8-Day Murchison, Kibale & Queen Elizabeth Safari

This eight-day route is ideal for travellers who want a rich safari without gorilla trekking. Murchison gives you the Nile and big open-country wildlife, Kibale brings you into the primate forest, and Queen Elizabeth finishes with game drives and one of Uganda’s best boat safaris. It can also be extended south to Bwindi if gorillas are added later.

Day 1 – Entebbe/Kampala to Murchison Falls

Travel north toward Murchison Falls. Depending on your confirmed program, an en-route rhino experience can be added. Continue to the park, visit the top of the falls if time allows and settle into your lodge.

Day 2 – Murchison Game Drive & Nile Boat Cruise

Begin with an early game drive across the savannah, searching for giraffes, elephants, buffaloes, antelopes and predators. In the afternoon, take the Nile boat cruise toward Murchison Falls, watching hippos, crocodiles, birds and animals along the river.

Day 3 – Murchison to Fort Portal/Kibale

Leave after breakfast for a longer road journey south-west toward Fort Portal and Kibale. This is a transfer day, so breaks are built in and the evening is intentionally quiet. Arrive at your forest-area lodge for dinner.

Day 4 – Chimpanzee Tracking in Kibale

Track chimpanzees with trained forest guides. After the encounter, return for lunch and spend the afternoon on an optional wetland/community walk or simply relax among the green landscapes around Kibale.

Day 5 – Kibale to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Drive toward Queen Elizabeth National Park, with the option of scenic crater-area stops. Arrive for lunch and begin your savannah experience with an evening wildlife drive.

Day 6 – Queen Elizabeth Game Drive & Kazinga Channel

Explore the park on an early game drive, then return for a relaxed midday break. In the afternoon, cruise the Kazinga Channel for excellent close-range viewing of hippos, water birds and mammals visiting the shores.

Day 7 – Ishasha or Additional Queen Elizabeth Exploration

Use this day to explore a different part of Queen Elizabeth. Depending on lodge location and road conditions, head toward Ishasha in search of tree-climbing lions or spend longer in the northern game-viewing areas. The day remains flexible to follow wildlife rather than force a fixed checklist.

Day 8 – Return to Entebbe/Kampala

Enjoy breakfast and drive back toward Kampala/Entebbe, stopping for lunch en route. Travellers adding gorilla trekking can instead continue south from Queen Elizabeth to Bwindi.