Private • Uganda
🌍 11-Day Uganda Safari Vacation – Murchison Falls, Bwindi & Uganda’s Best Wildlife Parks 🦍🦁🦏
Murchison Falls, Kibale Forest, Queen Elizabeth & Bwindi — gorillas to the Nile
Overview
About this journey
- Region
- East Africa
- Duration
- 11 days
- Departures
- All year round
- Party size
- Up to 8
Experience the ultimate 11-day Uganda safari adventure, combining thrilling wildlife encounters, breathtaking landscapes, primate tracking, and cultural experiences across Uganda's most iconic destinations.
This unforgettable journey takes you through Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Lake Bunyonyi, and Lake Mburo National Park. Enjoy rhino tracking, game drives, boat cruises, chimpanzee trekking, gorilla encounters, community visits, and incredible birdwatching opportunities.
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Highlights
What you'll experience
The Falls at Full Force
Stand at the top of Murchison Falls as the entire volume of the Victoria Nile thunders through a slot narrower than a school bus. The spray reaches you before the sound does.
Chimpanzee Tracking in Kibale
Kibale Forest holds one of the densest populations of eastern chimpanzees on the planet. Guide Ronald Tumusiime knows the Kanyanchu community's favourite fig trees — and the shortcuts between them.
Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise
The Kazinga Channel links Lakes George and Edward in Queen Elizabeth National Park. From a flat-bottomed boat you pass hippos close enough to hear them exhale, and African fish eagles calling overhead.
Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi
After an hour or two of climbing through Bwindi's ancient forest, the trees thin and there they are — the Rushegura group, unhurried, eating wild celery. The permit allows one hour with them. It feels both very long and very short.
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary Walk
Uganda's only wild southern white rhinos live at Ziwa. You walk on foot with a ranger, no vehicle between you and the animal, close enough to see the mud still damp on a rhino's flank.
Tree-Climbing Lions of Ishasha
The southern sector of Queen Elizabeth is famous for lions that drape themselves along fig tree branches. Spotting one requires patience and a good eye for a tail hanging in the canopy.
Why choose us
Why choose a Private Journey?
Uganda asks more of a traveller than a simple game park circuit — different ecosystems, different rhythms, different kinds of attention. Here is why this itinerary is worth that ask.
Four Parks, One Coherent Arc
Murchison, Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, and Bwindi each do something the others cannot. This itinerary sequences them so each park has room to register rather than blur into the next.
Guides Who Know the Animals by Name
Our field team has worked these specific parks for years. Ronald knows the Kanyanchu chimpanzees' favourite sleeping trees. Grace at Bwindi has tracked the Rushegura group since it was first habituated. That knowledge changes what you see.
Private Travel, Your Pace
Your vehicle, your schedule. If the lions are worth an extra hour, stay. If the group wants to skip the afternoon drive and sit by the Nile, that is also fine. Private travel means the itinerary bends to the wildlife and to you.
Itinerary
Your day-by-day journey
Day 1
Arrival in Entebbe – Welcome to Uganda
Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by your professional safari guide and transferred to your hotel in Entebbe or Kampala. Relax and unwind after your journey while enjoying views of Lake Victoria.
🍽️ Dinner and overnight stay at Lake Victoria Hotel or Anderita Beach Hotel. Pangolin Nest
Meals · Dinner
Day 2
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary & Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park
After an early breakfast, begin your scenic drive to Murchison Falls National Park. En route, stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for an exciting guided rhino tracking experience, where you'll spend approximately 1–2 hours observing southern white rhinos in their natural habitat.
Continue to Masindi for lunch before proceeding to Uganda's largest national park, home to over 76 mammal species and more than 450 bird species. Spend the evening relaxing at your lodge. 🍽️ Dinner and overnight stay.
🏨 Accommodation Options: Murchison River Lodge, Fort Murchison Lodge, Nile Safari Lodge
Meals · Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3
Game Drive, Nile Boat Cruise & Top of the Falls Hike
Start your day with an early morning game drive across the Nyamsika Plateau, one of the park's best wildlife viewing areas.nLook out for giraffes, elephants, lions, leopards, Cape buffaloes, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, warthogs, and numerous bird species.
After lunch, enjoy a scenic boat cruise along the Victoria Nile to the base of the spectacular Murchison Falls. Watch for hippos, Nile crocodiles, elephants, pelicans, Goliath herons, kingfishers, and the elusive shoebill stork.
Disembark near the base of the falls and hike to the top, where you'll witness the mighty Nile squeeze through an 8-meter-wide gorge before plunging 43 meters below.
Capture stunning photographs and enjoy the refreshing mist and rainbows created by the thunderous falls.
🍽️ Dinner and overnight stay.
Meals · Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4
Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
After breakfast, journey southwest to Queen Elizabeth National Park via Fort Portal. nEnjoy scenic views of tea plantations, crater lakes, and the majestic Rwenzori Mountains, often referred to as the "Mountains of the Moon." Arrive in the evening and settle into your lodge.
🍽️ Dinner and overnight stay.
🏨 Accommodation Options: Bush Lodge, Katara Lodge, Elephant Hab Lodge, Tembo Safaris Lodge
Meals · Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5
Game Drive & Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise
Rise early for a rewarding game drive through the Kasenyi Plains in search of lions, elephants, leopards, buffaloes, waterbucks, warthogs, topis, and various antelope species. Return to your lodge for lunch before embarking on a relaxing afternoon boat cruise along the famous Kazinga Channel, which connects Lake Edward and Lake George.
