Murchison, Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi, Lake Bunyonyi
Day 1: Welcome to Uganda, the Pearl of Africa
On Arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be welcomed by our driver/guide who will drive you to your evening accommodation for relaxation and dinner as you prepare to explore Uganda the following morning.
- Accommodation: ViaVia or Entebbe Guest House
Day 2: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park via Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.
After your morning breakfast, you will be picked by our safari driver/guide who will brief you on the safari so that he gets to know your expectations as he also gives you the highlights of the safari. During the transfer, watch out for beautiful scenery, farmlands, and local markets by the roadside.
You will branch off to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for a guided white rhino tracking experience. Rhinos are the second biggest mammals on earth. Ziwa Sanctuary has been successful in bringing the endangered white rhino back to Uganda. After the tracking, you will have lunch and then travel to Murchison Falls National Park, passing Karuma Falls on the way to your lodge.
- Accommodation: Pakuba Safari Lodge or Paraa Safari Lodge
Day 3: Morning game drive and boat cruise to the bottom of Murchison Falls
After an early breakfast you will set off for the morning game drive. Wild animals are best seen early in the morning before the sun gets hot, and as they feed. As you are bumping along in the wilderness in semi-darkness, you see the sun creeping up, about to light up the amazing land.
During the drive look for lions and leopards, giraffes, elephants, buffaloes, birds (Abyssinian ground hornbill, kingfishers, and many more), and antelopes (Ugandan kob, Jackson’s hartebeest, Defassa waterbuck, oribi).
After the game drive, you will return to the lodge for lunch as you prepare for the afternoon boat cruise.
The afternoon boat cruise is a clear occasion for you to see animals like crocodiles, hippos and many more that come to the river bank to quench their thirsty. Not only animals, here we are able to view the fish eagle and the king fishers. It is so tremendous to ride in amidst of the real beauty of the Nile sailing upstream to the bottom of the world’s most powerful falls in the world. At the end of the launch trip you are taken back to the lodge for the evening to relax and have dinner.
- Accommodation: Pakuba Safari Lodge or Paraa safari lodge
Day 4: Transfer to Kibale National Park
After breakfast you will meet our guide and transfer to Kibale National Park via Fort Portal. Kibale National Park is commonly known as “The Home of Chimps”, and the “Primate Capital of the World”. It is the premier chimpanzee tracking destination.
Upon reaching the lodge, check in and relax in the evening as you prepare for dinner.
- Accommodation: Turaco Tree Tops, Primate Lodge
Day 5 Chimp Tracking and Bigodi Community Walk
After breakfast meet your guide and head to the park headquarters for briefing about the chimpanzees and the forest as well, after briefing you will be allocated in groups with a park ranger and head to the forest for tracking which takes 4-5 hours.
After tracking return to the lodge for lunch and prepare for a stunning walk in the Magombe/Bigodi swamp to look for the rare shoebill, great blue turaco, and primates such as the black and white Colobus, L’hoest monkeys, and vervet monkeys. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 6: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
This morning you will embark on the journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park. As you drive through Fort Portal you could have a look at the King’s Palace (King of Toro) while heading to Kasese. Expect to see the slopes of Rwenzori Mountains, the famed “Mountains of the Moon”, and breathtaking scenery.
Lunch will be waiting for you at the lodge upon your arrival. After the delicious meal, we head out to view Lake Katwe, an ancient salt water lake, where you can purchase sale that has been harvested from the lake.
- Accommodation: Bush Lodge, Mweya Safari Lodge
Day 7: Morning game drive and boat cruise
After an early breakfast, you will head out for a morning game drive to spot the big four mammals: lions, leopard, elephants and buffaloes. There are norhinos in this park. Other animals like Uganda kobs and different bird species can’t be missed. After the game drive return to the lodge for lunch.
After lunch you will drive to the Katunguru landing site for a boat cruise along the Kazinga channel. The channel is 40km long and connects Lake George and Lake Edward. During the cruise, you will be able to view hippos, Nile crocodiles, elephants, and other animals coming to quench their thirst at the channel’s edge. You can’t miss the water birds: fish eagles, kingfishers, yellow-billed stork, and cormorants, among others. After the boat cruise, you go for an evening game drive and you will be able to view some animals that you missed in the morning game drive. Then return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
- Accommodation: Bush Lodge, Mweya Safari Lodge
Day 8: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
After breakfast you will check out with a packed lunch to meet with your driver guide and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National park through the Ishasha sector in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth national park. Ishasha sector is well known for the tree climbing lions. This sector also harbors other wild life like elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kob among others.
Upon arrival at the lodge check in and prepare for dinner.
- Accommodation: Ihamba Residence, Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
Day 9: Gorilla Tracking and The Batwa cultural immersion
After an early breakfast meet up with your driver guide and transfer to the park headquarters for briefing from the park rangers about the park rules and the gorillas. You will be asssigned to a gorilla family and park ranger who knowledgable about gorilla behaviors and trails in the forest. The tracking takes about 1 hour to 7 hours depending on the movement of gorillas in search for food. Once the gorillas are found you will be allowed to stay for one hour to have a close look on their day-to-day lifestyle as they feed, play, mate, interact with each other, and lounge around. This is an opportunity to take good shots and videos of these gentle giants.
After one hour, trek back to the park headquarters to receive your certificate for participating in the gorilla trek. Later you will have the Batwa culture immersion at the lodge as you relax.
- Accommodation: Ihamba Residence, Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
Day 10: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi and boat cruise
After morning breakfast check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Lake Bunyonyi in Kabale district. Lake Bunyonyi is the deepest fresh water lake in Uganda, second only to Lake Tanganyika in Tanzania. Upon arrival at the lodge check in and have lunch. After lunch, head out for a boat cruise on the lake to visit Punishment Island and the Community Island. Later return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
- Accommodation: Bird Nest Lodge, Acadia Lodge, Overland Resort
Day 11: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park and Night Game drive
After morning breakfast and check out, you will meet your driver guide to transfer to Lake Mburo National Park, the smallest savannah park in Uganda. Upon arrival at the lodge, check in and have lunch while preparing for a night game drive. After dinner you will meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a night game drive. In the night expect to see the nocturnal animals and birds such as the galagoes (bush babies), pottos, tree hyrax, owls, and nightjar, among others. After the drive return to the lodge for overnight stay.
- Accommodation: Rwakobo Rock, Mihingo Lodge
Day 12: Walking safari and afternoon rest
Have a early breakfast and head out with your guide for a walking safari to view the animals that live in Mburo, such as zebras, elands, warthogs, giraffes, and buffalo. You may also encounter less wild creatures, such as goats and the Ankole long-horned cattle, who share space with the wild ones. Later return to the lodge for a hot lunch and relax in the afternoon.
- Accommodation: Rwakobo rock, Mihingo lodge
- Meals: Full Board
Day 13: Transfer to Kampala via the Equator
After breakfast check out and meet up with your driver guide to transfer back to Kampala. On the way, you will have a stop over for a photo moment at the equator, lunch at the famous Flamingoz, and shopping for souvenirs and crafts. Upon reaching your destination, Kampala or Entebbe, you will check in and have dinner, and prepare for tomorrow’s travel.
- Accommodation: Via Via
Day 14 Transfer to Entebbe International Airport
This day marks up the end of our 14 days safari in exploring Uganda. The driver guide will pick you from the Hotel or Guest House and drop you off at the Airport for your departure flight back home.
END OF TOUR