Home / Inspiring / Special Interest Safari Types / Guided Walking Safaris

Walking safaris offer an altogether more intimate experience of Africa's incredible wilderness and immerses you in the natural feel of the region.

Guided walking safaris give you the experience of traveling under your own power and at your own pace, opening up an opportunity to connect more meaningfully with East Africa's natural wonders. Safaris on foot with deeply rooted local guides augment our other on-foot experiences like mountain hiking, trekking the mountain gorillas, and exploring the remote countryside.

Why you should take a nature walk

Walking safaris get you out of the safari vehicle confines and launch you into backcountry trails, mountains, the woods, or savannah grasslands on foot for hours or days on end, spending nights under the starlit skies at remote lodges and camps. Our local walking safari guides give you the confidence to travel under your own power, in a classic explorer's way, at your own pace, opening up an opportunity to connect more meaningfully with East Africa's natural wonders.

The traditional African safari is fun, but a nature walk is more rewarding and intense. Imagine birdsong-filled days following an ancient human footpath, shadowing a foraging monkey troop, or settling under a tree shade to grab a bite with insane views across the valley.

Armed rangers and professional walking guides ensure your safety and comfort. Sit down to a fire-cooked meal, then sleep between crisp worm sheets every night.

Our walking safaris are set in Uganda's unusual backcountry trails, villages, and wildlife reserves, free from dangerous predators. These hiking experiences emphasize nature's smaller details - a whispering water stream, colorful flowers, golden sunset, and unusual species sightings. Cultural elements also come into play, whether greeting a local nomad, learning a new word in a new language, or sharing stories with your guide. Formal barriers melt away after a day or two, fireside conversations carry on deep into the night, and you are rewarded with a better insight into this alluring continent.

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    Safaris to explore spectacular rural landscape on foot.