Observe large schools of hippos, Nile crocodiles, elephants, and countless bird species along the shoreline.
🍽️ Dinner and overnight stay.
Meals · Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6
Chimpanzee Tracking & Transfer to Bwindi via Ishasha Sector
After breakfast, enjoy chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura Gorge, often called the "Valley of Apes." Later, continue through the Ishasha Sector, renowned for its unique population of tree-climbing lions. Take in the stunning scenery of southwestern Uganda, known as the "Switzerland of Africa," before arriving at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
🍽️ Dinner and overnight stay.
🏨 Accommodation Options: Gorilla Forest Camp, Buhoma Lodge, Buhoma Community Rest Camp
Meals · Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7
Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
After an early breakfast, head to the park headquarters for a briefing by Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers. Venture into the ancient rainforest in search of a habituated mountain gorilla family. The trek can take anywhere from 1 to 8 hours, depending on the gorillas' location, but the reward is extraordinary—spending one unforgettable hour observing these gentle giants in their natural habitat. Return to your lodge for relaxation and reflection.
🍽️ Dinner and overnight stay.
💡 Recommended Gear: Hiking boots, rain jacket, gardening gloves, sunscreen, insect repellent, camera (without flash), packed lunch, and sufficient drinking water.
Meals · Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8
Lake Bunyonyi – Relaxation & Cultural Experience
After breakfast, transfer to the beautiful Lake Bunyonyi, one of Africa's deepest lakes and a paradise for nature lovers and birdwatchers. Surrounded by terraced hills and dotted with 29 islands, Lake Bunyonyi offers a peaceful retreat after your gorilla trek.
Enjoy optional canoeing, swimming, or a guided community walk to meet the Bakiga people and experience traditional dance performances.
🍽️ Dinner and overnight stay.
🏨 Accommodation Options: Bunyonyi Overland Resort, BirdNest Resort at Bunyonyi
Meals · Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9
Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park
After breakfast, drive to Lake Mburo National Park through the rolling hills of Kabale. Stop in Mbarara for lunch before continuing to Uganda's smallest savannah park, known for its large populations of zebras, impalas, elands, reedbucks, and birdlife. In the afternoon, enjoy a boat cruise on Lake Mburo, offering excellent opportunities to see hippos, crocodiles, and aquatic birds.
🍽️ Dinner and overnight stay.
🏨 Accommodation Options: Eagle's Nest Lodge, Rwakobo Rock, Mihingo Lodge
Meals · Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 10
Morning Game Drive & Return to Kampala
Enjoy your final game drive in Lake Mburo National Park before departing for Kampala. En route, stop at the Uganda Equator for memorable photographs and souvenir shopping. Continue to Masaka for lunch before arriving in Kampala in the evening.
🍽️ Dinner and overnight stay at Hotel Tourist or a similar hotel.
Meals · Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 11
Kampala City Tour & Departure
After breakfast, embark on a short Kampala city tour, including visits to the Uganda Museum, local craft markets, and cultural landmarks. Enjoy lunch in Entebbe before transferring to Entebbe International Airport for your onward flight. Depart with unforgettable memories of Uganda's incredible wildlife, landscapes, and warm hospitality.
🌟 Safari Highlights
✅ Rhino tracking at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
✅ Game drives in Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth, and Lake Mburo National Parks
✅ Nile River boat cruise and Top of the Falls hike
✅ Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge
✅ Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
✅ Tree-climbing lion viewing in Ishasha Sector
✅ Kazinga Channel boat safari
✅ Cultural experiences with the Bakiga community
✅ Relaxation at Lake Bunyonyi
✅ Equator photo stop and Kampala city tour
Meals · Breakfast
Inclusions
What is and isn't included
Included
- All accommodation (10 nights) as specified
- Gorilla trekking permit — Rushegura group, Bwindi (1 person)
- Chimpanzee tracking permit — Kanyanchu, Kibale (1 person)
- Chimpanzee tracking, Budongo Forest — Kaniyo Pabidi sector
- Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary guided walk
- Kazinga Channel afternoon boat cruise
- All game drives as per itinerary in a private 4×4 Land Cruiser with pop-top roof
- All meals as listed (B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner)
- Airport transfers (Entebbe arrival and departure)
- All national park entrance fees
- English-speaking private driver-guide throughout
- Bottled water in the vehicle daily
- Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary community walk, Kibale
Not included
- International flights to and from the region
- Entry visas and any transit visas
- Travel and medical insurance, which is mandatory
- Alcoholic drinks and premium beverages
- Laundry, telephone and other items of a personal nature
- Tips and gratuities for your guide, drivers and lodge staff
- Optional activities not listed in the day-by-day itinerary
Pricing
Available all year round
A private itinerary with no fixed departure dates. Rates are per person in USD.
Journey Details
Essential information
Minimum Age
15 years for gorilla and chimpanzee trekking (per Uganda Wildlife Authority regulations)
Safari Duffel
Soft-sided bag recommended; maximum 15 kg for any internal charter flights
First Group Event
Arrival transfer from Entebbe International Airport, Day 1
Last Group Event
Drop-off at Entebbe International Airport, Day 11
Guaranteed Departures
All departures operate with a minimum of 2 guests. Private departures available on any date.
Alternate Sightseeing
Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking permits are subject to availability and must be confirmed at booking. In the unlikely event of a permit issue, an alternative primate or wildlife activity will be arranged at no additional cost.