5 Days Uganda Tour − DETAILED SAFARI ITINERARY

Day 1 of the 5 Days Uganda Tour: Leave Kampala for Bwindi Impenetrable National Forest Park.

After breakfast at your place of stay in Kampala, we start off the drive at 6:00 am on the journey to Bwindi-south western Uganda. We follow the Masaka – Mbarara road before making a stop at Uganda Equator crossing Kayabwe 77km from Kampala for amazing photoshoots.

You proceed to make another stop at Igongo Cultural Museum for traditional lunch 12km to Mbarara town. You proceed to arrive in Bwindi in the evening for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.

The highlight of the day: – The Uganda Equator crossing experience and scenic drive to through Uganda countryside.

 

Accommodation:-

Luxury/Upmarket: – Gorilla Forest Camp/Mahogany Springs/Chameleon Hill Lodge

Mid-range/Moderate: – Silverback Lodge/Haven Lodge Buhoma/Gorilla Mist Camp

Budget/Basic: – Buhoma Community Rest Camp/Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge

 

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Drive Distance & time: – Approx. 493km or 8-9 hours

 

Activities & Services of the day:-

• Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
• Uganda Equator crossing experience
• Traditional lunch stop Igongo Cultural Museum

 

Day 2 of the 5 Days Uganda Tour: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi. Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for a Boat Cruise & Relaxation.

Day 2 of the 5 day Uganda tour is going to be an undoubted highlight. And I don’t mean only for this safari, but for your life. A gorilla trek is a bucket list experience that naturalists from all over the world dream of doing! After breakfast at around 6.00 am, we’ll embark on a short drive to the Buhoma park headquarters and meet with the experienced local ranger guides.

At around 8.00 am, the guides will provide a short informative talk on gorilla trekking etiquette and the experience. Top on the list; avoid getting too close. Not only for your own safety but also for theirs as our colds, viruses, and diseases can easily spread to them due to shared DNA.

After the briefing, you’ll head into the forest in search of the gorillas. Gorilla trekking lasts between 2-8 hours. Contact time with gorillas is limited to one hour; group size is limited to 6 visitors and participants must be aged 15 or over. Owing to the nature of the terrain and the need to explore to find the gorillas, the trek doesn’t follow a path instead, the guides will cut a route through the undergrowth. Strong hiking shoes/boots are highly recommended.

Encountering wild gorillas in their natural habitat is an unforgettable experience. An adult male can weigh up to 485 pounds and reach 6 feet in height. Mountain Gorillas are gentle creatures and are not known to attack unless very severely provoked. Please note that if you’re unwell with anything contagious, even a common cold, you’ll not be allowed to trek the endangered Moutain Gorillas.

After your one hour with the gorillas, return to the starting point to embark on a drive to the magical Lake Bunyonyi driving through the fascinating Kigezi Highlands. You arrive at Bunyonyi in the late afternoon and in the evening; you’ll embark on a 2 hours sunset boat trip to explore the second deepest Lake in Africa with a count of 29 Islands.

The sunset views of the lake, the myriad of Islands, and the surrounding hills contribute to lasting safari memories of this trip. Retire for relaxation, dinner, and overnight

The highlight of the day: – A face-to-face encounter with the gentle Mountain Gorillas who roam Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

 

Accommodation:-

Luxury/Upmarket: – Birdnest @Bunyonyi Resort

Mid-range/Moderate: – Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort/Lake Bunyonyi Eco Resort

 

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

 

Activities & Services of the day:-

• Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
• Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
• Evening boat cruise on Lake Bunyonyi

Optional activities you can choose to do on this day include:-

• Birding in Bwindi Buhoma sector of Bwindi
• Visit the last members of the Twa tribe, who are thought to be the longest-standing inhabitants of the Great Lakes region.
• Swimming at Lake Bunyonyi

 

Day 3 of the 5 Days Uganda Tour: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park with a Visit to The 1520 AD Eclipse Monument & Igongo Cultural Center En Route.

Early in the morning after breakfast (at around 7.00 am) transfer to Lake Mburo National Park 199km about 4 hours’ drive. You make a stop at Biharwe where you’ll get out of your vehicles and undertake a hill-climbing adventure. Upon reaching the top, you enjoy the beautiful design of the eclipse Monument which commemorates the 1520AD solar eclipse.

This three-pillar monument reminds local people of the time when the King of Bunyoro had confiscated the entire cows of the Ankole Kingdom leaving people in complete starvation. The tide of events turned when one day as he was from raiding those of Rwanda and reached Biharwe; the eclipse took place and the sky fell ominously dark during daylight hours.

This prompted the terrified Omukama to flee back to Bunyoro leaving behind a number of stolen cattle at the site and when the eclipse was over, the Banyankole found cows all over. They thought that they had come from heaven and were sent by God for their rescue from starvation. They were able to repossess the cows again.

From the monument, you continue to Igongo Cultural Center for lunch at its famous Kahwa Kanuzire restaurant literally translated as it’s finished when it is still sweet. It serves the organically produced foodstuffs produced from the fertile soils of Uganda and freshly served.

You undertake the tour of the museum named Erijukiro which features a range of artifacts collected from all tribes of south-western Uganda, sculptures of historical people like Muguta y’ Butaho a famous worrier of Bujweju defunct Kingdom, the sculpture of the ancient historical cow Mayenje g’ Ishinjo that sparked off the war between Nkore and Buhweju among others.

Continue on the drive for 33km to Lake Mburo National Park arriving in the evening for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.

The highlight of the day: – The historical, heritage, and cultural tour to the 1520 AD Eclipse Monument & Igongo Cultural Center.

 

Accommodation:-

Luxury/Upmarket: – Mihingo Safari Lodge/Matana Tented Camp

Mid-range/Moderate: – Rwakobo Rock/Emburara Farm Lodge/Arcadia Lodge Mburo

Budget/Basic: – Eagles Nest Mburo

 

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Drive distance & time: – Approx. 199km or 4 hours

 

Activities & services of the day:-

• Transfer from Lake Bunyonyi to Lake Mburo
• Hike to the Biharwe (1500AD) Eclipse Monument
• Traditional lunch at Igongo Cultural Centre
• Tour of Igongo Cultural Centre Museum

Optional activities you can choose to do on this day:-

• Evening game drive
• Evening boat cruise
• Night game drive
• Horseback safaris

 

Day 4 of the 5 Days Uganda Tour: Have A Wildlife Walking Safari In Lake Mburo National Park, And Then Drive To Kampala.

After breakfast at around 7.00 am, you’ll embark on a 3 – 4 hours walking safari in Lake Mburo National Park. This little park with an extensive savannah environment can be better explored on foot. The game walking safari at sunrise allows you to explore the moist savannah dotted with magical acacia species supporting a range of wildlife and birds.

During the walk, you have the possibility of exploring the range of game including Impala, Burchell’s Zebra, Rothschild giraffes, Topis, Defassa waterbucks, Warthogs, Bushbucks, Klipspringer, Cape Buffaloes, elands not forgetting acacia associated birds including the endemic Red-faced Barbet. You’ll also hike to Kazuma Hill for beautiful views of the area and the myriad of lakes below including Lake Mburo and Lake Kacheera the only permanent water sources in the area.

You retreat from the encounter and embark on the transfer back to Kampala 240km about 3 – 4 hours’ drive. You’ll have an en-route stop at the Equator where you can buy African crafts and take memorable photographs. You will arrive late evening in Kampala, dine and spend your overnight.

Highlight of the day: – Walking amongst the wild mammals of Lake Mburo National Park.

