8-Day Uganda Luxury Safari

Discover the heart of Africa’s natural beauty on an unforgettable multi-day Uganda luxury safari. Roam through national parks and game reserves teeming with life, where untouched wilderness reigns supreme. Encounter rare and extraordinary wildlife, from majestic mountain gorillas and playful chimpanzees to the elusive sitatunga antelope and powerful forest elephants. With over 1,000 species of birds, Uganda is a paradise for professional bird watchers and nature lovers alike.

Venture into the breathtaking Rwenzori Mountains, with their glaciers and spectacular formations around Lake Mutanda, offering a haven for avid climbers and adventurers. Beyond the wild, you’ll meet Uganda’s welcoming people, a harmonious blend of 52 tribes, each with its own rich culture, language, and traditions. Their vibrant dances, colourful rituals, and peaceful coexistence make this experience truly one-of-a-kind. Throughout your journey, relax in the utmost luxury, staying in exquisite lodges that offer panoramic views, world-class dining, and tranquil settings, designed for complete immersion in Uganda’s natural splendour.

Our 8-day itinerary for this tour is an example and fully customisable. Contact us(opens in a new tab) directly if you are interested in a personalised Uganda Safari or other East Africa tour packages(opens in a new tab).

All of our tours can be personalised. For most safari itineraries, we can offer luxury, mid-range or budget versions upon request. To find out more, contact us directly(opens in a new tab).

Prices indicated are per person (p/p).

Additional Pricing

Optional:

• Hot Air balloon ride: $380
• Flight to Kasese via Aerolink: One way $273 / Return $45
• A flight from Entebbe to Kihihi $287 one way, or $475 return – to shorten the travel time to reach the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Day 1: Arrival to the Pearl of Africa
On your arrival at Entebbe International Airport you will be met by your Manya Africa Tours guide who will greet you and transfer you to your hotel. This will take between 15 to 40 Minutes depending on traffic.

Overnight at Lake Victoria Serena (B&B)

Day 2: Depart for Kibale Forest
This morning we will drive to Fort Portal and explore the area around the base of the Rwenzori Mountains (with an optional visit to the world-famous Rwenzori Mountain Sculpture Foundation). It is also possible to pay extra and fly to Kasese via Aerolink. You can see the pricing for this flight under the Rates section.

Later, we’ll drive to Kibale Forest National Park, in Western Uganda. Kibale Forest National Park, a multi-faceted forest of 795 square kilometres, is home to over 335 species of birds (some very rare and only found here), and 13 species of primates including chimpanzees, red colobus monkey, the rare L’Hoest monkey, blue monkey, grey mangabey, black faced vervet monkeys, baboons, pottos and bushbabies.

Cleverly constructed walking paths lead you through Papyrus that towers above your head in Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary, a few minutes’ drive from Kibale Forest. With over 130 bird species, multicoloured butterflies, eight different types of primates and the rare, semi-aquatic sitatunga (antelope), this is community-based tourism at its best.

Set against the stunning backdrop of Lake Kyaninga and the Rwenzori Mountains beyond, Kyaninga Lodge is the spectacular result of one man’s vision and six years of unwavering commitment to creating an experience of Africa’s beauty unlike anything else.

You can experience the beauty and romance of this unexplored region while staying in the height of luxury and elegance. Nine exclusive cottages made from hand carved logs, superb dining, and a wealth of adventures await.

Overnight Kyaninga/Primate Safari Lodge (FB)

Day 3: Chimpanzee-Tracking in the Jungle (Kibale Forest National Park)
After breakfast, we report to the Ranger Headquarters of the Kibale Forest National Park at 8 AM to set out to find the chimpanzees living there. It’s great fun to watch these active apes play and roam in the fruit trees.

The experienced ranger will introduce you to the various family members of the chimpanzee family and show you many more inhabitants of the forest. As you walk through the forest on small trails, you will be told how the locals use the woodland plants to combat some diseases, amongst other uses. Even the elusive forest elephant, which is smaller and bears more fur than its brother from the savannah, moves in the Kibale Forest. Sometimes even large mammals such as buffalo, large forest pigs and various antelope species can be admired.

In the afternoon, we will visit the neighbouring Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary. Cleverly constructed walking paths guide you through the papyrus that grows above your heads. With over 130 species of birds, colourful butterflies, eight species of primates and the rare semi-aquatic sitatunga antelope, this area is a showcase of responsible tourism.

Overnight Kyaninga/Primate Safari Lodge (FB)

Day 4: Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Your Guide will drive you through Kasese towards Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is at the foot of the Rift Valley. From time to time you’ll be able to observe the peaks of the Rwenzori Mountains on the horizon. The landscape of northern Queen Elizabeth consists of several dozen craters. With more than 600 species of birds, Queen Elizabeth National Park offers even greater diversity than other national parks in Uganda. On the way to the lodge you can observe a large variety of wildlife such as elephants. Keep your eyes open for the hard-to-find leopards! Today’s accommodation is high above the Kichwamba Ridge and offers breathtaking views over the bottom of the Rift Valley. While the foothills of the Rwenzoris are in front of you, the eight mighty Virunga volcanoes rise to the other side.

