Self-Launched Uganda Wildlife Circuit: Gorillas, Chimps and the Big Five
12 days · Uganda
Home to Africa charges £3,160
No-markup version: ~£1,785 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, independently booked version of Home to Africa's 12-day Uganda safari — covering rhino tracking at Ziwa, Murchison Falls, chimp trekking in Kibale, the Kazinga Channel and Ishasha tree-climbing lions in Queen Elizabeth NP, the gorilla trek in Bwindi, and lakeside downtime at Bunyonyi before a final bush walk in Lake Mburo. Instead of a private 4x4 and driver-guide, you use Ugandan public buses, shared 4x4 transfers, boda-bodas and self-arranged park permits. The big fixed costs are the gorilla permit (US$800) and chimp permit (US$250) — budget these in early, as Bwindi permits sell out months ahead. Book all permits through the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and lodges direct. Costs are rough backpacker estimates, excluding international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Entebbe
Entebbe
Fly into Entebbe International Airport and take a boda-boda or short taxi (UGX 15,000-25,000, ~£3-5) to a hostel or guesthouse in the lakeside town. Settle in, change money (Ugandan shillings — withdraw from an ATM at the airport), buy a local SIM (MTN or Airtel, ~UGX 10,000 plus data bundle ~£5), then stroll the Botanical Gardens (entry ~£4) and eat a rolex (chapati-egg wrap) on the lakeshore.
🚌Airport taxi or boda-boda (~£4)
🛏Budget guesthouse or hostel in Entebbe (~£15/night private room)
- →Settle in and buy SIM/data
- →Entebbe Botanical Garden walk
- →Lakeside sunset and street food
Entebbe to Murchison Falls via Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Murchison Falls National Park
Take an early bus from Entebbe/Kampala towards Masindi (Link Bus or similar, ~UGX 40,000, ~£8, 5-6 hrs) and ask to be dropped near Ziwa. Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary offers self-arranged rhino tracking on foot (~US$50, ~£40, book direct or via your lodge) — the only wild rhinos in Uganda. Continue by shared taxi/boda to your lodge near the park gate (Masindi-side lodges are cheaper); pay the UWA park entrance fee (~US$45/day, ~£36) at the gate.
🚌Public bus Entebbe/Kampala to Masindi + shared taxi/boda (~£12)
🛏Budget safari lodge or bandas near Murchison Falls (~£18/night)
- →Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary on-foot rhino tracking
- →UWA park entrance
Murchison Falls game drive and boat trip
Murchison Falls National Park
Join a shared morning game drive in the northern sector (arrange the night before via your lodge or hire a seat in a shared 4x4 with other travellers — ~£35-45; park entry already paid). Look for elephant, giraffe, lion, buffalo and Uganda kob. In the afternoon take the shared launch boat to the base of Murchison Falls (~US$45, ~£36) and optionally hike up alongside the gorge rim. Optional hot-air balloon safari if budget allows (from ~US$450 — skip on a budget trip).
🚌Shared 4x4 game drive and launch boat (included in activity costs)
🛏Budget safari lodge or bandas near Murchison Falls (~£18/night)
- →Shared morning game drive
- →Murchison Falls boat trip
- →Optional gorge-rim hike
Murchison Falls to Kibale Forest
Kibale Forest National Park
A long transit day: shared taxi or bus back to Masindi, then onward via Hoima to Fort Portal (buses/shared taxis, total ~7-8 hrs, ~£15). Stock up on supplies in Fort Portal, then take a shared taxi or boda to Kibale (Fort Portal is the gateway, ~£3). Settle into a budget guesthouse or community camp near the park gate and pay park entrance (~US$40, ~£32) for the chimp trekking day.
🚌Bus/shared taxi chain Masindi-Hoima-Fort Portal-Kibale (~£16)
🛏Guesthouse or community camp near Kibale (~£16/night)
- →Transit day through tea country
- →Fort Portal market stop
Chimpanzee trekking and crater lakes
Kibale Forest National Park
Book your chimp permit in advance via UWA (~US$250, ~£200 — note Kibale's 1,500+ chimps make sightings very reliable; morning departures best). Trek ~1-4 hrs with a ranger before an hour with a habituated group. In the afternoon hike to Lake Nkuruba crater lake and swim (~£3 entry) and take a community walk through the tea gardens — locally guided, arrange at your lodge.
🚌Boda-bodas to trailheads and crater lakes (~£5)
🛏Guesthouse or community camp near Kibale (~£16/night)
- →Chimpanzee trekking (UWA permit)
- →Lake Nkuruba hike and swim
- →Community tea-garden walk
Kibale to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Shared taxi via Fort Portal and Kasese to the Queen Elizabeth NP area (~4 hrs, ~£10), dropping at the Kasese/ Kikorongo side. Pay park entrance (~US$40, ~£32) and take an afternoon game drive in a seat-share 4x4 or with your lodge's vehicle (~£20) through the crater-dotted plains. Budget lodges cluster around Kasese and the Mweya/ Katunguru area.
