Safari overview
Combine wild savannah game viewing, chimpanzee and mountain gorilla trekking and authentic cultural encounters on one eleven-day journey from Uganda’s far northeast to the south-west.
This private eleven-day Uganda safari links five of the country’s most remarkable national parks. Starting at Entebbe Airport, you travel north to the remote Kidepo Valley for a full day of game drives and a Karamojong cultural experience, then continue to Murchison Falls for a hike to the top of the falls, a game drive and a Nile boat cruise. From there you turn south to Kibale Forest National Park for chimpanzee trekking, then on to Queen Elizabeth National Park for savannah game drives and a cruise on the Kazinga Channel.
The finale is the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park mountain gorilla trekking experience, reached through the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth. After meeting a habituated gorilla family, you may add an optional Batwa cultural experience before the long drive back to Entebbe Airport.
Choose budget, mid-range or luxury accommodation to suit your style. Along the route, lodge options include Kidepo Savannah Lodge, Adere Safari Lodge or Apoka Safari Lodge at Kidepo; Hornbill Bush Lodge, Tilenga Safari Lodge or Chobe Safari Lodge at Murchison Falls; Chimpanzee Forest Lodge, Turaco Treetops or Chimpundu Lodge at Kibale; Kazinga Wilderness Camp, Buffalo Safari Lodge or Mweya Safari Lodge at Queen Elizabeth; and Gorilla Valley Lodge, Gorilla Leisure Lodge or Gorilla Safari Lodge at Bwindi.
Tour highlights
Experience Uganda’s savannah wildlife, riverbanks, rainforests and living cultures on one private eleven-day safari.
- Mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
- Chimpanzee trekking in the tropical rainforest of Kibale
- Full-day game drive in Kidepo Valley, where white rhinos have been reintroduced
- Karamojong cultural experience and guided community walk
- Evening hike at the top of Murchison Falls and a Nile boat cruise
- Kasenyi Plains game drive and Kazinga Channel boat cruise
- Game drive in the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Optional Batwa cultural experience and Bigodi Wetland nature walk
Detailed itinerary
Day 1
Entebbe to Kidepo Valley National Park
Your driver-guide meets you at Entebbe Airport or your hotel in the Entebbe area. After a short briefing, begin the long journey north to Kidepo Valley National Park, tucked into Uganda’s far north-eastern corner.
It is a long day on the road, but Kidepo rewards the effort. This remote park feels unlike anywhere else in Uganda, with wide savannahs and rugged mountains stretching to the horizon. Arrive at your lodge, settle in and enjoy dinner.
- Long day’s drive north; allow most of the day
- Budget: Kidepo Savannah Lodge | Mid-Range: Adere Safari Lodge | Luxury: Apoka Safari Lodge
- Half board
Day 2
Full-Day Game Drive in Kidepo Valley National Park
Spend the whole day exploring Kidepo on game drive. The park has recently reintroduced white rhinos, giving you a rare chance to look for the Big Five in Uganda. Elephants move in large herds, lions rest in prides and cheetahs cross the open plains.
Giraffes, Uganda kobs, topis and buffaloes complete the scene, and birdwatchers will find species here that rarely turn up elsewhere in the country. Return to your lodge for dinner and a second night in the park.
- Full-day game drive with a picnic or lodge lunch
- Budget: Kidepo Savannah Lodge | Mid-Range: Adere Safari Lodge | Luxury: Apoka Safari Lodge
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 3
Karamojong Cultural Experience and Community Walk
Today shifts from wildlife to culture. Spend the morning with the Karamojong, a pastoral community whose traditions go back centuries, and learn about their customs, dress and daily routines directly from community members.
In the afternoon, join a guided walk through the surrounding villages and countryside. It is the kind of connection a standard safari rarely offers, and it sets the tone for the cultural side of this adventure. Return to your lodge for dinner and a third night in Kidepo.
- Morning cultural visit; afternoon guided community walk
- Budget: Kidepo Savannah Lodge | Mid-Range: Adere Safari Lodge | Luxury: Apoka Safari Lodge
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 4
Drive to Murchison Falls National Park and Evening Hike at the Falls
After breakfast, check out and head south-west to Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda’s largest protected area. The drive takes several hours and passes through changing countryside before opening into Murchison’s broad savannah.
Arriving in the late afternoon, walk up to the top of the falls and watch the Nile force itself through a gap just seven metres wide. The mist, the noise and the evening light make this one of the trip’s best moments. Enjoy dinner at your lodge.
