11 DAYS BIG 5 AND PRIMATES
This 11 days safari will take you to two popular primate parks and three among the most significant savanna parks and Lake Bunyonyi. This will take you to ziwa rhino sanctuary, Murchison falls national park, Kibale forest national park for the chimpanzee tracking experience, and then you will head to Queen Elizabeth national park for wildlife experience in the great savanna plains of Kasenyi and Mweya peninsula. You will then head south west to Bwindi forest home to half of world’s mountain gorilla population. From your gorilla experience we shall head to Uganda’s deepest fresh water lake, Lake Bunyonyi home to so many small birds for another adventure and relaxation. Conclude with a safari through Lake Mburo national park for more wildlife encounters such as giraffes and zebras.
Highlights
· Rhino tracking
· Chimp tracking
· Game drives
· Gorilla tracking
· Lake Bunyonyi
Detailed itinerary
Day1: Transfer to Murchison Falls national park
You will be picked from hotel/airport in Entebbe and together with your expert guide will drive to Murchison falls national park. you will have a stop at ziwa rhino sanctuary for rhino trekking which takes about 1-2 hours. Have a lunch and proceed to Murchison falls national park. on arrival you will visit the top of the falls and proceed to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation: Fort Murchison lodge or Pakuba safari lodge
Day 2: game drive and boat cruise
On this day you will have an early morning game drive in the park in search of wildlife such as lions, leopards, giraffes, buffalos, kobs and other antelopes depending on your luck. The game drive take s about 3 to 4 hours depending on the arrangement of the day with your guide. You will later go for a boat cruise along the river nile where you may have chance to see other wildlife such as hippos, crocodiles and several bird species. You will also have a chance to see a different angle of the waterfalls. After the boat, you will do a short evening gamedrive as you head to the lodge.
Accommodation: Fort Murchison lodge or Pakuba safari lodge
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
After breakfast you will drive to kibale national park through bulisa district where you will have a chance to see the Great Rift Valley escarpments along Lake Albert. You will also have a chance to see beautiful landscapes and you traverse through tea plantations towards Fort portal city. Lunch enroute as you drive to the lodge.
Accommodation: Kibale forest cottages or Kibale forest camp
Day 4: Chimp tracking and swamp walk
After your breakfast, your guide will drive you together with packed lunch to the briefing point. You will arrive in time to register and attend a briefing about the whole activity after which you will head to the forest. Tracking chimpanzees in their natural habitat while trekking through the forest following their tracks and learning more about their lives, you will then be awarded one hour with the chimpanzee and this will be your opportunity to take photos, learn and get to know more about these apes. In the afternoon, explore the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary which is famous for many birds such as the great blue turaco, monkeys like red tailed monkey, black and white Columbus monkey and others. You will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation: Kibale forest cottages or Kibale forest camp
Day 5: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Wake up in the morning to your served breakfast, your guide will the drive you through beautiful hills with great views of the crater lakes as you head to Queen Elizabeth national park. You will reach in the park early afternoon to check in at the lodge for lunch as you prepare for the afternoon boat experience.
After lunch, you will take a 2 hour boat cruise on the Kazinga channel. The boat cruise gives you an opportunity to see aquatic animals such as hippos and crocodiles as well as other animals such as elephants and buffalos hat come to the channel to take water and cool down their temperatures from the hot afternoon sun. After the boat cruise, you will head to the park for an evening game drive with hopes of seeing different animals such as lions, leopards, kobs and buffalos among others. Return at the lodge for dinner an overnight stay.
Accommodation: bush lodge or kazinga wilderness camp
Day 6: morning game drive and transfer to Ishasha sector
After your served breakfast in the morning, you will check out of the Lodge with your packed lunches and head to the park for an early morning game drive. The morning drive is a good hotspot to spot the early hunters such as the lions and leopards, other animals can also be spotted such as the waterbucks, elephants, buffalos, kobs, jackals and more others. This drive will take about 2 to 3 hours and then proceed to the northern circuit of the Ishasha sector which is about 3 hour drive from the northern sector. You will reach in the afternoon to check in at the lodge and drive to the park for another game drive. Take on the Ishasha plains in search of the tree climbing lions and other animals such as the topi which you will have not seen anywhere else in the park. Other animals such as kobs, leopards, buffalos, hippos and hyenas can be spotted. Return to the lodge for relaxation from a busy day, dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Embogo Lodge or Topi Lodge
Day 7: transfer to Bwindi
Wake up to your served Breakfast in the morning and then head on your journey to Bwindi. You will drive through gentle and beautiful hills of Kigezi designed with banana plantations, tea plantations and different tree species. Reach the lodge early afternoon for lunch and relax at the lodge.
Accommodation: Bweza lodge or Rushaga gorilla haven
Day 8: Gorilla Tracking
After an early breakfast, your lodge will provide you with a packed lunch and you will then be driven to the briefing point in the park where you will check in. The briefing begins at 8:00am; however guests are requested to arrive by 7:30 am for the safety briefing. With your assigned ranger guide and small group, you will then begin your trek into the Impenetrable Forest in search of the gorillas. Depending on where the gorillas slept the previous night, this trek can take 4 hours or more. Once you locate the gorilla family, you will have one hour to photograph them and observe their behavior, after which you will hike back to the ranger station to receive your gorilla tracking certificate. Drive back to the lodge or visit the Batwa (pygmies) communities around the park. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Accommodation: Bweza lodge or Rushaga gorilla haven
Day 9: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
After breakfast, you will drive to Lake Bunyonyi which is about 2 hours’ drive away from Bwindi. You will reach in time for lunch and check in at the lodge. Afternoon relaxation or optional activities at the lake; some of the activities that can be done include, ninja challenge, zipline, hike to Kyabahinga hill (360 view of the lake), canoeing, boat ride to visit the islands and so many other activities. Retire at the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Bird Nest resort or Bunyonyi Eco Resort
Day 10: Transfer to Lake Mburo national park
After breakfast, you will drive to Lake Mburo national park for more sightings most of which you will have not seen from the rest of the destinations. You will have lunch along the way or at the lodge before you head out for an afternoon game drive or evening guided walk on the search for zebras, impalas, topis, elands, giraffes, and bushbucks. Depending on the luck of the day, you may spot leopards in the evening while heading back to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation: Arcadia lodge Lake Mburo or Mihingo lodge
Day 11: transfer to Kampala/Entebbe
After an early morning breakfast, drive through the park for a morning game drive before you exit the park. The morning game drive will take a short period of time as you search for early grazers and later exit the park through Nshara gate. The journey back to Kampala then begins with lunch en-route at the equator or in Masaka depending on the time arrangement. Reach Kampala/ Entebbe in the late afternoon or earlier depending on your flight time.
End of trip
Trip includes:
• Accommodation and meals as per the itinerary
• Safari 4x4 vehicle
• Drinking water
• Airport or hotel transfer on the first and last day
• Driver/Tour guide
• Fuel for the entire trip
• All park entrance fees
Trip excludes:
• International and/or internal flights
• Visa
• Tips
• Food and beverages not otherwise indicated
• Optional activities
• Laundry
• Gorilla and chimp tracking permit (to be booked and paid for in advance; preparation upon request)