Overview

The 10-day Uganda safari is the definitive Uganda experience — a complete circuit of the country’s five greatest wildlife destinations that delivers everything Uganda has to offer in a single extraordinary journey.

Uganda is Africa’s most underrated safari destination. Known as the Pearl of Africa it packs more wildlife diversity — mountain gorillas chimpanzees tree-climbing lions the world’s most powerful waterfall Rothschild’s giraffes shoebill storks and over 1,000 bird species — into its borders than almost any other country on the continent.

In ten days your 10-day Uganda safari takes you from the misty rainforest of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest where nearly half the world’s mountain gorillas live to the open savanna of Queen Elizabeth National Park where lions sleep in trees to the thundering power of Murchison Falls where the entire Nile River forces itself through a 7-metre gorge — and everywhere in between.

This is the Uganda that most travellers never see because they only have time for gorilla trekking. This itinerary gives you the full picture — and changes your understanding of what Africa can be.

Safari Highlights: 10 day Uganda safari

✅ Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest — face to face with mountain gorillas
✅ Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest — East Africa’s finest chimp experience
✅ Tree-climbing lions in Ishasha — one of Africa’s most unique wildlife sightings
✅ Kazinga Channel boat safari — extraordinary hippos crocodiles and waterbirds
✅ Murchison Falls — the world’s most powerful waterfall
✅ Nile River boat safari — upstream to the base of the falls
✅ Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary — Uganda’s only rhinos tracked on foot
✅ Lake Bunyonyi — Africa’s most beautiful lake for relaxation
✅ Rothschild’s giraffes — one of the world’s most endangered giraffe subspecies
✅ Private 4×4 safari vehicle and expert driver-guide throughout
✅ All permits included

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1 — Arrive Entebbe → Kampala → Lake Mburo National Park

Your 10-day Uganda safari begins at Entebbe International Airport where your Go Safaris Africa driver-guide meets you on arrival and transfers you directly toward western Uganda.

En route stop at Lake Mburo National Park — Uganda’s most accessible national park just 3 hours from Kampala — for an afternoon game drive. Lake Mburo is the only park in Uganda where you can see zebras and impalas — two of Africa’s most iconic savanna species absent from all other Ugandan parks.

If time allows enjoy a brief Lake Mburo boat safari on the lake — revealing hippos crocodiles and extraordinary waterbirds at close range.

Arrive at your Lake Mburo lodge for dinner and overnight.

• Accommodation: Lake Mburo — Mihingo Lodge / Rwakobo Rock (depending on package level)
• Meals: Lunch Dinner

Day 2 — Lake Mburo → Queen Elizabeth National Park → Kazinga Channel

After breakfast depart Lake Mburo and continue southwest to Queen Elizabeth National Park — approximately 2 hours through beautiful western Uganda highland scenery.

Arrive at the park in time for lunch then spend the afternoon on the Kazinga Channel boat safari — the highlight of Queen Elizabeth National Park and one of the finest wildlife boat experiences in all of East Africa.

The Kazinga Channel is a 32km waterway connecting Lake George and Lake Edward through the heart of the park. Your boat drifts slowly past extraordinary concentrations of:

• Hippos — pods of 40–80 animals at extraordinarily close range — yawning territorial displaying
• Nile crocodiles — enormous animals basking on every bank
• Elephants — frequently coming to drink and bathe at the channel edge
• African fish eagles — calling and diving throughout the journey
• Waterbirds — yellow-billed storks goliath herons African spoonbills pied kingfishers

Return to your lodge for dinner as the sun sets over the Rwenzori Mountains on the DRC horizon.

• Kazinga Channel boat safari: $30 per person — included
• Accommodation: Queen Elizabeth — Mweya Safari Lodge / Kyambura Gorge Lodge (depending on package level)
• Meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Day 3 — Queen Elizabeth — Kasenyi Game Drive + Ishasha Tree-Climbing Lions

A full day in Queen Elizabeth National Park — Uganda’s most biodiverse national park.

Dawn game drive — Kasenyi Plains (5:30am–10:00am):
The open Kasenyi savanna is the best lion territory in the northern park — the cool morning hours are when the pride is most active. Your guide also searches for leopards on the forest edges Uganda kob herds and the park’s excellent elephant population.

Drive to Ishasha sector (after lunch):
The Ishasha sector in the southern park is 120km south of Mweya — a 2-hour drive that is completely worth it. Ishasha is one of only two places in East Africa where lions habitually climb trees — resting in the branches of large fig trees along the Ishasha River.

