8-DAY UGANDA SAFARI – WILDLIFE, CHIMPANZEES, GORILLA TREKKING.

The 8-Day Uganda Safari takes you through Uganda’s best tourist parks: Murchison Falls National Park, Kibale Forest, Queen Elizabeth National Park, and, lastly, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. 

Safari highlights.

• Nature walk to the top of the Murchison Falls.
• Boat cruise on the mighty Nile and Kazinga channel.
• Game drives in Murchison Falls National Park.
• Game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
• Searching for tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha sector.
• Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest National Park.
• Gorilla tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
  
  

Uganda Safari Detailed Itinerary.

Day 1: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park via Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel in the morning, or for those arriving at Entebbe International Airport, expect your driver and guide to pick you up. Begin the journey to Murchison Falls National Park, driving through several towns along the way. Your first stopover will be at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, where the endangered White rhinoceroses breed. This Rhino sanctuary was started to protect the White Rhino populations found in Uganda.  You will have a stopover in Masindi for your lunch. It is a 1-hour drive from Masindi town to the park. As you drive through the Budongo Forest, you will come across troops of Baboons, monkeys, and several bird species.

Depending on the arrival time at the park, you may have an evening game drive.  Drive on to your booked accommodation, relax, refresh, and wait for dinner.

Accommodation (Full board)

Luxury: Paara Safari Lodge.

Mid-range: Pakuba Lodge / Murchison River Lodge / Sambiya River Lodge.

Budget:  Red Chili Rest Camp /Heritage Safari Lodge.

Day 2: Game drive on the northern bank and boat cruise on the Nile.

Have breakfast by 6 am and thereafter, proceed to the wilderness, and look out for the early morning risers. The morning game drive starts as early as 6:30 am. Look out for animals such as the giraffes, lions, hyenas, waterbucks, elephants, buffaloes, and antelopes. Don’t forget the many bird species such as: egrets, ibis, shoebill stock, marabou stock, kingfisher, to mention but a few. As you have your game drive, you may relax and have a picnic on the riverbank as you listen to the groans of the Hippos.

After the game drive, head back to the lodge for your lunch. Either way, you may take a packed lunch as you prepare for the afternoon boat cruise on the Nile River. This cruise is spectacular as it allows you to get up close to the aquatic animals like the hippos, crocodiles, waterbucks, buffaloes, elephants, etc. Among the birds commonly spotted during the boat cruise are the goliath heron, kingfisher, weaver birds, bee-eaters, and cattle egrets. All these lie in the beautiful scenery along the bank. 

Day 3: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park.

After breakfast, check out of Murchison Falls National Park and drive to Kibale Forest National Park. This park is famous for its high population of chimpanzees and other primates in Africa. You will pass through Buliisa and Hoima City, where lunch will be served. Arrive in Kibale in time for lunch. After lunch, you will embark on a nature walk through Bigodi wetland for primate and bird watching. Overnight stay at your preferred lodge.

Accommodation (full board)

Luxury: Primate Lodge /Papaya lakeside lodge / Chimpundu Lodge.

Mid-range: Chimpanzee Guest House / Isunga lodge 

Budget: Kibale Forest Camp.

Day 4: Chimpanzee tracking and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

In the morning, you will have breakfast and then transfer to the Kayanchu Visitor Center in Kibale National Park. This is the briefing place, before setting off to track the chimpanzees. Join a group with a guide who provides information not only about chimpanzees but also about other primates throughout the park and surrounding communities. Kibale Forest National Park is also home to primates like baboons, La’hoest monkey, Grey-cheeked Mangabey, Colobus monkeys, and Red-tailed monkeys. After chimp trekking, return to the lodge, freshen up, have lunch, and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Day 5: Game drive and Kazinga Channel boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Begin your day with an early breakfast, and embark on a morning game drive in the northern sector of the park at Kasenyi.  Head out for a search of the early risers like hyenas, elephants, lions, buffalos, leopards, hippos, etc.  After the game drive, drive to the salt-crater lake, which has plenty of crafts and lots of souvenirs. Transfer to the lodge for lunch and a brief rest before heading to the Kazinga Channel for an afternoon boat cruise. While on the cruise, expect to see more hippos, buffaloes, crocodiles, elephants, waterbucks, warthogs, and many other wildlife at the banks, as well as plenty of bird species. Queen Elizabeth National Park has the highest number of bird species, over 600 recorded. Retire to your lodge and enjoy the beautiful sunset as you wait for your dinner.

Accommodation Options (full board).

Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge / Elephant plains safari lodge /  The River Lodge / Ishasha Wilderness Camp.

Midrange: Twin Lakes Safari Lodge / Buffalo Safari Lodge / Elephant Hab Lodge/ Acacia Wilderness Lodge.

Budget: Irungu Safari Lodge / Bush lodge-tents / Tembo Safari Lodge.

Day 6: Ishasha Sector tree-climbing lions and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

After breakfast, drive through the Ishasha Sector. This takes you through the valley in search of rarely seen tree-climbing lions. During this morning game drive, aim at spotting these rare lion species as they rest in the branches of the cactus after the morning’s hunt. The Ishasha region is also home to many other animals, such as antelopes and elephants, etc. After the game drive, head straight to the great Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. Go through the winding hills as you climb to higher altitudes, home to the mountain gorillas. The journey will take you approximately five hours, depending on the weather. Lunch is served enroute. Check in to your accommodation late in the evening and freshen up as you wait for your dinner

Accommodation (full board).

Luxury: Buhoma Lodge /Mahogany Lodge /Rushanga Gorilla Safari Lodge.

Moderate: Bakiga Lodge/ Ichumbi Safari Lodge / Gorilla Leisure Lodge

Budget: Ruhija Gorilla Friends Camp / Buhoma community Rest camp/ Ride 4 a Woman/ Trackers tavern.

Day 7: Gorilla tracking / Community walk.

Have an early breakfast at 6:30 am, then proceed to the park headquarters by 7.30 am for a briefing before embarking on the Gorilla tracking. Ensure that you carry a rain jacket, drinking water, snacks, gaiters, and ankle-high jungle boots. The park wardens will allocate you to different gorilla families. Do not forget to take your lunch boxes and all the necessary gear to track the rare Mountain Gorilla. This is 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. Take as many photos as you want, but without using a flash. 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.

Accommodation (full board)

Budget: Buhoma community Rest camp / Ruhija Gorilla Friends Camp / Trackers tavern/ Gorilla Valley Lodge

Moderate: Gorilla Resort Bwindi /Gorilla Safari Lodge / Trackers Tavern /Baima.

Luxury: Mahogany Lodge / Buhoma Lodge / Rushanga Gorilla Satari Lodge

Day 8: End of the Uganda Safari.

After breakfast transfer back to Kampala with lunch en route in Mbarara and arrive in Kampala in the late afternoon for a transfer to the Entebbe airport for your departure flight. Alternatively you may have to be transferred to Kigali airport in Rwanda which is quite close since it is simply a 4 to 5 hours’ drive. End of the Uganda Safari

Safari Inclusions

• Transportation in a 4X4WD safari vehicle
• Gorilla permits
• Chimpanzee permit
• Boat cruise
• All activity fees
• Park Ranger Fees
• Relevant Government Taxes.
• Full Board Accommodation and en-route meals as indicated in the itinerary.
• Full-time English-speaking Driver/Guide
• Airport transfer, as long as your flight is on the same day on which the safari ends.

Safari Exclusions:

• Airfares.
• Visa Fees
• Personal Insurance
• Expenses of a personal nature