7-Day Best of Uganda Safari

The focus today is Murchison Falls boat cruise and Nile crocodiles and hippos. Travel north to Uganda's largest and oldest national park. Cross the Nile at Paraa and settle into your safari lodge. Afternoon boat cruise on the Victoria Nile toward the base of Murchison Falls — where the entire River Nile explodes through a 7-meter gap in the rock creating an awesome display of nature's power. Along the river, spot massive Nile crocodiles, hippo pods, elephants drinking at the water's edge, buffalo, waterbuck, and an extraordinary diversity of birds including the rare shoebill stork.

• Murchison Falls boat cruise
• Nile crocodiles and hippos
• Shoebill stork

Today's route brings together Northern bank game drive and Rothschild's giraffe. Early morning game drive on the northern bank of the Nile. Murchison's open savannah is home to large herds of Uganda kob, Jackson's hartebeest, Rothschild's giraffe (reintroduced and thriving), elephants, buffalo, lions, and leopards. Following lunch, hike to the top of Murchison Falls for a breathtaking view looking down into the thundering chasm where 300 cubic meters of water per second forces through the narrow gap. The spray creates a permanent rainbow and the roar is deafening.

• Northern bank game drive
• Rothschild's giraffe
• Top of Falls hike

Expect the day to center on Scenic Albertine Rift and Fort Portal crater lakes. Travel south through the lush countryside and the scenic Albertine Rift to Kibale Forest National Park, the primate capital of the world with 13 primate species. The drive passes through Fort Portal surrounded by tea plantations and volcanic crater lakes with emerald-green waters. Afternoon optional crater lake walk or Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary guided walk for primates and exceptional birdlife including the great blue turaco.

• Scenic Albertine Rift
• Fort Portal crater lakes
• Optional Bigodi Wetland walk

Day 4 is built around Chimpanzee tracking — 1 hour and Kasenyi Plains game drive. Morning chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest — trek through the ancient tropical rainforest with experienced trackers listening for the distinctive pant-hoot calls and crashing branches. Spend one memorable hour with a habituated chimp community watching them groom, feed, play, and communicate. Following lunch, drive south to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Evening game drive on the Kasenyi Plains spotting Uganda kob, elephants, buffalo, and lions.

• Chimpanzee tracking — 1 hour
• Kasenyi Plains game drive

The focus today is Kazinga Channel boat safari and Hundreds of hippos. Morning Kazinga Channel boat safari — a 2-hour cruise on this natural channel connecting Lake Edward and Lake George. Hippos line the banks in their hundreds, enormous Nile crocodiles bask nearby, and elephants, buffalo, and waterbuck come to drink. The birdlife is staggering with pelicans, cormorants, kingfishers, and African fish eagles. Following lunch, drive to the Ishasha sector — famous worldwide for its tree-climbing lions draped along fig tree branches, a behavior seen regularly only here and in Tanzania's Lake Manyara. Travel onward to Bwindi.

• Kazinga Channel boat safari
• Hundreds of hippos
• Ishasha tree-climbing lions

Today's route brings together Mountain gorilla trekking — 1 hour and Silverback encounters. The pinnacle — gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Report to park headquarters at 8:00 AM for registration. Trek into the misty ancient forest with experienced trackers. The trek can take 1-6 hours through steep, muddy jungle terrain. When you find the gorilla family, spend one memorable hour face-to-face with these gentle giants — watching silverbacks beating their chests, mothers cradling tiny babies, and juveniles wrestling playfully. The eye contact with a wild mountain gorilla is one of the most profoundly emotional wildlife experiences on Earth. Celebration dinner.

• Mountain gorilla trekking — 1 hour
• Silverback encounters
• Life-changing experience

Expect the day to center on Optional Batwa cultural experience and Return to Entebbe. Following breakfast, optional morning community walk visiting the local Batwa pygmy community for cultural performances and stories of their ancient forest life. Set out from Bwindi and drive back to Entebbe or take an optional domestic flight from the nearby airstrip (1 hour, additional cost). Transfer to airport or hotel. Safari ends with memorable memories of the Pearl of Africa.

• Optional Batwa cultural experience
• Return to Entebbe