- Several hours’ drive; evening hike at the falls
- Budget: Hornbill Bush Lodge | Mid-Range: Tilenga Safari Lodge | Luxury: Chobe Safari Lodge
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 5
Morning Game Drive and Afternoon Boat Cruise
Start with an early game drive on Murchison’s northern bank, where elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, antelopes and lions are active in the cool morning hours, with the occasional leopard sighting. Return to the lodge for breakfast and lunch.
In the afternoon, board a boat on the Victoria Nile and cruise towards the base of the falls. Nile crocodiles bask along the banks, hippos wallow in the shallows and waterbirds, including the rare shoebill stork, work the shoreline. The cruise winds down as the sun starts to set.
- Morning game drive; afternoon boat cruise
- Budget: Hornbill Bush Lodge | Mid-Range: Tilenga Safari Lodge | Luxury: Chobe Safari Lodge
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 6
Drive to Kibale Forest National Park and Optional Bigodi Nature Walk
After breakfast, leave Murchison and drive south to Kibale Forest National Park, often called the primate capital of the world. The route passes through Fort Portal, with its tea plantations and crater lakes.
In the afternoon, you may take an optional guided walk through the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, a community-run reserve on the edge of the forest. Red-tailed monkeys and black-and-white colobus move through the trees, and the birdlife is excellent. This walk can be arranged at an extra cost. Have dinner and rest ahead of tomorrow’s chimpanzee trek.
- Full day’s drive via Fort Portal; optional afternoon nature walk
- Budget: Chimpanzee Forest Lodge | Mid-Range: Turaco Treetops | Luxury: Chimpundu Lodge
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 7
Chimpanzee Trekking and Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
At around 7:00am, head to the Kanyanchu briefing centre in Kibale Forest for one of the standout experiences of this journey: chimpanzee trekking. Uganda holds one of Africa’s largest wild chimpanzee populations, and Kibale is the best place to find them.
Rangers guide you through the forest, following calls and movement until you reach a habituated community. Watching the chimps feed, play and interact up close is something you will not forget. The duration of the walk varies according to where the chimpanzees are found.
After lunch, drive south to Queen Elizabeth National Park, arriving at your lodge by early evening for dinner.
- Morning chimpanzee trek; afternoon drive to Queen Elizabeth
- Budget: Kazinga Wilderness Camp | Mid-Range: Buffalo Safari Lodge | Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 8
Kasenyi Plains Game Drive and Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise
Explore the Kasenyi Plains on a morning game drive. This open grassland is the best spot in Queen Elizabeth National Park for lions, elephants, buffaloes and Uganda kobs, while leopards, hyenas and giant forest hogs also live in the park, subject to wildlife conditions.
After lunch, board a boat on the Kazinga Channel, the waterway linking Lake George and Lake Edward. Few places in Uganda pack in this much wildlife at once, with hippo pods crowding the shallows, crocodiles lining the banks, and pelicans, kingfishers and herons filling the sky and water.
Return to your lodge for dinner and a second night in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
- Morning game drive; afternoon boat cruise of about 2 hours
- Budget: Kazinga Wilderness Camp | Mid-Range: Buffalo Safari Lodge | Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 9
Ishasha Game Drive and Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Set off early for Ishasha, the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, known for its tree-climbing lions. Most lions rest on the ground, but the Ishasha pride regularly climbs into fig trees, a habit seen almost nowhere else in the world. Sightings are not guaranteed.
After searching the area, continue south through the misty hills of Kigezi to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, with terraced hillsides and thick forest filling the view. Arrive at your lodge in the afternoon or evening, have dinner and prepare for the next day’s gorilla trek.
- Morning game drive; afternoon drive to Bwindi
- Budget: Gorilla Valley Lodge | Mid-Range: Gorilla Leisure Lodge | Luxury: Gorilla Safari Lodge
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 10
Mountain Gorilla Trekking and Optional Batwa Cultural Experience
This day is the centrepiece of the entire adventure. After an early ranger briefing at around 7:30am at the park headquarters, head into Bwindi’s forest with rangers and trackers to find a habituated mountain gorilla family.
The trek can last anywhere from one hour to several hours, depending on where the gorillas moved overnight, but it is worth every step. You are allowed one hour with the family, watching the silverback lead, young gorillas play and mothers care for their babies. The terrain is steep, muddy and uneven, so suitable hiking boots and a reasonable level of fitness are important.