    Why you should trust Nkuringo Safaris

    Matt
    Matt
    2022-10-10
    Verified
    The Best! We highly recommend Nkuringo Safaris. Catherine, our Safari Consultant, planned an excellent itinerary for our family’s two week tour of Uganda, smartly balancing adventure and relaxation. Also, the lodges she selected were truly first-rate. In addition, she was a tremendous help during are arrival and departure from Entebbe. We also can’t say enough about our guide, Jack. He’s a fantastic conversationalist, and his expertise regarding the various communities, parks, and animals of this beautiful country is exceptional. Furthermore, he did a fantastic job of handling our three teenagers, including adjusting the day’s schedule based on conditions and energy levels.
    Ubub32
    Ubub32
    2022-10-10
    Verified
    ein unvergessliches Erlebnis, von Spezialisten organisiert und von lieben Menschen durchgeführt Unsere Reise durch Uganda vom 3. – 25. September 2022 führte uns von Entebbe – Jinja – Sipi Falls – Moroto – Kidepo Game Reserve – Murchison Falls NP, Kibale Forest – Queen Elisabeth NP, Bwindi Rainforest – Lake Mburo wieder zurück nach Entebbe. Wir hatten einen netten und sehr kompetenten Reisebegleiter, der mit seinem Wissen und seiner Erfahrung (auch als Ranger) uns viel Neues über Uganda beigebracht hat. Wir hatten viel Spass zusammen und trotz dem Regenwetter (rainy season) diese Reise sehr genossen – thank you very much, Jack. Die Reise war perfekt organisiert und es hat alles geklappt. Am Vortag ausführliches Besprechen des Reiseprogramms und am Ende ebenfalls ein Feedback unserer Eindrücke. Wir können Nkuringo Safari nur bestens empfehlen. Wir würden wieder über diese Firma unsere Reise buchen.
    Urs N
    Urs N
    2022-07-25
    Verified
    Unforgettable safari in Uganda We did a 19 days round trip and Safari in Uganda organized by Nkuringo. It was just outstanding and most impressive . Jack Twerebere was our driver and guide and finally our friend. He was outstanding and very competent in any activities. Thanks to him we passed an unforgettable journey, encountering all wilde animals including the big five and as an example six rhinos at one place! All lodges were very god to excellent and the food was delicious.
    BCSinig
    BCSinig
    2022-06-28
    Verified
    Amazing Uganda Experience It’s tough to describe just how wonderful our experience with Nkuringo Walking Safaris was. From the minute we arrived in Uganda until we left, they took excellent care of us. Our private Safari (for our family of 4), always had our wonderful driver, Em Ma, on hand, and also a guide for every activity. We felt safe at all times. The experiences we booked included the once-in-a-lifetime gorilla trekking experience in Bwindi, Golden Monkey Trekking (also an endangered species), and a Batwa experience, plus other hiking and canoeing days. We are an active family and our very active itinerary was perfect. This trip was a three-country vacation and Uganda was our favorite, due in part to Nkuringo Walking Safaris, but also because generally speaking, the Uganda people are quite welcoming and friendly. Also, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is a must-do. Be sure to add this to your itinerary. Spend the money to fly to southern Uganda if you are arriving from Entebbe. The roads in Uganda are not great at all. As for the overall expense, it is not cheap. Even so, we recommend spending the money. There never was a time where we felt that we were not getting our money’s worth. They really do take good care of you- and this is coming from a very experienced travel family. We will always look back at this experience fondly and HIGHLY recommend Nkuringo Walking Safari’s.
    Frederick B
    Frederick B
    2022-06-14
    Verified
    Incredible Honeymoon organised through a fantastic local Ugandan company We actually did a tailored 12.5 day safari, hiking & primate tour of Uganda with a guide and we had the most incredible time. Nkuringo were by far the best company we talked with when planning our honeymoon. Incredibly helpful, knowledgeable, fast to respond and we felt from day one that they would plan and organise us a special trip. Planning such an ambitious (& expensive) trip to a country which, on the face of it, may not be the most obvious destination for a honeymoon was initially daunting but Nkuringo (particularly Catherine) took all the stress out of it. From the moment we started talking with Nkuringo to the moment we left Uganda everything ran incredibly smoothly. We didnt have to think about anything when we arrived other than to just enjoy every moment. Our guide (David) was simply amazing. Professional, incredibly friendly, endlessly knowledgeable about everything in Uganda, birds, wildlife, history, culture etc - he was fantastic.The lodges were great, the people so smiley and welcoming and the country as a whole was awesome. Highly recommend Uganda and very highly recommend Nkuringo. Final thing to mention was that the trip was not cheap, but that did not mean that is felt expensive. We felt that the trip was actually very good value for money. Non-stop once in a life time experiences delivered to the highest standards. Worth every penny for sure!
