Best of Uganda Safaris-10 Days Gorilla Trekking Safari and Wildlife Tour
Private Safari: 10 days-best of Uganda safaris
Safari: Proposed Uganda Gorilla, Chimpanzee and wildlife safari holiday-best of Uganda Safaris
From the moment you touch down at Entebbe International Airport, nestled on the verdant shores of Lake Victoria, it becomes evident that Uganda is far from your typical safari destination. Entebbe itself, framed by a sprawling golf course meeting the tranquil lakeside and a botanical garden alive with the playful antics of monkeys and vibrant birdlife, stands out as one of Africa’s most serene urban centers.
Merely 40 kilometers away lies the bustling capital, Kampala, spread across seven picturesque hills. Its vibrant, contemporary ambiance mirrors Uganda’s enduring economic prosperity and political stability since 1986. Kampala’s expansive green spaces and rolling landscapes further enhance its allure.
Ecologically, Uganda is a unique convergence of East African savannah and West African jungle. Nowhere else can one witness lions roaming the vast plains in the morning and then venture into the rainforest to track chimpanzees later in the day. The following day offers an adventure through tropical waterways teeming with hippos and crocodiles before journeying into misty mountains for an unforgettable encounter with majestic mountain gorillas. Uganda truly offers an unparalleled blend of diverse wildlife experiences within its lush, captivating landscapes.
Highlights:
Murchison Falls National park,
Kibale Forest Park,
Queen Elizabeth National Park,
Bwindi Impenetrable forests,
Lake Mburo National Park
Mabamba swamps
Safari Itinerary-Best of Uganda Safaris
DAY 1: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park for wildlife game and boat safari.
After breakfast at your hotel, briefing about the safari and then drive to Murchison falls National Park it takes 4-5 hrs. This is Uganda’s largest national park whose palm studded grassland supports dense populations of lions, Buffalos, Elephants, the Uganda Kob together with the localized Rothschild’s giraffe or Patas monkeys, warthog, butterflies and a lot more.
Enormous concentrations of hippos and birds can be observed from morning / afternoon launch trip along the Victoria Nile placed below the magnificent Murchison falls National park, Have lunch en route and then drive to the top of the falls. You will then retire for dinner and overnight at
Accommodation: (full board)
Luxury : Paraa Safari Lodge or Nile Safari Lodge, Chobe Safari Lodge.
Midrange: Kabalega Wilderness/ Twiga Lodge/ pakuba Lodge/Sambiya River lodge
Day 2: Murchison Falls Game drive and Launch cruise
Take a cup of coffee and then later you will go for an early morning game drive at the Northern bank of the Victoria Nile. Expect encounters of Lions, Leopards, Giraffe, Buffalo, Elephant, The African Python and much other Savannah wildlife.
Return for mid-morning breakfast and lunch and then later you will be transferred to the Pier to take a launch cruise to the Bottom of the falls. Encounters of hippos, Crocodiles, and much other wildlife will be seen along the shores taking water from the river.
There is an optional hike to the top of the falls from the bottom where the boat ride ends. If you are not interested in this, you will be ridden back to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: (full board)
Luxury : Paraa Safari Lodge or Nile Safari Lodge, Chobe Safari Lodge
Midrange: Kabalega Wilderness/ Twiga Lodge/ pakuba Lodge/Sambiya River lodge
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale National park – Fort portal for Chimpanzee tracking.
After enjoying your breakfast, embark on a scenic journey to Kibale National Park via Hoima, with a final destination of Fort Portal, approximately a 4-hour drive. The highlight of your visit to Kibale National Park awaits: the exhilarating chimpanzee tracking excursion, commencing at 8:00 AM and 2:00 PM daily from Kanyankyu.
Encountering our closest relatives in the animal kingdom, with genetic similarities exceeding 95% according to 2006 statistics, promises to be a remarkable experience. Within the forest, anticipate encounters with other primate species such as the grey-cheeked mangabey and the red-tailed monkey. Though the dense foliage makes birdwatching challenging within the heart of the forest, keep an ear out for the symphony of bird songs; for optimal birdwatching opportunities, venture to the outskirts of the camp or along the roadside.
As you journey, capture snapshots of traditional homesteads and scenic farms along the route, adding cultural richness to your experience. Fort Portal welcomes you with its pleasant weather, providing a comfortable backdrop for further exploration and relaxation.
Accommodation: (full board).
Luxury: Kyaninga Lodge or Ndali Lodge / primate lodge kibale/ Kibale safari lodge/Craters Lodge.
Mid-range: Primates lodge cottages/ Kibale Forest Camp/ Isunga lodge/Chimpanzee forest guest House,
Day 4: Queen Elizabeth National park Uganda for wildlife game drive and boat safari.
Take an early breakfast and head for the park guided walk. (2-3 hours). This park has 12 species of primates including the chimp. Get very clear pictures of the variety in flora fauna and birds.
