18-Day Uganda Safari with Gorilla Trekking and White-Water Rafting

• Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be met by your driver-guide, who will welcome you to Uganda - the Pearl of Africa. Thereafter, you will be transferred to your booked accommodation. In case you have an early landing in Uganda, you may opt to go out and tour. Possible places to visit include the Ndere Cultural Centre, Namugongo Catholic Martyrs Shrine, local markets like Nakasero Market, Kampala City Centre, and more.

Destination: Kampala (City)
Accommodation options:

Luxury: Kaazi Beach Resort or Similar

Mid-Range: Casia Lodge or Similar

Budget: Acactus Hotel or Similar

Meals Plan:

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Drinking water, fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

• You will be picked up very early in the morning and start your journey to Jinja. Along the way, you will see Mabira Forest, sugar plantations in Lugazi, and finally the world's longest river, the Nile. Jinja lies on the shore of Lake Victoria, about 3 hours east of Kampala. This town is famous as the historic source of the River Nile and at the same time the adrenaline capital of East Africa.
• Besides enjoying peaceful sunsets, birdlife, and tranquillity, this is also where visitors get their adventurous fix. Enjoy white-water rafting. Jinja has a gorgeous natural setting with crumbling colonial architecture. It also has a vibrant downtown and broad leafy residential streets set next to the Nile River that you will also enjoy.

Destination: Jinja (Nile River)

Accommodation options:

Luxury: Jinja Nile Resort or Similar

Mid-Range: Explorers Camp or Similar

Budget: 2 Friends Guesthouse or Similar

Meals Plan:

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Drinking water, fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

• You will start your journey to Kumi District and Sipi Falls on this day. Driving through the north-eastern part of Uganda to the foothills of Mt Elgon, you reach a plateau 1800 m above sea level where the beautiful Sipi Falls are located. This green area has a spectacular series of waterfalls, some nearly 100 m high, surrounded by village walking trails and lush green coffee-producing hills.
• There are three falls separated by steep hillsides. It is quite cool here compared to other parts of Uganda, with temperate weather conditions.
• You will relax and enjoy the fresh air and the calm environment away from city hustle and traffic. Later in the day, a coffee tour and community visits are some of the activities you can enjoy besides the hikes.
  Destination: Sipi Falls

Accommodation options:

Luxury: Sipi Heritage Lodge or Similar

Mid-Range: Sipi River Lodge or Similar

Budget: Casa Sipi Falls or Similar
Meals Plan:

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Drinking water, fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

• Arcadia Safaris strives to be innovative and takes its responsibility seriously by bringing you to places where no one else will go. One of these examples is Karamoja, an area in north-eastern Uganda where you can learn about the traditional life of the Karamojong, the most traditional tribe still living in Uganda.
• After an early morning breakfast, you will leave for Moroto, the area occupied by the Karamajongs. On arrival, you will have a scenic nature walk through the highest mountain of Karamoja. During the walk, camp will be set at a traditional village of the So Tepeth mountain people. After this, you will meet the Karamojong living in a kraal, better known as Manyatta or Boma in Swahili.
• A kraal is basically a village made up of huts surrounded by fences made of wood and thorns. These are put up to keep the cattle in and to protect them against rival tribes and wild animals. Some of the kraals are permanent, while others are temporary.

Destination: Karamoja (Moroto)
Accommodation options:

Luxury

Tita Tourist Resort or Similar

Mid-Range

Kara-Tunga Safari Camp or Similar

Budget

Tamarind Inn or Similar

Meals Plan:

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Drinking water, fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

• Wake up to the sights, sounds, and smells of pastoral life, and after breakfast, continue your journey north through the rugged Karamoja scenery towards Kidepo Valley. In the morning, you can still enjoy this unique opportunity to spend more time with the Karamojong tribe. After this thrilling experience, it is time to travel to the most remote and pristine national park in the country: Kidepo Valley National Park.
• In the rugged semi-arid valleys in the extreme northeast of Uganda, Kidepo Valley National Park lies hidden away in a lost and rarely visited corner between Uganda's borders with Sudan and Kenya. It is a long but very rewarding journey to get to this area with some of the most beautiful scenery in Uganda. You will experience an afternoon game drive in the wild Narus Valley, where herds of elephants and buffaloes, as well as beautiful sights of lions and leopards sitting on various valley rocks, can be spotted.

Destination: Kidepo Valley National Park
Accommodation options:

Luxury: Apoka Safari Lodge or Similar

Mid-Range: Zebra Safari Lodge or Similar

Budget: Kidepo Savannah Lodge or Similar
Meals Plan:

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Drinking water, fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

Kidepo Valley National Park is one of the few parks in Uganda where you can do a walking safari. An armed ranger will join you for your safety, and you will explore the wilderness on foot. During this activity, you get the chance to experience the wildlife up close, a totally different experience from game viewing by car.

