This ultimate African adventure through the Pearl of Africa shows Uganda in its purest, wildest, and most spectacular form. The 16-Day Uganda Primates, Culture & Wildlife Safari is carefully designed for travellers who want more than a vacation. It is a journey into the soul of Africa combining world-class wildlife encounters, authentic cultural experiences, breathtaking landscapes, and unforgettable adventures. From the untamed wilderness of Kidepo Valley National Park to the thunderous power of Murchison Falls, from the chimpanzees of Kibale Forest to the legendary mountain gorillas of Bwindi, every day delivers a new masterpiece. Welcome to the adventure of a lifetime.
DAY 1: Arrival in Uganda – The Pearl of Africa
The moment you land at Entebbe International Airport, your African dream begins. Amethyst Wild Safaris professional safari guide will welcome you and transfer you to your selected nice hotel where you can relax after your journey. The hotel is nestled in a serene and secure location to offer you perfect blend of comfort, luxury, and authentic Ugandan hospitality. Hotels have spacious and elegantly furnished rooms equipped with comfortable beds, en-suite bathrooms, air conditioning or fans, complimentary Wi-Fi, satellite television, and private balconies overlooking beautifully landscaped gardens to give stunning natural scenery. You will receive a detailed safari briefing and prepare for the extraordinary days ahead.
Meal plan- Dinner will be provided with drinks (other drinks not included)
Accommodation. You will choose your accommodation for the first two days
Budget– Pineapple Guest House /Via Via Guesthouse
Midrange-Papyrus Guest House/ Malakai Eco Lodge
Luxury-Hotel No5/ Latitude 0 Hotel
Day 2: Discover Uganda Your Way
You will wake up at leisure and enjoy a relaxed introduction to Uganda. You will choose from a variety of optional experiences which include; Kampala City Tour, Entebbe botanical gardens, local cultural experiences, traditional Ugandan cuisine, craft markets & historical sites. This day will allow you to settle into the rhythm of Africa before your grand adventure begins.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner – meals are served with drinks and water ( other drinks are excluded)
Day 3: Rhino Trekking & Journey To Northern Uganda
Today marks the beginning of your wildlife expedition. You will travel to north through Uganda’s spectacular countryside before arriving at the renowned Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.
Accompanied by expert rangers, you will track endangered white rhinos on foot through their natural habitat feeling the thrill of standing only meters away from these magnificent giants. After this experience, then continue your journey to Gulu, the gateway to Northern Uganda.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation – Boma Hotel Gulu
DAY 4: Enter Africa’s Last Great Wilderness,
Destination Kidepo Valley National Park is widely regarded as one of Africa’s most beautiful and least-explored wildlife destinations.it is remote. untouched and extraordinary. The park is the third biggest park after Queen Elizabeth National Park with a variety of animals. Arrival will be in the afternoon where you will check into your lodge, have lunch and after an exciting evening game drive through the famous Narus Valley. This part has high concentration of animals due to the presence of a permanent water source the Narus River. While on the drive expect to see lions, leopards,cheetahs, giraffes,zebras,ostriches,buffaloes, elephants,hundreds of bird species and so on.
As the sun sets across the vast golden plains, you will understand why Kidepo is considered Uganda’s hidden safari gem.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner -all meals include drinks and water but other drinks are excluded
Accommodation
Budget- Kidepo Savannah Lodge(Budget Tent)/ Apoka Rest Camp
Midrange-Rwakobo Rock/Arcadia Lodges Mburo
Luxury-Mihingo Lodge/ Kigambira Safari Lodge
DAY 5: Full Day Safari in Kidepo Valley
This day you will spend the day exploring one of Africa’s last truly wild landscapes. You will have an early breakfast, you will travel deep into the park’s remote northern regions where dramatic scenery and exceptional wildlife encounters awaits if the weather allows. This area tends to be much drier than in the Narus Valley side and also the vegetation is different. Here expect to encounter massive buffalo herds, ostriches, zebras, elephants, predators on the Hunt, rare birdlife.
