16 DAYS UGANDA CAMPING SAFARI TOUR, GORILLAS, CHIMPANZEES, WILDLIFE, HIKING SAFARI IN UGANDA
16 Days Uganda Camping Safari Tour – SAFARI OVERVIEW
The 16 days Uganda camping safari tour is an authentic, affordable 15 nights/l6-day camping safari in Uganda that starts and ends in Kampala or Entebbe, offering Gorillas trekking, Chimpanzees, wildlife viewing, Rwenzori hiking, scenery viewing, community tours, Jinja city tour, and adventure in Uganda.
This tour is the ideal package to book if you’re looking for lovely mountain hiking experiences in addition to rewarding jungle trekking adventures and relaxing savannah safaris in Africa. The trip takes you for a scenic day hike on Mount Sabyinyo Volcano, a three-day hike in the Rwenzori Mountains of the Moon, a gorilla trekking adventure in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, and a chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park to see our closest relatives!
On this 16 days Uganda camping tour, you experience savannah safaris in Lake Mburo National Park and Queen Elizabeth National Park to see the Tree-climbing lions, Elephants, Buffalos, Hippos, Crocodiles, Zebras, Antelopes, etc. You’ll enjoy a canoe ride on Lake Bunyonyi, amazing cultural encounters, and visit Jinja source of the Nile River for a world-class white-water rafting adventure.
Your 16 days Uganda camping safari will end with a Kampala city tour.
You can customize this fantastic camping safari in Uganda to include your special desires at an affordable price.
16 Days Uganda Camping Safari Tour – PRIME SAFARI ACTIVITIES
- Spending nights in comfortable tented safari accommodation
- Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
- Interactive community village tour
- Chimpanzees tracking on foot in Kibale Forest
- Golden monkey tracking in Mgahinga (Optional)
- Game drives in Lake Mburo & Queen Elizabeth NP
- Walking safari in Lake Mburo National Park
- Tracking rare tree-climbing lions in Queen Elizabeth NP
- Whitewater rafting on the Nile River in Jinja
- Boat cruises on Kazinga Channel & Lake Mburo
- Canoe ride & relaxation on Lake Bunyonyi
- Three-day adventure hike in the Rwenzori Mountains
- Mount Sabyinyo volcano hike In Mgahinga
- Batwa Heritage Trail Cultural Experience
- Kampala City Tour
- Uganda Equator Experience
16 Days Uganda Camping Safari Tour – FEATURED SAFARI DESTINATION
Day 1: Uganda Equator & Lake Mburo National Park
Day 2: Lake Bunyonyi
Day 3 & 4: Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Day 5 & 6: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 7, 8, 9 & 10: Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 11, 12 & 13: Rwenzori Mountains National Park
Day 13: Kibale Forest National Park
Day 13: Kampala City – Uganda’s Capital City
Day 15: Jinja City – Source Of The Nile
Day l6: Entebbe/departure
16 Days Uganda Camping Safari Tour – SAFARI HIGHLIGHTS
Day 1: Travel to Lake Mburo National Park via Uganda Equator. Enjoy a game drive and boat cruise on arrival.
Day 2: Morning game walk in Lake Mburo NP & transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
Day 3: Canoe ride on Lake Bunyonyi & transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Day 4: Hike Mount Sabyinyo (3,669m) In Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Day 5: Batwa heritage Cultural Trail Experience & transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Optional Golden monkey tracking in Mgahinga.
Day 6: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi. Evening community Village tour.
Day 7: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park Ishasha Sector & do a game drive in search of tree climbing lions & other wildlife.
Day 8: Game drive in Ishasha & continue to Queen Elizabeth NP northern section.
Day 9: Morning game drive & afternoon boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel
Day 10: Crater Lake (Katwe Salt Lake) & Baboon Cliff view drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Transfer to Rwenzori Mountains National Park.
Day 11, 12 & 13: Three-Day Adventure Hike In Rwenzori Mountains National Park
Day 14: Morning Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest & transfer to Kampala
Day 15: Drive from Kampala to Jinja & do half-day white-water rafting on the Nile
Day l6: Transfer Back to Kampala. Kampala city tour & drive to Entebbe
16 Days Uganda Camping Safari Tour – DETAILED SAFARI ITINERARY
Day 1: Travel To Lake Mburo National Park Via Uganda Equator. Enjoy A Game Drive & Boat Cruise On Arrival.
