10 Days Uganda Waterfalls & Gorillas

The 10 Days Uganda Waterfalls & Gorillas is a 10-day sample itinerary: a tailor-made waterfall safari covering Sipi Falls, Murchison Falls, Kisiizi Falls in Uganda. Follow the Nile from its source to Murchison Falls, walk the three falls of Sipi, then track chimpanzees in Kibale and mountain gorillas in Bwindi.

Highlights

• The source of the Nile at Jinja
• Three falls of Sipi and a coffee tour
• Murchison Falls by boat and on foot
• Chimpanzees in Kibale
• Mountain gorillas in Bwindi
• Kisiizi Falls

Suggested places to stay on this route include Sipi River Lodge, Nile Safari Lodge, Paraa Safari Lodge.

Who this safari suits

• Travellers who want waterfalls, big game and primates in one trip
• Active travellers comfortable with long drives
• Gorilla trekkers, who must be 15 or older

Route and travel times

Entebbe → Jinja (about 2.5 to 3 hours) → Sipi Falls (about 4 to 5 hours) → Murchison Falls (a long day of about 8 to 9 hours) → Kibale Forest (about 6 to 7 hours) → Bwindi via Queen Elizabeth National Park and Kisiizi Falls (about 6 to 7 hours) → flight or drive back to Entebbe.

Times are typical and vary with road conditions, border queues and weather.

Day-by-day itinerary

1. Day1

   Arrive in Entebbe

   You are met at Entebbe International Airport and transferred to a hotel on the shores of Lake Victoria. Rest after your flight, perhaps with a walk in the botanical gardens.

   Overnight EntebbeMeals Dinner

2. Day2

   Jinja and the source of the Nile

   Drive about two and a half to three hours to Jinja for a boat trip to the point where the Nile leaves Lake Victoria. Continue east for four to five hours to Sipi, on the slopes of Mount Elgon.

   Overnight Sipi River LodgeMeals All meals

3. Day3

   Sipi Falls

   Walk with a local guide to all three Sipi Falls, through farms and past caves behind the falls, then join a coffee tour where you pick, roast and grind your own cup.

   Overnight Sipi River LodgeMeals All meals

4. Day4

   To Murchison Falls

   A long but scenic day of about eight to nine hours on the road, crossing northern Uganda to Murchison Falls National Park. Break the journey for lunch along the way.

   Overnight Nile Safari LodgeMeals All meals

5. Day5

   Murchison Falls

   Start with a dawn game drive north of the Nile for giraffes, lions and elephants. In the afternoon, take the launch trip to the foot of Murchison Falls and hike to the top.

   Overnight Nile Safari LodgeMeals All meals

6. Day6

   To Kibale

   Drive south along the Albertine Rift, about six to seven hours, to Fort Portal and the Kibale Forest, Uganda's best place for chimpanzees.

   Overnight KibaleMeals All meals

7. Day7

   Chimpanzee tracking

   Track chimpanzees in Kibale with a ranger guide in the morning. In the afternoon, walk through the Bigodi Wetland, a community project known for primates and birds.

   Overnight KibaleMeals All meals

8. Day8

   To Bwindi, via Kisiizi Falls

   Drive through Queen Elizabeth National Park, stopping at Kisiizi Falls, and continue to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, about six to seven hours in total.

   Overnight BwindiMeals All meals

9. Day9

   Gorilla trekking

   Spend the day gorilla trekking: after a briefing, walk with rangers through the forest to a habituated mountain gorilla family and spend one hour with them. The trek can take from two to six hours.

   Overnight BwindiMeals All meals

10. Day10

    Return to Entebbe

    Fly from Kihihi airstrip to Entebbe, or drive back, in time for your international departure.

    Meals Breakfast

When to go

Best time for this route: December–February; June–September. At Sipi Falls: April–May and August–November for full falls; December–February for dry trails. At Murchison Falls: Year-round flow; December–February and June–September for the driest game drives. At Kisiizi Falls: March–May and September–November. See the month-by-month water levels.

Making this trip your own

This is a sample route, not a fixed departure. You can add nights where you want more time, swap the lodges named for others at a different budget, drop activities that do not interest you, or join this itinerary to another one. Tell us your dates, the number of travellers and what matters most to you, and we will send back a tailored version with a price.

Lodges named are examples; ask about alternatives at other budgets. Activities depend on water levels and park rules.