20 days - Gorillas, Kidepo and the source of the Nile
Gorillas and big game,Kidepo and Sipito the source of the Nile
Twenty days across Uganda from Entebbe through the gorilla forests of Bwindi and Queen Elizabeth, the remote Kidepo Valley and Sipi Falls, ending with rafting at Jinja on the source of the Nile.
1Country
10Stops
19Nights
Medium to LuxuryService level
01Uganda
The storyThe headline tells the journey in a few lines, one after another.
At a glanceThe figures beneath it are the essential facts of the trip.
The journey
When to go
Gorillas and chimpanzees
Murchison, Queen Elizabeth and Mburo
Kidepo Valley
Nile rafting at Jinja
Gorillas and chimpanzees
Murchison, Queen Elizabeth and Mburo
Kidepo Valley
Nile rafting at Jinja Avoid
January Primary window
Dry season: firmer trails on the Bwindi ridges and clearer light for photographs. Dry season. Short grass, animals at the water and the river cruises running in clear light. Dry and hot. The Narus Valley water draws buffalo, elephant and lion across open plains. The Nile runs all year. Warm, dry days make for comfortable days on the water.
From Entebbe through the gorilla forests, Queen Elizabeth, Kidepo Valley, Sipi Falls and Jinja.
This day upon arrival to the Pearl of Africa, you will meet our safari guide at Entebbe international airport, who will transfer you to a hotel for an overnight stay.
You will start this day with an early breakfast and then begin your journey to Lake Mburo National Park, lying in the semi-arid Zone of the Ankole - Masaka corridor in the Kiruhura district. En route here, you will have a stopover at the Equator for light moments of photography. Then we will transfer you to the park. Upon arrival, you will check in a lodge for lunch and later have a sunset game drive. Here you may spot different animal species such as Impalas, Zebras, Giraffes, Elands, and various animal species. Later in the evening, you will return to a lodge for an overnight stay.
This day you will conduct a morning Bush walk, and you will have a chance to encounter locals, antelopes, zebras, and browsers such as giraffe towers, Hippos, herds of buffaloes, and many long-horned cattle grazing in the park. You will prepare for a transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable national park, home to over half of the remaining population of the rare mountain Gorillas.
With a guide, you'll head to park headquarters for a briefing at 0800 hours after breakfast, well-stocked with a packed lunch. You will then be divided into groups depending on the Gorilla family you have been allocated to track, thereafter proceed into the forest and start your Gorilla tracking experience following the trails in the forest. During the Gorilla tracking experience, you may also encounter another different primate and a variety of bird species.
After you see the gorillas, you will have one hour for interaction, pictures, and video clips of these huge and gentle gorillas. That is truly a rewarding experience you will live to remember.
On this day, we'll transport you to Queen Elizabeth National Park (Ishasha Sector) for an encounter with tree-climbing lions and other wildlife you may spot as you move into Ishasha. Upon arrival, you will check in a lodge, and later in the evening, you will have an evening game where you may have an encounter with the tree-climbing lions and other animals you may spot.
After breakfast, you will head to the park for the game drive in the rolling plains of the Kasenyi area. This will give you an opportunity of meeting the wildlife that has its home in Queen Elizabeth and these include Uganda kobs, waterbucks, buffalos, and elephants, to mention but a few. While enjoying the animals grazing, you can take as many photos as possible. After lunch, you will proceed for the boat cruise on the Kazinga channel. Cruising on the channel is one of the most enjoyable activities that you wouldn’t want to miss out on. The cruise will give you an opportunity of enjoying the view of different bird species on the banks of the channel, pools of hippos, and crocodiles, and also fill the gap of the animals you had missed out on during the game drives.
This day after breakfast, you will prepare for a transfer to Kibale forest national park, famous for the chimpanzee tracking experience and other primate species that you may spot in the forest. Upon arrival here, you will check in a lodge for lunch, and in the afternoon, you will have the crater lakes walk exploring different crater lakes and the local communities.
You will spend this day with the chimpanzees at Kibale forest national park. You will depart from the lodge after breakfast for the chimpanzee tracking experience. Your safari guide will transfer you for briefing, and hand you over to the ranger guides who will lead you for the chimpanzee tracking experience. During the experience, you can spot several other species of primates, mammals, and birds. In the afternoon, you will go for the Bigodi wetlands walk with chances of meeting several bird species as well as primates such as black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, and many more.