 

Accommodation:-

Luxury/Upmarket: – Speke Resort Munyonyo/Kampala Serena Hotel/Kampala Sheraton Hotel

Mid-range/Moderate: – Cassia Lodge

Budget/Basic: – Biyem Hotel/Nexus Resorts Nansana

 

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & dinner

Drive distance & time: – Approx. 240km or 3 – 4 hours

 

Activities & services of the day:-

• Transfer to Kampala
• Game walking safari

Optional activities you can choose to do on this day:-

• Morning game drive
• Horseback safaris
• Sport fishing
• Cycling
• Banyankole Community Tour

 

Day 5 of the 5 Days Uganda Tour: Kampala City Tour & Transfer to Entebbe Airport for Departure.

After breakfast at around 9.00 am, your guide will pick you up from your hotel and you embark on a 4 – 5 hours tour of Kampala, the capital city of Uganda. A typical African capital with a compact, high-rise center surrounded by sprawling suburbs, busy Kampala is Uganda’s commercial, political and logistical hub but also one of East Africa’s most laid-back and friendly cities.

You’ll penetrate the busy capital city and tour all the gothic era cathedrals like Saint Paul’s Cathedral Namirembe, the oldest cathedral in Uganda established in 1915, and Saint Mary’s Cathedral Rubaga.

You will visit mosques like Gadhafi and Kibuli. You will also tour the Baha’i temple – the only temple of the Baha’i faith in Africa, the Uganda Martyrs Shrine Namugongo, one of the largest Christian pilgrimage destinations in Africa dedicated to the 22 Martyrs and saints of Uganda who were roasted to death on the 3^rd June 1886, by the king of Buganda, Kabaka Mwanga II.

We travel to the famous Owino market downtown – the second-largest second-hand cloth market in Africa, Kabaka`s palace, Kabaka’s lake, Uganda parliament, Makerere University, Uganda National Museum, and Kasubi tombs a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Retire from the activity to mark the end of the safari.

The highlight of the day: – The exciting tour of Kampala city.

 

Meal Plan: – Breakfast & Lunch

Drive distance & time: – Approx. 40km or 1 ½ hour

 

Activities & services of the day:-

• Kampala city tour
• Transfer to Entebbe International Airport for departure flight

End of the 5 Days Uganda Tour

5 Days Uganda Tour − SAFARI INCLUSIONS

  Full-time English professional safari driver-guide

  4×4 safari van/ 4×4 Safari land cruiser with pop up roof for game viewing with functional A/C

  Full board accommodation

  Gorilla trekking permit fees

  Boat cruise fees

  Wi-Fi Internet on board the safari vehicle

  Bottled water

5 Days Uganda Tour − SAFARI EXCLUSIONS

 International & domestic flight fees

 Visa fees

 Laundry services

 Items of personal nature

 Gratuities and tips

 Other beverages/ drinks

 Other extras not mentioned in the itinerary above

Getting There

Transport Means to Your Safari Destinations

Accommodations/ Safari Lodges/ Safari Hotels to Your Safari Destinations

Price per Person for Different Numbers of People

Number of people against price per person

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Related 5 Days Uganda Tour Itineraries – Tour Packages

Links of related safari accommodation in the featured safari destinations

5 Days Uganda Tour − GORILLA TREKKING TIPS

• Carry plenty of water and some quick calories. The trek can take 2-8 hours and is relatively tiresome.
• Wear sturdy hiking shoes/boots for the gorilla trek
• Put on a long-sleeved shirt/t-shirt, thick trousers,s and strong gardening gloves for protection against stinging plants.
• Bring a warm sweater/fleece as it is often cold at the outset
• Carry a rain jacket or poncho since it can rain at any time in the tropical rainforest of Bwindi
• It is also a good idea to have sunscreen and sunglasses

Follow this link to read more about gorilla trekking tips and advice.

At Prime Safaris and Tours Ltd, your safety is our utmost priority. We have thus undertaken the necessary safety measures in compliance with the approved Standard Operating Procedures by the Governments of ALL African countries in which we operate with a goal of protecting our customers while travelling and on their Africa safari. The following guidelines will be applicable for your  Safari in Uganda, Rwanda, Congo and other African Countries.