8 Day Budget Camping Safari in Uganda – Self Drive Holiday

Budget Uganda Safari Overview

The 8-day camping safari in Uganda covers the country’s most popular tourist destinations to start Bwindi Gorilla Park in southwestern Uganda, then Queen Elizabeth national park, Kibale forest and end with the magnificent Murchison Falls national park in Northwestern Uganda. You can choose camping throughout the trip, or mix with some budget lodges with en-suite bathrooms and toilets. This can be a guides/escorted or self-drive tour. Below is a detailed day by day Itinerary;

Detailed Itinerary; 8 day Uganda camping safari

Day One: Transfer to Bwindi National Park (7-10hrs)

Your professional tour guide will meet you at your hotel in Kampala and set off for Bwindi national park. The journey goes through many small towns, villages, and roadside markets that offer a chance for photographing, en-route stop at the equator for photographs, lunch in Mbarara town at Agip Motel, arrive at your lodge in Bwindi by early evening for dinner, and overnight at Buhoma community rest camp / Broadbill Forest Camp, Four Gorillas Lodge / Ruhija Community Rest Camp.

Day Two: Mountain Gorilla Trekking Adventure

gorilla-babies-playingMorning breakfast followed by an assembly at the park headquarters (with packed water and lunch) for briefing about gorilla trekking. The trek takes between 1-7hrs before meeting these gentle Giants camouflaged in thick vegetation. You will be allowed to stay with the Giants for a maximum of 1 hour, get back to the lodge for late lunch. Time permitting, take a community walk to nearby Batwa people (Pygmies), dinner, and overnight as on Day 1.

Day Three: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Morning breakfast at the lodge, followed by a scenic drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The journey goes through small trading centers in rural areas of Uganda. We shall have a wonderful game drive in the Ishasha sector, famous for tree-climbing lions alongside other wild animals like Elephants, Buffaloes, Warthogs, and several antelope species, overnight at Kyambura Tented camp / Simba safari camp / Mweya Hostels.

Day Four: Game drive and a fantastic Boat cruise

A cup of tea will be followed by a fantastic game drive to catch up with early raisers and predators returning to their hide-outs. Expect an encounter with wild animals such as the Africa Lion, Elephants, Buffaloes, Warthogs, Baboons, and sometimes leopards among others. Return to the lodge/camp for late breakfast, relax as you wait for lunch, after which, you embark on a fantastic boat cruise on the Kazinga channel, famous for the highest concentration of Hippos in Africa with Huge Nile crocodiles, Elephants, and Buffaloes seen basking along the shores. Return to the lodge by sunset, campfire in the evening, dinner, and overnight as Day 3.

Day Five: Transfer to Kibale National Park, Chimpanzee tracking

kibale-island-chimpsBreakfast followed another game drive through Queen Elizabeth National Park as we transfer to Kibale National Park, home to 13 primate species that include Chimpanzees, Red-tailed Monkeys, L’hoest’s monkeys, Giant forest hog, colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, and many others, with about 350 bird species. Here you also find mammals like forest elephants and buffaloes. Get ready for Chimpanzee tracking after lunch, dinner, and overnight / camping at Chimpanzee Guest House.

NOTE: If you want chimpanzee habituation, the program will slightly change. Please inquire about this arrangement.

Day Six: Transfer to Murchison Falls National park

Breakfast and hit the road to Murchison falls national park, we shall have lunch in Hoima Town, proceed via the beautiful Butia Escarpments, arrive at the park by late afternoon, then take a visit to the top of the falls where the River forces itself through a narrow gorge 7 meters wide, flowing down 45meters. The scenery here is so wonderful, dinner and overnight / camping at Red chili Rest Camp, Shoebill campsite or Yebo Campsite.

Day Seven: Game drive and boat cruise to the bottom of the falls

Breakfast at the lodge followed a fantastic game drive in search for a wide variety of animals such as lions, leopards, Giraffes, Buffaloes, elephants, and many antelopes. Return to our campsite and relax as we wait for lunch. Then embark on a fantastic boat cruise to the bottom of the falls. Expect to see elephants and buffaloes drinking water on the shores, huge crocodiles, Hippos, and over 300 bird species. Return by sunset, campfire in the evening, dinner, and overnight.

Day Eight: Departure

Breakfast at the lodge, followed by transfer back to Kampala. This is a 5-6hrs drive and we shall be in Kampala by later afternoon. If interested, we can have an en-route visit to Zziwa Rhino sanctuary, and depending on your departure flight schedule, you will be transferred to Entebbe International Airport or dropped off at your hotel in Kampala or Entebbe for dinner and overnight.

END OF THE TOUR