12 Days Budget Uganda’s Big 5 and Primate Safaris

Day by day itinerary for our 12 days Uganda’s budget safari:

These twelve days safari takes you to Murchison falls, Kibale national park, Queen Elizabeth national park, Bwindi and l. Mburo national park .in addition you will explore crater lake and marvel at the beautiful scenery surrounding l. Bunyonyi found in Kibale. Among the activities you will enjoy the game drive, chimpanzee trekking, gorilla trekking boat cruise, bird watching, hiking and nature walk etc.

Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe International Airport and Transferred to your Booked Hotel  

Your guide for the 12 days Uganda Safari picks you at the airport and you transfer to Kampala to check in to the hotel and rest after the flight.

Overnight at; Via Via hotel/ Airport link/ Blue Monkey hotel Entebbe/ Kooki hotel Kampala

Day 2: Transfer to Murchison Falls with Stopover to Ziwa for Rhino Trekking.

After your early morning breakfast you will check out of the lodge and transferred to Murchison falls national park via Ziwa rhino sanctuary since its only place in uganda where you can see these creatures in the wild, trekking of the first of the Big 5 during 12 days Uganda Safari. In the sanctuary they are working to reintroduce rhinos in Uganda and you go with a specialized guide for a walk to see them and other wildlife which is not easy to see like Bush bucks and you will see many bird specie like Starling , Common Bulbul, Grey Crown Crane among other . Then you continue the journey towards the lodge by Murchison Falls national park, having lunch along the way.

Overnight at; Hornbill Bush Lodge / Ikorom safari lodge/ Fort Murchison tented lodge/Tilenga safari lodge/Pakuba safari lodge

Day 3: Game Drive in Murchison falls and Evening Boat Cruise to the Bottom of the falls

After your breakfast you will go for morning game-drive in the park. You have the chance of explore the big cats hunting, Elephants, Giraffes, Buffalos, plus more as the checklist of mammals ranging to 76 mammal species. We continue browsing the Drive circuits to the Delta point for a cocktail of Birds and mammals. Back for lunch and some relaxation at the lodge after the game-drive. Then in the afternoon go for the 3 hour boat ride to the base of the falls where you get to see the Hippos and even the Nile Crocodiles, Elephants and a variety of beautiful bird species such as Bee Eaters , Fish Eagles Pied Kingfisher, Great Cormorants and much more along the banks.

Overnight at; Hornbill Bush Lodge / Ikorom safari lodge/ Fort Murchison tented lodge/Tilenga safari lodge/Pakuba safari lodge

Day 4: Transfer to Fort Portal / Kibale Forest National Park

After breakfast transfer towards the crater lakes area by Fort Portal as we continue our 12 days Uganda Safari. It’s a long drive with our target to have lunch in Fort portal. A punctuation of stopovers at sceneries like the Rift valley escarpment on Lake Albert – typical African village setup in the far countryside and tea plantations along the drive offer us chances of stretching. We check in late afternoon to an area with an amazing display of primates and lovely scenery.

Overnight at; 

Day 5: Explore the Crater Lake sin Area / Visit Bigodi Wetlands and Community Walk.

Crater exploration with a walk to Crater Lake, if you are lucky you might see different species of Monkeys, such as red colobus, red tailed monkey and bush babies. More in the forest canopy colored aviation creatures-butterflies various bird species like the native Great blue Turaco, joyful greenbul, olive long tailed cuckoo after you will connect to community to see how local people used to live in their way of living before machines like that of coffee and they  show you how they grow coffee , weed it , harvesting , sundry , roosting them , pound until they they take it without a machine in their local way, see the local doctors using local hubs to treat some fever like malaria Art& crafts making by woman in community after you will be transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park, having lunch along the way. In the late afternoon we reach the lodge at the edge of Queen Elizabeth NP.

Overnight at; Pumba safari cottages/ Tembo safari lodge/ Engiri safari lodge/ Bush lodge / Buffalo safari lodge

Day 6: Game Drive in Kasenyi plain or Mweya and afternoon Boat Cruise on Kazinga Channel 

Discover Queen Elizabeth National Park in the cool morning with an early game drive that exposes us to diverse animals. Possibility to see Big 5 members Elephants, Buffalos, big cats- Lions, Leopards more times in the evening, warthogs- Hunchback carnivals like Hyenas and many more species that are residents to this park are spotted along the Circuits as we drive along. There is a rich bird life especially our version of storks in the wetland sports as we reach the Flamingoes in the salt lakes. After lunch it is time for the Classic highlight of the 2hrs boat-cruise on the famous Kazinga channel, a 36kms channel linking Lake George to Lake Edward. On the banks you can see land and water Adapted Hippos and some slashing canines to each other, the Nile crocodile gaping along the Banks and Savannah versions of Pigs the Warthog- Pumba of the award winning Lion King are a hallmark sign in this Animal home.

