The 15 days Uganda Safari begins from Kigali International Airport to different safari detinations in Uganda ending at Entebbe International Airport.
15 Days Uganda Safari – Summarized
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali
Day 2: Transfer to Bwindi and Batwa community visit
Day 3: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi and community visit
Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park and Ishasha Game Drive
Day 5: Morning game drive and boat cruise
Day 6: Transfer to Kibale and visit crater lakes
Day 7: Chimpanzee tracking and Bigodi Wetland Walk
Day 8: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park
Day 9: Game drive and boat cruise in Murchison Falls National Park
Day 10: Transfer to Kidepo Valley National Parkay
Day 11: Game Drive and Karamojong Cultural Visit
Day 12: Transfer to Sipi Falls
Day 13: Hike Sipi Falls
Day 14: Transfer to Jinja and visit the source of the Nile
Day 15: White water rafting and transfer to Entebbe for departure
Detailed 15 Days Uganda Safari
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali
Your safari begins upon arrival at Kigali International Airport where you will be welcomed by your safari guide and transferred to your hotel in Kigali. Kigali city is a big city composed of 3 districts of Nyarugenge, Gasabo and Kicukiro. If you arrive early, you can visit the Kigali genocide museum the final resting place of more than 250000 victims of genocide in the 20th century. Alternatively you can visit Kimironko market for souvenir shopping or visit the Nyamirambo women’s center for a community walk. Overnight stay at Kigali Serena, Hotel des Mille Collines.
Day 2: Transfer to Bwindi and Batwa community visit
After breakfast, you begin the journey from Kigali to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in southwestern Uganda. The drive covers approximately 170 to 220 km depending on the gorilla trekking sector and takes around 5 to 7 hours including border crossing at either the Katuna or Cyanika border posts. The roads are mostly paved until the final stretches leading into Bwindi where some sections are murram and can be rough during rainy seasons. The journey passes through terraced hills, rural villages, and mountain landscapes near the Virunga region. Hidden gems along the way include roadside viewpoints overlooking volcanic mountains and local markets selling handmade crafts and fresh produce.
Upon arrival near Bwindi, you will visit the Batwa community. During this cultural experience, local guides demonstrate traditional hunting methods, herbal medicine knowledge, music, dance and storytelling about their former life in the forest before conservation changed their way of life. Dinner and overnight stay will be at Trekker’s Tavern Cottages (Budget), Bakiga Lodge or Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge (Deluxe), or Mahogany Springs Lodge and Four Gorillas Lodge for luxury accommodation.
Day 3: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi and community visit
After breakfast, you will receive a packed lunch from the lodge before transferring to the park headquarters in the gorilla trekking sector indicated on your permit in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Upon arrival, you may be welcomed with local cultural performances from the Bakiga or the Batwa community. A briefing by the park wardens usually begins between 7:30 am and 8:00 am. During the briefing, you will learn about gorilla conservation, gorilla behavior, trekking guidelines, safety measures and the importance of tourism to local communities. Visitors are then grouped into teams of up to eight people each led by an experienced ranger guide. You will enter the forest in search of the mountain gorillas through steep and sometimes slippery trails within the dense tropical forest. The trek can take several hours depending on the gorillas’ location and movement. Along the way, you may see different tree species, forest flowers, butterflies and other primates such as L’Hoest’s monkey, vervet monkey and black-and-white Colobus. Other animals occasionally seen in the forest include bushpigs, bushbucks, giant forest hogs, duikers and forest elephants.
Once the gorillas are found, you will spend up to one hour observing and photographing them while maintaining the recommended viewing distance. If you are participating in a gorilla habituation experience more time is allowed with the gorillas as researchers and rangers continue helping them get used to human presence. After the trek, return to the park headquarters to receive your trekking certificate before heading back to the lodge for lunch. Dinner and overnight stay will be at Trekker’s Tavern Cottages (Budget), Bakiga Lodge or Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge (Deluxe), or Mahogany Springs Lodge and Four Gorillas Lodge for luxury accommodation.
Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park and Ishasha Game Drive
In the morning after breakfast, you drive north toward Queen Elizabeth National Park through the Ishasha sector. The journey covers about 160 km and takes approximately 4 to 6 hours depending on road conditions. Along the drive, make another stop in the local communities of Kanungu to explore traditional coffee growing practices, its cultural significance to the local people and its importance to the community. You can have lunch at the Savannah Hotel in Kihihi before continuing to Queen Elizabeth National park. The drive connects the mountainous forests of Bwindi with the open savannah landscapes of Queen Elizabeth National Park. As you descend from the highlands, the scenery changes into grasslands dotted with fig trees and acacia woodland.
Upon arrival in Ishasha, you enjoy a game drive in search of the famous tree-climbing lions often seen resting in fig trees. Other animals commonly spotted include elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kob, topis and warthogs. Dinner and overnight at Ishasha Jungle lodge, Ishasha Wilderness camp
Day 5: Morning game drive and boat cruise
After an early breakfast, you will head out for a morning game drive through the Kasenyi plains and Queen’s Mile in Queen Elizabeth National Park which is located within the Albertine Rift Valley. Morning game drives usually begin around 6:30 am when many animals are still active. During the drive, you may see side-striped jackals, hyenas, warthogs, buffaloes, elephants, topis, Uganda kobs, waterbucks and occasionally leopards. The park is also known for its rich birdlife and has one of the highest bird counts in Uganda and East Africa. Bird species that may be spotted include the African Skimmer, Chapin’s Flycatcher, Black Bee-eater, White-winged Warbler, Pink-backed Pelican and the Martial Eagle.
After the game drive, return to the lodge for relaxation and lunch. In the afternoon, proceed to Mweya Jetty for a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel starting at around 2:00 pm. The cruise lasts about two hours and follows the channel connecting Lake George and Lake Edward. During the boat ride, you may see hippos, buffaloes, crocodiles, elephants and different bird species along the shoreline. The cruise also provides good opportunities for photography, bird watching and wildlife viewing from close range. Later in the evening, you may take a short game drive along the channel track to look out for more wildlife during the cooler evening hours before returning to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay at Parkview Safari Lodge or Enganzi Safari Lodge.
Day 6: Transfer to Kibale and visit crater lakes
After breakfast, you will depart for Kibale National Park, a journey of approximately 157 km taking about 2 to 3 hours. Along the way, you will enjoy views of the distant Rwenzori Mountains as well as the scenic countryside of western Uganda.
You will also make a stop at the crater lake region near Fort Portal. These crater lakes were formed by ancient volcanic activity and are surrounded by rolling hills, tea plantations, forests, and local communities. The area offers good viewpoints and opportunities for photography and short nature walks.
Kibale National Park is one of Uganda’s best-known tropical forests and is famous for having one of the highest concentrations of primates in Africa. The park is especially known for chimpanzee tracking and is home to 12 primate species, including Chimpanzee, L’Hoest’s Monkey, Olive Baboon, Red-tailed Monkey, Uganda Red Colobus, Black-and-white Colobus, Blue Monkey, Grey-cheeked Mangabey, bush babies and pottos monkeys. The park also supports over 70 mammal species, around 375 bird species, many butterflies, and a rich variety of plant life. Upon arrival, you will check in at Chimpanzee Guest House (Budget), Turaco Treetops (Deluxe), or Papaya Lake Lodge and Crater Safari Lodge for luxury accommodation.
Day 7: Chimpanzee tracking and Bigodi Wetland Walk
In the morning, you will transfer to Kanyanchu Visitor Centre for a short briefing about chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park. After the briefing, you will enter the forest with a ranger guide in search of the chimpanzees. Once located, you will spend one hour observing them in their natural habitat as they feed, communicate, groom each other and care for their young. The forest walk also offers chances to see other primates such as Vervet Monkey, L’Hoest’s Monkey, grey-cheeked Mangabey and black-and-white Colobus, among others. After the trek, return to the park headquarters where you will receive a chimpanzee trekking certificate.
Later, you may visit Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary for a guided wetland walk. The wetland is known for its rich birdlife, monkeys, butterflies and swamp vegetation which makes it a good place for nature walks and bird watching. Return to the lodge for lunch and spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing. As an optional activity, you may visit the Amabere ga Nyina Mwiru Caves near Fort Portal where local guides share stories connected to the caves, waterfalls and surrounding crater lake landscape. Dinner and overnight stay will be at Chimpanzee Guest House (Budget), Turaco Treetops or Isunga Lodge (Deluxe), or Crater Safari Lodge, Papaya Lake Lodge and Kyaninga Lodge for luxury accommodation.
Day 8: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park
After breakfast, you will begin the journey to Murchison Falls National Park via the Kyenjojo–Hoima road. The drive covers approximately 294 km and takes about 5 to 6 hours. Along the way, you will pass through tea plantations and rural villages. You will have a lunch stop in Hoima before continuing toward the park. The route also offers views of the Albertine Rift Valley, parts of Lake Albert, the Butiaba escarpments, natural forests and cultivated farmlands. As you approach the park, the landscape gradually changes into open savannah and woodland vegetation. Upon arrival, you will check in at Kabalega Wilderness Lodge for luxury accommodation, Pakuba Safari Lodge for deluxe/luxury or Red Chilli Rest Camp for budget accommodation.
Later in the evening, you may go for a hike to the top of Murchison Falls which takes about 45 minutes. The falls are found along the Nile River where the river passes through a narrow gorge of about seven meters before dropping nearly 45 meters below and continuing westward toward Lake Albert. The hike offers views of the rushing water, surrounding landscape, and the powerful flow of the Nile. After the activity, return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 9: Game drive and boat cruise in Murchison Falls National Park
After an early breakfast at around 6:30 am, you will head out for a morning game drive in the northern section of Murchison Falls National Park. This area is characterized by open savannah grasslands mixed with acacia woodland, borassus palms, riverine vegetation and a variety of wildlife habitats. The game drive lasts about 3 to 4 hours and offers chances to see animals such as lions, leopards, buffaloes, giraffes, waterbucks, Jackson’s hartebeests and Patas Monkey. The park is also rich in birdlife and species that may be seen include saddle-billed storks, Denham’s bustards, grey-crowned cranes, squacco herons, piapiacs, red-throated bee-eaters, goliath herons and kingfishers.
After the game drive, return to the lodge for lunch and some time to relax. In the afternoon, proceed to Paraa Jetty for a boat cruise along the Nile River to the base of Murchison Falls. The boat trip takes about 3 hours and usually starts at around 2:00 pm. During the cruise, you may see Nile crocodiles, elephants, hippos, buffaloes and different water birds along the riverbanks, including goliath herons, African fish eagles, African jacanas and occasionally the Shoebill. After the activity, return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 10: Transfer to Kidepo Valley National Park
After breakfast, you will depart for Kidepo Valley National Park using the Gulu–Kitgum route. The journey covers approximately 440 km and takes about 7–8 hours, though travel time may be longer depending on road conditions and stopovers along the way. The drive connects northern Uganda’s savannah plains with the remote semi-arid landscapes of the Karamoja region in northeastern Uganda. Along the route, you will pass through Gulu, one of the largest towns in northern Uganda where you will stop for lunch before continuing toward Kidepo.
As you continue through Kitgum and into the Karamoja region, the scenery gradually changes from green countryside to open plains, rocky hills and scattered traditional homesteads. Along the way you will see road mountain views, local cattle markets and small trading centers offering a glimpse into everyday life in northern Uganda. The route also provides opportunities to observe the unique landscapes and cultural atmosphere that make the Karamoja region different from other parts of the country. You are expected to arrive at the park in the late afternoon or evening. Dinner and overnight stay will be at Kidepo Savannah Lodge for budget accommodation, Adere Safari Lodge for midrange or Apoka Safari Lodge for luxury.
