15 Day Uganda Safari, Gorillas, Chimps and Wildlife
A 15-day Uganda safari is a complete overland circuit for travellers who want to experience the country’s main primate, wildlife and landscape regions in one well-paced journey. This itinerary starts and ends in Entebbe and connects Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Murchison Falls National Park, Kibale Forest, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga, Lake Bunyonyi, Lake Mburo and Ngamba Island. The route combines rhino tracking on foot, game drives, Nile and Kazinga Channel boat cruises, chimpanzee trekking in Kibale, gorilla trekking in Bwindi, golden monkey tracking or a volcano hike in Mgahinga, a Lake Bunyonyi rest day, a Lake Mburo walking safari and a final chimpanzee sanctuary visit at Ngamba Island. This safari is suitable for travellers who want a full Uganda circuit without rushing between regions.
Safari highlights
- 15-day Uganda safari circuit starting and ending in Entebbe
- Rhino tracking on foot at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
- Game drive and Nile boat cruise in Murchison Falls National Park
- Visit to the top of Murchison Falls
- Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest National Park
- Bigodi Wetland walk near Kibale
- Game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Kazinga Channel boat cruise for hippos, crocodiles, elephants and birds
- Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
- Optional Batwa, forest or village experience near Bwindi
- Volcano hike or golden monkey tracking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
- Lake Bunyonyi rest day and boat trip
- Walking safari in Lake Mburo National Park
- Ngamba Island chimpanzee sanctuary visit before departure
Detailed itinerary
Day 1, Arrival in Entebbe and Hotel Transfer
Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be welcomed by your driver guide and transferred to your hotel. This first day is kept simple to allow time to rest after your international flight. Depending on your arrival time, you may stay in Entebbe or continue to Kampala, based on the confirmed hotel arrangement. Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel. Accommodation and meals: Budget option: Forest cottages, Mid-range option: Skys Hotel Naguru, Luxury option: Sheraton hotel
Day 2, Ziwa Rhino Tracking and Transfer to Murchison Falls
After breakfast, begin the journey north towards Murchison Falls National Park. Stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for rhino tracking on foot. This guided activity gives you the chance to see southern white rhinos in a protected natural setting. After the activity, continue to Masindi for lunch. Proceed to Murchison Falls National Park, entering through Kichumbanyobo Gate. Depending on timing, visit the top of the falls before continuing to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay. Accommodation and meals: Budget option: Heritage Safari lodge, Mid-range option: Pakuba Safari lodge, Luxury option: Paraa Safari lodge for luxury
Day 3, Murchison Falls Game Drive and Nile Boat Cruise
After an early breakfast, go for a morning game drive in Murchison Falls National Park. The northern sector offers good chances to see elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, lions, Uganda kob, hartebeests and other savannah wildlife. Your guide will choose tracks based on recent sightings and park conditions. Return to the lodge for lunch and a short rest. In the afternoon, take a Nile boat cruise towards the base of Murchison Falls. Along the riverbanks, you may see hippos, Nile crocodiles, elephants, buffaloes and many water birds. The cruise also gives strong views of the falls from below. Return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 4, Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
After an early breakfast, begin the long transfer west towards Kibale Forest National Park. This is a full-day drive through the countryside, roadside markets, farms and western Uganda landscapes. As you approach the Fort Portal region, the scenery changes to crater lakes, tea plantations and forested hills. Arrive near Kibale Forest in the late afternoon and check in at your lodge. The evening is left free for relaxation as your guide confirms the briefing time and what to carry for the chimpanzee trekking experience. Accommodation options: Budget option Isunga Lodge, Mid-range option Chimpanzee Forest Guest House, Luxury option Kyaninga Lodge
Day 5, Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale Forest
After breakfast, transfer to Kanyanchu Visitor Centre for chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest. You will attend a briefing by ranger guides before entering the forest to search for a habituated chimpanzee community. The trek can take 2 to 4 hours, depending on where the chimpanzees are feeding or moving. Once the chimpanzees are located, you spend one hour observing them as they feed, call, groom and move through the forest. Kibale is also home to other primates, forest birds, butterflies and rich tropical vegetation, which add value to the forest walk. Return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 6, Bigodi Wetland Walk and Transfer to Queen Elizabeth
After breakfast, visit Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary for a guided nature and community walk. Bigodi is known for birds, monkeys and community-based conservation. During the walk, you may see red-tailed monkeys, black-and-white colobus monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys and birds such as the great blue turaco. After the walk, return for lunch, then begin the drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The transfer takes about 3 to 4 hours, passing crater lake scenery, farms and views of the Rwenzori region. Arrive in the late afternoon and check in at your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay. Accommodation options: Budget option: Pumba safari cottages, Mid-range option: Parkview Safari lodge, Luxury option: Elephant Plains lodge
Day 7, Queen Elizabeth Game Drive and Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise
After an early breakfast, go for a game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Your guide will search for lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks, Uganda kob and other antelopes. The morning hours are usually better for wildlife viewing because animals are more active before the heat rises. Return to the lodge for lunch and a short rest. In the afternoon, take a Kazinga Channel boat cruise. The channel connects Lake George and Lake Edward and attracts hippos, crocodiles, elephants, buffaloes and many water birds along the shores. This cruise is also good for photography, birdwatching and relaxed wildlife viewing from the water. Return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 8, Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
After breakfast, depart for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, driving south through the highlands of western Uganda. The route passes tea estates, terraced hillsides and rural communities, with lunch arranged in Kabale or along the way depending on timing. The exact route and lodge location depend on your confirmed gorilla trekking sector. As you approach Bwindi, the landscape becomes steeper and more forested. Check in at your lodge and spend the afternoon resting as your guide reviews the trekking details for the next day. Accommodation options: Budget, Buhoma Community Rest Camp, Midrange, Buhoma Haven Lodge, Luxury Gorilla Heights Lodge
Day 9, Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Forest
After an early breakfast, transfer to the park headquarters for registration and briefing by Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers. You will be assigned to a gorilla family based on permit arrangements, group size and fitness considerations. Your guide can help arrange a porter, which is strongly recommended for comfort on steep or muddy terrain. The trek can take from one hour to several hours depending on the location of the gorilla family. Trails pass through dense forest, vines and uneven slopes, making this a real forest hike. Once the gorillas are located, you spend one hour with them. You may see a silverback, mothers with infants and young gorillas feeding, resting or playing. Photography is allowed without flash. After the trek, return to the lodge for relaxation. Optional community visits can be arranged if time and energy allow. Dinner and overnight stay at your lodge.