Overnight at Katara Lodge or Mweya Lodge which both offer panoramic views of the whole park (FB)

Day 5: Boat safari on the Kazinga Channel
Start your day with an early morning game drive. You can ask the hotel staff to prepare a boxed breakfast which you can enjoy enroute. A popular route for the game drive is the Kasenyi sector, well-known for its lions that prey on Queen Elizabeth’s large population of Uganda Kob (antelope). If you are very lucky, you may spot a Giant Forest Hog, Africa’s largest pig. You should also keep your eyes peeled to spot an elusive leopard.

Optional: Enjoy a bird’s-eye view over the Savannah via a hot balloon ride. You can find the price for this activity in the Rates section.

After your game drive, you will head back to the lodge for a few hours’ relaxation by the pool and lunch.

In the afternoon, you’ll embark on a water safari by boat, on the Kazinga Channel at Mweya that connects the two lakes of Edward and George. This is likely to be a big highlight of your trip! The expert Uganda Wildlife Authority guides will identify many of the Channel’s 100 bird species of which you are likely to see African Skimmers, Great White Pelicans, Spoonbill and a few Bee-eater species. Hippos wallow at the edge of the water, huge Nile crocodiles bask in the sun and elephants come down to drink.

The Kazinga Channel boat ride is a brilliant opportunity to take some close-up wildlife shots.

Overnight Mweya/Katara Lodge (FB)

DAY 6: In Search of the tree climbing lions – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Today, we’ll drive to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and on the way take a short game drive through Ishasha, the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. On the vast plains of the Ishasha you will find a famous inhabitant, the tree-climbing lion. A sighting is not guaranteed, however, in the large, low-hanging fig trees of Ishasha there are far better chances to see a lion, in the rest of Africa.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is regarded as a UNESCO-Natural-World- Heritage and is one of the richest biological and botanical regions in the world. With its south-west position at the edge of the western Rift-Valley, this forest covers 331 km2. The treasures of Bwindi are the approx. 400 wild mountain gorillas. They contribute to about half of the world population of these gentle human apes.

After a few hours car journey, you can take a relaxing afternoon walk in the village of Buhoma, your home in Bwindi, and enjoy a visit to some of the many craft markets. Or you can visit the Batwa tribe who live in the middle of the forest. Your current accommodation is elevated and from there you can overlook the breathtakingly beautiful Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.

Mahogany Springs offers privacy and serenity blended with optimal comfort in a spectacular setting. With some of the most luxurious accommodation in East Africa the feeling that you will experience when staying here is beyond compare.

Overnight Mahogany Springs Lodge (FB)

Day 7: In touch with the Gorillas (Bwindi Impenetrable National Park)
Get up very early for your gorilla tracking and have a well-balanced breakfast in preparation for the day. After the registration at the Uganda Wildlife Authority Ranger Station and a short briefing, your incredible gorilla tracking starts.

Once you’ve located the gorilla family, you’ll be asked to leave all your belongings behind and slowly approach these gentle giants with only your camera in hand. The guide interprets the behaviour of the animals for you. Females and their young ones, young males and even the dominant silverback can be seen feeding, playing and interacting with each other or just relaxing! You will never forget this experience with the gorillas. Rest assured, they are as curious to see you as you are them. You have exactly one hour with the gorillas before you return to the base station.

After the exciting encounter with the gorillas you will return to the village. In the afternoon, you’ll have the opportunity to see the Batwa, the indigenous people of the forest.

Overnight Mahogany Springs Lodge (FB)

Day 8: Depart for Entebbe
After breakfast, we start our journey back towards Entebbe. We’ll stop for a picnic lunch and a fun photo opportunity at the Equator. You can also fly from Kihihi to Entebbe via Aerolink. See the pricing for this optional flight in the Rates section.

A dayroom will be organised for you to shower and change in Entebbe. After a farewell dinner, your Manya Africa Tours guide will transfer you to Entebbe International Airport for your outbound flight.

Please note that check-in for international flights should be done two hours prior to flight departure. The departures area of the airport has a small restaurant, several duty-free shops and a seating area.

Dayroom at Lake Victoria Serena (FB)

1. Prices are valid for 2024, 2025 and 2026.
2. The itinerary mentioned for this tour is an example which can be tailored to your wishes.
3. The Gorilla Tracking included in this safari depends on the availability of gorilla trekking permits at the time of booking. These permits are strictly limited and sold out in advance, especially during peak seasons of Christmas and school holidays. We therefore strongly recommend booking early.
4. The safari indicated here is essentially an offer. Changes in the course of the journey, the duration of your tour, the number of travellers, as well as the choice of accommodation are subject to availability, although we always endeavour to stick as closely as possible to this programme. For most itineraries, we can offer luxury, mid-range or budget versions of this safari upon request.
5. Sometimes it is not possible to adhere to the travel plan as described in this itinerary, due to weather and road conditions, authority regulations, organisational requirements, etc. Occasionally, the planned route of the tour has to change according to the situation on the ground. We must therefore explicitly refuse liability for adherence to the journey plan.
6. By booking this safari, the client accepts Manya Africa Tours Terms and Conditions(opens in a new tab) of business.