20 Days best of Uganda Road trip

Road Trip overview

The 20 days best of Uganda Road trip starts and ends in Entebbe. The Road trip offers you an abundance of wildlife, scenery, and cultural experiences in Uganda. Gorilla and chimpanzee tracking are the highlight of this safari, but expect to see Rhinos, lions, hippos, buffaloes, leopard, elephants, and several species of birds and an abundance of dense green forest. Enjoy top of the Falls in Murchison and the tree climbing lions  and chimpanzee trekking in Queen Elizabeth National Park. This journey will bring you close to nature and culture.

Road trip expectations,

  • rhinoceros trekking
  • Top of the Falls
  •  Game drives
  •  Boat Cruise
  •  Chimpanzee tracking
  • Bigodi wetland visit
  • Tree climbing Lions
  •  Gorilla tracking

Day 1 Kampala to Jinja

After breakfast, embark on a drive to Jinja tour with a stopover at Ssezibwa falls and Mabira forest for a forest walk to view different primates, butterfly and bird species. After that, continue to Jinja to see the source of the Nile, take photos and later head to Jinja Nile resort for dinner and overnight.

Day 2. White water rafting.

Have breakfast at the lodge and embark on a lifetime adventure experience of White water rafting on the mighty River Nile. You may go horse riding, Tubbing or quad biking. Feel the adventure all the way. In the afternoon after taking lunch, you will return to lodge for relaxation. Dinner and overnight at jinja Nile resort

Day 3: Jinja to Sipi falls

Have breakfast and drive to sipi falls that are found in Kapchorwa which is north to Mbale. The other neighboring districts in relation to sipi falls are Sironko and Mbale. As you move towards the Kenyan border, there Lays Mountain Elgon National Park and it is at its edge that you will embrace the sipi falls. A series of three of these waterfalls makeup the sipi falls.  Upon arrival, you will check-in at the lodge where you will have dinner and an overnight stay as you wait for the adventure and fun that awaits you the following day.

Accommodation options: Sipi valley resort/ Rafiki lodge

Day 4: Hiking to visit all the three waterfalls at Sipi

After an early morning breakfast, you will meet your local guide and start off the hike to visit all the three waterfalls.  You will follow a trail 7to 8km along that goes through the local communities and their farmlands of tea and banana plantations which are the main cash crops grown in the area. Between visiting the waterfalls, you are treated to breath taking landscape scenery from the green slopes of mountain Elgon to the distant flat plain plains of Karamoja in the distance. Each waterfall offers an experience from another, from the plunge, beautiful views, cakes, to rainbows. The entire hike will 3 to 4 hours, visiting the first waterfalls from to descending down the second and finally to the third at the end of the trail which is the biggest and the main one. At the end of the fun, you will return to the lodge for lunch and afterwards proceed to visit the caves. Accommodation options: Sipi valley resort/ Rafiki lodge

Day 5: Drive to Moroto

Embark on a picnic drive to Moroto, arrive in time for hike to mount moroto and an overnight at Karantunga Safari Camp

Day 6: Drive to Kidepo Valley National Park

Today you will embark on picnic drive through Karamojong manyattas to Uganda’s remotest national park with the unexploited wilderness. Upon arrival, have lunch and check in your lodge and thereafter go to visit typical Karamojong manyattas and experience their ways of life, learn about their cultures and get entertained with their traditional dances and drama. Dinner and overnight at Nga’moru Wilderness Camp (Mid-range)

Day 7: Narus valley and Kanangorok hot springs

Morning Game Drive to the Narus valley to see the early grazers such as see cheetahs, black-backed jackals that are only found in Kidepo as well as buffaloes, giraffes, maneless zebras, reedbucks, lions, leopard, Jackson’s hartebeest. Kidepo is also home to ostriches which you will see during the game drives through the park. After lunch, drive through Kidepo valley with a visit to the Kidepo river valley and kanangorok hot springs. Dinner and overnight at Nga’moru Wilderness Camp (Mid-range)

Day 8: Hiking to the IK people

After breakfast, drive to the base of Morungole ranges with packed lunch to start your hike to the IK people. Then Drive to Murchison Falls and check in at Murchison River Lodge.

10 Days Best of Uganda Safari

Day 9: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise

With your packed breakfast, you will go for a morning game drive with your ranger who will help you spot the a big number of wildlife found in the Park, you will be able to spot a lot of wildlife like elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, lions, leopards, different species of antelope and many tropical birds. After the game drive, you will drive back to the hotel for lunch as you prepare to enjoy the boat cruise on River Nile. This boat will allow you get close to the water animals which include hippos as well as the Nile crocodiles. The Nile has got many stunning bird life which is also enjoyed while taking your boat trip; these include; the bee eaters, colored king fishers, shoebill stork, grey throated and the yellow billed birds. After the boat cruise, you will go for a rest at Murchison River lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 10: Drive to Nakasongola – Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Have breakfast and drive to Nakasongola for Rhino tracking at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, this drive is about 2:30 hours reaching in time for check in and lunch at Amuka Lodge, in the afternoon, you will be joined by rangers as you go tracking the endangered rhinos through the bushes. This is the only place where you can track rhinos in Uganda. Return back at Amuka Lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 11:Transfer to Kibale forest national park

After breakfast you will drive to Kibale forest national park. You will be able to enjoy am impressive sight of the legendary “mountains of the moon” which you will clearly see on the road to fort portal. You will as well pass through many traditional villages as you enjoy local people carrying out agriculture.

