Gorilla trekking, chimpanzee tracking, remote wilderness, and classic game parks in one expertly paced journey across Uganda.
This 20-day adventure safari features Uganda's top travel experiences: gorilla trekking in Bwindi, chimpanzee tracking in Kibale, cultural interactions, Big Five game viewing, and a visit to the Source of the mighty River Nile. It is ideal for travelers who want adventure with comfort, exploration, excellent service, and meaningful local experiences while ticking off Uganda's top bucket-list highlights.
| Day | Route | Sleep |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrival in Entebbe | Entebbe |
| 2 | Jinja - Source of the Nile | Jinja |
| 3-4 | Sipi Falls Experience | Sipi |
| 5-6 | Kidepo Valley National Park | Kidepo (Narus/Apoka) |
| 7 | Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary | Ziwa |
| 8 | Rhino Tracking and Murchison Falls Safari | Murchison (Pakuba area) |
| 9 | Activities in Murchison falls | Murchison (Pakuba area) |
| 10 | Transfer to Fort Portal city | Fort Portal |
| 11 | Explore Fort Portal city | Kibale |
| 12 | Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale | Kibale |
| 13-15 | Transfer & Explore Queen Elizabeth National Park | Queen Elizabeth/Ishasha |
| 16-17 | Bwindi Gorilla Trekking | Bwindi |
| 18-19 | Lake Mburo National Park | Lake Mburo |
| 20 | Return to Entebbe for departure | Departure |
On arrival at Entebbe International Airport, your private guide will welcome you and transfer you to your guesthouse. Settle in, relax, and recover from your journey before the safari begins.
If time allows, you can visit the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) or enjoy a short guided city outing.
Or, take a boat ride to nearby Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary, where you can observe and learn about rescued chimpanzees in their natural habitat.
You may also continue to Kampala for craft shopping and cultural experiences.
After breakfast, transfer to Jinja- Uganda's adventure capital at the Source of the Nile. This is where the Nile begins its long journey from Lake Victoria toward the Mediterranean.
Transfer to Sipi Falls on the foothills of Mount Elgon, one of Uganda's most scenic highland regions. The area is known for cool weather, dramatic escarpments, and panoramic views.
Activities across Day 3-4 include guided waterfall hikes, coffee experiences, and optional abseiling or rock climbing. The extra time here breaks up long transfers and adds a strong scenic adventure segment early in the itinerary.
Expect remote wilderness safari, big game sightings, ostriches, and Karamojong cultural encounters.
Drive to Kidepo Valley National Park, arriving in the Narus or Apoka area. This untouched landscape offers a true sense of wilderness. The journey is about 7 hours with stopovers, so this is planned as a travel day with time to relax at your lodge or camp on arrival.
First gazetted as a national park in 1962, Kidepo is a true safari gem, boasting an incredible variety of big game, unique landscapes, and rich birdlife. It is home to over 77 mammal species and an impressive 476 bird species, making it a prime destination for wildlife lovers and adventure seekers. The area also offers a unique cultural experience, where visitors can interact with local communities and gain insight into their traditions, storytelling, and daily survival techniques in one of Africa’s most challenging environments.
Spend the day exploring Kidepo Valley National Park with morning and afternoon game drives. The park's diverse habitats, including savannahs, woodlands, and riverine forests, support a wide range of wildlife. Look out for elephants, lions, leopards, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, and the unique population of wild ostriches. Birdwatchers will be in paradise with over 476 species to spot. The park's remote location ensures an intimate safari experience away from the crowds.
Transfer to the rhino sanctuary (via Gulu / Masindi). Enjoy landscapes shifting from scrub to riverine forest as you approach the Nile. Evening relaxation at your lodge in the sanctuary. You may be lucky to spot these endangered giants while having dinner at your lodge.
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is a conservation area located in Uganda, dedicated to the protection and breeding of rhinoceroses. It is home to white rhinos, which were reintroduced to Uganda after being extinct in the wild for several decades. The sanctuary offers visitors the opportunity to see these magnificent creatures up close and learn about the conservation efforts being made to protect them. Visitors can take guided tours of the sanctuary, go on rhino tracking walks. Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is an important conservation initiative that plays a crucial role in preserving Uganda's wildlife heritage.
After breakfast, attend a short safety briefing before beginning your guided rhino trek. Rangers share insights into white rhino behavior, feeding patterns, and conservation progress before leading you on foot through the sanctuary. Trek duration varies depending on the rhinos' location and terrain conditions.
After tracking the rhinos, you will have lunch at the sanctuary before transferring to Murchison Falls National Park. En route, visit abd hike the thunderous Murchison Falls, where the River Nile violently squeezes through a narrow 7-meter gorge before dropping 43 meters below. Later, arrive at your lodge in the evening for dinner and overnight stay.
Highlights: Rhino tracking and a dramatic visit to the top of Murchison Falls.
Murchison Falls is one of Uganda's premier savannah parks, known for dramatic scenery and exceptional wildlife viewing. The park is home to elephants, lions, hippos, and many other species, and is famous for the thunderous Murchison Falls on the Nile River. Most activities focus on game drives on the northern bank, where wildlife concentration is highest. Morning drives usually start around 6:00-6:30 am and run until about 10:00 am, after which you return to the lodge to relax.
