Uganda
Entebbe | Murchison Falls | Kibale Forest | Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary | Queen Elizabeth National Park | Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Tour Length: 9 days
From: $6,295 per person
Our Uganda Wildlife, Gorilla & Chimpanzee Adventure safari tour allows you to immerse yourself in Uganda’s untamed playground, home to the world’s most spectacular animals and experience the thrill of gorilla trekking. The most affordable of its kind, this best-selling itinerary includes intimate encounters at three national parks filled with quintessential African wildlife, two incredible forests that are home to the great apes and authentic cultural experiences. This ‘once in a lifetime’ trip is neatly woven together by the charm and charisma that exudes from the Ugandan people you will meet along the way on our Uganda Wildlife, Gorilla & Chimpanzee Adventure safari.
Uganda Wildlife, Gorilla & Chimpanzee Adventure Safari Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive Entebbe (1 night)
Arrive at Entebbe International Airport, where you are warmly greeted and transferred to your nearby hotel.
Day 2 Entebbe / Murchison Falls National Park (2 nights)
Enjoy an early breakfast before embarking on your journey to Murchison Falls, and be ready for your first game drive in the evening. Inspired by the breath-taking splendor of the wild landscapes of Murchison Falls National Park, and the history and culture of the Bunyoro region of Uganda, Kabalega Wilderness Lodge will amaze you with its allure and unique location adjacent to one of the biggest natural reserves in Uganda. It comprises of individual safari cabins spread throughout 7 acres of bristling bushes on the banks of the streaming waters of the mighty River Nile.
Day 3 Murchison Falls National Park
This amazing day begins with an early wake-up call before sunrise for your morning game drive. The park is home to elephant, buffalo, lion and leopard along with hippos, giraffe, as well as several antelope and monkey species.
After lunch, it is time for a boat ride along the Nile to the foot of Murchison Falls, allowing you to feel the awesome power and beauty that comes when the world’s longest river is forced through a 7-meter gap before dropping 40 meters as is continues its journey to the Mediterranean Sea. This unforgettable trip on the River Nile harks back to the days of the intrepid explorers of days gone by.
Conclude the day with an evening game drive appreciating the sunset over the Nile.
Day 4 Murchison Falls / Kibale Forest National Park (2 nights)
An early morning drive for about 7 hours to Kibale Forest Park via Hoima Town, which serves as stopping point midway between Murchison Falls National Park and Kibale Forest National Park.
Primate Lodge edge is its location, tucked deep in the forest and right next door to the starting point for chimpanzee tracking excursions. All of the nine spacious and en-suite luxury cottages, each secluded deep in the forest for maximum privacy and a natural living in nature‘ feel with comfortable arm chairs, a reading table and an adjoining large veranda with excellent views to the forest.
Day 5 Kibale Forest National Park / Queen Elizabeth Park (2 nights)
Your once in a lifetime chimpanzee trekking experience has finally arrived! After breakfast, you will travel to the Uganda Wildlife Authority Headquarters, receive a proper briefing by your guide before you embark on the chimp trekking which takes about 2-3 hours depending on where the chimps are. On the trek you can see other primates such as grey-cheeked mangabeys along with red tailed and blue monkeys. Your expert guide will share the secrets of the forest’s flora and fauna, ensuring that the trek is both informative and enjoyable. Breakfast and Lunch at Primate Lodge luxury cottages
In the afternoon, drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park (about 3 hours drive). The drive takes you past volcanic crater lakes and, on a clear day, one can see the famous Mountains of the Moo and the Rwenzori Mountains.
Enjoy a relaxed game drive late afternoon in the Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Day 6 Queen Elizabeth National Park
Enjoy a morning game drive in the park followed by one of the highlights of visiting Queen Elizabeth National Park in the afternoon, a 3-hour boat ride along the Kazinga Channel that links Lake Edward and Lake George.
This water system has the highest concentration of hippos in the world and you will get quite close to them and other animals on the riverbanks. Expect to see crocodiles, buffaloes and other game that drink from the channel, and also marvel at the abundant birdlife that is supported here.
Day 7 Queen Elizabeth Park / Bwindi Forest National Park (2 nights)
With the Kazinga Channel and the game drives in the northern part of the park experiences ticked off your list, Queen Elizabeth National Park has a parting gift for you as you head south. The Southern Sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park is called the Ishasha Sector. Ishasha Sector is famous for the fig tree climbing lions that inhabit this area. Driving this way will give you an opportunity to catch a glimpse of these lions, which make a great photo.
Day 8 Bwindi Forest National Park
We hope your camera is charged and you are ready for what lies ahead because your bucket list Gorilla Trekking experience has arrived! An early start will see you transfer to the Park Headquarters for a briefing with the Uganda Wildlife Authority guides. An advance party of guides will have gone ahead into the forest to locate where the gorillas slept the previous night and will have begun tracking their movements. These guides will communicate with your team via a walkie-talkie and the trek into the forest will begin.
Locating the gorillas can take a few hours or the whole day depending on how far they have moved from the place they spent the previous night. Once they are found, for conservation purposes, the amount of time allowed with the gorillas is one hour. As you trek through the forest you will appreciate why the forest is often called impenetrable.
There is also a multitude of other animals that you might encounter including antelopes and rare monkeys not to mention the beauty of the forest itself. Once you have completed the trek you will return to the lodge, for a well-earned rest and time to reflect on a truly magical experience.
Day 9 Bwindi / Entebbe / Departure
With your Uganda Wildlife, Gorilla and Chimpanzee Adventure experience still a vivid memory, it is time to begin your journey home. After an early breakfast, you will be transferred to Kihihi for your flight back to Entebbe, which is included in your package.
On your flight back from Bwindi to Entebbe, you will be afforded a fantastic view of Bwindi, The Impenetrable Forest, from the air. From this high up you can also see the mountains and forests in Congo and Rwanda. On arrival in Entebbe, you will be able to continue your journey home.
After breakfast and taking the last photos of magnificent forest and mountains, you will be transferred to Kigali arriving on time for your departure flight.