You’ll be picked up from your hotel in Kampala/Entebbe at 7 am and drive southwest to Lake Mburo National Park.
This will be a drive of 3-4 hours via Kampala-Masaka-Mbarara road. You’ll make a stop at the Uganda Equator Kayabwe for picture moments. Upon arrival, check into the lodge and shortly head out for a game drive in the park and enjoy the beautiful acacia-dotted savannah grassland as you observe a range of animals. Mburo offers the best sightings of many antelopes, zebras, buffaloes, and giraffes. Do not expect to see any lions. Leopards and Hyenas are in abundance but quite elusive.
After the game, drive enjoys your lunch, and then go for the boat ride on Lake Mburo, the biggest lake in the park, to watch water animals such as hippos and crocodiles and waterbirds for bird lovers.
Highlight Of The Day: – Boat Cruise On Lake Mburo
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Mihingo Lodge – Tented Rooms
Midrange: – Rwakobo Rock – Ensuite safari tents
Budget: – Eagles Nest – Safari Tents/Rwonyo Rest Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive Distance & Time: Approx. 240km/3-4 Hours
Activities & Services Of The Day:-
- Pick up from your hotel in Kampala/Entebbe
- Drive to Lake Mburo National Park
- Uganda Equator Experience
Optional Activity: Night game drive
Day 2: Morning Walking Safari In Lake Mburo National Park & Transfer To Lake Bunyonyi For Relaxation.
Enjoy an early breakfast at 6 am and go for an early morning game walk in Lake Mburo National Park which offers a beautiful experience in the savannah, giving you up-close views of several animals, birds, and beautiful scenery! Thereafter, drive to Lake Bunyonyi, about a 4-hour drive. Lake Bunyonyi is the second deepest lake in Africa and one of the most beautiful as well. You’ll spend the day relaxing and enjoying the beautiful views of the lake and the lush highlands.
Highlight Of The Day: Waking Safari In Lake Mburo NP
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Birdnest @ Lake Bunyonyi
Midrange: – Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive Distance & Time: Approx. 199km/4 Hours
Activities & Services Of The Day:-
- Game walk in Lake Mburo National Park
- Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
Optional Activities:
- Cycling tour/ Horseback safari in Lake Mburo NP
- Banyankole community cultural experience
Day 3: Enjoy A Canoe Ride On Lake Bunyonyi & Transfer To Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Today, at about 7.00 am, enjoy breakfast as you marvel at the scenic beauty of Lake Bunyonyi. The lake is dotted by 29 islands and is ringed by terraced rolling highlands. After breakfast, go on a canoe ride on the lake. Explore the scenery and some of the lake’s major islands to learn about the traditions attached to them. Bunyonyi is a local term that translates to “birds”, aptly named so as you’ll see the many birds. After the canoe ride, drive along Kabale – Kisoro road with magical scenery and connect to Mgahinga for relaxation, dinner, and overnight
Highlight Of The Day: – Canoeing The Beautiful Lake Bunyonyi
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Mount Gahinga Lodge – Bandas
Midrange: – Lake Chahafi Resort
Budget: – Amajambere Iwacu Community Camp
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activities & Services of the day:-
- Canoeing on Lake Bunyonyi
- Drive to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Optional Activities:
- Zip ling across lake Bunyonyi
- Hiking to the top of the highlands
Day 4: Hike Mount Sabyinyo Volcano (3,669m) In Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Have a hearty breakfast at around 6 am, pack your hiking essentials, and transfer to the Ntebeko visitor center. After a short briefing, embark on the trek up the beautiful Sabyinyo Volcano. Sabinyo is the most exciting of the 3 Virunga volcanoes in Mgahinga because it is located at the intersection of the 3 countries Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo, thus providing you with the best views of other volcanoes across the 3 countries.
