8 Days Uganda Safari with Primates and Wildlife
8 Days Uganda Safari with Primates and Wildlife including Gorillas, chimpanzees and Tree climbing Lions. Get an opportunity to spot the ‘’Big five’’ in Murchison falls national park and the roaring rapids of the falls. Trek the chimpanzees in Kibale forest, continue to Queen Elizabeth National Park for game drives as well as the Kazinga boat cruise.
Additionally, you will have the ultimate gorilla experience in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and finally go to Lake Bunyonyi for relaxation. You will then embark on a return journey to Kampala city with a stopover at the Equator.
Day 1: Transfer to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary then Murchison Falls National Park.
Wake up early morning and transfer to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for Rhino tracking in northwestern Uganda in Nakasogola district. Rhino tracking will take about 2 hours at Ziwa Rhino sanctuary, then have lunch and continue your journey to Murchison Falls National Park via Masindi, in the southern gate.
You will drive straight to the lodge, check in and have dinner then rest for day 2.
Accommodation:
- Nile Safari Lodge
- Pakuba Safari Lodge
- Red chili rest camp
Meal Arrangement: Lunch and Dinner.
Day 2: Morning Game Drive and afternoon Boat Cruise
After an early morning cup of hot tea / coffee, you will leave for an early morning game drive at 6am, looking for the early morning riser. As you head out for the game drive, you will be in position to spot animals like the buffaloes, elephants, lions, leopards, hyenas, Rothschild giraffes, Oribi, Kobs and waterbucks together with some bird species along the way with some feeding together with the big animals.
After you will head back for breakfast and rest at the lodge till lunch is served. In the afternoon you head for a Boat ride along the Victoria Nile to the bottom of the falls. This Boat ride on River Nile goes for 3 hours and you will be able to see some Nile crocodiles, numerous hippos, as well as various bird species.
You will then return to the lodge with a short evening game drive, for dinner and the overnight at the lodge.
Accommodation:
- Nile Safari Lodge
- Pakuba Safari Lodge
- Red chili rest camp
Meal Arrangement: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale National Park
Today, you will wake up to a warm breakfast at your lodge and drive straight to the top of the falls with scenic view along the way. While there, you will enjoy the spectacular view of the most powerful waterfall in the world, Murchison falls. Murchison Falls “also known as Kabalega Falls”, the Nile forces its way through a gap in the rocks that is only 8 meters wide, and tumbles 43 meters before flowing westward into Lake Albert.
Later, you will leave the park heading to western Uganda via Hoima where you will stopover for lunch. You will then continue to fort portal in the afternoon where you will drive to your lodge in the evening for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation:
- Primate Lodge Kibale
- Turaco Treetops Lodge
- Kibale Forest Camp
Meal Arrangement: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
8 Days Uganda Safari with Primates and Wildlife
Day 4: Chimpanzee tracking and Bigodi swamp walk.
Today you will have early morning breakfast and head straight the headquarters for the briefing from the guides as you start on the chimpanzee tracking expedition by 7:30 am. You will head into the forest and look for these intelligent creatures that share over 90% DNA with humans, which makes them very intelligent and behave almost like humans. Meeting these animals will depend on the last nesting location of the previous night. When you reach the chimpanzees, you will be limited to one hour with them and continue with the adventure as you discover more of the secrets of the park. You will also view other primates especially monkeys floating in the trees and several bird species.
Later you will head back to your lodge for lunch as you rest for the evening. In the evening, you will head to the southern part of Kibale national park for an amazing birding experience. Bigodi swamp is located just 6km from Kanyanchu visitors center and it is such a fascinating area where you can find over 200 bird species including the famous shoebill which may be seen during guided walks along the boardwalk trail and viewing other various primates. Bigodi Swamp Walk is a 5-km, three-hour tour through this protected forest on the outskirts of Bigodi Trading Center. Later you’ll drive to Kasese, Queen Elizabeth National Park and on arrival, you will check in for Dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation:
- Elephant Plains Lodge
- Buffalo Safari Lodge
- Irungu Forest Safari Lodge
Meal Arrangement: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 5: Experiential Lion tracking and boat Safari.