In the afternoon, you may meet the Batwa, the original forest dwellers of Bwindi, and learn about their history, songs and traditional forest skills. This activity is optional and can be arranged at an extra cost. Enjoy dinner and your final night in Bwindi.
- Allow most of the day for trekking; walking time varies
- Budget: Gorilla Valley Lodge | Mid-Range: Gorilla Leisure Lodge | Luxury: Gorilla Safari Lodge
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 11
Drive Back to Entebbe
After breakfast, check out and begin the long drive back to Entebbe, roughly 9 to 10 hours on the road. It is a good stretch of time to look back on everything the trip covered: savannah, waterfalls, forests and river cruises, and the people you met along the way.
Depending on your flight, you may have time to freshen up at a hotel in Entebbe before heading to the airport. We recommend booking a late departure flight or arranging an extra night in Entebbe for rest before your flight home. Travel time can vary with traffic and road conditions.
- Approximately 9 to 10 hours’ drive, plus stops
- No accommodation unless an extra night is requested
- Half board
Request a quote
Tell us your preferred travel dates, number of travellers and accommodation choice. A safari specialist will prepare a tailored quotation for your gorilla, chimpanzee and culture safari adventure.
- Free, no-obligation quote
- Gorilla and chimpanzee permit arrangements
- Budget, mid-range or luxury lodge selection
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More FAQs for 10-Day Uganda Gorillas & Game Safari
Beyond permits and packing, travellers planning this ten-day Uganda safari often ask about logistics, health, money, and the practical details that are easy to overlook. Here are honest answers to those questions so you can plan your trip and book with confidence.
How much driving is involved on the 10-day safari?
This route links five parks, so driving is a real part of the trip, but the days are split sensibly. The longest stretches are the drive north to Murchison Falls (about five to six hours plus a stop at Ziwa), the drive to Kibale (five to seven hours), and the transfer from Bwindi to Lake Mburo (four to five hours). Other days are much shorter. Your driver-guide plans comfort stops, lunch breaks, and photo opportunities. Travel times depend on traffic and road conditions, so treat them as estimates.
What does a typical safari day look like?
Game drive and trekking days start early, often with breakfast around 6:00am or 7:00am, because wildlife is most active in the cool morning hours and trekking briefings begin early. You usually return to the lodge for lunch and rest in the afternoon, then join a boat cruise or relax before dinner. Drive days are more relaxed, with a leisurely breakfast and stops along the way. Evenings are generally quiet, so most travellers go to bed early to prepare for the next morning.
Will I see rhinos and the Big Five on this safari?
This itinerary gives you a chance at several of the Big Five, but not all of them are guaranteed. Elephants and buffaloes are common across the savannah parks, and lions can be seen in Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth, and Ishasha. Leopards are elusive and sightings are occasional. The best place to see rhinos on this route is Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary on day one, where you can track southern white rhinos on foot with rangers. Rhino tracking is usually arranged at an additional cost.
What is the safari vehicle like, and how much luggage can I bring?
You travel in a private 4×4 safari vehicle with a pop-up roof, which allows you to stand and photograph wildlife during game drives. The vehicle size is matched to your group so that everyone has a comfortable seat and a good view. Because you will be loading and unloading at several lodges, soft-sided bags are easier to pack than rigid suitcases. Pack light where possible, and ask us about charging options in the vehicle before you travel, since arrangements can vary.
Which lodges do we stay in on this safari?
Accommodation is matched to your chosen category in each park. Near Murchison Falls, options include Hornbill Bush Lodge, Tilenga Safari Lodge, and Nile Safari Lodge. In Kibale, you may stay at Chimpanzee Forest Lodge, Turaco Treetops, or Chimpundu Lodge. In Queen Elizabeth, the options are Pumba Safari Lodge, Buffalo Safari Lodge, or Elephant Plains Lodge. Near Bwindi, the itinerary lists Gorilla Leisure Lodge and Gorilla Safari Lodge, and at Lake Mburo, Eagle’s Nest Lodge, Rwakobo Rock, or Mihingo Safari Lodge. Your final quotation confirms the lodges before you pay.
Is the price per person, and is there a single supplement?
Our starting price is quoted per person sharing a twin room, and it falls as the group grows because the vehicle and driver-guide costs are shared. Travellers who want a private room, including solo travellers, may pay a single supplement, and a solo traveller also carries the full vehicle cost alone. Your final price depends on group size, travel dates, and accommodation category. Send us your details and we will prepare a clear quotation that shows exactly what you are paying for.
