This safari has been designed to suite those interested in bird watching, gorilla tracking, chimpanzee tracking and game viewing. It will take you to the best National parks in Uganda including; Murchison Falls National Park and Queen Elizabeth NP, for wildlife viewing, Bwindi impenetrable Forest national Park for gorilla tracking, Kibale forest park for Chimpanzee habituation and chimpanzee tracking safari in Uganda. All the activities stated above can be enjoy at any time of the year with less difficulty in the rainy seasons.
TOUR ITINERARY
Tour high lights
- Transfer to Murchison falls and visit ziwa rhino
- Morning game drive and boat ride
- Transfer to kibale
- Chimpanzee tracking and transfer to QENP
- Game drive and boat cruise
- Visit ishasha tree climbing lions and transfer to bwindi
- Gorilla trekking and community walk
- Lake Bunyonyi and boat tour
- Transfer to lake mburo
- Morning game drive and transfer to Kampala
- Kampala city tour and transfer to Entebbe.
Day 1 – Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park / visit ziwa rhinos
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel in the morning and after proceed to Murchison falls National Park, you will drive through Luwero triangle and have a stopover at Ziwa Rhino sanctuary where the endangered white rhinoceros are bred. This Rhino sanctuary was started to protect the White Rhino populations found in Uganda. Another stop over will be in Masindi in order to enjoy your lunch and later proceed to the top of the of Murchison falls where the powerful Nile surges through a narrow space approximately 7 meters and the water falls 43 feet below, this causes a powerful splash which is a spectacle to watch, there after transfer to your accommodation for overnight.
Accommodation options
Luxury: Paara Safari Lodge / Chobe safari lodge
Mid-range: Pakuba Lodge, Murchison River Lodge,
Budget: Red Chilli Rest Camp
Day 2: Morning game drive and a boat cruise
Have breakfast early enough and after proceed to the park to engage in a morning game drive, the drive starts as early as 6:30am where you will be able to view many animals including the giraffes, lions, elephants, buffalos, birds etc. after the game drive, proceed to the lodge and enjoy your lunch, or you can choose to have a packed lunch and enjoy the extra game drive. This boat cruise offers a stunning view of wild life on the banks of river Nile, it also allows you to get up close to the wild life along the banks of the river. After the boat cruise you can have an evening game drive before retiring to your lodge for overnight.
Accommodation options (full board)
Luxury: Paara Safari Lodge
Mid-range: Pakuba Lodge, Murchison River Lodge,
Budget: Red Chilli Rest Camp
Day 3 – Transfer to kibale National Park
Have an early break and set off for the long drive to kibale national park. You will have a stopover to have a picnic lunch along the way, proceed to kibale through the beautiful rolling hills filled the pleasant view of tea plantations, Arrive at your accommodation in the late afternoon, check-in and refresh- you may choose to have an evening community walk around the crater lakes and the Bigodi swamps.
Accommodation (full board)
Luxury: Primate Lodge, Papaya lake side lodge,
Mid-range: chimpanzee corteges, Isunga lodge, mountains of the moon
Budget: kibale forest camp, chimpanzee guest house, Rwenzori view guest house
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking transfer Kibale-Queen Elizabeth
In the morning you will have breakfast and transfer to Kayanchu visitor center in Kibale national park for briefing before setting off to track the chimpanzees. The tracking will be guided to provide information not only about chimpanzees but other primates in the entire park and surrounding communities making it interesting. You will come across other primates like baboons, La’hoest monkey, Grey cheeked Mangabey, Colobus monkeys, Red-tailed. After chimp trekking, return to the lodge, refresh have lunch and transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP.
Day 5: Queen Elizabeth National Park Kazinga boat ride
Begin your day with an early breakfast, have a morning game drive in the northern sector of the park at Kasenyi, you will be in search of the early risers like hyenas, elephants, lions, buffalos, leopards, hippos etc. have a brief stopover at the salt crater lake which has plenty of crafts and lots of snacks. Transfer to the lodge for lunch and brief rest before heading to the Kazinga Channel for an afternoon boat cruise. You will see hippos, buffaloes, crocodiles, elephants, water bucks, warthogs and many other wildlife at the banks as well as plenty of bird species as Queen Elizabeth has the highest number of bird species, over 600 recorded. In the afternoon enjoy the beautiful scenery of the wildlife on the banks of the Kazinga channel. Retire to your lodge and enjoy the beautiful sunset as you wait for your dinner.
Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Begin the day with early breakfast, have a morning game drive to view plenty of wildlife before proceeding to the Ishasha Sector; this takes you through the unique western rift valley escarpment; in search of tree climbing lions. Have a stopover for hot lunch at Savannah Resort Hotel in Kihiihi. Thereafter, go through the winding hills as you climb to higher altitudes, home to the mountain gorillas. The journey will take you approximately four hours depending on the weather. Check-in to your accommodation late in the evening and freshen up as you wait for your dinner
Accommodation (full board)
Budget: Ruhija Gorilla Friends Camp / Buhoma community Rest camp/ Gorilla Valley Lodge/ Trackers tavern
Moderate: Bakiga Lodge/ Ichumbi Safari Lodge.