Day 11: Game Drive and Karamojong Cultural Visit
After breakfast, you will head out for a morning game drive in Kidepo Valley National Park, exploring the Narus Valley and the Nataba gate area which is known for sightings of cheetahs and other animals that prefer open grasslands. During the drive, you may also encounter elephants, buffaloes, antelopes, zebras and different bird species. The park’s landscape features rolling plains, small hills, rocky outcrops, borassus palm trees and seasonal rivers all offering wide views across the valley.
After the game drive, return to the lodge for lunch and some time to relax. In the afternoon, continue with another drive toward the Kidepo Valley area near the South Sudan border where you may visit the hot springs and look out for ostriches, which are occasionally seen in this remote part of the park. Since ostriches in the region face threats such as poaching, sightings are not always guaranteed. Later, you will visit a Karamojong community for a guided cultural experience. During the visit, you will learn about the traditional nomadic lifestyle of the Karamojong people and interact with local elders and families in their homesteads locally known as manyattas. You will also see traditional items such as spears, bows and arrows, stools, jewelry, grinding stones and cattle kraals, many of which are still made and used locally. Visitors may also take part in some cultural activities and traditional dances. Accommodation options include Kidepo Savannah Lodge for budget, Adere Safari Lodge for midrange and Apoka Safari Lodge for luxury accommodation.
Day 12: Transfer to Sipi Falls
After breakfast, you will depart for Sipi Falls located on the foothills of Mount Elgon. The journey takes approximately 9 hours passing through the towns of Kotido and Soroti before arriving in the late afternoon. Along the drive, you will experience changing landscapes from the dry plains of Karamoja to the greener highlands around Mount Elgon. Upon arrival, you will check into your lodge and relax for the evening. Dinner and overnight stay will be at Sipi River Lodge or Sipi Valley Resort for luxury accommodation, Lacam Lodge or Sipi Falls Resort for midrange accommodation.
Day 13: Hike Sipi Falls
The day begins with breakfast after which you will be provided with a packed lunch for the day’s activities. You will then start a guided nature walk to the waterfalls along the Sipi River, beginning from Crow’s Nest. The hike follows trails leading to the different waterfalls including two falls that drop over cliffs of more than 100 meters. During the hike, you will pass through maize fields, banana plantations, coffee gardens, sugarcane farms, caves and local homesteads giving you a chance to experience the rural lifestyle of the area. The walk also offers beautiful views of the surrounding valley and hills. For visitors interested in more adventure, there is an option of abseiling down the cliffs near the famous Sipi Falls to get closer views of the waterfalls. Later in the evening, you may enjoy sunset views over the hills before returning to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 14: Transfer to Jinja and visit the source of the Nile
After breakfast, you will depart for Jinja south of Mbale. Jinja is the second largest city in the country. The city lies along the shores of Lake Victoria and is famous for being home to the Source of the Nile where the Nile River begins its long journey north through Africa. The drive from Mbale to Jinja takes approximately 3 to 4 hours depending on traffic and road conditions. Along the way, you will pass through small trading centers, sugarcane plantations and local villages. Jinja also has historical importance as an industrial town. The city is home to the Nalubaale Power Station formerly known as Owen Falls Dam which was constructed in 1952.
Upon arrival, you will head to the Source of the Nile for a boat cruise. During the cruise, you will enjoy views of the calm waters, small islands, local fishermen and different bird species along the riverbanks. The experience also offers an opportunity to stand at one of Africa’s most famous geographical landmarks where the world’s longest river begins its journey from Lake Victoria. After the excursion, return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 15: White water rafting and transfer to Entebbe for departure
The final day begins with white-water rafting on the Nile River in Jinja. The Nile is considered one of the world’s top rafting destinations with rapids suitable for both experienced rafters and beginners. Professional rafting guides lead the activity while safety kayakers accompany the group throughout the experience. Travelers who prefer calmer activities can choose boat cruises, tubing or kayaking instead. After lunch, you drive approximately 80 km (2 to 3 hours) back to Entebbe for your departure flight from Entebbe International Airport.