18 Days Best Of Uganda Adventure

18 Days Best Of Uganda Adventure is one of the longest exciting and fascinating safaris taking you through 80 percent of Uganda’s most interesting destination including; Kibale national park which is a home of the endangered chimpanzees, Queen Elizabeth national park which is the only home of the tree-climbing lions, Bwindi Impenetrable national park which is the only home of the endangered mountain gorillas in the world, Murchison falls national park where we find the world’s most powerful falls, Kidepo national park which is Uganda’s wilderness park with a variety and plenty of animals and Mgahinga national park where silver meets gold that is home of the Gorillas and Golden monkeys. Other places on this trip include; Lake Bunyonyi which is the deepest lake in Africa and the best place for relaxation after long active activities. Other features, visiting Sipi falls located on Mount Elgon, and the different excursions in Jinja town which is the home of the source of the Nile and other activities like white water rafting, horseback riding, and sightseeing. All these are characterised in hiking, game viewing, boat cruises, birdwatching, and nature walks.

18 Days Best Of Uganda Adventure

Safari Highlights of the 18 Days Best Of Uganda Adventure 

  • Day 1: Transfer to Jinja – Bungee jumping and Source of the Nile visit
  • Day 2: White water rafting and horseback riding 
  • Day 3: Transfer to Sipi falls
  • Day 4: Transfer to Kidepo Valley National Park, Game Drive
  • Day 5: Morning game drive and Hot springs visit in Kidepo Valley
  • Day 6: Drive to Murchison Falls national park (Full day drive)
  • Day 7: Morning game drive and boat cruise with a hike to the top of the falls
  • Day 8: Transfer to Kibale National Park
  • Day 9: Chimpanzee habituation
  • Day 10: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
  • Day 11: Lion tracking/Game drive and Launch cruise
  • Day 12: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
  • Day 13: Gorilla trek in Bwindi forest Park
  • Day 14: Golden Monkey tracking – community tour
  • Day 15: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
  • Day 16: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park
  • Day 17: Walking safari and Boat ride on Lake Mburo
  • Day 18: Transfer to Kampala/Entebbe/Departure

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Transfer to Jinja – Bungee jumping and Source of the Nile visit

  • Transfer to Jinja – Bungee jumping and Source of the Nile visit: Depending on your location in Kampala, you will be met by your driver-guide to transfer to Jinja – home to the source of Nile. Drive through the Lugazi sugar plantations and Mabira forest (Uganda’s largest rainforest) as you proceed to Jinja. Upon reaching Jinja early afternoon, precede visit Itanda falls, return for lunch, then connect for your bungee jumping activity then visit the source of River Nile and take a boat trip on Lake Victoria. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight 
  • Luxury option: Jinja Nile Resort 
  • Mid-range option: 2 Friends Jinja Guesthouse
  • Budget option: Source of the Smile Hotel

Day 2: White water rafting and horseback riding 

  • White water rafting and horseback riding: After your delicious breakfast at your lodge, meet your guide at 8 am to transfer for your water rafting experience. You will receive briefing before the activity. Rafting is a whole day’s activity. Later in the evening, connect for a horseback ride. Dinner and overnight stay at hotel as above

Day 3: Transfer to Sipi falls

  • Transfer to Sipi falls: Early morning, meet your safari guide at a location you will advise in Kampala/Entebbe and embark on your journey to Sipi falls in Kapchwora district, it’s a 5 hours’ drive with en-route lunch then connect to Sipi falls is located in the foothills of Mount Elgon just at the edge of Mount Elgon national park nearing the Kenya border and the falls consist of 3 waterfalls with the highest fall dropping at 100m. Depending on your ability, you can hike 2 of the waterfalls or hike all the 3 falls. Before nightfall return to your lodge for dinner and overnight at 
  • Luxury option: Sipi River lodge
  • Mid-range option: Lacum lodge 
  • Budget option: Lacum Lodge 

Day 4: Transfer to Kidepo Valley National Park, Game Drive

  • Transfer to Kidepo Valley: Wake up to a hot cup of coffee / tea and embark on a 6-7 hours’ drive to Kidepo national park in Karamoja region with en-route lunch. Arrive in the park late afternoon, proceed to check-in your lodge. Later evening embark on a game drive in Narus valley in anticipation of seeing herds of buffalos, zebras, elephants, giraffes, hyenas, and cheetahs. You will enjoy a slow drive and you can be sure to seize picture moments while on your game drive and you can have stops at any moment you please. Return to the lodge and spend the evening at leisure admiring the wilderness. Dinner and overnight 
  • Luxury option: Apoka Safari lodge 
  • Mid-range option; Kidepo Savannah lodge 
  • Budget option: Apoka Rest Camp

