8 Days Uganda Safari

The 8 days Uganda safari combines wildlife viewing, mountain gorilla trekking, chimpanzee tracking and boat cruises. It takes visitors through four of Uganda’s national parks, each protecting a different landscape and wildlife habitat. The trip starts and ends in Entebbe. The safari takes you to Lake Mburo National Park which is known for zebras, impalas and other savannah wildlife. It continues to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for mountain gorilla trekking before heading to Queen Elizabeth National Park for game drives and a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel. The safari also includes Kibale Forest National Park, one of Africa’s best known chimpanzee tracking destinations. Along the way, visitors explore Uganda’s rolling hills, crater lakes, traditional communities, wetlands and forest landscapes.

Trip summary

Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe and transfer to Lake Mburo National Park. 

Day 2: Morning game drive and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Day 3: Gorilla trekking.

Day 4: Transfer from Bwindi to Queen Elizabeth National Park via Ishasha.

Day 5: Game drive and boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Day 6: Transfer from Queen Elizabeth National Park to Kibale Forest National Park.

Day 7: Chimpanzee tracking and Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary.

Day 8: Transfer from Kibale Forest to Entebbe or Kampala.

Detailed – 8 days Uganda safari

Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe and transfer to Lake Mburo National Park

Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, meet your safari driver-guide and begin the journey to Lake Mburo National Park in western Uganda. The drive covers a distance of approximately 230–250 km taking 4–5 hours on road. The drive takes you through Uganda’s central countryside, passing roadside markets, cultivated land and small towns. You can make a stop at the Equator crossing in Kayabwe for photographs and a short explanation of the equatorial line. Another stop is Igongo Cultural Centre near Mbarara where visitors can learn about the history and cultural heritage of southwestern Uganda.

Lake Mburo National Park is located in Kiruhura District, between Mbarara and Lyantonde. It is Uganda’s smallest savannah national park and is known for its rolling hills, open grasslands, acacia woodlands, wetlands and lakes. The park supports zebras, impalas, elands, buffaloes, giraffes, hippos and several antelope species. On arrival at Lake Mburo, check into your lodge and, depending on arrival time, enjoy an evening game drive or boat cruise on Lake Mburo. Accommodation options include Mihingo Lodge, Rwakobo Rock or Lake Mburo Safari Lodge.

Day 2: Morning game drive and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Begin the day with a morning game drive in Lake Mburo National Park. During the game drive visitors may spot zebras, impalas, elands, buffaloes and giraffes. You may also encounter warthogs, waterbucks and different bird species. Lake Mburo is one of the few Ugandan parks where visitors can see impalas.

After breakfast, leave the park and travel towards Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in southwestern Uganda. Following Lake Mburo – Mbarara – Kabale – Bwindi route, the journey covers approximately 250–300 km taking about 5–7 hours depending on the Bwindi trekking sector. The journey passes through Mbarara and Kabale where the landscape changes from open savannah to green highlands and terraced hillsides. Depending on your route, you can enjoy views of the Kigezi highlands sometimes called the Switzerland of Africa because of their rolling hills and cultivated slopes.

Bwindi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located along the Albertine Rift. It protects an ancient tropical rainforest with steep hills, valleys and dense vegetation. The park is internationally known for its mountain gorilla population, as well as chimpanzees, forest elephants, monkeys and numerous Albertine Rift bird species. Arrive at your lodge near the assigned gorilla trekking sector.  Accommodation options include Buhoma Lodge, Four Gorillas Lodge, Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge or Gorilla Mist Camp depending on the trekking sector.

Day 3: Gorilla trekking 

After an early breakfast, drive to your assigned park headquarters for registration and a briefing by Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers. Bwindi has four main gorilla trekking sectors which include Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo. Each sector has habituated gorilla families visited by tourists.

After the briefing, guides assign visitors to different gorilla families before leading them into the forest. The trek passes through thick vegetation, steep slopes and forest trails as trackers search for the gorillas. Once the family is located, visitors are allowed to spend a maximum of one hour observing the animals. You may see a dominant silverback, adult females, young gorillas and infants feeding, grooming, resting and interacting with one another. Besides gorillas, Bwindi supports several other primates including L’Hoest’s monkeys, blue monkeys and black-and-white colobus monkeys. The forest is also good for birdwatching with species such as the African green broadbill and Shelley’s crimsonwing.

In the afternoon, you can arrange a Batwa cultural experience around the park. The Batwa are among the Indigenous forest communities of the region. A guided community visit introduces visitors to aspects of their forest heritage, traditional knowledge, music and cultural practices. Return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 4: Transfer from Bwindi to Queen Elizabeth National Park via Ishasha

After breakfast, leave Bwindi and travel north towards Queen Elizabeth National Park. The journey takes about 4-6 hours depending on the stopovers.  Queen Elizabeth National Park is located in western Uganda stretching across the districts of Kasese, Rubirizi, Rukungiri and Kamwenge. It lies between Lake Edward and Lake George and is bordered by the Rwenzori Mountains to the north. The park contains several habitats including savannah grasslands, wetlands, crater lakes, tropical forests and riverine vegetation. It supports elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards, Uganda kobs, hippos and a number of bird species.