Day 10, Bwindi Community Experience and Transfer to Kisoro
After breakfast, choose one optional activity around Bwindi depending on your interest and energy level. Options may include the Batwa cultural experience, a guided forest walk or a village visit near the park. These activities add cultural and conservation context after the gorilla trekking day. After lunch, transfer to Kisoro, bringing you closer to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park for the next day’s activity. Dinner and overnight stay near Kisoro. Accommodation and meals: Budget option: Mucha Lodge, Mid-range Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge, Luxury option: Lake Mutanda Resort
Day 11, Mgahinga Volcano Hike or Golden Monkey Tracking
After breakfast, drive to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park for your selected activity. Option A, Mount Gahinga Volcano Hike: Mount Gahinga is one of the Virunga volcanoes and offers a rewarding full-day hike for active travellers. The trail passes through bamboo forest, montane vegetation and higher slopes before reaching the summit area. The hike can take about 6 to 8 hours depending on fitness, weather and trail conditions. It is best suited to travellers comfortable with steep walking and changing mountain weather.
Option B, Golden Monkey Tracking: If you prefer a primate experience instead of a volcano hike, golden monkey tracking is a strong alternative. After the briefing, you enter the bamboo zone with ranger guides to search for golden monkeys. Once found, you spend one hour observing them as they feed, leap between bamboo stems and move through the forest. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 12, Lake Bunyonyi Rest Day and Boat Trip
After breakfast, transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for a slower day after the primate and mountain activities. The drive takes about 2 hours, arriving late in the morning. Lake Bunyonyi is known for terraced hills, island scenery and calm waters, making it a good place to rest within a long safari circuit. In the afternoon, take a boat trip to selected islands, depending on your interests and timing. You may visit Kyahugye Island, Akampeine Island and other cultural or scenic stops around the lake. Return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay. Accommodation options: Budget option: Bunyonyi Overland resort, Mid-range option: Arcadia cottages, Luxury option: Bunyonyi BirdNest Lodge
Day 13, Transfer to Lake Mburo and Walking Safari
After breakfast, drive to Lake Mburo National Park. On arrival, check in at your lodge and have lunch. Later in the afternoon, go for a ranger-guided walking safari. Lake Mburo is one of the best parks in Uganda for walking safaris because travellers can experience savannah wildlife on foot under ranger guidance. You may see zebras, elands, impalas, topi, buffaloes, warthogs and many bird species. Return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay. Accommodation and meals: Budget option: Eagles Nest Lodge, Mid-range option: Rwakobo Rock lodge, Luxury option: Mihingo Lodge
Day 14, Lake Mburo Game Drive or Boat Cruise and Transfer to Entebbe
After breakfast, choose between a morning game drive or a boat cruise on Lake Mburo, depending on your interests and final itinerary arrangement. The game drive gives another chance to see zebras, elands, impalas, buffaloes, warthogs and birds. The boat cruise focuses on hippos, crocodiles and water birds around the lake. After the activity, begin the transfer to Entebbe, with lunch en route and a stop at the Uganda Equator at Kayabwe for photos and souvenir shopping. Arrive in Entebbe in the evening and check in at your hotel. Accommodation and meals: Budget option: Via Via Guesthouse, Mid-range option: Best Western Garden Hotel/2 Friends Guesthouse, Luxury option: Entebbe Protea Hotel
Day 15, Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Departure
After breakfast, transfer to the boat departure point for Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary. On arrival, you receive an introduction to the sanctuary, its conservation work and the chimpanzees under its care. You then view a chimpanzee feeding session from the visitors’ platform. Depending on time, optional activities may include a Ngamba trail walk or a visit to nearby fishing communities. After the visit, return by boat to the mainland, where your driver guide will transfer you to Entebbe International Airport for your onward flight. This marks the end of your 15 day Uganda safari.
Inclusions and Exclusions
Included
- Airport pickup and drop-off in Entebbe
- Private 4×4 safari vehicle with fuel
- English-speaking driver guide
- Park entry fees
- Gorilla trekking permit in Bwindi
- Chimpanzee trekking permit in Kibale
- Golden monkey tracking permit
- 14 nights accommodation
- Meals as stated in the itinerary
- Bottled drinking water during transfers
- Government taxes and statutory fees
Excluded
- International flights to and from Uganda
- Uganda visa fees or East African Tourist Visa
- Travel insurance
- Porter fees during gorilla trekking
- Tips and gratuities for guides, rangers and lodge staff
- Alcoholic drinks and premium beverages at lodges
- Laundry services
- Personal expenses such as souvenirs
- Optional activities not included
- Extra accommodation before or after the safari
