Uganda Day Trips

4.4/5 – 396 Uganda Reviews

Uganda is an ecologically varied safari destination known for its rich biodiversity. Here you will find forests inhabited by gorillas and chimps, savannah reserves roamed by the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino), tropical waterways alive with hippos, and an astonishing tally of 1,080 bird species. It goes without saying that a 1-day Uganda safari is not the ideal way to experience this diversity in full. But the good news for travelers working within this time frame is that the capital city Kampala and nearby Entebbe do offer some genuinely exciting day-trip options. These include tracking rhinos on foot, rafting the Nile River, visiting a chimp sanctuary on Lake Victoria, and searching for the iconic shoebill and other waterbirds in Mabamba Swamp.

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5 Questions About Uganda Day Trips

Expert

Answered by

Philip Briggs

Philip is an Africa-specialized travel writer who first visited Uganda in 1988. He has returned on numerous occasions to research his Bradt Guide to Uganda (first published in 1993 and now in its 10th edition) and to lead wildlife tours and bird-watching safaris.
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Which day trips are available from Kampala or Entebbe?

“Several different 1-day trips can be undertaken from the capital city Kampala or nearby Entebbe, depending on your budget and interests. A very popular choice for bird-watchers is Mabamba Swamp, a shallow marshy bay that fringes Lake Victoria 12km/8mi west of Entebbe as the crow flies. A local community project runs dugout canoe trips into Mabamba. You’ll have an excellent chance of spotting the charismatic shoebill and other localized waterbirds such as African pygmy goose, blue-breasted bee-eater and papyrus gonolek. For more adventurous travelers, an excellent option for a day trip is a white-water rafting excursion on the Nile. There are Grade 5 rapids a short distance downriver of where the Nile exits Lake Victoria near the city of Jinja. For wildlife enthusiasts, a popular 1-day Uganda safari involves tracking white rhinos on foot in Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch to the north of Kampala. Another popular and highly recommended day trip out of Kampala or Entebbe is to take a motorboat across Lake Victoria to jungle-swathed Ngamba Island. The island has been the site of a highly regarded sanctuary for orphaned chimpanzees since 1998.”

Can I book a gorilla trekking day trip in Uganda?

“In principle, yes. You can book a gorilla safari as a 1-day trip once you’re in Uganda. In practice, however, there are several potential obstacles to doing so. The first is that visiting gorillas at short notice depends on the availability of a trekking permit, which cannot be guaranteed, particularly during the peak tourist season (June to September). If no permits are available on a suitable date, then you won’t be able to do a gorilla trekking safari. Another obstacle is that the main gateway cities of Kampala and Entebbe lie at least 10 hours’ drive from Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks, the two spots where gorilla trekking takes place. This means that even if permits are available, the minimum realistic duration of a gorilla trekking tour that starts and ends in Kampala or Entebbe would be 3 days and 2 nights. Having said that, it is perfectly possible to make your own way to Kabale, the closest large town to Bwindi. From there you can book a day visit to track gorillas at the Rushaga or Nkuringo trailheads on the park’s southern boundary. Another option is a gorilla trekking day trip to Mgahinga from the town of Kisoro, which lies very close to the park entrance.”

Is a 1-day safari in Lake Mburo National Park worth it?

“That depends on where the safari starts. Lake Mburo National Park is the closest proper safari destination to Kampala and Entebbe. It is 5 to 6 hours’ drive to the southwest, and there are several lodges bordering the park that offer day trips into it. These are definitely worthwhile. On one extended game drive and boat trip in Lake Mburo, you could spot a wide selection of wildlife including buffalo, hippo, giraffe, zebra, impala, topi, bushbuck, defassa waterbuck and plenty of birds. However, if the day safari to Lake Mburo starts and ends in Kampala or Entebbe (an option offered by some operators), then that cannot really be recommended. Coming from either city, the round trip to and from the park entrance gate will most likely take more than 10 hours, which is a lot of time on the road. And it will limit your wildlife viewing to a few short hours in the middle of the day, which is the hottest time to be out on safari. This is also when animals are least active and the photographic light is harshest. All things considered, a 1-day safari to Lake Mburo out of Kampala or Entebbe will add up to a lot of driving for very little reward. If possible, it would make a lot more sense to aim to spend at least 1 night close to the park.”

