7 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari Without the Gorilla Trek

Your Bespoke Safaris driver-guide picks you up in the morning from your hotel in Kampala or Entebbe, or from Entebbe International Airport if your arrival time allows, and gives you a briefing before you head north. Along the way you pass rural settlements, roadside markets and cultivated fields as the landscape changes towards Uganda’s largest national park.

Depending on your departure time, you can arrange an optional stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for a guided rhino-tracking walk on foot to see southern white rhinos. This is subject to availability, timing and an additional fee.

You stop for lunch on the way and reach your lodge in Murchison Falls National Park later in the day. If you arrive early enough, a short game drive or scenic viewpoint visit may be possible. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.

After an early breakfast you head out on a guided game drive across the northern savannah plains. Look for elephants, Rothschild’s giraffes, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, hartebeests, warthogs and, with luck, lions or leopards. The morning light is good for photography, and your guide explains the animals’ behaviour and the park’s habitats.

You return to the lodge for lunch and a rest before the afternoon boat cruise on the Victoria Nile. You travel towards the base of Murchison Falls, passing hippos in the water, Nile crocodiles on the banks and birds along the shore, with elephants and buffaloes sometimes coming down to drink. As you approach, you see the Nile forced through a narrow rocky gorge in one of Uganda’s most dramatic natural spectacles.

If you like, and time allows, you can also visit the top of the falls by road, where viewpoints look over the turbulent water and surrounding landscape. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.

After breakfast you check out and begin the long journey south-west towards Queen Elizabeth National Park. You drive through rural towns, farmland and the countryside of western Uganda, and your driver-guide arranges stops for refreshments, stretching your legs and lunch.

As you approach the park, the scenery opens into savannah, woodland and crater-lake landscapes, with views towards the western rift valley. The park’s varied habitats support elephants, buffaloes, antelopes, hippos, many bird species and several predators.

You reach your lodge later in the afternoon, check in and rest after the drive. If time allows, a short game drive can be arranged, but the priority is a comfortable transfer and a quiet evening. Dinner at the lodge.

You start early with a game drive across the Kasenyi plains or another good wildlife-viewing area of Queen Elizabeth National Park. The open grassland is a good place to see Uganda kobs, elephants, buffaloes and warthogs, and your guide helps you search for lions and explains how the animals interact with their environment. Sightings depend on natural conditions, so every drive is different.

You return to the lodge for a break and lunch. In the afternoon you take a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, which links Lake George and Lake Edward. It is one of the safari’s most rewarding wildlife experiences, with close views of hippos, Nile crocodiles and many waterbirds, and elephants and buffaloes often gather on the shore to drink or cool off.

The boat is a comfortable way to watch wildlife without a long walk, which makes it especially suitable for families and travellers who prefer less physically demanding activities. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.

After breakfast you leave Queen Elizabeth National Park and travel towards Lake Mburo through the countryside of south-western Uganda, with rural settlements, rolling hills, farmland and the cattle-keeping landscapes of Ankole. You stop for refreshments and lunch as needed.

On arrival at Lake Mburo you check in at your lodge and rest before an afternoon game drive, depending on your arrival time. The park has a different feel from the larger parks, with acacia woodland, open grassland, rocky outcrops and lakeside habitats. Look for zebras, impalas, elands, topis, buffaloes, warthogs and giraffes, along with many birds.

Lake Mburo is rewarding for travellers who enjoy watching wildlife in a quieter setting, and your guide helps you explore suitable tracks and identify what you see. Dinner and a peaceful night at the lodge.

After a relaxed breakfast you see Lake Mburo in a more personal way. Depending on your interests, fitness and what is available through your lodge or local operator, you choose between two options.

Option 1: Guided nature walk. With an authorised park ranger you follow an approved route on foot and notice the smaller details that are easy to miss from a vehicle, including animal tracks, plants, birds and the park’s ecology, while watching wildlife from a safe distance. Routes and encounters vary, and the walk follows park regulations.

Option 2: Horseback safari. Where available and booked in advance, you ride with a guide through suitable areas of the park and may watch some wildlife quietly from horseback. Availability, permitted routes, rider requirements and suitability for different experience levels must be confirmed before you travel.

After your activity you return to the lodge for lunch and some free time. Depending on your preferences, an extra game drive, a birdwatching session or a relaxed afternoon overlooking the landscape can be arranged. Final dinner in the wilderness.

After breakfast you check out and begin the return journey to Kampala or Entebbe through the Ankole region and central Uganda, passing rural communities, farms and roadside trading centres.

Depending on your schedule, a stop at the Equator crossing near Kayabwe can be arranged for photographs, refreshments and a look at the local craft stalls. You continue to your agreed drop-off point, either your hotel in Kampala or Entebbe International Airport, with a lunch stop on the way if needed.

If you are catching an international flight on the same day, allow a generous time buffer for road traffic and delays. An extra night near Entebbe may be advisable for late-day or early-morning flights.