12 Days African Safari Holiday in Uganda, the Pearl of Africa.
TOUR ITINERARY
Day 1: Arrival – Kampala City Tour
Meet and greet at Entebbe International Airport by our Safari Guide who will warmly welcome you and transfer you to your hotel in Kampala. Your guide will brief you about your safari. Depending on the time of arrival e.g. if your flight arrives in the morning, you are advised to- have money changed this day. To get to know Kampala, you can visit some of the landmarks in town with the help of our driver/guide. Among the places you will visit includes, The Uganda Museum; this is a display of Uganda’s cultural heritage where on can see ethnological and natural-historical exhibitions. It is a vivid reminder of the country’s colorful past, The Bahai Temple; it’s called ‘MashriquI-Adhkar’, the Persian translation of the drawning place of the praise of God. It is also a mother temple of Africa. The Kasubi Tombs; this is a burial place for the Buganda Kings. Overnight at Speke Hotel/Hotel Africana/Holiday Express budget (BB)
Day 2: Murchison Falls National Park
After breakfast, depart for Murchison Falls National Park arriving in the afternoon. The drive will take approximately 5-6 hours and will give you a good insight on the Ugandan way of life. Take a stop over at Masindi hotel for lunch. We will continue through the park stopping at the top of the falls which is a fantastic sight. Here the Nile, the longest river in the world, is forced through a narrow gap in the rock (only 7 meters wide), before ferociously plunging down 43 meters. From here we will continue on, taking a ferry across the river to Paraa Safari Lodge. Game viewing on the way is very good; look out for hippos, elephants, buffalos and many other animals, seen grazing on the banks of the river. Overnight at a Luxurious Paraa Safari Lodge/mid range Sambiya River lodge/Budget Red Chili Camp (Full Board)
Day 3: Chimpanzee Tracking in Kaniyo Pabidi
After breakfast, we will go for a morning Chimpanzee tracking in Kaniyo Pabidi Forest. This is an undisturbed area of natural forest within Budongo Forest Reserve where you can walk beneath mature mahogany and iron wood trees. Chimpanzee tracking is the most famous activity. You will certainly see many forest birds, including the chocolates-backed Kingfisher, the white-thigh hornbill and puvel's illadopsis found nowhere else in East Africa. Overnight at a Luxurious Paraa Safari Lodge/mid range Sambiya River lodge/Budget Red Chili Camp (Full Board)
Day 4: Game Viewing in Murchison Falls National Park
Following a morning breakfast, you will be transferred to the northern part of the park for a game drive. View Elephants, Buffaloes, Bushbucks, Lions, and a variety of bird species. After lunch, proceed for a two-hour launch cruise up to the substructure of the mighty Murchison falls where sinister water escapes from the narrow gorge, an opportunity to see the amazing hippos, crocodiles, water birds along the river banks enabling a wonderful birding safari. Overnight at a Luxurious Paraa Safari Lodge/mid range Sambiya River lodge/Budget Red Chili Camp (Full Board)
Day 5: Scenic Albertine Rift - Kibale National Park
After break fast, we will depart with our packed lunch to Kibale National Park. This scenic drive takes approx 9 hours. We will pass close to Lake Albert. On a clear day, the view on the top of the Albert rift is spectacular. We will arrive Fort portal town in the late afternoon. Tonight you will sleep in Ndali Lodge/Rwenzori View guest house prior to your chimpanzee tracking in the morning. Overnight at a luxurious Ndali Lodge/mid range Rwenzori View Guest House/budget Kanyankyu Ecological site (FB)
Day 6: Chimpanzee Tracking in Kibale National Park
A relatively early morning start, to report to the ranger station in Kibale National Park at 08.00am to track habituated chimps – these delightful apes, more closely related to humans than to any other living creature, are tremendous fun to watch as they squabble and play in fruiting trees. The incredibly diverse forest is home to over 13 species of primates including red Colobus monkey, the rare L’Hoest, blue monkey, grey mangabey, pottos, black faced vervet monkeys, baboons and also bush babies. A network of shady forest trails provides much to delight botanists and butterfly lovers, while birders are in for a treat with 335 species recorded including the endemic Prirogrine’s ground thrush. The elusive forest elephant, smaller and hairier that its savannah counterpart, moves seasonally into the developed part of the park, while other terrestrial mammals include buffalo, giant forest hog and a half dozen antelope species. Overnight at a luxurious Ndali Lodge/Mid range Rwenzori View Guest House/budget Kanyankyu Ecological site (FB)
Day 7: Kibale National Park - Queen Elizabeth National Park
After break fast, drive from Kibale National Park with your packed lunch. We will then continue to Queen Elizabeth National Park arriving in time for dinner.