Later, embark on an unforgettable guided safari walk and experience Africa from ground level under the guidance of an expert game ranger where every footprint tells a story and every sound sparks excitement. He will tell you more about Kidepo fauna and also flora.You will excellently enjoy Kidepo landscape as it is Kidepo is christened, Africa’s most picturesque park.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Meal plan; Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation
Budget- Kidepo Savannah Lodge (Budget Tent)/ Apoka Rest Camp
Midrange-Rwakobo Rock/Arcadia Lodges Mburo
Luxury-Mihingo Lodge/ Kigambira Safari Lodge
Day 6: Wilderness Walking Safari
After breakfast will start another spectacular day in Kidepo awaits. You will explore hidden corners of the park inaccessible by vehicle and immerse yourself in one of the continent’s most pristine ecosystems. The dramatic landscapes alone make Kidepo worth the journey and wildlife makes it unforgettable.
Meal plan; Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodation
Budget- Kidepo Savannah Lodge (Budget Tent)/ Apoka Rest Camp
Midrange-Rwakobo Rock/Arcadia Lodges Mburo
Luxury-Mihingo Lodge/ Kigambira Safari Lodge
Day 7: Karamojong cultural experience & Murchison Falls
Before leaving Kidepo, visit a traditional Karamojong village, after morning breakfast. , you drive to Lorukul cultural village where you will get a glimpse into the Karimajong culture. The cultural highlights to enjoy will include traditional homesteads, ancient customs livestock-based lifestyle, traditional dances, and authentic community interactions. The Karimajong are known for having resisted modernization for a long time. They are pastoralists and you will know how important animals are to their day-to-day life. You will gain rare insight into one of Africa’s most fascinating pastoral cultures. Afterward, continue south to the legendary Murchison Falls National Park. You will have a stop in Gulu town to have lunch.
Meal plan -Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation
Budget-Hornbill Bush Lodge/ Mama Washindi Lodge
Midrange-Pakuba Safari Lodge/Fort Murchison Camp
Luxury-Paraa Safari Lodge/ Murchison River Lodge
DAY 8: Big Game Safari & Nile River Cruise
Today delivers one of Uganda’s greatest safari experiences. After having breakfast, you are to have a morning game drive in search for lions, giraffes, elephants, hyenas, buffaloes, waterbucks, leopards
In the afternoon, you will have an afternoon Nile Boat Safari where you will cruise toward the base of the thunderous Murchison Falls while witnessing giant Nile crocodiles, massive hippo pods, warthogs, elephants at the water’s edge, buffaloes, oribis,extraordinary birdlife. This park is also home to over 350 bird species. You are advised to wear a hat and insect repellent to avoid bites of insects. This is wildlife viewing at its absolute best.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation
Budget-Hornbill Bush Lodge/ Mama Washindi Lodge
Midrange-Pakuba Safari Lodge/Fort Murchison Camp
Luxury-Paraa Safari Lodge/ Murchison River Lodge
Day 9: Travel to Top of Murchison Falls & Kibale Forest
You will then hike with your guide to the top of the falls to see how the Victoria Nile plunges over 45 meters over the Remnant rift valley wall thus creating the amazing Murchison Falls. You will also be able to see the rainbow that appears on the top of the falls no matter what time of the day. We then drive to our lodge to relax
You will hike the iconic top of the Falls to watch in awe as the mighty Nile squeezes through a narrow seven-meter gorge before exploding 45 meters below over the Remnant rift valley thus creating the amazing Murchison Falls. You will hear the sound, see the power, mist and rainbow. An unforgettable spectacle. Then you continue to Kibale Forest National Park, Africa’s primate capital.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 10: Chimpanzee Trekking Adventure
Today you will wake up to Kyanyanchu Park headquarters in Kibale Forest for a briefing to meet humanity’s closest relatives.After a briefing from experienced rangers, you will enter Kibale’s lush rainforest in search of wild chimpanzees.The moment you hear their calls echo through the forest is electrifying. Having encountered them, you will enjoy a full hour observe them feeding, grooming, playing, and communicating in their natural habitat and then return to your lodge to relax.
