Safari overview
10 days Uganda exclusive gorillas and wildlife safari takes you to Uganda’s most iconic safari destinations namely Murchison Falls National Park which is Uganda’s oldest and largest protected area, Kibale National Park Africa’s primate capital that holds the highest concentration and diversity of primates in Africa, Queen Elizabeth National Park a renowned safari destination that protects over 600 bird species and 95 mammal species including the rare tree-climbing lions and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park best for gorilla trekking in the country. Expect the best game viewing experience including tracking white rhinos on foot at Ziwa rhino sanctuary, boat cruises along the world’s longest River, Kazinga channel and Lake Bunyonyi for aquatic life as well a thrilling cultural experience when you meet the Batwa pygmies in their communities.
Day by Day Program
Day 1: Arrival and transfer to your hotel
Our company representative will meet you at Entebbe international airport upon arrival and proceed to your hotel within Entebbe town situated on the northern shores of Lake Victoria about 45 kilometers southwest of Kampala. You will have a briefing about your safari highlighting what to expect, driving distances to and from your specified safari destinations and many more after which you will have a meal and unwind at you balcony. According to your time of arrival, you may choose to visit nearby sites like the Entebbe Botanical Gardens and Uganda wildlife education center to have a glimpse of birds and animals native to Uganda before you set off upcountry for your safari. This is also the perfect time for you to visit craft shops and shopping malls to get some items that you may need throughout your safari. Dinner and an overnight will be at your reserved hotel.
Day 2: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park
Enjoy your early morning breakfast to meet your driver guide and set off for Murchison Falls National Park with a stopover at Ziwa rhino sanctuary where you will trek white rhinos on foot to encounter them in their natural habitat. These white rhinos were reintroduced in Uganda after their extinction in the 1970s with the sanctuary currently protecting 43 rhinos. Proceed to Masindi town for your lunch after which you will make your grand entry into Uganda’s oldest and largest National Park. Upon entry you will be driven to Murchison Falls for your hike to the top of the Falls. Watching the Nile water force its way through a 7 meter wide gorge and fall off from a 43 meters high cliff into a devil’s cauldron to form a thunderous sound is so exhilarating. Retire off the magical Falls and proceed with your drive to your prearranged lodge to check-in, have dinner and an overnight. Day 3: Morning game drive in Murchison falls national park and afternoon boat cruise
Wakeup very early to a delicious breakfast and meet your driver guide to hit the northern section of the Park dominated by savannah grasslands for your morning game drive. As you are driven through the picturesque grasslands of the Park, endeavor to capture the great views of the sunrise. Animals to lookout for include large herds of buffaloes, elephants, giraffes, leopards, lions, hartebeests, hyenas, hippopotamuses, waterbucks, warthogs, oribis and many more. Return to your lodge for lunch, relax and transfer for a boat cruise along the legendary Nile River. Make use of your binoculars to enjoy the bird life while you also spot hippopotamuses amazingly submerge in the water, crocodiles and giant monitor lizards busk along River banks. The cruise lasts for about 2 hours after which you will be driven back to your lodge for dinner and an overnight.
Day 4: Check out and transfer to Kibale National Park and guided walk in Bigodi wetland
Wake up on a scrumptious breakfast, checkout of your lodge to embark on your 4 to 5 hours’ drive to Kibale National Park famous for the highest concentration of chimpanzees and other primates in Africa. This diverse tropical rainforest protects over 13 primate species, several other mammals and up to 370 bird species some of which will be spotted throughout your activities. Arrival will be in the perfect time for your lunch after which you will head out for a nature walk in Bigodi wetland, a jungle swamp that happened to win an award from the UNESCO Wetland Sustainable Tourism Projects. A variety of birds will be spotted ranging from forest dwellers to water birds and primates like black and white colobus, red colobus monkeys, red tailed, baboons and many more. Get back to your lodge for dinner and an overnight waiting to encounter our closest cousins in the next morning.
Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
After your early morning breakfast, make your way to Kanyanchu Park headquarters for a briefing about chimpanzee trekking etiquettes. Following the briefing you will be led by ranger guides into the jungle in search for our closest cousins which may take between 2 to 4 hours to locate a troop of them. These charming intelligent primates live in groups of about 15 to 150 individuals with a dominant male dictating the group’s movements and activities. Once a troop of chimpanzees is encountered, you will be limited to a magical hour as you watch them go by their routine activities. Return to your lodge for lunch after which you will checkout for your drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The drive lasts for about 1 and a half to 2 hours arriving to check-in at your lodge, unwind and relax waiting to have dinner and an overnight.
Day 6: Morning game drive and Kazinga channel boat cruise
Enjoy a delightful breakfast early in the morning and hit the Park’s savannah plains for a morning game drive hopping to spot the early risers as well as the nocturnal animals as they rush back to their hide outs. Predators like lions, hyenas and others might be spotted on a hunt or feasting on their prey after a successful kill. Other animals to lookout for include elephants, buffaloes, kobs, leopards, waterbuck, warthogs, bush bucks and many more. After a 4 hours’ wildlife experience, return to your lodge for lunch before you connect to the Kazinga channel for your boat cruise. You will enjoy a 2 hours’ scenic cruise along a 32 km long channel known for its largest concentration of hippopotamuses in Africa. This is the best spot to enjoy bird life, aquatic animals like crocodiles and many more. Transfer back to your lodge with an en-route game drive waiting to have dinner and an overnight.
Day 7: Transfer to Bwindi and Batwa cultural experience
Wakeup to a scrumptious breakfast and checkout for your scenic drive southwards through the Ishasha sector to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. You will undertake a game drive through the Ishasha plains in search for the mysterious tree climbing lions that will be spotted hanging up in big fig tree branches. Proceed to Bwindi arriving at the lodge in time for your lunch after which you will head off for a cultural experience in the Batwa communities. Being guided by a local Twa, you will learn about their ancient life style and how they used to co-exist with mountain gorillas in the forests. Enjoy their dramatic cultural performances before finding your way back to your lodge for dinner and an overnight.
Day 8: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi national park and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
Enjoy your early morning breakfast and head out for what is known as the life changing adventure encountering the gentle giants go by their usual activities in their natural habitats. It starts with a briefing at the Park headquarters about what is required of you during this activity before you are led by ranger guides on the trailhead in the dense misty Bwindi forests to start on the search of the gentle giants. This thrilling adventure lasts for about 2 to 6 hours depending on how far your assigned gorilla family could have moved. On encountering them, an hour will be allowed as you closely watch them play, feed groom which is an inspiring moment worth undertaking. Return to your lodge for lunch before you transfer to Lake Bunyonyi known for its small birds and striking scenery. Arrival at your lodge will be in the evening to check-in, unwind, have dinner and an overnight.
Day 9: Whole day relaxation on Lake Bunyonyi and Island hopping
Have your breakfast served and report to Lake Bunyonyi for your entire day relaxation while admiring its beautiful scenery. On a tranquil boat cruise, you will explore some of the Lake’s prominent islands such as Akampane Island also known as Punishment Island, Bwama, Bucuranuka, Kyahungye and many more depending on the available time. Mysterious stories about these Islands will be told as you encounter some wild animals like monkeys, waterbucks, impalas, zebras and many others. Lunch will be served along the Lake shores after which you will interact with the local fishermen for a true African cultural insight. Get back to your lodge to have dinner and an overnight.
Day 10: Depart for Kampala and transfer to Entebbe
You will wake up to a mouthwatering breakfast and checkout of your lodge to embark on your long drive back to Kampala with a stopover at Igongo cultural center and country hotel for your hot lunch. If time allows, you will make a visit to the museum for an insight about cultures from western Uganda like the Banyankole, Batooro, Banyoro and many more. Get back to your drive to Kampala with another stopover at the equator line in Kayabwe for an experience where the earth is divided into two equal parts. You may visit a craft shop to buy some souvenirs and African coffee to take with you home. Arrival in the city center will be in the evening to either be dropped off at a hotel to relax an d unwind or directly to the airport in Entebbe depending on the time of your outbound flight back home.