Overnight  at; Pumba safari cottages/ Tembo safari lodge/ Engiri safari lodge/ Bush lodge / Buffalo safari lodge

Day 7: Chimpanzee Trekking in Kalinzu Forest & Transfer to Ishasha Sector

In the morning we make the drive over to Kalinzu forest for a chimps trekking adventure, a highlight during this 12 days Uganda Safari. Here you go in a group with a specialized guide into the jungle to search for our close friends the chimpanzees and enjoy the nature. After the trekking we head back to the lodge for lunch and then start the adventurous journey down to the southern Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth NP. The road goes through the park and if we are lucky we see elephants, monkeys, beautiful birds or even lions along the way on your lucky day. In the late afternoon we arrive at the lodge at the edge of the park.

Overnight at; Topi Safari Lodge

Day8: Morning and Afternoon Game Drive in such for Tree Climbing Lions 

In the early morning we will drive for the adventurous vast savannah of the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, known for its tree-climbing lions. Here we have chance to see Topis, buffaloes, elephants and hopefully find the lions high in the Fig tree branches. This is one of two areas in Africa where lions have the habit of regularly climbing trees to take a rest and this 12 days Uganda Safari gives you the chance to experience it. After the morning game-drive we drive back to the lodge for lunch and a bit of rest before it is time to head out again for a second chance to search for lions during the afternoon game-drive.

Overnight  at; Topi Safari Lodge

DAY 9: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park & Community Walk  with Batwa

After your morning breakfast, you will be transfer to Bwindi forests through a beautiful landscapes taking you from the savanna via cultivated hills to the jungle covered mountains of Bwindi. In Bwindi you go for a community walk including a visit to the local Batwa community. The Batwa people used to live in the jungles of Bwindi and you get to learn a bit about how life was for them after the visit you will continue to your lodge for overnight.

Overnight at;   KFA Mist / Ride for Woman Buhoma/ Broadbill/ Bakiga lodge/ Gorilla Mist  Ruhija/ Haven Gorilla lodge / Bweza lodge Rushaga.

Day 10: Gorilla Trekking & Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi 

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is the home to the forest giants that are friendly to human beings, the mountain gorillas and as the highlight of this 12 days Uganda Safari you go trekking the gorillas this day. You will be taken to the trail head ( park head office of the sector) for briefing of DOs and DONTs when you’re in the forest and you will be grouped of 8 people as you being lead by a specialized guide into the jungle for your gorilla trekking adventure. Trekking through the beautiful nature and spend one hour with the gorillas, an unforgettable experience. This Impenetrable Forest is also full of birds, butterflies and plant species plus forest hog, forest elephants,. After the trekking your guide picks you and you transfer to Lake Bunyonyi through cultivated hills. Lake Bunyonyi is a lake at 1840m above sea level offering stunning scenery and a bit of rest.

Overnight  at; Lake Bunyonyi Eco resort / Keije resort Bunyonyi/ Bunyonyi safari lodge/ Bunyonyi overland.

Day 11: Boat Cruise and Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park

Enjoy your breakfast and then you will go for a boat ride ton lake Bunyonyi the deepest lake in uganda of about 900metres deep and is the second deepest in Africa after lake Tanganyika in Tanzania, visit the punishment island the smallest island where the Bakiga tribe damp unmarried pregnant girls to die from and lead more about other islands after you will  set off to continue through the hilly areas on to the vast savannah dotted with acacia and shrubs in Lake Mburo national park. The target is to have lunch at the lodge and then head out for a game-drive to discover Lake Mburo national park, the ‘Zebra magnet’ of Uganda. We game-drive for view of Zebras, Topis, Warthogs, cape buffaloes and impalas.

Overnight at; Rwakobo rock /Eagles nest/ Hyena safari lodge / Acadia cottages

Day 12: : Early Morning Safari Walk in lake Mburo & Transfer to Entebbe Airport for Your Flight 

On the last day of your family safari in Uganda get up early for a safari walk with chance to see zebras, waterbucks, birds and buffaloes in their day break jungle life! Get back for breakfast and then drive back to Entebbe. Stop over at equator for photo poses and lunch. Continue on to Entebbe for your flight. Plan for an evening/night flight.