22 Days Karibu Uganda Special Safari – Primates, Wildlife, Cultures, Birding, & Marine Adventures

After breakfast, our driver guide will drive you to a docking point for a boat to Mabamba swamp depending on your preference, Mabamba swamp can also be accessed on road. Mabamba Swamp, located 50km from Kampala, is a prime wetland birding site, best known for its spectacular Shoebill Stork sightings

This birding tour will mostly be in a motorized traditional canoe as we search for the Shoebill wading through the overgrown papyrus. A site guide from Mabamba area will join the team to advice on the possible location of the different special bird species in this area.

For a seasoned birder you have opportunities for many other bird species in the community and at the swamp. There are numerous water birds including migratory birds from Europe. Some of the bird species to look out for in addition to the famous Shoebill include over 300 other bird species.

Once you have completed the boat trip, you’ll have lunch before returning to Entebbe for a rest, dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Hotel Number5, Papyrus Guest House, Airport Guesthouse

Meal Plan: Full Board

After your breakfast from your lodge, embark on a journey and transfer to Jinja a city endowed with adventure tourism. Lunch at your lodge and after, experience the breathtaking Nile with a boat ride to the source of the Nile - sit quietly as our expert guide explains a little of the magic settings you have reached. An unforgettable experience

Dinner and overnight at the Haven lodge Uganda or River Base Camp.

Meal plan: Full board

Start your second Jinja day with breakfast in the morning at your lodge. Depart for White water rafting on the Nile - you will be briefed and given safety guidelines first, thereafter, head for a thrilling rafting experience on the world’s longest river. After having the time of your life rafting on the Nile, head back to your lodge for lunch. Later in the evening, you may relax in your lodge or have a lazy scenic walk along the Nile.

Dinner and overnight at the Haven lodge Uganda or River Base Camp.

Meal plan: Full board

After Jinja, the journey continues to Iganga town before turning off to join the Tirinyi highway leading to Mbale. Once in the lodge around Sipi, some of the falls can be seen from afar. However a hike to the actual falls is different from viewing or taking photos from afar.

Visiting all the three waterfalls takes between 3 to 4 hours depending on overall fitness. The hike to the top of the falls is about 7 km long and involves steep ascents, climbing ladders and passing through local farms. The Mount Elgon area receives a lot of rain and the trails can be slippery because of the mud. It is advisable to acquire good sturdy hiking boots that have a firm grip on the ground. A walking stick should be provided by your chosen guide

After taking enough photos, the descent back to the starting point of lodge pretty simple and less demanding – have lunch/dinner and relax in your lodge.

Dinner and overnight at Rafiki lodge or Sipi Valley lodge

Meal Plan: Full board

After breakfast, embark on a guided coffee tour. This coffee tour is an opportunity to learn from local farmers how the Bugisu Arabica coffee is grown and processed. While with the farmers, you will be taken to see and pick some of the coffee berries, remove the shells, grind, roast and finally come up with fine coffee ready to be taken. This local way of processing coffee by the Bagisu has been perfected over many years and passed on from generation to generation. While touring the farms you will also learn about the entire supply chain consisting of exporters, farmers, processors and roasters. The final thing is to take the final product – a cup of locally made but tasty hot coffee. Later continue to Kidepo Valley National Park.

Dinner and overnight at Apoka Lodge or  Kidepo Savannah Lodge

Meal Plan: Full board

You will have sumptuous breakfast at your lodge then be driven for a game drive at the Narus valley. Every game drive is different and you will see mammals and birds that you probably didn’t see in the first game drive. Kidepo is a beautiful park and you will be amazed by the landscape and unspoiled wilderness. Take enough photos before returning back to your lodge for lunch and a swim. In the afternoon, you will be taken to visit the Karamojong people. The Karamojong are nomadic pastoralists who live in unique houses called manyatas that are designed to be temporal. Their leaders will explain to you things related to their culture and entertain you with their traditional songs and dances.

Dinner and overnight at Apoka Safari lodge/ Kidepo Savannah Lodge

This third day begins with breakfast before heading to the Kidepo valley. You will pass through the Narus valley again on your way to the Kidepo valley to spot more mammals, ostriches and other bird species. You will see the famous Hot springs in Kidepo and get to know how they relate to the local/indigenous communities. You should go see the border between Uganda and South Sudan before returning to your lodge.

