A Detailed Self Drive Uganda Itinerary Guide for 18 Days
Embark on an 18-day self-drive safari through Uganda and experience the country’s most iconic animals, primates, and exciting adventures. Experience the wonders of Kidepo savanna plains, Murchison Falls, and Queen Elizabeth National Parks on foot while you travel alongside golden monkeys, endangered mountain gorillas, and chimpanzees. Indulge in an exhilarating array of Jinja adventure activities with our comprehensive 18-Day Uganda Self Drive Safari package.
Detailed Itinerary: 18 Days Self Drive Uganda
Day 1: Welcome to Uganda.
A representative from Laba Africa will be waiting for you at Entebbe International Airport to begin your 18-day self-drive safari of Uganda. Arrive at your Kampala accommodation.
The capital city of Kampala is a great place to see the vibrant local culture, but it all depends on when you go there. The personnel at Laba Africa will give you an orientation on the driving style and camping supplies before handing you over your 4×4 vehicle for your 18-day self-drive safari in Uganda. After getting the rundown on your 18-day self-drive safari through Uganda, it’s time to check out your safari car and retire to your hotel for the night. Lake Victoria or a trip of Kampala might be yours today. Estimated
Distance: hour drive Accommodation:
Day 2: Transfer to Jinja
Your 18-day self-drive safari through Uganda will begin in Jinja, the adventure capital of the country. The tropical jungle and sugar plantations of Mabira make for a beautiful drive. To beat the morning rush, we suggest starting later, about 10 a.m. Discover the place where the Nile River begins its journey away from Lake Victoria. Take it easy on a Nile cruise as the sun goes down later in the evening. Go back to where you camped up for the night.
Estimated distance: 2-3 hours drive.
Accommodation: Camping Nile River Explorer’s camp
Day 3: Rafting and transfer to Sipi falls
Rafting the Nile – Jinja, Uganda
Rafting white water is an adventure you won’t forget. Completely different rules apply when done on the Nile. On a self-drive safari through Africa, you may expect exhilarating encounters with grade 5 rapids. Before you set out on your rafting trip, knowledgeable instructors will inform you on safety measures to take. We will spend half a day on this. Set out from Jinja for Sipi Falls in eastern Uganda after lunch. From flatlands to rocky outcrops, waterfalls to picturesque views—that’s the dramatic shift in scenery. Slopes like these form the base of Mount Elgon.
Estimated distance: 5-6 hours
Accommodation: Camping
Day 4: Explore Sipi falls
Three waterfalls, each 75 to 100 meters high, make up Sipi Falls. Water cascading down Mountain Elgon is what keeps the falls going. Investigate all three waterfalls. To reach each of the waterfalls, one must stroll through the neighborhood. The fast-moving water forms pools where you can cool off. Enjoy breathtaking views of the Karamoja lowlands as you abseil down the tallest waterfall, which stands at 100 meters. You may take in breathtaking sunset strolls from King’s Rock. Sip your morning coffee or glass of wine while taking in the expansive views of flat landscapes on your 18-day self-drive safari through Uganda.
Day 5: Transfer to Kidepo
On an 18-day self-drive safari through Uganda, you’ll go even farther into the wild, venturing into the isolated Kidepo National Park. The relatively long travel ahead will be easier if you leave early in the morning. Exciting views of manyatta (Karamajong) homesteads, rock-up crops, small trading towns, and seemingly infinite mountains dot the Karamoja plains as you travel through, providing a glimpse into the Karamajong way of life.
Estimated distance: 7-8 hours drive
Accommodation: Camping
Day 6: Wildlife encounters
Kidepo Valley National Park was dubbed “the hidden gem of Africa” by CN travel, mostly due to its breathtaking scenery. During the dry season, the Narus valley serves as a major water source, attracting animals from far and wide and providing an ideal setting for game viewing. The park’s Iarge buffalo herds are well-known for attracting predators like as lions. It is not uncommon to witness cheetahs, leopards, and hyenas. On a game drive, you can observe a wide variety of animals, including large herds of elephants, eland, giraffes, oribi, and Jackson’s hartebeests. The park is a haven for birdwatchers, with 56 different species of raptors. Among the many animals and species you may see on this incredible 18-day self-drive safari in Uganda are the black-bellied bastard, secretary birds, and northern bishop.
