9 Days Uganda Safari is a unique safari experience that gives you the chance to visit some of Uganda’s most popular national parks, such as Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Kibale National Park, and the highest concentration of chimpanzees in Uganda. Murchison Falls National Park is the largest national park in Uganda and offers boat cruises on the River Nile.
Highlights of the 9 Days Uganda Safari
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Kampala
Day 2: Transfer to Murchison falls national park
Day 3: Game drive and boat cruise
Day 4: Transfer to Kibale national park
Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking and transfer to queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 6: Game drive/ lion tracking and boat cruise
Day 7: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 8: Gorilla trekking
Day 9: Departure to Kampala
Detailed itinerary
Day 1 of the 9 days Uganda safari
Our driving guide will meet you upon your arrival at Entebbe International Airport on the first day of your nine-day Uganda safari, and you will then be transferred to Kampala where you will check in at the lodge, eat supper, and spend the night.
Accommodation, Sheraton hotel
Day 2: Transfer to Murchison falls national park
Your driver guide will pick you up from the resort on the second day of your nine-day Uganda safari after you have an early breakfast and before you go for Murchison Falls National Park. The largest and busiest national park in Uganda is Murchison Falls National Park, which is situated in Kampala’s northern region. It takes around 4 to 5 hours to drive from Luwero to Masindi, where you will stop for lunch along route. You will proceed to the park after lunch, where you will drive right up to the top of the falls for spectacular views of the River Nile and other animal and bird species. After driving to the top of the falls, you will check into the lodge, have supper, and spend the night there.
Accommodation options: Paraa safari lodge luxury, Pakuba safari lodge mid-range or Red chilli rest camp budget.
Day 3: Game drive and Boat cruise
Your driving guide will pick you up and take you on a transfer for the morning game drive, which will begin at approximately 7:00am, on the third day of your nine-day safari in Uganda. The majority of the park’s animals, including elephants, buffalo, giraffes, lions, waterbucks, warthogs, and antelopes, can be seen during a game drive, which is frequently done in the Buligi game track. Murchison Falls National Park is blessed with a variety of vegetation types, bird species, and animal species. You will return to the lodge to eat lunch and get ready after the wildlife drive.
You will have an afternoon boat tour on the Nile after lunch. The boat cruise excursion, which lasts for approximately two hours, is a thrilling activity that allows you to see a variety of wildlife, including hippos and crocodiles in the water, hippos and antelopes on the water’s edge, and some water birds. The boat keeps going to the base of the waterfall, where you may enjoy lovely waterfall views and choose to hike to the top of the waterfall, where you will be reunited with your driver guide. An exciting and challenging activity that takes around 45 minutes but requires physical fitness is hiking to the top of the waterfall. You will meet your driving guide when you reach the top of the falls, and you will then travel back to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay at the same lodge that was utilized the day before.
Day 4: Transfer to Kibale national park
On the fourth day of your9 Days Uganda Safari, you will rise, eat breakfast, and then meet your driver/guide to begin the trip to Kibale National Park. Kibale, which is located in southwest Uganda, is referred to as the primate capital since it is home to the greatest concentration of chimpanzees. It takes around 8 to 9 hours to drive from Murchison Falls National Park to Kibale National Park, but the trip is worth it for the breathtaking vistas of the Rwenzori Mountains, Lake Albert, Lake Edward, and Lake George, among other natural wonders. You will stop for lunch along the way, walk about, and take pictures, and then continue on to the lodge, where you will check in, have supper, and spend the night.
Accommodation options: Primates lodge luxury, Chimpanzee guest house midrange
Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale national park
On the fifth day of your 9 Days Uganda Safari, you will rise early, eat breakfast, and then meet your driver-guide to travel to the Kanyachu Visitors Center for a lecture on the laws and expectations for hiking. Following the briefing, you will be divided into groups of six and assigned a chimpanzee group to hike with. A park guide will accompany you as you journey into the forest while educating you about the chimpanzees. Once the chimpanzees have been found, you will spend an hour with them learning more about their lifestyle, behaviors, watching them feed, and watching them play up in the trees as you record videos and take plenty of pictures with a flash-free camera. Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest National Park can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours, depending on where they are. You will hike back to the Kanyachu Visitors Center after spending an hour with the chimpanzees, where you will meet your driver guide and have a ride back to the resort for lunch.
You will leave the hotel after lunch, meet your driver, and go to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The second-largest national park in Uganda is Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is located in the southwest. Getting to Queen Elizabeth National Park requires a 3 to 4-hour journey. Once there, you’ll embark on an evening game drive where you may see a variety of animals, including elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks, Uganda kobs, and bushbucks, among others. You’ll drive to the lodge after the game drive, sign in, have supper, and spend the night.
Accommodation options include Mweya Safari Lodge (luxury), Park View Safari Lodge (midrange) or Pumba Safari Lodge (budget).