Day 5: Morning game drive and Hot springs visit in Kidepo Valley

  • Morning game drive: Have breakfast and brace yourself another thrilling game drive in the vast savannah of Kidepo Valley intercepted by patches of borassus palm and the rising scenic hills. Enjoy the stunning views of the morning sun shining over the hills of Lomej, the Lotukei Mountains to the north close to the Sudan border, the Morungole range to the southern boundary of Kidepo before the rays strike down to the endless valleys of Kidepo and Narus valley.
  • Hot springs visit in Kidepo Valley: Return to the lodge for lunch and unwind a bit before embarking on a drive to Kidepo valley close to south Sudan boarder to visit the hot springs and you can encounter Ostriches within the region although their numbers are highly threatened by poaching by south Sudanese. Dinner and overnight at either lodge as above.

Day 6: Drive to Murchison Falls national park (Full day drive)

  • Drive to Murchison Falls; Very early after breakfast, depart Kidepo via Gulu district for lunch then proceed to Murchison falls national park. This is a 7-8 day drive entering the park through one of the gates. Proceed to check-in your lodge for a dinner and overnight 
  • Luxury option: Paraa Safari lodge/Nile Safari lodge 
  • Mid-range option: Pakuba safari lodge 
  • Budget option: Red Chill Rest Camp/Heritage Safari lodge

Day 7: Morning game drive and boat cruise with a hike to the top of the falls

  • Morning game drive: After an early breakfast at your lodge, you will go for a morning game drive on the delta area which is the best place to find most of the animals that reside in the park. The activity takes about 2-3 hours spending on the availability of the animals such as the Savannah Elephants, Rothschild Giraffes, Cape Buffaloes, Lions, Hartebeest, Uganda kobs, Oribis and Waterbucks. After the game drive, you will return to the lodge for lunch.
  • boat cruise with a hike to the top of the falls: Later afternoon, go for a launch cruise on the along the Nile which will give you an exciting panoramic view at the bottom of the mighty Murchison falls. Along the cruise, you will encounter crocodiles, hippos, and birds on the river banks like kingfisher, cormorants and bee-eater. After viewing the falls at the bottom, hike to the top of the falls. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay at either lodge as above

Day 8: Transfer to Kibale National Park

  • Transfer to Kibale: Early morning after breakfast, depart the lodge Proceed for your long journey to Kibale Forest National Park. This Park is a home to almost 13 primate species. These include red colobus and L’Hoest’s monkey and many more.  You will have lunch in Kagadi. Proceed with the journey to Kibale forest. Dinner and overnight stay at
  • Luxury option: Kyaninga lodge
  • Mid-range option: Chimpanzee forest guest house 
  • Budget option: Isunga lodge 

Day 9: Chimpanzee habituation

  • Chimpanzee habituation: Wake up very early, enjoy your breakfast and set off to the park headquarters with your trekking gears, packed lunch and water. Meet with other trekkers and gather for a briefing from the park officials where you will be guided on the expectations. Thereafter in only a group of 6 people and ranger guides/researchers, set off for chimpanzee habituation experience. This is a full day activity were you will visit a semi-habituated chimpanzee group that in the process of habituation. These chimpanzees are usually difficult to find because they keep running away however the researchers will find them and allow you to spend 4 in their presence. Return to meet your safari guide and receiving your certificate and drive back to your lodge; dinner will be serve and overnight stay at lodge as above

Day 10: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park

  • Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park: After enjoying your cup of coffee in the morning on day 10 of this 18 Days Best Of Uganda Adventure, depart the park and embark on your journey to Queen Elizabeth national park-home to the tree climbing lions. Depending on your time, have a stopover for lunch and at the Equator to take some pictures before entering the park. Connect to exploration crater lakes in the park before you proceed to rest at your lodge. Dinner and overnight stay at
  • Luxury option: Mweya Safari lodge/Kyambura Gorge lodge 
  • Mid-range option: Parkview Safari lodge 
  • Budget option: Pumba Safari Cottages

Day 11: Lion tracking/Game drive and Launch cruise

  • Lion tracking/Game drive: Early in the morning after breakfast, you will set out for the lion tracking experience and game drive in search for early risers in the Kasenyi area. The park has diverse eco-system of grassy plains, rivers, crater lakes, forests, swamps and lakes. These are a home to various types of wildlife and a game drive in Queen Elizabeth will reward you with views of animals such as lions, antelopes, buffalos, elephants, waterbuck, Uganda Kob and other types of antelopes.
  • Launch cruise: Return to your Lodge for lunch and after, go for a 3 hours launch cruise along the Kazinga Channel and into Lake Edward. This cruise will let you pass through a place of the highest concentration of hippos and you may also see many animals drinking at the water’s edge. The cruise also offers good platform for photography, bird watching and game viewing. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight as above.

