17-Day Uganda Gorillas & Wildlife Safari

A Terrain Safaris Itinerary — Uganda

This immersive 17-day journey offers the very best of Uganda’s natural wonders — from the thundering power of Murchison Falls and the primate-rich forests of Kibale, to the tree-climbing lions of Ishasha, an unforgettable mountain gorilla trek in Bwindi, and the tranquil beauty of Lake Bunyonyi and Lake Mburo. Thoughtfully paced and rich in variety, this safari is designed for travellers who wish to experience Uganda’s wildlife, landscapes, and wilderness in full depth.

Day 1 — Arrival at Entebbe International Airport

Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by your driver-guide, who will brief you on the days ahead before transferring you to 2 Friends Beach Hotel for dinner and overnight.

Overnight: 2 Friends Beach Hotel, Entebbe — Full Board

Day 2 — Entebbe to Murchison Falls National Park

After breakfast, set off on a scenic drive northward through the traditional homesteads of the historic Luwero Triangle. Along the way, stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for a guided rhino tracking experience, followed by lunch at Kabalega Diners. Continuing into Murchison Falls National Park, visit the top of the falls, where the Nile River carves its dramatic path through the landscape — a spectacle best appreciated from several vantage points along the way, occasionally cooled by a light mist rising from the falls. As the sun begins to set, continue to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Pakuba Safari Lodge — Full Board

Day 3 — Game Drive & Boat Cruise, Murchison Falls National Park

Begin the day early with breakfast and packed lunches before heading out on a game drive toward the Delta area, home to elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, hartebeest, waterbuck, oribi, jackals, hyenas, lions and, on occasion, leopards, alongside a rich variety of birdlife. In the early afternoon, embark on a boat cruise along the Nile, offering a different and equally rewarding perspective on the park’s wildlife. Across the 17-kilometre cruise, expect close encounters with hippos, crocodiles, elephants, kob, baboons, and bushbuck as they gather along the riverbanks. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Pakuba Safari Lodge — Full Board

Day 4 — Full Day Exploring Murchison Falls National Park

After an early breakfast, board a boat for a fishing excursion at the base of Murchison Falls, one of the world’s most powerful waterfalls. Anglers may hope to land tilapia, catfish, or Nile perch, while also enjoying excellent game viewing along the way. Return to the lodge for lunch and some relaxation, before a further boat cruise toward the delta in the afternoon — a favoured spot for sightings of the rare Shoebill Stork, among other wildlife. Return to camp for dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Pakuba Safari Lodge — Full Board

Day 5 — Murchison Falls to Kibale National Park

After breakfast, travel south with packed lunches toward Kibale National Park via Hoima and Fort Portal, passing through traditional homesteads, farmland, and picturesque tea plantations. Enjoy lunch en route, arriving in the evening to check in for dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Primate Lodge Kibale — Full Board

Day 6 — Chimpanzee Trekking, Kibale National Park

After breakfast, explore Kibale Forest National Park, celebrated as home to the greatest variety and concentration of primates in East Africa. A guided nature walk through the tropical rainforest offers the chance to encounter chimpanzees, red-tailed monkeys, black-and-white colobus, red colobus, and more, with rangers on hand to brief you on respectful primate etiquette throughout. In the afternoon, visit the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary for a further rewarding nature walk. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Primate Lodge Kibale — Full Board

Day 7 — Kibale to Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast, transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park along the foothills of the majestic Rwenzori Mountains, passing through Fort Portal and Kasese. Enter the park with a short game drive before checking in to your lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, enjoy a two-hour boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel, which links Lakes Edward and George, offering superb views of wildlife and prolific birdlife along its banks — an excellent opportunity for photography. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge — Full Board

Day 8 — Full Day Exploring Queen Elizabeth National Park

Begin the day with a game drive across the Kasenyi Plains, taking in the park’s diverse ecosystems — grassland plains, forest, rivers, lakes, swamps, and volcanic craters — alongside abundant wildlife including elephants, buffaloes, kob, warthogs, waterbuck, and a wide variety of birdlife. Return to the lodge to relax over lunch, before heading out again in the afternoon for a further game drive, offering excellent chances of witnessing the park’s big cats in action. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge — Full Board

Day 9 — Further Exploration of Queen Elizabeth National Park

After an early breakfast, journey with packed lunches across the grassland plains to Kyambura Gorge for a distinctive chimpanzee trekking experience within its 100-metre-deep tropical rainforest gorge, home to habituated chimpanzees, black-and-white colobus, red-tailed monkeys, baboons, and diverse birdlife, along with occasional visitors such as hippos, bushbuck, giant forest hogs, and waterbuck. Following lunch, visit Maramagambo Forest’s renowned bat cave, where millions of Egyptian fruit bats can be observed alongside cobras, African rock pythons, and bat hawks, all drawn to this remarkable natural spectacle. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge — Full Board

