21 Day Best of Uganda Tour

On arrival to Entebbe international airport, your specialized Ntungo Wildlife Safaris tour guide/driver will be ready to pick you drive you to your hotel for check in. Entebbe is Uganda’s first Capital city until 1962 and houses the main international airport of Uganda, the state house, Botanical gardens, the reptile village, the zoo and so many beautiful beaches are found here. On your way to the hotel, you will see the old airport where the Entebbe raid happened in 1976, as well as Lake Victoria, the World’s second largest fresh water lake. You will continue on your way to the lodge and depending on how energetic you are, visit the botanical gardens for a nature filled afternoon. This is home to some of the oldest tree species, monkeys like the black and white colobus, birdlife including the orange tufted and the red chested sunbird, Great blue turaco and so much more. The gardens are known for their woodland tree species, a cool breeze and are a wonderful place to spend an afternoon/evening.

Meal plan: Lunch, Dinner
Luxury: Protea Hotel by Mariott
Midrange: The Boma
Budget: Airport guesthouse

After a relaxed breakfast, you will head out to Kampala, the capital city of Uganda since 1962. You will start your day at the city center where you will visit the famous Owino market, Africa’s largest second hand clothing market. In the food section, you will find plenty of various fresh fruits at very reasonable prices so you will have a minute to spare in order to partake.
You will continue to the Kabaka’s manmade lake right in the middle of civilization for birding activities and while learning about the its significance to the Buganda kingdom. Up next will be the adventure to Lubiri, the Kabaka’s palace where you will see Idi Amin’s torture chambers, the only existing proof of the brutality of Idi Amin’s regime.
It is from here that you will visit the missionary churches, the Uganda parliament, the Uganda martyrs’ shrine, the only Baha’i temple in Africa, and you will wind up the day at Ndere centre enjoying presentations from various Ugandan cultures before you retire. Here you also have a chance to have a locally made dish.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Luxury: Kampala Serena Hotel
Midrange: Cassia Lodge
Budget: Speke hotel

Today you will start your day with a trip to the magnificent Ssezibwa falls for the cultural dose of your day. You will enjoy the view while hearing folk tales from the locals. A pre organized nature walk will take you all the way up to the top of the falls.
You will continue on your way to Mabira forest, Uganda’s largest tropical rain forest at 300 square miles. Here, you will have encounters with Red tailed monkeys and the shy grey cheeked Mangabey during a forest walk with a knowledgeable local guide.
There is an option for the adrenaline jerking 200 metre ziplining, 40 feet in the air and wind up your day. After here, you will continue out to Jinja for dinner and overnight.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Luxury: Wild waters lodge
Mid range: Haven lodge
Budget: Nile river camp

Today is a relaxed day. The activities for today are the visit to the source of the Nile and the biking experience through Jinja town. River Nile is the longest river in the world and is believed to start its 4000 mile journey from Uganda to the Mediterranean sea. Your tour guide will take you on a short tour to the source of the Nile by boat while hearing stories, watching birdlife at this place. You also have shopping opportunities at the shops in this area. Lunch after the boat cruise, by the shores is a refreshing idea.
In the afternoon, you will have a bike tour around Jinja town where you will visit the Jinja Market.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Today, as you enjoy your early breakfast, prepare yourself for the adventure of a lifetime. Your driver will take you to the starting point at the Nile where you will be briefed in preparation for White water rafting, a full day’s activity. Alternatively, you can do half day and have the rest of the day to relax at your hotel.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today, you will travel to to Sipi, Kapchorwa district through Mbale the land of the Ugandans Jews. Stories about this interesting tribe will be told, including how and why they chose to convert to Judaism. You will have a short visit to Wanale ridge for a breathtaking view before continuing to Sipi where you will have dinner and round up for the day.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Midrange: Sipi river lodge
Budget: Casa Sipi lodge

