U G A N D A
T h e P e a r l o f A f r i c a
U G A N D A
T h e P e a r l o f A f r i c a
Why Go on a Uganda Safari?
Soul Stirring Gorilla Encounters
Uganda is home to some of the world's greatest primate tracking, situated against a setting of rolling hills, forest canopies and majestic mountain peaks. With the world's highest number of surviving mountain gorillas, it's no wonder that most wildlife-enthusiasts come to Uganda to track and spend time with these critically endangered primates up-close.
One-of-a-kind Experiences
From gorilla trekking and cultural immersions with the ancient Batwa Tribe to Big Five game viewing in savannah parks, Uganda offers the kinds of experiences found nowhere else on Earth.
Exclusive Lodges & Camps
Accommodation in Uganda generally falls into two types: hotels in the capital Kampala, and safari lodges and tented camps situated in Uganda’s parks and reserves, from luxury ranch-style lodges and affordable bush camps to stylish city hotels.
Soul Stirring Gorilla Encounters
Uganda is home to some of the world's greatest primate tracking, situated against a setting of rolling hills, forest canopies and majestic mountain peaks. With the world's highest number of surviving mountain gorillas, it's no wonder that most wildlife-enthusiasts come to Uganda to track and spend time with these critically endangered primates up-close.
From gorilla trekking and cultural immersions with the ancient Batwa Tribe to Big Five game viewing in savannah parks, Uganda offers the kinds of experiences found nowhere else on Earth.
One-of-a-kind Experiences
Exclusive Lodges & Camps
Accommodation in Uganda generally falls into two types: hotels in the capital Kampala, and safari lodges and tented camps situated in Uganda’s parks and reserves, from luxury ranch-style lodges and affordable bush camps to stylish city hotels.
Why Go on a Uganda Safari?
Incredible game-viewing
See the Big 5 (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, buffalo) and more wildlife found only in Africa, with expert guides who'll get you so
close you can hear them breathe.
Walking safaris, hot air balloon safaris, cultural interactions with
local people- all safari activities support conservation and communities. The ultimate win-win.
Rewarding experiences
The luxury of time
Enjoy being off-the-grid and truly away from it all with private plunge pools and spa facilities at intimate lodges in some of the most remote parts of the world.
Indulge your senses
Sip sundowners as giraffes stroll across the hot pink horizon, and sample gourmet African dishes and wines over fireside dinners while the sounds of the bush serenades you.
Two trips in one
The best trips combine Africa's top destinations. Easily go from the African bush to buzzy Cape Town or an idyllic Indian Ocean island- with all the details and transfers taken care of.
Why you need to experience an African safari vacation:
"...I thought this was a once in a lifetime trip,
but I'm already planning my next safari!"
Convenient Add-Ons
World-Class Hiking & Trekking
If you daydream about climbing, hiking, and trekking in the African highlands bush, Uganda is the preeminent destination for an outdoor vacation. There are superb networks of trials that take you into some of the most breathtaking landscapes on the planet.
Regular flights and accessibility make it easy to combine your Uganda safari with other celebrated African destinations from Kenya and Tanzania, and their vast open plains, to the white-sand beaches of Zanzibar.
Excellent Value
Thanks to a very favourable exchange rate, it’s easy to find superb accommodation that offers that extra bit of holiday pampering. Spoilt for choice is an understatement with an option to suit every budget and preference.
Gorilla Trekking, Classic Big Five Game Viewing & Ancient Tribes
If you've ever wanted to sit with mountain gorillas in their natural rainforest habitat, then a Uganda safari will deliver on your expectations. Boasting a 90% success rate at finding habituated gorilla family groups in the extraordinary Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, gorilla trekking in Uganda has become one of Africa's most powerful wildlife experiences. But don't think that a Uganda safari is only about gorillas in rainforests: this landlocked East African country is home to a range of diverse national parks and is a strong contender for one of the world's best bird watching destinations.
$600
From
USD per person per night
See below
Land & Water Safari Experiences
From lunar-like desert landscapes and open grasslands to riverine forests and papyrus-lined canals, Botswana delivers the very best in land and water safari experiences. Combine luxury and adventure in some of the world’s most remote locations, while the magical sights and sounds of Africa leave you with memories you’ll cherish forever.
$4,000
From
USD pps
See below
The Best of Both:
Gorilla Trekking, Classic Big Five Game Viewing & Ancient Tribes
If you've ever wanted to sit with mountain gorillas in their natural rainforest habitat, then a Uganda safari will deliver on your expectations. Boasting a 90% success rate at finding habituated gorilla family groups in the extraordinary Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, gorilla trekking in Uganda has become one of Africa's most powerful wildlife experiences. But don't think that a Uganda safari is only about gorillas in rainforests: this landlocked East African country is home to a range of diverse national parks and is a strong contender for one of the world's best bird watching destinations.
