10-Day Western Uganda Wildlife Safari

Our adventure begins at 8 am when we will transfer from Entebbe Old Town or downtown Kampala to the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, home to the only wild rhinos in Uganda. Rhinos became extinct in Uganda in the early 1980s and the Ziwa site is being used as a breeding site for black and white rhinos. During our 2 hours at the sanctuary, we will see these creatures roaming around the 7,000 hectares of land and see their daily interactions.

As we leave the rhinos behind, we will proceed to Murchison Falls National Park, on the shore of Lake Albert where the River Nile roars through a narrow gap creating the Murchison Falls. We will enjoy dinner and an overnight stay at the lodge.

Wake up to an exhilarating start to the day as we embark on a game drive in the park to spot elephants, lions, giraffe, and other wildlife. This Murchison Falls safari does not stop on the land because, in the afternoon, we will take a relaxing boat trip on the iconic River Nile where, if we’re lucky, we’ll have a chance to see crocodiles, hippos, and an array of rare birds. We will see for ourselves the point where the River Nile joins Lake Albert, which is one of the major highlights of this trip. Feel the immense power and force of the falls as the spray hits your face and you listen to the deafening roar of the water.  At the end of the boat trip, we will hike the famous ‘Top of the Falls’ where we have spectacular views of the Murchison Falls along the Nile River, a perfect photo opportunity for the budding photographers. We will return to our lodge for dinner and a good night’s sleep.

Day 3 is a day of driving, but fear not, you will still be entertained! On our journey, we will pass the time by marvelling at the scenic views of the Ugandan countryside, leaving Murchison Falls National Park behind and driving southwards to Kibale Forest National Park. The drive to Kibale will go through major western towns of Hoima and Fort Portal. We will arrive at Kibale in the early evening.

Day 4 starts with us heading to the Kibale forest immediately after breakfast to track the chimpanzees in their forest home. If we are lucky on the trek, we may encounter other species of monkeys in the Kibale forest. These include colobus monkeys, olive baboons, and red-tailed monkeys. After chimp trekking, transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park via the Fort Portal Crater Lakes, perhaps Uganda’s most iconic sight. These volcanic craters formed some 8,000 to 10,000 years ago, providing an idyllic backdrop to the extensive hiking trail network in the area. Here, you can enjoy the amazing views of western Uganda’s tea farmlands and plantations. If the weather is good, we’ll get a chance to spot the Rwenzori Mountain Escarpment in the distance. After a day full of spectacular views, we’ll check in to the lodge and relax in preparation for the following day’s game drives.

Once again, we will start our morning with a game drive where we can expect to spot wildlife species such as elephants, buffaloes, side-striped jackals, hyena, leopards, lions, warthogs, Uganda kobs, and giant forest hogs. What a way to start the day!

After lunch, we’ll take a boat trip along the Kazinga Channel where we will continue our wildlife spotting, this time we will see hippos, buffalo, crocodiles, bathing elephants, and a range of beautiful birds. This will undoubtedly be another highlight of your tour.

On the way to Bwindi National Park, we will drive through the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, popularly known for the tree-climbing lions. Unlike their counterparts at the Kasenyi plains, the lions at Ishasha have found a way to climb the fig trees to enjoy the warm temperatures. While the sighting of the tree-climbing lions is not 100% guaranteed, a stopover at Ishasha is worth a visit! We will spend the night at Bwindi National Park.

Today is the day that many of you will have been waiting for. We will embark on a full-day adventure to track the mountain gorillas in Bwindi Forest National Park. The trek will commence with a short briefing on gorillas trekking rules to ensure the safety of both the guests and the gorillas. We will then start the trek into the Impenetrable Forest to encounter the gentle giants of Bwindi National Park.​ We will follow the expert guides, looking for signs of the gorillas and changing direction accordingly until we find them. After this rare and memorable experience is over, we will spend the rest of the day and night in Bwindi National Park.

Today is a unique opportunity to trek the endangered golden monkeys of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park or spend the morning learning about these local communities’ tragic history through various activities. Choose between the Batwa cultural experience, where you visit a local community and learn about their way of life, a Sabyinyo Volcano hiking tour, and/or a golden monkey trekking experience in the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Other activities include canoe trekking at Lake Mutanda and a coffee-making experience, where you can try your hand at the local industry. After the morning activity, we will drive to Lake Bunyonyi for overnight.

This is the day you will transfer from Lake Bunyonyi to Lake Mburo National Park. After arriving at Lake Mburo from Lake Bunyonyi, you will have an option to join an afternoon boat cruise on Lake Mburo to sight wildlife. Alternatively, do a night game drive. If the decision is to do a night game drive at Lake Mburo instead of the afternoon boat trip, take the morning at Lake Bunyonyi and experience the sunrise canoeing experience before driving to Lake Mburo National Park.

We will start the day with early morning game drives at Lake Mburo National Park to spot wildlife not seen at other parks (topi, zebras, and Impalas). Then transfer to Entebbe International Airport after the game drive. There is a scheduled stopover at the Equator crossing near Masaka for a coffee break and handicraft shopping. After the coffee break, drive to Entebbe.