Today, you will have a guided nature walk up to the three Sipi falls to view Uganda’s highest falls at 100m. Sipi comes from the word sep, a plant native to the banks of the river. As your guide will take you around, you will have a chance to interact with the locals. You will have endless views of tropical plants, birds and the crown of the jewel, the Sipi falls. You might also want to stand under the falls so your guide will show you where it is safe for you.
You will then have a coffee tour along the Mt. Elgon slopes. This area is known for its tasty Arabica coffee. This tour will take you through the stages coffee processing for the moment it is planted, harvested, dried, crushed and to when it gets to cup.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Today, you will have an early breakfast, and start your journey to Murchison falls National Park through Kumi district. In Kumi, you will visit the Nyero rock paintings for the famous and historical rock art. The rock art sites which are dated to before 1250CE, generally attributed to the Batwa, are believed to have been sacred places for gods and remain valuable for the people of the Teso region. These are mysterious because the painters are unknown.
You will continue on your way to Murchison falls where you will lodge for the night.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Luxury: Paraa Safari Lodge
Midrange: Pakuba Safari Lodge
Budget: Fort Murchison Lodge(tents)

After a very early breakfast, head out for a morning game drive as the sun rises. This gives us chance to search for wildlife as they get up for their hunting exercise just before it becomes hot. Keep your eyes open. You never know what your eyes might land on. You will then return to the lodge in time for lunch and freshening up, after which you drive to the Nile where you will have a short boat ride to the bottom of the falls. From here, you will have a hike to the top of the falls where your driver will pick you from to cross by ferry back to the lodge.

Meal plan: Breakfast, L and Dinner
Luxury: Paraa Safari Lodge
Midrange: Pakuba Safari Lodge
Budget: Fort safari Lodge(tents)

For the bird lovers, we can arrange to have a morning boat ride on the delta in search for the Shoebill stork and several other water birds. After the search, we return to the lodge and have some time to relax.

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Luxury: Paraa Safari Lodge
Midrange: Pakuba Safari Lodge
Budget: Fort safari Lodge(tents)

Drive via Lake Albert southwards to Fort portal then continue to Kibale Forest National Park. This is a long drive therefore, we shall reach in time to check in then dinner and rest, in preparation for the next day’s activities.

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Luxury: Papaya lake lodge
Midrange: Turaco Treetops
Budget: Chimpanzee forest guesthouse

Today you will head out to the Tooro King’s palace for your cultural experience. Tooro is home to the World’s youngest monarch of the 20th century Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru whose coronation took place when he was only three years old. You will interact with the Kingdom workers and the locals before continuing to the Mabeere ga nyina mwiru caves.
The amabeere ga nyinamwiru(Nyinamwiru’s breasts) are in fact stalactites and stalagmites with a milky substance dripping, which the locals believe is milk from the “breasts”. You also have a chance to visit Semuliki National Park for some birding experience and the walk to the hot springs.

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Luxury: Papaya lake lodge
Midrange: Turaco Treetops
Budget: Chimpanzee forest guesthouse

Today your guide will take you to the starting point of Kibale National Park where you will be briefed about Chimpanzee tracking. You will then start the walk led by a specialized tracking guide.
In the late afternoon if you don’t feel so exhausted, you will have a nature walk to Bigodi swamp and community where you will have a view of various monkey species including grey cheeked mangabey, black & white colobus monkey, vervet monkey, red tailed monkey. Bigodi boasts of hosting close to 140 bird species which makes it a haven for bird watchers. You will not miss the beautiful Rwenzori turaco, various weavers and so many others.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Luxury: Papaya Lake lodge
Midrange: Turaco tree top
Budget: Chimpanzee forest Guesthouse

Today you have time to sleep in or walk in the neighboring village while you visit a few crater lakes. Have lunch then drive out to Queen Elizabeth National Park with some stops to see other crater lakes. You will have a stop at the equator for some pictures then continue to the lodge for check in. An evening game drive for chances to view lions, leopards, Elephants and the vast savannah grasslands is recommended. Later return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and Dinner
Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge
Midrange: Twin lakes safari lodge
Budget: Elephant hab

After a very early coffee, drive out for your morning game drive, visit to the salt lakes and then return to the lodge for relaxation. After lunch, you will go for a boat ride on Kazinga channel, a top birding site. Kazinga channel, the jewel in the crown of Park is a 32km water body connecting Lakes George and Edward with one of the highest hippo population and numerous Nile Crocodiles. All these will be possible views on the boat ride in the background of the setting sun.