Along the way you may stop in the Ishasha sector in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Ishasha is famous for its tree-climbing lions which are sometimes seen resting on the branches of large fig trees. These lions are particularly associated with this part of the park although sightings are not guaranteed. During a game drive, you may also encounter elephants, buffaloes, topis, Uganda kobs and various savannah birds. After exploring Ishasha, continue towards the northern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park and check into your lodge.

Accommodation options include Ishasha Wilderness Camp, Mweya Safari Lodge, Elephant Hab Lodge or Kasenyi Safari Camp. 

Day 5: Game drive and boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Start the day with an early morning game drive in the Kasenyi plains, one of the park’s main wildlife viewing areas. The open grasslands support large numbers of Uganda kobs which attract predators such as lions and leopards. You may also encounter elephants, buffaloes, warthogs and spotted hyenas.

After the game drive, return to your lodge for breakfast and relaxation before heading to the Kazinga Channel for an afternoon boat cruise. The Kazinga Channel is a waterway connecting Lake George and Lake Edward. It is one of Uganda’s game viewing locations because of the large concentrations of hippos, crocodiles and water birds along its shores. During the cruise, you may see elephants approaching the water to drink and bathe, buffaloes resting along the banks and hippos gathering in large groups.

Birds commonly seen include African fish eagles, pied kingfishers, African jacanas, great white pelicans and yellow-billed storks. After the cruise, return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay. Accommodation options include Mweya Safari Lodge, Elephant Hab Lodge or Kasenyi Safari Camp.

Day 6: Transfer from Queen Elizabeth National Park to Kibale Forest National Park

After breakfast, leave Queen Elizabeth National Park and travel north towards Kibale Forest National Park. The journey covers approximately 100–150 km covering about 3–4 hours drive following Queen Elizabeth – Kasese – Fort Portal – Kibale route. The drive takes you through the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains and the fertile agricultural landscapes around Fort Portal.

You can stop around Fort Portal to explore some of the region’s crater lakes. These lakes were formed through volcanic activity and are surrounded by green hills, farms and local communities. The Ndali-Kasenda crater lake area is particularly scenic, offering opportunities for photography, nature walks and community visits. Continue to Kibale and check into your lodge near the park.

Kibale is located in western Uganda, near Fort Portal in Kabarole District. It protects a tropical rainforest with one of the highest diversities of primates in Africa. The park is particularly famous for chimpanzee tracking and supports 13 primate species. These include chimpanzees, red colobus monkeys, black-and-white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys and grey-cheeked mangabeys. Accommodation options include Turaco Treetops, Chimpanzee Forest Lodge, Kibale Forest Camp or Primate Lodge.

Day 7: Chimpanzee tracking and Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary

After an early breakfast, head to the Kanyanchu Visitor Centre for registration and a briefing before entering Kibale Forest. Chimpanzee tracking is the main activity of the day. Experienced guides and trackers lead visitors through the forest in search of habituated chimpanzee communities.

During the trek, you may hear chimpanzees calling from the trees before locating them. Once found, visitors can observe their feeding, grooming, social interactions and movement through the forest canopy. Chimpanzees are highly social primates that live in communities and often divide into smaller groups while searching for food. You may see mothers carrying infants, young chimpanzees playing or adults feeding on fruits and leaves. Visitors are generally allowed one hour with the chimpanzees during standard tracking.

In the afternoon, visit Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, a community-managed wetland located near Kibale Forest. The wetland is known for its biodiversity, especially birds and monkeys. During a guided walk, you may encounter the great blue turaco, papyrus gonolek, African jacana and other wetland birds.

Monkeys commonly seen in the area include red colobus, black-and-white colobus and red-tailed monkeys. The visit also introduces you to community conservation initiatives and the importance of wetlands to local livelihoods. Return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 8: Transfer from Kibale Forest to Entebbe or Kampala
After breakfast, check out of your lodge and begin the return journey to Kampala or Entebbe. The drive passes through Fort Portal and the central Ugandan countryside with views of tea plantations, farms, small trading centres and rolling hills. The journey covers a distance of approximately 330–360 km about 5–7 hours drive. 

Depending on your departure schedule, you can stop in Fort Portal for refreshments or make a short visit to the roadside markets along the route. Continue towards Kampala before transferring to Entebbe International Airport for your departure flight or to your hotel.

End of the 8 days Uganda Safari