Uganda From Up Close: Africa’s Most Diverse Safari Itinerary

Admire Uganda from the air as you fly north to Murchison Falls National Park, a light aircraft taking you across hundreds of empty miles. You follow the curves of the River Nile, appreciating how it brings green colors to a landscape that is mostly dominated by rustic red tones. Touch down and the safari starts immediately, elephants and giraffes are among those regularly seen close to the airstrip. The aerial perspective is complemented by a view from the water, a boat safari taking you along the River Nile. The boat safari takes you to Murchison Falls itself, where the Nile is constricted into a seven-meter-wide crash of tumbling water. You will then cruise back to the lodge, inspecting the buffalo herds that may come for a drink, or possibly spotting hundreds of Ugandan kob tentatively sipping next to a clearing. The afternoon provides a choice of safari activities, allowing you to explore on a game drive or to choose a walking safari. Both provide exceptional first impressions of the East African savanna, one that’s home to four of the continent’s famed Big Five.

Today, a game drive will bring you closer to Africa's wildlife. You will keep your eyes open for big herds of elephants, and sometimes the driver may stop, a herd of elephants or buffalo blocking the trail. Lucky guests can cross into the open savanna to find a healthy pride of lions a short distance away. The cats might stare back at you or circle the vehicle before wandering off to the water. Drives are the main part of today’s itinerary, but there is flexibility, and you can also include boat and walking safaris. Nighttime game drives are available at this national park, and there is a sense of rawness to the experience. The animals are not used to encountering vehicles after dark, and they react very naturally. When you see lions or buffalo beneath the moonlight, you get to really feel how big and impressive they are. Elephants stamp their feet, herds of antelope can be heard galloping, and the roving spotlight picks out big cats more easily. You could spot new animals as well, particularly small nocturnal predators emerging from their burrows, providing something different from the drives in the day.

After a relaxed morning, you drive west, winding along rugged roads toward the volcanoes and forests of Uganda’s western frontier. Kibale Forest is vastly different than the savanna of Queen Elizabeth, an entirely new cast of animals found beneath the thick canopy. Owl-faced monkeys hide in the canopy, grey-cheeked mangabeys are seen on the walking trails, and you could hear the 700-strong colobus monkey troops long before you see them. This forest is home to 13 primate species, mostly contrived of species from the Congo Basin. After lunch, you will walk through the forest, where you are likely to encounter six or seven of the forest’s primate species; seeing the huge colobus monkey troops feels like something from a dream.

Today, you will walk in search of the different primates of Kibale. You may discover L’Hoest’s monkeys and Uganda mangabeys. Bushbuck and blue duikers skip past, and there is a great chance that you will spot the forest-dwelling sitatunga. Several habituated chimpanzee troops occupy this forest, and it is likely you will encounter several. They jump around, nimbly connecting the trees of the upper canopy. Some descend to ground level, inspecting travelers with their emotive eyes. Chimpanzees always create a sense of intimacy, as you notice the many similarities they share with you. Toes curl, fingers grasp at trees, and faces say so much without uttering a word. You may spend an hour with a troop, watching them go about their day, admiring the social structure they display.

Drive south, leaving the forest behind and returning to the dusty yellow colors of the savanna. Queen Elizabeth is Uganda’s most visited big-game park, a land where predators thrive, and you are continually surrounded by the drama of the wild. Today, a boat safari along the Kazinga Channel is another chance to explore life along Africa’s waterways. On the afternoon game drive, you might discover that these lions are different from elsewhere. They climb the trees; whole prides draped across the branches with an uninterrupted view over the savanna. They are far from the only predator here, and you could also follow the antics of hyenas, circling vultures, and the elusive predatory steps of a leopard. Best of all, these encounters are all connected. Every animal is interacting, and there is a chance of seeing battles between predator and prey, along with quarrels among the predators. Sometimes you are close enough to watch an impish jackal trying to steal a meal from a lion pride, or two hyenas snarling and crackling with menace.

