12-Day Uganda Signature Safari

This is Uganda in full: the Nile at Murchison Falls, Kibale’s chimpanzees, the Kazinga Channel, a sector-correct Bwindi gorilla trek and the open country of Lake Mburo. Twelve private days give each landscape room to register, with one domestic flight used where it improves the journey most.

Journey at a glance

• Duration: 12 days / 11 nights
• Route: Entebbe – Murchison Falls – Kibale – Queen Elizabeth – Bwindi – Lake Mburo – Entebbe
• Style: Private premium signature safari
• Key experiences: Nile boat journey, private game drives, chimpanzee tracking, Kazinga Channel, gorilla tracking and Lake Mburo walking safari
• Price: From USD 8,450 per person sharing for two guests

Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1 — Arrive in Entebbe

Meet the Wilderness Alternative representative at Entebbe International Airport and transfer to a comfortable hotel. Rest after the international flight while the team confirms the domestic-air schedule, park timings and permit documents.

Day 2 — Fly to Murchison Falls

Take a scheduled flight to the Murchison Falls region, subject to the confirmed operating day and load. Meet the private safari vehicle and continue into the park. The afternoon is used for a first game drive or a visit towards the falls, chosen around arrival time and current conditions.

Day 3 — Murchison wildlife and the Nile

Begin with an early game drive across the northern savannah, searching patiently for elephant, giraffe, buffalo, antelope and their predators. Later, travel by boat on the Nile towards the base of the falls, where waterbirds and river wildlife are often as memorable as the gorge itself.

Day 4 — Murchison Falls to Kibale

Travel south through changing agricultural and forest landscapes to the Kibale region. This is a substantial road day, so no dawn game drive is added before departure. Regular stops, lunch and a realistic arrival are built into the operating plan.

Day 5 — Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale

Enter Kibale Forest with UWA rangers for a chimpanzee tracking session. The group follows the animals’ movement and the ranger’s instructions, with no promise of distance or photography conditions. The afternoon remains open for rest, birding or an optional community wetland walk.

Day 6 — Kibale to Queen Elizabeth

Leave after breakfast and drive through crater country towards Queen Elizabeth National Park. Settle into the lodge before a late-afternoon game drive, when temperatures soften and wildlife becomes more active.

Day 7 — Queen Elizabeth and the Kazinga Channel

Spend a full day exploring the Kasenyi plains and the Kazinga Channel. A private morning game drive is balanced by a scheduled afternoon boat journey for hippo, waterbirds and animals at the shoreline. Exact timings follow the best current park and boat schedule.

Day 8 — Through Ishasha to Bwindi

Travel south through the Ishasha sector, allowing time for a considered wildlife drive before continuing to Bwindi. Tree-climbing lions are possible but never guaranteed. The final lodge is matched to the confirmed gorilla permit sector rather than chosen for its name alone.

Day 9 — Gorilla tracking in Bwindi

After the ranger briefing, trek into the forest with trackers and an optional porter. The route depends entirely on the gorillas’ position and may be steep, muddy and physically demanding. Once the family is located, observe quietly for the permitted period before returning to the lodge.

Day 10 — A slower day beside Bwindi

Keep a genuine recovery day after the trek. Depending on sector and interest, choose gentle birding, a responsibly arranged forest-edge walk or a locally led community experience. A second gorilla permit or habituation experience can be requested well in advance and is quoted separately.

Day 11 — Bwindi to Lake Mburo

Travel east to Lake Mburo, arriving for a relaxed afternoon at the lodge or a short game drive if time and wildlife conditions suit. The smaller park provides a gentle final contrast to the dense forests of the southwest.

Day 12 — Lake Mburo on foot, then Entebbe

Walk with an authorised ranger at first light, looking for tracks, zebra, impala and the details easily missed from a vehicle. After breakfast, drive to Entebbe. Evening international departures require a protected connection buffer; an additional Entebbe night can be added when needed.

Price and operating basis

From USD 8,450 per person sharing for two guests. The starting price includes one scheduled domestic flight, a private vehicle and guide, premium lodges, one gorilla permit, one chimpanzee permit and the principal park activities described. The final proposal is recalculated for travel month, permit availability, room category and confirmed flight schedule.

Included

• Eleven nights’ accommodation in Entebbe and carefully selected safari lodges
• One scheduled domestic flight to the Murchison Falls region, subject to confirmed operation
• Private 4×4 safari vehicle and professional Wilderness Alternative driver-guide
• One UWA gorilla tracking permit and one Kibale chimpanzee tracking permit per guest
• Murchison and Queen Elizabeth game drives, scheduled Nile and Kazinga boat journeys, and Lake Mburo ranger walk
• Park and conservation fees stated in the final proposal
• Meals stated in the final proposal, drinking water, airport transfers and operational support

Not included

• International flights, Uganda visa and comprehensive travel insurance
• Optional activities and additional primate permits
• Premium room, private-charter or single-room supplements
• Tips, drinks, laundry and personal purchases

Why this route works

The first domestic flight removes a long opening road transfer; the rest of the journey then moves south in a coherent line. The programme protects two nights at the major savannah parks, a full recovery day after gorilla tracking and a manageable final return from Lake Mburo. Permits, flight times, road conditions and lodge geography are reconfirmed before deposit.