Safari Overview
This 15 Days Uganda gorilla trekking and wildlife safari is aimed at giving you the best of Uganda as it exposes you to the best wild encounters and primates Uganda has to offer. This safari will see you visit national parks such as Murchison falls, Queen Elizabeth and Lake Mburo National parks which are home to a myriad of these mammals such as 4 of Africa’s big five which include lions cape buffaloes, leopards and the African elephants. An encounter with chimpanzees features prominently in this safari as you are set to visit Kibale national park which is the primate capital of the world with 13 primate species calling this park their home. The climax of this safari is likely to be a memorable encounter with the gentle giants the mountain gorillas as you will get to visit Bwindi Impenetrable National park which is home to these shy primates.
Safari Highlight
Day 1: Arrive at Entebbe airport meet and greet and transfer to a hotel in Entebbe
Day 2: Transfer to Murchison Falls Park with a visit to Ziwa rhino sanctuary and a hot lunch at Kabalega dinners
Day 3: Engage in a morning game drive and an afternoon boat cruise with a hike to the top of the falls
Day 4: Transfer to Kibale National Park with a hot lunch in Hoima
Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale and Bigodi wetland community walk
Day 6: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth Park
Day 7: Moring game drive and an afternoon boat cruise on the Kazinga
Day 8: Transfer to Ishasha and engage in an afternoon game drive
Day 9: Transfer to Bwindi via Ishasha for possible sighting of the tree climbing lions
Day 10: Enjoy gorilla sightings as you do gorilla trekking
Day 11: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi and enjoy an evening boat cruise
Day 12: Drive to Lake Mburo and engage in an afternoon cultural experience
Day 13: Have a full day of exploring Lake Mburo with a morning game drive and an afternoon boat cruise
Day 14: Enjoy a morning walking safari in L. Mburo and transfer to Kampala or Entebbe with an enroute at the Equator for the equator experience at Kayabwe
Day 15: Transfer to the airport for your departure flight.
Detailed safari itinerary
Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe airport, meet and greet then transfer to a hotel in Entebbe
You will be met at Entebbe international airport by one of our expert safari guides who will welcome into the Pearl of Africa. From the airport you will be transferred to a hotel within Entebbe airport to unwind from your flight for the rest of the day.
Accommodation: Karibu Guest House
Meal Plan: Bed and breakfast
Day 2: Transfer to Murchison Falls Park with enroute stop at Ziwa sanctuary for rhino trekking
Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park which promises to give you thrilling encounters with a myriad of Uganda’s wildlife. Along your journey, you will make a stop over at Ziwa rhino sanctuary where an encounter with the rhinos is assured as this sanctuary is home to an ever-growing number of rhinos. You will have an enroute lunch at Kabalega dinners
Accommodation: Murchison River Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 3: Enjoy a morning game drive and an afternoon boat cruise to the bottom of the falls
Today you will engage in a stunning morning game drive in Murchison falls National Park and this will give a face to face encounter with the dwellers of this park such as 4 of the Africa’s big five lions, African elephants, leopards and cape buffaloes among many others like giraffes and a multitude of birds. In the afternoon you will enjoy a mind-blowing boat cruise to the bottom of Murchison falls and the thunderous roar from these falls will surely let you know why they are referred to us the world’s strongest water falls. From here, you will hike to the top of these magnificent falls where you will be able to take numerous pictures in order to immortalize your visit forever.
Accommodation: Murchison River Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 4: Transfer to Kibale Park
This day will see you transfer to Kibale National park. Kibale Park lies about 310km or 6-7 hours’ drive through rural Uganda which makes this journey quite fascinating for a first-time traveler in this country. You will have a lunch stop in Hoima. Along the way to Kibale, look out for beautiful sightings of large tea plantations which cover the gentle hills of Fort portal and Kibale. You can take a moment to pose for photos here. If you visit coincides with the harvesting period, you will be mesmerized by the tea harvesting process which involves laborers carry large baskets over their backs which they fill with the tea leaves plucked at a lightning speed.
Accommodation: Isunga Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 5: Trek the Chimpanzees of Kibale and transfer to Queen Elizabeth Park
On this day, you will have a chance to have an upclose encounter with the man’s closest wild cousin the chimpanzees as you engage in an exciting chimpanzee trekking experience as Kibale national park is home to these humbling primates. After meeting the chimps, you will have lunch break after which you will drive to Bigodi community and an animating cultural experience will ensue as you get to join the local as they do some of their daily routines
Accommodation: Isunga Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 6: Today will see you transfer from Kibale to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Today is a fairly relaxed at will see you wake late but still in time to have breakfast, you will enjoy your breakfast while listening to sights and sounds of Kibale made up of numerous birds singing to the new day dawn. You will depart from your lodge and embark on a drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. As you drive Queen Elizabeth Park, you will see the foot hills of Rwenzori mountain which gives birth to Rwenzori National Park. Rwenzori mountain is home to the 3rd, 4th and 5th highest peaks in Africa hence it’s a highly sought out destination for hiking tourists attempting to summit it with its highest peak Magherita rising upto 5109m above sea level. Upon your arrival here, you will engage in an enroute game drive to your lodge.
