Uganda 10-Day Classic Safari — Gorillas, Game, the Nile

URL: /experiences/safaris/uganda-10-day-classic/ Indicative price: From USD 5,000 per person (mid-range, sharing) Length: 10 days, 9 nights Group size: Private — 2–8 guests Author: Remmy N. Category: Safaris (primary), Itineraries (secondary) Schema: TouristTrip + Product + FAQPage

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Why this trip

This is the Uganda trip we send guests on when they say "we want one trip and we want all of it". Gorillas in Bwindi, lions in Queen Elizabeth, chimps in Kibale, the boat cruise to Murchison Falls, a rhino walk at Ziwa, sundowners on the Nile. Ten days, four parks, one driver-guide who knows you by Day 2 and your dietary preferences by Day 3.

We have run this trip more than any other. The day-by-day below is the version we have refined over years; we can shorten, stretch or thread a honeymoon / family / diaspora narrative through it. Just tell us in the form.

Start the conversation →

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At a glance

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Day-by-day (the full version)

Day 1 — Arrive Entebbe

Pick-up from Entebbe International. Check-in to Latitude 0° (or equivalent). Sunset boat on Lake Victoria with cold drinks and an introduction to the team. Early dinner — your driver-guide briefs the trip.

Day 2 — Mabamba Shoebill → Lake Mburo

05:30 start. Mabamba half-day to find the shoebill (96% sighting rate). Back to Entebbe by 11. Drive south-west to Lake Mburo National Park (5–6 hours). Late-afternoon arrival; sundowner game drive — Lake Mburo is one of the only Uganda parks where you can walk on foot (no big predators). Zebras, impalas, eland.

Day 3 — Lake Mburo → Bwindi

Morning walking safari with an armed ranger. Late breakfast. Drive across the Igongo cultural region to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (4–5 hours). Arrival mid-afternoon. Optional Batwa cultural visit at the lodge.

Day 4 — Bwindi: Gorilla Trek

The whole reason for the trip. 05:30 breakfast, 07:00 briefing, 08:00 trek. One hour with the gorillas. (See the pillar guide for what to expect minute-by-minute.) Afternoon: rest, certificate, weaving cooperative visit, lodge bar.

Day 5 — Bwindi → Queen Elizabeth (via the equator)

Drive north. Cross the equator at Kayabwe — photos, an experiment with the water-drain trick. Reach Queen Elizabeth National Park by late afternoon. Mweya Peninsula or Ishasha — depending on the lodge.

Day 6 — Queen Elizabeth NP

Morning game drive in the Kasenyi sector — lions, elephants, buffalo, Uganda kob. Afternoon Kazinga Channel boat cruise — hippo and elephant density to rival anywhere on the continent. Ishasha tree-climbing lions if you stayed in the south.

Day 7 — Queen Elizabeth → Kibale Forest

A short, scenic drive (2–3 hours) north through the Crater Lakes region. Arrive Kibale Forest for lunch. Afternoon: optional Bigodi Wetland walk (the colobus-and-bird walk that funds local conservation).

Day 8 — Chimpanzee Tracking → Murchison

07:30 chimp briefing. Trek into Kibale (2–4 hours) for one hour with our nearest primate cousins. Late breakfast, then a long drive (6–7 hours) north to Murchison Falls National Park. Dinner at the lodge.

Day 9 — Murchison

Morning: Game drive on the northern bank. Lions, elephants, Rothschild’s giraffes, Uganda kob in the thousands. Lunch: Lodge. Afternoon: Nile boat cruise to the base of the falls. Hike to the top of the falls for a final, drenching look down into the Cauldron. Evening: Sundowner. Final dinner.

Day 10 — Murchison → Entebbe (via Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary)

Drive south. Stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for a walking rhino tracking (Uganda’s only wild rhinos). Lunch. Arrive Entebbe in the late afternoon. Day-use room at Latitude 0° if your flight is late. Goodbye to the team.

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What’s included

• 9 nights’ lodging (full board) at hand-picked lodges (mid-range default, premium/luxury upgrades available)
• Gorilla permit in Bwindi (USD 800/person — paid in full at booking to UWA)
• Chimpanzee permit in Kibale (USD 250/person)
• Private 4×4 with English-speaking driver-guide for 10 days
• All park entry fees (Mburo, Bwindi, Queen Elizabeth, Kibale, Murchison) + Ziwa rhino tracking
• All major activities: Mabamba shoebill, Lake Mburo walk, gorilla trek, Kazinga Channel boat, chimp track, Murchison top-of-falls + boat cruise
• All meals from Day 1 dinner through Day 10 lunch
• Bottled water in the vehicle
• Lake Victoria sundowner on Day 1
• Trip planning + on-the-ground coordination + 24-hour emergency support

What’s not included

• International flights to/from Entebbe
• Uganda eVisa / East African Tourist Visa (USD 50–100)
• Travel insurance (mandatory — must include medical evacuation and trip cancellation)
• Drinks, premium spirits, laundry, personal shopping
• Tips for lodges, rangers, porters, driver-guide (we send a detailed tipping note)
• Sedan-chair porters for the gorilla trek if needed (USD 300–500 cash, optional)
• Optional fly-in legs (Bwindi or Pakuba) — quoted on request

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Indicative pricing (per person, sharing)

For families: kids under 15 cannot trek gorillas. We restructure the gorilla day for accompanying adults (grandparent + child) and add a chimps-and-game day in lieu — no surprises.

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Who this is for

• Couples wanting one trip that captures the whole country.
• Honeymooners — the rhythm builds to the gorilla day, then unwinds along the Nile.
• Multi-generational families (kids 8+; teenagers 15+ for the trek).
• Diaspora travellers showing Uganda to relatives or partners.
• Photographers — every leg is a different shoot.

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FAQ

Can I shorten this to 7 days? Yes — we drop Lake Mburo + Kibale and run Entebbe → Bwindi → Queen Elizabeth → Murchison → Entebbe. We lose chimps and the second-most-scenic park. Ask us for the 7-day version.

Can I extend this to 14 days? Yes — we add Kidepo Valley (Uganda’s most remote, most rewarded park) and a Nile rafting day at Jinja on the return leg.

What about the Rwanda border? You’re 30 minutes from it after Bwindi. We can structure a Rwanda extension (Kigali + Volcanoes NP) — write + Rwanda in the enquiry form.

Is Uganda safe in 2026? Yes. Routine travel precautions apply. We monitor the UK FCDO / US State Department / Uganda Police Force advisories continuously; if anything material changes we re-route the affected leg.

Can you accommodate halal / kosher / vegetarian / allergies? Yes. Tell us in the enquiry form; our lodges are briefed before arrival.

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Verified-fact box

Verified as of 30 Jun 2026 by Hello East Africa. Gorilla and chimp permit prices per UWA 2026 tariff. Lodge inventory checked monthly.

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