7 Days Uganda Cultural Safari Tour
This 7 days Uganda Cultural Safari with Dav Safaris will offer you an exhilarating tour in Uganda. It will offer you the most exceptional cultural trails and activities in the Pearl of Africa. Visit the Tooro kings palace in western Uganda which is situated on the top of the hill with a dramatic architectural outlook, the kingdom is among the 4 ancient remaining kingdoms in Uganda besides Buganda in central, Bunyoro in western and Rwenzururu in the southwest, learn more about the cultural and traditional lifestyle of the Tooro community before visiting the legendary Mabere Ga Nyinamwiru and the fascinating female and male Sempaya hot springs located in Semiliki national park.
Tour the base of Muhabura Mountain for the Batwa trail adventure which is less to the walking museum about the lifestyle of the forest people and later visit Lake Bunyonyi for the canoes ride to the historical islands and the cultural nature walk about the Bakiga tribesmen. Also, experience the Banyankore cultural trails, visit the local museum in Mbarara at Igongo cultural center for a glimpse about the Ankole historical enlightenment before we visit the cultural farms comprising of the long-horned cattle which is a domestic signature for the Banyankore community.
Depending on your needs and preferences this safari can be customized without including more days and we can have chimpanzee trekking in Kibale forest national park, game viewing in the picturesque Queen Elizabeth National, and Gorilla trekking either in Bwindi Impenetrable national park or Mgahinga Gorillas National Park. The tour is available throughout the year.
Tour highlights
Transfer to Fort Portal and Tour Entanda Culture
Excursions at Toro kingdom, Mabere Caves, and Sempaya hot springs
Transfer to Mgahinga via Bwindi
Batwa Cultural trail Experience
Transfer to Bunyonyi, boat cruise, cultural walk
Transfer to Mbarara, hike AD1500 monument and Igongo Cultural center Experience.
Transfer to Kampala, Drum making, and the Equator. (Optional Ndere Cultural Center)
Price Includes:
- Transportation in a tourist vehicle with pop up roof
- Services of the English speaking guide
- Destination or Ranger guide services
- Accommodation and meals
- All activities are described in the itinerary.
- Park entrance fee is according to the program.
- Drinking water
Price Excludes:
- Personal Expenses like tobacco, telephone, drinks, laundry, porter fee
- Personal insurance
- Ugandan Visa
- Beverages
Itinary in details
- Day1Transfer to Fort Portal and Tour Entanda CultureAfter breakfast, embark on the transfer to Fort Portal, 300km about 5 hours’ drive from Kampala. You enjoy impressive views of Ugandan countryside including the inselbergs of Mubende. Along the way, you get to experience the Entanda Cultural experience. Entanda is a community tourism project which was initiated by the locals of Mityana Town with its main mission, to conserve the unprotected wildlife and rejuvenate the declining cultural values through tourism. Activities here include: Traditional hunting expedition (we catch but don’t kill as it’s for fun), Bark cloth making, Local wine processing and traditional wrestling, Soccer match, hosts verses visitors, Goat roasting. Tropical Rainforest walk, irresistible traditional music, dance and drama, Self-service buffet of fresh organic fruits, Educative, fun and informative Kojja- Ssenga talks, Play the board game – Omweso, Bicycle ride through tea plantations & rolling hills, plus Bow and Arrow shooting competitions. Later, continue to Fort Portal, check in the lodge for diner and overnight. Relax as you await the second day of this 7 days Uganda Cultural Safari Encounter.
- Day2Excursions at Toro kingdom, Mabere Caves, and Sempaya hot springsAwake to an early breakfast and embark on the visit to Toro kingdom palace and the other cultural sites around the town. Toro Kingdom is a home for the world’s youngest king “Oyo Nyimba”. While here you will get to learn about the history of Toro kingdom, their traditional dress code, language spoken, about the past kings and where they are buried among others. You will also be honored with a chance to see the numerous artifacts that represent their culture. You will get to know more about Toro kingdom and people while at the palace. There will be a local guide to take you through the history of Toro kingdom in details. Later, continue to Sempaya hot springs in Semliki National Park. Here, you will have a chance to learn the vast history behind these two – male and female hot springs. They exist in two places and have attracted a great number of tourists in Uganda. To reach the male hot springs, it is approximately an hour’s walk from the main road. As you walk through the woodland spot, you are welcomed by grey-cheeked manga beys, red-tailed monkeys and black-and-white colobus monkeys, among other animals. There is a tree house along the way which offers a clear aerial view. On the way back, visit the “Amabeere ga Nyinamwiru” (translated as Breasts of Nyinamwiru), which is a cultural site and there you’ll learn about history of this wonderful site, Continue to your hotel. Dine and slumber at your hotel.
