12 Days Uganda Gorillas, Chimps and Wildlife Safari

Our guide meets you at your hotel in Kampala or Entebbe at 07:00 am. You will get a brief about the holiday experience ahead of you before starting the drive through the famous Luwero triangle.

Upon arrival at the Ziwa rhino sanctuary, you will be given a briefing from your ranger guide on how to behave while on this Rhino trek. Once you locate the Rhinos, you can stay for one hour in their presence. Sometimes different families are within distance of each other. We will continue through the park stopping at the top of the falls which is a fantastic sight.

Apart from game viewing that spots you to different animals, the launch trip to the bottom of the falls is another memorable adventure giving you the experience of the mighty Biblical Nile. On the launch you may see schools of crocodiles & hippos basking on the river banks as well as a number of birds.

After breakfast head for the game drive to look for lions, giraffes, herds of elephants, and buffaloes. We will drive back to the lodge for lunch before taking an afternoon boat cruise to the foot of Murchison Falls.

The boat trip along the Nile is often cited as being the highlight of a trip to Murchison since it brings you close to various number of animal. Along this stretch of the river, there are reported to be around 4,000 hippos in addition to some enormous Nile crocodiles. The bird life is stunning with brightly colored kingfishers and bee-eaters darting along the riverbanks.

If lucky, you may see the rare and prehistoric looking shoe-bill, which is a cross between the dodo and a dinosaur. The boat takes you to the base of the falls which only adds to their impressiveness.

Early morning after breakfast we continue driving through the undulating highlands of southwestern Uganda on our way to the greener and beautiful Fort Portal area. The lush rolling hills of this region provide good "photo opportunities". As you approach Fort Portal in the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains, you enter Uganda's famous tea plantation region. A carpet of green spreads before you, as far as the eye can see, and seems an unusual contrast to the countryside through which you have just passed.

In the afternoon we visit a nearby forest swamp that is excellent for viewing primates and other forest animals. At the Eastern edge of Kibale forest is Bigodi Wetland sanctuary which is maintained by the local community. You will expect birds like the great Blue turaco, blue monkeys, baboons, otters, mongoose, bush bucks, bush pigs and among others.

Assemble at Kanyanchu River camp at 08:00 hours to go for the most popular activity in this park which is chimpanzee tracking.

Chimpanzees are man’s closest cousins though they are one of the most threatened primate species. More primates like black and white columbus monkeys, L’Hoest monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey, red-tailed monkeys, bush babies, pottos and many bird and mammals species that can be seen in this walk.

Kibale National Park is inhabited by three large communities of chimps, each numbering more than 100 individuals. Each community has a complicated social structure.

Typically, we locate the chimps by listening for their pant-hooting calls, then hustle to the area from which they are calling. We get to observe them as they feed in fruiting trees, lounge, and socialize with each other, or even, occasionally hunt.

After breakfast transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park. This 767-square-mile conservation area is bordered on the north east by Lake George and on the south west by Lake Edward; its western border adjoins the Congo Parc du Virunga. You will expect to see teeming herds of impala as well as topi, elephant and lion, giant forest hog, Cape buffalo. There are also several soda lakes filling ancient volcanic calderas where flamingos reside seasonally

In the afternoon enjoy a game drive in the northern part of the park, visiting the Baboon Cliff famous for its nice scenery, and good views of the shadows of the Mountains of the Moon – the Rwenzoris. The drive to the lodge leads through large expanses of savannah grasslands and plenty of wildlife, the game seen will depend on the season; the Kasenyi plains are good for lion and the Mweya peninsula for a variety of animals

We set out early in the morning for a game drive in the northern part of the park on the Kasenyi Track in search of lions, elephants and solitary buffaloes. This is the best time for opportunities of viewing the cats in action owing to the vast population of Uganda kobs. We have an excellent chance to view just about every animal here at very close range.

In the afternoon we will go for a launch trip along the Kazinga Channel. This gives you the opportunity to view wildlife up close: hippos huff and spray at a mere feet away from the boat, buffalo linger in the shallows. The shores of the channel are also home to an array of birds including pink backed pelicans, pied and malachite kingfishers, saddle billed stork and many others.

Early Morning set off to the southern sector of queen Elizabeth National park and have lunch at your lodge and In the afternoon you will proceed to Ishasha Sector. Drive along the deep and wide dry craters that are occupied by savanna grasses and acacia. The drive takes you through the unique western rift valley escarpment and the (southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park) Ishasha sector where you will take on yet another game drive in search of tree climbing lions in the afternoon and evening.

Early morning game drive draws you closer to interaction with nature in Ishasha. The mid morning will be spent on the same safari for the tree climbing lions, elephants and other Big Mammals, thereafter proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

The journey takes about 2-3 hours but driving through interesting features. We shall be arriving in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in the evening. This park is home of the rare mountain gorillas plus 11 other primates’ species including the blue and red tailed monkeys. The forest itself is lush and green and there are streams running through it.

After breakfast, proceed to the briefing point before enjoying the highlight of the trip - gorilla trekking, which may last the entire day.

We trek through the rain forest and bamboo covered slopes, accompanied by a guide and trackers, in search of a mountain gorilla family. The walking can sometimes be tough and long, but when you catch a glimpse of the magnificent silverback, any discomforts will be quickly forgotten.

Gorilla trekking is difficult to foresee how many hours you will hike. The gorilla excursion can take from 2 up to 8 hours. Expect to walk along distance in steep and muddy conditions, sometimes with rain overhead, before you encounter any gorillas. A good physical condition is recommended. For conservation purposes, time spent with the gorillas is limited to one hour. A ranger will brief you on how to behave with the gorillas.

After having breakfast, we shall take a scenic drive to Lake Bunyonyi driving you through the beautiful terrain of the rolling hills with terraced landscape. A short drive leads us to the beautiful Lake Bunyonyi where we can relax and enjoy some reflection time.

After meeting our local guide for the day, we are led out for a canoe trek as well as bird watching on the beautiful Lake Bunyonyi, traversing to the gorgeous Kyabahinga peninsula. Here you will be gladly welcomed with songs plus dances by the resident school children. You will enjoy with the locals at least a cup of “Obushera” which is a local brew. You will ascend the Kyabahinga slopes having a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the bird life and the verdant terrain. The view is very breathtaking! The guide will certainly brief you about the history of the area.

We drive east to Mbarara, Mbarara is one of Uganda’s major towns, but formerly capital of Ankole kingdom for over 400 years until disbanded by independence in 1962. In the days before modern Uganda came into being, the area had a series of fiercely independent tribal states.

From here you continue to Lake Mburo, a small but picturesque national park renowned for its herds of antelope and one of the only two Ugandan parks home to Burchell’s zebra. The park is also especially good for acacia-associated bird.

Upon arrival, you will go for the game drive which will give you insights of animal species like the zebras, topes, elephants, elands, impalas, buffaloes, antelopes and so many others.

Rise early for breakfast before a short drive to the Rwonyo Park headquarters. This has often been a good chance of seeing hyenas coming back to their dens, hippos walking back to the water, you will see buffalo, zebra, impala and topi and with a bit of luck maybe even a sitatunga, an antelope rarely seen living in the papyrus swamps.

After your early morning activities, return the lodge for a late breakfast and check-out. We then bid farewell to the park’s friendly staff as we depart for Kampala / Entebbe. En route we will stop at the Equator for photographs and ‘polar-water experiment', then local community crafts shops and fruit markets.

We will be in Kampala in the evening before for your flight back home.