9 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari Experience

Arrival at Entebbe Airport and Hotel Check-In for Relaxation

Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, a Otter African Safaris representative warmly welcomes you to Uganda. After introductions, you will be transferred to your hotel for a well-deserved rest following your 9 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari Experience journey. This first day is purposely designed to allow you time to settle, relax, and adjust to the new environment before the adventure begins. Entebbe town, located on the shores of Lake Victoria, offers a serene atmosphere with lush greenery, botanical gardens, and birdlife that give you a perfect first impression of Uganda’s natural beauty.

Depending on your arrival time, you may choose to relax at the hotel or take a short optional walk around the area. Some guests prefer to enjoy a sunset view over Lake Victoria or taste fresh local cuisine at nearby restaurants. Your accommodation is carefully selected to offer comfort, warm hospitality, and a refreshing environment that prepares you for the days ahead.

In the evening, your 9 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari Experience guide will brief you about the 9-day itinerary, ensuring that you are well-prepared and excited for the adventure. This introduction sets the tone for what promises to be a memorable journey. Dinner will be served at the hotel, and you will enjoy a peaceful night as you anticipate the thrilling wildlife encounters to come.

• Accommodation: Airport Guest House
• Meal Plan: Bed and Breakfast

Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park – Rhino Tracking and Hike to the Top of the Falls

After breakfast, the journey to Murchison Falls National Park begins, a scenic drive that offers glimpses of rural life, rolling hills, and scattered homesteads. The highlight of this day is a stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, the only place in Uganda where you can encounter rhinos in their natural environment. Here, you will embark on a guided walk to track rhinos on foot, an exhilarating experience that allows you to learn about conservation efforts to restore these endangered giants.

Afterward, you will continue to Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda’s largest conservation area and home to an incredible diversity of wildlife. Before checking into your lodge, you will visit the top of the falls, where the Nile River dramatically forces its way through a narrow gorge, creating one of the most powerful waterfalls in the world. The thunderous roar and mist rising from the crashing water form an awe-inspiring sight, perfect for photography and admiration.

Later, you will proceed to your lodge inside the park, surrounded by wilderness and offering a relaxing environment. The evening is yours to unwind, enjoy the sounds of the bush, and prepare for the next day’s adventures.

• Accommodation: Pakuba Safari Lodge
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Drinking Water

Adventure in Murchison Falls – Game Drives, Boat Cruise, and Photography

This day offers a full exploration of Murchison Falls National Park. After an early breakfast, you will embark on a morning game drive through the savannah-rich northern sector of the park. The plains teem with wildlife, and sightings may include elephants, buffaloes, lions, giraffes, Jackson’s hartebeests, waterbucks, and even elusive leopards if luck allows. The park’s diverse birdlife is equally remarkable, making it a paradise for birdwatchers and photographers.

In the afternoon, the adventure continues with a boat cruise along the Victoria Nile. As you glide on the calm waters, expect to see large schools of hippos, basking crocodiles, and elephants cooling off along the banks. Bird species such as kingfishers, fish eagles, and bee-eaters add vibrant color to the experience. The boat will take you to the base of Murchison Falls, providing yet another perspective of this natural wonder.

After the cruise, a short hike may be arranged for those interested in viewing the falls up close from a different angle. The combination of wildlife, scenic beauty, and raw natural power makes this day an absolute highlight of your 9 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari Experience.

• Accommodation: Pakuba Safari Lodge
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Drinking Water

Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park and Bigodi Swamp Walk

After breakfast, you will embark on a scenic road transfer to Kibale Forest National Park, a journey that showcases the beauty of Uganda’s countryside with its rolling hills, tea plantations, and picturesque villages. The drive provides an opportunity to appreciate Uganda’s lush green landscapes and rural culture.

Upon arrival, you will check in at your lodge and later head out for the Bigodi Swamp Walk, a community-based conservation project located near the forest. This walk introduces you to diverse wetland habitats, birdlife, and primates. Bigodi is particularly famous for sightings of the great blue turaco, among many other bird species, and it also supports monkeys such as red colobus and black-and-white colobus.

Beyond wildlife, the swamp walk allows you to interact with the local community, learn about their traditions, and appreciate how they coexist with the surrounding environment. It is both an educational and enriching experience that adds a cultural dimension to your primate safari.

• Accommodation: Turaco Treetops Lodge
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Drinking Water

Chimpanzee Tracking in Kibale and Afternoon Game Drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park

The day begins with chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest, the primate capital of East Africa. After a briefing by Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers, you will set out into the forest in search of these intelligent primates. The trek can last from 2 to 5 hours depending on their movement, and once located, you will spend an hour observing them. Watching chimpanzees interact, groom each other, or swing through the canopy is a deeply moving experience.

In the afternoon, you will drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park, where you will embark on an evening game drive. The park is known for its rich diversity, including elephants, lions, leopards, antelopes, and over 600 bird species. The Kasenyi plains are particularly rewarding for predators and grazers alike. Sunset across the vast savannah offers excellent photography opportunities.

• Accommodation: Aardvark Safari Lodge
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Drinking Water

Game Drives and Boat Cruise in Queen Elizabeth National Park

This day is dedicated to exploring Queen Elizabeth National Park in greater detail. Early in the morning, you will embark on a game drive across the park’s savannah plains, where lions and other predators are often active. The diverse habitats range from grasslands to wetlands, creating a sanctuary for varied wildlife.

In the afternoon, the 9 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari Experience adventure continues with a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel, a natural waterway linking Lake George and Lake Edward. The cruise offers one of the best opportunities to view hippos, buffaloes, and elephants along the shores, while countless bird species such as pelicans and cormorants thrive in the area. The calm pace of the boat safari allows for relaxed viewing and incredible photography.

• Accommodation: Aardvark Safari Lodge
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Drinking Water

Game Drive in Kasenyi Plains and Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

After breakfast, you will enjoy another game drive in the Kasenyi sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, famous for its predator-prey interactions. This morning drive maximizes your chances of spotting lions, leopards, and hyenas before continuing the journey to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

The drive takes you through beautiful landscapes, passing tea plantations, rolling hills, and villages, giving you a deeper appreciation of Uganda’s diverse terrain. By afternoon, you will arrive at Bwindi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its dense rainforest and as the home of the endangered mountain gorillas.

• Accommodation: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Drinking Water

Gorilla Trekking and Batwa Cultural Experience in Bwindi

This day marks the highlight of your 9 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari Experience —gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. After breakfast, you will gather at the park headquarters for a briefing on trekking rules and conservation. Led by experienced rangers, you will begin your trek through thick vegetation in search of a gorilla family. The trek can take from a few hours to a full day depending on their location.

Once you find the gorillas, you will spend an unforgettable hour observing their behavior. Witnessing these majestic primates up close in their natural habitat is a life-changing experience, offering deep insights into their family structure and survival in the wild.

In the afternoon, you will engage with the Batwa people, the forest’s original inhabitants. Their cultural dance, storytelling, and demonstrations of traditional forest survival skills provide a meaningful connection between wildlife and community heritage.

• Accommodation: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Drinking Water

Road Transfer Back to Entebbe – End of Safari

After breakfast, you will begin your return journey to Entebbe. The drive offers more scenic views of Uganda’s countryside, with chances to stop at the equator line for photographs and souvenirs. By afternoon, you will arrive in Entebbe for your international departure or hotel drop-off.

This marks the end of your 9 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari Experience with Otter African Safaris. The safari leaves you with unforgettable memories of Uganda’s wildlife, people, and landscapes a true adventure through the Pearl of Africa.

• Accommodation: None
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Drinking Water