15 days · Uganda · Mid-range
Fifteen days on the most complete Uganda route in the catalogue: the source of the Nile at Jinja, Ziwa's rhinos, Murchison Falls, Kibale's chimpanzees, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi's gorillas, Lake Bunyonyi and Lake Mburo.
Safari snapshot
The essentials for comparing this journey before you enquire.
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The route
Safari highlights
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.
Day 1
Entebbe or Kampala → Jinja
Leave Entebbe or Kampala and drive east through the Mabira Forest area to Jinja, on the northern shore of Lake Victoria. In the afternoon, take a boat trip to the point where the Nile leaves the lake to begin its long journey north. Jinja is also known for river activities, which your planner can arrange at extra cost.
Day 2
Jinja → Murchison Falls
Drive north-west from Jinja to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, where white rhino are being bred for return to Uganda's national parks. Track the rhinos on foot with a ranger, a rare chance to see them without a vehicle between you. Then continue to Murchison Falls National Park, arriving at your lodge in the evening after a long but varied day that crosses much of central Uganda.
Day 3
Murchison Falls National Park
Cross the Nile by ferry at dawn for a game drive on the northern bank, where giraffe, elephant, buffalo, lion and Uganda kob may be encountered on the open grassland. In the afternoon, take a boat trip upriver towards the base of the falls, passing hippos, crocodiles and a rich variety of waterbirds. The contrast between savannah and river makes this one of Uganda's most varied parks.
Day 4
Murchison Falls National Park
Spend a second day exploring the park at a gentler pace. Visit the top of the falls, where the whole Nile squeezes through a narrow gorge with tremendous force and a constant roar. An optional delta boat trip offers another chance at waterbirds, including the possibility of a shoebill, before an evening at the lodge. Two nights here give time to enjoy the park without rushing.
Day 5
Murchison Falls → Kibale
Drive south along the Albertine Rift escarpment, with views towards Lake Albert, through Hoima to Fort Portal and the tea-covered hills at the foot of the Rwenzori Mountains. The route passes farms, villages and forest remnants, showing everyday life in western Uganda. Arrive in the late afternoon at your lodge near Kibale Forest after a long travel day.
Day 6
Kibale Forest
Join an early chimpanzee tracking walk in Kibale Forest National Park, which also shelters red colobus, black-and-white colobus and grey-cheeked mangabey. Chimpanzees move quickly, so sightings vary. In the afternoon, walk through the community-run Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary with local guides who explain its birds, monkeys and village life. The day shows why Kibale is Uganda's primate capital.
Day 7
Kibale → Queen Elizabeth
Drive south past crater lakes to Queen Elizabeth National Park, where the landscape opens into savannah below the Rwenzori foothills. In the afternoon, cruise the Kazinga Channel between Lakes George and Edward, where hippos, buffalo and elephants often gather on the banks, and pelicans, kingfishers and fish eagles are commonly seen. Dinner and the night at your lodge.
Day 8
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Set out at dawn on the Kasenyi plains, where lion, elephant, buffalo and large herds of Uganda kob may be encountered among the euphorbia trees. After lunch, explore the crater lakes of the park's northern sector or take a guided nature walk, before an evening overlooking the savannah. It is the last full savannah day before the journey turns to the forests of the south-west.
Day 9
Queen Elizabeth → Bwindi
Drive south through the Ishasha sector, known for its tree-climbing lions, with a game drive on the way through open plains where topi and kob graze. Then climb into the hills to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, winding through terraced farmland and forested ridges. Arrive at your lodge on the forest edge in the late afternoon, with two nights here for the trek and a rest day.
Day 10
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
After the ranger briefing, trek into Bwindi's steep, dense forest with guides and trackers to find a habituated mountain gorilla family. Treks can take from under an hour to most of the day, depending on where the family has moved. When the family is found, spend up to an hour watching them quietly before returning to the lodge, an encounter many travellers count among the most moving of their lives.
Day 11
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
A second day in Bwindi gives time to rest after the trek or explore further. Choose a guided forest walk to waterfalls, go birdwatching for the forest's Albertine Rift species, or join a community visit to meet the people who live around the park. A second gorilla permit may be possible, subject to availability. The slower pace suits the long journey that remains.
Day 12
Bwindi → Lake Bunyonyi
Drive through the terraced hills of Kigezi to Lake Bunyonyi, one of Uganda's deepest lakes, scattered with small islands and ringed by cultivated slopes. The road offers sweeping views over the valleys. Spend the afternoon relaxing by the water, or take a canoe or boat trip between the islands, which your guide can arrange locally. Two nights here give the journey a restful interlude.
Day 13
Lake Bunyonyi
After many early starts, enjoy a free day beside the lake. Take a gentle walk along the hillside paths, paddle to one of the islands, or simply rest and enjoy the views across the water. It is a good moment to reflect on the journey — the Nile, the chimpanzees and the gorillas — before the final days on the savannah at Lake Mburo.
Day 14
Lake Bunyonyi → Lake Mburo
Drive east through Kabale and Mbarara to Lake Mburo National Park, crossing the rolling hills and cattle country of south-western Uganda. Arrive in time for an afternoon game drive among acacia woodland and lakes, where zebra, eland, impala and topi are commonly seen and buffalo gather near the water. An evening boat trip on the lake or a guided walk can also be arranged.
Day 15
Lake Mburo → Entebbe or Kampala
Take a final early game drive or walk in Lake Mburo, when the park's zebra and antelope are most active. Then set off for Entebbe or Kampala, stopping at the equator line for photographs and a break. Arrive in the afternoon for a drop-off at your hotel or the airport, completing fifteen days across Uganda, from the source of the Nile to Bwindi's forest and Lake Mburo's plains.
Recommended accommodation
Named properties are the ones used for this package. Nights listed by category are confirmed with your quotation, subject to availability.
Accommodation category
Mid-range · Jinja · 1 night
Accommodation category
Mid-range · Murchison Falls · 3 nights
Accommodation category
Mid-range · Kibale · 2 nights
Accommodation category
Mid-range · Queen Elizabeth · 2 nights
Accommodation category
Mid-range · Bwindi · 3 nights
Accommodation category
Mid-range · Lake Bunyonyi · 2 nights
Accommodation category
Mid-range · Lake Mburo · 1 night
What’s included
What’s not included
Your written quotation confirms the exact inclusions for your dates.
Flexible pricing
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.
Made around you
Where operationally possible, a local planner can help adapt the journey without losing the route’s natural rhythm.
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Read our reviews on SafariBookingsExternal review source
Read independent traveller feedback at its original source. Ratings and review totals remain on Tripadvisor, where they stay current.
Read our reviews on TripadvisorBefore you travel
The 15 Days Best of Uganda 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.
It starts and finishes in Entebbe or Kampala. Your planner can advise on arrival and departure arrangements.
Nights are listed as “overnight at the lodge”: the specific property is confirmed with your quotation, subject to availability.
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.
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.
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.
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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