10 Day Uganda Wildlife and Cultural safari-The Eastern and Northern parts of Uganda is brimming with adventure, from waterfall hikes in Sipi Falls, to authentic cultural encounters with the fascinating tribes of Karamoja. Combined with wildlife safaris in the remote and less visited Kidepo Valley National Park and the magnificent Murchison Falls National park. This program will offer you an incredible off-the-beaten-track experience of Uganda.

10 Day Uganda Wildlife and Cultural safari highlights:

Day 1: Arrival and travel to Jinja

Day 2: White water rafting on the River Nile

Day 3: Drive to Sipi falls with community walk and coffee tour experience 

Day 4: Waterfall hike and transfer to Kotido ( Camping in the Manyatas)

Day 5: Hike Mt Moroto and visit with the Tepeth tribe ( Bush camping

Day 6: Visit a Manyatta & Game Drive in Kidepo National Park

Day 7: Morning game drive in Kidepo National Park

Day 8: Drive to Murchison falls National park 

Day 9: Game drive and boat safari

Day 10: Drive to Entebbe Airport

10 Day Uganda Wildlife and Cultural safari Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Welcome to Uganda!

Arriving to a new and foreign place especially in Africa can be over-whelming. All your senses are alert as you take in the unfamiliar sights, sounds and smells of your new surroundings. This is certainly the case for a first visit to Uganda. Your tour guide will be with you from the very beginning, welcoming you at the airport and taking you through the lively traffic, while you can lean back and watch your new world go by. If this is your first time traveling to Africa, you will never forget your this experience.

Your accommodation for the night is set on the shores of River Nile, about a 3 hour  drive from Entebbe. Along the way you will catch a glimpse of the daily pulse of Uganda, like the matatus and boda bodas (local 4-wheel and 2-wheel taxis) weaving daringly through traffic, smartly dressed residents in colorful fabrics along the streets, food stalls stacked with delicious Rolex and wooden carts heavily laden with our staple food, the Matoke.   

Journey Time 3 hours

Accommodation Nile river Explorers 

Meal Plan No meals inclusive

Day 2 : White water rafting and visit the source of the Nile

On the second day of your 10 Day Uganda Wildlife and Cultural safari, you will go for briefing after breakfast. Here you choose to raft in the paddle-powered boats for one of the wildest raft rides on the planet, or opt to be rowed downstream by our professional guides in the safety raft. After a buffet lunch you will hit a series of more wild rapids and wind the evening with BBQ snacks after rafting.

The stretch of rapids along the upper Nile near Jinja town is considered one of the most spectacular places in Africa to go white-water rafting. Despite the intensity of some of the rapids (grade IV and V), most people who venture here are first-time rafters seeking an adrenaline rush as part of their tour in Uganda.

Safety standards are impeccable; with all rafting trips accompanied by a fleet of rescue kayaks and a safety boar you can retreat to if you find things a bit too adventurous for your tastes

After rafting, visit Jinja a town on the shores of Lake Victoria about of Kampala. This lake-side town is famous for being the historic source of the River Nile and, more recently, for developing into the adrenaline capital of East Africa.

On a boat ride you will go on a cruise out to the actual source of the Nile, where Lake Victoria pours into the Nile, beginning its 6670 km long journey to the Mediterranean sea.

After the visit you will transfer to your accommodation on the shores of River Nile for dinner and over night stay.

Day 3 : Drive to Sipi falls with a coffee tour.

Sipi falls is Sitting in the foothills of Mt Elgon and overlooking a vast plain, Sipi Falls is arguably the most beautiful chain of waterfalls in all of Uganda. There are three levels, and though the smaller two are beautiful, it is the 95m main drop that attracts visitors to this area, and most of Sipi’s lodging looks out over it. It is well worth spending a night or two in this spectacular yet peaceful

On arrival, you will do one of the highlight to visiting Sipi is a tour that takes you through the entire coffee process at a nearby family farm. You will pick the coffee berries, to de shell and grind them with a traditional mortar and pestle, and roast them on an open fire, before – the best part – finishing with a fine cup of strong Arabica coffee.

This tour will give you an opportunity to visit small local coffee producing families. This is the perfect time to pick up some high-quality Ugandan coffee to take home to your friends and family.

Day 4: Waterfall hike and transfer to Karamoja region ( Camping in the Manyatas)

After breakfast you meet a local guide and start off the hike to visit all the three Sipi waterfalls. You follow a trail that is 7 to 8km long that goes through the local communities and their farmlands of tea and banana plantations, which are the main crops grown in this area. Between visiting each waterfall you are treated to breathtaking landscape scenery, from the green slopes of Mountain Elgon to the distant flat plains of Karamoja in the distance.

