12-Day Uganda Safari

This 12-Day Uganda Safari covers the country’s top destinations for primates and game viewing, combining gorilla trekking, chimpanzee tracking, game drives, boat cruises, and adventure activities in one trip. You visit Murchison Falls, Kibale Forest, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi Impenetrable, and Lake Mburo National Parks, plus Lake Bunyonyi and Jinja.

Gorilla Hurly Burly arranges transport, park permits, and accommodation for the full 12 days.

12-Day Uganda Safari Highlights

Top parks: Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi, Kibale, and Lake Mburo
Chimpanzees, gorillas, and savanna wildlife in one trip
Game drives across major national parks
Boat cruises on the Nile River and Kazinga Channel
Relaxing island activities at Lake Bunyonyi
Crater lakes near Fort Portal
Tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha sector
Comfortable lodges throughout the safari
Adventure activities in Jinja, including rafting and bungee jumping
Trained guides in every park
Birdwatching across wetlands, lakes, and forests

Brief 12-Day Uganda Safari Itinerary

Day 1: Kampala to Murchison Falls National Park
Day 2: Full day game drives in Murchison Falls
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking, drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 5: Morning game drive, afternoon boat cruise
Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 7: Gorilla trekking, drive to Lake Bunyonyi
Day 8: Full day at Lake Bunyonyi
Day 9: Drive to Lake Mburo National Park
Day 10: Transfer to Jinja via Kampala
Day 11: Full day Jinja tour
Day 12: Back to Entebbe and departure

Detailed 12-Day Uganda Safari Itinerary

Day 1: Kampala to Murchison Falls National Park

After breakfast, you leave for Murchison Falls National Park, a 6 to 7-hour drive with a lunch stop in Masindi town. On arrival, you check in at your lodge and hike to the top of the falls, then have dinner overlooking the Nile River.

Day 2: Full Day Game Drives in Murchison Falls National Park

After breakfast, you take a half-day game drive, spotting Cape buffaloes, elephants, lions, and Rothschild giraffes. After lunch, a boat cruise on the Nile brings sightings of hippos and crocodiles. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.

Day 3: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park

After breakfast, you drive to Kibale Forest National Park, stopping for lunch in Fort Portal before checking in at your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 4: Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale Forest and Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast, you register at Kibale headquarters for a briefing before tracking chimpanzees with a ranger guide, in a park known for the largest number of primate species in Africa. After lunch, you visit the Crater Lake region before driving to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Day 5: Morning Game Drive and Afternoon Boat Cruise

After breakfast, you take a morning game drive through the Kasenyi area, spotting Uganda kobs, elephants, lions, and leopards. In the afternoon, you visit Mweya jetty for a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, seeing hippos and crocodiles. Dinner and overnight stay follow.

Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After a relaxed breakfast, you drive toward Bwindi, stopping in Ishasha for a short game drive to spot tree-climbing lions. You continue to Bwindi with a lunch break at Savannah Resort Kihihi, arriving in the evening for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 7: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi and Drive to Lake Bunyonyi

After breakfast, you attend a briefing at park headquarters before trekking to find mountain gorillas, a hike that can take 30 minutes to half a day depending on the group’s location. You spend one hour with the gorillas, then enjoy a packed lunch before driving to Lake Bunyonyi.

Day 8: Full Day at Lake Bunyonyi

After breakfast, you take a morning boat ride to visit some of Lake Bunyonyi’s many islands. In the afternoon, a guided village tour brings chances for birdwatching and meeting local residents. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.

Day 9: Drive from Lake Bunyonyi to Lake Mburo National Park

After an early breakfast, you drive 4 to 5 hours to Lake Mburo National Park, Uganda’s smallest savannah park, home to zebras, elands, and giraffes. After lunch, you take a boat ride on Lake Mburo.

Day 10: Transfer to Jinja via Kampala

After breakfast, you take a short game drive in Lake Mburo, spotting elands, warthogs, and hyenas. You then drive to Jinja through Kampala, with a lunch stop along the way. Dinner and overnight stay in Jinja.

Day 11: Full Day Jinja Tour

Known as the Adventure Capital of East Africa, Jinja offers boat trips to the source of the Nile, quad biking, horseback riding, bungee jumping, and white water rafting. You take part in at least three activities before returning to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.