- Day3Transfer to Mgahinga via BwindiAfter breakfast, embark on the road to Mgahinga forest to visit the indigenous Batwa tribe that live in these fable forests. Along the way, you will have a chance to see the wild game as the route passes through Queen Elizabeth National Park. Upon reaching, relax at the lodge as you enjoy the traditional dancing and singing of a non-professional local group.
- Day4Batwa Cultural trail ExperienceThe Batwa cultural trail is only done in Mgahinga gorilla national park.it is depiction of the past forest life for the Batwa people who were traditional forest hunters and gatherers before conservation and tourism were introduced in the area. Here, you will get to learn about the ancient forest life of Batwa and how it was originally comprised of hunting, fruit gathering, collecting honey and performing of rituals in the caves within the forest. History has it that the Batwa depended wholly on the forest for food, shelter, fruits, firewood and lived in harmony with wild animals like mountain gorillas. Upon meeting the Batwa, you probably see forest life in their ways of living and that they were happily and comfortably living in the forest until they were chased away. It’s surely a memorable experience spending time with the very ancient, short people dressed in hides while dancing and singing their ancient songs as a way of entertaining travelers. Have a chance to meet the traditional blacksmith in the area, the traditional healer – who presumably heals different diseases with just local herbs, and get a chance to try some of their activities like food preparing and hunting. Relaxation, Dinner and overnight in Kisoro town.
- Day5Transfer to Bunyonyi, boat cruise, cultural walkWake in the morning, have your breakfast and drive to Bunyonyi – Kabale. Along the route, you will be amazed by the beautiful and amazing scenery of the landscapes in this area. Upon reaching Bunyonyi, you will enjoy a canoe ride on Africa’s second deepest lake and one of the most beautiful lakes in Uganda. It is also safe to swim as it is bilharzia free. The cruise will then go across the lake to the Batwa pygmy village for a great cultural encounter. Here, you will explore the shores of Lake Bunyonyi by walking through the villages and meeting the local communities or the different school project. Nature and culture is quite untouched there, so get ready for a deep Uganda experience. Dinner and overnight in Bunyonyi.
- Day6Transfer to Mbarara, hike AD1500 monument and Igongo Cultural center Experience.After breakfast, embark on the transfer to Mbarara. You make a stop at the 1520AD eclipse monument overlooking the Igongo Cultural Center to explore the cultural attachment that is embedded in the total eclipse that took place in the 1520AD. The Cows of Ankole kingdom had been totally confiscated by King Olimi I of Bunyoro and the Banyankole were starving. And then a wonder happened when the King Olimi I was from raiding the cows of Rwanda and the total solar eclipse occurred when had reached Biharwe. He and his men thought that something terrible was going to happen to them and they abandoned the cows and run to Bunyoro. When the eclipse was over, the Banyankole found cows all over and they believed that they had been sent by God from heaven in response to their cries. Thus, they called them “enduuga mwiiguru”. There is a monument that has been set to commemorate this occurrence. Later, your will retreat from the activity and continue to Igongo Cultural Museum. Here, you will settle for traditional lunch, relax, and tour the Erijukiro Museum which features collections of all tribes of south western Uganda dating back to their traditional era. Dinner and overnight at Igongo Cultural center.
- Day7Transfer to Kampala, Drum making and Equator. (Optional Ndere Cultural Center)You will have an early breakfast and make an early start for your journey back to Kampala with some few stopovers. It is a beautiful journey on a good tarmac road as you drive through Lake Mburo national park where on a lucky day; you may spot a number of Zebras and antelopes grazing along the roadside! Proceed with another stopover at the Equator for the equator experience and photography and Mpambire drum makers for a drum making experience! It’s an eventful journey. Continue to Kampala arriving in the evening.