Safari Day by Day of the 12 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari Culture & Chimpanzee Trekking Tour Safari Itinerary

Day 1 of the 12 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari Culture & Chimpanzee Trekking Tour: Arrive in Uganda

Arrive in Uganda following your flight from the country of origin landing at Entebbe International Airport. You will find our company representative waiting for you to offer a courteous welcome and briefing about the destination and various safari aspects after which you will transfer to the hotel for relaxation, diner and overnight

Accommodation: Sheraton Kampala Hotel (Upmarket / Luxury), Cassia Lodge (Midrange / Standard) or Buziga Country Resort (Budget / Basic)

Day 2 of the 12 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari Culture & Chimpanzee Trekking Tour: Explore the source of the Nile – the world’s longest river with half day white water rafting

Transfer early in the morning from Kampala to Jinja 80km driving along the impressive landscapes from the urban Kampala through the forested Mabira and sugarcane plantations of Lugazi before arriving in Jinja. You embark on the famous white water rafting on the mystical waters of the Nile River which is the longest River in the whole world as it struggles through Cascades forming great force and pressure. The white water rafting adventure gives you an opportunity to have a feel of these rapids yourself and test their might. It is common that the force pushes you away from your raft but the expert team of guides is very close to you for assistance. The local people front the banks to cheer at you as you enjoy the abundance of nature. Retreat from the half day activity for relaxation. In the late afternoon, you connect to the source of the Nile to undertake a thrilling boat cruise to the mystical point that lured the ancient European explorers to explore into Africa. The cruise exposes you to counts of birds including Kingfishers and other local people cruising on the Nile.

Accommodation: Jinja Nile Resort (Upmarket / Luxury), Kingfisher Safaris Resort (Midrange / Standard) or Source of the Smile Guesthouse (Budget / Basic)

Day 3 of the 12 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari Culture & Chimpanzee Trekking Tour: Transfer to Mbale and do half day Mount Elgon hiking

After breakfast, embark on the transfer to Mbale town. You drive through the impressive landscapes of eastern Uganda including beautiful wetlands and swamp landscapes. It is 150km about 2 – 3 hours’ drive. Gather at Mount Elgon Headquarters upon arrival to embark on the hike to the Elgon Mountain. The 4,321km mountain has the largest volcanic mountain caldera in the entire world stretching to 42km² in size. The mountain also has the largest volcanic base in the whole world stretching to 4,000km². Spending the whole day hiking the mountain is one of those impressive hikes that are rewarding. Consider exploring the lush vegetation cover, the bird species and the amazing sceneries of the mounting and the areas below. Retreat from the activity in the evening for relaxation, dinner and overnight

Accommodation: Mbale Resort Hotel (Upmarket / Luxury), Mount Elgon Hotel (Midrange / Standard) or Kapakwai Forest Cottages (Budget / Basic)

Day 4 of the 12 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari Culture & Chimpanzee Trekking Tour: Undertake a whole day encounter with the Bagisu, Sebei and the Ndorobo people exploring their heritage and livelihood.

After breakfast, dedicate your day to the exploration of the culture of the surrounding communities. You visit the extensive coffee plantations of the Bagisu and explore their traditional Coffee growing practices where you have chances of even participating in the coffee harvesting or gardening. The encounter allows you to explore their traditional dance performances including the famous Kadodi dance. If it is the season for the imbalu, you have such lifetime encounter with males transiting to manhood by circumcision. Remember this circumcision is done fresh without sterilization. You also attend to the bull fighting event of the Ndorobos before retiring for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Mbale Resort Hotel (Upmarket / Luxury), Mount Elgon Hotel (Midrange / Standard) or Kapakwai Forest Cottages (Budget / Basic)

Day 5 of the 12 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari Culture & Chimpanzee Trekking Tour: Visit Sipi Falls and transfer to Kidepo Valley National Park

After breakfast, embark on the transfer to Sipi Falls to have a magical sight-seeing adventure. Embark on the hike to the falls taking the shortest route as possible enjoying the rolling landscapes below and the Karamoja plains to the north. The views of the natural waters flowing down the rock form impressive site for photography. Retreat from the activity and embark on the transfer to Kidepo Valley National Park. You drive through impressive landscapes of Moroto with its mountainous environment, the savannah stretches of Pian Upe and Maheniko Bokora before arriving in Karamoja in the evening for relaxation, dinner and overnight

Accommodation: Apoka Safari Lodge (Upmarket / Luxury), Nga’ Moru Wilderness Camp (Midrange / Standard) or Apoka Rest Camp (Budget / Basic)

Day 6 of the 12 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari Culture & Chimpanzee Trekking Tour: Do morning game drive and have an encounter with the pastoralist Karimojong Community.

