12 Days Uganda Safari And White Water Rafting

Rise up very early in the morning to have breakfast (630 am), check out of the hotel and start your 12 days Uganda safari and white water rafting with a visit to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary found in Nakasongola district for the white Rhino experience. Ziwa Rhino sanctuary is the only destination in Uganda where you can meet the white rhinos in the wilderness. Once Uganda had adequate number of the white Rhinos which were mainly found in Kidepo valley and Murchison Falls national parks but they became nationally extinct due to numerous illegal human activities such as poaching and civil unrest in early 1970s. Therefore, in 2005 Ziwa Rhino sanctuary in Nakasonga district was established to re-introduction of Rhinos in Uganda’s wildlife inventory. During Rhino tracking, you will have a chance to see them closer to their feet with the help of the local site guide and you may encounter other wildlife species. You will have a maximum of one hour to stay with them and you will be allowed to capture as many photos as possible so you have to keep your camera on standby to capture all moments with the white Rhinos. After Rhino experience, have a short break to have refreshments and thereafter, start the journey to Murchison Falls National Park with a stop to have lunch in Masindi town and later drive straight to the park to visit and descend to the bottom of the “Murchison Falls” to see how the whole Victoria Nile River from Lake Victoria to Mediterranean sea forces it’s self through a tiny gorge of 7 meters wide and dropping 43 meters below which makes it to produce a thunderous roar and forming the Murchison falls. Murchison Falls national park is the largest national park in Uganda and home to over 451 recorded bird species and 76 mammal species such as Rothschild giraffes, Jackson’s hartebeest, Uganda kob, and warthogs, Nile crocodiles, some primate species, hippopotamuses and including four members of the “African Big Fives”. Later, drive through the park across the River to the northern sector of the park to check in at your booked lodge for dinner and an overnight.

Accommodation Options
Paraa Safari Lodge (Luxury)
Pakuba Safari Lodge (Mid-range)
Hornbill Bush Lodge (Budget)

Meal Plan; Breakfast / Lunch /Dinner

Wake up very early to have a cup of coffee, get your packed breakfast and then head to the park to the northern sector of the Park where superb wildlife sighting game drives are carried out. During the game drive, your driver guide will help you to spot and share with you every piece of information that you would wish to know regarding a various wildlife species that you spot such as Caped buffalo, Elephants, Uganda Kobs, Jackson hartebeest, Roth child giraffes, oribis, Lion, Common warthogs some primates species on a lucky day, you will spot a leopard, have short break to enjoy your full breakfast and later proceed with your game drive to have an opportunity to spot many wildlife species. Later early afternoon, leave the jungle and return to your lodge to relax, have lunch and then drive to Paraa gathering point for an afternoon boat cruise safari on the Victoria Nile which starts at 02:00 pm. This boat trip safari upstream to the calm Victoria Nile to the base of the falls stopping just few of meters from the ‘Devil’s Cauldron’, The boat cruise will take you through the zones of many bird species like the Egyptian goose, goliath heron, kingfisher, pelican bee-eater, hornbill, cormorant and great sights of Hippopotamus, Nile crocodiles and on a good day, you may meet several land mammals when the have come to drink water and swimming. After cruising on the Nile, return to your lodge to relax and later late in the evening, depart the lodge to the park to start your adventurous night wildlife sighting game drive basically to look out for the nocturnal wildlife species of the park such as the Lion, Leopard, Spotted hyenas and many others. Most of these species are rarely seen during day game drives. Dinner and an overnight

Accommodation Options;
Paraa Safari Lodge (Luxury)
Pakuba Safari Lodge (Mid-range)
Hornbill Bush Lodge (Budget)

Meal Plan; Breakfast / Lunch /Dinner

Today after your fantastic breakfast, check out of lodge and drive to the park for another morning game drive to encounter more mammal and birds species. This game drive may give you an opportunity to see wildlife species that you could have missed in your previous game drives such as the big predators like Lion, Leopards, Spotted hyenas and other mammals. Later, start your drive to Kibale forest national park. This park is well known as the primates’ capital in Uganda and Africa with 13 species different primate species including Chimpanzees the closest human relatives sharing 98.8% of human DNA. The tour to Kibale forest national park will make you explore several primate species such as the Blue monkey, Grey-cheeked mangabey, Black and white colobus monkey, Red tailed monkeys, bush baby, Olive baboons Vervet monkeys and many others. The drive to Kibale forest national park will take you through villages and small towns while seeing the indigenous people carrying out their daily activities like working on tea, coffee and banana plantations, animal farms and laying bricks and many others. You will enjoy the beautiful sceneries of the country side that will make your drive so adventurous. On your way, you will have several stops to stretch your muscles and take photos of the beautiful sceneries. Later reach at your Lodge to check in, have lunch and spend your evening relaxing at the lodge. Dinner and an overnight