Day 6: Morning game drive (lion tracking) and afternoon Boat cruise
On the sixth day of your 9 Days Uganda Safari, you’ll rise early, have breakfast, and meet your driver-guide so you can go to Kasenyi Plains for a morning game drive or lion tracking adventure. You will see a variety of wildlife during the game drive, including lions, leopards, elephants, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, buffaloes, bushbucks, hyenas, and bush pigs. You will also see a variety of bird species, including the papyrus gonolek, white-backed night heron, yellow-throated cuckoo, red-chested sunbird, and white-winged warbler. You will travel to the lodge for lunch after the 4 to 5 hour-long game drive.
You will meet your driver/guide after lunch, and you will then be transferred for the afternoon boat excursion. The Kazinga canal, a piece of water between Lake George and Lake Edward, is where the boat tour in Queen Elizabeth National Park is conducted. The 2-hour boat journey departs at 2:00 pm from a landing spot close to the opulent Mweya Safari Lodge. Being able to ride close to animals like elephants, buffaloes, hippos, Nile crocodiles, waterbucks, which can be seen along the water’s edge, as well as different water birds like the martial eagle, papyrus gonolek, pelicans, African skimmers, cormorants, African spoonbills, fish eagles, and king fishers, among others, makes taking a boat cruise an exciting and thrilling activity. You will travel back to the lodge for supper and the night after the boat tour.
Day 7: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park
On the seventh day of your 9 Days Uganda Safari, you will rise early, eat breakfast, check out of the lodge, and meet your driver guide to make the approximately four-hour journey to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. On the game drive, you will pass through the Ishasha area of Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is famed for its tree climbing lions. These lions may be seen peacefully lounging up in acacia and fig trees and gazing down on antelopes grazing in the savannah plains. The tree climbing lions in the Ishasha area are said to climb trees to escape the tsetse bugs and the heat from the ground in the late afternoon. You can see additional creatures, such as buffalo, elephants, antelopes, and various bird species, while on a game drive in the Ishasha area.
After your game drive in Ishasha, you’ll enjoy lunch at the Savannah Resort Hotel in Kihihi before continuing on to the Buhoma area of the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Once there, you’ll check into the lodge and unwind before signing up for an optional evening community visit. You will go to the Batwa village, who lived in the forest for many years before it was designated as a national park, on the community tour. The Batwa/pygmies will engage you in conversation as they demonstrate their way of life, tell you about how they survived in the jungle, and show you plants that they used as medicine to treat a variety of ailments, among other things. You will return to the lodge for supper and the night after the cultural tour.
Day 8: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
On the eighth day of your 9 Days Uganda Safari, you will rise early, have breakfast, pack a lunch, and meet your driver-guide to travel to the park headquarters for a briefing on the requirements, guidelines, and expectations of gorilla trekking. Following the briefing, you will be divided into groups of eight to trek each habituated gorilla family. Groups are formed based on personal interests, age, and level of physical fitness, ensuring that visitors who are not in good physical shape are assigned to a gorilla family that is close to them.
A park guide will be assigned to each group of eight people, and at approximately 8:00 am, you will begin your jungle excursion. Here, you will see a variety of flora, tree species, bird species, primates like monkeys, and other wildlife. Once the gorillas are located, you will spend an hour with them in their natural habit learning more about their lifestyle, behaviors, taking photos with a flash-free camera, and recording videos, among other things. Gorilla trekking can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 7 hours, depending on where the gorilla family is located.
Once you’ve had a gorilla encounter, you’ll return to the beginning point on foot, where you’ll receive a certificate for taking part in gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Next, you’ll meet up with your guide and make the short drive back to your lodge for the evening’s relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
Day 9: Departure to Kampala
You will wake up on the final day of your nine-day Uganda safari, eat a leisurely breakfast, check out of the lodge, and then meet your driver guide to take you to Kampala. You’ll stop for lunch along route at the Igongo Culture Center in the Mbarara area. You may learn about the tribes in Uganda by visiting the cultural center’s miniature museum, which features exhibits of various cultural customs from several tribes in Uganda.
You will proceed to the equator after lunch for pictures, where you will pass by several artisan stores selling handcrafted goods, artwork, and mementos. You will go to Kampala from the equator, and the driver/guide will drop you off there or at Entebbe Airport so you can catch your next flight.
End of 9 days Uganda safari
9 Days Uganda Safari includes
Gorilla trekking permit
Chimpanzee trekking permit
Park entrance fees
Boat cruise fees
Lion tracking fees
An English speaking driver guide
Full board accommodation
Pick up and drop off
Vehicle and fuel
Bottled water
9 Days Uganda Safari excludes
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.
Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking tips
Due to unpredictable weather conditions you are advised to pack or carry various essential items for your Uganda safari including
Hiking shoes
Garden gloves
Long sleeved shirt and trouser
Insect repellent
Water proof rain jacket
Warm sweaters
Cotton stockings
Water proof back pack to carry your equipment’s
camera
Drinking water and packed lunch from the lodge
Porter who will carry your backpack and also give you a pull and push in steep and slippery areas.