Safari Overview

This 6 days/5 nights Uganda road trip uncovers the natural beauty and diversity of Queen Elizabeth National Park and Kibale Forest National Park.

Big game and wildlife section of the trip explores the northern part of Queen Elizabeth, popularly known as the Mweya Peninsula which boasts a marvellous waterfront set in the shadow of the Rwenzoris. The boat ride on the Kazinga channel is ideal for Birding and animal photography at close range.

The verdant Kibale Forest National Park dubbed the “primate Capital of the World” offers the best walking safaris as you get a face-to-face with chimpanzees, Birds, giant trees, Butterflies, back and white colobus monkeys and other primate species.

Brief Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe international Airport – Uganda
Day 2: Entebbe – Queen Elizabeth National Park by road.
Day 3: Game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park & Boat cruise on the Kazinga channel.
Day 4: Queen Elizabeth National Park- Kibale Forest National Park; afternoon village walk.
Day 5: Chimpanzee Tracking – Optional Afternoon swamp walk.
Day 6: Kibale to Entebbe by road – Connect to international flight.

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe international airport – Uganda.

Adventure Consults’ airport staff will meet you on arrival, assist you through customs, get your luggage, and transfer you to the hotel. Depending on arrival time, you may have a briefing on your safari today/tonight or opt to have it in the morning after some hours of relaxation.

Overnight accommodation on Bed & Breakfast basis.
Most hotels are 10 minutes’ drive from Entebbe airport.
Inclusions: Bed & Breakfasts basis.
Excludes: All meals and Drinks.

Day 2: Entebbe- Queen Elizabeth National Park by road (7-8 hours’ drive)

After Breakfast, meet your guide at the lobby, briefing on the day’s adventure and head out to western Uganda.

You will have a stop at the Equator crossing at Kayabwe for some science experiments that illustrate the division of the Earth’s hemispheres, take photos and have a cup of coffee/tea.

The panoramic drive towards the west of Uganda takes you through the busy towns, roadside markets, and farmlands.

The drive from Entebbe to the Equator crossing at Kayabwe is approximately 2 hours (it could be depending on the traffic).

You will stop at the Equator Crossing line for interesting practical experiments/demonstrations. There are only 13 countries in the world that are crossed by the equator, and Uganda is one of them. Watch and listen to the site guide as he demonstrates interesting facts using water. If you love random curious facts, this is the right place. The experiments will take you back to old school physics and Geography classes. Don’t miss out the photo-op on the green witch meridian or 0 meridian line with the equator sign as your photo frame.

Lunch in Mbarara and proceed to Queen Elizabeth National Park arriving at the lodge late afternoon.

You will have a relaxed afternoon/evening at the lodge.

Meals and Overnight at the Lodge.
Standard inclusions: All Meals (Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner).
Some lodges include drinks with exclusion of premium/imported wines and spirits.
Standard exclusions: All drinks.

Day 3: Game drive & Boat cruise on the Kazinga channel.

Make sure you are up before so that you don’t miss out the colorful sunrise session!

After a cup of coffee/tea, head out for a game. As the sun peeps out of the broken clouds, it reflects on thesavannahs, creating shady moments. The sparkling sunlight reflection on the lakes and green wetlandsgives the best moment for classic big game and colourful birds to hang out.

Two famous game tracks- Kasenyi track, and Queens’s mile will never disappoint! There are high chances of sighting the Leopard, African bush elephants, Hippos, Lions, Cape buffaloes, and several antelope species.

Enjoy a Picnic Breakfast at a beautiful site by the community craft market, facing Lake Bunyampaka. Depending on the season, you might see the colorful flamingos in a distance.

After lunch, drive to the Mweya pier in time for the 2 pm boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel. The channel is a 32-kilometer- long natural water stretch that links Lake Edward and George.

The boat cruise on the channel provides the best opportunities for up-close animal viewing and photography with lots of hippos and numerous Nile crocodiles. Queen Elizabeth National Park’s bird life is rich, colorful, and stupendous totaling to 600 recorded species.

We normally book scheduled boats. The type of boat to use (either big or small) is to be determined on the day of the boat trip. Private/exclusive boats are available on payment of supplement.

Weather permitting, go for a sundowner and have a taste of Uganda’s finest gin, and a mix of both local and premium drinks as you look at the sun dipping in the horizon. Note that snacks and soft drinks on house, all alcoholic drinks are on own account.

Meals and Overnight at the Lodge.
Standard inclusions: All Meals (Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner).
Some lodges include drinks with exclusion of premium/imported wines and spirits.
Standard exclusions: All drinks.

Day 4: Road trip from Queen Elizabeth – Kibale Forest National Park – Appox.3 hours’ drive.

After breakfast, head out to Kibale Forest National Park, via the frontier town of Kasese, surrounded by the mystical snow-capped Rwenzori Mountain Range.

The drive from Queen Elizabeth to Kibale Forest National Park is 2-3 hours (depending on the route used and weather condition).

Relevant stops on the way for photography moments. This side of Uganda is relatively green with banana plantations, farmlands, roadside markets and happy people in townships.  Proceed to the lodge arriving in time for lunch.

The ever-moist Kibale Forest National Park is home to over 120 mammals that include 15 primate species, forest elephants and several antelope species. This biologically diverse Protected Area is also an Important Bird Area with over 370 bird species that include 23 Albertine Rift endemics.