Afternoon game drive — Ishasha (3:30pm–7:00pm):
Focus entirely on finding the tree-climbing lion prides in the fig trees along the Ishasha River. Your guide knows every fig tree in the sector and has the radio network to locate the prides quickly. A lion stretched across the branches of a fig tree with the Ishasha savanna below is one of the most extraordinary and most photographed wildlife images in Uganda.

Overnight in Ishasha — listening to lions calling through the night from just outside your tent.

• Accommodation: Ishasha — Ishasha Wilderness Camp / Kyambura Gorge Lodge Ishasha (depending on package level)
• Meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Day 4 — Ishasha → Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

After an early morning Ishasha game drive depart and drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest — just 90km from Ishasha taking approximately 2 hours through the beautiful southwestern Uganda highlands.

Arrive at Bwindi in the early afternoon — check into your lodge and spend time acclimatising to the forest environment and altitude (1,600–2,300 metres). Your guide briefs you on tomorrow’s gorilla trek — the terrain the gorilla family you will visit and the photography opportunities.

Optional afternoon activity — a community walk through the villages surrounding Bwindi meeting local families learning about traditional Bakiga and Batwa culture and understanding the relationship between these communities and the gorilla forest they live alongside.

• Accommodation: Bwindi — Mahogany Springs / Bwindi Lodge / Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge (depending on package level)
• Meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Day 5 — Gorilla Trekking — Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

The heart of your 10-day Uganda safari — gorilla trekking day in Bwindi.

Transfer to Uganda Wildlife Authority briefing point for the 8:00am briefing. Your group of maximum 8 people is assigned to one of Bwindi’s 19 habituated gorilla families — the largest selection of gorilla families available at any gorilla trekking destination in the world.

Your armed ranger guide leads you into Bwindi Impenetrable Forest — one of the most ancient and most biodiverse forests in Africa with 29 million years of continuous existence. The forest is dense dark and deeply atmospheric — completely different in character from Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park.

The terrain is demanding — steep slopes through dense undergrowth on paths that are often slippery and narrow. The trek to find the gorilla family can take 1–6 hours depending on their movements. Hire a porter ($15–$20) — they carry your bag help you on difficult terrain and contribute directly to the local community economy.

When you find the gorilla family everything is worth it. One hour with one of Bwindi’s gorilla families — watching silverbacks that make Rwanda’s gorillas seem small by comparison moving through ancient forest in the most pristine and most atmospheric gorilla habitat in the world.

After the trek return to your lodge for lunch rest and celebration — you have just had the greatest wildlife encounter on Earth.

• Uganda gorilla permit: $800 USD — included
• Accommodation: Bwindi (same as Day 4)
• Meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Day 6 — Bwindi → Lake Bunyonyi → Relaxation

After the physical intensity of yesterday’s gorilla trek Day 6 is designed for complete recovery and relaxation.

After breakfast depart Bwindi and drive 30 minutes to Lake Bunyonyi — consistently described as one of Africa’s most beautiful lakes. The name means “place of many little birds” — and with 29 islands dotting the still blue surface and the steep terraced hills rising on every side the description barely does it justice.

Spend the afternoon completely at leisure:

Swimming — Lake Bunyonyi is one of the few lakes in Uganda safe for swimming — no bilharzia no hippos in the main swimming areas warm and clear.

Kayaking or canoeing — paddling between the islands in traditional dugout canoes is one of the most peaceful and most beautiful activities available in Uganda.

Island visit — boat trip to Punishment Island (Akampene) — a small island with a fascinating and disturbing history as a place where unmarried pregnant girls were abandoned. The story and its resolution tells much about how Ugandan society has evolved.

Simply resting — after the exertion of gorilla trekking the opportunity to sit on your lodge terrace watching the lake and the birds is extraordinarily peaceful.

• Accommodation: Lake Bunyonyi — Bunyonyi Eco Resort / Bird’s Nest Resort (depending on package level)
• Meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Day 7 — Lake Bunyonyi → Kibale Forest National Park

After a leisurely breakfast on the lake depart Lake Bunyonyi and drive north to Kibale Forest National Park — approximately 3–4 hours through the Uganda highlands passing through Fort Portal town.

Arrive at Kibale in time for the afternoon chimpanzee habituation or tracking briefing — your guide explains the terrain the chimpanzee community you will visit and what to expect.