    Whitstone11
    Whitstone11
    2022-04-22
    Verified
    Top notch Safari organizer in Uganda We had contacted Nkuringo Safaris directly and together with the great team from Nkuringo we put together our dream trip. We were four and wanted to do a Rwenzori trekking up to Margherita Peak. The necessary 9 days were set. The remaining 11 days were perfectly organized by Nkuringo Safaris. The trip included a walking safari in Mihingo NP, a stunning gorilla tracking, a chimpanzee tracking, and other great experiences in the national parks. Nkuringo Safaris organized the whole trip brilliantly. They booked us the best, most beautiful and suitable accommodations. We were provided with first class VIP service. Our guide was highly motivated and very competent and humorous. We were able to enjoy every moment and felt well taken care of at all times. Due to an accident in the mountains, one of our fellow travelers had to be evacuated and hospitalized and had to cut short the trip prematurely. Nkuringo Safaris organized everything around this incident in an exemplary manner and took care of the organizational issues to the highest degree. Nkuringo Safaris also owns lodges (e.g. Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge) which are of outstanding quality. Probably Nkuringo Safaris is the 1st address for individual travel and safaris in Uganda. Nkuringo Safaris can be recommended without reservation.
    BackPacker710653
    BackPacker710653
    2022-04-18
    Verified
    Eindrückliche Individualreise perfekt organisiert Individualreise vom 21.1. bis 12.2.2022; 4 Personen. Route: 22.1. Entebbe, Papyrus Guesthouse / 23.1. Lake Mburo NP, Game Drive, Boat Cruise. Mihingo Lodge. / 24.1. Nature Walk in NP. Game Drive / 25.1. Transfer zur Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, inkl. Lake Bunyonyi Transfer im motorisierten Kanu / 26.1. Gorilla Tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest NP / 27.1. Wanderung Bwindi Forest, Transfer Buhoma via Queen Elizabeth NP mit Löwen auf den Bäumen zum Kasese Sandton Hotel / 28.1. bis 5.2. Ruwenzori; Transfer zum Turaco Tree Top beim Kibale Forest NP. / 6.2. Ruhetag / 7.2. Chimpanzee Tracking am Morgen; Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary nature walk am Nachmittag. / 8.2. Transfer zum Queen Elizabeth NP, Cruise auf dem Kazinga Kanal, Unterkunft Kasenyi Safari Lodge. / 9.2. Game drives in QENP / 10.2. Rückfahrt nach Entebbe, Protea Hotel am Viktoria-See in der Nähe des Flughafens / 11.2. Freier Tag im Protea Hotel; abends Rückflug in die Schweiz. Planung: Aufgrund einer Empfehlung aus der Schweiz, haben wir uns für einen einheimischen Anbieter, Nkuringo Safari entschieden. Wir würden uns auch heute wieder vorbehaltlos und sofort für Lydia entscheiden. Wir haben die Reise nach unseren Vorstellungen geplant; Lydia hat uns dabei mit grosser Geduld beraten. Organisation: Die Reise hat tadellos geklappt, angefangen beim Empfang auf dem Flughafen, wo wir von Catherine noch vor der Zollkontrolle empfangen und speditiv durch das Covid-Testzentrum geführt worden waren. Die Anfahrt zum Nkuringo-eigenen Papyrus Guesthouse war kurz. Obschon Samstag-Abend, wurden wir hier von Lydia persönlich begrüsst; so wie wir auch am Ende der Reise, nach einem Debriefing, wiederum persönlich von Lydia verabschiedet worden waren. Jack, unser Guide und Fahrer des acht plätzigen Range Rovers, hat die vereinbarte Zeiten pünktlich eingehalten. Er und alle lokalen Guides wollten uns immer möglichst viel von ihrem Land zeigen – ein Land, das mit seinen freundlichen Einwohnern und seinen Tier- und Natur-Attraktionen (10 NP) mehr Touristen verdient hätte. Lodges: In sämtlichen Lodges fühlten wir uns wohl und gut betreut; stets gespannt, was unsere Gastgeber wieder auf den Tisch zaubern. Einzig das Sandton-Hotel ist mit seinen lieblosen Zimmern mit z.T. defekter Inneneinrichtung deutlich abgefallen – aber auch dort haben wir gut gegessen und war die Lage als Ausgangspunkt zum Ruwenzori ideal. Herausragend war die Nkuringo-eigene «Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge». Empfangen mit dem üblichen Welcome Drink und warmem Reinigungstüchlein, war die Handmassage hingegen unerwartet. Auch die Zimmer-Betreuung durch den House-Keeper mit Bett-Deko, Wärmeflasche und Cheminée-Feuer haben wir geschätzt. Fazit: Sämtliche Programmpunkte haben unsere Erwartungen erfüllt; übertroffen wurden sie beim Gorilla- und Schimpansen Tracking, ebenso war der Nature Walk im Lake Mburo etwas vom Schönsten. Auch die Bootsfahrten auf dem Lake Mburo und auf dem Kazinga Kanal möchten wir nicht missen. Enttäuschend war hingegen der Besuch des QENP. Die Herde mit 300 Wasserbüffeln war zwar imposant; daneben waren viele Stunden Game Drive wenig ergiebig. Könnten wir nochmals planen, müsste der Besuch des Murchison Falls NP unbedingt integriert werden – wir haben ihn vor 10 Jahren schon einmal besucht.
