13-days Uganda: Hiking, Rafting and Biking Adventure

Flying into Entebbe you already get wowed by one of the world’s most impressive natural wonders, since the city is located on the Victoria Lake peninsula. Upon leaving Entebbe International Airport your personal Africa Safari Trips guide greets you with a smile and a friendly “Ki Kati in Uganda!”.

On the way to your hotel in Kampala, Uganda’s capital, you get a feeling for the country’s hustle and bustle of everyday life and you might already have some questions about Uganda, its culture and lifestyle or the upcoming days. Don’t be shy: simply ask, you’re guide is happy to answer all of them.

After arriving at your accomodation you can unwind in its cozy and authentic atmosphere, take a nap in your comfortable room or enjoy a drink at the bar. A yummy dinner at the restaurant and a quick “I’m here and it’s so beautiful” to your loved ones at home (yay, Wi-Fi!) are the cherries on top of the cake aka your first day in Uganda.

Let the adventure begin! The best place to do it? The “Adrenaline Capital of East Africa” of course. Welcome to Jinja!

In your adventure #1 you drive along sugarcane plantations and the Bujagali Falls, through green forests and bushes and discover sections of the Nile that are still well-kept secrets. Also, this is one of the few possibilities to get really close to the local community since you drive through rural areas. Catch a view on the locals’ day-to-day life, their traditional houses and explore Uganda as authentic as it can be. And if you hear the smiling kids yell “Muzungu”, they mean you – a kind expression for white people. So wave and smile back at them 🙂

Yes, you’ll get wet. But that’s part of the fun! For your rafting tour on the Nile River you hop into a boat (after an introduction of course) and dive into the rushing white water sections of the world’s longest river – which by the way also starts its journey to the Mediterranean Sea here in Jinja and Lake Victoria. As a team you master the rapids and enjoy the calmer sections, either by watching the countless birds at the shore or in the air, by simply relaxing on the boat or by jumping into the water. Whatever you do, this activitiy is one of the top experiences in Jinja… even in the whole of Uganda to be honest. Ahoy skipper!

Your day starts early since the drive to Kibale National Park is quite a long one, around eight hours. But after the last two exciting days full of fabby fun, this break might come in handy. On the way to this verdant paradies you visit your old friend Kampala, marvel at Lake Wamala as well as local countryside life and drive through the lush Matiri Central Forest Reserve – or you take a sweet nap.

Once arrived at your accomodation in Kibale, you end this day with a delicious dinner in a cozy atmosphere and catch a very good night’s sleep.

Get ready for a day full of “Wows” and “Do you see that?” and “I need to take a picture of this!”… we’re not even exaggerating. During your swamp walk through the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, which received an award from the UNESCO Wetlands Sustainable Tourism Projects, you can dive deep into the jungle’s flora and fauna.

This natural gem is home to more than 200 bird species, including the unique blue turaco and the fascinating hornbill. You can also spot a lot of different mammals like the semi-aquatic sitatungas, mongoose, bush bucks or otters. So keep your eyes open and your camera close!

The biggest highlight (yes, there’s more) are the primates though and mostly the chimpanzees. Besides blue monkeys, baboons, grey-cheeked mangabeys and many more it’s clearly the chimpanzees stealing the show. If you want to make sure to see our furry relatives up close, you can join chimpanzee trekking – a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience.

After a short drive of around two hours you arrive at Queen Elizabeth National Park. Here it’s royalty through and through. First, the name itself in reference to the late Queen Elizabeth II. Second, its size with 1,978 square kilometers (764 square miles). Third, its landscapes with the typical savannah, wetlands and lush forests.  And last but not least, its animals, the cream of the crop of African wildlife.

On the park’s 32-kilometer-long Kazinga Channel connecting Lake George and Lake Edward you go on this wonderful boat safari. This is your big chance to see hippos in full or semi-submerged, Nile crocodiles chilling in the sun and a plethora of water-loving birds. From the swamp nightjar to the swamp flycatcher and the saddle-billed stork… you can spot them all and capture them forever with a good zoom

If luck’s on your side that day, you might even be able to see the rare shoebill at Lake Edward – a bird that has been around for approximately 30 million years.

“Another safari,” you ask happily? Yes! Queen Elizabeth National Park is full of so many treasures that we thought you’d need to go on the hunt twice (pun intended).

