A 22-day Uganda safari that blends extraordinary birding with gorilla trekking, chimpanzee encounters, savannah game drives, and four unforgettable boat journeys.
This is Uganda on a full scale — 22 days of bird-rich forests, sweeping savannahs, and rivers that pulse with life. Designed for travelers who want more than a glimpse, it combines the thrill of searching for iconic species with the rhythm of a true safari journey.
Shoebills in Mabamba. Gorillas deep in Bwindi. Chimpanzees in Kibale. Each day adds to the story, unfolding a panorama of landscapes and habitats that make Uganda one of Africa’s most complete destinations.
While birds remain the backbone—over 1,000 species are possible—the itinerary doesn’t box you in. Expect elephants crossing the Nile, hippos wallowing beneath your boat, and tree-climbing lions lounging in Ishasha. Expect the silence of mountain forests and the energy of local markets.
And expect, above all, a rare chance to move at a slower pace, with time enough to notice details most safaris rush past.
Highlights
- Shoebill tracking in Mabamba Wetlands
- Game drives and birding in Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth National Parks
- Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale and Budongo forests
- Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
- Bird-rich forests of Semuliki and Mgahinga, home to Albertine Rift endemics
- Four diverse boat cruises on Lake Mburo, the Nile, Kazinga Channel, and Lake Bunyonyi
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Touch down beside Lake Victoria, the world’s largest tropical lake. Your guide meets you for the short drive to your hotel.
Depending on your flight, you might unwind in the garden listening to sunbirds or take a walk to stretch your legs. The air is heavy with warmth, the beginning of three weeks immersed in Uganda’s wild rhythms.
Accommodation:
- Silver: Lake Heights Hotel
- Gold: Hotel No. 5
- Platinum: Protea Hotel Entebbe
Canoes slide quietly through channels lined with papyrus. This is Shoebill country, and spotting its prehistoric head rising above the reeds is unforgettable. The wetland also holds Malachite Kingfishers, African Jacanas, and the chance of a fleeting Blue Swallow.
After the morning on the water, we travel southwest toward Lake Mburo National Park. By evening, impalas and zebras graze near the lodge as the light softens across the savannah.
Accommodation:
- Silver: Rwakobo Rock
- Gold: Mihingo Lodge
- Platinum: Mantana Mburo Tented Camp
At dawn, the savannah comes alive with calls—Francolins, cuckoos, and the resonant cry of the African Fish Eagle. We explore the park by vehicle and on foot, where rocky kopjes hold Klipspringer antelope and Red-faced Barbets.
In the afternoon, a boat trip across the lake offers hippos shifting in the shallows, crocodiles sunning on banks, and Pied Kingfishers hovering above the water.
Accommodation:
- Silver: Rwakobo Rock
- Gold: Mihingo Lodge
- Platinum: Mantana Mburo Tented Camp
The road leads west, through villages and tea plantations, toward Bwindi’s dense mountains. Along the way, we pause for birding stops—Papyrus Gonoleks near wetlands, colorful turacos in forest patches.
By late afternoon, we arrive at Buhoma, on the edge of the Impenetrable Forest. The canopy stretches overhead, a wall of green that seems impenetrable indeed.
Accommodation:
- Silver: Buhoma Community Rest Camp
- Gold: Mahogany Springs Lodge
- Platinum: Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp
This is one of Africa’s defining experiences. After a briefing, the trackers guide us into the forest. The trek may be short or long, depending on the gorilla family’s movements, but the reward is an intimate hour among them.
It is unforgettable to watch a silverback settle his weight against a tree or a youngster testing its balance. Birding en route brings chances for Black Bee-eaters, African Green Broadbills, and a host of forest specialists.
Accommodation:
- Silver: Buhoma Community Rest Camp
- Gold: Mahogany Springs Lodge
- Platinum: Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp
Without the urgency of gorilla tracking, we move slowly through trails alive with birdsong. Bwindi is famed for Albertine Rift endemics—Rwenzori Batis, African Hill Babbler, and perhaps Grauer’s Broadbill if fortune allows.
Forest elephants sometimes leave tracks in the mud, a reminder that this ecosystem holds far more than what we glimpse.
The forest gives way to open savannah as we drive north toward Ishasha, known for its tree-climbing lions. Birders watch for Broad-billed Rollers, African Wattled Lapwings, and raptors patrolling the grasslands.
If the lions are up in fig trees, it feels almost unreal—huge bodies balanced on thick branches above grazing kob.
Accommodation:
- Silver: Enjojo Lodge
- Gold: Ishasha Jungle Lodge
- Platinum: Ishasha Wilderness Camp
Morning brings a game drive across Kasenyi Plains, where Uganda Kob gather and attract lions. Martial Eagles and Grey-crowned Cranes often appear here too.
In the afternoon, we board a boat for the Kazinga Channel. The shoreline teems with life—buffalo drinking, elephants cooling off, and a parade of waterbirds from African Skimmers to Great White Pelicans.
Accommodation:
- Silver: Pumba Safari Cottages
- Gold: Mweya Safari Lodge
- Platinum: Kyambura Gorge Lodge
We enter the forested gorge of Kyambura, a green scar in the savannah. Chimpanzee calls echo through the canopy, and with luck we meet them on the ground, grooming or foraging.
The gorge also shelters Turacos, Tinkerbirds, and other forest specialists. Later we return to Mweya for afternoon birding along the Kazinga Channel’s shoreline.
