10-Day Karamoja & the Wild East

• You'll be collected from the airport.
• Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.

The Journey Begins

Touch down at Entebbe International Airport. You are met by your private safari guide and transferred to your lakeside boutique hotel. This evening, enjoy a welcome dinner and a comprehensive safari briefing—your guide introduces the remote frontier itinerary, cultural protocols, and the unique wildlife of Uganda's Wild East.

Main Destination:

Entebbe (City)

Accommodation:

The Boma Hotel

• Mid-range guest house located in Entebbe (City)

+3 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

• Dinner (Breakfast & lunch not included)
• Drinks not included

Mabamba Swamp & the Shoebill Quest

The birding adventure begins. Drive to the shores of Lake Victoria and board a traditional dugout canoe. Glide silently through the papyrus channels of Mabamba Swamp—one of Uganda's most remarkable birding paradises. As dawn breaks, scan the papyrus edges for the legendary Shoebill Stork, a prehistoric-looking bird that stands motionless for hours. Beyond the shoebill, tick off Papyrus Gonolek, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, and White-winged Warbler. Return to Entebbe for an afternoon at leisure or an optional visit to the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre.

Main Destination:

Mabamba Swamp

Best Time To Go August to September and December to February (Best for spotting shoebill)

High Season June to September (Peak time for Uganda)

Best Weather

Accommodation:

The Boma Hotel

• Mid-range guest house located in Entebbe (City)

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinks not included

The Waterfall Kingdom

Depart after breakfast and drive east through sugarcane plantations to the foothills of Mount Elgon. Arrive at Sipi Falls in the afternoon—three stunning waterfalls cascading from the mountain's upper slopes. Lace up your hiking boots and embark on a guided nature trail to the first and second falls, walking through lush banana and coffee plantations with panoramic views over the Karamoja plains. As dusk falls, watch the sunset paint the falls in shades of gold and crimson.

Main Destination:

Sipi Falls (Highlight)

Accommodation:

Sipi River Lodge

• Mid-range lodge located at Sipi Falls (Highlight)

+4 Photos

+3 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinks not included

Abseiling & Coffee Farmers

Today offers a choice of adrenaline or culture—or both. Rise early for an optional heart-stopper: abseil down the 100-metre vertical cliff face beside the main waterfall. With professional equipment and guides, you'll rappel down the sheer rock face with the spray of the falls cooling your face.
In the afternoon, immerse yourself in the lives of smallholder coffee farmers. Visit a local cooperative where you'll pick ripe coffee cherries, peel them, sun-dry the beans, and roast them over a traditional open fire. Grind and brew your own cup of Ugandan Arabica—nothing in the world tastes quite like it. Your visit directly supports fair income for farming families.

Main Destination:

Sipi Falls (Highlight)

Accommodation:

Sipi River Lodge

• Mid-range lodge located at Sipi Falls (Highlight)

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinks not included

The Forgotten Wilderness

Depart Sipi and drive north into the vast, open landscapes of Karamoja—a semi-arid region that feels a world away from Uganda's lush jungles. Enter Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve, Uganda's second-largest protected area and one of its least explored safari destinations. Spanning 2,788 square kilometres of pristine wilderness, this is the domain of the majestic reticulated giraffe (with its distinct rectangular spots), the swift cheetah, and the ground-dwelling ostrich. Embark on an immediate evening game drive across the golden plains, scanning for herds of Grant's gazelles, topis, roan antelope, and the elusive striped hyena. You will likely have the entire park to yourselves.

Main Destination:

Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve

Best Time To Go November to March (Dry season)

High Season June to September (But it’s never busy)

Best Weather

Accommodation:

Karamoja Overland Camp

• Budget tented camp located inside Pian Upe WR

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinks not included

Full-Day Wildlife & Landscape Photography

Today is dedicated to the vast, empty beauty of Pian Upe. Rise before dawn for a sunrise-to-sunset exploration of this forgotten wilderness. Track reticulated giraffes against the dramatic backdrop of Mount Kadam, search for cheetahs sprinting across the plains, and scan for the elusive leopard and spotted hyena. With over 350 recorded bird species, Pian Upe is also a birder's paradise—look for the majestic Secretary Bird, the rare Karamoja Apalis, and the prehistoric shoebill stork in seasonal wetlands. Enjoy a bush breakfast and picnic lunch at scenic viewpoints. As dusk falls, your guide sets up a sundowner on a rocky outcrop, toasting to the raw, untamed beauty of Karamoja.

