Start: Entebbe (Uganda) End: Entebbe (Uganda) or Kigali (Rwanda) Style: Mid-range • Private Safari • Can be customized for photographers & birders
Embark on a breathtaking 12-day journey through Uganda—the Pearl of Africa—where ancient rainforests, vibrant cultures, and legendary wildlife encounters come together to create a safari you will never forget. From the shoebill stork at Lake Victoria to the thundering Murchison Falls, from chimpanzees in Kibale to mountain gorillas in Bwindi, and finally the serene highlands of Lake Bunyonyi and the acacia plains of Lake Mburo, this safari showcases Uganda at its finest.
You will enjoy comfortable mid-range lodges, expert guiding, cultural interactions, wildlife-packed game drives, and once-in-a-lifetime primate trekking experiences.
Talk to one of our travel specialists to tailormake you stay to any of our destinatio
Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by your Wild Compass Africa safari guide. After checking into your lodge, enjoy a relaxed breakfast before heading out for your first adventure.
In the afternoon, visit Mabamba Swamp, one of the best places in Africa to see the prehistoric shoebill stork. Glide through the channels in a local canoe as your guide helps you spot a variety of wetland birds and learn about the fishing communities around Lake Victoria.
Later, enjoy a magical Lake Victoria sunset boat ride, perfect for photography and relaxation.
Accommodation: Papyrus Guest House or similar
Meals: All meals included
After breakfast, drive northwest through Uganda’s countryside to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, the only place in Uganda where you can track wild rhinos on foot. Spend time with these magnificent animals as your ranger explains their behaviors and conservation history.
Continue to Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda’s oldest and largest national park. On arrival, hike to the Top of the Falls, where the mighty Nile River explodes through a 7-meter gap, creating the world’s most powerful waterfall.
Check in for dinner and enjoy a peaceful evening surrounded by wilderness.
Accommodation: Pakuba Safari Lodge or similar
Meals: All meals included
Rise early for a sunrise game drive across the savannah. Expect to encounter giraffes, elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, hartebeests, lions, and diverse birdlife.
After lunch, take a classic boat cruise on the Nile, drifting toward the base of the falls. Along the riverbanks, watch hippos, basking crocodiles, and numerous wildlife cooling off in the afternoon heat.
Return to the lodge for dinner, then head out again for a night game drive, a thrilling opportunity to spot nocturnal species like hyenas, civets, bush babies, and sometimes leopards.
Accommodation: Pakuba Safari Lodge
Meals: All meals included
Enjoy a final game drive as you exit Murchison, then journey south through tea estates, crater lakes, and rolling highlands to Kibale Forest, home to the highest density of primates in Africa.
Upon arrival, depending on time, visit the Bigodi Community for optional activities—banana beer making, weaving demonstrations, and traditional food preparation.
Accommodation: Kibale Forest Lodge
Meals: All meals included
Start with an early briefing before entering the rainforest for chimpanzee trekking. Spend one magical hour observing these intelligent primates—grooming, feeding, playing, and vocalizing high in the treetops.
Return to the lodge for lunch and relaxation before an afternoon walk through Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, famous for monkeys, birds, and beautiful community-managed eco-tourism.
Accommodation: Kibale Forest Camp
Meals: All meals included
After breakfast, drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park, stopping at the Kikorongo Equator for photos and a hemisphere demonstration.
Check in and later enjoy a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel—one of Africa’s greatest wildlife spectacles. Expect close-up encounters with elephants, buffaloes, hippos, crocodiles, and a superb array of water birds.
Optional sunset visit to the scenic Kyambura Twin Lakes.
Accommodation: The Bush Lodge
Meals: All meals included
Begin the day with a morning game drive through Kasenyi Plains, one of the best areas in the park to spot lions, elephants, hyenas, and antelopes with the Rwenzori Mountains as your backdrop.
In the afternoon, transfer to the Ishasha Sector, famous for tree-climbing lions. Look for these unusual lions lounging in massive fig and acacia trees.
Enjoy an evening game drive and sunset over the open savannah.
Accommodation: Ishasha Jungle Lodge
Meals: All meals included
After breakfast, enjoy your final game drive in Ishasha in search of the iconic lions perched in trees. Continue your journey to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, home to nearly half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas.
Arrive at your lodge deep in the rainforest for dinner and relaxation.
Accommodation: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
Meals: All meals included
Today is the highlight of your safari—mountain gorilla trekking.
After a briefing, embark on a guided trek through the dense forest until you meet the gorilla family assigned to your group. Spend one full hour observing their movements, interactions, and silverback dominance.
After the trek, visit the Batwa community, the original forest dwellers. Engage in storytelling, traditional music, and cultural demonstrations that reveal their ancient connection to the rainforest.
Accommodation: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
Meals: All meals included
After breakfast, drive to the terraced highlands of Kabale until you reach the serene Lake Bunyonyi, one of Africa’s deepest and most beautiful lakes.
Enjoy zip-lining over the water (optional) before taking a guided canoe tour to culturally significant islands:
Accommodation: BirdNest Resort
Meals: Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast, drive to Lake Mburo National Park, Uganda’s smallest but most scenic savannah park.
Take a game drive to spot zebras, impalas, giraffes, elands, topis, and more.
In the evening, enjoy a walking safari, one of the unique experiences allowed only in Lake Mburo. Your guide will set up a sundowner arrangement with snacks/wine as wildlife roams around you.
Accommodation: Mpogo Safari Lodge
Meals: All meals included
Start your day with a meaningful cultural experience at a local cattle kraal—learn to milk Ankole cows, make local ghee, and interact with cattle keepers.
After breakfast, enjoy lodge relaxation before driving back to Entebbe International Airport for your departure flight.
End of Safari
Best Time to Visit Uganda