Dinner and overnight at Apoka Lodge or  Kidepo Savannah Lodge

Meal Plan: Full board

After early breakfast, check-out of your lodge and drive to Murchison falls national par, Uganda’s largest and oldest conservation area. Once you reach Nakasongola, you should prepare for a long stop at the Ziwa Rhino sanctuary. Unfortunately, the Ziwa Rhino sanctuary is the only place where one can spot Rhinos in Uganda. Uganda once had over 1000 Rhinos roaming freely in the open plains. Extensive poaching wiped them out from the national parks. When less than 5 remained in the wild, they were transferred to this sanctuary for greater protection. The sanctuary now has about 20 individuals and there is a plan to transfer them to the national parks once their numbers grow. The Ziwa Rhino sanctuary is a large facility with amazing opportunities for nature walks, birding and primates viewing. As you tour the facility, you will be in the company of researchers and game rangers who will share with you all that you need to know about Rhinos. Lunch is served immediately before or after touring the sanctuary. After, you will then continue your journey to Murchison falls National Park.

Dinner and overnight at Paraa Safari Lodge, Pakuba Safari Lodge, Fort Murchison Lodge

Meal Plan: Full Board

You should wake up early in anticipation of a great day of activity. Take heavy breakfast and then prepare to be taken for a game drive at the northern side of the Murchison Falls National Park. Expect to see Uganda Kobs, giraffes, elephants, lions, the Topi and other antelopes. The game drive should go on for three hours after which you will return for lunch and relaxation. The boat ride on the river Nile is in the afternoon.

You will spot large elephants bathing in the river, water bucks, bush bucks, crocodiles, hippos, antelopes and countless water birds.  The key thing about the boat ride is that it ends at the foot of the Murchison Falls. Prepare to be amazed by a great view of the Murchison Falls. You will clearly see as the Nile River drops 50 meters down from a narrow gorge producing a thunderous roar.

After this amazing part of the day, you should return to your lodge for dinner and overnight

Dinner and overnight at Paraa Safari Lodge, Pakuba Safari Lodge, Fort Murchison Lodge

Meal Plan: Full Board

Budongo forest reserve is home to different wildlife species such as over 359 bird species, 465 species of trees, 9 primate species, 289 butterfly species, and 24 species of mammals as well as 130 species of moths. Budongo forest is also famous for mahogany trees and a big number of Chimpanzees approximately 600 to 700 chimpanzees.

The reserve has 6 groups of Chimpanzees to be habituated and trekked all year round, this means that visitors are always have high chances of seeing these primates. Trekking starts at 7:00 am as you are led by the ranger guides to look for these amazing primates that share a DNA of about 98% with the human beings.

Chimpanzee trekking can take you 30 minutes or even a full day, how long it takes is mainly dependant on the location of these primates. The Budongo forest reserve is managed both by the Uganda wildlife Authority (UWA) and the Jane Good all Institute.

After this, our driver will take you for lunch, relax and later drive you straight to the top of the Murchison falls to experience an aerial view of this natural wonder- Murchison falls, arguably, the world’s most powerful waterfall.

Dinner and overnight at Paraa Safari Lodge, Pakuba Safari Lodge, Fort Murchison Lodge

Meal Plan: Full Board

Have your breakfast, then check-out of the lodge and thereafter head to Kibale forest National Park. The drive along the scenic Albertine Rift valley continues. You will stopover in Fort Portal town for lunch and a scenic tour before proceeding to Kibale Forest National Park. Check into your booked accommodation that is situated just in the park. Spend the day relaxing and enjoying the natural environment outside at the lodge.

Accommodation: Kyaninga Lodge/Primate Lodge, Turaco Treetops/ Isunga Lodge, Kibale Forest Camp

Meal Plan: Full Board

After early morning breakfast, you will be taken to Kibale National Park headquarters for the briefing on chimpanzee trekking. The briefing is led by the Park Guides and is all about the rules of tracking chimpanzees, the park and what to expect. After the briefing, the Park Guides will lead you into the forest to find the chimps. Chimpanzee trekking is quite different from gorilla trekking. Chimps stay longer on top of trees compared to gorillas. Their groups are also more vocal and dramatic. It is possible to hear their cries from a mile away even before getting close to them. By the time you get to them, they would have already seen your group. Tracking chimpanzees usually takes between 3 to 5 hours. You only have an hour to observe them. Use the time to take as many photos as you can.

After spending one hour with the chimps, you will be led back to the park offices where you will find the company driver waiting for you. The driver will take you back to the lodge for lunch and rest.

