Overview
12 Days Uganda gorilla tour will take you closer to the mountain gorillas through gorilla trekking and Gorilla habituation experiences. This tour takes you to the notable destinations with unique adventure such as Kibale NP for Chimpanzee tracking, Queen Elizabeth and Murchison falls National Parks for wildlife viewing and more.
Community tourism will be a great adventure as you learn the life of the locals such as the Bakiga, Batooro and Batwa. On this tour also, visit the equator point and Ziwa Rhino sanctuary to trek these rhinos.
Day by Day Program
Day 1. Arrive at Entebbe International Airport and transfer to a hotel
Be picked from the airport by the assigned driver guide who will brief you about this amazing 12 Days Uganda gorilla tour. Depending on your arrival time, have a short city tour where you visit notable attractions like religious sites, local markets, cultural sites and more. Transfer to the hotel and this will be end of day one.
Day 2. Transfer to Mgahinga gorilla National Park, enroute equator tour
Be served with breakfast and have a long drive from the central to south western Uganda. The journey to the smallest national park that is Mgahinga gorilla NP is amazing since it involves viewing rolling hills, terraced Kigezi highlands, stopover for enroute lunch and visiting the equator. At this point, take photos, buy souvenirs and more. Arrive in Mgahinga national park and check in the lodge booked for your great safari.
Day 3. Gorilla trekking
Head to the park office to meet fellow trekkers and attend briefing exercise after breakfast. This can take about 30 minutes since it involves cross checking of gorilla permits, illustration of rules and regulations, assignment of the park ranger guide, hiring Porters and more. Begin the search with a help of the park ranger guide and Porters in the jungle as you enjoy the rugged terrain.
On meeting the gorilla family trekked, spend an hour in their presence following their movements as they feed, play, the silverback practicing leadership skills since it’s the head of the group, breastfeed if they have young ones and more. There is a lot to enjoy such as bird calls, butterflies, waterfalls and more. After the trek, head back to the lodge for leisure or opt take any activity of your choice.
Day 4. Transfer to Bwindi national park
Have a leisure breakfast and transfer to Bwindi a world UNESCO heritage site locate in south western Uganda. This park is known to home of half of the gorilla population which means that you can’t miss spotting the gorillas while on the gorilla tour to this park. The journey is amazing and rewarding as you be passing through the local homesteads and more. Arrive and head to the lodge booked.
Day 5. Gorilla habituation and optional Batwa community tour
Wake up and head to the restaurant for early breakfast followed by a drive to the park offices for briefing about habituation experience. This experience will enable you to spend 4 hours in presence of these beautiful creatures. This will be of great and memorable day in your lifetime as you be spotting birds, butterflies, waterfalls and more.
Have an optional activity of visiting the Batwa community to immerse yourself with the remote local people who are believed to have lived in the forests of Bwindi and Mgahinga.
Day 6. Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park via Ishasha sector.
Check out from Bwindi as you make your way to Queen Elizabeth National Park, one of Uganda’s most iconic wildlife destinations.
While on the way, you’ll pass through the Ishasha sector, famous for its population of tree-climbing lions, where you’ll have the chance to spot these elusive predators in their natural habitat through Lion tracking experience. Arriving at Queen Elizabeth, you’ll be greeted by sweeping savannahs, shimmering lakes, and towering volcanic peaks, creating a dramatic backdrop for your safari adventure.
Day 7. Full day exploring the park
Wake up early and head to enjoy nature through game drive in Kasenyi plains. Here, expect to meet different animals like Uganda kobs, elephants, lions, leopards, buffalo, warthogs, spotted hyenas, birds like ibis, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill vultures and more. This experience can last for 2 to 3 hours.
Have a lunch break at the lodge followed by an afternoon boat cruise on Kazinga channel a water body that connects Lake Edward and Lake George with a 45km stretch. Here spot animals like hippos in groups, crocodiles, elephants, buffalo, antelopes and different unique birds including migratory birds.
Day 8. Transfer to Kibale National Park visit Isunga community
Today’s journey takes you to Kibale National Park, home to one of the largest populations of chimpanzees in East Africa. On arrival, visit Isunga community office where the local guide will take you to learn about the way of life of the locals on how they live alongside the wildlife in Kibale national park.
Visit different crater lakes an opt to take a home-made coffee experience where coffee powder is processed using local tools. Head to the lodge for your dinner.
Day 9. Chimpanzee trekking and optional activity
Wake up, have you breakfast followed by a short drive to Kibale park offices for briefing exercise. The experience is led by park guides and escorts, trek through dense vegetation and tangled vines in search of these elusive playful primates, whose haunting calls echo through the forest canopy. Trekking can last for about 4 to 5 hours with an hour spending following their movements.
While in the forest, meet other creatures like the birds, vegetation, enjoy the terrain and more. Have a great time in the afternoon embarking on optional activity like taking a Bigodi Swamp Walk, tea plantations tours or others.
Day 10. Transfer to Murchison falls National park
Take about 6 hours’ drive to Murchison falls National park as you enjoy the beautiful landscape covered with green vegetation of tea plantations, Banana gardens, coffee plantation and more. Lunch will be en-route at one of the local restaurant and this time, taste the local dishes such as matoke and Luwombo chicken. Arrive and head back to the lodge for your dinner.
Day 11. Game drive and boat cruise
Prepare for a full day of adventure as you explore the wonders of Murchison Falls NP. Enjoy a morning game drives through the park’s diverse habitats and have a chance to encounter a wide variety of wildlife, including elephants, giraffes, buffalos, lions, bush bucks, water bucks and more.
In the afternoon, take a boat cruise along the Nile River (Albert Nile) to the base of the falls, where you’ll feel the spray on your face and hear the deafening roar of the water as you enjoy animals like hippos, crocodiles, elephants and more birdlife.
Day 12. Head back to Kampala and departure flight.
Have breakfast and then head back to Kampala the vibrant capital in Uganda. On the way, make a stopover at Ziwa rhino sanctuary a place to track rhinos in the wild. Spend 2 hours and also have lunch from here. Proceed and be dropped at Entebbe airport to mark the end of your 12 Days Uganda gorilla safari.