In the afternoon you have an optional to go to Bigodi Wetland experience to explore one of Uganda’s richest ecosystems and discover colobus monkeys, vervet Monkeys,rare Birds and beautiful wetland scenery. This is also a ramsar site for bird watchers. species to see include the African fish Eagles, kingfishers, herons and many more
Meal plan – Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Budget-Kiable Forest Camp/Rwenzori View
Midrange- Turaco Treetops/ Isunga Lodge
Luxury-Primate Lodge/ Chimpanzee Forest Lodge
Day 11: Crater Lakes & Queen Elizabeth National Park.
After breakfast, you will journey through the breathtaking Kasenda Crater Lakes region where you will discover spectacular viewpoints known as the “Top of the World,” where rolling hills, sparkling crater lakes, and endless horizons create some of Uganda’s most stunning scenery. Common lakes include Lake Nkuruba, Lake Nyabikere, Lake Mubiro and so on. The lakes have unmatched scenic and also romantic scenery, they are commonly visited by the newlyweds. The area is also a home to various bird species such as the great blue turaco, black and white casqued hornbill and many more.
You also have an option to visit the Amabere caves and also Nyakasura falls in the footsteps of mountain Rwenzori. (usd 30 per person). Then continue to Queen Elizabeth National Park for an afternoon game drive.
Meal plan : Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Budget- Tembo Safari Lodge/ Pumba Safari Cottages
Midrange-Buffalo Safari Lodge/ The Bush Lodge
Luxury-Mweya Safari Lodge/ Katara Lodge
Day 12: Lions, Leopards & The Kazinga Channel–Afternoon Game Drive
This day will begin with an early morning safari through the wildlife-rich Kasenyi plains which area is renowned for predator activity and exceptional game viewing.
In the afternoon, we are to have lunch on the Mweya peninsular then proceed to Kazinga channel boat cruise, you will experience one of Africa’s finest boat safaris where you will witness thousands of hippos, crocodiles, elephants, buffaloe, waterbucks, water birds and stunning lake views. This channel is a water stream that joins two lakes George and Edward and is known as a hippo paradise because it has the highest concentration of hippos in the world This cruise therefore consistently ranks among travellers’ favorite safari experiences. This sector is known as a matting ground for antelopes and therefore a hunting ground for predator such as lions, leopards and many more. This game drive lasts for 3 to 4 hrs and ends at the shores of Lake George.Due to availability of time,you will also enjoy an evening game drive before we wind the day for relaxation
Meal plan – Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodation
Budget- Tembo Safari Lodge/ Pumba Safari Cottages
Midrange-Buffalo Safari Lodge/ The Bush Lodge
Luxury-Mweya Safari Lodge/ Katara Lodge
Day 13: Search For The Famous Tree-Climbing Lions
After having breakfast, you will travel through the famous Ishasha, the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park.This region is one of the very few places on planet earth where lions regularly climb trees. Climbing trees is not a common habit in lions, so you will get to know why these cats tend to climb fig trees in this area. Here you will watch these magnificent predators lounging high above the savannah in giant fig trees. Other animals to see on this game drive include elephants, buffaloes, kobs, topi, waterbucks and many more.
Then you will continue to the legendary Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Which is the home to nearly half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas.