This day you will be transferred to Murchison falls national park, one of Uganda’s best safari destinations when it comes to game viewing and beautiful landscape. This park offers guests one of the finest game-viewing experiences with rewarding opportunities for photography.
After breakfast in the lodge, you will enter the park for a rewarding game-viewing experience. Murchison falls national park is home to several animal species such as elephants, buffaloes, hippos, lions, leopards, and many more may be encountered.
Later in the afternoon, you will proceed for the rewarding boat cruise to the bottom of the powerful Murchison falls. In the comfort of your boat, you will have perfect opportunities of taking as many photographs as possible, making your holiday a more rewarding one. You will thereafter hike to the top of the falls where the Nile River explodes violently forming an extremely powerful waterfall.
This day, after breakfast, you will proceed into the park for the morning Nile delta boat cruise at the Nile River for a birding experience. Several bird species including the rare shoebill stork may be spotted during the experience.
Later in the afternoon, you will have sunset game drives in the park, with chances of meeting several animal species and exploring the park to its very best.
On this day you will depart from Murchison falls National park for Kidepo Valley National park, Uganda’s remotest and less explores, yet rich tourism destination. This park is ideal for game viewing, with a variety of animals and bird species residing in the park.
This day will be for game drives at Kidepo Valley National park. After breakfast, you will enter the park for an encounter with its residents. A full day in the wilderness is worthwhile with an encounter with several animal species in the true African wilderness. The landscape at Kidepo Valley national park is perfect for photography, with the beautiful savannah.
After breakfast in the lodge, you will have another day for game viewing. You will spend this morning exploring the park to its very best and taking as many memorable pictures as possible. In the afternoon, you will visit the indigenous Karamojong communities that live around the national park.
You will have a great cultural experience during your visit as they exhibit their traditional dances and ways of life.
This day you will be transferred to Sipi falls in Eastern Uganda. The beautiful waterfalls offer a spectacular view for photography. Upon arrival here, you will be transferred to a lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
This day, after breakfast, you will have a hike to Sipi falls. The local safari guide will take you through the communities with interesting stories about Sipi falls. You will also explore the cakes around Sipi falls. In the afternoon, you will have a rewarding coffee tour experience where you will go through how the local coffee is traditionally harvested and brewed.
On this day you will visit the adventurous city, Jinja. This is the home to the world’s longest river, the Nile, and offers guests an adventurous rafting experience. Upon arrival here, you will have a boat cruise to the source of the Nile; thereafter check an afternoon relaxation at the Lodge.
This day is dedicated to an adrenaline experience in the mighty Nile River. White water rafting is one of the most interesting activities not to be missed while in Uganda. The full-day experience will give you a great experience as you tackle several grades during the white water rafting experience.
This day, after breakfast, you will proceed for a visit to Kampala city. Here you will visit the Namugonggo martyr’s shrines, the Gadaffi mosque, and the local craft markets in Kampala. You will thereafter proceed to Entebbe for an overnight stay.
You will have a lazy morning in your hotel room, thereafter be transferred to the airport for your outbound flight.
The detail
About this trip
Uganda is the dream of a true African lover. This country is so rich in natural attractions that you want to spend as much time as possible here and see all this beauty with your own eyes. That's why, we have made this Best Uganda Journey. In almost 3 weeks in Uganda you will have gorilla trekking experience and a classic safari drive experience in the national parks. This is one of the few countries where you can see both rare primates and the Big Five. There are also cultural adventures with local communities, sunset boat rides along the Nile Delta. And Uganda's rushing rivers give you the opportunity to go on a spectacular rafting trip. In case you want to add a little more extreme to your trip.
What is included
Park fees (For non-residents)
All activities (Unless labelled as optional)
All accommodation (Unless listed as an upgrade)
A professional driver/guide
All transportation (Unless labelled as optional)
Round-trip airport transfer
Meals (As specified in the day-by-day section)
Drinks (As specified in the day-by-day section)
What is not included
International flights (From/home)
Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
Tips (Tipping guideline US$10.00 pp per day)
Personal items (Souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
Increase in taxes and/or fees for parks set by the government
Some meals (As specified in the day-by-day section)
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
How does the 20-day Uganda route move around the country?
