20 DAYS UGANDA VACATION TOUR

20 Days Uganda vacation tour

Overview

The 20-day Uganda vacation tour takes you around the notable tourist attractions with great experiences such as hiking, primate watching, game drives, nature walks, boat cruises, rhino trekking and many more. Visiting the beautiful apes and enjoying the serenity of Lake Bunyonyi creates everlasting memories.

This safari also highlights the cultures of Uganda through community tours, visiting historical places, cultural encounters and more. This is a big five safari since it involves Rhino trekking at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.

Detailed Itinerary

Day1. Arrive at Entebbe International Airport and transfer to a hotel

Upon your arrival at the airport, you will meet our well-behaved safari guide who will warmly welcome you and quickly brief you about the safari and then drive to the hotel. Depending on the arrival time you can opt to do a short city tour around Entebbe.

Day2. Boat cruise to Ngamba Island sanctuary and a short Entebbe visit

Take a morning boat cruise as you head to Ngamba Island Sanctuary, a refuge for the orphaned and abandoned chimpanzees in Uganda. Enjoy the beautiful water of Lake Victoria, this journey can take about 1 to 2 hours which involves crossing the equator line.

Learn about conservation efforts on this island, feed the chimps and more. Apart from the chimpanzees, the island is a home to monitor lizards, different bird species and more. Hot lunch will be served here as you hear the chimpanzees’ screams.

Head back to Entebbe and visit the Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Center where most of the wild animals and birds are kept in captive such as chimpanzees, lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, buffalo, zebras, warthogs, giraffes, snakes and many more others.

Also, visit Uganda’s reptile village for the love of snakes, crocodiles and more reptiles, visit Entebbe Botanical Garden for bird watching. Return to the hotel and this will be the end of day 2.

Day3. Drive to Lake Mburo NP, equator view and nature walk

Have a smooth drive to Lake Mburo National Park after breakfast where you encounter different animals on your arrival. The journey takes about 3 hours with an en route stopover at the Uganda equator where you take part in experiments, take photos, and buy some souvenirs.

Arrive at the lodge for lunch which will be followed by a guided nature walk where you expect to meet animals like impalas, zebras, warthog and more. Head back to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day4. Game drive and boat cruise

Take a morning game drive where you expect to meet animals like zebra, impala, topi, eland, bushbuck, buffalo, warthog, leopard, hyena, jackal and also birds like Common scimitarbill, white-headed barbet, red-shouldered cuckoo-shrike, red-faced Barbet and many more. This will take about 3 hours to drive followed by a lunch break.

Take an afternoon boat cruise on Lake Mburo to enjoy birds like the African fish eagle, shoebill stork, pied kingfisher, and various egrets, herons, Ross’s turaco, Narina trogon, and the elusive African finfoot and animals like crocodiles, buffaloes, hippos and more. This experience will take about 2 hours.

Day5. Head to Lake Bunyonyi en route to visit of Igongo Cultural Centre

Head to Lake Bunyonyi, another exciting destination on this great safari. This journey will include a route stopover at the Igongo Cultural Centre to explore the Banyankole and Bakiga cultures by visiting the ankle Kigezi museum. Proceed to Lake Bunyonyi the second deepest lake in Africa with a maximum depth of 40m. Arrive and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Lake.

Day6. Bunyoyi adventure

Take an adventure on this day which will begin with canoeing while exploring different islands such as Bushara, Njuyeera, Bwama and the infamous Punishment Island. Learn about the traditional stories about these islands and then have a lunch break.

Afterwards, take a hike to the top of one of the hills around the lake passing through the local homesteads of the Bakiga people, tasting their traditional drinks (Obushera and Enturire) as you interact with them. The top rewards you with great scenery of an aerial view of different islands. On this day, have an optional activity of zip lining and an obstacle course.

Day7. Drive to Mgahinga National Park

Take a lazy drive to Mgahinga National Park passing through the hilly terraced land of Kigezi. Enjoy the sharp corners though rewarding and a great time for photos. Mgahinga National Park is amazing since it’s home to mountain gorillas and golden monkeys, the rare primates and it’s the smallest of all the national parks in Uganda. Arrive and head to the lodge.

Day8. Hiking Mt Sabyinyo

Take breakfast and head for a briefing at the park offices. Register, and get a park guide and porters after registering. Begin the hike which will last for about 4 hours. While on the hike, expect to meet mountain gorillas and golden monkeys if you are lucky enough.

The hike is rewarding with birds and other primates like red-tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, olive baboons and more. The summit rewards you with a view of three countries: DR Congo. Descend back which will also take about 3 hours and then transfer back to the lodge.

Day9. Transfer to Bwindi and Batwa community tour

Wake up and head to the Bwindi National Park for another memorable adventure in the wild and community. The journey will take about 3 hours to drive and on arrival, explore the Batwa community for a great cultural adventure. This will be through music and dance, fire making, traditional attire, tasting their meals, and buying their art pieces like canvases and baskets. Return to the lodge in the evening.

Day10. Gorilla trekking

Wake up on delicious breakfast followed by a drive to the park headquarters for briefing. During this time, get to know about the dos and don’ts such as not using a flashlight camera, maintaining a distance of 7m from the gorillas, not trekking if you have a cold and flu and more.

Begin the search with the help of the park ranger guide expecting to meet other eye-catching moments. Meeting a family of gorillas will create everlasting memories since members will be playing, and feeding while others search for food. The overall experience can take about 8 hours but an hour will involve a face-to-face interaction.

Day11. Transfer to Queen Elizabeth via the Ishasha sector

Leave Bwindi and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park, home to the rare tree-climbing lions and various wildlife in the savannah plains. The journey is through the Ishasha sector which rewards a chance to trek the rare tree-climbing lions resting or eyeing the prey. There are other animals that you will spot like elephants, several antelopes, buffalos and more. Head to the lodge booked for your accommodation.

Day12. Game drive and boat cruise

Take part in the morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise where you encounter different birds and animals like waterbucks, warthogs, giant forest hogs, Nile crocodiles, leopards, elephants, crocodiles, hippos and many more. Each experience takes about 2 to 3 hours including stopovers as viewing points. On this day expect to meet birds like the Great Blue Turaco, Gray-crowned crane, Long-Crested Eagle, and Black and White Casqued Hornbill and more.

Day13. Morning game drive and transfer to Kibale National Park

Have another game drive which will be followed by a transfer to Kibale National Park home to 13 different primates where the olive baboon is the most common in the park. The journey is amazing as you pass through the Kasenda crater lakes like Nyabikere, Nyinabulitwa, Kifuruka, Nyinambuga and many more. Arrive and head to the lodge and this will be the end of the day.

Day14. Chimpanzee tracking and Isunga community walk

Wake up and enjoy a cup of coffee, and immediately head to the park offices for a briefing at the Kanyanchu visitor center. The park guide will give you the outlines to follow while in the forest, proper dress code, expectations, and more. He/she will lead you into the forest with the help of a porter and an escort.

Meet other attractions like vervet monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, olive baboons, L’Hoest monkeys and many more others. Spend an hour with the chimps following their behaviours through feeding, playing, and breastfeeding. After the experience, head back to the lodge for a lunch break while sharing memories.

Take a community walk in Isunga village where you visit tea and coffee plantations, vanilla gardens, and Crater lakes as you learn about the life of the locals. Opt to take homemade coffee processed using local tools through pounding and roasting. You can support the locals by buying some already processed coffee beans or powder after tasting the coffee.

Day15. Visit Amabere Ga Nyina Mwiru caves, hike Mweganywa Hill and transfer to Semliki

Head to Fort Portal after breakfast and visit the Amabere Ga Nyina Mwiru caves, a historical place for the Chwezi dynasty. These are the stalactites and stalagmites with a cultural belief attached to them. Enjoy showers of the Nyakasura Falls and then take a hike to Mweganywa hill, the summit offering a panoramic view of 3 craters and the neighbouring village, with Rwenzori mountains in the background.

Proceed to Semliki National Park known as the True birder’s haven and a home to the male and female hot springs. The journey is amazing as you have a view of the rift valleys, different homesteads and many more others. Arrive and check-in at the lodge for dinner.

Day16. Visit Sempaya hot springs and cultural encounters

Visit Sempaya hot springs through a nature walk where you get to spot different birds and primates like the black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys, olive baboons and many more. Learn about how these hot springs are formed traditionally and geographically. Boil the food from the salt pans such as eggs, matoke/Banana, Irish and more which you will enjoy as a supplement lunch.

In the afternoon, take part in the cultural encounters of the Bamba people. Enjoy the traditional music and dances, traditional cooking classes, storytelling by the elders, visiting shrines and more. Head back to the lodge for leisure.

Day17. Head to Murchison Falls NP

Murchison Falls National Park is the biggest protected area in Uganda among the ten National parks. Therefore, after having your breakfast embark on a Long journey drive, check out Semliki National Park and drive to Murchison Falls National. It will take you about 6 to 7 hours depending on your speed to reach Murchison Falls. Check in with the booked lodge and relax.

Day18. Hot air ballooning, boat cruise and hiking to the top of the Falls viewpoint

After having your early breakfast head for an amazing adventure, hot air ballooning which is the most amazing experience as it takes you to a higher level of about 10,000 meters above the level. This hot air balloon can carry about 7 to 8 passengers and during the exercise, you will be able to view wild animals, big birds, beautiful sceneries and many others.

After, go for the boat cruise which will start at the Paraa docks. It will proceed and take you to the top of the falls and you will spot a lot of wild animals like schools of hippos, Nile crocodiles, large herds of elephants alongside the river banks, a couple of orbis, beautiful bird species and many others. Getting to the top of the Falls you will be welcomed by the beautiful sceneries, good panoramic views and many others that will make your safari more colourful and enjoyable.

Day19. Transfer back to Kampala en route and visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

On the 19th day, you will enjoy your delicious breakfast then later jump into your safari car and check out with the lodge heading back to Kampala. You will have a stopover at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for Rhino trekking where the activity lasts for 2 to 3 hours depending on the location of the rhinos that day.

After enjoying your lunch, come back on your journey and drive directly to Kampala city. Check-in with the booked hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day20. Short Kampala city tour and drop off at the airport.

Arise early morning for a delicious breakfast later, pack your belongings and check out with the hotel for a short city. You can opt to visit one of the interesting places in Uganda according to your choice such as the Uganda Museum and get to know the historical background of the country Uganda, you can also visit the Owino market and grab a chance to see food/fruits sold in this market or visit the Kasubi Tombs where they bury the Buganda kings.

Later move to any local restaurant for lunch then be dropped off at the airport and fly back home.