You will as well enjoy fort portal which is in the foot hills of mountain Rwenzori filled with tea plantations filled with tea plantations, after enjoying this platform of green tea, you will continue to Kibale forest national park which is one of the great rain forests in Africa. Accommodation options; Ndali lodge (Luxury), Kibale Forest Camp/ Kibale Guest Cottages (Moderate)

Day 12: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi wetland visit

Wake up so early and head to Kanyanchu by 8:00 am to start your chimpanzee trek in Kibale forest. Chimpanzees are considered to be the closest relatives of human beings since they share 98% of their DNA with that of human beings. As you proceed with the search of these beautiful chimps, you will view many other primate and animal species including the LHoests monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkey, grey cheeked mangabeys, bush babies and many bird species including yellow spotted nictor, ramped tinker, crowed eagle, as well as the elephants which are mammals. These primates are located by listening to their pant hooting calls, and then hurry to the place where they are calling from. You get a chance to observe them as they play, feed; socialize as well as jumping around the trees.  Immediately after the long trek, you will return to the lodge for lunch as you prepare to visit Bigodi wetland sanctuary where you will view more primates like the blue monkeys, baboon, otters, bush bucks, mangoose, bush pigs and many more. This place is also known for many species like the great blue turaco and the green breasted pitta.

Accommodation options; Ndali lodge (Luxury), Kibale Forest Camp/ Kibale Guest Cottages (Moderate)

Day 13: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park

After breakfast, you will drive to Queen Elizabeth national park. This national park is famous for a variety of wildlife and chimpanzee species. This famous conservation has a variety of animal species including the impalas, kobs, forest hogs, elephants, buffaloes, tree climbing lions, and the cape buffaloes. This national park is also filled with many volcanic calderas which harbor many flamingos on several seasons.

Upon arrival at queen Elizabeth, you will have lunch and then do the afternoon set out for boat cruise on Kazinga channel where you will see various of animals like crocodiles, hippos, water bucks, buffaloes as well as birds like the storks, king fishers among others. Accommodation options; Katara Lodge/Mweya safari lodge (Luxury), Kasenyi Safari Camp/Ihamba Safari Lodge (Moderate), Simba safari camp (Budget)

Day 14: Game drive- Queen Elizabeth

Arise early enough and after breakfast, enjoy a morning game drive where you will see various animals like elephants, elands, antelopes, buffaloes, lions among others. After having your lunch at the lodge, you will transfer to Ishasha to see the famous tree climbing lions which can only be sighted at Queen Elizabeth in the Ishasha sector. After the game drive, you will return to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Accommodation options; Katara Lodge/Mweya safari lodge (Luxury), Kasenyi Safari Camp/Ihamba Safari Lodge (Moderate), Simba safari camp (Budget)

Day 15: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After breakfast, you will  embark on the journey to Bwindi forest national park a home to mountain gorillas covering an area of 331.sq.km. Pass through the Ishasha sector where you will take the pleasure in watching tree climbing lions, also enjoy various spectacular landscapes on your way. Arrive in the park and have a guided nature walk, have dinner and an overnight stay at any lodge of your choice. Accommodation options; Chameleon hill lodge (Luxury), Four Gorillas lodge (Moderate)

Day 16: Gorilla trekking- Bwindi Impenetrable

On this day, you will have a great time meeting with the mountain gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable forest! After a tasty breakfast, head for briefing and later enjoy the fullness of the mist forest as you see the gentle giants and other wild life species like buffaloes, elephants, monkeys, butterflies, and different bird species. Only one hour is permitted to you with the gorillas. Locating gorillas can take a few hours or the whole day depending on how far they moved from the place they spent the previous night. After the trek, transfer to lake Bunyonyi. Accommodation at Lake Buyonyi Eco Resort

Day 17. lake buyonyi

Lake Buyonyi offers, in addition to spectacular landscapes of lush vegetation and small islands, the possibility of exploring the area on foot. In its waters are still observed specimens of African giant otter. Accommodation at Lake Buyonyi Eco Resort, Bunyonyi oveland resort, Bird nest Eco resort.

Day 18: Transfer to Lake Mburo national park

After an early morning breakfas, you will drive to lake Mburo national park which is the among Uganda’s smallest savannah national parks. It was upgraded as a national park in 1983 and it is a home to 332 bird species, animals like buffaloes, Oribis, kobs, warthogs, zebras among others. Upon arrival at the park, you will have lunch and then you will have a preparation for an unforgettable experience of the boat cruise along the lake. Still a lot of animals will be seen like crocodiles, hippos among others and the lake is also famous for its bird life, majestic fish eagles, and colorful kingfishers. If you are lucky, you might even catch a glimpse with the rare shoebill storks. Accommodation options; Mihingo Lodge (Luxury), Rwakobo Rock (Moderate), Eagles nest/ Leopard’s rest camp (Budget

Day 19: Game drive  in Mburo.

In the morning, you will have breakfast at your lodge, thereafter set out for the game drive through the park where your eyes will be fed with amazing sights and wildlife such as impalas, kobs, antelopes, also bird species. Lake Mburo has a variety of antelopes including topi, duiker, Oribis, reedbuck and klipspringer and Rothschild giraffe have recently been reintroduced. However, the heights of the park have to be the Burch ells zebra and eland which are only found in two national parks in Uganda.

Day 20 :Departure

After break fast, you will drive to Kampala as you enjoy the beautiful views with stop over at equator for photography and souvenirs and proceed to Entebbe arriving in the evening for your flight back home, this marks the end of 20 days best of Uganda road trip.