Main Destination:

Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve

Accommodation:

Karamoja Overland Camp

• Budget tented camp located inside Pian Upe WR

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinks not included

Karamojong Manyatta Experience

Today is dedicated to the human story of Karamoja. Drive to a traditional Karamojong manyatta (homestead) for a full-day cultural immersion. The Karamojong are Uganda's warrior pastoralists, closely related to the Maasai of Kenya and Tanzania. Spend the day with elders and warriors:
• Learn about cattle culture—the foundation of Karamojong identity and wealth
• Participate in traditional dances and songs passed down through generations
• Hear stories of warriorhood, lion hunting (now prohibited), and the transition to settled life
• Visit a community hub where local people showcase their culture and offer hospitality
• Share a traditional meal prepared by the community
This is not a performance—it is a genuine exchange that few travellers ever experience.

Main Destination:

Karamoja Region

Accommodation:

Karamoja Overland Camp

• Budget tented camp located inside Pian Upe WR

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinks not included

The Crown Jewel

Enjoy a final early-morning game drive in Pian Upe. After breakfast, undertake the overland journey north into the legendary Kidepo Valley National Park. Voted one of Africa's most spectacular parks, Kidepo remains one of the continent's least visited—a dream for travellers wanting off-the-beaten-path Uganda safaris. The landscape transforms into rugged, dramatic savannah flanked by the Morungole and Napore mountain ranges. Arrive at your lodge perched on a rocky kopje, with a sweeping view of the Narus Valley below. As night falls, listen to the roar of lions echoing across the plains—a true wild lullaby.

Main Destination:

Kidepo Valley National Park

Best Time To Visit September to March (Dry season)

High Season September to March (The park rarely gets crowded)

Best Weather September to November (End of the rains)

Wildlife in Kidepo Valley NP

ElephantCommon

BuffaloAbundant

ZebraCommon

GiraffeOccasional

LionOccasional

LeopardOccasional

Show more

HyenaOccasional

White RhinoRare

CheetahRare

Wild DogRare

Black RhinoNone

WildebeestNone

HippoNone

Accommodation:

Apoka Safari Lodge

• Luxury+ lodge located inside Kidepo Valley NP

+4 Photos

+3 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinks not included

Full-Day Wildlife Quest

Wake before dawn for a sunrise-to-sunset game drive. Kidepo harbours species found nowhere else in Uganda, making this day a photographer's dream. Track elephant herds kicking up red dust, massive Cape buffalo parties numbering in the hundreds, and the elusive leopard lazing in rocky outcrops. Enjoy a bush breakfast followed by a drive to the Kanangorok Hot Springs near the South Sudan border—watch for bat-eared foxes and martial eagles soaring overhead. Kidepo also allows guided walking safaris—a unique chance to track animals on foot while learning about ecology, animal tracks, and medicinal plants. In the afternoon, pause for a sundowner on a hilltop, toasting to an unforgettable day as the African sun dips below the savannah.

Main Destination:

Kidepo Valley National Park

Accommodation:

Apoka Safari Lodge

• Luxury+ lodge located inside Kidepo Valley NP

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinks not included

Scenic Return & Departure

Enjoy a final leisurely breakfast overlooking the Narus Valley. Transfer to the airstrip for your charter flight back to Entebbe (optional, bookable at extra cost), or begin the long road journey south. Arrive at Entebbe International Airport in the late afternoon for your onward international flight, carrying with you the extraordinary distinction of having explored Uganda's wildest frontiers and deepest cultural heartlands.

Main Destination:

Entebbe International Airport (Entebbe)

Accommodation:

No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & lunch (Dinner not included)
• Drinks not included

• Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost.
• You'll be dropped off at the airport.