Day 10 — Transfer to Ishasha Sector, Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast, travel south to the Ishasha Sector, renowned for its famous tree-climbing lions, arriving in the afternoon to check in to your lodge for lunch. In the evening, set out on a game drive in search of topi, elephant, buffalo, kob, leopard, hyena, and, of course, the celebrated climbing lions. Return to your accommodation for dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Ishasha Topi Lodge — Full Board

Day 11 — Ishasha to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

After a relaxed breakfast and checkout, set out on a final game drive in search of the tree-climbing lions, most often found resting in the fig trees during the late-morning heat. Continue on to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, with lunch en route, arriving in the evening to check in for dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Trekkers’ Tervan Cottages — Full Board

Day 12 — Bwindi Gorilla Trekking

After breakfast, report to the visitor information centre at approximately 7:45 am for registration and a briefing ahead of one of the safari’s most extraordinary highlights: mountain gorilla trekking. Bwindi’s dramatic, densely forested terrain is crisscrossed with trails that grant access to some of the world’s last remaining mountain gorillas, and along the way, trekkers may also encounter L’Hoest’s monkeys, black-fronted duiker, elephants, and a rich array of birdlife.

Once located, time spent observing the gorillas is limited to one hour in the interest of conservation, though the trek itself may take anywhere from two to eight hours depending on the family’s movements that day. It is an encounter widely described as profoundly moving, and one that leaves a lasting impression on all who experience it. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Trekkers’ Tervan Cottages — Full Board

Day 13 — Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to Lake Bunyonyi

After a relaxed breakfast, transfer to Lake Bunyonyi, driving through Bwindi’s Ruhija Sector and the striking terraced hillsides of the Kigezi Highlands — often referred to as the “Switzerland of Africa” — via the winding roads to Kabale. Arrive in the afternoon and check in for dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Arcadia Cottages — Full Board

Day 14 — Lake Bunyonyi to Lake Mburo National Park

After breakfast, take time to appreciate the beauty of Lake Bunyonyi and its surroundings with a boat cruise across the lake, visiting several of its scenic islands. Continue in the afternoon to Lake Mburo National Park, arriving in the evening to check in for dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Eagle’s Nest — Full Board

Day 15 — Lake Mburo National Park

Begin the day with an early-morning nature walk, one of the finest of the safari, accompanied by a ranger guide in search of zebra, impala, buffalo, bohor reedbuck, topi, oribi, hyena, eland (Africa’s largest antelope), warthog, bush pig, and abundant birdlife. The walk lasts approximately two hours and offers wonderfully close encounters with the park’s wildlife.

Return to the lodge for breakfast and some relaxation, before an afternoon boat trip on Lake Mburo, offering further wildlife sightings as animals gather along the shoreline — including the chance to spot the rare African Finfoot among the park’s birdlife.

Overnight: Eagle’s Nest — Full Board

Day 16 — Lake Mburo National Park to Mabamba Swamp

Set out early for a final game drive in search of zebra, impala, warthog, bush pig, oribi, klipspringer, bushbuck, buffalo, eland, and leopard, alongside a further variety of birdlife. Return to the lodge for breakfast before checking out and continuing, with lunch en route, to Entebbe. Arrive in the evening and check in for dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Nkima Forest Lodge — Full Board

Day 17 — Mabamba Swamp & Departure

After an early breakfast, take a canoe trip through Mabamba Swamp in search of the elusive Shoebill Stork and other water birds. Return in the afternoon for lunch before being transferred to the airport in good time for your onward flight home.

Safari Summary

Tour Duration: 17 Days & 16 Nights Departure / Return Location: Entebbe, Uganda

Destinations on Tour: Entebbe · Murchison Falls National Park · Kibale Forest National Park · Queen Elizabeth National Park · Bwindi Impenetrable National Park · Lake Bunyonyi · Lake Mburo National Park · Mabamba Swamp · Entebbe

Quotation (2 Pax / Per Person): $6,938 High Season | $6,530 Low Season

Included

• Transport
• Private guide
• Accommodation
• All meals
• Entrance fees
• Park fees
• Trekking permits

Not Included

• International flights
• Uganda visa costs
• Medical insurance
• Travel insurance
• Drinks
• Gratuities
• Laundry
• Personal expenses
• Other activities

Book your 17 Day Uganda Gorillas & Wildlife Safari Today:

Here are some of our tours; Uganda Wildlife Adventure – Sport Fishing Excursions, Gorilla Trekking Tour, Uganda Cultural Tour.

Also contact us for Uganda Birding Tours, Rwanda Birding Tours, Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes Forest, Uganda Gorilla Trekking Tours, Karamoja Cultural Tours.

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