8 Days Uganda Safari Tour – Overview

The 8 days Uganda safari is an amazing 7 nights/8 days safari in Uganda tour availing you the opportunity to explore Queen Elizabeth, Lake Mburo, and Bwindi Impenetrable National Parks. Uganda the pearl of Africa is famously known by different travelers in the world due to its numerous national parks endowed with different wildlife species.

The 8 days Uganda safari tour takes you through Lake Mburo National Park which is a very special park harboring several mammals like Zebras, Impala, Elands, Bush Back, Buffaloes, Topi, and birds.

From Mburo to Queen Elizabeth National Park which is Uganda’s most famous game reserve drawing many Uganda safaris and certainly one most scenic.

It stretches from the crater-dotted foothills of the Rwenzori range in the north; along the shores of Lake Edward to the remote Ishasha River in the south where you can stand a chance to view the tree-climbing lions.

From the Ishasha sector, the safari will link you to the highlight of your safari which is mountain gorilla trekking in the ancient forest of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The safari starts and ends in Entebbe.

8 Days Uganda Safari Tour – Highlights

• Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe International Airport in Uganda.
• Day 2: Transfer drive from Kampala to Lake Mburo National Park
• Day 3: Do a morning game drive & an afternoon horseback safari in Lake Mburo National Park
• Day 4: Drive transfer from Lake Mburo to Queen Elizabeth National Park
• Day 5: Queen Elizabeth National Park (Game drive 3-4, and Transfer drive to Bwindi through Ishasha sector)
• Day 6: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (2-8 hours trek)
• Day 7: Transfer drive from Bwindi to Lake Bunyonyi (Driver distance of 48kms)
• Day 8: Transfer Drive from Lake Bunyonyi to Entebbe

8 Days Uganda Safari Tour – Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe International Airport in Uganda

On your first day at Uganda’s International Airport in Entebbe, you will meet and greet your driver guide who will transfer you from the airport to your Entebbe booked lodge.

Depending on the time you arrive in Uganda, you could take a city tour to visit the different attractions in Kampala city before retiring to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Sheraton Kampala Hotel (Upmarket/Luxury), Cassia Lodge (Midrange/Standard) or Buziga Country Resort (Budget/Basic)

Day 2: Transfer From Kampala to Lake Mburo National Park

After your early morning breakfast, your driver guide will pick you up from your hotel/lodge, and you depart from Kampala driving on the southwestern part of Uganda to Lake Mburo National Park.

After an interesting drive distance of 77 Kilometers, you will have a perfect stopover for photography, and water experiments at the equator.

After that perfect stopover, you will proceed to Lake Mburo National Park for lunch after which you will embark on an adventurous afternoon boat cruise.

In the 2-hour boat cruise, you will have a chance to enjoy the views of different bird species, and wildlife like Crocodiles, and hippos, among other stunning features like the five lakes in Mburo National Park.

After the interesting boat cruise, you will retire back to the lodge for relaxation and overnight.

Accommodation: Mihingo Safari Lodge (Luxury/Upmarket), Arcadia Cottages Mburo (Mid-range/Standard) or Eagles Nest (Budget/Basic).

Day 3: Do a Morning Game Drive & an Afternoon Horseback Safari in Lake Mburo National Park

You will wake up very early in the morning; take your early morning hefty breakfast and afterward drive to the park headquarters for an interesting game drive through the Savannah as well as the acacia vegetation of Mburo.

During the game drive, you have chances to encounter different wildlife species such as the Zebras, eland, impalas, bush backs, Burchell’s Zebras, Topi, and also the sights of the six lakes within the park.

The game drive offers you the possibility of encountering different bird species like African Finfoot, Shoebill, Papyrus Yellow Warbler, and Brown-chested Lapwing among others.

After 2-3 hours game drive, you will get back to your lodge to relax, and have lunch in the evening, you will head to Mihingo Lodge for Horseback safaris in Lake Mburo -Horseback safaris are an exciting way to view wildlife, including eland and buffalo.

Also commonly sighted are warthog, topi, impala, duiker, bushbuck, waterbuck, and zebra. The 4-hour hacks take you up to hilltop viewpoints with the option of bush breakfasts or sundowners.

After the thrilling experience, you drive back to your lodge for memory sharing, relaxation, dinner, and overnight.

Accommodation: Mihingo Safari Lodge (Luxury/Upmarket), Arcadia Cottages Mburo (Mid-range/Standard) or Eagles Nest (Budget/Basic).

Day 4: Drive Transfer From Lake Mburo to Queen Elizabeth National Park

You will depart Lake Mburo National Park after taking your early morning breakfast to Queen Elizabeth National Park 180km.

You will arrive in the park and proceed to your choice lodge for Check-in, relaxation, lunch, and afterward drive to the Mweya area for a fantastic launch cruise that sets off at 2:00 pm on the Kazinga channel.

