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12 days · Uganda · Mid-range

12 Days Uganda Gorillas, Chimps & Big Five Safari

Twelve days through Uganda's finest parks: white rhino at Ziwa, two nights at Murchison Falls, chimpanzees in Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, two nights in Bwindi for a gorilla trek, Lake Bunyonyi and Lake Mburo.

  • 12 days
  • Uganda
  • Mid-range
  • Starts Entebbe or Kampala
  • Ends Entebbe or Kampala
Two white rhinos walking through Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Safari snapshot

At a glance

The essentials for comparing this journey before you enquire.

Duration
12 days
Country
Uganda
Destinations
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary · Murchison Falls · Kibale Forest · Queen Elizabeth · Bwindi Impenetrable Forest · Lake Bunyonyi · Lake Mburo
Safari style
Mid-range
Price
Price subject upon request
Starts
Entebbe or Kampala
Ends
Entebbe or Kampala

Best for

  • Primate lovers
  • Wildlife enthusiasts
  • Travellers with more time

The route

A round trip from Entebbe or Kampala

  1. Stop 1Entebbe or Kampala
  2. Stop 2Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
  3. Stop 3Murchison Falls
  4. Stop 4Kibale Forest
  5. Stop 5Queen Elizabeth
  6. Stop 6Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
  7. Stop 7Lake Bunyonyi
  8. Stop 8Lake Mburo
  9. Stop 9Entebbe or Kampala

Safari highlights

What shapes the journey

  • Rhino tracking at Ziwa and two nights at Murchison Falls
  • Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale
  • Two nights in Bwindi with a gorilla trek
  • Lake Bunyonyi and Lake Mburo

Day by day

Twelve days, day by day.

The plan is a guide: timings may change with road and park conditions and your group's interests. Wildlife sightings can never be guaranteed.

White rhino in green woodland at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Day 1

Entebbe or Kampala → Murchison Falls

Rhino tracking at Ziwa

Travel north from Entebbe or Kampala to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, where white rhino are being bred for reintroduction to Uganda's national parks. Walk with a ranger to observe the rhinos at a respectful distance, an unusual chance to see these animals on foot. Then continue to Murchison Falls National Park, arriving at your lodge in the evening, where two nights allow the park to be explored properly.

Overnight
Murchison Falls · lodge
Main activities
Rhino tracking on foot

Day 2

Murchison Falls National Park

The northern bank and the Nile

Cross the Nile by ferry for an early game drive on the northern bank's grassland, where giraffe, elephant, buffalo, lion and Uganda kob may be encountered. In the afternoon, take a boat trip upriver towards the foot of the falls, passing hippos, crocodiles and abundant birdlife, including the chance of a shoebill in the delta.

Overnight
Murchison Falls · lodge
Main activities
Morning game drive · Nile boat trip

Day 3

Murchison Falls National Park

Top of the falls

Spend a second day in the park at a gentler pace. Visit the top of the falls, where the Nile forces its way through a gorge only a few metres wide, and take in the view and the spray. Your guide can arrange an optional delta boat trip or a short walk before an evening at the lodge.

Overnight
Murchison Falls · lodge
Main activities
Top of the falls visit · Optional delta boat trip

Day 4

Murchison Falls → Kibale

Along the Albertine Rift

Leave Murchison Falls and drive south along the Albertine Rift escarpment, with views towards Lake Albert and the mountains of the Congo beyond on clear days. Continue through Hoima and farming country to Fort Portal, where tea estates cover the hills, and on to your lodge near Kibale Forest. It is a long travel day, arriving in the late afternoon among the crater lakes.

Overnight
Kibale · lodge
Main activities
Long transfer
Wooden tree house surrounded by Kibale forest

Day 5

Kibale Forest

Chimpanzee tracking

Join an early chimpanzee tracking walk with Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers in Kibale Forest National Park, home to a large chimpanzee population and more than a dozen other primate species. Chimpanzees move quickly, so sightings vary. In the afternoon, walk the community-run Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary with local guides, looking for monkeys and some of the many bird species found in the swamp.

Overnight
Kibale · lodge
Main activities
Chimpanzee tracking · Bigodi wetland walk

Day 6

Kibale → Queen Elizabeth

Crater lakes and the Kazinga Channel

Drive south past crater lakes to Queen Elizabeth National Park, following the Rwenzori foothills as the forest gives way to savannah. In the afternoon, cruise the Kazinga Channel between Lakes George and Edward, where hippos, buffalo and elephants often gather on the banks and waterbirds are plentiful. The channel is one of the best places in Uganda to see so much wildlife in one outing. Dinner and the night at your lodge.

Overnight
Queen Elizabeth · lodge
Main activities
Kazinga Channel boat trip

Day 7

Queen Elizabeth National Park

The Kasenyi plains

Head out at dawn on the Kasenyi plains, where lion, elephant, buffalo and herds of Uganda kob may be seen, and the early light is ideal for photography. After lunch, explore the northern crater area, with its explosion craters and lakes, or take a guided walk, before returning to your lodge for an evening overlooking the savannah. It is a well-paced day between the forests.

Overnight
Queen Elizabeth · lodge
Main activities
Morning game drive
Calm water below green hills near Bwindi

Day 8

Queen Elizabeth → Bwindi

Ishasha's tree-climbing lions

Drive south through the Ishasha sector, known for lions that rest in fig trees, with a game drive on the way through its quiet, open plains. Then continue into the hills to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, winding up through farmed valleys and forest-covered ridges. Arrive at your lodge in the late afternoon to rest before the trek, with two nights at Bwindi giving flexibility.

