Custom Uganda safaris
Plan a private custom Uganda safari around your dates, gorilla permits, interests, budget and preferred pace, with budget to luxury lodge options.
Careful planning for unhurried journeys.
A custom safari is useful when the route is built around actual constraints, not when a standard itinerary is renamed after you enquire.
We start with the fixed points: travel dates, gorilla or chimpanzee permits, flight times, number of travellers and how many hours you are willing to spend on the road.
What we need from you
Send:
- Travel month or exact dates
- Number of travellers
- Number of nights
- Gorilla trekking interest
- Chimpanzee interest
- Wildlife safari interest
- Budget, midrange or luxury preference
- Comfort with long drives
- Any mobility or fitness considerations relevant to trekking
You do not need to know the final park list.
How we build the route
If gorillas are included, the permit date comes first. We then choose the correct Bwindi sector or Mgahinga base, place the lodge near that activity and work outward.
If chimpanzees are included, Kibale is normally fitted into the western route. Queen Elizabeth can connect the two primate areas without becoming a forced add-on.
Murchison Falls and Kidepo require more time. We will say so rather than compress them to make the itinerary look bigger.
Accommodation is matched to the route
We work across budget, midrange and luxury categories. The category should match how you want to travel, but location remains part of the decision.
A cheaper lodge close to the activity can beat a more expensive lodge that adds hours to the day.
What can be changed?
Before permits and non-refundable services are paid, most of the route can be adjusted. After that, changes depend on supplier and authority rules.
We do not promise flexibility that does not exist.
What a final proposal should make clear
You should be able to see:
- Day-by-day route
- Approximate transfer logic
- Accommodation level
- Meals
- Vehicle and guide arrangement
- Permit assumptions
- Included activities
- Exclusions
- Payment terms
- Cancellation terms
No vague “all safari services” line should hide the important details.
Start planning: send the dates first. We will tell you what route makes sense before asking you to choose from a long lodge list.
Featured Custom Uganda safaris Packages
Explore published private routes from the Empathy Tours team, fully customizable around your dates and travel pace.
Private safariRwanda2-day Volcanoes National Park gorilla trekking safari
2 days
Two days works here because Volcanoes National Park can be reached from Kigali in a few hours. The first day combines a city visit with the transfer north, and the second is almost entirely built around the gorilla trek before the drive back. It is a compressed itinerary for travellers whose schedule does not allow a slower stay around the park. Volcanoes National Park covers about 160 square kilometres within the wider Virunga Conservation Area. Karisimbi, Sabinyo, Muhabura, Bisoke and Gahinga are five of the eight main Virunga volcanoes, and the park also supports golden monkeys, forest elephants, buffaloes and more than 178 bird species. Dian Fossey's research and anti-poaching work are closely tied to this landscape. The itinerary includes Kigali, the Gisozi Genocide Memorial and one gorilla trek. The $1,500 permit fee shown here should be reconfirmed for the intended travel date.
Private safariUganda3-day Bwindi gorilla habituation safari
3 days
The four-hour gorilla habituation experience is what defines this three-day Bwindi safari. Unlike the standard trek, the activity follows a semi-habituated family with researchers, trackers and rangers and allows up to four hours with the gorillas once they are located. The rest of the itinerary is deliberately simple because the road transfer from Kampala or Entebbe takes most of Day 1 and Day 3.
Private safariUganda3-day Bwindi gorilla trekking safari
3 days
With only three days, this itinerary keeps the plan simple: drive to Bwindi, trek the gorillas, then return to Kampala or Entebbe. The road journey is long in both directions, so this is best for travellers who have limited time and are comfortable spending much of Day 1 and Day 3 in the vehicle. The middle day is reserved for the forest rather than being crowded with extra activities.
