Uganda
13-Day Wildlife & Primate Safari
This 13-day budget safari covers Uganda’s greatest hits: gorilla trekking in Mgahinga, chimpanzee tracking in Kibale, and wildlife adventures in Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth, and Lake Mburo. Hike volcanic peaks, cruise the Nile, and walk with rhinos—all while staying in comfortable budget accommodations.
What to Expect
- 🦍 Gorilla & golden monkey tracking in Mgahinga’s misty forests
- � Big Five game drives (lions, elephants, leopards + rhinos at Ziwa)
- 🚤 Boat cruises on Kazinga Channel & Victoria Nile (hippos, crocs, birds)
- 🏔️ Mount Sabyinyo volcano hike (Virunga views)
- 🦧 Chimp encounters in Kibale’s primate capital
- 🦏 Rhino tracking at Ziwa Sanctuary
Key Notes
✔️ Fitness Level: Moderate to strenuous (gorilla/chimp treks & volcano hike require stamina).
✔️ Budget-Friendly: Uses well-rated camps/lodges like Leopard Rest Camp and Red Chilli.
✔️ Packing Tips: Waterproof hiking boots, binoculars, safari beige/green clothing.
Wildlife Checklist
✔️ Primates: Gorillas, chimps, golden monkeys, baboons
✔️ Big Five: Lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, rhinos (Ziwa)
✔️ Birds: Shoebill stork, grey crowned crane, African fish eagle
✔️ Ungulates: Zebras, giraffes, Uganda kob, eland
Itinerary Summary
| Day | Highlights |
|---|---|
| 1: | Transfer to Lake Mburo NP |
| 2: | Game drive → Mgahinga NP |
| 3: | Golden monkey tracking |
| 4: | Mount Sabyinyo volcano hike |
| 5: | Gorilla trekking |
| 6: | Transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP |
| 7: | Game drive + Kazinga Channel cruise |
| 8: | Transfer to Kibale Forest NP |
| 9: | Chimp tracking + Bigodi Swamp walk |
| 10: | Transfer to Murchison Falls NP |
| 11: | Game drive + Nile boat cruise |
| 12: | Transfer to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary |
| 13: | Rhino tracking → Return to Kampala |
Day 1: Kampala → Lake Mburo NP
- Scenic drive via Equator (photo stop)
- Evening wildlife spotting (zebras, impalas, hippos)
Depart Kampala for Lake Mburo, Uganda’s smallest savannah park. Check in at Leopard Rest Camp and enjoy an evening amidst grazing zebras.
Accommodation: Leopard Rest Camp
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Day 2: Game Drive → Mgahinga NP
- Morning game drive (eland, buffalo, leopard)
- 5-hour transfer to Mgahinga (Virunga foothills)
Spot rare birds like the grey crowned crane before heading southwest to Mgahinga, home to golden monkeys and mountain gorillas.
Accommodation: Lake Chahafi Resort
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Golden Monkey Tracking
- 3–4 hour trek through bamboo forests
- Agile encounters with endemic golden monkeys
Trek with park rangers to observe these playful primates—found only in the Virunga region.
Accommodation: Lake Chahafi Resort
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Mount Sabyinyo Hike
- Full-day hike (8 hours round-trip)
- Summit views of Virunga volcanoes
Scale the "Old Man’s Teeth" volcano, traversing three countries (Uganda, Rwanda, DRC) at the peak.
Accommodation: Lake Chahafi Resort
Meals: Breakfast, Packed Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Gorilla Trekking
- 4–6 hour trek to meet a gorilla family
- 1-hour observation (babies often steal the show!)
A bucket-list experience: watch gorillas feed on bamboo in Mgahinga’s dense forests.
Accommodation: Lake Chahafi Resort
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP
- 6-hour drive via Kyambura Gorge
- Rift Valley panoramas en route
Arrive at Bush Lodge, overlooking the park’s savannah and hippo-filled Kazinga Channel.
Accommodation: Bush Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Here’s the continuation of your 13-Day Budget Wildlife & Primate Safari markdown, covering Days 7–13:
Day 7: Queen Elizabeth NP – Game Drive & Kazinga Cruise
- Morning game drive (lions, elephants, leopards)
- Afternoon boat cruise (hippos, crocodiles, 100+ bird species)
Search for tree-climbing lions in Ishasha sector, then glide past hippo pods on the Kazinga Channel—Uganda’s wildlife-rich waterway.
Accommodation: Bush Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8: Transfer to Kibale Forest NP
- 3-hour drive with Rwenzori Mountain views
- Evening forest sounds at camp
Arrive at Kibale Forest Camp, where chimpanzee calls echo through the trees.
Accommodation: Kibale Forest Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9: Chimpanzee Tracking + Bigodi Swamp Walk
- Chimp trekking (2–6 hours, playful encounters)
- Bigodi Swamp walk (monkeys, rare shoebill stork)
Watch chimps tool-use behaviors, then explore the wetland’s eight primate species.
Accommodation: Kibale Forest Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 10: To Murchison Falls NP
- 7-hour scenic drive
- Evening Nile views at camp
Travel north to Uganda’s largest park, where the Nile explodes through a 7m gorge.
Accommodation: Red Chilli Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 11: Murchison Falls – Game Drive & Nile Cruise
- Morning wildlife safari (giraffes, hartebeests)
- Afternoon boat to the Falls (elephants swimming)
Spot Jackson’s hartebeests on drive, then cruise to the "Devil’s Cauldron" waterfall.
Accommodation: Red Chilli Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 12: To Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
- Morning game drive en route
- Rhino sanctuary briefing
Track white rhinos on foot—Uganda’s only wild population since their reintroduction.
Accommodation: Amuka Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 13: Rhino Tracking → Kampala
- 2-hour rhino walk (up-close encounters)
- Return to Kampala (3-hour drive)
End your safari with 2-ton giants grazing just meters away. Transfer to Kampala/Entebbe.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
End of Safari
From misty gorilla forests to savannah sunsets, this 13-day journey covers Uganda’s wild heart—with comfortable budget stays keeping costs low.
✅ Included
- All accommodation on Half Board (HB), Full Board (FB) or Bed and Breakfast (B&B) basis as quoted in the text
- Safari vehicle and fuel
- English speaking tourist guide
- Game drives and walks
- Entrance fees to the national parks. All boat tours
- Taxes
- Free mineral water in the vehicle during the tour
- AMREF emergency evacuation insurance
- Gorilla Permit
❌ Excluded
- International flights
- Visa fees
- Drinks / alcoholic drinks / additional meals
- Tips
- Activities not part of the described program
- International travel insurance
- Items of personal nature / souvenirs
PLEASE NOTE
The safari indicated here is essentially an offer. Changes in the course of the journey, the duration of your tour, the number of travelers, as well as the choice of accommodation are subject to availability, although we always endeavor to stick as closely as possible to this program. For the majority of itineraries, we can offer luxury, mid range or budget versions of this safari upon request.
Sometimes it is not possible to adhere to the travel plan as described in this itinerary, due to weather and road conditions, authority regulations, organizational requirements, etc. Occasionally, the planned route of the tour has to change according to the situation on the ground. We must therefore explicitly refuse liability for adherence to the journey plan.
