10 Days Uganda safari
10 Days Uganda safari
This 10 days Uganda safari (Kidepo valley, Murchison falls, Kibale and Bwindi impenetrable national park) is an extraordinary adventure that take you to the four most visited national parks in Uganda. The Uganda safari will take you to Kidepo valley national park which is known for harboring abundant wildlife species including giraffes, zebras, bushbucks, waterbucks, Uganda kobs, lions, cheetahs, elephants, buffaloes, bird species like ostrich which will be viewed during the game drives, Murchison falls national park where you will participate in an interesting game drive and boat cruise to the bottom of the falls which is the most powerful falls. The safari will also take you to Kibale forest national park where you will spend time with the chimpanzees and Bwindi impenetrable national park where you will have a face to face interaction with the endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.
Highlights of the 10 days Uganda safari
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Kitgum via Ziwa rhino
Day 2: Transfer to Kidepo national park
Day 3: Morning game drive and Karamajong cultural tour
Day 4: Transfer to Murchison falls national park
Day 5: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Day 6: Transfer to Kibale forest national park
Day 7: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi swamp walk
Day 8: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 9: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 10: Departure to Kampala
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Gulu via Ziwa Rhino sanctuary
Depending on your location on the first day of the 10 days Uganda safari, you will be welcomed by our driver guide who will brief you about the safari and then start the journey to Kidepo valley national park. It’s a full day journey and to cut the journey short you will have a stopover in Gulu town. On your way you will have a stopover at Ziwa rhino sanctuary for rhino tracking. After rhino tracking you will continue the journey with en-route lunch where after you will proceed the journey with spectacular views of the beautiful landscape, homesteads, local people among others. Upon arrival in Gulu town you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Drive to Kidepo national park
On the second day of the 10 days Uganda safari, you will have breakfast and your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to continue the journey to Kidepo national park. The journey takes about 3 to 4 hours’ drive and on your way you will enjoy great views of the landscape, hills, Karamojong manyatas, seasonal rivers among others and upon arrival you will check into the lodge and have lunch. After lunch you will go for an afternoon game drive where you will get an opportunity to take beautiful pictures and enjoy great views of sunset, animals like giraffes, buffaloes, elephants, zebras, lions, waterbucks, bushbucks, Jackson’s hartebeests among others. After the game drive you will drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Morning game drive and Karamajong cultural tour
Morning game drive,
After an early breakfast on the third day of the 10 days Uganda safari, you will meet up with your driver guide and go for a morning game drive in Narus valley a permanent water body in Kidepo valley national park that attracts large concentrations of wildlife species. During the game drive you will be able to view different animals like lions, cheetahs, leopards, bush duikers, jackal, buffaloes, elephants, bushbucks, giraffes, zebras, waterbucks, Uganda kobs, bird species like ostriches, Kori bustard, yellow barbet, dark chanting goshawk, purple heron, yellow billed shrike, little green bee-eater, Karamoja apalis among others. After the game drive you will drive back to the lodge for lunch.
Cultural tour,
After lunch you will go for a cultural tour where you will visit the Karamojong people that live near Kidepo valley national park. During the cultural tour you will interact with the local people in the community which gives you an opportunity to know more about their lifestyle, culture where you can marry many wives depending on the number of cattle you own, learn about their way of living, visit their homesteads which are known as manyattas, enjoy traditional performances in form of dances and songs, listen to ancient stories among others. After the cultural tour you will meet up with your driver and transfer to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Transfer to Murchison falls national park
After breakfast on the fourth day of the 10 days Uganda safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to start the journey to Murchison falls national park. On your way you will have great views of the beautiful scenery, landscape, farmlands among others and upon arrival you will check into the lodge, have dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Game drive,
After an early breakfast on the fifth day of the 10 days Uganda safari tour you will meet up with your driver guide and go for a morning game drive where you will follow different tracks in the park such as Buligi game track, Victoria game track, Albert game track. During the game drive you will be able to view predators like lions, leopards, hyenas among others which will be going back to their hiding areas, other animals like bushbucks, buffaloes, elephants, giraffes, waterbucks, Jacksons hartebeests, oribi, warthogs, bird species like marabou stork, black bellied bustard, open billed stork, black headed lapwing, Abyssinian ground hornbill, grey crowned crane, yellow billed stork, secretary bird, osprey among others. After the morning game drive you will drive back to the lodge for lunch.
