20-Day Uganda, Tanzania & Kenya Grand Safari
Safari Overview
This epic 20-day journey across Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya is the ultimate East African adventure, designed for travelers seeking the full spectrum of Africa’s wonders. From tracking endangered mountain gorillas in Uganda’s misty Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to witnessing the Great Migration on the endless plains of the Serengeti and Masai Mara, this safari delivers unparalleled wildlife encounters. You will trek chimpanzees in Kibale’s primate-rich rainforest, explore the dramatic Ngorongoro Crater — the world’s largest unbroken volcanic caldera and a UNESCO World Heritage Site — and cruise the hippo-filled Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Beyond the wildlife, this journey offers rich cultural encounters with the Batwa, Maasai, and local communities, creating an immersive experience that reveals the true essence of East Africa.
Safari Highlights
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest – a life-changing encounter with mountain gorillas
Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest – home to the highest density of primates in East Africa
Game drives in Queen Elizabeth, Serengeti, and Masai Mara – search for the Big Five
Ngorongoro Crater – descend 600 meters into Africa’s Eden
Kazinga Channel boat cruise – Africa’s densest hippo population
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary – track white rhinos on foot
Lake Manyara – home to the rare tree-climbing lions
Cultural experiences – Batwa, Maasai, and local community visits
Great Migration (seasonal) – witness nature’s greatest wildlife spectacle
.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe – Welcome to Uganda
Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by your Serengeti Wildlife Safari driver-guide. After a short briefing about your 20-day adventure, you will be transferred to your hotel near Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest lake. Depending on your arrival time, you may relax and recover from your journey or take a short orientation walk around the neighborhood. A safari briefing will outline your epic journey across three East African nations.
Meals: Bed and breakfast and Drinking water
Day 2: Transfer to Murchison Falls via Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
After breakfast, depart for Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda’s largest and oldest conservation area, with a stopover at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary – the only place in Uganda where you can see wild white rhinos. Engage in a guided rhino tracking experience on foot, a thrilling opportunity to observe these magnificent creatures up close while learning about their conservation. After this encounter, continue your scenic drive north through the Ugandan countryside, arriving at your lodge in Murchison Falls late afternoon. Dinner and overnight.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner, Drinking water
Day 3: Morning & Evening Game Drives
Start your day with a sunrise game drive across Murchison Falls’ vast savannah plains. Search for four of the Big Five – elephants, buffalo, lions, and leopards – along with giraffes, Uganda kobs, antelopes, and numerous bird species. Return to the lodge for lunch and relaxation.
In the late afternoon, embark on another game drive as the sun begins to set, painting the savannah in golden hues. This is an excellent time to spot nocturnal wildlife beginning their evening activities. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Meals: All meals included, Drinking water
Day 4: Top of the Falls Hike & Evening Boat Cruise
After breakfast, head out for a hike to the top of Murchison Falls – one of the most powerful waterfalls on Earth. Witness the mighty Nile River forcing its way through a narrow 7-meter gorge before plunging dramatically into the “Devil’s Cauldron” below. The views from the top are breathtaking and offer excellent photography opportunities.
In the afternoon, enjoy a boat cruise along the Victoria Nile to the base of the falls. Glide past Nile crocodiles, wallowing hippos, elephants bathing on the riverbanks, and a spectacular array of waterbirds including fish eagles, kingfishers, and the elusive shoebill stork. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Meals: All meals included, Drinking water
Day 5: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
After breakfast, depart Murchison Falls and drive south to Kibale Forest National Park, known as the “Primate Capital of the World”. The journey takes you through the scenic countryside, past tea plantations, rolling hills, and colourful rural villages. Stop for lunch en route in Hoima. Arrive in the late afternoon at your lodge, check in, and relax in preparation for tomorrow’s chimpanzee trekking adventure.
Meals: All meals included, Drinking water
Day 6: Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale Forest
After breakfast, head to the Kanyanchu Visitor Centre for a briefing on chimpanzee trekking rules and safety. Kibale is home to the highest density of primates in East Africa, with over 5,000 chimpanzees and 12 other primate species including red-tailed monkeys, black-and-white colobus, and grey-cheeked mangabeys. Accompanied by experienced rangers, enter the lush rainforest in search of a habituated chimp troop. The trek takes 2-4 hours, and once located, you will spend one hour observing their human-like behaviour as they feed, groom, and play in the canopy. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Meals: All meals included, Drinking water
Day 7: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park & Evening Game Drive
After breakfast, check out of your lodge and journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda’s premier wildlife destination with over 600 bird species and 95 mammal species. Arrive at your lodge in time for lunch and check-in. In the late afternoon, head out for an evening game drive in the Kasenyi Plains – search for lions, elephants, buffalo, waterbucks, and antelopes as the savannah comes alive in the golden light of sunset. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Meals: All meals included, Drinking water
Day 8: Morning Game Drive & Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise
Wake early for a sunrise game drive across Queen Elizabeth’s diverse landscapes. The park is home to lions, elephants, buffalo, spotted hyenas, leopards, and a variety of antelope species. Return to the lodge for breakfast and relaxation.
In the afternoon, enjoy a 2-hour boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel, a 36-kilometer natural waterway connecting Lake George and Lake Edward. This channel hosts one of the highest concentrations of hippos in Africa, along with Nile crocodiles, elephants bathing on the banks, and spectacular birdlife including fish eagles, pelicans, and kingfishers. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Meals: All meals included, Drinking water
Day 9: Transfer to Bwindi via Ishasha – Tree-Climbing Lions
After breakfast, depart Queen Elizabeth and head southwest to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. En route, drive through the Ishasha sector, famous for its unique population of tree-climbing lions that lounge lazily in fig trees – one of the only places in Africa where this behaviour is regularly observed. Continue through the scenic highlands and terraced hills, arriving in Bwindi in the evening. Check into your lodge and prepare for tomorrow’s gorilla trekking adventure.
Meals: All meals included, Drinking water
Day 10: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Today is the highlight of your safari. After an early breakfast, proceed to the park headquarters for a briefing on gorilla trekking rules and safety. Accompanied by experienced rangers and trackers, enter the dense, misty Impenetrable Forest in search of a habituated mountain gorilla family. The trek can take anywhere from 2 to 8 hours depending on the movement of the gorillas. Once located, you will spend one unforgettable hour observing the silverback, mothers nursing their young, and playful juveniles – a profound and life-changing experience. Return to your lodge for a well-earned rest.
Meals: All meals included, Drinking water
Day 11: Drive to Entebbe – Equator Stopover
After breakfast, check out of your lodge and embark on the long drive back to Entebbe (approx. 8-10 hours). Stop at the equator crossing in Kayabwe for the classic photo opportunity – stand with one foot in each hemisphere and watch the water swirl demonstration. Enjoy lunch en route and continue to Entebbe, arriving in the evening. Check into your hotel for dinner and overnight.
Meals: All meals included, Drinking water
Day 12: Flight to Tanzania – Arrival in Arusha
After breakfast, transfer to Entebbe International Airport for your flight to Kilimanjaro International Airport, Tanzania. Upon arrival, you will be met by your Tanzanian driver-guide and transferred to your hotel in Arusha. Depending on your arrival time, you may relax and prepare for the next phase of your East African safari.
Meals: All meals included, Drinking water
Day 13: Drive to Lake Manyara National Park
After breakfast, depart Arusha for Lake Manyara National Park, one of Tanzania’s most dramatically located wildlife areas at the foot of the Great Rift Valley’s western escarpment. The park is famous for its tree-climbing lions – a rare behaviour regularly observed here – along with large elephant herds, flocks of flamingos, and over 400 bird species. Arrive in time for lunch, then head out for an afternoon game drive through the park’s diverse habitats – from the soda lake to groundwater forests and acacia woodlands. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Meals: All meals included, Drinking water
Day 14: Transfer to Serengeti National Park
After breakfast, depart for the legendary Serengeti National Park. The drive takes you through the beautiful high-lying farmland of Karatu and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Leaving the highlands behind, descend into the heart of wild Africa – the Serengeti with its endless plains rolling into the distance. Arrive at the central Seronera area, one of the park’s richest wildlife habitats featuring the Seronera River that attracts wildlife representative of most Serengeti species. Enjoy an afternoon game drive en route to your camp. Dinner and overnight.