Luxury: Buhoma Lodge /Mahogany Lodge /Rushanga Gorilla Safari Lodge/ Silverback Lodge,
Exclusive Upgrade Lodges: Clouds Lodge /Gorilla Forest camp
Day 7: Bwindi Gorilla Trekking / community walk
Have an early breakfast 7:00am, then proceed to the park headquarters by 7.30am for a briefing from the Park Wardens. Ensure to carry along rain jacket, drinking water, snacks, and ankle high jungle boots.
The park wardens will allocate you different gorilla families which you will track. Besides seeing Gorillas other animals such as antelopes, bush pigs, chimpanzees, baboons, elephants and over 350 bird species are a common siting this park.
Do not forget to take your lunch boxes and all the necessary gear to track the rare Mountain Gorilla, perhaps one of the most exciting wildlife experiences on earth.
When you finally get to meet the gentle giants you are allowed a maximum of one hour with them, photos are allowed, but no flash photography, minimum 5 meters distance must be kept, avoid contact with the gorillas as you can spread diseases but also coming close may mean invading their space which the silverbacks or dominate males may not take lightly thus this could lead to charging- also avoid running away in case of charging by the gorillas.
The tracking may take between 2 and 8 hours but it’s well worth the effort. The afternoon is spent on a village cultural walk which gives you a great opportunity to see how the people surrounding Bwindi Impenetrable Forest live. It also is a great way to support the local community in a direct way.
The walk begins at your accommodation- visit the local Doctor as he performs his trade- visit the pygmies locally known as the Batwa, who originally lived in the rain forest before it was gazette in to a national park in 1991, they will show case songs, dances- different skills – fire making, hunting and storytelling-you will also visit a school run by community NGO thus by visiting the school you will be the supporting the these dis-advantaged kids.
You will get to see the local home steads, local people see and learn their ways. The cultural excursion will showcase art and craft, dance and culture as well as way of life if you have time you can learn a few skills yourself.
You will see several souvenir shops, schools, churches and drinking joints. Other options includes taking the trails, to see the stunning waterfalls or you can choose to have a birding expedition in the forest addition to various primates.
Day 8 – Lake Bunyonyi Tour / boat tour
After breakfast, transfer to Lake Bunyonyi- the deepest lake in Uganda, you will check in to your lodge refresh have lunch before heading out for the a boat ride on this beautiful Lake comprising of 29 islands, Most of these islands have a lot of history about them and your local guide will be at hand to narrate to you. Canoes are also available on this lake. After the day’s activities return to the lodge and relax.
Day 9: Transfer to Lake Mburo park / boat cruise.
Have breakfast and later transfer to Lake Mburo National park, the journey takes you through Mbarara town where you will have lunch, while there you will check out the cultural museum at Igongo. You will then proceed to Lake Mburo home of the zebras and beautiful Lake Mburo. Check in at your lodge then embark on a boat cruise in the afternoon. The boat cruise has a lot in store for you, expect to see hippos, crocodiles, and lots of birds, while this cruise expect to see other animals like Buffaloes, Kobs, warthogs and Zebras. Return to your accommodation for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation (meals inclusive)
Budget: Rwonyo Camp, Eagle’s Nest Camp
Mid-range: Mburo safari lodge, Arcadia cottages or Rwakobo Rock lodge
Luxury: Mantana Tented Camp, Mihingo
Day 10: Morning game drive / Transfer to Kampala.
Have early breakfast and embark on morning game drive before you head back to Kampala. While on the game drive you will see more of the wild life you viewed- lots of birds, and other animals like Kob, buffalo, Oribi, bush bucks, zebras and many more. Transfer to the lodge, have lunch then embark on the journey to Kampala with a stopover at the equator for pictures and crafts. You will arrive in Kampala in the late evening, check-in and overnight.
Day 11: Kampala City Tour / Entebbe airport transfer.
After breakfast enjoy a city tour in Kampala to the Uganda Museum, Bahai temple, National Theatre, Kasubi tombs and the Uganda martyrs shrine before you are transferred to the airport for your departure flight.
End of safari
Safari inclusions
- Transport 4WD safari vehicle
- English-speaking driver/guide
- Accommodation as mentioned in the itinerary
- Three meals a day, apart from your stay in Kampala/Entebbe
- Bottled water in the safari vehicle
- All Park entrance fees
- Boat cruise
- Rhino permits
- Gorilla permit (USD 600 per permit)
- Chimpanzee permits
- Community cultural walk
- All mentioned activities except for the optional ones.
- Tour Exclusions
- Kampala accommodation
- Laundry services,
- Beverages &drinks,
- Tips
- international flights,
- Visas.
