Gorilla Safaris in Uganda – In this 7 Day Uganda tour, you need to have a tremendously long checklist to tick off all the wildlife and game you will witness from the Savannahs of Queen Elizabeth Park, the mountain gorillas amidst impenetrable rainforest of Bwindi Impenetrable national park and the elusive and playful chimpanzees of Kibale Forest. We take you on treks, game drive and interesting cultural excursions like meeting the historical Batwa Pygmies in Bwindi forest. It is a wall to wall wildlife nirvana and a reason Uganda is called the Pearl of Africa.
HIGHLIGHTS.
DAY 1 – WELCOME, TOUR BRIEFING AND TRANSFER TO KIBALE FOREST NATIONAL PARK.
DAY 2: CHIMPANZEE TREKKING AND TRANSFER TO QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK.
DAY 3: GAME DRIVE AND BOAT CRUISE ALONG THE KAZINGA CHANNEL.
DAY 4: TRANSFER TO THE SOUTHERN ISHASHA SECTOR WITH A GAME DRIVE THROUGH KASENYI SECTOR.
DAY 5: GAME DRIVE AND TREE-CLIMBING LIONS EXPERIENCE. AFTERNOON TRANSFER TO BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST.
DAY 6 – GORILLA TREKKING IN BWINDI NATIONAL PARK. BATWA PYGIMIES TOUR.
DAY 7: RETURN TO KAMPALA /ENTEBBE. DEPARTURE.
DAY 1 – WELCOME, TOUR BRIEFING AND TRANSFER TO KIBALE FOREST NATIONAL PARK.
Welcome to Uganda, the pearl of Africa. Your driver/guide will be ready to pick you up from your morning flight or hotel at 8am. Here, the guide will introduce himself and go through with you a thorough briefing of your tour.
Then off on your drive from Entebbe to Kibale National Forest. It’s about 6-7 hour drive through farmlands, savannahs and forests. Lunch will be taken halfway at the township of Mubende. After lunch, it’s a final 3-hour drive to your accommodation, and plenty of time to freshen up relax and enjoy the sunset over Kibale rain forest.
Dinner and overnight at your accommodation.
Accommodation
Luxury. Kyaninga lodge
Midrange. Chimpanzee forest Guest House
Budget. Kibale Forest Camp (budget tents)
DAY 2: CHIMPANZEE TREKKING AND TRANSFER TO QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK.
After an early morning breakfast, report to the park headquarters at Kanyanchu for briefing and proceed for chimpanzee tracking. Chimp tracking can take up to 4 hours, from 8am – 12am. While trekking for the chimps, there are plenty other primates that you may meet along the way like the grey cheeked Mangabey, white and black colobus monkeys, L’Hoest monkeys, baboons, red colobus, blue monkeys and Pottos.
There are mammals as well, which include forest elephants, giant forest hogs and numerous species of trees.
Enjoy your picnic lunch after tracking and later transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park.
Overnight at a lodge overlooking the striking savannah landscape of the park.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge
Midrange: Buffalo safari Lodge
Budget: Pumba Safari cottages
DAY 3: GAME DRIVE AND BOAT CRUISE ALONG THE KAZINGA CHANNEL.
Early morning wake up and begin your game safari at 6:30am. An early morning game drive is absolutely the most rewarding as you are able to see variety of mammals including the rarest ones. Traverse the Kasenyi plains in the east of Kasese road, a renowned habitat for the lions which prey on large populations of Uganda Kobs that dwell in this area.
Other than lions, the park shelters up to 95 mammal species, which are all well worth a visit. Permanent residents here include; elephants, Uganda kobs, warthogs, waterbucks, giant forest hogs, leopards and hyenas.
Retreat for lunch, have a short break as you head straight to Mweya jetty for a leisurely boat cruise along the legendary Kazinga channel.
An afternoon launch cruise down the Kazinga channel is the most relaxing way to enjoy a wildlife safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park. The Kazinga channel is a 40km long stream that stretches between Lake George and Lake Edward.
The channel shores are thronged with schools of hippos, buffaloes and water birds, along with crocodiles, monitor lizards, Marabou storks, weaver birds and elegant pairs of fish eagles.
Return from this 2 hour experience and drive back to the lodge.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge
Midrange: Buffalo safari Lodge
Budget: Pumba Safari cottages
DAY 4: TRANSFER TO THE SOUTHERN ISHASHA SECTOR WITH A GAME DRIVE THROUGH KASENYI SECTOR
.