Optional afternoon activity — Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary walk ($10 per person) — a community-managed wetland sanctuary adjacent to Kibale Forest with extraordinary birding including the rare African green broadbill and 8 primate species.

In the evening your guide briefs you fully on tomorrow’s chimpanzee trek.

• Accommodation: Kibale — Primate Lodge Kibale / Kibale Forest Lodge (depending on package level)
• Meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Day 8 — Chimpanzee Trekking — Kibale Forest

Kibale Forest National Park has the highest density of chimpanzees in East Africa — approximately 1,500 individuals in the forest including several fully habituated communities available for trekking.

Transfer to UWA briefing point for the 8:00am briefing. Your group of maximum 6 people is assigned to one of Kibale’s habituated chimpanzee communities and your ranger guide leads you into the forest.

Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale is completely different from gorilla trekking — faster more chaotic more entertaining. Chimpanzees move quickly through the forest calling to each other with extraordinary vocalisations charging between trees and occasionally descending to the forest floor to investigate the strange upright visitors.

The chimpanzees of Kibale are deeply studied and deeply habituated — some of the most extraordinary close-range primate encounters available anywhere in Africa. Watch them feeding grooming playing and engaging in the complex social behaviours that reflect their extraordinary intelligence.

After the trek return to your lodge for lunch then spend the afternoon on a forest walk targeting Kibale’s extraordinary bird diversity — 375+ species including the African pitta green-breasted pitta and African dwarf kingfisher.

• Kibale chimpanzee permit: $200 USD — included
• Accommodation: Kibale (same as Day 7)
• Meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Day 9 — Kibale → Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary → Murchison Falls National Park

After breakfast depart Kibale and drive north toward Murchison Falls National Park — approximately 4–5 hours.

En route stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary — Uganda’s only rhino location where southern white rhinos are being reintroduced to Uganda for the first time since poaching eliminated the species in the 1980s.

Rhino tracking on foot — armed rangers lead you on foot through the sanctuary’s open bush approaching the rhinos at very close range. The experience of tracking Africa’s second largest land animal on foot — approaching to within 20–30 metres — is one of Uganda’s most thrilling wildlife encounters.

After rhino tracking continue north to Murchison Falls National Park arriving in the late afternoon for a sunset game drive on the northern bank of the Nile.

• Ziwa rhino tracking: $40 per person — included
• Accommodation: Murchison Falls — Baker’s Lodge / Chobe Safari Lodge (depending on package level)
• Meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Day 10 — Murchison Falls — Game Drive + Nile Boat Safari + Falls → Entebbe

Your final and most dramatic day — Murchison Falls National Park.

Dawn game drive — Northern Bank (5:30am–9:00am):
The northern bank savanna is home to lions leopards Rothschild’s giraffes — one of the world’s most endangered giraffe subspecies with fewer than 2,000 remaining — elephants buffalos Uganda kob and extraordinary bird diversity including the shoebill stork in the Nile delta papyrus.

Nile River boat safari (9:30am–12:30pm):
Depart from Paraa jetty on a 3-hour upstream boat journey to the base of Murchison Falls. The Nile within the park supports approximately 2,000 hippos — you encounter pods continuously throughout the journey at extraordinary close range. Enormous Nile crocodiles bask on every sandbank. Elephants occasionally come to drink at the river edge.

As you approach the falls the noise builds — first a distant roar then a growing thunder then the full extraordinary power of the entire Nile River forced through a 7-metre gorge exploding into the Devil’s Cauldron below. Approaching Murchison Falls from the river below is one of the most dramatic experiences in Uganda.

Top of the falls visit (2:00pm–3:30pm):
After the boat safari drive to the top of the falls for the dramatic view from above — watching the entire Nile disappear into a crack in the rock and reappear 43 metres below as a churning boiling mass of white water. Stand at the very edge of the gorge — the power the spray and the noise are simply extraordinary.

Transfer to Entebbe (4:00pm onwards):
Depart Murchison Falls and fly from Pakuba airstrip to Entebbe (45 minutes — strongly recommended) or drive (4–5 hours) arriving in time for evening departure flights.