Here you will have the unique opportunity to watch different birdlife, and wild game like buffaloes, hippos, Elephants, and crocodiles, among others.

The adventurous launch cruise starts from Mweya and it takes 2-3 hours through the magnificent waters of Lake Gorge to Lake Edward. After exploring the Kazinga channel, you will return to your lodge for dinner and overnight

Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Enganzi Game Lodge (Mid-range/Standard) or Pumba Safari Cottages (Budget/Basic)

Day 5: Queen Elizabeth National Park (Game drive 3-4, and Transfer Drive to Bwindi Through Ishasha sector)

On your 5^th day, you will wake up very early in the morning, take your breakfast, and proceed for a 3-4 hour game drive starting from 6:00.

This will give you the opportunity to meet some nocturnal wildlife species when they are returning to their hiding grounds, and also you will have a chance to view the early morning risers when they are starting their daily activities of looking for food.

The drive through the famous Savannah of Kasenyi plains provides you with possibilities to view different wildlife like jackals, Bush bucks, forest hogs, leopards, buffaloes, elephants, lions, the beautiful Uganda Kob, and bush pigs among others.

After a memorable game drive, you will say your last words of thanks to the park rangers and proceed with your drive to the Ishasha sector.

Here you will have an opportunity to watch the tree-climbing lions which are easily seen during day hours when there is sunshine because they climb to rest on the top of the fig trees.

You will have your lunch in the Ishasha sector and afterward, you will continue with the drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Chameleon Hill Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Gorilla Mist Camp (Mid-range/Standard) or Broadbill Forest Camp (Budget/Basic).

Day 6: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (2-8 hours trek)

You will wake up very early in the morning; take an exuberant breakfast to give you the energy needed to hike the hills in the slippery trails of Bwindi forest when searching for rare mountain gorillas.

After breakfast, you will proceed with your packed lunch to the park’s headquarters for an early morning briefing at 8:00 am about the codes of conduct when trekking the gorillas.

Afterward, you will be led by a ranger guide to trek the gorillas in the thick creepers and undergrowth of afro monotone vegetation of Bwindi and this will take you between 2 – 8 hours depending on the movement of the mountain gorillas.

Once up close to the group, a memorable, magical one hour is given to you to be with these gentle giants. You can decide to sit in the forest among the Gorillas, listen to them grumble to each other, and marvel at the sheer size of the dominant male Silverback.

The steeply forested landscape of Bwindi is incredibly dense but crisscrossed by numerous animal trails allowing access to tourists.

It is an extraordinary feeling being with these beautiful yet endangered Creatures. When the one hour is done, you will make a return to where you started the trek and proceed to the lodge for refreshment before embarking on a walk to the nearby community to have a cultural encounter with the Batwa people famously known as pygmies in Uganda.

You will be guided by a local guide who will take you to the different communities to see how people have managed to survive through farming.

You will see how local brew is processed from fresh Bananas and forest remedies to get beer and Waragi. After that interesting cultural encounter, you will drive back to your respective lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Chameleon Hill Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Gorilla Mist Camp (Mid-range/Standard) or Broadbill Forest Camp (Budget/Basic).

Day 7: Transfer Drive From Bwindi to Lake Bunyonyi

After an early morning breakfast, you will depart Bwindi driving to Lake Bunyonyi 48km.

Lake Bunyonyi is another major tourist stopover that is undeniably amazing. It is the 2nd deepest lake in Africa; it contains lots of tasty crayfish, so get set for a culinary delight. Bunyonyi is a local word that means “many small birds” in direct translation.

It’s a perfect stopover for committed birders and travelers who are from hectic gorilla trekking activities.

On arrival at Lake Bunyonyi, you will drive to your lodge for check-in, lunch and you proceed to catch up with the afternoon canoe ride, also participate in refreshing activities such as swimming in the bilharzia-free waters of Bunyonyi, you can also enjoy the evening nature walks in the Bunyonyi Islands.

After exploring the different adventurous activities in Lake Bunyonyi, you will retire to your lodge to chill in the fireplace while enjoying the cool evening of Bunyonyi, you will have your dinner and overnight

Accommodation: Birdnest@Lake Bunyonyi Resort (Luxury/Upmarket), Lake Bunyonyi Eco-resort (Mid-range/Standard) or Byoona Amagara Island (Budget/Basic).

Day 8: Transfer Drive From Lake Bunyonyi to Entebbe

After an early morning breakfast, you will embark on a drive transfer from Lake Bunyonyi to Entebbe. The long drive is tiresome but very rewarding and you will have your Lunch at Igongo Cultural Centre.

On your way, you will bypass Mpigi village, famous for the Royal Drums Makers, and of course, the Ugandan Equator, where you can take photos and shop for a souvenir.

You will arrive in Kampala late in the evening and the driver will drive you back to your Entebbe hotel for dinner and overnight. This will mark the end of the safari

End of the 8 Days Uganda Safari Tour