Buffalo, waterbuck, giraffe, warthog, zebra, bushbuck, and of course the naughty baboons can be seen all year round, along with many different bird species. The guide stops regularly, not merely searching for game, but also telling you about birds, insects, trees, animal droppings, the medicinal use of plants, and which animals eat which plants.

• Today in the afternoon, you will go for another game drive in this amazing national park. The savannah is ringed by mountains and rocky ridges. It has a profusion of big game and hosts 475 bird species and over 80 mammal species, of which 28 were not known to occur, or occur very rarely, in any other Ugandan park. For example, ostriches, zebras, bat-eared foxes, aardwolves, caracals, cheetahs, and greater and lesser kudus. Kidepo Valley National Park ranks among Africa's finest wildernesses and is ranked No. 3 on CNN's list of the best national parks in Africa.
• Let's try to get that famous lion king picture of a lion on a rock before you spend another night back at your accommodation.

Destination: Kidepo Valley National Park
Accommodation options:

Luxury: Apoka Safari Lodge or Similar

Mid-Range: Zebra Safari Lodge or Similar

Budget: Kidepo Savannah Lodge or Similar
Meals Plan:

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Drinking water, fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

• After an early breakfast, we will leave the camp and have one last chance to enjoy the beauty of Kidepo and maybe see any animals we missed. From the park gates, it is a two-hour drive through the rugged landscape and roads of northern Uganda to Kitugum and then a further hour to Gulu, where we will stop for lunch.
• From Gulu, we will head south on good roads to the northern gates of Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda's best-known and biggest nature reserve. With the impressive and powerful Murchison waterfall and its remarkable animal populations, this is a must-visit in the Pearl of Africa. We will have the opportunity to take a slow drive in the late afternoon through the park before setting up camp in the delta area of the park.

Destination: Murchison Falls National Park
Accommodation options:

Luxury: Paraa Safari Lodge or Similar

Mid-Range: Fort Murchison Lodge or Similar

Budget: Hornbill Bush Lodge or Similar
Meals Plan:

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Drinking water, fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

• After an early breakfast, it is time to explore the park. On the game drive, you will spot as many animals as possible. While driving through the park, you can come eye-to-eye with the African animal kingdom. Hopefully, you will see them all: elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, lions, leopards, different antelope species, and many tropical birds. They are all there. A professional ranger with extensive knowledge of the park and its inhabitants will join you in your car.
• The park is especially known for its massive elephant population, huge array of bird species, and big herds of buffalo. You will discover some of the park's ecosystems and different scenery, with dense woodland, extensive savannahs, and rolling grasslands. As this is a private game drive, you can ask your guide to tailor your trip towards specific birdlife and/or wildlife if you like.
• The afternoon boat safari towards Murchison Falls is a very special activity. It takes approximately 3 hours and goes along the Victoria Nile to the base of the falls. You can imagine this boat safari will show you breathtaking scenery. Cold drinks are for sale on board for when you get thirsty for a local beer or a soda. Carefully watched by crocodiles, hundreds of hippos, buffaloes, water birds, monkeys, and all the other thirsty wildlife that the Nile attracts, you go to the bottom of the powerful Murchison Falls. If you like hiking, the boat can drop you near the waterfalls, and you can hike up to the top, which takes around 1 to 1.5 hours.

Destination: Murchison Falls National Park
Accommodation options:

Luxury: Paraa Safari Lodge or Similar

Mid-Range: Fort Murchison Lodge or Similar

Budget: Hornbill Bush Lodge or Similar
Meals Plan:

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Drinking water, fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

• Have breakfast in the morning and depart for Kibale Forest National Park. Have lunch at Fort Portal and proceed with views of the Rwenzori Mountains. Enjoy a guided nature walk in the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary to see various bird species, butterflies, and primates. Dinner and overnight stay at Bigodi.

Destination: Kibale Forest National Park
Accommodation options:

Luxury: Primate Lodge or Similar

Mid-Range: Kibale Forest Camp or Similar

Budget: Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse or Similar
Meals Plan:

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Drinking water, fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

• Today, you will track the most famous inhabitants of Kibale National Park, the chimpanzees. Chimpanzees share 98% of human genes, making them our closest living relatives. They are found in 21 African countries but are most easily sighted in Uganda due to their dense populations. Today, in Uganda, there are approximately 5,000 chimpanzees left in the wild. The chimpanzee trekking experience here is done on several well-maintained walking trails.
• There is also a wonderfully diverse concentration of other primates, more than in any other forest in East Africa, in fact. Besides our delightful cousins, the chimpanzees, you can find red colobus, red-tailed guenon, white-nosed monkey, grey-cheeked mangabey, blue monkey, L'Hoest's monkey, and the black-and-white colobus monkey.
• In addition, you may see olive baboons, bush babies, and nocturnal pottos. After tracking, you have the opportunity for a guided walk through the swamps of Bigodi. This activity will take you to the Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary, which features 8 primate species, over 200 bird species, and many reptiles. During the walk - which takes 2 to 3 hours - you have a chance to see many animals, but the highlight is catching a glimpse of a famous bird: the Great Blue Turaco.