Boat cruise,
After lunch you will drive to Paraa jetty for an amazing and interesting boat cruise to the bottom of the falls. The scheduled boat cruise starts at around 2:00pm and takes about 2 to 3 hours and during the boat ride you will have great views the waterfall, take beautiful pictures, view aquatic animals like hippos and Nile crocodiles in water, other animals like elephants, buffaloes, warthogs, antelopes among others along the water banks drinking water, aquatic bird species such as the grey headed King fisher, Bee-eaters, Herons, cormorants, long toed plover, African darter, veracious dove among others. The boat will continue to the bottom of the falls where you will either opt to cruise back to the starting point or go for an adventurous hike to the top of the falls. Hiking to the top of the falls takes about 45 minutes but strenuous therefore it requires you to be physically fit. During hiking you will enjoy water splashes, view beautiful scenery, listen to roars of the waterfall among others and when you reach on top you will find your driver guide waiting for you and then drive to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Transfer to Kibale forest national park
After breakfast on the sixth day of the 10 days Uganda safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Kibale forest national park. It’s a whole day journey and on the way you will have en-route lunch and enjoy stunning views of the landscape, beautiful scenery, tea plantations, crater lakes, Rwenzori mountain ranges among others. Upon arrival in the park you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi swamp walk
Chimpanzee trekking,
After an early breakfast on the seventh day of the 10 days Uganda safari, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to go for chimpanzee trekking briefing at the park headquarters. After the briefing you will start trekking in the forest with an experienced park guide in search of the habituated chimpanzee family. Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale forest national park takes about 30 minutes to 4 hours depending on where the chimpanzees are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking you will be able to view other primate species, view different bird species, plants among others. Once the chimpanzees are located you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their habitat which gives you a chance to learn about their behaviors, watch them carry out their daily activities, take photos and record videos. After the one hour with the chimpanzees, you will trek back to the starting point where you will meet up with your driver guide and return to the lodge for lunch.
Bigodi swamp walk
After lunch you will go for an exciting nature walk in Bigodi swamp where you will be able to view variety of bird species, mammals like sitatunga, view primates like l’hoest monkeys, vervet monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys among others.
Day 8: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
On the eighth day of the 10 days Uganda safari you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park. On the way you will have en-route lunch and enjoy great views of the Kigezi hills, beautiful landscape, terraced farmlands among others. Upon arrival in Bwindi impenetrable national park, you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 9: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Gorilla trekking,
After an early breakfast on the ninth day of the 10 days Uganda safari, you will carry packed lunch and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the rules and regulations of gorilla trekking. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park is done in groups of 8 people where each group is allocated a gorilla family to trek daily and a park guide who will be sharing information about the gorillas as well as conversant with trails in the forest. Trekking of gorillas in the park takes about 30 minutes to 7 hours depending on where the mountain gorillas are location because they like to move from one place to another in search of food.
During trekking you will have great views of primates like chimpanzees, l’hoest monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, animals like bush pigs, forest elephants, buffaloes, bird species like dusky twinspot, regal sunbird, Rwenzori batis, cinnamon chested bee-eater, African harrier hawk among others. When the gorillas are found you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural environment which helps you to learn about their habits, behaviors, watch them carry out their daily activities like feeding, playing, breastfeeding, take photos and record videos. After the one hour with the gentle giants you will trek back to the park headquarters where you will be awarded a certificate for participating in gorilla trekking, meet up with your driver guide to return to the lodge for an evening relaxation dinner and overnight.
Day 10: Departure to Kampala
On the last day of the 10 days Uganda safari tour, you will have breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Kampala. On your way you will have en-route lunch in Mbarara town and continue the journey with another stopover at the Equator for photos and craft souvenirs. From the Equator you will proceed to Kampala arriving in the evening and upon arrival your driver guide will drop you off at Entebbe international airport for your departure flight or drop off at any place of your choice.
End of 10 days Uganda safari
Tour includes
- Park entrance fees/ game drives
- Gorilla trekking permit
- Chimpanzee trekking permit
- Bigodi swamp walk
- Karamojong cultural tour
- Boat cruise fees
- An English speaking driver guide
- Full board accommodation
- Pick up and transfer to Kampala
- Vehicle and fuel
- Bottled water
Tour excludes
- International air flight tickets
- Visas
- Optional activities not included on the itinerary
- Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter, tips among others.