In the afternoon, you shall take a boat cruise along the Nile River to the base of Murchison Falls, where you will see hippos, crocodiles, and a variety of bird species. The boat ride also offers stunning views of the falls and the surrounding landscape.
Later in the day, head out for another game drive across different tracks to improve your chances of spotting species missed in the morning. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Highlights: Game drives, boat cruise, stunning views of the falls, birdwatching.
After breakfast, you shall transfer to Fort Portal City, the tourism hub of western Uganda. En route, enjoy the town's charm, cool climate, green landscapes, and the warmth of the Tooro people. It is also an excellent base for visiting Kibale Forest National Park, home to chimpanzees.
Arrive in Fort Portal, check into your lodge, and spend the evening relaxing at your lodge.
Highlights: Scenic drive, cultural encounters, cozy town vibes.
Spend the day exploring Fort Portal and its surroundings. Start with a visit to the local market, where you can interact with vendors selling fresh produce, crafts, and traditional goods. Next, take a guided community walk through nearby villages to learn about local culture, traditions, and daily life. You may also visit a traditional healer for insights into herbal medicine and cultural practices.
Afternoon transfer to Kibale National Park, Check in your lodge. Later involve in the afternoon walk through the community trails, where you can spot various bird species and enjoy the lush greenery. This is a great way to unwind and connect with local communitiesbefore your chimpanzee trekking experience in Kibale. Indulge in cultural experiences in the evening, such as a traditional dance performance or a visit to a local home for a demonstration of food preparation, including how bananas are used to make both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
Highlights: Guided nature walk, unique biodiversity, birdwatching.
After breakfast, your guide will drive you to the park headquarters for a chimpanzee trekking briefing. Then, embark on a guided trek through the dense rainforest in search of habituated chimpanzee groups. The trek can last anywhere from 2 to 6 hours, depending on the location of the chimps and terrain conditions. Along the way, your guide will share insights about chimp behavior, ecology, and conservation efforts in the park.
After your chimpanzee trek, you will have lunch at your lodge before spending the afternoon exploring the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, a community-managed conservation area adjacent to Kibale. Here, you can take a guided nature walk through lush trails to spot various bird species, primates like colobus monkeys, and other wildlife.
Highlights: This village sightseeing tour showcases how life unfolds in a typical Ugandan community. You will meet locals across generations and experience daily village life. Cultural highlights include visits to traditional healers and local homes for demonstrations of food preparation, including how bananas are used to make both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
After breakfast, transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park, known for diverse wildlife and dramatic landscapes. The scenic drive takes you through rolling countryside before arrival at your lodge. In the afternoon, enjoy a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, where hippos, crocodiles, and prolific birdlife are commonly seen.
After a successful 3-hour boat cruise, embark on an evening game drive to spot wildlife as it is cooler times to spot animals. and later dinner and stay at you lodge.
After an early morning breakfast followed by a game drive in the park, which is home to elephants, lions, leopards, buffaloes, and more. The park's varied habitats, including savannahs, wetlands, and forests, support a wide range of wildlife. After the game drive, return to your lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, embark to explore the Ishasha sector, famous for tree-climbing lions, return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Spend the day exploring the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, renowned for its unique population of tree-climbing lions. The open savannah and acacia woodlands provide excellent game viewing opportunities, with chances to see elephants, buffaloes, leopards, and various antelope species.
On this day, begin with an early morning game drive, the best time to catch predators and other wildlife at peak activity. Return later for relaxation and continue exploring in the afternoon as guided.
Top Highlights / Optional Activities:
After breakfast, transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, home to one of the world’s most important mountain gorilla populations. On arrival, check into your lodge and unwind. The following day is reserved for gorilla trekking, where you hike through dense forest terrain with expert rangers to locate a habituated gorilla family.
Bwindi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in southwestern Uganda, renowned for extraordinary biodiversity and ancient rainforest scenery. Beyond gorillas, the forest supports rich birdlife and many other species, making it one of East Africa’s most remarkable conservation landscapes.
Today, embark on an unforgettable gorilla trekking adventure in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Accompanied by expert rangers, hike through dense forest terrain to locate a habituated gorilla family. Spend time observing these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat, gaining insights into their behavior and social structure. The trek can last anywhere from 3 to 6 hours, depending on the location of the gorillas and terrain conditions. After your gorilla encounter, return to your lodge for relaxation and reflection on this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Secure Gorilla permits bookings early, for accommodation booking and park entry fees, as they are limited and in high demand.
After breakfast, transfer to Lake Mburo National Park, known for its acacia woodland, open savannah, and high density of plains game. Upon arrival, check into your lodge and relax. Later, conduct a night game drive to spot nocturnal wildlife such as leopards, bush babies, genets, and civets.
After breakfast, embark on a walking safari with an armed ranger guide to explore the park's diverse habitats and spot wildlife up close. Return to your lodge forlunch and relaxation,
In the afternoon, you could opt for mountain biking, community walk or even evening jeep safari. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Highlights: giraffes, zebra and antelope encounters, and beautiful lake scenery.
After breakfast, begin the return drive to Entebbe. Depending on your flight schedule, you may have time for a relaxed lunch, souvenir shopping, or a short stop before your airport transfer.
This marks the end of your 20-day Uganda adventure, combining primates, wildlife, landscapes, and culture into one comprehensive safari experience.
Highlights: THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING GAMBA UGANDA SAFARIS. Departure from Entebbe International Airport.
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