Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe – Start of Your Uganda Wildlife Safari

Your safari begins when you arrive at Entebbe International Airport, located on the beautiful shores of Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa.

After meeting your safari guide, transfer to your comfortable hotel in Entebbe. Depending on your arrival time, you may enjoy a relaxing walk in Entebbe Botanical Gardens, a peaceful nature reserve known for its primates and birdlife.

Here you may see:

• Vervet Monkeys
• Black-and-White Colobus Monkeys
• Fruit bats
• Various forest birds

You may also visit the nearby Uganda Wildlife Education Centre, where rescued animals give visitors a first introduction to Uganda’s wildlife.

In the evening, enjoy a welcome dinner and safari briefing about the incredible mammal-watching adventure ahead.

Accommodation: Hotel in Entebbe

Day 2: Entebbe to Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve – Into the Wild Karamoja Region

After an early breakfast, begin the journey to northeastern Uganda. The drive passes through Jinja, famous as the source of the Nile River.

As you travel further northeast, the lush countryside gradually changes into the dry savannah landscapes of the Karamoja region. This area is remote, wild, and home to several mammals that are rarely seen elsewhere in Uganda.

Arrive in Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve in the afternoon. This large and little-visited reserve is the second-largest protected area in Uganda and one of the few places where cheetahs and roan antelope still survive.

Enjoy an evening orientation game drive as you begin exploring this remarkable wilderness.

Accommodation: Lodge or camp near Pian Upe

Day 3: Full Day Mammal Watching in Pian Upe

Today you will explore the vast grasslands and wooded valleys of Pian Upe. The semi-arid ecosystem here supports unique savannah mammals that are rarely found elsewhere in Uganda.

Morning game drives focus on locating some of the reserve’s most impressive antelopes and predators, including:

Roan Antelope

• Greater Kudu
• Common Eland
• Bright’s Gazelle
• Oribi
• Topi

Because the reserve is remote and lightly visited, wildlife sightings can feel incredibly exclusive.

After a midday rest during the heat of the day, enjoy another afternoon wildlife drive exploring different areas of the reserve.

In the evening, head out for a night game drive, one of the highlights of Karamoja safaris. With spotlights and expert guides, you may encounter nocturnal mammals such as:

• Aardvark
• African Wild Cat
• Spotted Hyena
• Genets
• Civets

These nighttime mammals are rarely seen during daytime safaris.

Accommodation: Lodge or camp near Pian Upe

Day 4: Moroto and Matheniko Wildlife Reserve

Today travel north to the town of Moroto, located at the foot of the impressive Mount Moroto.

Nearby lies Matheniko Wildlife Reserve, an area of rocky hills, valleys, and woodland that provides excellent habitat for mountain-adapted mammals.

During your evening wildlife drive you may encounter:

• Klipspringer
• Mountain Reedbuck
• Greater Kudu
• Patas Monkey
• Bushbuck

Leopards are sometimes seen emerging at dusk on rocky slopes.

Accommodation: Lodge in Moroto

Day 5: Journey to Kidepo Valley National Park

Continue through the rugged Karamoja landscapes toward one of Africa’s most spectacular wildlife destinations — Kidepo Valley National Park.

Located in the far northeastern corner of Uganda near the South Sudan border, Kidepo is famous for its wild scenery, large wildlife populations, and remote atmosphere.

The vast Narus Valley is especially rich in wildlife, with large herds of buffalo, elephants, and antelope, which attract predators such as lions and cheetahs.

Enjoy an afternoon game drive before settling into your lodge.

Accommodation: Safari lodge in Kidepo

Days 6–7: Wildlife Safaris in Kidepo Valley National Park

Spend two full days exploring the incredible landscapes of Kidepo.

The park is one of the best places in Uganda to see rare savannah mammals, including species not found anywhere else in the country.

Possible sightings include:

• Bat-eared Fox
• Striped Hyena
• Caracal
• Aardwolf
• Black-backed Jackal
• African Lion
• Cheetah
• Lesser Kudu
• Bright’s Gazelle

You will explore both the Narus Valley and the remote Kidepo Valley, each offering different wildlife habitats.

Night game drives provide an opportunity to search for nocturnal carnivores and elusive predators.

A cultural visit to a local Karamojong community may also be arranged.

Accommodation: Safari lodge in Kidepo

Day 8: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park

Today travel southwest to Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda’s largest and most famous national park.

The landscape changes dramatically from dry savannah to the fertile basin of the Nile River.

The Nile flows through the park and forms the powerful Murchison Falls, where the river squeezes through a narrow gorge before plunging dramatically below.

Accommodation: Safari lodge near the park

Day 9: Game Drives and Nile Boat Safari

Cross the Nile by ferry to explore the wildlife-rich northern plains of the park.

This region is home to many iconic African mammals, including:

• Rothschild’s Giraffe
• African Elephant
• African Lion
• Uganda Kob
• Jackson’s Hartebeest
• Patas Monkey

In the afternoon, enjoy a boat safari along the Nile to the base of the famous Murchison Falls.

This boat trip offers spectacular wildlife viewing with large numbers of:

• Hippopotamus
• Nile Crocodile
• Waterbirds and riverside mammals

Accommodation: Safari lodge near Murchison Falls

Days 10–21: Western Uganda’s Forests, Gorillas, and Savannah Parks

The safari continues across western Uganda, exploring some of the country’s most famous wildlife destinations:

• Budongo Forest – home to chimpanzees and rare nocturnal primates
• Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary – the only place to track wild rhinos in Uganda
• Kibale National Park – Africa’s primate capital with chimpanzee tracking
• Semuliki National Park – Congo Basin rainforest with rare mammals
• Queen Elizabeth National Park – famous for tree-climbing lions and large hippo populations
• Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – home of the endangered mountain gorillas
• Lake Mburo National Park – known for zebras, impalas, and excellent night game drives

Highlights during these days include:

• Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest
• Boat safari on the Kazinga Channel
• Searching for tree-climbing lions in Ishasha
• Mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi
• Walking safaris and night game drives in Lake Mburo
• These parks offer some of the highest wildlife diversity in Africa.

Day 22: Return to Entebbe and Departure

After a final morning game drive in Lake Mburo National Park, begin the journey back to Entebbe.

Along the way you will stop at the Equator line for photos and souvenirs.

Arrive in Entebbe for lunch at a lakeside restaurant before transferring to Entebbe International Airport for your international flight.

By the end of this incredible safari, travelers often record 80 or more mammal species, making this one of the most complete mammal-watching safaris in Africa.