Accommodation: Marafiki safari Lodge / Aardvark Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 7: Morning game drive and an afternoon boat cruise on the Kazinga channel
This day will see you being exposed to what Queen Elizabeth national park has to offer. You will kick off with an early morning game drive where you meet more of Uganda wildlife mammals which include lions, Cape buffaloes African elephants Topis Bush bucks. In the afternoon enjoy another round of thrilling boat ride as you get to cruise the Kazinga channel and this comes with numerous encounters with hippos, more grassland wild animals and a myriad of bird species as this park is home to 600 bird species
Accommodation: Marafiki Safari Lodge / Aadvark Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 8: Transfer to Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park for an afternoon game drive.
This day is a bit relaxed and you will wake up at 7:30am for breakfast then start off your drive north wards to Ishsasha sector of Queen Elizabeth Park, on arrival to this sector, you will indulge in a fascinating game drive through this sector which is aimed at giving you an opportunity to come face to face with the tree climbing lions that have made this part of Queen Elizabeth Park a place that should never be missed on any Uganda safari adventure to this park. After about 2-3 hours of exploring this sector, you will check in to your lodge here and have a lunch break. You can decide to spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing at the lodge as you take in the weeping views of the Ishasha wilderness or you can venture out again and enjoy another round of game drive here before returning to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Accommodation: Ishasha Jungle Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 9: Have a morning game drive in Ishasha and drive to Kasenyi sector
This day is dedicated to have you try your luck to see if you can still see more wild game in Ishasha as you undertake a morning game drive in this sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. After this game drive, you will depart Ishasha and head for Bwindi Park which lies about 70km or 1.5-2 hours drive away from Ishasha. You will check into your lodge and have lunch and spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing at the lodge
Accommodation: Buhoma Haven Lodge / Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 10: Enjoy a gorilla trekking expedition
This day you will get to actually meet the gorillas as you engage in a memorable gorilla trekking experience which will have you meet these gentle giants in their natural habitat. You will spend an hour observing these majestic creatures in order to to have an understanding their habits which aren’t far from our own.
Accommodation: Buhoma Haven Lodge / Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 11: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
Day 11 is a fairly relaxed day as well and you will wake up a bit late but still in time for breakfast. After having breakfast, you will check out of the lodge and drive to Lake Bunyonyi where you get to relax from the rather a bit tedious gorilla trekking experience. On arrival to this beautiful tropical gem of the Kigezi highland, you will be fascinated by the tranquil waters of this lake and the numerous islands that are dotted all over it hence leading to its famous name The Lake of a Thousand Islands. You will enjoy a relaxing boat cruise on the waters of this lake as you are taken through the history behind several of these islands such as the Akampene island which is also known as the Punishment island where young girls who had got pregnant were thrown and left to die alone, the upside-down island which legend has it that it was cursed by an old lady when the young people who lived on that island refused to give her beer, she cursed it and it turned upside down hence having them all drowned. From this boat cruise, transfer to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Accommodation: Birdsnest @ Bunyonyi / Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 12: Transfer to L. Mburo and enjoy an evening boat cruise
This day has you waking up at the soothing twittering of some of the numerous birds that call this lake their home as it has its name Lake Bunyonyi derived from hundreds of bird species. After breakfast you will embark on your drive to Lake Mburo National Park. Mburo National Park lies about 270km or 5-6 hours’ drive. Upon arrival, you will check into your lodge and have lunch and relax. In the late afternoon, you will venture to the neighboring community and enjoy a thrilling cultural experience as you get to join locals in doing some of their local activities like milking a cow, making ghee and yoghurt and also visit some of their banana plantations.
Accommodation: Mihingo Lodge/ Rwakobo Rock
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 13: Spend the whole day in Lake Mburo
You will wake up and do a morning game drive to explore the savnna wilderness of Mburo which is filled with wild mammals such as the Cape buffaloes, Giraffes, numerous antelope species such as Bush backs, Ellands, Impalas and the Burchell zebras. In the afternoon a boat cruise on Lake Mburo which will reveal to you more of the wild dwellers of this park. Lake Mburo Park is also a good birding destination given its 300-bird species count.
Accommodation: Mihingo Lodge/ Rwakobo Rock
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 14: Do a morning walk and transfer to Entebbe
On the last day of this safari, you will enjoy a thrilling walking safari which will put you in a position to some meet several of the wild dwellers of this park from a close range. You will return to the lodge to have breakfast after which you will then embark on a return drive back to Entebbe where your safari with us comes to an end.
Accommodation: Karibu Guest House
Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch
Day 15: Transfer to the airport in time for departure flight.
Depending the check in time for your outbound flight, you will be transferred to Entebbe airport to catch your flight.
Tour Inclusions
Safari Exclusions