From
$600
USD pppn
Serengeti
Tanzania
January–March & June–October
Dry Season:
The weather is usually mild and dry from January to March, and most of the safari crowds are absent. June to October is safari’s high season; the Serengeti is busy, but weather conditions are perfect and the Wildebeest Migration’s dramatic river crossings take place. Although the sheer size of the Serengeti will give you a soul-stirring sense of space, the areas around the Migration’s river crossing points can get busy. If you want to be close to the action yet enjoy some serenity, we suggest staying in an adjacent private reserve.
Green Season:
November–December
The ‘short rains’ season relieves the dry mid-year winter. Clouds build up in the mornings and break in spectacular, but generally short-lived, showers in the late afternoons. Migrant birds return from the northern hemisphere and resident plains game give birth, which means the predator action is thrilling.
Migration Season:
December–September
The herds usually cross the Grumeti River in the western Serengeti between about May and July, then move towards the Mara River in the north to cross into the Masai Mara between about July to October. November's short rains trigger the herds
to move back to the Serengeti to give birth before calving season, which takes place from January to March and is renowned for bitter-sweet predator action.
Highlights
- Crowd-free game viewing, nature walks and off-road game drives in private game reserves
- Custom-made safaris for every traveller type – from families and honeymooners
- Incredible year-round game viewing, especially predators
- The Great Wildebeest Migration (December to October)
Consider Adding …
Kenya
Kenya offers a vacation for every traveller. From unforgettable family safaris with child-friendly activities and services to exclusive hideaways for couples and honeymooners, Kenya has it all and then some.
Tanzania
From the classic savannah destinations of the Serengeti, Tarangire and Ngorongoro Crater to the beaches and coral reefs of Zanzibar, a Tanzania safari delivers one massive experience after another.
Zanzibar
The name alone is likely to conjure up images of spice markets, palm-fringed beaches and white-sailed dhows on a turquoise sea – and happily the reality doesn’t disappoint. Lying only a short distance off the Tanzania coast, Zanzibar has long been at the centre of the Indian Ocean experience.
Consider Adding …
From the classic savannah destinations of the Serengeti, Tarangire and Ngorongoro Crater to the beaches and coral reefs of Zanzibar, a Tanzania safari delivers one massive experience after another.
Kenya
Kenya offers a vacation for every traveller. From unforgettable family safaris with child-friendly activities and services to exclusive hideaways for couples and honeymooners, Kenya has it all and then some.
Tanzania
The name alone is likely to conjure up images of spice markets, palm-fringed beaches and white-sailed dhows on a turquoise sea – and happily the reality doesn’t disappoint. Lying only a short distance off the Tanzania coast, Zanzibar has long been at the centre of the Indian Ocean experience.
Zanzibar
5
Days
Adventurer Uganda’s Fly-In Gorilla Trek
DESTINATIONS:
- Entebbe
- Bwindi National Park
THE EXPERIENCE:
This bucket-list experience takes you deep into Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for an eye-opening encounter with highly endangered mountain gorillas. After landing at the international airport in Entebbe, you will fly to the Kihihi airstrip on the outskirts of Bwindi National Park. Home to roughly 340 mountain gorillas, the park is one of the two remaining protected sites where this subspecies of great ape exist in the wild. Some of the family groups are habituated to human presence and will allow trekkers to track and observe them from a respectful and mandated distance as they go about their daily lives. Back at your accommodation, which is the tranquil Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp, keep an eye open for gorillas strolling right through the camp!
$ 3,100
From
USD pp sharing
Days
14
Uganda Safari Trip Ideas
Secret Gorillas, Chimps, Serengeti & Crater
DESTINATIONS:
- Entebbe
- Bwindi National Park
- Kigali
- Serengeti
- Ngorongoro Crater
THE EXPERIENCE:
One of our most biodiverse itineraries, this 14-day safari delivers some of East Africa’s biggest wildlife experiences. The tour opens with trekking for mountain gorillas in Uganda’s equatorial rainforests before flying you to Lake Victoria – via a comfortable night in Rwanda’s capital Kigali - and an exclusive camp on Rubondo Island, home to forest animals such as chimpanzees and the tiny suni antelope as well as more familiar species such as elephant and giraffe. Then you exchange the forest landscape for a savannah one as you fly to the Serengeti and then to the Ngorongoro Crater.