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and Dinner
Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge
Midrange: Twin lakes safari lodge
Budget: Elephant hab

After an early breakfast, you will drive out to the southern sector of the park; Ishasha. Here, you have chances to see tree climbing lions, with the males sporting a black mane. The tree climbing lions are believed to have adapted to this behavior because of the tall grass in the area which prevents them from sporting their prey and the small biting insects (red ants). After the game drive in this sector of the park, you will have the rest of the day to travel to Bwindi impenetrable for lodging.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Luxury: Buhoma lodge
Midrange: Haven lodge Buhoma
Budget: Buhoma community Lodge

After an early morning breakfast, your driver will take you to the starting point where you will be briefed. This walk is a guided one as we search for mountain Gorillas. Bwindi impenetrable has over 440 individual primates; half of the world’s Mountain Gorilla population. In addition, there are 120 other mammal species and 348 bird species. It is also the most diverse forest in east Africa with 1000 flowering plant species. After the trekking exercise, the driver will be waiting to take you back to the lodge. You will then spend the afternoon relaxing or experiencing some cultural music and dance.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Luxury: Buhoma lodge
Midrange: Haven lodge Buhoma
Budget: Buhoma community Lodge

Today, with a knowledgeable local guide, you will have a forest walk to visit the Batwa communities in the forest. These are commonly known as the pygmies, an endangered group of people who happen to be forest dwellers. Originally dwelling in Bwindi forest until it was gazetted in 1991. They lived in harmony with the forest dwellers including the mountain gorillas and were regarded as the Keepers of the forest. They are hunters and fruit gatherers, make their own fire, local brew. This walk will give you more insights of the Batwa. Their musical instruments and the dance will keep you wanting more.
You will then travel to Lake Bunyonyi, Uganda’s most scenic lake and Africa’s deepest lake at 900m (after Tanganyika in Tanzania) in South Western Uganda, Kabale. Lake Bunyonyi has 29 beautiful islands including the famous punishment island and appears on the 5,000-shilling note. You will take a boat and go island hopping to view and hear some interesting stories about these islands.
Among others, you will visit the infamous Akampene Island where Bakiga used to abandon pregnant unmarried girls to teach others a lesson and Bwama Island where Sharp established the first leprosy center in Uganda

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Birdnest at Bunyonyi

Today till have a village walk/ride to the towns on the shores of Lake Bunyonyi.
You will have the rest of the day to yourself to rest, relax and bask in the beautiful Ugandan sun by the shores of the lake.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Birdnest at Bunyonyi

Today, after breakfast you will travel to lake Mburo through Mbarara. You will have a stop at Igongo cultural centre to learn about the culture of Ankole and the significance of the long-horned cattle to the Ankole tribe. Watch out for beautiful scenic views of the round hills in Mbarara as you go along.
It is also in Mbarara where you will have the time to taste Uganda’s rich/fresh food. Ankole has some of the tastiest Ugandan recipes and the taste is simply unforgettable. Enjoy your lunch.
You will continue to Lake Mburo and crown your day with and evening game drive. Lake Mburo will grace your trip with sights of Zebras, Impalas, the elusive eland, warthogs, Hippos among others and then rest for the day.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Rwakobo rock lodge

Today you will start your day with a morning game drive as you exit the park, then drive to Entebbe via the equator. This will be discussed when you are sure of your travel dates.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch