Uganda is home to 54 tribes within its borders each with a unique cultural practises, music, dance and food. In instances where the food is similar, it is sometimes prepared differently and has different flavours and rituals. On this Uganda culture and wildlife tour, interact with some of these peoples. There are different kingdoms without political powers; Buganda, Bunyoro, Tooro, Busoga, and the defunct Ankole Kingdom. In some areas there are chiefdoms as opposed to Kingdoms. Each of these kingdoms and chiefdoms has their languages and in some cases, it is just a dialect of the original kingdom. In addition to the culture and community experiences, we have opportunities of visiting the national parks to enjoy the variety that Uganda offers.
Safari highlights – Uganda culture and Wildlife Tour
- Source of river Nile
- Cultural and community experiences
- Game drives & Boat cruises
- Gorilla tracking
Itinerary for the Uganda Culture and Wildlife tour
Day 1: Welcome for the Uganda Cultural and Wildlife Tour
Welcome for the Uganda culture and wildlife tour. You will be welcomed at Entebbe international Airport by Kagera safaris staff and transferred to your hotel.
Drive time – 20 minutes
Day 2: Transfer to Mbale via Sezibwa Falls
We start the day early with our first stopover at Sezibwa falls for an experience of culture surrounding the falls and Sezibwa river. You will find people paying pilgrimage to the different Buganda gods believed to heal diseases, protection from curses and giving riches.
After the experience, proceed to Jinja and take a boat ride to the source of the Nile. After this, we will overnight in Mbale.
Drive time – 2 hours
B, L & D
Day 3: Mutoto circumcision grounds – Uganda Culture and Wildlife tour
The Bamasaba live on the slopes of Mt Elgon. In their culture, boys have to brave the circumcision knife before they can be recognised as men. The circumcision happens once every two years in the ‘even’ years. If its in the odd year, we will learn about its significance from the community. Learn to cook the bamboo shoots and enjoy this delicacy of the Bagisu people.
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Day 4: Hike to Sipi Falls & Sabiny Cultural Experience
Today we trek the caves and Sipi falls. Enjoy the natural splash of the water as it goes over the rocks. Later trek to the top of the falls to have another experience and view. The Sipi falls in a combination of three water falls all on the slopes of Mt Elgon.
In the afternoon, experience the Sabiny who live on Mt Elgon slopes. They grow coffee which is among the best coffee in the world. Visit a coffee plantation and go through the process of making coffee. Start with how it is grown, harvested, stored and crashed to make a cup of coffee.
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Day 5: Transfer to Moroto – Uganda Culture and Wildlife tour
Today transfer to Moroto where we will visit a Karimajong manyata to experience their culture. Enjoy the beautiful scenic drive to the northern corner of Uganda.
This ensures that the experience you get in this place is authentic in every sense. We arrive at our basic guest house later that evening. We will receive a briefing abou the next days activities.
Drive time – 5 hours
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Day 6: Full day Karimajong Culture Experience
Today we spend a day in the community with the Karimajong tribe. The Karimajong is a unique and interesting culture with families living in the manyata in an extended family setting.
They have a unique way of life where they depend on cattle for livelihood. They have high respect for their elders. The elders decide the dealings of the community and their word is final.
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Day 7: Transfer to Kidepo Valley National Park – Uganda Culture and Wildlife tour
The journey to Kidepo valley National Park starts right after breakfast. We drive to this true definition of African wilderness. This remote national park is located on the border with Kenya and South Sudan. The journey to Kidepo valley national park takes us through scenic views of Uganda’s countryside.
Drive time – 5 hours
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Day 8: Full day game drive in Kidepo Valley National Park
Today we spend the day exploring Kidepo valley national park on a game drive. Our target in Kidepo is to catch up with early raisers and predators before they return to their hideouts as the sun comes out. This park is untouched in many ways.
Explore the Kidepo valley and narus river for special species near this seasonal river. Some of the wildlife found in this place include the localised carnivores like the bat-eared fox, striped hyena, aardwolf, caracal, and cheetah. More animals include Elephants, lions, leopards, Giraffes, Buffaloes, and several antelopes.
B, L & D
Day 9: Ik people – Uganda Culture and Wildlife tour
Today we spend the day in the community with the Ik people. The journey to the Ik involves hiking up the mountains to where they reside. They are generally separated from the rest of the world having their own way of life and unique language from others in Uganda.
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Day 10: Transfer to Acholi land
After breakfast, we will bid our goodbyes to Kidepo and transfer to Acholi land. Enjoy the every beautiful scenic drives in this part of Uganda.
This part of Uganda is home to the Acholi people who are resilient having survived the LRA which lasted for years. Look forward to a time interacting with the people and enjoying water falls.
Drive time – 3 hour
Day 11: Acholi Cuisine, caves & hot springs – Uganda Culture and Wildlife tour
Cultural experience at a homestead – get involved the daily chores of the home. Harvest food and get involved in cooking it. Listen to traditional tales and enjoy the dances from community people. This will give you an experience of the Acholi culture that will wash away the stories you have heard about LRA and northern Uganda.
Day 12: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park
Today we leave for Murchison falls national park right after an early breakfast. Take the much needed rest looking forward to an early morning game drive exploring this park.
Drive time – 3 hours
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Day 13: Game drives and Boat Safari on River Nile
After an early breakfast we leave for a game drive on the northern bank of the Nile, the animals to look out for include; Giraffes, Elephants, hartebeest, buffaloes, Uganda Kob, Lions and an amazing arena of bird species.