It has a unique formation, with 3 peaks that look like spaced teeth hence its name “Sabinyo” which translates to “old man’s teeth”. It has many craters along the slopes and such a rugged terrain which makes the hike a challenge but then more fun. There is plenty of beautiful nature to observe during your hike. At the peak of Mt. Sabinyo, you’ll be in Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo at the same time! It is a full-day hike that will take up to 4-5 hrs of hiking up and roughly the same to come back down.
Highlight Of The Day: – The Scenic Day Hike On Sabinyo Volcano
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Mount Gahinga Lodge – Bandas
Midrange: – Lake Chahafi Resort
Budget: – Amajambere Iwacu Community Camp
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activities & Services Of The Day:-
- Mount Sabyinyo hike
Optional Activities:-
- Gorilla trekking
- Golden monkey tracking
Day 5: Batwa Trail Cultural Experience & Transfer To Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Optional Golden Monkey Tracking.
After breakfast at 7 am, transfer to Ntebeko Visitor Center for a briefing about the Batwa Trail experience which starts at 8.30 am.
The trail introduces you to the Batwa – a hunter-gatherer tribe that lived in the forests within the Albertine rift away from any kind of civilization. They lived a unique lifestyle of hunting and gathering, depending on the forests for their livelihood and habitat. The Batwa were then evicted to protect the mountain gorillas and golden monkeys in parks from poaching and have since been integrating into regular communities outside the park.
The trail is led by a local Twa guide, who explains and shows you how certain things were done before they were evicted such as how they constructed their treehouse, hunting, made firewood, treated ailments using medicinal herbs, and then wind up with a traditional dance. Retreat from the encounter and embark on the transfer to Bwindi National Park arriving in the evening for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
Highlight Of The Day: – Batwa Trail
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Gorilla Forest Camp/Nkuringo Gorilla Camp
Midrange: – Gorilla Mist Camp/Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
Budget: – Buhoma Community Rest Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive Distance & Time: Approx. 147km/ 3-4 Hours
Activities & Services Of The Day:-
- Batwa Heritage Trail Cultural Experience
- Transfer to Bwindi
Day 6: Gorilla Trekking In Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Evening Community Village Tour.
After early breakfast at 6.30 am, transfer to the park office for a briefing by the park guides. After the briefing, start your gorilla trek into one of the most biologically diverse areas on Earth: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. A sanctuary for half the world’s mountain gorilla population, an astonishing number of bird species, and many monkeys, Bwindi delivers the most incredible African jungle adventure.
After 2-8 hours of trekking, you come across a family of Gorillas and spend one hour with them. You observe their social interactions, sharing a gaze with a Giant Silverback, moments that you’ll cherish for as long as you live. Return to your lodge for lunch and relaxation. In the evening, embark on a community walk and learn about the community’s impressive hospital that started as a small clinic under a tree.
Highlight Of The Day: – Gorilla trekking
Luxury: – Gorilla Forest Camp/Nkuringo Gorilla Camp
Midrange: Gorilla Mist Camp/Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
Budget: Buhoma Community Rest Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activities & Services Of The Day:
- Gorilla trekking in Bwindi
Optional Activity: Gorilla Habituation Experience
Day 7: Transfer To Queen Elizabeth National Park Ishasha Sector. Enjoy A Game Drive In Search Of Tree Climbing Lions.
After breakfast at 8 am, leave the pristine montane rainforests behind and head north to the extensive grasslands of Queen Elizabeth NP, Uganda’s premier conservation area. Its beautiful lakes, rolling savannah, emerald forests, and fertile swamps make it a haven for big game like elephant, hippo, lion, and buffalo, as well as 10 primate species including chimps. Queen is also home to a whopping 611 bird species.
You spend a night camping in the Ishasha Sector, which is famous for its legendary tree-climbing lions. You go on game drives trying to spot these cats lazing in the park’s tall fig trees. It is believed that lions climb into trees as a way of protecting themselves from biting insects like tsetse flies, or simply to get away from the heat on the ground – the breeze is much cooler up in the branches!
Highlight Of The Day: – Finding Tree-Climbing Lions
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Ishasha Wilderness Camp
Midrange: – Enjonjo Lodge self-contained Safari tents or Thatched Cottages
Budget: – Enjonjo Lodge non-self-contained Safari Tents/Campsite
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive distance & Time: – Approx. 218km/4 hours
Activities & Services Of The Day:-
- Transfer to Ishasha
- Searching for tree-climbing lions
Day 8: Game Drive In Ishasha & Transfer To Queen Elizabeth NP Northern Section.
Have a relaxed breakfast and then enjoy another game drive in Ishasha to see the tree-climbing lions. Other common games here include Topis Elephants, Buffaloes, Hyena, Waterbucks, Bushbucks, Uganda kobs, and more. Thereafter, embark on a 2-3 hour drive to your lodge in the northern region of Queen Elizabeth NP.
Highlight Of The Day: – Finding Tree-Climbing Lions
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Mweya Safari Lodge – Luxury Safari Tents
Midrange: – Kasenyi Safari Camp/Bush Lodge – self-contained tents
Budget: – Bush Lodge- non-self-contained tents
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activities & Services Of The Day:-
- Game drive in Kasenyi
- Boat cruise on Kazinga Channel
Day 9: Morning Game Drive In Kasenyi & Afternoon Boat Cruise Along The Kazinga Channel
After early breakfast at 6 am, go for a 4-hour game drive in the beautiful Kasenyi savannah plains to see elephants, buffaloes, lions, hyenas, antelopes, unique birds, etc. Return to the lodge for lunch and some relaxation. In the afternoon, enjoy a relaxing 2-hour boat cruise on Kazinga Channel to view some of the world’s densest concentrations of hippos, huge Nile crocodiles, Buffalos, Elephants, and Monitor lizards, and countless water birds. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Highlight Of The Day: – Boat ride on Kazinga Channel
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Mweya Safari Lodge – Luxury Safari Tents
Midrange: – Kasenyi Safari Camp/Bush Lodge – self-contained tents
Budget: – Bush Lodge- non-self-contained tents
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activities & Services Of The Day:-
- Game drive in Kasenyi
- Boat cruise on Kazinga Channel
Day 10: Have Crater Lake (Katwe Salt Lake) & Baboon Cliff View Drive. Transfer To Rwenzori Mountains National Park.
After breakfast at 7 am, check out, and embark on Crater Lake drive. Follow a scenic route around the rims of extinct volcanic explosion craters filled, variously, with lakes, forests, and grassland. Explore the salt mines of Lake Katwe where a local community has been extracting salt for centuries. As has been for ages, the salt is extracted manually with hands. Continue on the drive to the baboon cliff where you’ll be able to view a variety of animals. Then leave the savannah of Queen for the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains, Africa’s highest block mountain at 5109m.
Highlight Of The Day: – Visiting The Salt Mines At Lake Katwe
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Equator Snow Lodge
Budget: – Ruboni Community Camp
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive Time: Approx. 1 hour
Activities & services of the day:-
- Crater Lake drive in Queen Elizabeth NP
- Transfer to Kasese
Optional Activities:-
- Lion tracking
- Chimp tracking in Kyambura/Kalinzu forest
Day 11, 12 & 13: Three-Day Adventure Hike in the Rwenzori Mountains.
Day 11: Nyakalengija (1648m) – Nyabitaba Hut (2651m)
Enjoy a good breakfast at 6 am. Transfer to Nyakalengija to meet your hiking team of porters, chefs, rangers, guides, and security personnel. After the briefing, begin the hike to Nyabitaba Hut at 2651 meters, covering a distance of 10km for 5-6 hours and ascending 1200m. Crossing through fields, bamboo forest, high elephant grass, and thick bushes, this climb offers a variety of wildlife. Look out for the legendary three-horned chameleons, Blue monkeys, and Colobus monkeys. Bird lovers will record quite some species as the park has over 217 species including 17 Albertine Rift Endemics. The colorful Rwenzori Turaco is hard to miss.