Each waterfall offers an experience different from another, from the plunge, beautiful views, caves, to rainbows. The entire hike will take from 3 to 4 hours, visiting the first waterfall from the top and descending down to the second and finally to the third at the end of the trail which is the biggest and main one. It is has a large whirlpool which you can dive in for a swim in the cold water.

At the end of the fun, you will have lunch in Sipi after which you travel to Kotido and staying in the Manyattas (home steads) of Karamajong people arriving in the evening. You will retire to the lodge on this 10 Day Uganda Wildlife and Cultural safari.

Karamoja region  is located in North Eastern Uganda bordering Kenya and South Sudan. After decades of conflicts and isolation from the rest of the world, the region became unthinkable and unexplored as a destination up to date.The Karamajong people are very proud and have up to date resisted the external influence such as religion, formal education and modernization.

The Karamojong Warriors live and die for their cattle they believed that their God, Akuj had given them all the cattle in their known world around them which led them to believe that the cattle of neighboring tribes was theirs also resulting in ongoing cattle raids  in each others territories.  As the supply of weapons increased, at the end of Idi Amin’s time, the violence increased and many lives were lost by various ethnic groups including the people of the Karamoja region of Uganda. These cattle raids have now been reduced through disarmament, and peace agreements with other ethnic groups.

Day 5: Hike Mt Moroto and visit with the Tepeth tribe and Night with the worriers experience

Moroto town is located near the gentle slopes of Mount Moroto (3085m), and it is the beating heart of the Karamoja region. In this remote, and until recently quite isolated, region of Uganda some of the best outdoor adventures and authentic cultural experiences await you!

After the hike you will have a chance to over night with Karamajong Nomadic Warriors and experience Karamoja pastoral life by spending a night with warriors in the Kraal.

Day 6: Traditional Karamajong Village walk & Drive to Kidepo Valley National Park.

This is not a sightseeing tour, but a participatory experience. The traditional Karamoja village tour and home stay possibility are all about sharing the rich cultural heritage of the Karamajong by participating in various domestic activities.

We introduce you into the culture by taking you to the heart of the community and invite you to participate in daily life activities. From preparing local foods to celebrations with traditional folklore, this will be an unforgettable journey.

Day 7: Morning game drive in Kidepo National Park

Kidepo Valley hosts 475 bird species and over 80 mammal species, among them; lions, ostriches, zebras, bat-eared foxes, aardwolves, caracals, cheetahs, and greater and lesser kudus. Kidepo Valley National Park ranks among Africa’s finest wilderness landscapes and was ranked no. 3 on CNN’s list of the best national parks in Africa.

After this visit you will head farther north to the most remote and pristine national park in the country: Kidepo Valley National Park. In the rugged semi-arid valleys in the extreme northeast of Uganda, the park lies hidden away in a corner between Uganda’s borders with South Sudan and Kenya. It is a long but very rewarding journey to get to this region with some of the most beautiful scenery in Uganda. On your arrival to the park you might have time to go on an afternoon game drive in the wild Narus Valley to see herds of elephant and buffalo. You might even spot some lions and leopards perching on the various rocks dotting the valley floor.

Day 8: Drive to Murchison falls National park

Today is merely a transportation day en-route to Murchison Falls National Park passing through small villages on the way.

Day 9: Game drive and boat safari.

On your morning game drive a professional ranger with extensive knowledge of the park and its inhabitants will join you in your vehicle. As this is a private game drive you can ask your guide to tailor your trip towards specific bird life and/or wildlife if you like.

The park is especially known for its massive elephant population, wide array of bird species and big herds of buffalo. Giraffes, lions, antelope and water bucks can also be spotted here and if you search the trees carefully, you may even spot one of the elusive leopards.

The afternoon boat safari towards Murchison Falls is a special highlight of the day. On this 3-hour journey upstream on the Victoria Nile to the base of the falls you will pass by breathtaking scenery, as well as many crocodiles, hundreds of hippos, buffaloes, water birds, monkeys and other animals that come down to the Nile for a cool drink in the hot of the day. For humans, cold drinks are for sale onboard. The boat will drop you near the waterfall for your hike (1-1.5 hrs) up to the top of the falls. Make sure you are properly hydrated for the walk and be prepared to be blown away by the amazing views from the top. 

Day 10: Drive to Entebbe Airport

Enriched with an experience of a lifetime and unforgettable memories you will say goodbye to the Pearl of Africa. Depending on the time of departure you will be transferred to the airport for your flight back home. We are looking forward to seeing you again. This will mark the end of your 10 Day Uganda Wildlife and Cultural safari.