How far ahead should I book, and how do payments work?
Book as early as you can, ideally several months ahead and earlier for the busy periods of June to September and December to February. Gorilla permits are limited each day, and lodges in remote areas can fill up. A deposit is usually needed to secure permits and reservations, with the balance due before travel. Cancellation and refund terms depend on Uganda Wildlife Authority permit rules and lodge policies, so we set them out in writing in your quotation before you commit.
Can I choose my gorilla family or Bwindi sector?
You can tell us your preferences, but gorilla families are assigned by Uganda Wildlife Authority, usually at the morning briefing, and groups are limited to eight visitors per family each day. The Bwindi sector we use depends on permit availability, and we choose your lodge to match. If you would prefer a gentler trek or are comfortable with a longer one, let us know in advance and we will pass that on to the rangers. Final allocation cannot be guaranteed.
Can I upgrade to a gorilla habituation experience instead?
Possibly, subject to availability. Gorilla habituation lets you spend up to four hours with a family that is still becoming used to people, instead of the standard one hour. It is offered in limited sectors, costs considerably more than a standard permit, and involves a longer, more demanding day in the forest. Because it may affect your lodge location and timing, we would adjust the itinerary around it. Ask us when you request your quotation so we can check permits and costs.
Can I end the safari in Kigali instead of Entebbe?
Yes. Your driver-guide can arrange the transfer from Lake Mburo across the border to Kigali International Airport instead of returning to Entebbe. This is a long travel day, and border crossing times vary, so we recommend an evening flight or an extra night to avoid stress. You may need a visa for Rwanda, and the East Africa Tourist Visa can cover Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda for eligible travellers. Check current requirements for your nationality before you travel.
What health precautions should I take before travelling?
Speak to a doctor or travel clinic well before departure. Uganda has asked arriving travellers for proof of yellow fever vaccination, and malaria is present in much of the country, so ask about preventive medication and bring insect repellent. Carry any personal medicines in your hand luggage, along with a small first-aid kit. Medical facilities are limited near some parks, so we recommend travel insurance that includes medical cover and emergency evacuation. Requirements change, so confirm them with official sources.
What currency should I carry, and how much should I tip?
The local currency is the Ugandan shilling, though many lodges also accept US dollars, usually in recent, undamaged notes. Cash machines are found in larger towns but are scarce near the parks, so withdraw money before you head into remote areas. Some lodges accept cards, often with a fee. Tipping is discretionary. As a rough guide, many travellers tip their driver-guide daily, and also tip rangers, trackers, porters, and lodge staff. We can suggest sensible amounts for your group before you travel.
Will I have phone signal, Wi-Fi, and charging points?
Connectivity varies across the route. Signal is generally stronger near towns and weaker in forest areas such as Bwindi and parts of Kibale. Many lodges offer Wi-Fi, but speeds can be slow or limited to common areas. Uganda uses three-pin Type G sockets at 240 volts, so bring a suitable adaptor. Some remote lodges run on solar or generator power at certain hours, so carry a power bank and charge cameras and phones whenever you can.
Can you cater for dietary requirements?
Yes, in most cases. Lodges can usually prepare vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and allergy-friendly meals when they know in advance. Tell us about any dietary needs when you book so we can notify each lodge, since supplies in remote areas can be limited. On trekking days, you can ask for a packed lunch if you prefer to eat in the field. Always remind the lodge staff when you arrive, especially for severe allergies.
Can I fly a drone or use a long lens on this safari?
Drones are generally restricted in Uganda, and flying one in or near a national park normally needs official permission, so we advise leaving yours at home. Never use one near gorillas or chimpanzees. A camera with a zoom lens is far more useful, as wildlife is often at a distance on game drives, and lower light under the forest canopy rewards a camera that handles dim conditions well. Flash photography is not allowed during primate encounters. Bring spare batteries and memory cards.
Can I extend the safari with other destinations?
Yes. Many travellers add extra nights at Lake Mburo, Bwindi, or Queen Elizabeth, or combine this route with Lake Bunyonyi, which suits a relaxing finish before heading towards Kigali. Others add a Rwanda extension or another Uganda highlight such as the source of the Nile or Kidepo. Extensions depend on permit and lodge availability and will change your price and flight timing. Tell us how many extra days you have and we will suggest options that fit.