🚌Shared taxi Kibale-Kasese/QENP (~£10)
🛏Budget lodge near Queen Elizabeth NP (~£18/night)
- →Afternoon game drive in QENP
- →Park entrance
Kasenyi plains game drive and Kazinga Channel cruise
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Early morning game drive on the Kasenyi plains looking for lions and Uganda kob (~£25 seat-share, arrange with lodge). Then take the shared Kazinga Channel launch (2 hrs, ~US$35, ~£28) — hippos, buffalo and huge birdlife line the banks. Afternoon at leisure by the water; the Mweya peninsula is good for a self-guided walk.
🚌Shared 4x4 and launch boat
🛏Budget lodge near Queen Elizabeth NP (~£18/night)
- →Kasenyi plains game drive
- →Kazinga Channel boat cruise
Through Ishasha to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Travel south through the remote Ishasha sector via shared transport (~5-6 hrs, ~£14) — ask your driver-lodge to time a short detour for the famous tree-climbing lions under fig trees along the Ntungwe River. This is very budget-friendly compared to a full game drive. Arrive in the Bwindi area (Buhoma or Rushaga), pay Bwindi park entrance (~US$35, ~£28), and check into a budget gorilla-trekking lodge. Confirm your gorilla permit paperwork (bring passport) and get an early night before the trek.
🚌Shared transport QENP-Ishasha-Bwindi (~£14)
🛏Budget lodge/community-run guesthouse near Bwindi (~£20/night)
- →Ishasha tree-climbing lion detour
- →Park entrance and permit briefing
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi, then Lake Bunyonyi
Lake Bunyonyi
The highlight: a Bwindi mountain gorilla trek (permit US$800, ~£640 — book months ahead through UWA or a licensed lodges; rangers lead 1-8 hrs of trekking depending on the group's location, then a magical hour with a habituated family). After the trek and a late lunch, take a shared taxi/boda via Kabale down to Lake Bunyonyi (~2 hrs, ~£8) — one of Africa's deepest lakes. Note: the trek demands a reasonable fitness level; hire a porter (~£10 tip) for the climb back.
🚌Shared taxi/boda Bwindi-Kabale-Bunyonyi (~£8)
🛏Lakeside budget lodge or tent-camp at Lake Bunyonyi (~£14/night)
- →Bwindi mountain gorilla trek
- →Porter hire and trek tips
Lake Bunyonyi island hopping and canoe
Lake Bunyonyi
A rest day on the lake. Hire a dugout canoe with a local guide (~£10, ~3 hrs) to island-hop among the terraced hills — Punishment Island and Bwama Island are the classic stops. Visit a community project or basket-weaving cooperative run by local women (~£5). Swim, read, and eat Lake Bunyonyi's famous crayfish for dinner.
🚌Canoe hire with local guide
🛏Lakeside budget lodge or tent-camp at Lake Bunyonyi (~£14/night)
- →Guided canoe island-hopping
- →Community weaving project visit
Lake Bunyonyi to Lake Mburo National Park
Lake Mburo National Park
A long shared-transport day via Kabale and Mbarara to Lake Mburo (~6-7 hrs, ~£14). Pay park entrance (~US$35, ~£28) and settle into a budget camp just outside the gate. In the late afternoon take a short self-arranged game drive or boda-safari into the park for zebra, impala, topi and eland. Optional night drive if your lodge offers a shared seat (~£30).
🚌Bus/shared taxi Kabale-Mbarara-Lake Mburo (~£15)
🛏Budget camp or bandas near Lake Mburo (~£16/night)
- →Afternoon game drive
- →Park entrance
Lake Mburo bush walk and return to Entebbe
Entebbe
Get up for a guided bush walk (~£20, ~2 hrs) — Lake Mburo is one of the few Ugandan parks where walking safaris are permitted — and climb a hilltop for views over the lakes. Then take a bus or shared taxi back to Kampala/Entebbe (~3-4 hrs, ~£8) with a buffer for your onward flight.
🚌Bus/shared taxi Lake Mburo to Kampala/Entebbe (~£8)
🛏Optional final night in Entebbe (~£15) if your flight leaves early
- →Guided bush walk
- →Hilltop viewpoint hike
Self-launched vs. Home to Africa
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Home to Africa | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,785 | £3,160 |
| Duration | 12 days | 12 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,375 per person (44%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Home to Africa-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,785
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Uganda Wildlife Circuit: Gorillas, Chimps and the Big Five cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,785 per person for 12 days in Uganda. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Home to Africa?+
Yes — Home to Africa charges around £3,160 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,785 — a saving of roughly £1,375 (44%) per person.
How long is the Uganda trip?+
This itinerary runs 12 days, covering 12 day-by-day stops through Uganda.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, wildlife, hiking trip through Uganda, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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