Short tours in Uganda: Weekend getaways in Uganda
If you’re planning on spending short tours surrounding Kampala—perhaps because you’re living, studying, or working there—there’s going to come a point when you’ll feel the need to escape the city and see some more of Uganda.
For anyone looking for a cheap and relaxing weekend tour, Entebbe is one of the most obvious holiday destinations in Uganda. Situated on the shores of Lake Victoria, it’s just an hour away from Kampala and is easily reachable when you use the Kampala Entebbe Express highway. If you can leave early on a Friday afternoon to beat the traffic, you can easily spend an idyllic weekend escaping the noise and bustle of the city on the shores of the lake. If you’re in a couple, this is also a great place for a romantic getaway in Uganda.
Lake Mburo National Park: Weekend Break from Kampala
Roughly five hours from Kampala in the opposite direction, towards the west, is Lake Mburo National Park, one of the closest national parks to the city. Just as with Sipi Falls, it’s a great place to go if you can get Friday or Monday off and take a long weekend trip from Kampala, or you can do what I did and leave painfully early on a Saturday morning, stay one night, and come back the following evening.
Weekend trips from Kampala: Lake Mburo National Park
Lake Mburo is the smallest of Uganda’s savannah national parks and is home to 350 bird species as well as herbivores, including zebras, hippos, buffalo, and various antelopes. There are reportedly leopards and hyenas in the park,k too, but sadly, no elephants or lions.
Weekend getaways in Uganda: Horseback safari
What does this mean? Of course, you’re freer to roam around here than in other parks, as the chances of getting trampled on or eaten are much lower. Take a horseback safari to get much closer to the wildlife, burn off some energy on a mountain bike ride, or go for a guided walking safari
Romantic getaways in Uganda-Lake Mburo National Park
The stunning Mihingo Lodge is said to be one of the top lodges and one of the most romantic places to stay in Uganda. It’s worth it for the gorgeous accommodation, great location, and delicious meal. And check out the view from that pool!
Weekend trips from Kampala to Jinja
Jinja is one of the top tourist attractions in Uganda and a hugely popular destination for a weekend trip from Kampala, principally because of its reputation as Uganda’s adventure capital.
Jinja is located three hours to the east of the city on the banks of the Nile. It’s a mecca for thrill-seekers of all kinds, tempted by the draw of the river’s fierce white water. Whitewater rafting and kayaking are the two most popular activities, but if you’re not feeling brave enough for that, there are plenty of other ways to fill your time, including hiking, visiting the famed ‘Source of the Nile,’ or just chilling out and enjoying the buzz of the town.
Jinja is also home to the annual Nile River Festival, where top kayakers from around the world come to perform tricks and show off their steel nerves on the frothing waters.
Sipi Falls: Weekend getaways in Uganda
If you’re looking for short tours away from Kampala that are a bit more active, Sipi Falls could be a great option. It’s a little farther away than Entebbe or Jinja, taking about six hours by car, but if you’re able to make a long weekend of it, it’s a great way to get away from the sweaty heat of the city and enjoy some fresh air and beautiful scenery. The countryside where the Rubusta coffee comes from
Upper Sipi Falls
Situated at 1,77 meters above sea level in the foothills of Mount Elgon, Sipi Falls is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Uganda, especially among hikers and climbers. There are loads of different walks you can do, but the most well-trodden is the main route to see the three waterfalls after which the place is named.
Hiking around Sipi Falls
Sipi Falls is great for a weekend break from Kampala. Sipi is also a coffee-growing region, so there’s a chance to take a tour of a coffee plantation, or you can also do bird-watching and abseiling, or if you’re feeling particularly energetic, go for a guided run. Now, I like running, but this last activity is not for the fainthearted—those hills are steep! Still, if you’re a keen runner, I’m told the altitude and the various trails are great for training.
Romantic getaways in Uganda: Equator
On the way back, you can also stop off at the equator and watch a fascinating demonstration of water going down a plughole (yes, it IS different on either side!) and take that all-important photo. Top weekend getaways from Kampala: The Equator
Gorilla Safaris in Uganda
You can plan for a short tour to Lake Bunyonyi and combine it with gorilla trekking in Bwindi; Visiting western Uganda can be amazing. The people are friendly, and the land is fertile for growing Irish potatoes. You can also take a boat trip along the lake and visit the punishment island.
Short Tour in Uganda: Kibale Forest National Park
One of the most amazing things you can do during a trip to Uganda is spend time with some of the country’s most celebrated residents: its primates. While trekking to see the mountain gorillas is the number one attraction, visiting Kibale to see the chimpanzees is just as thrilling. Not to mention that it’s half the price and doable in a long weekend getaway from Kampala.
Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale, Uganda
There are around 1500 wild chimpanzees living in Uganda, and many of the groups in Kibale Forest have been trained to become habituated to humans. Chimp tracking involves walking with a guide into the forest, listening for calls until the chimpanzees are located, and then spending as much time as possible with them before the guide tears you away again. If you’re lucky, they’ll have come down to the ground, where you may well be able to get within 10 meters of these beautiful animals. It’s a truly magical experience.
Weekend trips from Kampala to Kibale
Chimp sightings are not guaranteed, of course, but the odds are above 90%, though they may be up in the trees rather than at ground level. A chimp tracking permit costs $150 for a non-Ugandan resident for a half day or $200 for the full-day chimp habituation experience, during which you can get much closer to the chimps in a much smaller group.
Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale, Uganda
It takes about six hours by road to get to Kibale, so although it’s a bit of a trek, you could easily get there by early afternoon on a Friday, do a short tour visit or birdwatching walk in the afternoon, see the chimpanzees on Saturday, and head back to Kampala after your short tours.
Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch
Located about two hours north of Kampala, Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch is one of the top tourist attractions in Uganda and the only place in the country where you can see rhinos in the wild. Not only can you see them, but you can get incredibly close to them, too. Rhinos were declared extinct in Uganda due to poaching in 1983. In 1996, Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch was established to reintroduce them, and today, thanks to a successful breeding program, they now have 39 rhinos, including several babies. Ziwa is easily doable on the weekend, and you can also stay overnight at the sanctuary for that extra personal experience.
Murchison Falls National Park
Carry on northwest from Ziwa, and after another 1-2 hours, you’ll come to Murchison Falls National Park, which is arguably Uganda’s best and is certainly its most popular park and is a fantastic place for a weekend trip from Kampala.
Top weekend trips from Kampala: River Nile
Murchison combines the best of Uganda—stunning scenery, amazing wildlife, and of course the famous Falls, which are said to be the most powerful in the world—where the path of the Nile narrows to a six-meter gap and the full force of the frothing water surges through this slim fissure and plunges over at 300 cubic meters a second.
Murchison Falls: Hike to the Top of the Falls
In two days, you can easily visit the Top of the Falls, take a boat ride along the river, and do a game drive in the park. If you make it a long weekend, you’ll have time to spend a short tour at the Women Empowerment Centre in Mubako Village for entertaining cultural dance and weaving basket women giving you storytelling. This is a must-visit local village tour.