Undertake an early morning game drive in the rolling savannah landscapes of Kidepo Valley National Park stretching to the famous Narus valley and he Kidepo Valley. The game drive offers you possibilities of encountering a range of wild game including the Rothschild Giraffes, elephants, lions, Buffaloes, Zebra, Roan antelopes, elands among others. The stretch to the Kidepo Valley offers impressive views of the Ostrich which is only found here in the whole of Uganda. The drive also offers you scenic views of the Karamoja Mountains and their extensive valleys. Retreat from the activity and embark on the transfer back to lodge for relaxation and lunch. Visit In the afternoon; embark on the tour to the pastoralist Karamojong community. You visit the cultural Manyattas, listen to their stories about how they have transformed from pastoralism to settled farming and from walking naked to clothing, attend to their cultural dances, participate in art and craft making, take a grazing walk along the Karimojong herdsmen as they narrate the importance of cows to them. Retreat for relaxation, dinner and overnight

Accommodation: Apoka Safari Lodge (Upmarket / Luxury), Nga’ Moru Wilderness Camp (Midrange / Standard) or Apoka Rest Camp (Budget / Basic)

Day 7 of the 12 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari Culture & Chimpanzee Trekking Tour: Hike to the Morungole Mountains and have a day encounter with the indigenous Karimojong

After breakfast, embark on the hike to the Morungole Mountains that tower to the south of the park and a home to the indigenous Karimojong. The walk offers you magical sceneries of the area and hiking to its raised altitudes offers you panoramic views of the area. Encountering the indigenous Karamajong gives you an opportunity to explore their history, livelihoods, religion, traditional medicine, family bonds, migrations, ceremonies and conflicts of a proud indigenous group long misunderstood. Retreat from the adventure and connect to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight

Accommodation: Apoka Safari Lodge (Upmarket / Luxury), Nga’ Moru Wilderness Camp (Midrange / Standard) or Apoka Rest Camp (Budget / Basic)

Day 8 of the 12 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari Culture & Chimpanzee Trekking Tour: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park. Drive through the landscapes northern Uganda – the former dwelling grounds for the Lord’s Resistance Army

After breakfast, embark on the transfer to Murchison Falls National Park driving through impressive flat landscapes on northern Uganda where the infamous Kony had staged his rebel activities that terrorized the area. You will drive along the towns of Kitgum and Gulu arrivgn in Murchison 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 9 of the 12 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari Culture & Chimpanzee Trekking Tour: Do morning game drive and afternoon Nile launch cruise

Connect to the park after breakfast to start the game drive at 7am 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 water bucks 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 2pm to embark on the boat cruise to the bottom of the falls. The boat cruise lasts 3 hours and offers you possibilities 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 10 of the 12 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari Culture & Chimpanzee Trekking Tour: Visit the top of the falls and have an encounter with the Bomu Women group to explore into the setting of the local community

Undertake a walk in the village of Kigaragara, participate in craft making, encounter village black smith, the crops grown in the village, the traditional food preparation, experience with story tellers & a visit to the local nursery school. You can also spend an overnight in the village bandas made up of mud and thatched by grass. If not, connect to Budongo Forest for relaxation and overnight

Accommodation: Budongo Eco Lodge

Day 11 of the 12 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari Culture & Chimpanzee Trekking Tour: Do Chimpanzee trekking in Budongo Forest Reserve, track white Rhinos in Ziwa Sanctuary en route and transfer to Kampala

After breakfast, gather for briefing about the chimpanzee trekking conduct at 8am after which you head to the forest in search of the common chimps. Hiking through the impressive forested landscapes of Budongo with great chimpanzee populations that count to 800 individuals is very rewarding. Groups of these chimps are habituated and thus present a memorable tracking encounter. The chimpanzees are very impressive to look at as they munch fruit, socialize, and make pant hooting calls, patrol and young ones rolling on the tree branches luring you into remarkable amazement and great photo-shoots. Retreat from the 2 – 5 hour activity and embark on the transfer to Kampala. You branch off for 7km en route at Nakitooma to visit the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to track white Rhinos which are only found at this spot in the whole of Uganda. Retreat from the activity in the evening and proceed to Kampala arriving in the evening for relaxation dinner and over night

Accommodation: Sheraton Kampala Hotel (Upmarket / Luxury), Cassia Lodge (Midrange / Standard) or Buziga Country Resort (Budget / Basic)

Day 12 of the 12 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari Culture & Chimpanzee Trekking Tour: Departure. (If the flight is in the evening, visit the Christ our Vision Child Care Orphanage & Kampala City tour)

After breakfast, embark on the visit the Christ Our Vision Child Day Care Orphanage where Prime Safaris supports a count of disadvantaged children by offering them education and other basic necessities. You attend their plays and chat with them to restore hope in their future. From there, you visit other sites of historical, religious, cultural, educational and political significance including Namugongo Martyrs Shrine, Baha’i Temple, Makerere University, Kasubi Tombs and Kabaka’s Palace in Bulange dressed in traditional Kiganda attire, Amin’s torture chambers at Bulange, Namirembe and Rubaga Cathedral, Gadhafi Mosque, Owino Market and drive through slum and up market suburbs of Kampala. Retire in the evening and transfer to Entebbe International Airport for your flight departure

End of the 12 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari Culture & Chimpanzee Trekking Tour