Day 12: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

  • Transfer to Bwindi: You will set out for the game drive in the Ishasha area and expect to see the rare tree-climbing lions. The lions can be seen upon the fig trees. However, it’s not a guarantee that the lions will be seen. Sometimes it depends on the luck and time of reaching the area. You will have lunch in the Ishasha sector and after you will proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable forest National Park in preparation for your next day Gorilla trek. Dinner and overnight stay at 
  • Luxury option: Gahinga lodge/Clouds Mountain Gorilla lodge
  • Mid-range option: Ichumbi Gorilla lodge/Lake Mulehe Safari lodge 
  • Budget option: Rushaga Gorilla Camp/Travelers’ Rest Hotel

Day 13: Gorilla trek in Bwindi forest Park

  • Gorilla trek in Bwindi: Early in the morning after breakfast on day 13 of 18 Days Best Of Uganda Adventure and a briefing from the UWA officials, set off for the gorilla trekking. This is a once life time experience and unforgettable adventure. The ranger guides will lead you into the thick forest and start your search for the endangered Mountain Gorillas. You will move up and down the rugged terrain until you finally meet these harmonious creatures that will entertain you with performances for about1hour.
  • The activity can take 2 -7 hours since the gorillas move up and down. This is an awesome and exciting moment.  En-route, there are other types of the primates such as the monkeys, birds and more. Return for dinner and overnight stay as above.

Day 14: Golden Monkey tracking – community tour

  • Golden Monkey tracking: After breakfast, you will transfer to Mgahinga National Park for briefing about the Golden monkeys with your packed food and water. Later enter the forest to search for the monkeys. On finding them, spend an hour viewing them while taking pictures and videos.
  • community tour: Later visit the Batwa Pygmies and Participate in the cultural performances and so on. Return for dinner and overnight at Gahinga lodge/Lake Mulehe Safari lodge/Travellers’ Rest hotel
18 Days Best Of Uganda Adventure
18 Days Best Of Uganda Adventure

Day 15: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi

  • Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi: After breakfast on day 15 of 18 Days Best Of Uganda Adventure, you will transfer to Lake Bunyonyi which is one of the deepest lakes is Africa. The Lake has almost 32 Islands. The Lake is a good stop over for relaxation for people from trekking Mountain Gorillas. Upon arrival, you will go on a boat ride. This will enable you visit most of the islands on the Lake.
  • Each Island is named according to the bird species found on the Island and some were named because of their purposes for example the Punishment Island which is the smallest and was used by the Bakiga people to drop their girls who got pregnant before marriage. After the Boat ride, return back to the Lodge for relaxation while you watch the beautiful sunset. Dinner and overnight 
  • Luxury option: Bunyonyi BirdNest Lodge
  • Mid-range option: Bunyonyi Eco-Resort/Bunyonyi Arcadia lodge 
  • Budget option: Bunyonyi Overland Resort

Day 16: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park

  • Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park: Start your day with early morning breakfast and after you will transfer to Lake Mburo National Park. You will reach Mbarara town in time for lunch after which you will enter the Park with a game drive en-route which will give you clear views of animals such as Zebras, Buffaloes, and elands. Upon reaching the park headquarters, Register and later go for the evening nature walk along the Kigambara loop. This loop offers interesting guided walks alongside the Lake. Dinner and overnight stay at
  • Luxury option: Mihingo Lodge 
  • Mid-range option: Mpogo lodge/Arcadia Lodge Lake Mburo
  • Budget option: Eagles’ Nest Lodge

Day 17: Walking safari and Boat ride on Lake Mburo

  • Walking safari and Boat ride on Lake Mburo: Early morning, after your breakfast, meet your ranger guides for your walking safari, this tour is no different from a game drive except that here you will walk on foot to find the animals. Return to the Lodge for refreshments, Lunch and in the afternoon go for a boat ride on Lake Mburo which will get you quite close to Crocodiles and Hippos. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight as above.

Day 18: Transfer to Kampala/Entebbe/Departure

  • Transfer to Kampala/Entebbe/Departure: Early morning, you will have breakfast and after en route game drive for the early risers and other missed animals on the previous game drive before embarking on a journey back to Kampala with en route Lunch and at the Equator for water experiments and photographs, Royal drum Village at Mpambire for souvenirs. Proceed to Kampala and drop-off at Entebbe airport for your flight back home.

End of the 18 Days Best Of Uganda Adventure

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