Meals: All meals included, Drinking water
Day 15: Full Day in Serengeti National Park
Spend a full day exploring the Serengeti on morning and afternoon game drives. The Serengeti is one of the most wildlife-rich areas on Earth, home to the Big Five and over 500 bird species. Depending on the season, you may witness the Great Migration – over 1.5 million wildebeest and hundreds of thousands of zebras moving in search of fresh grazing. The Central Serengeti offers year-round wildlife viewing, with kopjes (granite outcrops) providing excellent vantage points for spotting lions, leopards, and other predators. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the heart of the wilderness. Return to camp for dinner and overnight.
Meals: All meals included, Drinking water
Day 16: Transfer to Ngorongoro Crater
After breakfast, depart the Serengeti for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Descend 600 metres into the Ngorongoro Crater for a full-day game drive on the crater floor. The crater is one of the most densely crowded African wildlife areas in the world, home to an estimated 30,000 animals including some of Tanzania’s last remaining black rhino. Supported by year-round water supply and fodder, the crater supports vast herds of wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, eland, warthog, hippo, and giant African elephants. The park also boasts a huge predator population – lions, hyenas, jackals, cheetahs, and the ever-elusive leopard. Enjoy a picnic lunch on the crater floor. Ascend to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Meals: All meals included, Drinking water
Day 17: Transfer to Arusha – Maasai Cultural Experience
After breakfast, drive back to Arusha. Upon arrival, enjoy an optional Maasai cultural experience – visit a traditional Maasai village to learn about their semi-nomadic lifestyle, cattle herding traditions, and vibrant culture. Interact with the locals, witness traditional dances, and gain insight into one of Africa’s most iconic tribes. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight.
Meals: All meals included, Drinking water
Day 18: Flight to Kenya – Arrival in Nairobi
After breakfast, transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your flight to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi. Upon arrival, you will be met by your Kenyan driver-guide and transferred to your hotel near the airport. Spend the rest of the day relaxing and preparing for the final leg of your East African safari.
Meals: All meals included, Drinking water
Day 19: Drive to Masai Mara National Reserve
After breakfast, depart Nairobi for the world-famous Masai Mara National Reserve, a scenic 5-6 hour drive through Kenya’s stunning countryside. The journey takes you past traditional Maasai settlements, offering glimpses into local life. Arrive at your camp in time for lunch, then head out for an afternoon game drive across the vast savannah plains. The Masai Mara is teeming with wildlife – lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, and buffalo. During the Great Migration season (July to October), the Mara River becomes a dramatic stage where wildebeest and zebras make perilous crossings. Return to camp for dinner and overnight.
Meals: All meals included, Drinking water
Day 20: Full Day in Masai Mara – Drive to Nairobi & Departure
Spend your final full day exploring the Masai Mara on morning and afternoon game drives. Wake early for a sunrise game drive – one of the best times to spot predators like lions and leopards as they hunt at dawn. Return to camp for breakfast, then continue exploring other areas of the reserve. After lunch, begin your journey back to Nairobi. Upon arrival, your driver-guide will drop you off at the airport or your hotel, marking the end of your 20-day East African adventure with Serengeti Wildlife Safari.
Meals: All meals included, Drinking water
Package Includes
Airport transfers
All accommodation as per itinerary
Meals as indicated (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Private 4×4 safari vehicle with experienced English-speaking driver-guide
Park entrance fees and conservation levies
Gorilla trekking permit in Bwindi
Chimpanzee trekking permit in Kibale
Game drives as per itinerary
Kazinga Channel boat cruise
Rhino tracking at Ziwa Sanctuary
All applicable taxes and VAT
Bottled drinking water in the vehicle
Package Excludes
International flights
Entry visas
Travel and medical insurance
Tips and gratuities for guides and staff
Personal expenses (drinks, souvenirs, laundry, etc.)
Optional activities not mentioned in the itinerary
Porters for trekking
Hot air balloon safaris