Wake up very early for breakfast and head out to “Kasenyi planes” where you will interface with the predators. You will go under the guidance of a ranger guide and researchers who drive around the park with radiation trackers. These trackers help them to find lions that have radio collars placed around their necks. The lion tracking experience takes about 2-3 hours and later on, you will return to the lodge for lunch as you prepare for the afternoon boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel.
The boat safari along Kazinga channel gives you an amazing view of water loving animals such as the water buffaloes, Elephants, hippos, crocodiles and also bird species on the shores of the channel such as fish Eagle among others.
You will then return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Accommodation:
- Elephant Plains Lodge
- Buffalo Safari Lodge
- Irungu Forest Safari Lodge
Meal Arrangement: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park via Ishasha sector.
Have early breakfast then set off for a breathtaking game viewing experience in the Ishasha area of Queen Elizabeth National Park – famously known for its resident tree-climbing lions. The chance of spotting these lions is about 70% though sometimes they are really hard to spot. Hoping you get the chance to spot them, the sight will be spectacular! You will also be able to see other wildlife such as the Uganda Kob, Cape buffaloes, elephants, as well as warthogs in addition to the tree-climbing lions. Thereafter, you will be transferred to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. In the evening you may go for a nature walk or community visit. Dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation:
- Mahogany Springs Lodge
- Gorilla Leisure Lodge
- Ride 4 a Woman
Meal arrangement: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner.
Day 7: Gorilla trekking and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi.
On this day, you will wake up as early as 6am for breakfast and drive to the head equators for a briefing. Encountering the rare and endangered Mountain Gorillas of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is an experience of a lifetime. Half of the world’s populations of gorillas live under the mist-covered canopies of Uganda’s oldest and most biologically diverse rainforest. In the company of an experienced park ranger, you will be tracking the whereabouts of one of the habituated family groups who reside here.
Your tracking experience will be an exciting, yet challenging, journey along forested (often muddy and slippery) slopes, tangled vines, thick vegetation, and bamboo forests before you reach the territory of these gentle giants. En route, your ranger will point out telltale signs of previous gorilla activity like dung, nests, and chewed bamboo shoots.
Depending on the location of the gorillas on any given day the walk can take anything from 2 to 7 hours. Once the family of gorillas has been located, settle into your surroundings and enjoy the 1 hour you have to quietly observe these fascinating primates whose habits and mannerisms remind us so much of our own.
8 Days Uganda Safari with Primates and Wildlife
After tracking you will head to the lodge for lunch, or drive to Lake Bunyonyi and enjoy lunch from there. This is a perfect place for relaxation as you get to appreciate the beauty in the south western part of Uganda. Lake Bunyonyi is found in the south-western part of Uganda near the border with Rwanda in Kabale District. Lake Bunyonyi “place of many little birds” is undoubtedly the loveliest lake in Uganda. Its contorted shore encircles 29 islands, with the famous punishment Island, surrounded by steep terraced hillsides reminiscent of parts of Nepal. A magical place, especially with a morning mist rising off the placid waters, it has supplanted the Ssese Islands as the place for travelers to chill out on their way through Uganda, and has a selection of gorgeously remote and bucolic places to stay on distant islands, where you’ve only the birds for company.
Accommodation:
- Acadia lodge Lake Bunyonyi
- Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort
- Hawk’s Eye Lodge Bunyonyi
Meal arrangement: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner.
Day 8: Transfer to Kampala with a stopover at the Equator
Since it’s your last day of the safari, you will wake up to a relaxed and more delicious breakfast. Thereafter, you will check out of your lodge and then you will be transferred to Kampala city with a stopover at the Equator for lunch as well as taking photographs as well as souvenir shopping. You will then drive straight to Kampala or Entebbe International Airport for your flight.
