The 13 Days Uganda Wildlife and Holiday Adventure Safari is an experiential safari that follow Uganda’s off-the-beaten circuit that lie in the little explored eastern region of the country. Uganda’s eastern region a hidden gem well known for its adventure activities, authentic cultural experiences and a stunning panoramic scenery. Well paced, the safari combines adventure and wildlife safari in Africa’s best wildness parks stoked with iconic game.
Overview
The 13 Days Uganda Wildlife and Holiday Adventure Safari will start you off at Jinja also the adventure capital of East Africa for an adrenaline-filled challenge; white water rafting on the Nile. We will continue the adventure to the western slopes of Mt. Elgon, to hike the scenic triple water falls formed on river Sipi on its down-ward voyage to Teso plains. While here, we will demonstrative coffee experience to learn of the origin and heritage of this popular cash crop.
From Mt. Elgon, we will transfer through the scenic Pian Upe reserve stopping only to take in the stunning views of the volcanic mountain ranges of Mt. Kadam and other rocky outcrops that dot the Karamoja semi-arid landscape. Coming on the foothills of Mt. Moroto, we will visit the manyatta community of the local Karamojong, a semi nomadic people that call this rugged landscape home. On a guided cultural tour, we will interact and get insights into their ancient traditions and lifestyle. Other optional adventure activities while here will include nature walks on the foothill of Mt.Moroto and biking through the amazing scenery.
Further on into the remote wildness savannas of Kidepo Valley National Park, enjoy the breathtaking scenery and soak into nature on slow-paced interpretive game drives, watching up-close the unique wildlife that roam these savannas while on guided nature walks, watch and listen to several interactions of life forms as it evolves.
In Murchison Falls NP, have extended wildlife interactions on game drives but also take a boat cruise safari to watch the spectacular natural wonder of Murchison Falls as the mighty Nile crushes through the escarpment wall to create the world most powerful waterfalls. Here, the Victoria Nile banks team with variety of birdlife, wildlife and other aquatic life. Further into Budongo Forest, trek along man’s closest cousin, the Chimpanzee within its natural environment. And on a return to Kampala, spend time on a guided nature walk close to the endangered rhino at Ziwa sanctuary to appreciate this second biggest land mammal and its ecological importance to the entire ecosystem.
Safari Highlights Include
- White water Rafting on the Nile
- Quad Riding
- Sipi Falls Hike and Coffee Experience
- Cycling and Cultural Experience with the Karamojong
- Wildlife game drives in Kidepo Valley NP
- Game drives and Boat-cruise onto the Murchison Falls
- Chimp tracking in Budongo forest
- Rhino walk at Ziwa.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Transfer and White water Rafting the at Jinja
On this first day, your driver-guide will pick you from your hotel at Entebbe or Kampala, driving east wards to the adventure capital of Jinja. The drive will pass through the beautiful rainforest of Mabira before crossing the Nile river and finally at the raft base. Here you will be received and served with coffee as the professional and safety guides take you through various rafting drills and instructions thereafter you will be led out for a full activity on the Nile.
With a full team of guides and other rafters, this adrenaline-thrilled activity takes on several rated rapids from grade 3-5 stretching several kilometers downstream the Nile and lasts between 5 and 6-hrs. Short breaks for snacks and drinks between the rapids is normal on this experience. At the end of challenge, more refreshments are served and thereafter transferred back the base camp. Later this evening we will drive to the source, where the Nile starts its long trek of more than 6500km to the Mediterranean and thereafter a drive through tour in the historical town of Jinja. Accommodation: Black Lantern, FB. Drive time: 3hrs
Day 2: Quad Biking and Transfer to Sipi
After a freshy breakfast we drive shortly for the start point for the Quad bike experience. We begin with safety brief and then be led out on several tracks that crisscross humble homesteads of a typical Ugandan rural settings. Activity will be about 2hrs and then transfer to our hotel for freshening up and a hot lunch, thereafter we transfer to Sipi on the far east of Uganda. Sipi village set on an altitude of 2750m is named after Sipi river that originate on the higher slopes of Mt. Elgon. Accommodation: Sipi River Lodge, FB
Day 3: Sipi triple Falls Hike and Coffee Experience
This morning after breakfast, we will be met by our community guide who will lead us on a triple water fall trek up stream river Sipi. The hike requires moderate fitness and begins near the second water fall that drop some 60m and hides the ancient rock cave that the local Sabiny community hold sacred, continuing to the top most water fall at 2980m and boasts some 87m drop. These slopes are inhabited by Sabiny tribe whose sacred traditions will be shared with us by your local community guide on the trek but also are high-altitude coffee growers.
We will then follow the river downstream to the main water fall dropping some 100m before we hike back to the car park and transfer to the hotel for lunch and refreshment. These fertile slopes grow Africa’s best coffee so in the evening we will visit one homestead, to learn and engage in ancient traditions of coffee growing, processing, brewing and even taste of a freshly brewed hot cup.