Overnight
Bwindi · lodge
Main activities
Ishasha game drive en route

Day 9

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Gorilla trekking day

After the ranger briefing, trek into Bwindi's steep, dense forest with guides and trackers in search of a habituated mountain gorilla family. Treks can last from under an hour to most of the day, and trails are often muddy, so good footwear matters. When the family is found, spend up to an hour watching them quietly, then return to the lodge to rest.

Overnight
Bwindi · lodge
Main activities
Gorilla trek

Day 10

Bwindi → Lake Bunyonyi

Forest walk and the lake

Take an optional forest or community walk in the morning, then drive through the terraced hills of Kigezi to Lake Bunyonyi, a deep lake scattered with islands and surrounded by cultivated slopes. Spend the afternoon relaxing by the water or on a canoe trip between the islands. After the exertion of the trek, the calm of the lake makes a restful stop.

Overnight
Lake Bunyonyi · lodge
Main activities
Optional forest walk · Optional canoe trip

Day 11

Lake Bunyonyi → Lake Mburo

To the zebra country

After a slow breakfast by the lake, drive east through Kabale and Mbarara to Lake Mburo National Park, a journey through the rolling hills and cattle country of south-western Uganda. Arrive in time for an afternoon game drive. The park's acacia woodland and lakes are home to zebra, eland, impala and topi, and an evening boat trip or guided walk can be arranged.

Overnight
Lake Mburo · lodge
Main activities
Afternoon game drive
Sunset reflected in Lake Mburo

Day 12

Lake Mburo → Entebbe or Kampala

Across the equator

Take a final early game drive or walk in Lake Mburo, when zebra and antelope are active in the cool of the morning. Then set off for Entebbe or Kampala, stopping at the equator line along the way. You arrive in the afternoon for a drop-off at your hotel or the airport, completing twelve days across Uganda, from Murchison's Nile to Bwindi's gorillas.

Main activities
Early game drive · Equator stop

Recommended accommodation

Where you stay.

Named properties are the ones used for this package. Nights listed by category are confirmed with your quotation, subject to availability.

Accommodation category

Overnight at the lodge

Mid-range · Murchison Falls · 3 nights

Accommodation category

Overnight at the lodge

Mid-range · Kibale · 2 nights

Accommodation category

Overnight at the lodge

Mid-range · Queen Elizabeth · 2 nights

Accommodation category

Overnight at the lodge

Mid-range · Bwindi · 2 nights

Accommodation category

Overnight at the lodge

Mid-range · Lake Bunyonyi · 1 night

Accommodation category

Overnight at the lodge

Mid-range · Lake Mburo · 1 night

What’s included

Clear from the start.

  • Transport in a 4×4 safari vehicle with a pop-up roof
  • Accommodation as per itinerary
  • Services of an English-speaking driver-guide
  • Park entrance fees for the scheduled activities
  • Drinking water in the vehicle

What’s not included

No hidden assumptions.

  • International flights and visa fees
  • Travel and personal insurance
  • Alcoholic and soft drinks
  • Optional activities not listed in the itinerary
  • Tips and gratuities

Your written quotation confirms the exact inclusions for your dates.

Flexible pricing

A clear quote for your journey.

The final price depends on when and how you travel: season, group size, accommodation level and private or shared transport.

Pricing

Price subject upon request

We quote this journey individually because travel dates, group size and accommodation availability change it significantly.

What affects the final price?

  • Travel dates and season
  • Group size
  • Accommodation availability
  • Private or shared vehicle
Request Exact Quote Ask on WhatsApp (opens WhatsApp)

Made around you

Make this safari yours.

Where operationally possible, a local planner can help adapt the journey without losing the route’s natural rhythm.

  • Travel dates and pace
  • Adding or removing nights where the route allows
  • Accommodation choices, subject to availability
  • Combining with another destination
Customise This Safari

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External review source

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Before you travel

Safari questions, answered clearly.

How much does the 12 Days Uganda Gorillas, Chimps & Big Five Safari cost?

The 12 Days Uganda Gorillas, Chimps & Big Five Safari is quoted individually (price subject upon request), because travel dates, group size and accommodation availability change the cost. Share your dates and a planner will send an exact quotation.

Where does this safari start and finish?

It starts and finishes in Entebbe or Kampala. Your planner can advise on arrival and departure arrangements.

Where will I stay?

Nights are listed as “overnight at the lodge”: the specific property is confirmed with your quotation, subject to availability.

Is the day-by-day plan fixed?

Not yet. The plan shown is a suggested outline for this route; the final day-by-day itinerary, activities and timings are confirmed with your quotation.

What is the minimum age for gorilla trekking?

The Uganda Wildlife Authority sets a minimum age of 15 for gorilla trekking; your planner confirms the rules in force when you book. Younger travellers can take part in other activities while the group treks.

Is a gorilla sighting guaranteed?

No. Trekking groups set out to find habituated gorilla families, but wildlife is never guaranteed. Treks can take from under an hour to most of a day, depending on where the family has moved.

Is the gorilla permit included?

Gorilla trekking permits are issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority, are limited in number and must be secured in advance. Whether a permit is included, and its current cost, is confirmed in your quotation.

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Destinations on this route

Start planning with a local expert

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