Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe | Welcome to Uganda
On arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you are warmly welcomed by your professional safari guide from Wild Compass Africa. After a short briefing about your safari, you are transferred to your guesthouse near Lake Victoria.
The rest of the day is at leisure to relax after your international flight, enjoy the garden setting, or take a short walk around the neighborhood.
Overnight: Karibu Guest House, Entebbe
Meals: Dinner (depending on arrival time)
Day 2: Shoebill Tracking & Wetland Experience | Entebbe Area
After breakfast, you head out for a guided nature experience around Entebbe, focusing on Uganda’s rich birdlife and wetlands.
The morning begins with an excursion to Mabamba Swamp, a renowned wetland on the shores of Lake Victoria. Traveling by traditional dugout canoe through narrow papyrus channels, you search for the iconic shoebill stork, along with other wetland species such as African jacana, malachite kingfisher, and papyrus gonolek. This calm, water-based experience offers excellent photography opportunities and a gentle introduction to Uganda’s natural diversity.
Later, you visit the Entebbe Botanical Gardens for a relaxed guided walk. Set along the lakeshore, the gardens are home to a variety of bird species, vervet and black-and-white colobus monkeys, and mature tropical trees. The walk is easy-paced and ideal for nature lovers and photographers.
Optional: For keen birders with additional interest in wetlands, a visit to Lutembe Bay Wetland can be arranged, time and conditions permitting.
In the afternoon, return to Karibu Guest House to relax and prepare for the safari journey ahead.
Overnight: Karibu Guest House
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 3: Entebbe – Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary – Murchison Falls National Park
Depart early for northern Uganda, driving through rural landscapes and trading centers. En route, stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for a guided on-foot rhino tracking experience, allowing you to observe Uganda’s only wild rhinos at close range.
After lunch, continue to Murchison Falls National Park, stopping at the spectacular Top of the Falls, where the Nile River forces its way through a narrow 7-meter gorge.
Enter the park and enjoy a scenic drive to your lodge.
Overnight: Pakuba Safari Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Murchison Falls National Park | Game Drive & Nile Boat Safari
Rise early for a morning game drive across the northern savannah plains, one of Uganda’s best wildlife-viewing areas. Look out for lions, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, Jackson’s hartebeest, oribi, and a wide variety of bird species.
In the afternoon, enjoy a boat cruise on the Nile toward the base of Murchison Falls. Along the riverbanks, you’ll see hippos, Nile crocodiles, elephants, and waterbirds, with the thunderous falls providing a dramatic finale.
Return to the lodge for dinner and relaxation.
Overnight: Pakuba Safari Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Murchison Falls – Kibale Forest National Park
After breakfast, begin your journey southwest toward Kibale Forest National Park, traveling through scenic countryside, tea plantations, and small towns.
Arrive in the afternoon and settle into your eco-friendly forest camp, surrounded by nature and primate habitats. The evening is at leisure, with forest sounds setting the mood for primate tracking the next day.
Overnight: Kibale Forest Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6: Chimpanzee Tracking & Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary
Today is dedicated to primates and community experiences.
In the morning, head into Kibale Forest for chimpanzee tracking, guided by experienced rangers. Watch chimpanzees feed, socialize, and move through the forest canopy.
Optional upgrade: Chimpanzee Habituation Experience, offering extended time with a semi-habituated group.
In the afternoon, visit Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, a community-run conservation project rich in birds, monkeys, and cultural interaction with local residents.
Overnight: Kibale Forest Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7: Kibale – Queen Elizabeth National Park | Kazinga Channel
After breakfast, drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park, arriving in time for lunch at your lodge overlooking the park.
In the afternoon, enjoy a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, one of Africa’s best wildlife boat safaris. The channel attracts large numbers of hippos, buffaloes, elephants, and a remarkable diversity of birds, as well as views of local fishing communities.
Later, enjoy a short evening game drive.
Overnight: Acacia Wilderness Mweya
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8: Queen Elizabeth – Ishasha Sector | Tree-Climbing Lions
Begin the day with a morning game drive before transferring south to the Ishasha sector, famous for its rare tree-climbing lions.
Spend the afternoon on a game drive searching for lions resting in fig trees, along with topi, buffalo, elephants, and other wildlife.
Overnight: Ishasha sector lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9: Ishasha – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
After breakfast, drive through rolling hills and rural villages toward Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Arrive in the afternoon and relax at your lodge, enjoying forest views and preparing for the highlight of the safari.
Overnight: Lake Mulehe Gorilla Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 10: Gorilla Trekking | Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
An early start for the mountain gorilla trekking experience.
After a ranger briefing, trek through dense forest terrain in search of a gorilla family. Once found, you spend a magical hour observing gorillas in their natural habitat — an emotional and unforgettable wildlife encounter.
Return to the lodge in the afternoon to relax and reflect on the experience.
Overnight: Lake Mulehe Gorilla Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 11: Golden Monkey Tracking – Lake Mburo National Park
After breakfast, transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park for golden monkey tracking, a lively and photogenic primate experience.
Later, continue to Lake Mburo National Park, arriving in time for an evening game drive across acacia woodlands and open savannah.
Overnight: Rwakobo Rock Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 12: Lake Mburo – Entebbe | Equator Experience
Start the day with a guided nature walk in Lake Mburo, offering close encounters with zebras, giraffes, elands, and antelopes. Enjoy a scenic bush breakfast before departing the park.
Drive back to Entebbe with a stop at the Equator for photos and souvenir shopping. Arrive in Entebbe in time for your onward flight or overnight stay.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch