Our 17 days Uganda Kenya safari tour is a combined tour to the ‘Pearl of Africa’ and ‘Magical Kenya.’ During this safari, you will get to track mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, do game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park and Murchison Falls National Park, rhino trekking at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and go whitewater rafting on the Nile River in Jinja. You will then fly to Kenya where you will enjoy undisturbed game drives in Amboseli National Park and Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Highlights for 17 Days Uganda Kenya Safari Tour.
Day 1: Pickup and Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable national park – Optional Batwa community tour
Day 2: Gorilla trekking experience
Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park via Ishasha sector and afternoon boat cruise
Day 4: Morning game drive and transfer to Kibale national park
Day 5: Chimpanzee Trekking – Bigodi Swamp
Day 6: Transfer to Murchison falls national park – top of the falls hike
Day 7: Morning Game drive and launch cruise
Day 8: Ziwa rhino tracking – transfer to Jinja
Day 9: Full day Nile rafting experience and evening boat trip on Lake Victoria
Day 10: Transfer to Entebbe – Fly to Kenya (Own booked flight)
Day 11: Transfer to Amboseli national park
Day 12: Full day game drive – Amboseli national park
Day 13: Transfer to Lake Nakuru national park
Day 14: Full day game drive
Day 15: Transfer to Masai Mara national reserve – Community tour
Day 16: Full day game drive in Maasai Mara
17: Drive to Nairobi and Departure
Detailed Itinerary for 17 Days Uganda Kenya Safari Tour.
Day 1: Pickup and Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable national park – Optional Batwa community tour
On day 1 of the 17 Days Uganda Kenya Safari Tour, your driver guide will pick you up from your hotel in Kampala or Entebbe and transfer to one of the sectors of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. It’s about 9-10 hours’ drive to Buhoma sector of Bwindi forest. Upon arrival, check-in, have lunch and later afternoon, connect to optional Batwa community for a cultural tour. Dinner and overnight stay at your lodge in Bwindi.
Day 2: Gorilla trekking experience
Enjoy early morning breakfast and transfer to the park headquarters with your packed lunch for briefing by the ranger guides and later head into the forest for your trek. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi takes 2 to 8 hours depending on the movement of the gorillas. These primates roam the park freely and there is no way of telling where they will be for a particular day. On finding them, you will be allowed 1 hour to view and take photos of these gentle primates, enjoy your lunch packs and meet your driver / guide and transfer back to your lodge.
Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park via Ishasha sector and afternoon boat cruise
After breakfast early in the morning, transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park which is about 4-5 hours’ drive via Ishasha sector for an opportunity to spot the tree climbing lions and en-route lunch. Proceed further to the park and connect for the afternoon launch cruise along Kazinga channel where you will get an opportunity to see a number of bird species, elephants and buffalos, hippos and crocodiles at the lakeshores. Thereafter, connect to your lodge for relaxation. Dinner and overnight stay at The Bush Lodge for budget/Elephant Hub Lodge for mid-range
Day 4: Morning game drive and transfer to Kibale national park
You will wake up early and head out for a morning game drive to catch up with the early risers. Explore the Kasenyi sector – a known mating ground for kobs and a hunting ground for lions. While on the game drive, expect to see some of the big four game including lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, also different species of antelopes, warthogs and white Colobus monkeys just to mention a few.
After the game drive, transfer to Kibale national park with en-route Crater Lake tours exploring the crater lakes. Proceed to your booked lodge for check-in, dinner and overnight stay at Isunga lodge for budget/Chimpanzee Forest Lodge for mid-range
Day 5: Chimpanzee Trekking – Bigodi Swamp
Wake up early and drive to Kibale Forest to the briefing point before you head in the forest in search of the exuberant Chimpanzees groups in the Kibale forest. Tracking chimpanzees in their natural habitat as they swing from the branches in the canopy high above the forest floor, is a thrilling experience. Though they can be difficult to spot, you will be in no doubt of their presence as the forest is alive with their noisy calls. Spend an hour in their presence. After trekking, go for a swamp walk in Bigodi swamp – one of the richest swamps with birds and primates like Baboons, red-tailed monkey, Black and white monkey among others. Diner and overnight at lodge as above
Day 6: Transfer to Murchison falls national park – top of the falls hike
After breakfast, check-out of the lodge and transfer to Murchison Falls National Park. It’s a 6-7 hours’ drive with en-route lunch. Entebbe the park via the Kichumbanyobo gate from Masindi town, connect to the top of the Murchison falls, explore the falls before you proceed to check-in at your lodge to rest. Dinner and overnight stay at Pakuba Safari lodge for mid-range/Parkside Safari Lodge for budget
Day 7: Morning Game drive and launch cruise
Early morning breakfast and then go for a morning game drive where you may spot various animal species like lions, leopards, hyena, elephants, giraffes, Uganda kobs among others. Return and have lunch.
Later afternoon, you set off for a launch cruise at the bottom of the Murchison Falls along River Nile, enjoy streaming views of hippo and serried ranges of crocodile along the sandbanks, as well as large numbers of different species getting down to drink & bathe. Return to your lodge with en-route game viewing. Dinner and overnight at lodge as the above
Day 8: Ziwa rhino tracking – transfer to Jinja
After breakfast, transfer to Ziwa rhino sanctuary for your on-foot rhino tracking experience. You will receive a briefing and then track rhinos for about 1-2 hours’ drive. Embark on your journey back to Jinja with en-route lunch in Kampala. Upon arrival at afternoon, check-in at your booked hotel for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 9: Full day Nile rafting experience and evening boat trip on Lake Victoria
After breakfast, connect for a briefing about water rafting experience before you start. You will be provided with rafting requirement and a guide for the experience. Rafting is a whole fun day activity. Later, evening, connect to the Source of River Nile where you will take a boat trip to the source of Nile River and Lake Victoria. Return to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above
Day 10: Transfer to Entebbe – Fly to Kenya (Own booked flight)
Depending on your departure flight, after breakfast, embark on your drive back to Entebbe through the beautiful countryside with ne-route lunch. Upon arrival in Entebbe, you will be dropped off at at Entebbe international airport for your onward flight.
Upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta airport, you will be met by your safari guide to connect to your booked hotel in Nairobi city. Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Nairobi.
Day 11: Transfer to Amboseli national park
After breakfast, check-out of the hotel; meet by your guide to transfer to Amboseli national park. It’s a 5-6 hours’ drive with en-route lunch. Amboseli National Park is famous for its scenery with a close view of snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro, which dominates the landscape, and open plains.
Arrive at late afternoon with more game drive as you drive to your lodge. Animals like the well-known predators and their opponents like the Zebra, Wildebeest, Giraffe, hippo with a view of Mt Kilimanjaro may be spotted. Later Dinner and overnight at your lodge or camp.
Day 12: Full day game drive – Amboseli national park
Have breakfast and explore Amboseli. The park is famous for being the best place in Africa to get close to free-ranging elephants among other wildlife species. Other attraction of the park includes opportunities to meet the Maasai people and also offers spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest free-standing mountain in the world. Dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above
Day 13: Transfer to Lake Nakuru national park
After breakfast, meet your safari driver will pick you up to start your journey to Lake Nakuru National Park. You will first explore Nairobi city visiting the Elephant orphanage or the Giraffe center and the Karen Museum. Have en-route lunch as you connect to Lake Nakuru national park, which is about 4-5 hours’ drive. Upon arrival late afternoon, check-in at your booked lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 14: Full day game drive
After breakfast, connect for game drive in the park. Lake Nakuru is known for its large masses of flamingo birds, other birds to be seen include; the African fish Eagle, Tawny Eagle, Green Wood Hoopoes, Cliff Chat, Great White, and Pink Backed Pelicans plus other intra- African Migrants. Its home to the famous black and white rhinos. Also, expect to see animals like the lions, leopards, hyenas, and different antelope species and explore the park’s wildlife spotting animals like the black and white rhinos, buffaloes, giraffes, impalas, and zebras. Return to the lodge for dinner and Overnight stay at lodge as above
Day 15: Transfer to Masai Mara national reserve – Community tour
Wake up early, enjoy breakfast and check-out and transfer to transfer to Masai Mara Game Reserve the unspoiled Savannah. It’s about 4-5 hours’ drive, Masai Mara is actually the northern portion of the Great Plains ecosystem in neighbouring Tanzania bordering Serengeti national park.
Upon arrival, you will head to the Maasai village/Masai Loita Hills for a cultural experience. On this experience you will enjoy getting a deeper insight into the Maasai culture by interacting with the local Maasai people, be entertained by local dancers, drama and Maasai warriors; buy local Maasai items such as local Maasai Shukas, beautifully made accessories such as necklaces and earrings and taste local cuisines. Proceed to check-in at your lodge with en-route game viewing, dinner and overnight stay.
Day 16: Full day game drive in Maasai Mara
Wake up early in the morning, have breakfast and grab your packed lunch and meet your safari driver to head to the plains of Maasai Mara for a full day adventure in this stunning savannah vegetation of Masai Mara as you watch many animals in large numbers such as lions, elephants, cheetahs, leopards, wildebeests, zebras and many more. You will enjoy your picnic lunch and proceed for a game drive till the sun goes down. In the evening you will head back to your lodge, have dinner and stay overnight at lodge as above
Optional activity; Hot air balloon – Wake early and be picked up by the air balloon team for your hot air balloon safari which starts in the early morning, just in time for sunrise. For about one hour you will be floating peacefully above the ground, with a bird’s eye view of the African bush below. The capacity for this activity is limited making this a very special and exclusive experience. Breakfast will be provided and thereafter connect back to the lodge.
17: Drive to Nairobi and Departure
After having your breakfast, you will enjoy one last game drive as you exit the park and drive back to Nairobi. You will have lunch enroute and drop off will be at a hotel of your choice or Jomo Kenyatta international airport in case you have a flight out of Nairobi.
End of 17 Days Uganda and Kenya Safari Tour!