$14,900
From
USD pp sharing
Consider Adding…
Here are some of our best packages, all completely customisable to your requirements and travel wishes:
This trip is perfect for couples or honeymooners. Each accommodation on this safari is an elegant tented camp with facilities such as swimming pools, spa treatments and private dining. The distances between destinations are taken care of by short flights, enabling you to enjoy as much time on safari as possible. You can look forward to a unique rhino tracking adventure and seeking out the Special 5 – Beisa oryx, reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, long-neck gerenuk and Somali ostrich – in Samburu, plus incredible game viewing in private conservancies along the Masai Mara.
Rates generally depend on timing (i.e. key travel seasons like holidays) and level of luxury (the type of amenities and exclusivity). As a guideline, South Africa safaris can range anywhere from approximately 450 USD per person per night in low season to over 1 550 USD at the finest lodges in high season.
How Much is a
South Africa Safari?
Talk to one of our experts to explore availability during your travel dates.
Our favourite accommodations are the most intimate ones. It's always best to book as far ahead as possible to ensure you have experiences like this ...
Our favourite accommodations are the most intimate ones. It's always best to book as far ahead as possible to ensure you have experiences like this ...
How Much is a Uganda Safari?
Rates generally depend on timing (i.e. key travel seasons like holidays) and level of luxury (the type of amenities and exclusivity). As a guideline, Uganda safaris can range anywhere from approximately 600 USD per person per night in low season to over 1,250 USD at the finest lodges in high season.
What's Included in the Cost?
Most accommodations are all-inclusive; all your meals, snacks, beverages, alcohol (with some exceptions) are part of your room rate. In addition, your game drives, and other excursions will all be included. To operate in such remote areas at such a high level of hospitality, it takes some serious logistics and often means guest-to-staff ratios of more than 5 to 1. Not to mention many accommodations offer services like laundry, so you can pack light and travel easy.
The only things you’ll have to pay for are gorilla and chimpanzee trekking permits and, in some cases, imported spirits. Beyond that, just gratuities for the incredible staff who will make your stay at each lodge so memorable.
Rates generally depend on timing (i.e. key travel seasons like holidays) and level of luxury (the type of amenities and exclusivity). As a guideline, Uganda safaris can range anywhere from approximately 600 USD per person per night in low season to over 1,250 USD at the finest lodges in high season.
What's Included in the Cost?
Most accommodations are all-inclusive; all your meals, snacks, beverages, alcohol (with some exceptions) are part of your room rate. In addition, your game drives, and other excursions will all be included. To operate in such remote areas at such a high level of hospitality, it takes some serious logistics and often means guest-to-staff ratios of more than 5 to 1. Not to mention many accommodations offer services like laundry, so you can pack light and travel easy.
The only things you’ll have to pay for are gorilla and chimpanzee trekking permits and, in some cases, imported spirits. Beyond that, just gratuities for the incredible staff who will make your stay at each lodge so memorable.
How Much is a Uganda Safari?
Africa Safari Expert
Bonita Cronje
"After our briefing, we got in a vehicle and drove for between 30 and 45 minutes before we started our gorilla trek in Uganda. We got the “difficult” gorilla group to track, but we were only in the forest for a total of three hours. The guides try to get you as close to your designated gorilla family as possible. You don’t need to be seriously fit – my fitness level is not great, and I managed quite easily. I think the search and the chase get your adrenalin levels up and help motivate you to keep going."
Africa Safari Expert
Ashley Gerrand
Bonita Cronje
Africa Safari Expert
"After our briefing, we got in a vehicle and drove for between 30 and 45 minutes before we started our gorilla trek in Uganda. We got the “difficult” gorilla group to track, but we were only in the forest for a total of three hours. The guides try to get you as close to your designated gorilla family as possible. You don’t need to be seriously fit – my fitness level is not great, and I managed quite easily. I think the search and the chase get your adrenalin levels up and help motivate you to keep going."
Why Travel With Go2Africa
We are African
Based in Cape Town, our team of experts are all born and raised in Africa. We spend our own holidays on safari, and understand what goes into making every trip a once in a life-time experience.
We have first-hand knowledge of every single destination, lodge and activity we recommend. We spend more than 365 days a year on safari to ensure you get the best, unbiased advice.
We are safari experts
Our size and trusted relationships with Africa’s top operators gives us access to the best possible rates. If you find a better quote for your itinerary, let us know and we’ll match it.
Our best price promise
Your money stays in Africa
As an African company, we ensure 100% of the money from your safari stays in Africa, supporting local communities and conservation projects, making a difference long after you return home.
24/7 On-safari support
Book with us and we’ll be alongside you from our first chat, offering 24/7 assistance and local know-how from the right time zone, whenever you need it.