There are many angles to Uganda’s flagship savanna and this safari day is left flexible, enabling you to create an itinerary based on your interests. You could follow herds of kob and zebra on a walking safari, keep tracking the big cats on a game drive, or feel the atmospheric tension on a boat safari at dawn. When night falls, you continue the adventure; a nighttime game drive helps you encounter the full range of savanna wildlife. The array of activities helps Queen Elizabeth feel like multiple parks, each with its own ambiance. It is always special to encounter an elephant, but the large mammals seem much bigger when you view them from the water. And even when an elephant is far away, it seems larger than anything when you are on foot.

The land journey to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is one of the finest in Africa, first crossing a vast savanna of tree-climbing lions and large herds of Ugandan kob you could be lucky to find. It is a game drive, stopping to see the wildlife en route. There is a soft national park boundary, and you might continue to see animals after leaving the park as the road winds alongside an increasingly imposing collection of volcanic peaks. Arrive in the gorillas’ realm for lunch, followed by a free afternoon at the lodge. After all the recent safari adventures, this relaxed afternoon helps ensure you are fully prepared for the next two days of gorilla trekking.

The gorillas are the ultimate natural highlight in this country of endangered wildlife. The troop seems to greet you, all the gorillas stopping to return your gaze. They are looking at you, with eyes full of intensity, and their faces subtly display emotion. Then the gorillas relax and return to their day, eating from the branches, pulling down trees, gnawing at the bark, and playfully communicating. Infants are nurtured by their mothers while bulky young males cower at a single glance from the silverback. Some sit back and lounge in the green, content in a state of repose. Others wander on two legs, the upright stance a majestic show of power. Almost all of them are seen walking on four knuckles, the back curved, the shoulders bulging impressively. You will spend a whole hour with a wild mountain gorilla troop, enjoying the intensity and intimacy of every moment. You will feel as though you are much closer to them than the permitted seven-meter proximity.

Every gorilla troop is different. And so is every gorilla trek. This morning you walk to another gorilla family, comparing their behavior with everything you witnessed yesterday. Deep-set black eyes provide the endearing welcome, arms are waved and gestures are made, then you look up to find two gorillas jumping through the trees above your head. You don’t just see them. You smell them and you hear them, notably when a silverback beats on his chest or an infant yelps when crashing out of a tree. Gorilla trekking is too unique to do just once. There is always too much to take in, from the thrilling first encounter to the moments spent focusing on one particularly gorilla. With a second trek, you not only see a different troop but also get double the time to savor the atmosphere of being in the wild with the world’s biggest primates.

Descending from the forest, you drive along the south of Uganda, returning to the ochre and green-colored landscapes. Lake Mburo is the prettiest of all the country’s parks, with lush habitats stretching out from a picture-perfect central lake. The predators are not seen here, which opens up the opportunity to walk deep into the bush. On the afternoon walking safari, you explore places that vehicles can’t penetrate, tracking zebra and different antelopes into their grazing pastures. There are no barriers and no interruption to your immersion, every few steps taking you deeper into the world of the animals. The animals do not run. They stop and stare, facing you down from across the grass. Every sound is appreciated, from the rumble of hoofs to the rustling of zebra couples. Smells change and with them, you notice the change in atmosphere. Experiences like this are a great way to explore the details, and they are the real specialty of Lake Mburo National Park.

Walking safaris can bring you close to zebras, herds of buffalo, and other endemic creatures. When you see impala and eland, you can get closer, a horseback safari allowing you to ride amongst the herds. Down at the lake, you may canter past dozens of bathing hippos, while out on the plains, jackals and warthogs scurry about. You are just another mammal now, the horseback adventure allowing you to see the park at its most authentic. Horseback safaris can cater to all levels of rider, although beginners will be restricted to a walking pace. More experienced riders can canter and sometimes gallop with the herds, an exhilarating connection with the wildlife. It is also possible to swap the horseback safari for a walking safari or a game drive today.

Rise early for a final safari activity, a dawn expedition with the hopes of finding hippos out of the water and antelope herds on the move. Then drive back to Entebbe, a five-hour journey that is punctuated by a stop for lunch at a local town en route. Returning to the capital, you have a final afternoon along Lake Victoria, with the option for a boat cruise to some of the lake’s islands. After all the safari adventures, you may prefer to relax at the lodge and watch the sunset from your veranda.

After a relaxed morning, you are transferred to the airport for your international departure. Enjoy a late checkout and full use of the hotel’s facilities before your airport transfer.