This trip starts with the day you pick up your car rental with rooftop tent and camping and then take you to Jinja where you will participate in white-water rafting, boat cruise to the source of the Nile and zip-lining in Mabira Forest.
You will also visit Murchison falls and participate in activities such as a game drive, a boat cruise plus hiking to the top of the falls. Expect to spot wild animals such as the African buffaloes, elephants, lions and different bird species.
From there, you will proceed to Kibale Forest National Park, the primate’s capital of the world, popular for chimpanzee trekking experiences. You can involve in a series of activities such as chimpanzee trekking, chimpanzee habituation, nature walks to Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary and visiting crater lakes and local communities.
Proceed to Queen Elizabeth National Park and go for another game drive and a boat cruise on Kazinga channel. You can as well choose to visit Katwe salt mines, trek chimpanzees in Kyambura gorge (optional), nature walk in Maramagambo forest or trekking the rare tree climbing lions in Ishasha sector.
After Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi will be the next destination on this 2 weeks long self-drive Uganda safaris package. Brace for a close encounter with the gentle giants, mountain gorillas in the impenetrable forest where you will also be able to spot variety of bird species.
While still in Bwindi region, you can visit the local communities that host the Batwa pygmies who used to share the forest with the mountain gorillas and enjoy their cultural dances, music and so much more.
Lake Bunyonyi is another awesome place that is tailored on a self-drive safari Uganda and it is worth your visit. It is a home to different bird species, the infamous “Punishment Island” and is popular for canoe riding and swimming.
From there, you will drive to Mbarara and the lake Mburo national park where you will engage in walking safari, sport fishing and horse-back riding and you can opt for bicycle riding, game driving and boat cruise still in lake Mburo national park.
End your trip with a drive back to Kampala city where if time allows you can engage in a city tour or drive straight to Entebbe and visit the reptile village before finagling the trip.
Below is a drafted day by day itinerary of how you can go on your self-drive safari:
As soon as you arrive to the airport, our company representative (driver) will be ready to handover the car to you and make sure you understand all the terms and conditions explained to before our representative leaves.
Drive to your booked hotel for relaxation after a long flight or you can decide to go for a nature walk around your hotel and then return in the evening for dinner and overnight stay. On this day/night, you can book for your accommodation facility within Entebbe or in Kampala.
After an early morning breakfast, set off for your journey to Jinja city located in Eastern Uganda. Jinja is also known as the adventure capital of Uganda where you can engage in white water rafting.
On the way, you can have an en-route stopover in Mabira Forest for zip lining which costs 50 USD per person. After continue with your journey to Jinja and upon arrival, proceed to the base camp where you meet up with the rafting team in Jinja and attend a briefing session after which you will get into the vehicle and drive to the starting point where you will also be taken through a brief exercise to familiarize yourself with the rafting experience.
Make your choice between grade 3 or grade 5 rapids and begin your adventure. Rafting on the Nile River lasts for some hours and it is always celebrated with some snacks at the end. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
The following day after having an early morning breakfast, embark on short ride to the source of River Nile, the world’s longest river. You will then go for a boat ride on Lake Victoria taking you to the source of River Nile. You will take photos while your local guide giving you more information about Lake Victoria and the source of the Nile.
After visiting the source, embark on your journey to the Ziwa Rhino sanctuary located in Nakasongola in the northern Uganda. You will have your lunch en-route. On arrival, check-in at the sanctuary and proceed to Amuka Lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
On this day, after your morning breakfast, head out for rhino trekking within the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. The Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary was created to conserve and the Rhinos with the intention of re-introducing them to all other parks in Uganda where they once lived before, they were all poached. The rhino trekking tour usually lasts between 30 minutes to 2 hours.
After your rhino trekking experience, return to the lodge for checking out and then proceed to Murchison Falls National Park for a hike to the top of the falls granting you an opportunity of having fantastic sights. You will see the water being forced through a narrow gap in the rock before it is ferociously plunged down. After, continue to your lodge for as you wait for dinner. Overnight stay at the same lodge.
Today, take a cup of tea to warm up and then go for an early morning game drive to the northern part of Murchison Falls National Park led by your tour guide. This drive will reward you with encounters of animals like hyenas, leopards, jackals, lions, buffaloes, Uganda Kob, elephants and many more savannah wild life species.
Game drives are usually enjoyed around the Buligi game tracks which stretch between the Victoria and Albert Niles, and down to the Delta. In the afternoon, return to the lodge for lunch.
After lunch, head out for a boat cruise or launch cruise along the Victoria Nile. This boat trip is often cited as being the highlight of a trip to Murchison Falls since it allows tourists to get up-close and personal with the animals.