Here we also interact with the local Sabiny, learn about their traditions, dance and clap at their music before we head back for a lazy evening as we watch the sun setting over the flat plains of Teso below. Accommodation: Sipi River Lodge, FB
Day 4: Transfer to Moroto
This morning we transfer to Moroto through the expansive and Uganda’s biggest reserve Pian Upe. The drive then skirts around the wild Karamoja region, a sparsely inhabited dry scrub, thorny bush and rock mountain country with inselbergs dotting the semi-arid landscape stretching over the horizon as far as the eye can see. This remote region of Uganda is a typical wildness with variety of biodiversity rare anywhere in the region and ancient cultures. We arrive in the late afternoon and take a rest at the lodge. Accommodation: Karamoja Safari Lodge, FB
Day 5: Biking and Cultural Visit in Karamoja
After breakfast we will be led by community guides on a scenic biking tour to the base of Mt. Moroto. The tour will be about 4-hours trip to give us a wildness and rural biking experience passing through the humble communities of the near Nomadic Karamojong people with herds of goats and cows. In the evening we visit one community of the Karimojong to enjoy an evening together. Accommodation: Kara-tunga Lodge, FB
Day 6: Transfer to Kidepo Valley NP
Today we set off early to transfer to Kidepo Valley National Park. The road trip from Moroto to Kidepo is the most scenic stretch anywhere in the country characterized by jagged mountain ranges, inselberg-dotted semi-arid plains and colorful Karimojong homesteads. Scenic lunch will be on the road, arriving at Kidepo park southern gate of Nataba in time for a late afternoon wildlife drive, where we hope to encounter several game. Accommodation: Kidepo Savanna Lodge, FB
Day 7 – 9: Game Drives and Nature excursion around Kidepo
For these next two-days will slow down pace to explore this true wildness of Kidepo park, the most unique wildness park in the country. This remote and little visited park is a true gem with diverse habitats within this third largest park in Uganda. The eco-system is a Somali-Masai biome type, characterized by dry scrub and thornbush but also grassland and woodland dominate. Several mountain ranges and rivers provide life to the several wildlife and birds not seen anywhere in Uganda.
The rich checklist to look out for include; Lesser and Greater Kudu, Bat-eared Fox, Guthers Dik-dik, even the Cheater. The usual list includes the proud black-maned Lion prides famous for sitting out on raised kopjes that dot the landscape, Leopard, Elephant, herds of African Buffalo, Nubian Giraffe, Spotted Hyena, Side-striped Jackal, Jackson’s Hartebeest and other small angulates.
Patas and Vervet are the commonly encountered primates on drives even around several lodges. The spectacular scenery is unmatched anywhere we know in Uganda…miles of grasslands hemmed in by mountain ranges, rocky outcrops dotting the plains, woodland interspersed with golden grasslands, the people spectacular!! Accommodation: Kidepo Savanna Lodge, FB
Day 10: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park
Today, we set off early leaving the beautiful land of Karamoja, to drive westwards through the flat lands of Acholi. We will stop to have lunch in Gulu town then we transfer to our accommodation overlooking the Albert Nile within the Murchison Falls National Park. We will have a lazy evening to watch the sunset over the West Nile mountains at the lodge. Accommodation: Pakuba Lodge, FB
Day 11: Game drive and Boat Cruises on the Nile and Falls hike
After an early breakfast we head out for drive into the wildness, targeting herds of Nubian Giraffe this park is the last stronghold of these diminishing species, Lions and Leopard are seen, Jackson’s Hartebeest, Uganda Kob, Waterbuck, Elephants and Buffalo. After lunch we take a boat cruise upstream the Nile towards the Murchison falls.
The spectacular sight of the Murchison falls in incredible below as the-two-kilometer wide mighty Nile bursts through a 7m wide rock crack before quietly and peaceful flowing into L. Albert. At the bottom of the falls, you will disembark the boat to hike along the Nile river and appreciate the full view water falls (they are actually two water falls here) and feel the sheer force of water as it rumbles through the 40m long canyon. Your guide will be waiting for you at the car park just above the viewing point to transfer you to the accommodation. Accommodation: Sambiya River Lodge, FB
Day 12: Chimpanzee Tracking Experience
This morning, we meet the rangers at the trek trailhead, where after a short brief on conservation efforts and safety, you will be led towards where a chimpanzee family would be feeding at. This Budongo forest is the largest intact block in East Africa and known for various tree species up to 300 in number including the century old slow-maturing Mahogany and other iron wood species. Various butterflies, snakes and special birds are encountered on the trek and the knowledgeable guides are usually at hand to point out some of them.
Other species of monkeys encountered include, Blue Monkey, Grey-cheecked mangabey, Red-tailed and Guereza monkey. At locating the chimps, you get to spend a full hour following them as they forage, watching interactions and observing social behavior in this complex society of this endangered primate. The experience takes anywhere between 3-6 hours depending on where the troops are feeding even the weather of the day. After trekking we drive out Ziwa Sanctuary for accommodation. Accommodation: Amuka Lodge, FB
Day 13: Walk with Rhinos at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and a transfer to Kampala
This morning we head out for a nature walk along the rhinos on the sanctuary. Here, a breeding program is underway with hopes to re-introduce the once abundant species that roamed these woodlands, a last Ugandan record was shot in 1982. This vast protected sanctuary has diverse habitats ranging from wooded grasslands, swamp and flooded grasslands a typical natural setting for the species to live freely as in the wild. A two-hour walk in the wild gives one insights of these heavily poached species.
But the sights, freshness and sounds within this wildness is rewarding. Bushbuck, African Hare, Bush Duiker and Vervet monkey and a healthy checklist of birds are encountered on the walk. We head out to our hotel for refreshing and early lunch before we drive to Entebbe. Accommodation: Airport View House. Transfer for a late flight shall be organized by the hotel.
13 Day Wilderness and Holiday Adventure Safari include
- A 4-WD car with a Nature-guide driver
- All accommodations mentioned
- All activities mentioned
- All boat fees
- All park entrances
- Chimp tracking Permit
- Bottled Mineral water
13 Day Wilderness and Holiday Adventure Safari exclude
- Items of personal nature
- Flights to and from Uganda
- Travel insurance
- Other activities other than mentioned
- Drinks and meals other than mentioned