From your 4×4 vehicle you cannot only spot the Big Five here – elephants, buffalos, lions, leopards and the shy rhino – but also giraffes grabbing some food from acacia trees or various antelopes, like the Uganda kob, waterbucks and of course zebras. If you’re lucky, you even see the mainly nocturnal hyenas or witness other predators hunting for their lunch. Animal planet IRL so to speak. And should you have a thing for birds, your inner ornothologist’s heart will skip a few beats at the sight of more than 600 bird species.

Last but certainly not least this day takes you into the 100-meter-deep Kyambura Gorge, also known as “Valley of the Apes”. If you are a primate lover, this is your mekka. From black and white colobus monkeys to vervet monkeys, from baboons to red-tailed monkeys and of course the 16 chimpanzees living in this emerald paradise – you’re coming (to their) home.

After your unforgettable safari experience on water and on land, it’s time to move on. Another long drive is upon you, but as you know by now, that’s a good thing in Uganda! With everything you have experienced so far, you can use the time to reminisce, go through the pictures you have taken or make some space for new ones – your next day has plenty of new scenes to offer.

Of course you can also stay glued to the window, since this route offers you views on banana plantations, homesteads and the hustle and bustle on local markets. Especially the last two hours are worth watching, since the winding road takes you through the mesmerizing Kigezi Hills.

Even though the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is the smallest protected area in Uganda, it holds extremely precious treasures. Three volcanoes guard this UNESCO World Heritage Site and unspoilt safe-haven for animals, you would probably expect somewhere else: from buffalos to hyenas, from bushbucks to duikers, from forest elephants to more than 180 bird species. During this tour through the park your guide shares their knowledge about the unique flora and fauna you are about to encounter and cannot wait to answer anything you want to know 😉

The stars of this green paradise are, without a doubt, the golden monkeys and even more so the mountain gorillas. If you want to get close to these elusive and rare animals, you have the option to join a gorilla trekking tour – get ready to have your breath taken away at the sight of these gentle giants. And don’t worry: it will come back just in time to tell all your loved ones about what you were lucky enough to experience.

As part of the famous Virunga range, the extinct Sabyinyo volcanoe is a unique destination for all hiking lovers. Meaning “old man’s teeth,” it’s the most distinctive of the three volcanoes with its serrated crater rim. The trail varies, from bamboo forests to sub-alpine kind of vegetation, and once you have reached the summit, you will be rewarded: with breathtaking views on Lake Bunyonyi and the Rwenzori mountain range and you will be in three countries at the same time: Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

And if this wasn’t thrilling enough, you might meet elephants, buffalos, golden monkeys, the rare Rwenzori turaco or mountain gorrilas on the way. Told you: unique destination!

On day eleven you slowly make your way back to Entebbe – but no worries, your adventure holiday is not quite over yet, there’s still one more stop to go. And what a stop that is! Lake Mburo National Park awaits you with fascinating wildlife, a capturing landscape (as you can see on your left) and stargazing at its finest.

First, however, you can dream about what you’ve already experienced during your Uganda trip and marvel at the green rolling Kigezi Hills again on your eight hour drive back from Mgahinga… in case you missed them on the way there or you just want to take in this breathtaking scenery once more.

Hippos and hills, antelopes and acacias, wetlands and wildlife: Lake Mburo National Park is a natural beauty you have to discover. And so you will! In your 4×4 vehicle you enjoy a classic safari with everything the animal-loving heart desires – elephants, rhinos, buffalos (bam, three of the Big Five), giraffes, hippos, crocodiles, eland… we could go on an on.

Another highlight is the impala, an antilope endemic to this park. And if you want to impress fellow travellers and your guide alike, jot down (or remember) the following: only the males have these beautifully ringed horns and they can be up to 75cm long. The older, the longer. You’re welcome.

During your bike safari you dive into the park even deeper and get closer to the animals. Like, much closer! Since this park is free of predators like lions or leopards, you can enjoy this tour without any worries 😉 And should you’ve always wondered what the animals of Africa are up to at night, you have the option to join a night safari – a perfect last activity for your adventure tour through Uganda.

Even if you don’t want to… you might have to leave Uganda now since everyday life and your job are calling. But maybe you don’t (yay!) and you can keep on travelling. Uganda has many more treasures for you to discover. From the lush Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and its VIP inhabitants (hint: big, black, furry) to the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and the vibrant culture in Kampala, Uganda’s capital. Should you want to add any of these or other highlights to your Uganda experience after your 13-day adventure tour, just let us know and we’ll make it work.

And even if you go home after this adventure, you’ll stay in Uganda for a little longer… thanks to all the wonderful memories.