Later in the Afternoon, your guide will take you to visit the Bigodi wetlands sanctuary for a nature walk and birding. The Bigodi swamp is one of the best spots of birding in Uganda. Expect to see small monkeys, birds, butterflies and much more.

Accommodation: Kyaninga Lodge/Primate Lodge, Turaco Treetops/ Isunga Lodge, Kibale Forest Camp

Meal Plan: Full Board

You will wake up early to take heavy breakfast and check out. Our Guide will come and pick you to start the 2 hour journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park – to your lodge and later to for crater lakes drive in the park. The map of Queen Elizabeth is seen with various dots representing the numerous explosion craters in this area. Some of these craters are filled with water to form crater lakes while others remain dry and others have water seasonally during the wet season. There are crater lakes outside the park that have fresh water and are used for fishing and most of those that are in the park do not have fresh water and are therefore used for salt mining that is Lake Katwe and Bunyampaka salt lake. There are much more craters in the park including Nyamunuka crater, Bunyaruguru Craters, Ndali-Kasenda crater among others.

As you drive through the carters on a ridge that is that rises up to 1,350 meters above sea level, you’ll capture vast views of the craters, Rwenzori Mountains, Kazinga channel that connects Lake George to Edward, the two lakes and several birds that live at the craters. You may also spot other animals wandering around the area such as elephants, buffaloes.  This is one of the areas in Queen Elizabeth national park that is recommended for Scenic photography enthusiasts. Return to your lodge for lunch and a rest.

In the evening, our guide will take you for evening game drive at the Kasenyi plains. The evening game drive will allow you to catch up with nocturnal animals and predators coming out of their dens to start hunting in the night. You should also spot the early risers and especially birds. Other animals to look out for are hippopotamus, hartebeests, leopard and buffaloes among many other birds. After the game drive, the driver will start the journey back to the lodge for dinner and rest.

Accommodation: Katara Lodge/Mweya Safari Lodge, Twin Lakes Safari Lodge, Bush Lodge

Meal Plan: Full Board

After breakfast, go directly down into Kyambura Gorge, to search for the ‘Lost Chimpanzees of Kyambura’. The gorge is an extraordinary natural environment and forms a stark contrast to the surrounding grasslands. Here you can track one of our closest animal relatives: the chimpanzee. This group of isolated chimps is quite mobile and viewing can be unpredictable but the walk itself is exciting and enchanting.

After lunch, our driver guide will take you to Kazinga channel for amazing boat cruise. The Kazinga Channel is one of Africa’s greatest birding sites. You can spot both resident and migratory birds in large numbers. Kazinga Channel, which flows between Lakes Edward and George, is also home to one of the greatest concentration of hippo in Africa and herds of elephant, buffalo and other animals come to drink at the water’s edge. The channel is a magnet for water birds, with great flocks of pelicans and others birds on the shore, and a great spot to see African fish eagle.

Accommodation: Katara Lodge/Mweya Safari Lodge, Twin Lakes Safari Lodge, Bush Lodge

Meal Plan: Full Board

After early morning breakfast, our guide will take you for your second game drive at the Kasenyi plains. The morning game drive will allow you to catch up with nocturnal animals and predators retreating to their dens after hunting in the night. You should also spot the early risers and especially birds. Other animals to look out for are hippopotamus, hartebeests, leopard and buffaloes among many other birds. After the game drive, the driver will start the journey back to the lodge for your packed lunch and check-out.

Our driver will then transfer you to Bwindi impenetrable national park – via Ishasha sector to spot rare tree-climbing lions. The Ishasha sector is famous for hosting tree climbing lions. Researchers believe that the lions have adapted to climbing trees to escape bites from bugs. They also use their position on top of trees to observe movements of their prey. The lions prefer the sturdy acacia and fig trees but you may also spot them on fallen trees.

After Ishasha, the driver will continue the journey to Bwindi impenetrable national park and to your lodge

Accommodation: Mahogany Springs Lodge/Buhoma Lodge, Haven Lodge, Wagtail Forest Camp

Meal Plan: Full Board

After enjoying an early breakfast, you set off for gorilla tracking. Trekking through the steep, densely forested hills and then finally coming across the gorillas camouflaged in the vegetation is an inspiring and privileged moment. Tracking in the Bwindi forest can be steep and requires stamina as some gorilla families can be more elusive, and tracking can take a full day, especially if it is wet and muddy.