Accommodation Options;
Papaya Lake Lodge (Luxury)
Isunga Safari Lodge (Mid-range)
Rwetera Safari Camp (Budget)

Meal Plan; Breakfast / Lunch /Dinner

Wake up early in the morning to have breakfast and drive to the park information center to meet other guests for the briefing of the guidelines to follow when searching for chimpanzees, get a chimpanzee family to track and a ranger guide. Chimpanzee tracking involves hiking through the jungle and you may encounter other primates besides chimpanzees such as Black and white colobus monkey, Olive baboons, Vervet monkey, Red-tailed monkey, and Blue monkeys and among others, during the forest walk, you will be entertained by beautiful melodies of Birds. The time taken while looking for chimps is not known but expected to be between 30 min to 3 hours depending on the movements of your a located chimpanzee family. Once you meet them, you will be allowed to explore them for maximum of one hour so, you will watch them as they eat fruits, socialize, playing and swing in tree branches and you are to capture many photos as you can. Your guide will gave much information about them and everything that you will encounter which will make your walk so adventurous. After chimpanzee encounter, return to the center, have your picnic lunch, relax for a while and then drive to Bigodi wetland sanctuary for a guided walk. Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary is the only swamp found in the tropical jungle, occupied with natural wonders such as 8 species of primates such as Vervet monkeys, Olive baboons, over 200 bird species such as the large Blue Turaco and many trees and plant species that will make it a memorable walk. This walk will take you through the neighboring community to interact with the local people and see how they carry out their daily activities such as making local beer and gins from banana, visiting the community doctor who uses plants and roots to cure diseases and coffee making groups. Later, drive back to your lodge to relax. Dinner and an overnight

Accommodation Options
Papaya Lake Lodge (Luxury)
Isunga Safari Lodge (Mid-range)
Rwetera Safari Camp (Budget)

Meal Plan; Breakfast / Lunch /Dinner

After breakfast with all your luggage ready, check out of your room and drive through Fort Portal city heading to the Crater Lake and Amabere caves walk. Visit the Amabere g’ Nnyinamwiru caves which are an ancient landmark associated with a lot of historical background and cultural significances to the indigenous people as it dates from the Chwezi era who used to live around this place. These caves are geographically like women breast features of stalagmites and stalactites with the seasonal Nyakasura waterfalls falling from their rooftop. This is a very great cultural sight not to miss on Uganda safari. After discovering the Amabere g’ Nnyinamwiru, proceed to discover the crater lakes by hiking the famous Kyeganywa hill to have the view of various crater lakes, hollows and views of Ruwenzori Mountains. Later return to Fort portal city to have lunch and then drive to Queen Elizabeth national park which is a home base to over 95 mammal species and over 600 bird species. Queen Elizabeth National Park is understandably one of the Uganda’s most popular national parks with diverse ecosystems which is made of shady, sprawling savanna, humid forests, sparkling lakes and fertile wetlands which the park to be an ideal habitat and feeding place for classic big game such as over ten primate species like chimpanzees and over 600 species of birds. On arrival at Queen Elizabeth national park, drive to Katwe fishing and salt mining village one of the most famous lookout community due to their traditional salt mining that has been practiced since the 16th century. The Katwe community is very close to Lake Munyanyange which is a bird sanctuary including migratory species such as the lesser flamingo. Later drive to check in at your lodge to relax, dinner and an overnight.

Accommodation Options
Mweya Safari Lodge (Luxury)
Elephant Hab Safari Lodge (Mid-range)
Pumba Safari Cottages (Budget)

Meal Plan; Breakfast / Lunch /Dinner

After having breakfast, leave the lodge and drive to Kalinzu central forest reserve for chimpanzee tracking and nature walk. Kalinzu Forest Reserve is one of the most spectacular forest reserves in Uganda for chimpanzee tracking and a guided forest walk that any nature lover should not miss to explore. This forest is an extension of the Maramagambo forest in Queen Elizabeth National Park and very popular for its over 414 tree species including shrubs, accommodating six recorded primate species such as about 220 chimpanzee individuals, Vervet monkeys, Blue monkeys, Olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys; over 100 moths and 270 butterflies, reptiles and more than 380 bird species hence making it a true birder’s haven (including the Great blue turaco, Black and white casket, and many others). In the course of chimpanzee tracking, you will encounter several wildlife species so, the guide will be able to give you detailed information about everything that you will encounter in the forest.  When you meet chimpanzees, you will have a maximum of 1 hour to stay with them as grooming their babies, playing and jumping in the tree branches and you will a chance to capture as many photos as you would want. Later, after your 1 hour adventurous stay with chimpanzees, return to the lodge to relax, have lunch and then drive to the park for your afternoon boat cruise trip along the Kazinga channel. The Kazinga Channel is a 32-kilometre water stream that connects Lake Edward and Lake George, one of the dominant features of the Par and attracting numerous wildlife species both mammals and birds, containing the world’s largest concentration of hippos and numerous Nile crocodiles in Uganda and Africa. Most of the park’s wildlife species uses the channel to quench their thirty and swimming. Therefore, during your afternoon boat cruise trip, you will see a variety of wildlife species such as Hippopotamus, Nile crocodiles, Caped buffaloes, Elephants, monitor lizards and many others including many bird species. After your afternoon boat trip, have a break to relax and drive to Kasenyi plains for a an evening game drive to look out for some wildlife species specifically the big predators of the park such as Lions, Leopards and Spotted hyenas since they are so active during evening hours. Dinner and an overnight.

Accommodation Options
Mweya Safari Lodge (Luxury)
Elephant Hab Safari Lodge (Mid-range)
Pumba Safari Cottages (Budget)

Meal Plan; Breakfast / Lunch /Dinner

Wake up early to have breakfast have all your luggage and check out of the room and then drive to the park for a morning lion / carnivore tracking experience. The Lion tracking experience in Queen Elizabeth National Park gives more time in the presence of lions ”the kings and queens of the jungle”, Lion tracking is one of the experiential tourism activities in Queen Elizabeth national park which gives more thrilling experiences and to know much about the predators and it is not found in other destinations in Uganda. This experience is done by Uganda Carnivore program (UCP) under the research department of the Uganda Wildlife Authority with a purpose of giving an extra experience of the predators to the visitors of the park by deeply searching for them in their thickets. Predators spend most of their day time hiding and then hunt at night with stealth they can probably approach their prey closer at night than during the day. After the carnivore experience game drive, have a short break to relax and drive to Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park the home to the half of the world’s remaining endangered mountain gorillas and one of the oldest forest in Africa that has stayed for over 250000 years. Before reaching Bwindi Forest National Park, you will have an en-route game drive through Ishasha sector in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park to lookout for the unique tree climbing lions which are only found in Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth national park in Uganda with 4 prides, Lake Manyara of Tanzania with 2 prides and Kruger national park in South Africa. Ishasha sector is the best destination to see them since it has many prides with the climbing character and there are higher chance to meet them. Later have lunch and proceed with your drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park to check in at your reserved lodge to relax, dinner and an overnight.

Accommodation Options
Sanctuary gorilla forest camp (Luxury)
Silverback Lodge (Mid-range)
Ride 4 a woman (Budget)

Meal Plan; Breakfast / Lunch /Dinner

On this day, rise up very early to have breakfast, get your packed lunch, meet your driver guide and drive to the park information office to meet UWA guides and rangers for briefing about the guidelines to follow in the forest while searching for the mountain gorilla trekking and then start your long time awaited for wildlife adventure. Meeting Mountain Gorilla in their natural habitat offers an once-in-a-lifetime experience with experience that cannot be found anywhere in the world apart from Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo and visitors that have had this experience before can give evidence that there is no any other wildlife experience in Africa that matches spending an hour face-to-face with endangered mountain gorillas. In the course of mountain gorilla tracking, you may see many other wildlife species such as like Chimpanzees, Bush pigs, forest Elephants, and many bird species and the guide will be able to give you much information about species that you will encounter that will make you walk so adventurous and exciting. After you have met gorillas, you will be allowed stay with them for a maximum of 1 hour and you will be allow to take as many photos as you would want to keep your amazing moments with the mountain gorillas so, your camera has to be fully charged and on standby. After spending an hour with the mountain gorillas, return to the park offices to get your trekking certificate, enjoy your packed lunch plus other refreshments and then drive to Lake Bunyonyi to relax while bird watching. Dinner and an overnight

Accommodation Options
Arcadia Lodge Bunyonyi (Luxury)
Bunyonyi Rock Resort (Mid-range)
Bunyonyi View Resort (Budget)