The drive takes us north through fertile landscapes and crater lakes, with the Rwenzori Mountains visible on clear days.
Birding stops en route might bring views of Crowned Hornbills or Black-and-white Colobus monkeys. By afternoon, we reach Kibale, often called the primate capital of the world.
Accommodation:
- Silver: Kibale Forest Camp
- Gold: Turaco Treetops
- Platinum: Primate Lodge Kibale
At dawn we enter the forest with rangers. Chimpanzees are vocal and mobile, the experience often more dynamic than gorilla trekking. Their drumming on buttress roots reverberates through the understory.
After spending time with them, we bird the forest trails—looking for Green-breasted Pittas, White-naped Pigeons, and a dazzling range of sunbirds.
This community-run wetland sits on Kibale’s edge and offers an excellent slower-paced morning. Boardwalks lead through swamp and woodland, home to Great Blue Turacos, Black-and-white Casqued Hornbills, and several monkey species.
It’s also a window into how local conservation efforts sustain both people and wildlife. Afternoon at leisure or optional forest birding.
Heading west, the land drops into the hot, low-lying Semuliki Valley, an extension of the Congo Basin. The forest feels different here—denser, humid, filled with Central African species.
Evening birding around the park edge offers the first taste: White-crested Hornbills, Piping Hornbills, and perhaps a nightjar at dusk.
Accommodation:
- Silver: Bumaga Camp
- Gold: Ntoroko Game Lodge
- Platinum: Semuliki Safari Lodge
All day in Semuliki, following trails beneath towering trees. Birders often rate this as one of Uganda’s richest sites, with possibilities including Nkulengu Rail, Hartlaub’s Duck, and Congo Serpent Eagle.
Forest elephants sometimes pass quietly, and hot springs bubble nearby. It’s a day for patient walking, ears tuned to calls from deep in the canopy.
We leave Semuliki and travel east toward Masindi, a cultural and trading hub on the way to Murchison Falls.
The drive is long but offers glimpses of rural Uganda—farmers tending fields, children waving as we pass. Depending on the time, roadside birding might reveal new species in the transitional habitats.
Accommodation:
- Silver: Masindi Hotel
- Gold: Kabalega Resort
- Platinum: Masindi Hotel upgraded room
The Royal Mile is one of East Africa’s premier birding sites. Towering mahoganies line a broad forest avenue, where Blue-breasted Kingfishers, Chocolate-backed Kingfishers, and Nahan’s Francolins can appear.
It’s a mix of forest grandeur and intense birding concentration. Primates like Red-tailed Monkeys often accompany the search.
We drive north to Murchison, Uganda’s largest park, split by the Nile.
After settling in, we take an evening game drive across the northern savannah, where giraffes move in small groups and oribis dart across the plains. Raptors wheel overhead, and the setting sun paints the grasslands gold.
Accommodation:
- Silver: Pakuba Safari Lodge
- Gold: Paraa Safari Lodge
- Platinum: Nile Safari Lodge
Morning game drive in the savannah north of the Nile: lions sometimes lie in the shade of acacias, elephants feed near the tracks, and birders scan for Denham’s Bustards and Secretary Birds.
In the afternoon, we take a boat downriver to the delta, where Shoebills are often sighted again, along with African Skimmers and massive Nile crocodiles.
Today’s boat cruise heads upstream to the base of the falls, where the Nile squeezes through a narrow gorge and crashes in thunder. The journey there is rich with hippos, crocodiles, and waterbirds.
After disembarking, a short hike brings us to a lookout where the entire river funnels beneath our feet, spray rising in mist.
We leave Murchison, birding en route, and arrive at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. This is the only place in Uganda to see wild rhinos, reintroduced after local extinction.
Guided walks bring you close to these heavy, prehistoric animals while also offering sightings of bushbuck and numerous birds.
Accommodation: Amuka Lodge
We return to the capital, where modern bustle contrasts sharply with the wild spaces we’ve crossed.
Depending on the time, a short city tour or craft market visit is possible. The day is lighter in activity, allowing reflection before the journey ends.
Accommodation:
- Silver: Cassia Lodge
- Gold: Kampala Serena Hotel
- Platinum: Sheraton Kampala
After breakfast, transfer to Entebbe for your international flight. The wetlands, forests, and mountains of Uganda are still in your ears—calls of turacos, the drumming of chimps, and the low growl of gorillas carried with you.
Included
- Accommodation as listed (Silver/Gold/Platinum options)
- All meals during safari
- All park entrance fees
- Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking permits
- Guided game drives, walks, and boat cruises
- All ground transport in 4x4 safari vehicle
- Professional driver-guide services
Excluded
- International flights
- Visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Drinks and personal expenses
- Optional activities not listed in itinerary
Gorilla treks range from one to six hours, often on steep, muddy terrain. A reasonable fitness level is required. Chimpanzee tracking usually involves shorter, but faster-paced walks.
Yes. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and allergy-conscious meals can be arranged with advance notice at all lodges.
Permit allocation is handled by the Uganda Wildlife Authority, but requests can sometimes be made for shorter or longer treks based on fitness levels.
Uganda’s climate is generally warm year-round, with cooler evenings in mountain areas. Rain is possible at any time, especially in forest zones, so lightweight waterproof gear is recommended.
