8 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari – Overview

The 8 days Uganda Safari – a wildlife safari in Uganda is an 8 days Uganda tour featuring Uganda wildlife safari prime wildlife safari destinations of Murchison, Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, and Gorilla tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

The 8 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari features Uganda’s prime safari destinations of Murchison, Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

The prime activities include wild game viewing where you explore the Big Five including Rhinos in Ziwa Sanctuary, elephants, leopards, lions, and Buffaloes in Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth National Parks, primate tracking including chimpanzees in Kibale National Park and gorilla tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

The Nile launch cruise offers sights of Nile crocodiles and Hippos not forgetting the Shoebill stork. The recreational encounter on Lake Bunyonyi with its 29 Islands offers a lifetime adventure exploring the range of Islands and the heritage of the Islanders.

8 Days Uganda Safari Wildlife Safari – Highlights

Day 1: Transfer to Murchison Falls NP. Visit the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary en route

Day 2: Do morning game drive and afternoon Nile launch cruise

Day 3: Transfer to Kibale National Park. Whole day drive

Day 4: Undertake Chimpanzee trekking, Bigodi wetland walk and transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP

Day 5: Do morning game drive and afternoon Kazinga channel boat cruise

Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable NP. Do game drive in Ishasha in search of tree climbing lions

Day 7: Do mountain gorilla trekking and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for an evening boat cruise and relaxation

Day 8: Transfer back to Kampala. Make a stop at Igongo Cultural Center and Uganda Equator stop Kayabwe

8 Days Uganda Safari Wildlife Safari – Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Transfer to Murchison Falls NP. Visit The Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary En-route

After breakfast, you will transfer from your place of stay in the company of our guide heading to the north of Uganda to Murchison Falls National Park 311km about 5 hour’s drive.

Branch off at Nakitooma 115km from Kampala for 7km further reaching the Headquarters for Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.

You track white Rhinos thriving in a natural Savannah thicket marked with tall grass. The gigantic species are among the big five of Land animals and would definitely make your encounter rewarding.

After trekking Rhinos in Ziwa, settle for lunch and then continue on the drive to Murchison Falls NP arriving in the evening for relaxation, dinner and overnight

Accommodation: Paraa Safari Lodge (Upmarket / Luxury), Pakuba Safari Lodge (Midrange / Standard) or Heritage Safari Lodge (Budget / Basic)

Day 2: Do Morning Game Drive And Afternoon Nile Launch Cruise

Connect to the park after breakfast to start the game drive at 7 am in the northern section where the animals are known to thrive with better viewing possibilities.

The park has open Savannah rolling combretum with patches of Borassus palms supporting counts of wild game including Rothschild giraffes, Elephants, Buffaloes, Jackson’s Hartebeest, Kobs, lions, leopards, and waterbucks among others.

The range of tracks has been specially designed to allow you explore the park in detail. Retreat from the 3-hour activity and relax at the lodge up to lunch time after which you gather at Paraa Jetty for a thrilling boat cruise.

Congregate at Paraa jetty in the afternoon at 2 pm to embark on the boat cruise to the bottom of the falls. The boat cruise lasts 3 hours and offers you the possibility of encountering Nile crocodiles and Hippos.

Birds like the most sought-after Shoebill Stork might also be seen on the river banks enjoying the cool waters of the Nile River.

Upon reaching the bottom of the falls, you encounter the roaring sounds of the Nile River with magical sightseeing encounters. Retreat from the activity and connect to the lodge for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.

Accommodation: Paraa Safari Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Pakuba Safari Lodge (Midrange / Standard) or Heritage Safari Lodge (Budget / Basic)

Day 3: Transfer to Kibale National Park. Whole Day Drive

After breakfast, embark on the transfer to Kibale National Park 441km about 9 hours passing through the impressive countryside landscapes of Hoima and Kagadi before arriving in Kyenjojo and Fort Portal in the evening for relaxation, dinner, and overnight

Accommodation: Ndali Lodge (Upmarket / Luxury), Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse (Midrange / Standard), or Rwenzori View Guesthouse (Budget / Basic)

Day 4: Undertake Chimpanzee Trekking, Bigodi Wetland Walk And Transfer To Queen Elizabeth NP

Gather at Kanyanchu Tourism Center for briefing at 8 am by the park rangers after which you embark on the trekking in search of chimpanzees.

Kibale Forest boasts of high counts of habituated chimpanzees with over 95% chances of encountering them.

The chimpanzee trekking exposes you to impressive forested landscapes with undulating terrain which presents a rewarding hike that is behind chimpanzees alone.

