with colonies of birds and many more. You will retire off the Lake to be driven back to your lodge for dinner and an overnight.
Day 23: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park – Evening game drive
Today morning have your breakfast and checkout of your lodge at Lake Bunyonyi to be transferred to Lake Mburo National Park in Mbarara. This is a 4 to 5 hours’ journey where you will arrive in the afternoon at your booked lodge to check-in and have lunch. After lunch you will be driven to the Park’s plains where you will spot vast animals grazing when the temperatures have reduced in the evening. Animals that will be spotted include the giraffes, zebras, impalas, elands, Jackson’s hartebeests, oribis, African buffaloes, defassa waterbucks, reedbucks, topis and many more. You will drive back to your lodge for dinner and an overnight.
Day 24: Morning game Drive – afternoon boat cruise
Have your morning breakfast and head off for game viewing where you will catch up with the early risers of the jungle such as the Uganda kobs, elands, impalas, African buffaloes, giraffes, oribis, topis, waterbucks to mention but a few. For bird lovers, this is a perfect destination for you where you will be able to spot birds like grey crowned cranes, brown-chested wattled plover, African fin foot, tabora cisticola, papyrus yellow warbler, Abyssinian ground hornbill and many more. You will return back to your lodge for lunch after which you will head off for a boat cruise on Lake Mburo. You will be able to spot several aquatic animals like the hippopotamuses, crocodiles and several bird species. Retire off the cruise to be driven back to your lodge for dinner and an overnight.
Day 25: Transfer to Kampala and Departure
Wake up to a hefty breakfast, check out of the lodge to embark on your journey back to Kampala as you have your last glance on animals and bird species in the Park. Along your drive, you will have a stopover at the equator line in Kayabwe where you will have your feet stepped in the two hemispheres as you have photos taken while posing at the monument. You will make visits to craft shops where you will buy souvenirs that you will take with you home after which you will have lunch before proceeding for another stopover at Mpambire drum makers where you will have an insight into how animal skins and hides are turned into musical instruments. You will proceed to Kampala arriving in the late afternoon to be dropped off at a hotel of your choice as you wait for your flight time or driven directly to the airport to catch your outbound flight back home.