Meal Plan-Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodation
Budget- Ride For Awoman/ Ruhija Rest Camp
Midrange-Bakiga Lodge/ Gorilla Mist Camp
Luxury-Gorilla Leisure Lodge/ Bweza Gorilla Lodge
Day 14: Gorilla Trekking – The Greatest Wildlife Encounter on Earth
Today is the moment you have been waiting for as it the experience that brings travellers from every corner of the globe to Uganda.After an early morning briefing, you enter the ancient rainforest in search of endangered mountain gorillas.The trek can take anywhere from 45 minutes to several hours depending on where you will find the gorillas that day.Then suddenly you find them, a silverback watches quietly, young gorillas tumble through the vegetation, mothers nurture their infants.For one magical hour, you become part of their world. Few wildlife experiences on earth compare to this adventure.Many travelers describe this as one of the most emotional and life-changing moments of their lives.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Meal Plan-Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodation
Budget- Ride For Awoman/ Ruhija Rest Camp
Midrange-Bakiga Lodge/ Gorilla Mist Camp
Luxury-Gorilla Leisure Lodge/ Bweza Gorilla Lodge
Day 15: Lake Mburo National Park
On this day you will travel to Lake Mburo National Park, Uganda’s smallest, most accessible savannah park
but one of its most charming. Unlike other parks, Lake Mburo is renowned for: large zebra herds, impalas, elands, topis,elands, buffaloes, giraffes. You will enjoy an evening game drive and experience the golden African sunset over the savannah. You will also have an optional night game drives opportunities to spot leopards, civet cats, bush babies, genets,porcupines as an entirely different side of African wildlife emerges after dark. You will enjoy an evening game drive and a spectacular African sunset.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Meal Plan-Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodation
Budget- Ride For Awoman/ Ruhija Rest Camp
Midrange-Bakiga Lodge/ Gorilla Mist Camp
Luxury-Gorilla Leisure Lodge/ Bweza Gorilla Lodge
Day 16: Walk, Ride Or Cycle Through The Wild
Your final safari day offers unique adventures unavailable elsewhere. You will conclude your adventure with an exhilarating guided walking safari freely among zebras, giraffes and antelope(30usd) .Unlike traditional game drives, this experience allows you to explore the wilderness on foot while observing wildlife from a completely different perspective. Your optional activities will include horseback safari experiencing Africa exactly as early explorers once did (,(50usd) , mountain bike safari where you ride through open savannah surrounded by wildlife(25usd), boat safari while exploring Lake Mburo’s aquatic ecosystem (30usd)
After lunch, you will begin your journey back to Entebbe with a stop at the Equator for photos and souvenir shopping. The journey takes you through the Ankole kingdom famous for its long-horned cattle/Ankole cattle. Additionally, you will have a lunch stop at Kayabwe/Equator village. This is where the earth is divided into south and northern hemisphere. Finally you will arrive at Entebbe International Airport in time for your outbound flight. There your unforgettable Ugandan adventure comes to an end—but the memories will last forever.
Safari Highlights
- Gorilla Trekking
- Chimpanzee Tracking
- Rhino Tracking
- Kidepo Valley National Park
- Murchison Falls National Park
- Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Lake Mburo National Park
- Tree-Climbing Lions
- Big Five Wildlife Viewing Opportunities
- Karamojong Cultural Experience
- Bigodi Wetland Walk
- Nile Boat Cruise
- Kazinga Channel Boat Safari
- Top of Murchison Falls
- Crater Lakes Exploration
- Walking Safari
- Horseback Safari
- Equator Experience
Included In The Safari
- Gorilla Permit
- Chimpanzee Permit
- All Park Entrance Fees
- Safari Walk
- All Game Drives
- 15 Nights Accommodation
- Full Board Meals
- 4WD Safari Vehicle
- Professional English-Speaking Guide
- Two Boat Safaris
- Bottled Drinking Water
- Airport Transfers
NOT INCLUDED
- International Flights
- Uganda Visa
- Porter Fees for Gorilla Trekking
- Optional Activities
- Alcoholic Drinks
- Personal Expenses
- Travel Insurance
WHY CHOOSE THIS SAFARI?
- Because it combines everything that makes Uganda extraordinary.
- The country’s best wildlife parks.
- Its most iconic primate experiences.
- Its most authentic cultures.
- Its most breathtaking landscapes.
- And its most unforgettable adventures.
No other safari offers such an incredible combination of wildlife, culture, nature, and exclusivity in a single journey.