Uganda in less than a week
In just seven days you will be able to experience Uganda’s finest national parks – including the world famous mountain gorillas.
If you fly into Entebbe in the morning, it would be wise to stock up on supplies either there or in the nearby Kampala before you head for Lake Mburo National Park because although the staff at the rest camp, public campsites and the hostel will be more than willing to cook your food, they do not stock any food. The same goes for drinks.
Make sure to leave Kampala shortly after lunch to allow for enough daylight to travel the four hours on the Mbarara Kampala highway.
Lake Mburo is the best place in the country to see the gigantic eland antelope, as well as zebra, topi and impala. The five lakes in the park attract hippos, crocodiles and waterbirds.
Spend at least two nights before tackling the 8-hour drive to Bwindi National Park in the southwest where you should allow yourself one full day (two nights) for mountain gorilla tracking. Accommodation includes a lodge, tented camps, and cheaper rooms run by the local community. Make sure to buy enough supplies on route.
If you want to track gorillas you must first obtain a permit from the Uganda Wildlife Authority. The gorillas almost never react to tourists, but there are strict rules to minimize the risk of diseases passing to the gorillas.
There are also guided walks through the forest for monkey and bird watching.
The drive north to the Queen Elizabeth National Park is not long and you should reach it – game viewing included – in time for an afternoon or evening cruise on the Kazinga Channel that links Lake Edward to Lake George.
The next morning try spotting wild chimpanzees in the forest before leaving for Kibale Forest National Park which is about two hours’ drive to the north.
Kibale is world renowned for its rain forest, wetlands primate sanctuary and night walks.
Spend one or two nights before heading back to Kampala and Entebbe.
Ugana in more than a week
There is no reason in the world for abandoning your one week itinerary if you are lucky enough to have two or more weeks in Uganda. Add on to your one week itinerary by visiting Lake Victoria or some of the other lakes. The shores are scattered with hotels, campsites and resorts.
Remember to add to that a few days’ visit to the Ssese Islands.