The one hour of direct encounter with chimpanzees seeing them as they patrol, munch fruit, socialize, young ones play, and make pant-hooting calls generates remarkable memories.

Retreat from this 2 – 5 hour activity and settle at the starting point to consume your packed lunch after which you embark on the transfer to Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary for an Eco-community walk through the wetland.

The walk offers you possible views of counts of birds including the Great Blue Turaco and Hornbills. The views of the swamp-dwelling animals like Sitatunga may also not be missed.

Retreat from the activity and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park 157km about 3 hours’ drive arriving in the evening for relaxation, dinner and overnight

Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge (Upmarket / Luxury), Enganzi Game Lodge (Midrange / Standard) or Pumba Safari Cottages (Budget / Basic)

Day 5: Do Morning Game Drive And Afternoon Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise

Connect to the rolling Savannah plains of Queen Elizabeth NP stretching to Kasenyi plains where counts of wild game might be encountered including elephants, Buffaloes, lions, leopards, Kobs, waterbucks, spotted hyenas, and jackals among others.

You have chances of encountering these animals as they mate, patrol, socialize, graze, and hunt among other aspects that lure you into remarkable amazement.

Retreat from the 3 – 4 hour activity to embark on the transfer to the lodge for relaxation and lunch after which you gather at Mweya jetty for an afternoon boat cruise along the 45km Kazinga Channel.

The cruise exposes you to possible magical sights of the Hippos, Nile crocodiles, and other wild game like elephants and buffaloes drinking on the channel side.

Retreat from the activity and do a simple game drive along the channel track as you head back to the lodge for relaxation, dinner, and overnight

Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge (Upmarket / Luxury), Enganzi Game Lodge (Midrange / Standard) or Pumba Safari Cottages (Budget / Basic)

Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable NP. Do Game Drive in Ishasha in Search of Tree-climbing Lions

After breakfast, embark on the transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. You undertake a game drive in the Ishasha sector in the south of Queen Elizabeth National Park in search of tree-climbing lions and other wild game.

The Ishasha is one of the only two places in the world where tree-climbing lions can be encountered. They tend to lie in fig tree branches in the daytime.

Continue on the drive to arrive in Bwindi in the evening for relaxation, dinner and overnight

Accommodation: Chameleon Hill Lodge (Upmarket / Luxury), Gorilla Mist Camp (Midrange / Standard) or Broadbill Forest Camp (Budget /Basic)

Day 7: Do Mountain Gorilla Trekking And Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi For An Evening Boat Cruise And Relaxation

After breakfast, gather at the respective park headquarters for briefing at 8am and the eventual start of the gorilla trekking encounter.

You follow the trails of your respective gorilla family traversing the forest with is hilly forested landscapes and deep saddles.

The hills are forested with mature trees and dense undergrowth that have earned it the name Impenetrable.

The gorilla trekking encounter tends to last 2 – 8 hours inclusive of one (1) hour direct encounter with them.

Seeing the critically endangered apes as they forage, socialize, the young gorillas rolling themselves on tree branches and the Silverback demonstrating his authority is a moment of wonder that derives remarkable excitement.

Retreat from the activity and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi through the fascinating Kigezi Highlands with magical scenery. Upon arrival at Lake Bunyonyi, you embark on a thrilling sun set boat cruise on the lake of a thousand islands as it has been dubbed because of its counts of 29 Islands.

The cruise presents an evening soothing recreational encounter that is worth exploring and refreshment after gorilla trek adventure. Retire for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Birdnest @Lake Bunyonyi Resort (Upmarket / Luxury), Lake Bunyonyi Eco-resort (Midrange / Standard) or Byoona Amagara Island Retreat (Budget / Basic)

Day 8: Transfer Back to Kampala. Make a Stop at Igongo Cultural Center and Uganda Equator Stop Kayabwe

After your breakfast, embark on the journey back to Kampala 437km about 7 hours’ drive excluding stops en route after which you will proceed for 40km to Entebbe.

The drive will expose you to countryside scenery and economic activities that have sustained the lives of the local communities for centuries past among which include extensive Banana plantation and cattle keeping.

You will make a stop for lunch at Igongo cultural center 12km past Mbarara. After this encounter, you will continue on the drive to Kampala.

Another stop will be made at the Equator crossing Kayabwe 77km to Kampala for photo shoots and water experiments that justify the geographical divide between the northern and southern hemispheres if time permits. You will arrive in Kampala and Entebbe in the evening.

End of the 8 Days Uganda Safari Wildlife Safari.