Safari Overview
This 9 Days Uganda Safari offers you the best of primates, wildlife, and cultural experiences in Uganda, the Pearl of Africa. Expect to explore some of the finest destinations in Uganda, including Murchison Falls National Park, Kibale National Park, Queen Elizabeth, Ziwa, and Lake Bunyonyi. The 9 Days Uganda Safari covers exceptional experiences such as chimpanzee tracking, gorilla trekking, rhino trekking, game drives, boat cruise, among others. This safari is expected to begin and end in Kampala/Entebbe city.
The Brief Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival & Transfer to your Hotel (optional tour at Entebbe zoo)
Day 2: Entebbe to Murchison with a Visit to Ziwa Sanctuary
Day 3: Enjoy a Full-day game viewing in the lush Murchison Falls NP
Day 4: Scenic drive to Kibale via Hoima City-Fort Portal route
Day 5: Visit Chimpanzees in Kibale & Transfer to Queen Elizabeth Park
Day 6: Full day wildlife tour –Game drive & Boat excursion
Day 7: Pick up & travel by road to Bwindi via Ishasha
Day 8: Gorilla trekking & sunset boat tour on Lake Bunyonyi
Day 9: Departure from Lake Bunyonyi to Kampala/Entebbe
The Detailed Itinerary – 9 Days Uganda safari
Day 1: Arrival & Transfer to your Hotel (optional tour at Entebbe zoo)
Upon arrival at the Entebbe International Airport, get a warm welcome from Rivo Safari representative. After, you will be expected to exit the airport and you may have a short tour at the zoo. The Entebbe city tour at the zoo will depend on your arrival time. From the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre/Zoo, you will continue to the hotel for relaxation and also have a briefing from our representative.
Accommodation Options
- The Boma Hotel (Entebbe city)
- Hotel No.5 (Entebbe)
Day 2: Entebbe to Murchison with a Visit to Ziwa Sanctuary
After breakfast, meet the driver guide, and you will begin your journey to Murchison Falls National Park, this will involve driving on the Kampala-Gulu highway. Pass through the Luweero town and later, make a stopover at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in Nakasongola. Enjoy a 2-hour trek with rhinos, explore more about their behaviors, and after, you will enjoy lunch at the Kabalega dinners. After lunch, continue to the lodge booked by Rivo Safaris for you in Murchison Falls National Park.
Accommodation Options
- Budget: Hornbill Safari Lodge or Heritage Lodge
- Midrange: Murchison River Lodge/Pakuba Lodge
- Luxury: Nile Safari Lodge/Paraa Safari Lodge
Day 3: Enjoy a Full-day game viewing in the lush Murchison Falls NP
After breakfast, you will be taken to enjoy your morning game drive in the northern circuit. This section of Murchison is endowed with diverse animals for you to sight on a game drive, including Rothschild giraffes, buffaloes, lions, elephants, leopards, Jackson hartebeest, oribis, Uganda Kobs, and warthogs. You will also spot diversity of birds and after, drive back to enjoy some lunch. You will be picked up by a driver, and you will meet the officials to take you through the briefing for a launch cruise on the Victoria Nile. The Victoria Nile boat experience comes with sightings ranging from hippos, crocodiles, and birds.
Accommodation Options
- Budget: Hornbill Safari Lodge or Heritage Lodge
- Midrange: Murchison River Lodge/Pakuba Lodge
- Luxury: Nile Safari Lodge/Paraa Safari Lodge
Day 4: Scenic drive to Kibale via Hoima City-Fort Portal route
Leave Murchison Falls National Park for Kibale, home to a population of 13 primate species including l’hoest monkeys, over 1500 chimpanzees, colobus monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, red colobus monkeys, and olive baboons, etc. En route to Kibale, there will be a lunch break at Fort Portal and you can continue up to Bigodi for a short walk (optional).
Accommodation Options
- Silver/Budget: Isunga Lodge/Kibale Forest Camp
- Midrange: Primates Lodge & Chimpanzee Guesthouse cottages
- Luxury/High-end: Luxury Kibale Lodge/Kyaninga Lodge
Day 5: Visit Chimpanzees in Kibale & Transfer to Queen Elizabeth Park
Assemble at Kanyanchu Tourist Centre for a briefing on chimpanzee trekking regulations, and the park official will assign you a ranger guide. At around 8:00 am, you will start the actual trek through Kibale Forest to look for the chimpanzee community. Kibale alone has around 4 habituated chimpanzee communities and expect to visit one with an experienced ranger guide. The trek with Kibale chimpanzees comes with an hour for photography and observing how these primates socialize or behave.