Why Travel with Go2Africa
Complete financial protection
Your money is safe with us. All our clients are protected by our supplier default insurance and our accreditation bond with the Southern Africa Tourism Services Association.
We are African
Based in Cape Town, our team of experts are all born and raised in Africa. We spend our own holidays on safari, and understand what goes into making every trip a once in a life-time experience.
We are safari experts
We have first-hand knowledge of every single destination, lodge and activity we recommend. We spend more than 365 days a year on safari to ensure you get the best, unbiased advice.
Our best price promise
We have first-hand knowledge of every single destination, lodge and activity we recommend. We spend more than 365 days a year on safari to ensure you get the best, unbiased advice.
Your money stays in Africa
As an African company, we ensure 100% of the money from your safari stays in Africa, supporting local communities and conservation projects, making a difference long after you return home.
24/7 On-safari support
Book with us and we’ll be alongside you from our first chat, offering 24/7 assistance and local know-how from the right time zone, whenever you need it.
Complete financial protection
Your money is safe with us. All our clients are protected by our supplier default insurance and our accreditation bond with the Southern Africa Tourism Services Association.
What Our Clients Say
5/5
5/5
5/5
Go2Africa was the perfect choice... We worked with Nicole from beginning to the end and she were so helpful in creating the perfect itinerary for us. From flights, to accommodations, to transfers, and tour guides, everything was perfect...Nicole was able to work within our budget and on all of our
wants/needs.
Honeymoon of a lifetime!
This is our 3rd safari booked with Go2Africa and I'm always amazed at the personal attention to detail that goes into planning. We gave Jessica a general area we wanted to visit and a wildlife wish list of animals we wanted to see…It was unbelievable. Once again, Jessica did such an amazing job with selecting the camps that were perfect for us…
Knocked it out of the park again!
The family had an experience that exceeded our expectations. At each critical change point of the journey (flights, transport, accommodation) the arrangements played out perfectly. The experiences at each location were perfect and we took home so many memories and things to share. Thank you! Job well done.
Perfectly executed
What Our Clients Say
Chat with one of our
experienced African Safari
Experts with no obligation.
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in a lifetimes
will you have?
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7
5
Days
Adventurer Uganda’s Fly-In Gorilla Trek
Also Consider Kenya
Samburu National Reserve
Samburu is an arrestingly beautiful, rocky landscape that heralds Kenya’s vast northern deserts. It’s the traditional homeland of the Samburu people and a haven for the unique Special 5: Beisa oryx, reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, long-neck gerenuk and Somali ostrich.
Amboseli National Park
With its perennial wetlands flourishing beneath towering Mount Kilimanjaro, Amboseli National Park is the best place in East Africa to see massive herds of elephant. If you’re looking for that iconic postcard image of wildlife against a Kili backdrop, this is the place to get the shot.
Laikipia
The high plains of Laikipia are increasingly recognised as one of Kenya’s
best safari regions. It’s home to some of the country’s most encouraging conservation success stories like Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, a sanctuary
for black and white rhinos as well as Grevy’s zebra.
Kenya Beaches
Relaxing along Kenya’s dazzling tropical coastline is one of the best ways to crown your safari. From family-friendly resorts to exclusive beach villas, the country’s coastline offers excellent accommodation and superb diving and snorkelling spots.
Uganda Safari Trip Ideas
Here are some of our best packages,
all completely customisable to your requirements and travel wishes:
- Entebbe
- Bwindi National Park
This bucket-list experience takes you deep into Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for an eye-opening encounter with highly endangered mountain gorillas. After landing at the international airport in Entebbe, you will fly to the Kihihi airstrip on the outskirts of Bwindi National Park. Home to roughly 340 mountain gorillas, the park is one of the two remaining protected sites where this subspecies of great ape exist in the wild. Some of the family groups are habituated to human presence and will allow trekkers to track and observe them from a respectful and mandated distance as they go about their daily lives. Back at your accommodation, which is the tranquil Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp, keep an eye open for gorillas strolling right through the camp!
$ 3,100
From
USD pp sharing
7
14
Days
Secret Gorillas, Chimps, Serengeti & Crater
DESTINATIONS:
- Entebbe
- Bwindi National Park
- Kigali
- Serengeti
- Ngorongoro Crater
THE EXPERIENCE:
One of our most biodiverse itineraries, this 14-day safari delivers some of East Africa’s biggest wildlife experiences. The tour opens with trekking for mountain gorillas in Uganda’s equatorial rainforests before flying you to Lake Victoria – via a comfortable night in Rwanda’s capital Kigali - and an exclusive camp on Rubondo Island, home to forest animals such as chimpanzees and the tiny suni antelope as well as more familiar species such as elephant and giraffe. Then you exchange the forest landscape for a savannah one as you fly to the Serengeti and then to the Ngorongoro Crater.