Porters are available to help you with extra luggage at extra cost. The Park Rangers will lead you into the forest to track the primates. Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park takes between 2 to 6 hours. Once you spot them, take as many photos as you can because you will be with them for only one hour. Observing mountain gorillas can be amazing. You can see them groom, play, eat or take a nap. Some may come close to you out of curiosity but remember to always remain calm as you follow instructions from the park Guides.

After an hour of observing the mountain gorillas, you will return back to the starting point where our Guide will be waiting for you. Do not forget to get your certificate of completion as you go back to the lodge for lunch and rest.

Later in the afternoon visit the Batwa community and experience the culture and history of one of Africa’s oldest tribes. On your tour, you will visit their village and community centre and will participate to the Batwa Heritage Tour to gain insight into their traditional life as hunter gatherers in the forest as well as enjoy their cultural dances to close the day.

Accommodation: Mahogany Springs Lodge/Buhoma Lodge, Haven Lodge, Wagtail Forest Camp

Meal Plan: Full Board

Today, after breakfast, our driver guide will transfer you to Lake Bunyonyi for a scenic relaxation.  Lake Bunyonyi is located in south-western Uganda between the districts of Kisoro and Kabale. The Lake lies 1,962 kilometers above sea level with 29 islands. Lake Bunyonyi is surrounded on all sides by steep hills. At 3,000 feet (900m) deep, Lake Bunyonyi is thought to be the second deepest in Africa. The name Bunyonyi (Place of Little birds in the local language) comes from the fact that the area is home to over 200 species of birds. It is one of the best birding spots in Uganda.  The 29 islands of the lake are breeding grounds for the African Harrier Hawk, Malachite kingfishers, pied kingfishers and Egrets among many other species of birds. A relaxed hike can be done along the scenic lake.

Dinner and overnight at Arcadia cottages, Birdnest Resort or Bunyonyi Overland camp

Meal Plan: Full Board

After breakfast, you will be taken to visit the beautiful islands where you will get even better views of the lake, surrounding areas, rolling hills and terraces. Most of the islands are named after the dominant bird species there. One particular island is known as the punishment island. The Bakiga tribe living in the area once had a cruel culture of abandoning all girls who got pregnant before marriage in this particular island. They were left there to die since most couldn’t swim. Most of the girls were eventually rescued by the men who had impregnated them or bachelors who couldn’t pay the bride price required by parents of virgins.

While at the islands, you will interact with the people, visit some of the schools and health facilities. If you are the inquisitive type, you might want to visit the local traditional healer in one of the islands. After you are done with the activities, the boat will bring you back ashore for refreshment and relaxation at the lodge. The evening should be reserved for relaxation and short walks along the lake shores.

Dinner and overnight at Arcadia cottages, Birdnest Resort or Bunyonyi Overland camp

Meal Plan: Full Board

After early morning breakfast, embark on the journey to Lake Mburo National Park, Uganda’s smallest and nearest national park to the capital Kampala with an Enroute lunch at Igongo cultural center.  On arrival at Lake Mburo National Park, enjoy an en route game drive to usher you into this mysterious park – check-in at your lodge.

Later, embark on the evening game drive. Lake Mburo is a small national park and on any game drive, you are likely to see giraffes, zebras, impalas, buffaloes, warthogs and other animals & birds by driving a very short distance. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Dinner and overnight at Mihingo Lodge, Arcadia Cottages or Eagles Nest camp

Meal Plan: Full Board

On this day you will take a cup of coffee or tea and go for game walk in search of rare impalas, zebras, Elands, buffaloes, giraffes, and warthog and if lucky leopards and lots of birds.

Game walk in Lake Mburo National Park is the only way to get closer to the animals on foot accompanied by the park ranger guide who is well experienced in spotting animals as you take wonderful pictures at closer range.

On return from the walk, you will have your relaxed breakfast, lunch break and afterwards go for Boat ride - the afternoon where you have chances to see schools of hippopotamus, crocodiles and lots of birds including Kingfishers, African fish Eagle, Rare African Finfoot and Night Herons to mention but few. You will later return back to your lodge with en-route game drive.

Dinner and overnight at Mihingo Lodge, Arcadia Cottages or Eagles Nest camp

Meal Plan: Full Board

After morning breakfast, you will be transferred to Kampala or at the Entebbe Airport with en-route lunch and stop-over at equator – Kayabwe for photo opportunity and souvenir.

End of your 22 Days of Uganda Special Safari Adventure