Along this stretch of the river, the bird life is stunning with brightly colored kingfishers and bee-eaters darting along the riverbanks. On a lucky day, you may see the rare and prehistoric looking shoe bill between the dodo and a dinosaur. The boat takes you to the base of the falls which only adds to their impressiveness. Boat cruise experience also provides an opening to view some of the water animals like the crocodiles, buffaloes, hippos and plenty of birds. In the evening, return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
On the 6th day, you will have breakfast at the lodge and then transfer to Kibale National Park. Head to Fort Portal passing via Mityana -Mubende road. Have a stopover in Mubende and visit the Nakayima tree. Have lunch en-route and continue to Kibale Forest National Park arriving in the afternoon. Check in and relax at the lodge.
On day 7, following breakfast, walk into the forest to view primates, however before you begin you will go to the park headquarters at Kanyanchu and be briefed by the park ranger.
This activity begins early morning and spends half the day looking for chimpanzees as well as monkeys like grey cheeked Mangabey, Red-tailed monkeys, phoestes, Red-Colobuses, Blue tailed monkeys among others. You will as well observe a profusion of birds and butterflies plus many tiny insects.
The park ranger will detail you about information concerning these primates, and the different birds, animals and plant life. This will make the walk very informative and enjoyable. Return to the lodge for lunch and after relax at the lodge.
The following morning, depart for Queen Elizabeth National Park located in the foothills of the Mountains of the moon. Queen Elizabeth is Uganda’s second largest park located at the base of the majestic Ruwenzori Mountain ranges adjacent to Lake Edward and Lake George. The park has prolific game animals including gazelles, Uganda Kobs, warthogs, water bucks among others. Lions are often sighted both in and at the entrance to the park. Be prepared for huge numbers of hippos and elephants and keep your eyes peeled for a leopard lazing in the sunshine.
In the afternoon you will have a game drive in which you will see most of the wildlife in the park and thereafter, return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
On the 9th day of your safari, you will go for an early morning a game drive in the Kasenyi sector and here, you may spot various animals such as elephants, Uganda Kobs, leopards among others. Return to the lodge for late breakfast, relax and in the afternoon after having your lunch, you will go for a launch cruise on Kazinga Channel where you will spot various water animals such as hippos and crocodiles.
The cruise will also enrich you with various water birds such as African mourning dove, grey headed kingfisher, swamp night jar, the greater swamp warblers, guinea fowls, African fish eagle, sacred ibis, papyrus gonolek among others. In the evening, return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Today after an early breakfast, you will embark on your journey to the haven of mountain gorillas known as Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. You will pass through the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park where you will have chances of spotting the rare tree climbing lions lying on tree branches.
Have your en-route lunch in Ishasha and then proceed to Bwindi. On arrival, check in at your lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
On this day, have an early morning breakfast and head to the park headquarters for briefing by the ranger guides before embarking on your gorilla trek. Head into the forest and trek until you find the gorillas.
Gorilla trekking can take 02 to 08 hours depending on the movement of the gorillas. After finding the gorillas, you will be allowed only 01 hour in the natural habitat together with these giants while taking pictures and videos but with no flash lights and then return to your lodge for lunch. You can opt to have your lunch in the wilderness in case if you came with your packed food in the jungle.
Later in the afternoon, you will go for a community tour in which you will visit the Batwa pygmies to learn more about their culture and also enjoy some cultural performances like singing and dancing. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Today’s morning, after having an early breakfast, check-out of the lodge and drive to Mgahinga National Park for golden monkey trekking experience. Arriving in the park, you will go straight to the briefing point where the golden monkey trekking starts.
Here, you will receive a briefing from the ranger guide who will share information on what to expect while in the Virunga volcanoes searching for the golden monkeys. After this short brief, you will then start your hike up in search of the golden monkeys.
Porters are always available to help you in carrying heavy luggage but at an extra cost. You will also be joined by an enforcement officer who will help you in case of any attack from wild animals such as buffaloes, elephants among others. Golden monkeys are swift in their movements and you will follow them as they feed. Golden monkeys mostly feed on bamboo shoots and other foods such as fruits.
Once you find them, take pictures, return to the starting point for lunch in case you moved with your food and then continue with your journey to Lake Bunyonyi. On arrival, check-in at your lodge for dinner and sleepovers.
You will wake up with the rising sun. Have breakfast in the lawns and seal your mountain gorilla and golden monkey experience with a brief exciting boat cruise on Lake Bunyonyi. Enjoy the serenity of the lake with cool breezes soothing your skin. Be alert to spot several attractive bird species on the lake such as grey crowned crane, African harrier hawk and various water birds.
You will get to the lodge and check out of the lodge before you transfer to Lake Mburo National Park. En-route stopover in Mbarara town for lunch and then continue to Lake Mburo where you will check-in to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
On this day, you will wake up very early in the morning and then go for a morning game drive in the park. Expect to see a variety of wildlife species at close range. Some of the wildlife species you will get to see include; Zebras, Giraffes, Water bucks, Impala, Kobs, bush bucks, buffaloes, Eland, warthogs among others.
Upon accomplishing the game drive, you will embark on your journey to Kampala or Entebbe International Airport with a stopover at the equator and take some photos, have lunch then continue with your journey. Depending on your flight time, you may check-in at your lodge for dinner and overnight stay or go and catch up with your flight to the next destination.