$4,200
From
pp sharing
DESTINATIONS:
THE EXPERIENCE:
Browse our Uganda Resources
Browse our Uganda Resources
When To Go
7 DAY KENYA'S LAIKIPIA & MASAI MARA
• Track black rhino & the Big 5
• Fly fishing & flying safaris
• Witness the Great Migration in season
• Experience Maasai & Swahili culture
• Off-road game drives
FROM
$4 000pp
13 DAY TANZANIA FLY-IN CRATER, MIGRATION & ISLAND
• All inclusive fly-in safari experience
• Arguably some of Africa’s best game viewing
• Visit Lake Manyara’s tree-climbing lions
• Explore the natural wonder of Ngorongoro Crater
• Witness the wildebeest migration across the Serengeti
• Dive the coral reefs of a tropical island
FROM
$10 000pp
13 DAY PRIVATE GUIDED BOTSWANA & KENYA FLY-IN
• Fly between camps in a Pilatus PC-12 light aircraft
• Private, award-winning guide throughout
• Stay at Relais & Chateaux properties
• Excellent predator sightings
• Best of Botswana & Kenya
• Only 6 places available – ideal for exclusive-use
FROM
$40 000pp
Wet Seasons: March to May
March, April and May see the heaviest rainfall in Uganda, with shorter rains in October to November. This doesn’t affect your chances of spotting gorillas, although be prepared for a soggy, slippery trek! Waterproofs, and waterproof boots, are essential. It’s also believed that the gorillas linger on the warmer, lower slopes during wetter weather, so your trek may be shorter.
Dry Seasons: January & February & June to September
Although it's regarded as a year-round activity, the best time to visit Uganda for gorilla trekking is during the country's two dry seasons: January and February and from June to September. Game viewing in Uganda's savannah parks is best at the end of the dry seasons - February and March and September/early October - when wildlife is concentrated around water sources.
The Kruger
South Africa’s biggest and best-known national park is home to the country's greatest diversity of animals and exquisite safari lodges on private game reserves. As one of the oldest conservation areas in Africa, it boasts healthy populations of wildlife and highly sought-after sightings of cheetah and wild dog. But the Kruger’s pièce de résistance is the almost guaranteed encounter with the super-celebrities of the safari circuit: Africa’s iconic Big 5.
Dry Season:
May–Oct
The dry winter season is considered the best time to go to Kruger for game viewing. Vegetation is low and sparse, making animals easier to spot and follow, and wildlife will not move far from remaining water sources at this time of year. It’s a very comfortable time for a safari with few mosquitoes around, little if any rain, and pleasant temperatures.
- High concentrations of wildlife
- Off-road driving, spot-lit night drives and guided nature walks in private reserves
Highlights
- Luxurious lodges with spas, gyms, private pools and star-beds
- 5-star service and exquisite cuisine – some of the best safari food in Africa
- Virtual guarantee to see all the Big 5
Green Season:
Nov–Apr
The summer’s afternoon thundershowers transform the Kruger into a beautiful, thriving green landscape that makes for superb photography. Game viewing is still good – with many young summer-born animals around it's a predator's paradise – and it's the best time to visit the Kruger for bird watching plus safari-and-beach holiday combinations.
Convenient Add-Ons
Regular flights and accessibility make it easy to combine your Uganda safari with other celebrated African destinations from Kenya and Tanzania, and their vast open plains, to the white-sand beaches of Zanzibar.
World-Class Hiking & Trekking
If you daydream about climbing, hiking, and trekking in the African highlands bush, Uganda is the preeminent destination for an outdoor vacation. There are superb networks of trials that take you into some of the most breathtaking landscapes on the planet.
When to Go
Dry Seasons:
Although it's regarded as a year-round activity, the best time to visit Uganda for gorilla trekking is during the country's two dry seasons: January and February and from June to September. Game viewing in Uganda's savannah parks is best at the end of the dry seasons - February and March and September/early October - when wildlife is concentrated around water sources.
Jan & Feb
Wet Seasons:
March, April and May see the heaviest rainfall in Uganda, with shorter rains in October to November. This doesn’t affect your chances of spotting gorillas, although be prepared for a soggy, slippery trek! Waterproofs, and waterproof boots, are essential. It’s also believed that the gorillas linger on the warmer, lower slopes during wetter weather, so your trek may be shorter.
Mar–May