Accommodation: – Nyabitaba Hut
Hiking Distance & Time: – 10km/5-6 hours
Ascent: – 1200m
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 12: Nyabitaba Hut (2651m) – John Matte Hut (3505m)
From Nyabitaba Hut the hike to John Maate hut covers about 6km, ascending for about 762m. You’ll encounter several rivers and waterfalls, do a lot of climbing over rocks and walk through slippery muddy ground. With less than 2 hours to reach John Maate Hut, you cross into the peculiar Giant Lobelia plants that occur in very high-altitude tropical areas of Africa’s mountains. The final one hour of the trek takes you through the heather plants. John Matte Hut at 3,414m, rewards with views of the glaciers of the Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley.
Accommodation: – John Matte Hut
Hiking Distance & Time: – 6km/7 hours
Ascent: – 762m
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 13: John Maate – Nyakalengija & Transfer To Kibale National Park
After breakfast, descend back to the park offices, retracing the trail that leads you up. You’ll make a stopover at Nyabitaba hut for lunch, thereafter continue down to Nyakalengija. The descent takes up to 6 hrs. Bid farewell to your hiking team, meet the driver guide and transfer to Kibale NP.
Accommodation:-
Luxury:-Crater Safari Lodge
Midrange: – Kibale Forest Camp
Budget: – Primate Lodge/Nkuruba Nature Reserve
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive Distance & Time: – Approx. 76km/2 hours
Activities & Services Of The Day:-
- Descend the Rwenzori Mountains
- Transfer to Kibale Forest
Day 14: Chimpanzee Trekking In Kibale Forest & Transfer Back To Kampala.
Enjoy an early breakfast at 6 am. Transfer to the park’s visitor center by 7 am. Meet the park guides for a briefing about the chimpanzee trekking adventure. Thereafter, set off on a 2-5 hour chimp trek in the evergreen Kibale Forest. You’ll hear the screams of chimps far away and you’ll be able to easily locate them. Spend one hour with the chimps and it will be one of the most memorable wildlife experiences. Chimps swing through the trees with a lot of speed while pant-hooting, slapping the tree barks that sound like thunder; done to locate each other in their territory.
After the adventure, check out, and transfer to Fort Portal town for lunch. Drive back to Kampala for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
Highlight Of The Day: – Chimpanzee Tracking On Foot In Kibale Forest
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Serena Hotel Kampala/Sheraton Hotel Kampala
Midrange: – Cassia Lodge
Budget: – Biyem Hotel
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive Distance & Time: – Approx. 326km/5 hours
Activities & services of the day:-
- Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale
- Transfer back to Kampala
Optional Activity: Full-day Chimpanzee Habituation Experience
Day 15: Drive From Kampala To Jinja & Do Half-Day White-Water Rafting On Nile & Relaxation
Your drive to Jinja – the source of the Nile from Kampala starts at 6.30 am. On arrival, meet the rafting company and after briefing transfer to Itanda, the destination for whitewater rafting in Uganda. Itanda has up to 9 rapids along a stretch of over 20km, and 4 of those rapids are grade 5! You get to have lunch in between and at the end of the adventure, you relax at your lodge.
The highlight of the day: – Rafting on the Nile
Luxury: – Lemala Wildwaters Lodge
Midrange: – Haven Eco River Lodge/2 Friends Guesthouse Jinja
Budget: – Haven Eco River Lodge – Lazy Camping Tents/Campsite
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive Distance & Time: – Approx. 80km/2 hours
Activities & Services of the day:-
- Drive from Kampala to Jinja
- Whitewater rafting
Optional Activities:
- Kayaking & Bungee jumping
- Quad Biking, Mountain biking, & Horseback riding
Day L6: Transfer Back To Kampala For The Kampala City Tour. Drive To Entebbe.
Enjoy an early breakfast and transfer back to Kampala. Embark on a 5 hours tour of Uganda’s capital city. Visit visiting historical, cultural, religious, and commercial landmarks. You’ll also walk through some streets and visit the local markets thereby getting into the lives of the local people. You’ll have your lunch in a local restaurant and try out some local cuisines. Then continue on a 1-2 hour drive to Entebbe International Airport for your departure flight.
The highlight of the day: – Kampala City Tour
Meal Plan: – Breakfast & Lunch
Drive Distance & Time: – Approx. 120km/4-5 hours
Activities & Services of the day:-
- Drive from Jinja to Kampala
- Kampala City Tour
- Transfer to Entebbe Airport
