19 Days Best of Uganda Safari

Arrive at Entebbe International Airport and be warmly welcomed by your Matrix Safaris representative. Transfer to your hotel in Kampala or Entebbe for overnight.

Early morning boat safari on Mabamba Swamp — one of the best places in Africa to spot the prehistoric Shoebill Stork in its natural papyrus habitat. Return to Kampala for a city tour covering key cultural and historical sites. Overnight in Kampala.

After breakfast, drive east to Jinja to visit the Source of the Nile and the Mahatma Gandhi memorial. Continue to Sipi Falls for overnight.

A full day at Sipi Falls on the slopes of Mount Elgon. Trek through three spectacular waterfalls along the Sipi River with panoramic views of the Karamoja valley. Join a coffee tour to learn about and personally experience the cultivation, drying, and processing of world-renowned Bugisu Arabica Coffee — grown at 1,600–1,900 m altitude and considered one of the finest coffees in the world. Overnight at your lodge (full board).

A long but rewarding drive north (approx. 700 km from Kampala) to Kidepo Valley — Uganda's most remote and magnificent national park, cradled between the borders of Sudan and Kenya. Kidepo hosts 77 mammal species and 475 bird species in a spectacular semi-arid valley landscape. Overnight in Kidepo NP (full board).

Morning nature walk, then a mid-morning game drive in search of elephants, zebras, giraffes, lions, leopards, cheetahs (rare in Uganda), large buffalo herds, warthogs, Jackson's Hartebeest, Roan Antelope, Eland, Waterbuck, and Oribi. Kidepo also boasts Uganda's highest concentration of endemic birds including the Ostrich, Kori Bustard, Pygmy Falcon, and Bateleur Eagle. Overnight in Kidepo NP (full board).

Early morning game drive, then in the afternoon visit a Karimojong community for a cultural tour. The Karimojong are Uganda's most iconic pastoralist people; spend a memorable evening learning about their way of life, beliefs, and traditions. Overnight in Kidepo NP (full board).

Drive west to Murchison Falls National Park — Uganda's largest conservation area (3,893 sq km), home to 76 mammal species and 451 bird species. Enjoy an afternoon game drive on arrival. Overnight in Murchison Falls NP (full board).

Early morning game drive across the rolling savannah — lions, leopard, hyena, buffalo, elephants, giraffes, Uganda Kob, and spectacular birds including the Secretary Bird and Carmine Bee-Eater. In the afternoon, take the iconic Nile boat trip to Murchison Falls where the Nile thunders through a 7-metre gap, plunging 43 metres. Huge crocodiles, pods of hippos, and hundreds of bird species line the banks. Overnight in Murchison Falls NP (full board).

Early morning transfer to Kibale Forest NP — Africa's greatest chimpanzee habitat, with 13 primate species and over 375 bird species. Overnight near Kibale (full board).

After an early breakfast, head to Kibale Forest park headquarters for a briefing, then enter the forest to track habituated chimpanzees. Also look for grey-cheeked mangabeys, L'Hoest's monkeys, bush babies, and golden monkeys. In the afternoon, visit Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary for a swamp walk rich in birds and primates. Overnight near Kibale (full board).

After breakfast, drive south to Queen Elizabeth NP — one of the world's most biodiverse game parks. Arrive for lunch and enjoy a late afternoon game drive with views of the park's elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks, lions, and more. Overnight in Queen Elizabeth NP (full board).

Very early morning game drive to see the dawn activity of lions, solitary buffaloes, Uganda Kob, and elephants. Return for breakfast, then take the famous afternoon boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel — malachite kingfishers, pink-backed pelicans, crocodiles, elephants, and some of the largest concentrations of hippos in Africa. Overnight in Queen Elizabeth NP (full board).

Drive to the remote Ishasha sector — home to Queen Elizabeth's famous tree-climbing lions, a unique behaviour found in only a handful of places in Africa. Game drive in Ishasha. Overnight in Ishasha (full board).

Drive south-west to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, passing through rolling terraced hills. Check in at your lodge and rest in preparation for gorilla trekking. Overnight in Bwindi (full board).

A day to rest or explore optional activities in Bwindi: nature walk to a waterfall, community visit, or birding walk in the forest. Overnight in Bwindi (full board).

After an early breakfast, transfer to park headquarters for briefing then trek into the mist forest with expert rangers. Gorilla trekking may take 2–8 hours. One hour with a mountain gorilla family in Bwindi is one of the most profound wildlife experiences on earth. In the afternoon, visit a Batwa community to learn about the indigenous hunter-gatherers who once called these forests home. Overnight in Bwindi (full board).

After breakfast, drive east to Lake Mburo National Park — Uganda's most accessible park — for a thrilling game drive with large herds of zebra, impala, eland, buffalo, and excellent birding. Overnight in Lake Mburo NP (full board).

Early morning transfer back to Kampala and Entebbe International Airport for your flight home.