Within Kibale Forest, there will be a chance to observe more primates, including colobus monkeys, olive baboons, l’hoest monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, and grey-cheeked mangabeys. After seeing chimpanzees, you will return, and the driver guide will take you back to the lodge. Check out of the lodge after lunch and in the afternoon, transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park. You will also have a stopover at the Equator (Kikorongo) and continue to the lodge/camp.
Accommodation Options
- Budget/Silver: Simba Tented Camp/Bulbul Safari Lodge
- Midrange: Enganzi Game Lodge/Buffalo Safari Lodge
- Luxury: Elephant Plains Lodge/Mweya/Katara Lodge
Day 6: Full day wildlife tour –Game drive & Boat excursion
After breakfast, you will embark on your game drive to explore the Kasenyi plains. A range of mammals await you to observe, including elephants, buffaloes, warthogs, bush bucks, hyenas, waterbucks, and Uganda Kobs. After the game drive, you will be transferred to the lodge. Relax and also enjoy a delicious lunch at the lodge. In the afternoon, expect to embark on a recreational sport excursion –a guided boat tour. Explore the Kazinga channel while sighting the hippos, crocodiles, and birds. Later, you will have dinner and relaxation in the pre-booked accommodation.
Accommodation Options
- Budget/Silver: Simba Tented Camp/Bulbul Safari Lodge
- Midrange: Enganzi Game Lodge/Buffalo Safari Lodge
- Luxury: Elephant Plains Lodge/Mweya/Katara Lodge
Day 7: Pick up & travel by road to Bwindi via Ishasha
A delicious breakfast will be enjoyed at the comfort of your lodge and after, expect to visit Bwindi. This will include driving through the Ishasha sector in the south and this is the region where you will have a chance to watch the tree-climbing lions. From the Ishasha sector, you will connect to
Accommodation Options
- Budget: Bwindi Backpackers Lodge/Ride 4 a Woman Camp
- Midrange: Haven Lodge/Engagi Lodge/Mahogany Springs
- Luxury: Bwindi Lodge/Silverback Lodge/Buhoma Lodge
Day 8: Gorilla trekking & sunset boat tour on Lake Bunyonyi
Enjoy a hefty breakfast early in the morning, and after that, you will transfer to the Buhoma region for a briefing. During the briefing, you will learn more about the rules for gorilla trekking and also be assigned a ranger guide to take you for the actual search for mountain gorillas. Bwindi holds about 24 habituated families of mountain gorillas, each visited by a maximum of 8 (eight) tourists, and on any trek, you will be led by a guide. The trek with Bwindi gorillas often takes around 2-6 hours, which includes one hour of you observing the gorillas as they bond, socialize, and more.
Retreat from the gorilla trek and settle for lunch, then in the afternoon, you will be picked up by a driver guide from Rivo Safaris. Today’s afternoon will be meant for you to experience the sunset boat cruise/canoe ride on Lake Bunyonyi, a charming lake with 29 islands.
Accommodation Options
- Midrange: Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort
Day 9: Departure from Lake Bunyonyi to Kampala/Entebbe
After a heavy breakfast in your boutique resort, you depart from your resort. You will enjoy lunch en route and photography at the Equator crossing. The final journey will involve connecting via Masaka to Kampala, then Entebbe city.
End of 9 Days Uganda Safari
Safari Inclusions
- Game viewing (game drives & boat tour)
- Gorilla & chimpanzee trekking permits (Uganda)
- Transportation in a 4×4 safari car with driver services from Rivo Safaris.
- Bottled water in the 4×4 safari car
- Sunset boat or canoe ride experience (Lake Bunyonyi)
- Accommodation for 8 nights plus all meals in the travel plan
Safari Exclusions
- Tips
- Flight fees (international & domestic)
- Laundry service fees
- Insurance (Health & Travel)
- Visas/passports
- Alcoholic drinks (premium/imported)