After a healthy breakfast, head south towards the Ishasha Sector. There’s plenty of game driving along the way and you will once again pack lunch and stop en route for a real safari lunch picnic.
Keep your eyes open to spot animals like Hyenas, Buffaloes, Uganda Kobs, Leopards and Elephants, as well as the elusive Forest Hog. Once you reach Ishasha, check in to accommodation to refresh, have dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Ishasha wilderness camp
Midrange: Ishasha jungle Lodge
Budget: Enjojo Lodge
DAY 5: GAME DRIVE AND TREE-CLIMBING LIONS EXPERIENCE. AFTERNOON TRANSFER TO BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST.
After breakfast your driver guide will once again take you on a game drive through the Ishasha Sector.
Ishasha is only one of two places in the world where tree-climbing lions can be spotted, the other being Lake Manyara national park in Tanzania. Whilst all lions can climb trees these two prides are the only ones found to spend a majority of their time in trees.
Seeing tree-climbing lions is usually a 50/50 chance but we guarantee seeing them as we organize an experience that includes the park tracking system and expert tracker.
Ishasha is also home to great population of Topis, not found anywhere else in this national Park. Along the Ishasha River, you may spot hippos and the grey crowned Cranes.
Have lunch at the lodge before transferring to a whole new ecosystem of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, only around 150km away. Dinner and overnight stay at your accommodation of choice in either Buhoma or Ruhija regions, in Bwindi.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Ruhija gorilla safari lodge / Buhoma Lodge
Midrange: Bakiga Lodge / Bwindi Haven
Budget: Broadbill forest camp / Crested crane hotel
DAY 6 – GORILLA TREKKING IN BWINDI NATIONAL PARK. BATWA PYGIMIES TOUR.
Early morning after breakfast and a briefing from the UWA officials, set off for the gorilla tracking.
This is a once life time experience and unforgettable adventure. The ranger guides will lead you into the impenetrable forest and start your search for the endangered Mountain Gorillas.
You will move up and down the rugged terrain until you finally meet these harmonious creatures that will entertain you with performances for about 1 hour.
The activity can take between 2-7 hours since the gorillas move up and down and their movements can’t be pre-determined. This is an awe some and exciting moment.
En route there are lots of birds, reptiles, abundant flora and several species of the primates such as the monkeys, baboons and much more.
You will eventually meet them, and maximize this moment while with them; take as many pictures, and ask as many questions as possible and acquaint yourself with their daily routine. Watch them feed, protect themselves and most importantly, observe their family bondage just like human beings.
After 1 hour, retreat from the jungles, and track back to the lodge for relaxation and lunch.
After lunch, proceed to meet the Batwa pygmies – “the forest people”. The Batwa are the original inhabitants of these forests, however today they are living in the fringes since the early 1990’s when Bwindi forest was gazette as a fully-fledged national park.
This cultural tour is a re-enactment but a very real one as many members still recall living as forest dwellers and these tours now help them earn income, ensure their traditions and skills are practiced as well as pass on these traditions to the next generation. Their bush skills, craftsmanship, artistry, traditional performances are a delight and their small stature will amaze.
Dinner and overnight stay at your lodge.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Ruhija gorilla safari lodge / Buhoma Lodge
Midrange: Bakiga Lodge / Bwindi Haven
Budget: Broadbill forest camp / Crested crane hotel
DAY 7: RETURN TO KAMPALA /ENTEBBE. DEPARTURE.
After breakfast before you transfer back to Kampala, leave Bwindi impenetrable forest, with its lush flora and cool climate. Drive to Kampala past Kabale and Mbarara towns and have your en route lunch at Igongo country hotel, 12km past the town of Mbarara town. After lunch, make another stopover at equator monument and continue to reach Kampala in the evening.
Inclusive Costs
• Fully escorted game drives and forest treks.
• Pick-up from Kampala and return.
• Chimpanzee and gorilla trekking permits.
• Meals on full board basis – Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• 6 nights’ accommodation.
• All sightseeing and entry fees as per itinerary.
• Boat cruise.
• Bottled water.
• Nature / community walks.
• All ground transportation in a comfortable 4X4 vehicle.
• All activities / experiences as mentioned in the package.
Excluded Costs
• International flights and visas.
• Personal items (souvenirs, travel insurance, etc.)
• Tips / gratuities (tipping guideline US$10.00 p/p per day).
• Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour (unless requested).
• Government imposed increase of taxes and/or change of tariff.
• Hotel / airport transfers (can be arranged at an extra cost).
• Drinks and all non-listed meals.