Accommodation: Camping
Day 7: Transfer to Murchison falls
The largest wildlife reserve in Uganda, Murchison Falls National Park, is waiting for you when you break camp. While you’re on the road, stop by the Aru falls and cool yourself in the pool. Prep for your journey to Murchison Falls by having lunch in Gulu town. The 18-Day Self-Drive Safari in Uganda comes to a spectacular close today as you watch the sun set over the Albert Nile.
Estimated distance: 7-8 hours
Accommodation: Camping
Day 8: Explore the Murchison falls wilderness.
When it comes to Ugandan wildlife, Murchison Falls National Park is unrivaled in both variety and abundance. A wide range of habitats are supported by the park’s diverse ecological systems. Chimpanzees, colobus monkeys (both black and white), baboons, and a plethora of bird species call this tropical forest home. The towering acacia trees in the forest provide food for the giraffes. The park is home to a wide variety of antelopes, including elephants, buffalo, hippos, oribi, bush backs, waterbucks, and Jackson’s hartebeests. Lions, leopards, and hyenas are the most prevalent big predators.
Upstream to Murchison Falls is where you’ll go on the afternoon boat ride. Animals like as crocodiles, buffalo, waterbucks, and elephants along the banks of the river. At the river’s shallow ends, hippos unwind with their families. At the base of the falls, you can see the Nile rushing majestically through a tight canyon. The 50-meter plunge into the Albert Nile generates a deafening boom and spray, which, when illuminated by the midday sun, form a rainbow.
Accommodation: Camping
Day 9: Transfer to Kibale National Park
Break camp and climb to the peak of Murchison Falls on this day of your 18-day self-drive safari in Uganda. You are drawn to the scene ahead by the rumble in the earth. Within the Albert Nile, the massive Nile River plunges 50 meters as it struggles to squeeze through a 7-meter gap. You may say they are the world’s most powerful falls. Continue through the breathtaking Bulisa scenery. Picnic on the Biso escarpments and take in breathtaking views of Lake Albert and the fishing villages below. Before heading to Kibale National Park, stop at Hoima for lunch. Spend the night near the crater lakes.
Estimated distance: 7-8 hrs
Accommodation: Camping
Day 9: Chimpanzee tracking
Chimpanzee Tracking at Kibale National Park | Uganda
The world’s primate capital is located in Kibale Forest National Park. There are thirteen different kinds of primates found in the forest, with chimpanzees being the most popular. There are many more primates, such as blue monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, black-and-white colobus monkeys, grey-checked mangabeys, and many more. Meeting at the park headquarters for a briefing is the first stop on the walk. In order to see the monkeys, you will be led into the jungle by knowledgeable guides. From their facial characteristics to their vocal cries, these apes sound remarkably similar to humans, further confirming the 95% genetic similarity between the two species. You get to spend an hour watching the apes as they go about their daily lives, eating, playing, and grooming one another. Recuperate from your hike by spending the remainder of the day at leisure.
Day 10: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
The Queen Elizabeth National Park is a great place to get some rest and get a late start. Travel around the crater areas of Rwimi, making pit stops at viewpoints. Behold the breathtaking vistas of the majestic Rwenzori mountains.
Accommodation: Camping
Day 12: Wildlife encounters.
There is an endless wildness that lies within the rift valley. Wildlife flourishes in Mountain Rwenzoris, which is blessed with Lake George and Lake Edward. Lions, leopards, and hyenas congregate on the Kasenyi plains, where kobs mate. In this national park, visitors may occasionally see elephants, buffalo, and hippos. Off the beaten path, you can get up close and personal with wild animals like leopards and lions on an adventure game drive.