Overnight at Mweya safari Lodge/Institute of Ecology (FB)
Day 8: Chimpanzee Trekking in Kyambura Gorge
This morning we will leave for the 08.00am chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge. Expect to see various primates most especially Chimpanzee of different species, Black and white Colobus monkeys and other animals like antelopes, hyenas, Lion and many others in the middle of savanna grassland. This gorge is a home of very many bird species. We will return to the lodge for lunch and a chance to relax before taking an afternoon boat trip along on Kazinga channel. This will give you the opportunity to view wildlife up close: hippo’s huff and spray 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. After this wonderful afternoon, a slow drive back to the lodge. Overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge/Institute of Ecology (FB)
Day 9: Ishasha Climbing Lions - Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
This morning, we will leave for Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. We will drive through the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth called Ishasha. Here we will take lunch by the Ishasha River and try to find the famed Ishasha tree-climbing lions before continuing on to Bwindi, home to the few remaining mountain gorillas. Bird life and primate life in Bwindi is quite superb, and there is an incredible variety of flora. Bwindi is the Bird watchers haven! It holds 348 species of birds and supports 24 of 26 Albertine Rift Endemics that occur in Uganda; and seven red data book species. Once continuous with the forests of the Virunga Volcanoes (Dian Fossey’s stomping ground), Bwindi is now an ecological island, surrounded by cultivation on the rich volcanic soils.
Overnight at Gorilla Resort/Buhoma Community Bandas (FB)
Day 10: Mountain Gorilla Tracking in The Impenetrable Forest
After an early breakfast and briefing from the guides, set off for the mountains gorilla tracking inside the Bwindi forest. You need to carry drinking water, rain jacket and jungle boots while the rangers will provide you with a walking stick. Gorilla tracking is one of the unique activities you will enjoy while photographing and observing the gorillas. After tracking, come back to the lodge and relax.
Should you have the energy this afternoon, you will go for a village walk and see how Ugandans live!
Overnight at Gorilla Resort/Buhoma Community Bandas (FB)
Day 11: Switzerland of Africa & Lake Bunyonyi
After breakfast, we will make our scenic journey through the beautiful terrain of the rolling hills with terraced landscape. An area referred as the "Switzerland of Africa". We will continue to Lake Bunyonyi. This large and erratically shaped lake lies at an altitude of approximately 2000m, where it follows the contours of the hilly terrain that separates the towns of Kabale and Kisoro. It is a very scenic spot, dotted with small islands and ringed by steeped terraced hills. Bunyonyi means “place of little birds” and it is particularly good for water birds. In the afternoon, you will go for a 2 hour boat ride on Lake Bunyonyi to which will take you to various islands inside the lake for bird viewing, sight seeing and discovering the sites of the Bakiga culture.
Overnight at Arcadia Cottages/Bunyonyi Overland Camp (FB)
Day 12: Lake Bunyonyi - Kampala
Explore the area; maybe visit the bright and colorful local market at Kabale or take a canoe ride on lake Bunyonyi before you embark on your journey back to Kampala.
END OF THE SAFARI IN UGANDA
The Quotation for the gorilla safari package include:
- Airport Transfer / Transfer from any town in Uganda to Kampala,
- All Meals
- Drinking Water
- Full Time English Speaking Tour Guide (s).
- Ground transportation by a 4 x 4 Land Cruiser Safari Vehicle
- Full Board Accommodation in Comfortable Safari Lodges and Hotels. These range from luxury, mid range or budget depending on the version you book.
- Mountain Gorilla Tracking Permit
- Government taxes
The Safari excludes:
- Anything consumed personally eg: drinks, tips, laundry, telephone,
cigarettes.
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