Destination: Kibale Forest National Park
Accommodation options:

Luxury: Primate Lodge or Similar

Mid-Range: Kibale Forest Camp or Similar

Budget: Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse or Similar

Meals Plan:

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Drinking water, fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

• Scenic Queen Elizabeth National Park is located in southwestern Uganda and is most often included in visitors' itineraries. It is the second largest park in the country and is located at the base of the majestic Rwenzori Mountain range, next to Lake Edward and Lake George, which are joined by the Kazinga Channel. Few reserves in the world have such high biodiversity, with landscapes including savannah, bushland, wetlands, and lush forests.
• On your first game drive, it is time to explore Queen Elizabeth National Park with its 200 kilometres of well-maintained game-viewing tracks. We advise you to be alert and proactive on your game drive to help the ranger spot as many animals as possible.
• With an astonishing 5,000 hippos, 2,500 elephants, and over 10,000 buffalo thriving in its grasslands and shorelines, this park guarantees sightings of some of Africa's most iconic species. All being well, you will see elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, different species of antelope, and just maybe some of the exciting predators such as lion, leopard, civet, genet, and serval cats. Ten species of primates enjoy the park's diverse habitats. Vervet and black-and-white colobus monkeys are easily spotted in the trees, as are the boldest species, baboons. A professional ranger with extensive knowledge of the park and its inhabitants will join you in your car, so you can ask your guide to search for specific birdlife or wildlife.

Destination: Queen Elizabeth National Park

Accommodation options:

Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge or Similar

Mid-Range: Buffalo Safari Lodge or Similar

Budget: The Bush Lodge or Similar

Meals Plan:

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Drinking water, fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

• After you have enjoyed your breakfast, you will be taken for a morning game drive in time to see the sunrise. The morning is the best time for a game drive, as the African animal kingdom tends to be most active during the golden hours of the first sunlight touching the savannah. You will continue the search for all the wildlife: elephant, buffalo, lion, waterbuck, leopard, Uganda kob, warthog, and do not forget about the birds and the primates.
• After lunch, you will take a boat safari along the Kazinga Channel. Here, you will see a lot of hippos, more than you can possibly imagine, as well as a variety of other animals which come to the waterhole to drink or bathe. You can expect to see buffalo, crocodile, bathing elephant, and a range of beautiful birds. This will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of your tour.

Destination: Queen Elizabeth National Park

Accommodation options:

Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge or Similar

Mid-Range: Buffalo Safari Lodge or Similar

Budget

The Bush Lodge or Similar

Meals Plan:

• Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Drinking water, fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

• Early in the morning, you will go for a hike in the Kyambura Gorge, another gem in the far eastern corner of Queen Elizabeth National Park. This gorge is also called the "Valley of Apes" and is another world on its own. Drained by River Kyambura, it now has a rich wildlife biodiversity, including a family of 16 chimpanzees and many bird species. The view from the top is very impressive as you look down into a gorge filled with lush green tropical vegetation amidst an impressive valley.
• A hike through the gorge gives you the opportunity to see chimpanzees and other types of primates, including red-tailed monkeys, black-and-white colobus, baboons, and vervet monkeys. This green riverine forest also offers shelter to several forest birds. Although the chance of spotting chimpanzees is not as high as on an official trek in Kibale or Budongo Forest, this landscape is among the most impressive in Uganda and absolutely worth visiting.
• After the hike, you will drive for about 2.5 hours to the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park, the Ishasha sector. This part is famous for its tree-climbing lions. While lion cubs worldwide frequently climb trees for fun, adults rarely do. However, these lionesses enjoy spending the hot afternoons snoozing in fig trees to get away from the tsetse flies and enjoy a cool breeze. This is the most memorable sight in the park, as you may never have seen such photogenic lions posing for your camera before.
• Meanwhile, do not miss the stunning scenery and superb birdlife in this remote southern section of the park either. Thereafter, we shall embark on our journey to Bwindi and reach your accommodation for dinner and an overnight stay.