• Nile boat safari: $30 per person — included
• Meals: Breakfast Lunch

Safari Inclusions

✅ Uganda gorilla trekking permit ($800 per person)
✅ Kibale chimpanzee trekking permit ($200 per person)
✅ Ziwa rhino tracking ($40 per person)
✅ Kazinga Channel boat safari ($30 per person)
✅ Nile River boat safari ($30 per person)
✅ All national park entry fees (Lake Mburo Queen Elizabeth Bwindi Kibale Murchison)
✅ All accommodation (9 nights as per itinerary)
✅ All meals as specified
✅ Private 4×4 safari vehicle throughout
✅ Professional English-speaking driver-guide throughout
✅ All park briefing and ranger guide fees
✅ Porter recommendation and arrangement for gorilla trek
✅ Bottled water throughout
✅ All airport transfers (Entebbe arrival and departure)

Safari Exclusions

❌ International flights to/from Entebbe
❌ Uganda visa ($50 USD e-visa — most nationalities)
❌ Travel insurance (mandatory)
❌ Domestic flight Pakuba → Entebbe on Day 10 ($200 per person — strongly recommended)
❌ Porter fee on gorilla trek ($15–$20 — highly recommended)
❌ Optional Kyambura Gorge chimpanzee trekking ($50 per person)
❌ Optional Bigodi Wetland walk ($10 per person)
❌ Personal expenses and souvenirs
❌ Tips for guides rangers and lodge staff
❌ Alcoholic beverages

Pricing

Prices are per person based on double occupancy. Solo traveller supplement applies. All permits included. Contact us for a precise quote.

What Our Clients Say

“The 10-day Uganda safari exceeded every expectation. I went for the gorillas and came back having seen tree-climbing lions chimpanzees rhinos on foot and Murchison Falls — the most powerful natural sight I have ever witnessed. Our guide was extraordinary — the depth of his knowledge of every park every animal every bird was genuinely remarkable.”
— Andrew and Patricia S. United States

“We chose Uganda over Rwanda for the gorilla permit cost saving — and ended up with the most extraordinary safari of our lives. Ten days was perfect — enough time to really experience each destination without rushing. Go Safaris Africa handled everything flawlessly.”
— Pieter and Anke V. Netherlands

“The chimpanzee trekking in Kibale on Day 8 surprised me as much as the gorillas. I wasn’t expecting to feel that connection — but watching a chimpanzee look directly at you from two metres away in the forest is genuinely profound. Do both.”
— Claire M. Australia

Combine Your 10-Day Uganda Safari With

Add Rwanda Gorilla Trekking (+3 days)
Cross the Cyanika border from Bwindi into Rwanda and add gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park ($1,500 permit). Two gorilla encounters in two countries — the ultimate primate safari. Read our Rwanda vs Uganda gorilla trekking guide.

Add Zanzibar Beach (+4 days)
Fly Entebbe → Dar es Salaam → Zanzibar for the perfect Indian Ocean beach finale. Read our Zanzibar travel guide.

Add Kenya Maasai Mara (+4 days)
Fly Entebbe → Nairobi → Maasai Mara for the Great Migration and Africa’s finest big cat photography. Read our Maasai Mara complete guide.

Contact us to customise your 10-day Uganda safari →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Uganda gorilla permit included?
Yes — the Uganda gorilla permit ($800 per person) is included in all 10-day Uganda safari package levels along with the Kibale chimpanzee permit ($200) and Ziwa rhino tracking ($40).

How does Uganda compare to Rwanda for gorilla trekking?
Uganda’s $800 permit is $700 cheaper than Rwanda’s $1,500. Bwindi has 19 habituated gorilla families — the most of any destination. The forest is denser and more atmospheric. Read our complete Rwanda vs Uganda gorilla trekking comparison.

When is the best time for the 10-day Uganda safari?
June–September and December–February offer the best trekking conditions. Uganda can be visited year-round — gorillas chimpanzees and savanna wildlife are present every day. Read our Uganda travel guide.

How fit do I need to be for gorilla trekking in Bwindi?
Bwindi is more physically demanding than Rwanda — steeper terrain denser forest. Moderate to good fitness recommended. A porter is strongly advised. Read our what to pack guide.

Can I do this safari solo?
Yes — solo travellers welcome. Solo supplement applies for single room accommodation. Read our solo gorilla trekking guide.

How do I book?
Contact us by WhatsApp email or phone. We check gorilla permit availability for your dates send a personalised quote and handle all bookings. Read our How It Works page.

Book Your 10-Day Uganda Safari Today

📞 Call or WhatsApp: +250 788 365 595
📧 Email: info@gosafarisafrica.com
👉 Contact us for availability and pricing

Go Safaris Africa Ltd — Licensed safari operator based in Kigali Rwanda
📍 Prince House Second Floor Office #5 Kigali Rwanda