Meal Plan; Breakfast / Lunch /Dinner

Wake up to have breakfast and go to Lake to do a morning boat canoeing. Boat riding, bird watching, Zip lining and Quad biking are the most exciting activities to do around Lake Bunyonyi. Lake Bunyonyi is a small lake but believed to be the deepest in Uganda and second deepest Africa after Lake Tanganyika. It is well dotted with 29 Islands with some inhabited and others not. Each island has its unique story such as Akampene Island which is also known as” the punishment island” that was used by the Kiga people to punish their girls who would get pregnant before marriage by isolating them there until to death as a way of teaching a lesson to others not to do the same. This is because in African culture, it is disgrace to a family for a girl to get pregnant before marriage and it would cause disrespect to the family therefore, parents would work hard to ensure that their girls are safe until they get officially married and anyone who would get pregnant before marriage, would be heavily punished. After your adventurous morning boat riding safari on Lake Bunyonyi, return to your lodge to check out of your room and then continue with your tour to Lake Mburo National Park with an en-route stop at Igongo cultural center to have lunch, tour around the museum and thereafter proceed with the drive to go and check at your booked lodge to relax. Lake Mburo National Park is the smallest savannah destination in Uganda conveniently positioned close to the Masaka Mbarara highway which connects Kampala to the parks of western Uganda. It is a home base to 350 bird species, 13 small lakes, containing much woodland which provides good habitats and grazing ground to a variety of wildlife species such as Zebras, Buffaloes, Elands, Impalas, Warthogs, Oribi, Defassa waterbuck, Leopard, Spotted hyena, Topi and Reedbuck, Hippopotamuses, Nile crocodiles, Giraffes and many others. After relaxing, go for a night wildlife sighting game drives to targeting to meet nocturnal species of the such as Leopard, Bush babies, Porcupine, White tailed, Bush pigs, African rock python and many others. Lake Mburo national park is one of the best destination in Uganda for a successful night game drive. Dinner and an overnight

Accommodation Options
Mihingo Safari Lodge (Luxury)
Rwakobo Rock Lodge (Mid-range)
Mpogo Safari Lodge (Budget)

Meal Plan; Breakfast / Lunch /Dinner

Have a simple breakfast and drive to the park for an awesome morning game drive while on a horseback.  Horseback riding safaris is the best way to see the wildlife around Lake Mburo national park since you get the chance to see the more bashful animals such as Elands, buffaloes and Leopard without running away from you from you and some mammals like zebras come towards you to check out the strange relative without stripes. Doing a game drive from a horse is so peaceful and gives totally different experience from being on a game drive using a car without making noise of an engine. After horseback riding safari, continued your day with a game drive with a car to deeply explore the park. Later, return to your lodge to have full breakfast and start your journey to Jinja city with an en-route stop at Kayabwe Equator landmark. At the Equator landmark, you will watch the water experiment which shows the movement of forces for example on the northern hemisphere, waters rotate clockwise and rotate anticlockwise on the southern hemisphere and no rotation at the imaginary line which is the center of the earth because all forces from different points sink in, take a memorial photo at this landmark, have lunch and later continue with your drive straight to Jinja city. On your arrival at Jinja city have a short break to relax with a bottle of water and later go to explore the source of the River Nile with a boat cruise from the shores of Lake Victoria to the exact point where the first European explorer John Speke stood to spot the water of the Nile Rivers separating from the Lake Victoria water. River Nile is the Africa’s longest and world’s longest river flowing over 4100 Miles to pour its water into the Mediterranean Sea. River Nile is the main outlet of Lake Victoria and goes through several African countries like Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan, Ethiopian, Egypt and many others. After the source of the river Nile, enter Lake Victoria and cruise up to Samuka Island the main breeding island for most of bird species around Lake Victoria. Thereafter, drive to your booked lodge to check in to relax, have dinner and an overnight.

After having your heavy breakfast, leave your hotel and drive to the meeting point for briefings about how the activity is conducted, safety tips and go to the starting point to make you familiarized with activity by the professional activity guide, later start your day adventure tour on the river. River Nile provides the best spot for the whitewater rafting experience in Africa because of its best five graded water rapids with spectacular leaps and drops that will make you have an unforgettable adventurous moments. For your safety, you will be given a strong helmet to protect your head and life jacket to protect you in case of any emergency. After your full day whitewater rafting, have a short time to relax and then start your drive back to Entebbe international airport to meet your return flight and this will be the of your 12 Days Uganda Safari and white water rafting