The route is by road from Entebbe, in a loop. It goes to Lake Mburo on day 2, Bwindi on day 3, the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth on day 5, and Kibale on day 7. Day 9 goes to Murchison Falls and day 12 to Kidepo Valley. The final legs are Sipi Falls on day 15, Jinja on day 17, and Kampala and Entebbe on day 19.
When is the best time for the 20-day Uganda journey?
December to February score highest at every stop, with the dry season opening in December. June to September are alternatives: they are dry for the gorillas, chimpanzees and game parks, with permits selling out early, but Kidepo is in its wet season, with slower drives. March, April, May and November are the rainiest, with muddy tracks and softer trails.
What does a typical day look like on this Uganda itinerary?
Primate days start with a ranger briefing: on day 4 at 8 am for gorilla tracking with a packed lunch and one hour with the gorillas, and on day 8 the chimpanzee tracking in the morning and the Bigodi wetlands walk in the afternoon. Murchison combines a game drive, a boat cruise and a hike to the top of the falls, and Kidepo has full-day game viewing.
What is flexible on the Uganda itinerary?
The pace slows at the end. Day 19 is a Kampala city tour, and day 20 starts with a lazy morning before the airport transfer, so an onward flight is easy to fit. The key choice is your dates, as Kidepo is wet from June to September and primate permits sell out early in the dry months. Dates and lodges are confirmed in your proposal.
Can you combine more than one country in a single trip?
Yes. Many of our journeys cross borders, for example Botswana with Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, or Cape Town with a safari and the Falls. Tell us the places you have in mind through the enquiry form and we will plan the route and transfers as one itinerary.
What meals are included on safari?
Meals depend on the camp or lodge and are set out in your itinerary. On safari they are usually taken at camp, with a picnic or packed meal on some days. Tell us about any dietary needs when you enquire.
Do I need vaccinations or medication before an African safari?
Health requirements depend on where you are travelling from and where you are going, and they change. Check your country's official travel health advice or TravelHealthPro (travelhealthpro.org.uk), and see a travel clinic well before you depart. Ask about malaria prevention early.
What should I pack for an African safari?
Lightweight, breathable clothing that covers your arms and legs helps against sun and insects, in neutral colours. Bring comfortable closed shoes (boots if you will walk), a hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, binoculars and a camera with spare batteries and memory cards. Your itinerary lists any luggage limits for charter flights.
How do I stay safe on safari?
Your guides brief you on how to behave around wildlife. Follow their instructions, stay in the vehicle or camp area as told, and never approach or disturb animals. Conditions differ by country and change over time, so check your government's current travel advice before you book and again before you travel.
On this trip
Photographs from the route, not stock library scenery.
Book it in this order
Work down the list. Each step depends on the one above it.
Field notes
The practical detail that decides whether a trip runs smoothly.
Three weeks, four landscapes
The route moves from savannah at Lake Mburo to the forests of Bwindi and Kibale, the Nile at Murchison, the northern plains of Kidepo and the Nile again at Jinja.
Tree-climbing lions
The Ishasha sector lies on the way to Queen Elizabeth. The lions rest in fig trees, and the evening drive gives the best chance of seeing them.
Kidepo Valley
Kidepo is remote, with open savannah and a visit to the Karamojong communities who live around the park. Bring a long lens and binoculars.
Sipi Falls
A guided hike takes you through the local communities to the falls, followed by a coffee tour showing how the beans are harvested and brewed.
Gorilla tracking essentials
Wear waterproof boots, gaiters, gloves and a rain jacket, and take a packed lunch. After you find the gorillas you have one hour with them.
A city day in Kampala
On day nineteen you visit the Namugongo Martyrs' Shrines, the Gaddafi Mosque and local craft markets before the final night in Entebbe. Dress modestly for the religious sites.
Plan this journey
Make this trip your own
Every journey is planned around your dates and your party. Tell us who is travelling and when, and a specialist will come back with a tailored itinerary and a quote. Payment is by invoice.