Afternoon at leisure or go for a crater walk where you will enjoy the village farmlands, homesteads, Birds or play soccer with the friendly Ugandans.

Meals and Overnight at the Lodge.
Inclusions: All Meals (Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner).
Exclusions: All drinks.

Day 5: Chimpanzee Tracking – Kibale Forest NP and Bigodi swamp walk

After Breakfast, begin the day with a transfer to Kanyanchu Park Headquarters in time for a briefing that starts at 7:30 am, then later head out to the forest to observe the endangered chimpanzees.

Scientifically known as Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii, the Eastern chimpanzees are found in the moist evergreen Kibale Forest National Park with over 1500 individuals. This 795-square-kilometer Protected Area is popular for sheltering the highest concentration of primates in the world – 13 species, including the very ‘localized’ Red Colobus as well, red-tailed monkeys, L’Hoests monkeys, Olive baboons, red-tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys, Grey-cheeked mangabey, to mention but a few.

During the chimpanzee trek, the Ranger guide will provide detailed information on more than just primates. The forest is endowed with some of the oldest trees in Africa out of which some are medicinal, and others are used by Chimpanzees for communication. Your walk will be interestingly informative and exciting. You don’t have to be a birding enthusiast to enjoy the competition of Chimpanzee calls and bird sounds.

Today, you have there’s an option for a Uganda meal to give you a true feel of Africa. At Tinka’s homestay, food is served in a grass thatched hut while seated on a mat. You however have an option for other international cuisines or dishes at any of the lodges in Kibale area (discuss with the guide on the type of preferred type of lunch).

In the afternoon, you may simply relax at the lodge or go for a nature walk in the Bigodi swamp for primate and bird viewing. The approximately 4.5 Km round walk takes you through a swamp that shelters over 200 species of birds that include Great Blue Turacos, Papyrus gonolek, Blue, Crowned eagles, Purple-breasted sunbirds, African Pitta, Papyrus Canary, and many more swamp endemics. During this wetland walk, you are likely to see more primates such as Olive baboons, Black and White Colobus, Red Tailed monkeys, L’Hoests Monkeys, Vervet Monkeys, and Blue Monkeys among others.

The local guides will share exciting details of the local lifestyles, history, and culture of the community. On returning to the Lodge in the evening, you can relax while watching the sun as it dips down in the snow-capped Mountains of the moon, and many hills surrounding the lodge.

Meals and Overnight at the Lodge.
Inclusions: All Meals (Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner).
Exclusions: All drinks.

Day 6: Kibale to Entebbe by road – Connect to international flight.

After breakfast, start the 6 to 7 hours journey to Entebbe. This is one of the most relaxing journeys as you drive past the olive baboons on the roadside (Don’t feed them!), lush-green tea plantations, forests, roadsidefruit markets, plantations, and marshy swamps. You will be snacking most of the journey, and have a stop for lunch in Mityana town

After lunch, take another 2 hours’ drive straight to Entebbe via Kampala.

Depending on your flight schedule, you may check in at a hotel for a day room (on payment of supplement), freshen-up and later transfer to the airport or head straight to the airport in time for check-in and connect to your international flight.

Your flight should not be earlier than 1600 hours. Check-in time for international flights is 3 hours in advance.

Accommodation Options

Adventure Consults’ packages include accommodation. We will discuss with you for options depending on personal taste and preference. The listed facilities here are simply a guideline as there’s more to offer. Let’s work together to perfect your holiday plans.

Accommodation in Entebbe

The gateway to Uganda features several accommodation options that cater for the needs and aspirations of large groups, while there are small boutique hotels with 10 to 20 rooms. The hotels range from high end, midrange to budget. Our safari packages include Bed & Breakfast while in Entebbe or Kampala.

  • Hotel Number 5.
  • Protea Hotel by Marriott Entebbe.
  • The Boma hotel.
  • Lake Victoria Serena Golf resort and spa.
  • 2 Friends Beach Hotel.
  • Papyrus Guesthouse.
  • Best Western Premier Garden Hotel.
  • K Hotels.
  • Admas Grand Hotel.

Accommodation in Kibale Forest National Park

Accommodation options at/around Kibale Forest National Park are endless. Most if not all facilities have got beautiful views of either the verdant forest, crater lakes, hills or valleys.

  • Ndali Lodge.
  • Kyaninga Lodge.
  • Crater Safari Lodge.
  • Primate Lodge.
  • Turaco Treetops.
  • Chimpundu Safari Lodge.
  • Aramaga Rift Valley Lodge.
  • Kibale Forest Camp.
  • Papaya Lake Lodge.
  • Isunga Lodge.
  • Kibale Forest Lodge.
  • Nyaika Hotel.
  • Fort Motel.

Accommodation in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park provides a wide array of accommodation options. Some facilities are inside the park and others all outside but within proximity of park activities. All facilities have magnificent views of the savannah plains, lakes, rivers, mountains, and every green craters.

  • Kyambura Gorge Lodge.
  • Elephant Plains Lodge.
  • Mweya Safari Lodge.
  • Katara Lodge.
  • Buffalo Safari Lodge.
  • Enganzi Lodge.
  • Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge.
  • Ishasha Wilderness Camp.
  • Parkview Safari Lodge.
  • Kasenyi Safari Camp.
  • Ihamba Lakeside Safari Lodge.
  • Ishasha Jungle lodge.