12-Day Private Uganda Safari: Gorillas, Chimps & Big Game Adventure

Terrain Safaris Duration: 12 Days / 11 Nights Departure & Return: Entebbe, Uganda Price (per person, 2 pax): $3,620 High Season / $3,120 Low Season

Trip Overview

This private safari takes travelers through six of Uganda’s premier wildlife destinations, combining big-game viewing, primate trekking, and boat cruises along the Nile and Kazinga Channel. The route runs from Entebbe north to Murchison Falls, west through Kibale Forest and Queen Elizabeth National Park, south to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for gorilla trekking, then back east via Lake Bunyonyi and Lake Mburo before returning to Kampala/Entebbe.

Destinations covered:

• Entebbe
• Murchison Falls National Park
• Kibale National Park
• Queen Elizabeth National Park
• Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
• Lake Bunyonyi
• Lake Mburo National Park

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1 — Arrival in Entebbe

On arrival at Entebbe Airport, guests are met by their private guide/driver, who provides a brief overview of the safari program. Transfer to Lake Victoria View Guest House for check-in, dinner, and overnight. Time permitting, guests may take a nature walk in the Entebbe Botanical Gardens before dinner.

Day 2 — Entebbe to Murchison Falls National Park

Depart Kampala for Murchison Falls National Park, with a stopover at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and lunch near the River Kafu. Upon entering the park, visit Murchison Falls itself, where the Nile is forced through a narrow gorge and drops 45 meters, viewable from several vantage points up to the summit. Cross the Nile by ferry before checking in to Fort Murchison for dinner and overnight.

Day 3 — Game Drive and Boat Cruise in Murchison Falls

An early breakfast is followed by a game drive toward the Delta area, known for its concentration of Uganda kob (the national animal) and their mating grounds — which in turn attracts predators such as lions and leopards. Wildlife typically seen in this section includes elephants, Rothschild giraffe, Jackson’s hartebeest, leopard, lion, kob, and a range of woodland and savannah birds. After lunch, a boat cruise on the Nile offers close-range views of hippo pods, crocodiles, and water birds. Dinner and overnight at Fort Murchison.

Day 4 — Murchison Falls to Kibale Forest National Park

After an early breakfast, transfer to Kibale National Park, with lunch en route. The drive passes through Masindi, Hoima, and Kagadi, continuing on through Fort Portal’s tea plantations. Arrival in Kibale is in the afternoon, with check-in at Kibale Forest Camp for dinner and overnight.

Day 5 — Chimpanzee Trekking and Bigodi Swamp

Morning departure to the Kibale National Park offices for chimpanzee trekking — the park is noted for having the greatest variety of primates in East Africa, including black-and-white colobus monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey, and red-tailed monkeys. After lunch, a nature walk through Bigodi Swamp offers birdwatching opportunities. Dinner and overnight at Kibale Forest Camp.

Day 6 — Kibale to Queen Elizabeth National Park

A relaxed breakfast precedes the transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park, driving along the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains with a lunch stop in Kasese. A short game drive marks the entry into the park, followed by check-in at Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 7 — Game Drive and Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise

An early breakfast is followed by a 2–3 hour game drive in the Kasenyi area, a kob mating ground in the park’s northern sector, where waterbuck, buffalo, elephant, lion, and warthog are commonly seen. After lunch, a two-hour boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel — which connects Lake George and Lake Edward — provides excellent wildlife and birdlife viewing. Dinner and overnight at Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge.

Day 8 — Queen Elizabeth to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

An early breakfast is followed by a game drive to the Ishasha sector, home to Queen Elizabeth’s famous tree-climbing lions and a distinct landscape from the rest of the park. In the afternoon, transfer to Bwindi National Park with lunch en route. Dinner and overnight at Buhoma Community Rest Camp.

Day 9 — Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi

After an early breakfast, guests head to the park offices for a briefing at approximately 8:00 am before setting out on the gorilla trek with packed lunches. Trekking duration is unpredictable and can range from 3 to 8 hours over muddy, physically demanding terrain, sometimes in rain. Dinner and overnight at Buhoma Community Rest Camp.

Day 10 — Bwindi to Lake Bunyonyi

A relaxed breakfast precedes the transfer to Lake Bunyonyi, with lunch en route. Check-in at Bunyonyi Overland Camp, followed by a free afternoon, dinner, and overnight.

Day 11 — Lake Bunyonyi to Lake Mburo National Park

After an early breakfast, transfer to Lake Mburo National Park with lunch en route, arriving in the afternoon for a boat cruise on Lake Mburo. Check-in at Eagle’s Nest Camp for dinner and overnight.

Day 12 — Lake Mburo to Kampala/Departure

An early breakfast is followed by a ranger-guided nature walk in search of wildlife, with good chances of seeing eland (East Africa’s largest antelope), bushbuck, zebra, buffalo, bushpig, hyena, impala, and reedbuck, along with bird species such as the papyrus gonolek, lilac-breasted roller, and Coqui francolin. Guests then check out and drive back to Kampala, with a lunch stop en route and a photo stop at the Equator, arriving in the afternoon for transfer to the airport for departure.

Pricing

What’s Included

• Transport throughout the safari
• Private guide
• Accommodation
• All meals
• Selected drinks
• Entrance fees
• Park fees
• Trekking permits (chimpanzee and gorilla)

What’s Not Included

• International flights
• Visa costs
• Medical insurance
• Travel insurance
• Selected drinks
• Gratuities
• Laundry
• Personal expenses
• Other/optional activities

Related Tours by Terrain Safaris

• Ziwa Rhino Trekking Tour
• Wildlife Photography Safari
• Uganda’s Top Safari Destinations
• Uganda Gorilla Trekking – Wildlife Safari
• Uganda Birding Tour

Terrain Safaris — supporting sustainable tourism in Uganda and East Africa.