Your 9-Day Uganda Ultimate Safari begins with an early morning departure from Entebbe or Kampala. Travel to Mabamba Swamp, one of Uganda's important wetland areas and a well-known destination for searching for the rare shoebill.

Board a traditional canoe and navigate through the papyrus channels with a local guide. Keep your eyes open for shoebills, kingfishers, herons, egrets and other wetland birds. After the Mabamba experience, continue north toward Murchison Falls National Park. Depending on your arrival time, you can relax at your lodge or enjoy a short evening activity.

Wake up early and head into Murchison Falls National Park for a morning game drive. Explore the northern sector of the park, where you may encounter elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, antelopes, warthogs and lions.

After the morning game drive, return to the lodge for lunch and relaxation. In the afternoon, take a boat cruise along the Victoria Nile toward the base of Murchison Falls. The cruise provides excellent opportunities to see hippos, crocodiles, elephants and numerous waterbirds along the river. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Begin the morning with another game drive through Murchison Falls National Park. The early hours provide another opportunity to search for wildlife before temperatures rise.

After the game drive, visit the top of Murchison Falls where the Victoria Nile is forced through a narrow gorge before plunging downstream. Continue south toward Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. Arrive at Ziwa and check in at your accommodation.

After breakfast, prepare for your guided rhino tracking experience. Walk with trained guides through the sanctuary in search of southern white rhinos. Your guide will explain rhino behavior, conservation and the importance of protecting Uganda's rhino population.

After the experience, begin the long journey north toward Kidepo Valley National Park. The landscape gradually changes as you move toward northern Uganda and the Karamoja region. Arrive at your Kidepo accommodation later in the day and relax.

Wake up early for your first major wildlife experience in Kidepo Valley National Park. Head into the Narus Valley, one of the park's important wildlife areas. The valley attracts animals because of its water sources, particularly during drier periods. Look for elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, antelopes and predators.

Return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, continue with another game drive and enjoy the dramatic landscapes surrounding Kidepo.

After breakfast, enjoy another morning game drive in Kidepo Valley National Park. Your guide will select the best areas to explore depending on recent wildlife movements and road conditions.

After lunch, visit a local Karamojong community. Learn about traditional homes, livestock keeping, cultural traditions and everyday life in the Karamoja region. You may also experience traditional music, dancing and storytelling. Return to your lodge in the evening.

Today is dedicated to exploring more of Kidepo Valley National Park. Set out early for a game drive and explore different areas of the park. Depending on the season and wildlife movements, you may encounter elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, hartebeests, antelopes, jackals and various bird species.

Kidepo's remote location and rugged landscapes create a very different safari experience from Murchison Falls. Enjoy a picnic lunch or return to the lodge for lunch before continuing with the afternoon game drive.

After breakfast, leave Kidepo Valley National Park and begin the journey south toward Gulu. This is primarily a travel day, giving you the opportunity to experience the landscapes and communities of northern Uganda outside the national parks.

The route passes through rural areas and changing scenery as you gradually leave the Karamoja region. Arrive in Gulu in the afternoon or evening. Check in at your hotel and relax after the long journey.

After breakfast, begin your journey back toward Kampala or Entebbe. Enjoy the changing landscapes as you travel south. Depending on your departure arrangements, the safari can end at your hotel in Kampala or at Entebbe International Airport.

If you have an international flight, we recommend allowing enough time between the road transfer and your scheduled departure. End of Safari.