In the afternoon, this wildlife safari will continue on the Nile with a boat ride for game viewing at close quarters. We are likely to see several animals as they come to the Nile to quench their thirst and the residents like Hippos and crocodiles. There is also an amazing array of water birds.
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Day 14: Cultural Experience at Boomu Women’s Group
Boomu Women’s Group was formed in 1999 by subsistence farmers from the villages with the aim of reducing poverty and malnutrition, and providing income for the members.
The scenic village tour tells everyday rural life. Your guide will show you various crops that will end in a visit to the village blacksmith. Storytellers share tales about customs and the local way of life. Depending on interests and time a visit to the nursery, a cooking demonstration or a basket weaving class will be arranged on request.
Drive time – 3 hours
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Day 15: Cultural Tour to Bunyoro Kingdom
This morning we depart from Edna’s Boomu women’s group. We arrive in Hoima town later that afternoon where we shall visit the palace and royal tombs where some of the Kings of Bunyoro are buried. We then retire to the hotel and enjoy the cultural dances from a group in the adjacent community.
B, L & D
Day 16: Transfer to Tooro Kingdom – Uganda Culture and Wildlife tour
Tooro Kingdom was originally part of Bunyoro. The kingdom was founded by a prince who defied his father – the king of Bunyoro at the time. The journey to Tooro will take us through various plantations and a few roadside markets. We will arrive at our hotel later that afternoon for rest before exploring the area tomorrow.
Drive time – 3 hours
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Day 17: The Stunning Fort portal Town
After an early breakfast, we tour Amabere Ga Nyina Mwiru – a cultural site with intriguing historical beliefs. Hike up the hill for views of crater lakes and a damed lake.
After this experience, visit the palace and engage in cooking and eating the cultural food. If this is not possible, we shall visit a local family for the same experince.
Depending on the day of the week, we get to visit a weekly village market day.
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Day 18: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
After breakfast, transfer to a community in the neighbouring Queen Elizabeth national park for a village. Have stops at various stops of interest in the community. Depending on the season, you might get involved in banana beer making, coffee tour experiences, bee hive and honey by products experiences plus the crater lakes tour.
Drive time – 2 hours
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Day 19: Game drive and Boat Safari – Uganda Culture and Wildlife tour
The day begins early, we go towards the mating ground of Uganda Kobs in Kasenyi area of the park. Look out for Lions who prey on the Kobs in the area. More animals in the area are; Warthogs, Elephants, and Buffaloes etc. After this experience driving through the park we take a break for lunch.
In the afternoon, we take a boat safari on the Kazinga Channel. Enjoy watching the crocodiles bask in the sun plus numerous Hippos – Kazinga Channel is known to have a high concentration of Hippos. In addition you have an amazing array of bird life along the shores and several fishermen.
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Day 20: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
We start journey to Bwindi impenetrable national park the home of mountain gorillas. This journey takes us through the Kigezi highlands with great scenery of terraced hills. Compare this to the flat areas of eastern Uganda and see the diversity of Ugandan landscapes. Arrive at your lodge next to the impenetrable forest.
Drive time – 4 hours
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Day 21: Gorilla tracking – Uganda Culture and Wildlife tour
Another highlight of your safari will be meeting with the endangered mountain gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable forest. The driver guide will transfer you to the briefing area to meet the ranger guide and later be allocated a gorilla group you will be tracking.
Some gorilla families are located far from the briefing area and you will need to drive to the trail head. Others have trail heads right out of the briefing area.
Gorilla tracking takes anything between one hour to several hours in the impenetrable forest. It is a worthwhile undertaking as you observe them closely while they eat, play and rest.
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Day 22: Batwa trail experience
The Batwa are an indigenous tribe that lived in the forest and depended on it for livelihood. They were hunter-gatherers. When the forest was was gazetted for conservation, the batwa who lived in the park left it and went to the community. However the Batwa struggled because they depended on the forest entirely.
In partnership with Uganda wildlife authority, the Batwa were allowed to visit the forest as guides and also to collect herbal medicines. Today you have an opportunity to experience their life in the forest with the Batwa guides sharing their life and in turn earning an income for themselves and their families.
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Day 23: Transfer for the Ankore Cultural experience
Leave for Mbarara after breakfast with a brief stopover at Great lakes museum. We will be going to a rural homestead/campsite where you will experience the typical village /traditional way of living. Enjoy the rolling hills in the countryside and the colourful roadside markets.
Drive time – 4 hours
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Day 24: Ankore Cultural experience – Uganda Culture and Wildlife tour
The morning starts before daybreak with milking the long horned Ankore cows. Breakfast is served at homestead before we take a village walk with specific stops in the community.
Experience the lifestyle of the people, be part of their farming time, and go to the field with the herdsman. Learn more about their lifestyle, food, and their other native habits. In the evening, you can enjoy traditional dancing and singing of a non-professional local group.
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Day 25: Transfer to Kampala
After our breakfast, we start journey to Kampala. We will have a stopover at the Equator monument for pictures, souvenir shopping and lunch. Our last stopover will be at the drum makers before continuing to Kampala.
Drive time – 5 hours
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Day 26: Buganda cultural experience & Departure
Take a city tour of Kampala – a city that ‘never sleeps’, the home of boda boda, amazing cuisine and cultural melting point. We will visit cultural sites like Lubiri and Bulange (Palace and Parliament of Buganda), and Craft markets for souvenirs of your choice (the sites to visit will depend on the available time). Lunch will be in the city and later transfer you to the airport for your departure flight. Thank you for exploring Uganda with us, Bon Voyage!
