The former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, during his journey across Africa, visited Uganda and was amazed by the beauty and richness of this East African country. He later named it the Pearl of Africa, describing it as one of Africa’s greatest treasures.
On this 15-day Uganda safari with Queen Elizabeth National Park, you will experience the same wonder through encounters with Uganda’s wildlife, landscapes, and cultures.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival – Shoebill Tracking in Mabamba Wetland
On arrival, meet your driver guide for a short briefing. Drive to Lake Victoria and take a boat ride from Nakiwogo landing site to Mabamba wetland. Here you will search for the shoebill stork, a large and unique bird famous for its still hunting style. You may also see spur-winged geese, pygmy geese, gonoleks, malachite kingfishers, and jacanas. Return to the shores in the evening and transfer to your hotel for dinner and rest.
Day 2: Transfer to Kidepo Valley National Park
After an early breakfast, begin the long journey to Kidepo Valley National Park, one of Uganda’s most remote parks. Stop for lunch on the way before arriving in the evening. Check in at your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Full-Day Game Drive in Kidepo
Spend the whole day exploring Kidepo. Carry a packed lunch as you start with a morning game drive in Kidepo Valley, where you may see elephants, lions, hyenas, cheetahs, buffaloes, zebras, ostriches, warthogs, and antelopes. After lunch, continue to Narus Valley, a wildlife-rich area with a permanent river that attracts many animals. Return to your lodge in the evening for dinner and rest.
Day 4: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park
After breakfast, check out and drive southwest to Murchison Falls National Park. Stop for lunch along the way. Arrive in the evening, check in at your lodge, and have dinner.
Day 5: Game Drive and Boat Cruise
Start the day with a morning game drive to spot lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, warthogs, and antelopes. Return to your lodge for lunch or enjoy a picnic in the park.
In the afternoon, take a boat cruise on the Nile. Spot hippos, crocodiles, elephants, and buffaloes along the riverbanks. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Top of the Falls – Rhino Tracking – Transfer to Kibale
After breakfast, visit the top of Murchison Falls to watch the Nile force through a narrow gorge before crashing down with great power. Continue to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for rhino tracking on foot, the only place in Uganda to see rhinos. Have lunch on the way and drive to Kibale Forest National Park. Arrive in the evening for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Chimpanzee Trekking and Bigodi Wetland
After breakfast, go to the park offices for a briefing before starting chimpanzee trekking. Spend an hour with the chimps, observing their daily life. Return to the lodge for lunch.
In the afternoon, visit Bigodi Wetland for a guided walk. Spot birds, primates such as baboons and colobus monkeys, and learn about the wetland from local guides. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 8: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park – Boat Cruise
After breakfast, drive about 3 hours to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Arrive at your lodge for lunch, then take a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel. See hippos, crocodiles, elephants, buffaloes, and waterbirds along the shores. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 9: Game Drive – Crater Lakes Exploration
After breakfast, take a game drive in Kasenyi Plains to look for lions, elephants, buffaloes, leopards, and antelopes. Return to your lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, visit crater lakes with a local guide and learn about their history. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 10: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
After breakfast, drive 4–5 hours to Bwindi. Pass through the terraced hills of Kigezi and arrive at your lodge for lunch. Spend the afternoon resting in preparation for gorilla trekking the next day. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Day 11: Gorilla Trekking – Batwa Community Tour
After breakfast, go to the park offices for a briefing. Enter the forest with rangers to search for gorillas. Once found, spend one hour with them, observing and taking photos. Return to the lodge for lunch.
In the afternoon, visit the Batwa community. Learn about their traditions, music, dances, and history as former forest dwellers. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 12: Canoe Ride on Lake Bunyonyi – Transfer to Mgahinga
After breakfast, drive to Lake Bunyonyi. Take a canoe ride to explore its islands and listen to local stories. Have lunch in Kabale town and then continue to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Check in at your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 13: Golden Monkey Trekking – Transfer to Lake Mburo
After breakfast, attend a briefing and start trekking golden monkeys in the bamboo forests of Mgahinga. Spend an hour with them, then return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, drive to Lake Mburo National Park. Arrive in the evening, check in, and have dinner.
Day 14: Walking Safari and Boat Cruise
After breakfast, go for a guided walking safari in Lake Mburo. Since there are no lions, it is safe to walk and see zebras, impalas, giraffes, buffaloes, and antelopes. Return to the lodge for lunch.
In the afternoon, take a boat cruise on Lake Mburo. Spot hippos, crocodiles, and birds, with chances to see buffaloes and antelopes by the shores. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 15: Departure
After breakfast, check out and drive back to Kampala or Entebbe, stopping at the equator for photos and lunch. Proceed to the airport for your departure flight. This marks the end of your 15-day Uganda safari with Queen Elizabeth National Park.