How much does a 1-day Uganda safari cost?

“The price of a 1-day safari depends greatly on the destination. A gorilla trekking day trip out of the southwestern towns of Kabale or Kisoro typically costs around US$900 to US$1,100 per person. A large proportion of this cost is swallowed up by the US$800 gorilla trekking permit. Most other day trips out of the capital Kampala or nearby Entebbe (for instance to Mabamba, Ziwa, Ngamba Island or the Nile) generally cost from US$120 to US$400 per person. In many cases they will work out cheaper if you're part of a larger group, since this reduces transportation costs.”

What is included in a 1-day Uganda safari?

“Most day trips in Uganda will include transport, the services of a driver and/or guide, and all entrance and activity-related fees. Lunch and/or snacks and drinking water will most likely be included too, but check this in advance. You should expect to pay for any alcoholic beverages and other purchases of a personal nature. Guides in Uganda are generally dependent on tips for an income, so you should also allow for this.”

Uganda Reviews

4.4/5 396 Reviews

Expert

Mark Eveleigh –

Mark is a travel writer who grew up in Africa and has written over 700 titles for Condé Nast Traveller, Travel Africa, BBC Wildlife and others.

Fantastic Wildlife and Some of the Friendliest People in Africa Make Uganda Unbeatable

5/5

I spent a month travelling around Uganda with a self-drive, expedition-prepared Landcruiser and visited almost every national park in the country. Uganda was a revelation! I had not expected such a richness of wildlife nor such great...

Full Review

Expert

Ariadne van Zandbergen –

Ariadne is a renowned African wildlife photographer whose work is featured in many well-known guidebooks and magazines.

Gorilla Tracking in Uganda

4/5

Uganda’s biggest attraction is mountain gorilla tracking. Seeing these gentle giants has been one of my best wildlife experiences ever. With Congo being unstable, Rwanda is the only other country where this is offered. Aside from...

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Markus Janser –

Reviewed: Nov 20, 2024

What a nice surprise

5/5

We (Father with two teenagers) headed of to a nine day private Safari in Uganda to see the Gorillas. And we did not get disappointed, we spent an hour with them, an amazing experience. However, we where surprised and charmed by the...

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Jorge Camacho –

Reviewed: Nov 5, 2024

Awesome experience

5/5

Our recent trip to Uganda could not have met our expectations more. The country has well deserved the title of ‘pearl of Africa’, the country is impressive, the landscapes are spectacular and having an endangered wonder like the gorilla...

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Leah –

Reviewed: Oct 23, 2024

A beautiful country with exceptional service industry and private wildlife encounters

5/5

We travelled through Uganda and Tanzania over three weeks. The time we spent in Uganda was incredible. The country is a lot quieter to travel through, which makes the game drives feel intimate when you have the wildlife all to yourself...

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Val –

Reviewed: Oct 12, 2024

A new adventure every day

5/5

We toured Uganda for 17 days mid range accommodation. We took many game drives, launch trip on Kazinga Channel, gorillas and Chimpanzee trekking, plus visted Lake Bunyonyi and local villages. We had the most amazing holiday with many...

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Uganda Day Trips

1-Day Gorilla Tracking Bwindi from Kigali

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5 Questions About Uganda Day Trips

Answered by

Philip Briggs

5 Questions About Uganda Day Trips

Which day trips are available from Kampala or Entebbe?

Can I book a gorilla trekking day trip in Uganda?

Is a 1-day safari in Lake Mburo National Park worth it?

How much does a 1-day Uganda safari cost?

What is included in a 1-day Uganda safari?

Uganda Reviews

Fantastic Wildlife and Some of the Friendliest People in Africa Make Uganda Unbeatable

Gorilla Tracking in Uganda

What a nice surprise

Awesome experience

A beautiful country with exceptional service industry and private wildlife encounters

A new adventure every day