    Reto
    Reto
    2022-04-16
    Verified
    Bestens aufgehoben und betreut! Wir wurden auf unserer Reise bestens und sehr liebevoll betreut. Bereits bei der Ankunft in Entebbe wurden wir in Empfang genommen und bestens bei den Formalitäten unterstützt. Super Betreuung während der ganzen Reise. Bei meinem Bergunfall wurde sofort gehandelt und ich wurde ins Spital begleitet und ein sofort ein Transport mit Wagen und Fahrer organsiert, der mich innert kurzer Zeit zum Flughafen zurück gebracht hat. Eine Super Service, der nicht mehr überboten werden kann. Die Hilfsbereitschaft aller Beteiligten war top. Ich kann Nkuringo Safaris bestens empfehlen.
    Venture610601
    Venture610601
    2022-02-20
    Verified
    Outstanding experience! My husband & I have been fortunate enough to travel to many countries in the world. To us, Uganda is quite simply the most beautiful country on earth. It truly is the pearl of Africa. Why? Uganda offers stunning scenery (mountains, volcanoes, crater lakes, swamps, savannahs, forests), incredible wildlife experiences (gorillas, chimps, golden monkeys, safaris, birds galore!) and the people are so warm and kind. We booked our trip from the UK through an excellent company called Rainbow Tours. They arranged the trip with the local company NKURINGO safaris, based in Uganda. When we arrived in Uganda we were welcomed by Cathy & Arshley from NKURINGO safaris. Both of whom were very professional, knowledgeable & friendly. They provided a comprehensive overview of our two week itinerary. Arshley Brian was our guide/driver for the trip and he was truly excellent! Friendly, funny, punctual, helpful and he was exceptionally good at identifying hundreds of different birds! On our trip we travelled in a private safari jeep. All the lodges we stayed in were beautiful, with excellent service and delicious food. We started our trip in Entebbe. On day 1 we went to the swamps of lake Victoria in search of shoebills. We then moved on to Kibale forest region for chimpanzee trekking (a troop of chimps walked right up to us!), a community experience & a wetland walk - all brilliant experiences. We then went on to Queen Elizabeth National Park for safari drives (two hyenas came up to our jeep!) and a lovely private boat ride along the Kazinga Channel, we saw so many hippos & elephants and much more! We went to Bwindi, where we did a fab walk through the forest to our next stunning lodge! We spent an hour with the mountain gorillas in the Nkuringo sector (Christmas group). It was amazing!! We saw about 8 gorillas including the silverback, juveniles and a baby! Then on to lake Mutanda for a dug out canoe ride in search of otters. Then to Mgahinga for golden monkey trekking and the challenging Mt Sabyinyo Hike (three country/border hike). In Lake Mburo we went on a boat ride and saw so many fish eagles. We also did some fantastic safari drives and a bike ride amongst the zebras. We saw bush babies at our lodge and fell asleep to the sound of wild animals. We returned to Entebbe and visited Ngamba Island Chimpanzee sanctuary, where we saw about 25 chimps all of whom had been rescued. Our trip was absolutely incredible and we were so well looked after by NKURINGO safaris!! I would highly recommend using this company!!
    VitaliTaeten
    VitaliTaeten
    2021-10-14
    Verified
    Through Savannahs to the gorillas and back Just back from a fantastic 2 weeks journey through western Uganda. Excellent tour guide, well chosen places to stay enriched with a coninuos high level of local knowledge provided by local rangers have been the ingredients for this unforgettable experience. Our itinerary was a perfect mix of classical safari, boat tours, bush walking and of course chimps and gorilla tracking. Thanks to the experience of the guide and the rangers we had the pleasure to experience so many positive and memorable encounters both with poeple and animals.

    Other nature walking adventures

    Gorilla Trekking
    SAFARIS

    Join the daily gorilla trekking excursions deep into the tropical rainforests of Uganda and Rwanda mountains and sit close to a gentle silverback and his family. A forest adventure experience that will leave you forever enchanted.

    Chimpanzee Tracking
    SAFARIS

    Take a guided primate walk into Africa's ancient forest, and spend an hour or the entire day walking with a wild chimpanzee troop, observing the great apes' primitive antics and social behaviours in a wild environment.

    BIRDWATCHING SAFARIS

    It's hard not to be fascinated by East Africa's birdlife; the sheer diversity of species, sizes and colours is astounding. From the elusive shoebill to vibrant bee-eaters, there is plenty in the avian world to see on our birdwatching safaris.

    Cultural Safaris

    For cultured travellers, East Africa, the cradle of humanity, presents a varied experience with indigenous cultures, ancient tribes, villages, and fossil sites and a mixture of colonial. Our cultural safaris will take you closer to the new you.