Tours & experiences

Equator Route Full Day Tour Private

About this experience

This full-day tour immerses you in Uganda’s culture, conservation, and natural beauty, beginning at Mpambire Drum Makers’ Workshop to watch traditional drums crafted by hand and explore local crafts. Visit the Social Innovation Museum to support youth empowerment and sustainable recycling projects, then enjoy close encounters with lions, giraffes, zebras, and other wildlife at CTC Conservation Center. After a local lunch, take a guided forest walk at Mpanga Nature Centre, spotting over 500 plant species, 200 birds, and playful wildlife including monkeys, squirrels, and pangolins. Conclude at the Equator with iconic photos, fun demonstrations on hemispheres, and browse craft stalls for souvenirs, blending culture, nature, and conservation in one unforgettable day.

At a glance

  • Duration: 12 hr
  • Private experience

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Equator Route Full Day Tour Private
Pickup included

Plan your experience

Time on the tour12 hr
Getting therePickup offeredSee pickup details
Guide languagesEnglish (live guide)
Tour arrangementPrivate experience

Set aside 12 hr for the experience itself, with additional time to reach your meeting or pickup point.

Before you go

  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels

What is included

  • Admission fees to sites visited
  • Transport in a 4WD minibus plus fueling
  • Bottled water
  • Lunch with a soft drink
  • Services of an English-speaking driver guide

Not included

  • Optional activities and services not mentioned above.

Itinerary and highlights

The tour starts with a stopover at Mpambire Drum Makers’ Workshop – Discover how Uganda’s traditional drums are skillfully crafted from cowhides and tree logs — a fascinating process where the artisans rely on simple tools and their bare hands. You will also find an array of local crafts on roadside display, including mats, stools, calabashes, gourds, backcloth, and more.

Continue with a visit to the Social Innovation Museum – SINA is an NGO dedicated to empowering young single mothers, refugees, orphans, street children, former child soldiers, and former sex workers through life skills and entrepreneurship training. By visiting the SINA Village, you actively support initiatives that transform the lives of socially challenged youth — with all proceeds from your visit helping them turn their challenges into sustainable solutions. At SINA, plastic waste is creatively recycled into sustainable products such as crafts and household items, providing a means of livelihood and environmental impact.
Your contribution supports innovative projects, including:
Constructing houses using plastic bottles
Converting organic waste into animal feed and fertilizer
Creating durable school bags and fashion items from polythene waste
Producing insect-repellent detergents and reusable sanitary pads

Proceed to CTC Conservation Center (Opens at 10:00Hrs or 13:00Hrs): Visits to CTC are by appointment and must be booked at least 48 hours in advance.
Established in 2015, this privately owned eco-tourism destination focuses on wildlife conservation, tourism development, and unique human–wildlife interactions. Enjoy close encounters with young lions, zebras, impalas, chameleons, iguanas, bat-eared foxes, tortoises, baby crocodiles, snakes, and more. Observe caregivers as they tend to the animals’ wellbeing, and look out for species such as lemurs, giraffes, Uganda Kob, bushbuck, sitatunga, grey parrots, and predators like lions, tigers, serval cats, and hyenas.

You will take a breather for lunch at a local restaurant and continue exploring.

Visit Mpanga Nature Center (Guided Forest Walk and Birding) – Established in 2020, Mpanga Nature Centre was created to promote conservation and tourism in the once-threatened Mpanga Forest.
Today, it’s a haven for nature lovers, guided by the theme: “Nature should be a sanctuary for all of us; a place for comfort and serenity.” Enjoy a two-hour guided forest walk, discovering over 500 plant species, 200 bird species, and unique trees like Zanthoxylum chalybeum and Warburgia ugandensis — the source of Uganda’s herbal remedy “COVIDEX.” Along the way, you may spot monkeys, mongoose, squirrels, pangolins, colorful butterflies, and vibrant birdlife.

Your day concludes with photos and souvenir shopping at the Equator.

At the Equator, snap an iconic photo with one foot in the northern hemisphere and the other in the southern. Experience demonstrations showing how the sun rises and sets quickly, how water drains differently compared to other hemispheres, and learn why you’re 3% lighter at the equator. Don’t forget to pick up a few souvenirs at the craft stalls to commemorate your visit.

Meeting and pickup information

  • Free pickup and drop-off to be offered in Kampala and Entebbe only

Languages and tickets

  • English — Guide
  • Mobile Only

Tour operator

  • Gazelle Safari Company

Accessibility and practical details

  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Questions about this experience

How long is this experience?
The supplier lists a duration of 12 hr.
What are the pickup arrangements?
Free pickup and drop-off to be offered in Kampala and Entebbe only
Which guide languages are listed?
English (live guide).
What ticket format is listed?
Mobile ticket.
What ticket age bands are listed?
Adult tickets: age 14+. Check the practical details for participation requirements.
What is the cancellation policy?
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveller reviews and photos

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More context for a careful visit.

Regional guides and reading about habitat, preparation and the people behind conservation.