During the three-hour boat ride in the afternoon on the Kazinga channel, visitors have the unique chance to get up close and personal with elephants that live near the waterway’s banks. You can spot hippos, buffalo, and crocodiles wallowing in the channel’s shallows. Fantastic photo ops await you on this voyage. This is a paradise for birdwatchers. In Queen Elizabeth National Park, you can see the majority of the 660 bird species on this peninsular.
Day 13: Transfer to Bwindi
Get out of your tent and head toward the magical Bwindi forest. You will pass across the Albertine rift on your way. Beautiful tea estates dot the high escarpments, making for a picturesque journey. Inquire with your hotel or tour guides about the best time to visit the Lhasha because the road is only open during certain seasons. Avoid spending another chilly night in your tent by checking into a lodge instead of the forest, where temperatures can drop to dangerously low levels.
Estimated distance: 5-6 hours
Accommodation: Camping/Lodge
Day 14: Gorilla trekking
Gorilla Trekking in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
One of the most common things to do on a safari in Uganda is to go gorilla trekking. People choose to walk with these endangered mountain gorillas more than once since it is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see them in their natural habitat in Rwanda and Uganda. You have one hour to watch these monkeys.
on the DR Congo and the Virunga mountains alone. On a gorilla walk, you can come face to face with some wild gorillas. Gorilla trekking can take anything from four to eight hours, depending on how far away the monkeys live. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is where you will come across these animals. Walking with gorillas means really meeting these primates. Gorilla trekking can take anything from four to eight hours, depending on how far away the monkeys live. Meeting these creatures is an extraordinary experience. The biting heat
Day 15: Transfer to Kisoro
Head south to the neighboring district of Kisoro. Muhabura, Sabinyo, and Gahinga are three breathtaking mountain ranges. On very rare occasions, the peak of these three ranges will be crowned with a mushroom-shaped cloud. The picturesque roads that lead downward are twisting. Epic photography moments can be had at the viewpoint.
Drive time: 4 hours
Accommodation: Camping
Day 16: Golden monkeys tracking
Because there is an abundance of food at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, the park is well-known for its large silver bucks. On this particular occasion, though, we intend to attack the golden monkeys. The coat color of a golden monkey is the inspiration for its name. Because of how fast they move, a steady hand is required to get a good shot. They call the mountaintop bamboo forest their home. As they hop from tree to tree, you’ll have to run at the same speed. Assuming you’re lucky, they’ll locate a tasty food source and remain motionless for your enjoyment. When it comes to humans, they are acclimated and habituated. The duration of golden monkey trekking might vary from two to five hours, depending on the region.
Accommodation: Camping
Day 17: Transfer to Mburo national park
Lake Mburo National Park: Uganda and its Breathtaking Nature will Surprise You
Stunning Kabale terraced hills and roadside fresh fruit vendors characterize the breathtaking route from Kisoro to Lake Mburo National Park. The terrain eventually flattens out, giving way to plantations and farmland. The National Park of Lake Mburo. Numerous animal species call this park home, but the large zebra and impala herds are the most well-known.
Accommodation: Camping
Day 18: Explore Lake Mburo and transfer to Kampala
Discover the expansive trails of Lake Mburo National Park on your final day of an 18-Days Uganda Self-Drive Safari. Despite its diminutive size, this national park is a biodiversity treasure trove. Her other species more than compensates for the lack of lions and elephants. It is impossible to look away from the enormous zebra, impala, and eland herds. Among the many animals that call this park home are giraffes, topi, buffalo, warthogs, and hippos. A chance meeting with the elusive leopard is possible if you’re fortunate. Go on to Entebbe after passing through Kampala. After you finish your self-drive safari, you’ll return the vehicle to a representative from Laba Africa. Then, it’s time to take your jet to your next stop. The last leg of your self-drive 18-day safari through Uganda
End of the 18 Days Self Drive Uganda
