This 8 days Uganda tour is a top tour in Uganda that takes you on an exploration journey into the best of Uganda, as you will get to visit 3 of Uganda’s premier safari destinations. You will visit Kibale National Park for a remarkable chimpanzee trekking experience and visit the Bigodi wetland community cultural walk and Queen Elizabeth National Park for a magical boat ride along the Kazinga Channel and game drive. After, you will visit Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for mountain gorilla trekking in Uganda and then go to Lake Bunyonyi for relaxation from that hectic gorilla trek.
This 8 days uganda tour begins and ends in Entebbe and can be arranged for you based on the luxury, midrange, and budget accommodation facilities and also can be customized further to suit all your safari interests.
Day 1: Entebbe
Days 2 & 3: Bwindi Impenetrable Park & Lake Bunyonyi
Day 4 & 5: Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 6 & 7: Kibale National Park
Day 8: Amabere ga Nyina Mwiru Caves & Kampala
Depending on the time of your flight arrival at Entebbe international airport, you will be met by our company representative, who will help you get comfortable in our 4×4 safari car and then lead you on a journey to the hotel that we have already pre-booked for you as he takes you through some of the scenery that you will encounter on your way to the hotel and this includes the history of Entebbe airport which was the epicenter for a 90-minute military standoff between 100 Israeli defense commandos and the Ugandan army.
The Israeli forces had come to Entebbe in a rescue mission code-named Operation Entebbe that happened on the 4th of July, 1976, where 102 hostages were rescued out of the 106 people that had been taken hostage by a Palestinian rebel group and brought to Entebbe on the orders of the President of Uganda, Idi Amin. The highlight of this day will surely be having glimpses of Lake Victoria, the second-biggest freshwater lake on the planet, as you continue to your hotel in Entebbe.
You can be briefed on the trip when you arrive at the hotel, or you can have it the next day over breakfast if you’re tired. After you have comfortably settled into the hotel, the first day of your ultimate Africa safari expedition concludes.
The highlight of the day: Sighting the serene waters of the second biggest freshwater lake in the world Lake Victoria
Meal Plan: Bed & Breakfast/Half board at the hotel
Drive distance & time: Approx. 3-5km or 10-20 minutes
Other activities you can do include
If your flight arrives early in Entebbe, you can choose to engage in any of the following activities:
You will have an early morning breakfast at 6:00 am at your hotel and you will be picked up by your company safari guide that has been assigned to lead you on this safari adventure. After getting comfortable in the 4×4 safari car, you will embark on this 8-9 hour journey covering about 520km. During this amazing journey, you will enjoy exciting road stops at the Mpambire drum center and have an encounter with local artists as they manufacture a wide variety of local musical instruments, such as the drums and African chairs.
Your next en route stop will be done at the Equator point, and this allows you to enjoy an experience of living in 2 separate halves of the world at the same time, as this is the line that divides the earth into 2 equal halves! You should take a number of photos of yourself while here to allow this magical moment to be captured for eternity. From here you will proceed with the journey Enjoy a locally inspired lunch buffet at Igongo country hotel.
Continue to Bwindi, passing through the lovely Mirama Hills, where locals grow bananas and other crops. Along the way, look out for sightings of locals riding bicycles loaded with farm produce, such as bananas. You also won’t miss seeing women carrying their children monkey-style as they have them strapped to their backs.
A final stop will be made at the Great Lakes Museum in Kabale, where you get to encounter the African tree of life. The sculptures that make up this tree depict the various forms of life that Africans lead. You can stop and take pictures before continuing to the lodge in Bwindi.
Spending time at the Equator point for the Equator experience will be the highlight of the day
Meal Plan: Lunch & Dinner
Drive distance & time: Approx. 520 or 8-9 hours
Today, you will have an early morning breakfast served at 6:30 am comprising a wide assortment of bites ranging from truly delicious tropical organic fruits to freshly baked confectionaries aimed at giving you an energy boost for the gorilla trekking in Bwindi experience ahead of you, where you get to meet one of the gorilla families in this park for a full hour.
Depart from the lodge with your packed lunch and gather at the park center, where you will be welcomed by the park sector warden, who will take you through the history of gorilla conservation in this particular park sector and Bwindi park in general. While you are still here, you get to have a miniature cultural performance from the local Batwa people, who will showcase their musical skills to you.
With your armed ranger in the lead, embark on a trek, searching for your allocated gorilla family. While looking for the gorillas, be on the lookout for some of the 350 bird species that live in this park. You will also be in a position to see some of the other primates here, such as the black and white colobus monkeys, the L’hoest monkeys, different species of lizards, such as the three-horned chameleon, and many more. When you see the gorillas, count yourself among the lucky people who have managed to see these endangered mountain giants in their natural habitat.
You will have a full hour to watch these magical beings go about their daily lives, and if you’re lucky, you might see the young gorillas break the 7-meter rule to get you involved in their games. After the full hour of contact with these gorillas, you will transfer back to the park center, where you will be awarded a gorilla tracking certificate for your efforts. From here, transfer to Lake Bunyonyi, where you get to relax from the rather tedious gorilla trekking experience.
On arrival at this beautiful tropical gem of the Kigezi Highlands, you will be fascinated by the tranquil waters of this lake and the numerous islands that are dotted all over it, hence its famous name, “The Lake of a Thousand Islands.”
Take a relaxing boat cruise on the waters of this lake as you are taken through the history behind several of these islands, such as the Akampene island, which is also known as the Punishment island, where young girls who had gotten pregnant were thrown and left to die alone.
After, you will cruise to the upside-down island, which legend says was cursed by an old lady when the young people who lived on that island refused to give her beer; she cursed it, and it turned upside down, hence having them all drown. From this boat cruise, transfer to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Spending a full hour with the majestic gorillas surely makes this day one to remember for a very long time in your lifetime and an experiential boat cruise on Lake Bunyonyi.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive distance & time: Approx. 55-85 km or 1-3 hours
Optional Activities:
Day 4 is dedicated to getting you to Queen Elizabeth National Park. This day begins early in the morning as you wake up to the sweet melodies of numerous birds as they sing their hearts out at the dawn of a new day on the shores of this incredible highland lake. We will serve breakfast at 7:30 am to ensure you can start your 6-7 hour journey to Queen Elizabeth Park punctually.
As you transfer to Queen, you will engage in a game drive experience in the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park named Ishasha, which is well known for its tree-climbing lions.
The Ishasha sector presents a remarkable encounter with the unique tree-climbing lions, which only exist in two spots in the whole world, with the Ishasha sector having the best viewing opportunities. After this search for the tree-climbing lions, you will proceed with the remaining part of your journey to Queen Elizabeth park which ends with your arrival at the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
A sighting of the tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha sector lodged in between tree branches will be the highlight of the day
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive distance & time: Approx. 230km or 4-6 hours
Other optional activities you can choose to do on this day include
After breakfast at 6:00 am, you will start off the day with a spectacular game drive to the savannah landscapes of Queen Elizabeth National Park for a 3-4 hour morning game drive exploring the park’s rolling savannah landscapes dotted with counts of wild game, including the big four of the big five like lions, leopards, buffaloes and elephants; antelope species like waterbucks, Kobs, bushbucks; jackals; and other wild game. The stretch to Kasenyi and the Mweya peninsula offers you the best of these.
You settle for lunch at Tembo restaurant in the Mweya peninsula, after which you gather at the Mweya jetty to embark on a thrilling boat cruise on the 45km long Kazinga Channel. The boat cruise lasts for two hours, during which you may encounter aquatic species like Nile Crocodiles and Hippos, as well as other wild animals that often gather on the channel shores to drink water.
Retreat from the activity and do a game drive along the channel track within the Mweya peninsula to explore more games. Retire for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
Today’s highlight be will the incredible boat cruise on the Kazinga channel
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Other optional activities you can choose to do on this day include
This day is fairly relaxed, as you will wake up at 8:00 am for breakfast and then embark on a 157km or 2-3 hours’ drive to Kibale National Park. However, along the way, you will make an en-route stop at the Ruboni village and engage in a community exploration of the Bakonzo people.
You can decide to engage in a nature hike as you explore the lower slopes of the Rwenzori mountain, which have shaped the lives of these local people who are living here. During this hike, expect to encounter quite a number of bird species that are endemic to the park, such as the Rwenzori batis, the Rwenzori turaco, and many others.
Join the elders of this community, who will tell fascinating stories about their ancestry, genealogy, and the unique naming culture of the Bakonzo. If you wish, you can ask them to give you a Bakonzo name based on your own birth position in your family and agenda. See how the community has tamed the mountain and made it productive by visiting their gardens. You will now depart from the Ruboni village and make your way to the Ruboni community center, where the Bakonzo women will be showcasing their signature handcrafted products, sure to capture your attention at first glance.
You will have a chance to interact with these ladies and if you wish, you can have a minute or two to learn from these handicraft masters on how to create such pieces of class If you have extra cash, you can buy some of these artifacts as trip souvenirs. This way, you will have played a pivotal role in supporting the local community here, as the proceeds from the sales are used by these ladies to support their families’ livelihoods.
You will have lunch in Fort Portal town before continuing to your lodge in Kibale, where you can relax until dinner and an overnight stay.
The highlight of the day: the day’s highlight will be an encounter with the Bakonzo people in Kasese
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive distance& time: 157km or 2- hours
Optional activities:
The morning of this day kicks off with a wonderful breakfast that is aimed at energizing you for the thrilling chimpanzee trek that’s ahead of you. You will be transferred by your guide to the park center in Kanyanchu, where you get to go through a short briefing about the entire chimpanzee trekking experience. From here, you will embark on a jungle walk with a park ranger to search for these great humans of the wild, the chimpanzees, and the highlight of the day will be meeting these exciting creatures.
You’ll be amazed at how much we share with these great apes, who care for the young, hug, kiss, and laugh like us. Besides the chimpanzees, you should also not miss out on the sightings of several other primates that call this forest their home ; these include the black and white colobus monkeys, L’Hoest monkeys, and Grey monkeys.
After the chimpanzee encounter, which lasts an hour of pure enjoyment, return to the park center, where your trekking efforts are rewarded with a trekking certificate.
From here, have a lunch break, then transfer to the Bigodi community, where you get to engage in a community encounter with the locals and see how they live their daily lives, watch them or even engage in some of their day-to-day activities, such as coffee picking and local brew making, as you undertake this community thriller.
You will take part in the coffee-making process right from the planting process, harvesting red ripe coffee berries, the sun-drying process, then coffee pounding and finally making your own cup of coffee that is freshly brewed from the coffee that’s grown by these locals. After this really exciting cultural mash-up you’ve just had, you will transfer back to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
The highlight of the day: An encounter with the chimpanzees will fascinate you on this day
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Optional activities:
On the final day of this safari, you will visit the Amabere g’ Nyinamwiru Caves and the Fort Portal Crater Lake field for a stunning hiking adventure experience. You will wake up at 7:00 am, eat breakfast, check out, and go to the caves. Upon arriving at the reception center of the Amabere g’ Nyinamwiru Caves, you are treated to the general briefing of the attractions before heading on a downward slope following a narrow and challenging path through the dense patch of the forest until you arrive at the caves.
At the briefing point, the story’s surrounding horror might prompt you to reserve the trek to the caves, but the experience is rewarding once you persist and arrive. The natural landscape is breathtaking, with the roaring Nyakasura falls cascading down the caves and the breast-like features actively producing their milky substance.
The locals believe that the breast-like features are breasts of Nnyinamwiru, a daughter of Bukuku, a self-enthroned King of the Bachwezi, who was denied by her father to breastfeed her first son, Ndahura, as he had been foretold that Nnyinamwiru would give birth to a son that would take over his throne.
Teeth stuck in the rock at the caves are attributed to ancient wildlife that may have gone extinct. Retreat from the caves and embark on the hike to the Fort Portal Crater Lake field. The hike involves a relatively steady walk through undulating hills past the crater hollows until you reach the highest Kyeganywa hill, surrounded by the magical views of a range of explosion craters, some of which have been filled by water to form lakes and others have been left empty.
The lakes include Saaka and Kigere, among others. The top of the hill offers impressive scenic views of the area and the Rwenzori Mountains at a distance. From this activity, you will make a stop in Fort portal town to have lunch at one of the best restaurants here before you embark on a return journey to Kampala.
The journey from Kibale to Kampala is an awesome adventure, one that is filled with lots of fascinating road sightings during this 5-6-hour journey covering about 300km. As you embark on this 300km journey, expect several stops, including one at the Mityana local market. This stop offers a chance to embark on a culinary journey by tasting Uganda’s purely organic tropical fruits, known for their absolute sweetness.
You might also encounter Uganda’s unique KFC-style chicken, which consists of roasted chicken skewered on sticks. If you’re not a picky eater, this is your chance to experience the delicious, fire-grilled chicken. The journey ends with your arrival back to Kampala after you have checked into your hotel, where you will have your dinner and an overnight stay as well.
Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch
Drive distance & time: Approx. 300km or 5-6 hours
End of the 8-Days Uganda Tour – Gorilla Trekking, Chimpanzee Tracking & Wildlife Game Viewing Tour
8 Days Uganda Group Safari: Big5, Chimpanzees & Scenery Seeing, Rwenzori Hike, Community Tours
8 Days Uganda Cultural Tour: Cultural Experiences in Uganda, Wildlife Safaris & Scenery Viewing
8 Days Mount Elgon Climbing & Hiking Safari in Uganda: Mt. Elgon Hiking & Trekking Tour
8 Days Uganda Birding Tour: Best Uganda Birdwatching Safari Trip
8 Days Uganda Fishing Safari Tour To Lake Victoria, Ssese Islands & Murchison Falls Park
8 Days Safari in Uganda: Gorilla Trekking, Chimpanzee Tracking, Wildlife & Community Tour
8 Days Uganda Adventure Safari Package, Uganda Vacation Holiday in Africa
8 Days Uganda Safari, Gorilla Trekking, Chimpanzees & Wildlife Viewing in Uganda
8 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari – Gorilla Trekking, Chimpanzee Tracking & Wildlife Safari in Uganda
8 Days Luxury Uganda Safari – Gorilla & Chimpanzee Habituation Experience, Wildlife Safaris
8 Days Uganda Luxury Safari, Chimpanzee Trekking, Wildlife, Mountain Elgon Hiking Tour
Cate
Samuel
Situated in the heart of East Africa, Uganda is a land of staggering contrasts. From the snow-capped peaks of the Rwenzori Mountains to the vast, wildlife-rich plains of the Great Rift Valley, the biodiversity here is unmatched.
As you browse our safaris to Uganda and Africa at large, our dedicated team is here to handle every logistical detail—from securing your gorilla tracking permits and arranging comfortable safari lodge accommodations to providing rugged 4x4 transport. Contact our expert planners today to begin designing your 2026 or 2027 East African adventure.