Destination: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Accommodation options:

Luxury: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge or Similar

Mid-Range: Rushaga Gorilla Camp or Similar

Budget: Bweza Safari Lodge or Similar

Meals Plan:

• Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Drinking water, fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

• Today is the big day. Prepare yourself for encountering one of Bwindi's gentle giants: the rare mountain gorilla. For most people, this is the absolute highlight of their tour in Uganda.
• Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a highlight for many visitors, as this is where they will be visiting the home of the gentle giants. The park lies in southwestern Uganda on the edge of the Rift Valley. Uganda's oldest and most biologically diverse rainforests lie on the mist-covered hillsides. This magnificent forest dates back over 25,000 years, even surviving the last Ice Age, when most forests disappeared.
• Bwindi Forest has an incredible diversity of flora and fauna and is the only forest in Africa that can make a claim to hosting both mountain gorillas and chimpanzees. In fact, half the world's population of gorillas live here, divided among nine habituated family groups. Also, 5 other primate species, 120 species of mammal, over 220 butterflies, and 360 bird species call Bwindi home. This is the place to see the critically endangered mountain gorillas up close for your very own 'Gorillas in the Mist' moment.

Destination: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Accommodation options:

Luxury: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge or Similar

Mid-Range: Rushaga Gorilla Camp or Similar

Budget: Bweza Safari Lodge or Similar

Meals Plan:

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Drinking water, fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

• After breakfast, we shall start our journey to Lake Bunyonyi in Kabale District. Lake Bunyonyi is framed by lush, green-terraced hills that reach a height of 2,200-2,478 m, with 29 islands of various shapes and sizes scattered across the water that make it most magical - you could admire them all day. You shall have an exciting boat ride on Lake Bunyonyi. In the afternoon, you may enjoy optional activities: a canoe boat ride, a swim in the bilharzia-free lake, or exploring a nearby village. Residents are happy for your visit and are open to explaining their daily lives.

Destination: Lake Bunyonyi

Accommodation options:

Luxury: Arcadia Lodge or Similar

Mid-Range: Heritage Lodge (Habuharo Island) or Similar

Budget: Itambira Island Resort or Similar

Meals Plan:

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Drinking water, fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

• After your breakfast and a brief visit to Kabale town, you will start your journey to Lake Mburo. Lake Mburo is a small national park but should certainly not be underestimated. This is the only place in southern Uganda to see zebras and the only park in the country with impalas, slender mongooses, and giant bush rats. You can also look for hyenas, leopards, topis, elands, and the beautiful Rothschild's giraffes, not to mention the lake itself, which is teeming with hippos and crocodiles.
  There are a lot of wonderful activities on offer, such as horse riding, bush walks, a boat safari on the lake, and a mountain bike safari. It is exciting to approach the wildlife at such close range, especially while combining the fresh air with the beautiful scenery of Lake Mburo National Park.
• En route lunch in Mbarara town and a visit to the Igongo Cultural Centre.

Destination: Lake Mburo National Park
Accommodation options:

Luxury: Mihingo Safari Lodge or Similar

Mid-Range: Kigambira Safari Lodge or Similar

Budget: Lake Mburo Camp or Similar

Meals Plan:

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Drinking water, fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

• What sets Lake Mburo National Park apart from others is that nature walks can be taken almost anywhere within the park with an armed Uganda Wildlife Authority guide at your side. On an early morning guided walk, you often encounter hyenas returning to their dens after a night on the prowl. At the same time, you can often see hippos returning from grazing during the night and heading back to Lake Mburo to keep cool during the day and protect their sensitive skin from the sun. On a nature walk, you will often see zebras, giraffes, eland, topi, other antelope, buffaloes, birds, and butterflies. Take the trail to the top of the hills and see Lake Mburo and beyond; from this vantage point, you have a great view of 9 of the regional lakes found in the area.
• In the afternoon, a boat ride on Lake Mburo gets you in touch with the flora and fauna of the lake. Along the bank, you will see many animals coming to the water, especially during the dry season. There are hippos, crocodiles, buffaloes, antelopes, and zebras; three kinds of otters are found in the lake itself.
• When it comes to birds, you can see malachite kingfishers, pied kingfishers, African fish eagles, rufous long-tailed starlings, blue-headed weavers, green-necked doves, hamerkops, pelicans, herons, cormorants, and even rare shoebill storks. A boat safari on Lake Mburo will allow you to see both crocodiles and hippos up close in their natural habitat and continues to be a major attraction in the park.
  Destination: Lake Mburo National Park

Accommodation options:

Luxury: Mihingo Safari Lodge or Similar

Mid-Range: Kigambira Safari Lodge or Similar

Budget: Lake Mburo Camp or Similar

Meals Plan:

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Drinking water, fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey

• Early in the morning, have a guided nature walk again and return to the camp for a healthy breakfast. After that, you will start your journey back to Entebbe. You will cross the equator and experience being in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres at the same time, and also have time to take photos. Buy a few souvenirs in the craft shops and have a quick picnic lunch. Later, you will depart for the airport and take your flight back home. This marks the end of our 18-Day Exploring Uganda Safari.

Destination: Kampala (Entebbe International Airport)

Accommodation Option: No (Unless on request)

Meals Plan:

Breakfast and Lunch

Drinking water, fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey