Classic Uganda Luxury Safari

Classic Uganda Luxury Safari 11 Days

Prices From £9,256pp
Year round | 10 nights

Classic Uganda Luxury Safari 11 Days

Experience the privately guided version of our highly popular Small Group Uganda Safari with personalised, expert guidance and upgraded accommodations throughout. Embark on an unforgettable 11-day journey through five of Uganda's most magnificent national parks: Murchison Falls, Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi Impenetrable, and Lake Mburo. Enjoy an array of thrilling activities, including Gorilla and Chimpanzee Treks, and indulge in the ultimate exploration of this extraordinary country.

Price based on 2 people in luxury accommodation however the itinerary is also available with mid-range and budget accommodation options. Please enquire for details

Highlights

  • Visit 5 of Uganda’s finest National Parks
  • Thrilling and unforgettable mountain gorilla and chimpanzee tracking experiences
  • Track white rhino on foot at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
  • Search for the famous tree-climbing lions of Ishasha
  • Stand at the top of Murchison Falls as the Nile thunders through a seven-metre gorge
  • Boat trips on the Nile, the Kazinga Channel and Lake Mburo, alive with hippos, crocodiles and elephants
  • A huge variety of wildlife and abundant birdlife, from lions, elephants and buffalo to the shoebill and great blue turaco
  • Exciting game drives, forest treks and walking safaris
  • Spectacular scenery at every turn
  • Your own private, expert English-speaking driver guide throughout
  • Luxury accommodation throughout

What's Included

  • Meet and greet on arrival and airport transfers on arrival and departure
  • Private 4x4 Land Cruiser with an expert English-speaking driver guide throughout
  • Park entrance and ranger fees
  • 1 x chimpanzee tracking permit in Kibale Forest
  • 1 x gorilla trekking permit in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
  • Ziwa rhino tracking on foot
  • Game drives, including an evening drive at Murchison and a sunrise drive in Ishasha
  • Boat cruise along the River Nile and visit to the top of Murchison Falls
  • Boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel
  • Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary walk
  • Guided walking safari at Lake Mburo
  • Bush breakfast in Ishasha
  • Village walk and community visits as described
  • Accommodation as stated
  • Meals as described
  • Mineral water in the safari vehicle

Our popularitinerary Suggestions

All our itinerary holidays are fully customisable

Entebbe
1Day

Entebbe

Welcome to Uganda, the Pearl of Africa! On arrival at Entebbe International Airport, a representative will meet you and introduce you to your driver guide, who will be your companion for the adventure ahead. You’ll be taken to No.5 Boutique Hotel, a peaceful retreat in Entebbe’s leafy suburbs. Spend the rest of the day relaxing by the pool, settling in and getting ready for the journey to come.

Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and Murchison Falls
2Day

Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and Murchison Falls

The dawn’s first light calls you to rise and set off north. Your first stop is Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, the only place in Uganda where rhinos roam wild. Walking with highly skilled rangers, you’ll track these magnificent animals on foot and watch them from a close but safe distance. Keep an eye out too for Uganda kob, reedbuck, oribi and plenty of birdlife. After lunch, the road winds on towards Murchison Falls National Park and Nile Safari Lodge, which sits high on the banks of the Nile. Take the afternoon to unwind before heading out on an evening game drive as the light softens over the savannah.

Murchison National Park
3Day

Murchison National Park

Murchison Falls is a wildlife paradise! After an early breakfast you’ll head out with a ranger across the golden grasslands of the northern bank. You’ll be looking for elephant, Rothschild’s giraffe, Jackson’s hartebeest, lion, buffalo and herds of Uganda kob grazing among the borassus palms. After lunch you’ll board a boat on the Nile for close-up game viewing: hippos wallowing in the shallows, elephants wandering down to drink and crocodiles basking lazily on the banks. Later you’ll stand at the top of the falls themselves and feel the raw power of the world’s longest river as it squeezes through a gap just seven metres wide before thundering 45 metres into the gorge below. It is a truly unforgettable sight.

Kibale National Park
4Day

Kibale National Park

After one last short game drive in the cool of the early morning, you’ll say goodbye to Murchison and head south towards Fort Portal. It’s a long day on the road, but a beautiful one. You’ll pass through small villages and banana plantations, and later see the lush tea estates that roll out beneath the fabled Mountains of the Moon. Your home for the next two nights is Primate Lodge, set deep within Kibale Forest, where the sounds of the forest will lull you to sleep.

Chimpanzee Trekking
5Day

Chimpanzee Trekking

Kibale is a primate paradise, home to 13 species and one of the richest concentrations of primates in all of Africa. After a briefing just a short walk from your lodge, you’ll step into the forest to track a habituated community of chimpanzees. As you follow the trail beneath the towering canopy, your guide will bring the forest to life, pointing out monkeys in the branches and colourful birds such as the black-billed turaco. Then the calls ring out through the trees, and suddenly you’re among them. You’ll spend one magical hour watching the chimps feed, groom, squabble and swing effortlessly through the branches, and it will be over all too soon. In the afternoon you’ll visit Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, a community-run project where boardwalks and trails through the papyrus swamp reveal black and white colobus monkeys, the great blue turaco and more than 200 species of bird.

Queen Elizabeth National Park
6 - 7Days

Queen Elizabeth National Park

Today’s drive is one of the most scenic of your journey. You’ll travel south via Kasese with the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains on one side and green valleys stretching away on the other. As you enter Queen Elizabeth National Park, your drive becomes a game drive, with waterbuck, warthog and buffalo often seen along the way. After lunch you’ll take a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel, the ancient waterway linking Lake Edward and Lake George. Its banks are home to one of the largest concentrations of hippos in the world, along with Nile crocodiles, buffalo cooling off in the shallows, elephants coming down to drink and a huge variety of birds, from African fish eagles to pied kingfishers. Your first night is at Elephant Plains Lodge, perched high on the escarpment of the Albertine Rift with sweeping views across the plains.

On day 7 you’ll rise early for a morning game drive across the Kasenyi Plains, where great herds of Uganda kob gather on their breeding grounds and lions are never far away. Elephant and buffalo are also often seen here. Afterwards you’ll head to the remote southern Ishasha sector of the park, arriving in time for lunch and a rest. In the afternoon you’ll set out in search of Ishasha’s famous tree-climbing lions, which can often be found sprawled lazily along the branches of the great fig trees. You’ll return to camp for a sundowner as the sun dips below the horizon, then spend a peaceful night at Ishasha Wilderness Camp on the banks of the Ntungwe River.

Bwindi Gorilla Trekking
8 - 9Days

Bwindi Gorilla Trekking

You’ll wake to a sunrise game drive through the wilderness, watching the park come to life in the golden morning light, followed by a bush breakfast set out in the heart of Ishasha. You’ll then head south towards Bwindi, where the savannah gives way to steep, mist-covered hills cloaked in ancient rainforest. Bwindi is home to almost half of the world’s mountain gorillas. After lunch and a chance to rest, you’ll take a gentle village walk to meet the local community and learn about life on the edge of the forest.

Day 9 is the day you’ve been waiting for. After an early breakfast you’ll head to the park headquarters for a briefing with the Uganda Wildlife Authority guides, while trackers are already out in the forest finding your assigned gorilla family. Then it’s your turn to step into the forest, and you’ll soon see why it’s called impenetrable. The trek can take anywhere from two hours to most of the day over steep and often muddy ground, but every step is worth it. Then, through the leaves, you’ll see a mighty silverback watching over his family as youngsters tumble and play around him. You’ll spend one precious hour in their company, an experience that stays with people for the rest of their lives. Afterwards, return to your lodge to rest and reflect on a remarkable day.

Lake Mburo National Park
10Day

Lake Mburo National Park

This morning brings one of the most scenic drives in Uganda, as the dense forest of Bwindi gives way to the open, rolling grasslands of the Ankole region, home to the famous long-horned Ankole cattle. You’ll stop for lunch on the way, and as you enter Lake Mburo National Park, keep watch for impala, topi, zebra and buffalo grazing along the roadside. In the afternoon you’ll head out on a boat trip on the lake, where hippos, crocodiles and buffalo gather along the shoreline. Fish eagles, kingfishers and hammerkops with their remarkable nests are also common sights. You’ll spend your last night of safari at Mihingo Lodge, where the infinity pool looks out over a waterhole that draws a steady stream of wildlife.

Lake Mburo to Entebbe
11Day

Lake Mburo to Entebbe

Your final morning starts with something special: a walking safari led by a ranger. Lake Mburo is one of the few parks in Uganda where you can explore on foot, and walking quietly among zebra, eland and impala is the perfect way to end your adventure. After breakfast you’ll head back east towards Entebbe, stopping at the equator for one last photo with a foot in each hemisphere. You’ll arrive in Entebbe in the late afternoon and, depending on your flight time, be transferred to the airport for your journey home. You’ll leave with memories of the Pearl of Africa that will last a lifetime.

A view from Above

Accommodation Options

Primate Lodge, Kibale

This fantastic lodge located in the heart of Kibale Forest National Park offers the chance to experience the world renowned Ugandan hospitality amidst unrivalled nature and serenity in Uganda’s primate paradise. Located right beside the starting point for incredible chimpanzee trekking experiences of the park, Primate Lodge offers a wide range of accommodation options to suit all budgets. Amongst these accommodation options are the nine spacious Luxury Cottages which feature large comfortable beds, sitting areas and en-suite bedrooms. Nestled privately within the forest, each cottage also features a large verandah allowing you to relax and soak up the unique sights and sounds of the surrounding nature.

Ishasha Wilderness Camp, Queen Elizabeth NP

The exclusive Ishasha Wilderness Camp is located on the Ntungwe River within the Southern Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park and offers the ultimate in peace and tranquillity. Taking glamping to a whole new level, this idyllic luxury camping spot welcomes both guests and wildlife, with those staying here likely to spot elephants, buffalo and Black-and-White Colobus wandering into camp, as well as possible sightings of the famous tree-climbing lions.

Mihingo Lodge, Lake Mburo

This beautiful, environmentally-friendly lodge has been perfectly designed to effortlessly blend into its fragile and scenic surroundings. A luxurious and family-owned lodge which features spectacular views over the savannah, Mihingo offers comfort, relaxation and the feeling of truly being at one with nature. Situated in a magical setting adjacent to Lake Mburo National Park, one of the many highlights here includes the delightful infinity pool which overlooks the valley below where an abundance of wildlife gather at the waterhole including buffalo, zebras and impalas.
You may be very likely to encounter even more wildlife from the private balcony of your luxury tented room which offers a supreme level of comfort. With its own unique charm and character your spacious tent will provide everything you will need for a thoroughly enjoyable and relaxing stay, including a large en-suite bathroom and sumptuous furnishings.

No.5 Boutique Hotel, Entebbe

Nestled in the leafy suburbs of Entebbe you will find this stylish and tranquil boutique hotel. Perfect for guests seeking a relaxing stay with all the comforts of a luxurious guest house. With a welcoming outdoor swimming pool, a spa and wellness centre, a first-class restaurant offering one of the best dining experiences in Entebbe and fantastic hospitality, this is the ideal spot in which to relax before or after your exciting Uganda safari experience.

Elephant Plains Lodge, Queen Elizabeth NP

This brand-new luxury lodge is perched high upon the western escarpment of the Albertine rift in Queen Elizabeth National Park and boasts one of the most spectacular views in all of the area. Located just 2 minutes from the Park gate beside the beautiful lake Kikorongo, guests can delight in the stylish surroundings, first-class hospitality and stunning views of the equator monument and the surrounding wilderness where large numbers of elephants roam. This is the ideal base from which to discover the area’s enchanting wildlife populations.

Gorilla Forest Camp

Prepare yourself for an unforgettable experience as you immerse yourself in the heart of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, home to Uganda's endangered gorillas. Stay in one of only ten private luxury tents at Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp and revel in the ecologically responsible and contemporary yet classic style that seamlessly blends into the breathtaking African mountain landscape. With the unique location inside the national park, your gorilla trekking adventure is only moments away from your doorstep. Don't miss the chance of a lifetime to encounter these majestic creatures up close and personal.

Too much to choose from? This is where we come in

Take advantage of our vast experience, passion and expertise to help you hand craft the perfect Uganda adventure for you.

Simon Rowland Senior Travel Expert

With a lifetime of unforgettable nature and adventure based travel under his belt, Simon shares his passion, enthusiasm and hands-on experience to help create the perfect itinerary for every client.

Sally Nevitt Sales Team Leader

Sally pairs a real love of adventure travel with a natural gift for looking after people. She knows exactly what makes a trip unforgettable, and with her warmth and endless patience she'll guide you from your first enquiry right through to the moment you're safely home again.

Michael Gardiner Senior Travel Expert

Mike lives and breathes adventure travel and has a wealth of experience in some of the most exciting and inspirational destinations in the world. His expertise and first-hand experience afford him the skills to help build holidays to remember.

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Outside the uk
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Call us
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Ready to start planning youronce in a lifetime trip?

Call us - 0800 195 3385
Outside the uk? + 44 1625 5811 43
+ 44 1625 5811 43 Call us - 0800 195 3385

Chat Now

Fill in our
Enquiry form

Book Consultation

Book a
Consultation

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