Have lunch and head for Queen Elizabeth National Park via the foothills of foot hills of mountain Rwenzori. Take an evening game drive and retire for the night at
Accommodation: (full board)
Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge / Katara Lodge or Jacana Lodge / Enganzilodge
Day 5: Queen Elizabeth National park Game drive and launch cruise
Wake up early in the mornings and take cup of tea or coffee. Go for a game drive along Kasenyi track to see the herds of Buffalo, Elephant, Warthog and Lion. Return to the lodge for mid-morning breakfast. After lunch, a two-hour launch cruise along the Kazinga channel proffers visitors a unique opportunity to encounter at close quarters hippo and a variety of bird species common to the park.
The prolific bird life is colorful and astonishing with well over 550 resident species. Dinner and overnight at your lodge
Accommodation: (full board)
Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge / Katara Lodge or Jacana Lodge / Enganzilodge
DAY 6: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest via Ishasha sector for the tree climbing lions.
After breakfast drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, via the Ishaha sector for the tree climbing lions and through picturesque panorama where the overriding topography is of terraced farmland and deep valleys. Lunch, dinner and overnight at.
Accommodation: (full board)
Luxury: Buhoma Lodge/ Mahogany Springs Lodge/ Sanctuary gorilla lodge
DAY 7: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
After breakfast, proceed to the park headquarters by 7:00am for briefing about the gorilla’s life style and tracking guidelines.
Around 8:00 am we embark on the highlights of gorilla trekking safari, which may last for the entire day. We trek through the rain forest and bamboo covered slopes, accompanied by a park ranger, porters and other trackers, in search of a mountain gorilla family.
The walking can sometimes be tough and long, but when you catch a glimpse of the magnificent silverback, any discomforts will be quickly forgotten. When sighted, visitors will be guided to within 6metres from the mountain gorillas, sit around them for a whole hour while gazing into their big round eyes, observing their behaviors and taking photos for the memorable experience.
It’s difficult to foresee how many hours you will hike; gorilla excursion can take from 2 up to 8 hours. Expect to walk along distance in steep and muddy conditions, sometimes with rain overhead, before you encounter any gorillas. A good physical condition is recommended. For conservation purposes, time spent with the gorillas is limited to one hour. A ranger will brief you on how to behave with the gorillas.
After this gorilla safari tour, you will descend back to the park headquarters where you will be awarded with gorilla trekking certificates for participation in gorilla trekking activities thus contributing in the gorilla conservation.
In the evening you can relax around a campfire or take walk to Batwa pygmies the original forest dwellers who will demonstrate their living lifestyle and later retire to the lodge.
Accommodation: (full board)
Luxury: Buhoma Lodge/ Mahogany Springs Lodge/ Sanctuary treats lodge
Day 8: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park
Very early in the morning, given the little time, take breakfast, and then take your drive to Lake Mburo National Park, for 5hrs, A game drive today will enable us to see the zebras, topes, elephants, elands, impalas, buffalo’s antelopes, etc. Placed in the one part of Uganda enclosed in extensive acacia woodland, Mburo has noticeably different fauna to other reserves.
It is the best place in the country to see the enormous eland antelope, topi, as well as zebra, impala, and several acacia-associated birds. The five lakes enclosed with in this park attract hippos, crocodiles and a variety of water birds, while fringing swamps hide secretive papyrus specialists such as the sitatunga antelope and red, black and yellow papyrus gonalek.
Accommodation: (full board)
Up-market: Mihingo Lodge / MantanaTented Camp/ Arcadia Cottages
Day 9: Lake Mburo National Park – Drive to Entebbe
After breakfast, early morning game drive and then start on the journey back to Entebbe for your flight out of Uganda on this day. You will have lunch en-route the journey with a stopover at the equator line, for pictures and experiment, and then to Mpabire village for local crafts and drum making place, to get yourself some of the African crafts on your way back to Entebbe.
Accommodation:(full board)
Up-market: Protea Hotel /2 Friends Beach Hotel/Lake Victoria Hotel/Pelican Lodge & Marina.
DAY- 10: Shoe Bill Stock in Mabamba Island and Transfer to Entebbe International Airport.
Pickup from your residence at 8:30am and then drive to Mabamba swampy area is only about s 30minutes drive away, It is also found at the edge of Lake Victoria and for birders that would love to see the birds in this area, wooden boats and or canoes to find these birds. This Island is commonly known for the Shoebill Stork that is said to keep hidden in the water weeds while waiting for the fish before they can actually get back into the deeper waters. Shoebills have their homes in Papyrus and will at times live on land however; the land has to oversee the waters.
The shoebill occurs in extensive, dense freshwater marshes. Almost all wetlands that attract the species have undisturbed Cyperus papyrus and reed beds of Phragmites and Typha. Although their distribution largely seems to correspond with the distribution of papyrus.
We shall jump onto the ferry to Nakiwogo, and drive to 3 faze for Lunch, and later to Entebbe airport for our Flights Back Home.
END OF THE SAFARI UGANDA SAFARI TREKKING.
Tour price per person on this tour will be: $5712.5 USD Midrange option and $7421 Usd Luxury Option including gorilla permit of $800usd and chimpanzee permit of $250usd
Included:
- All tour activities as indicated above,
- Accommodation as indicated on programme,
- All meals as indicated on detailed itinerary,
- Sightseeing as noted in the trip itinerary,
- Chimpanzee and gorilla tracking permits,
- Park entry fees,
- Boat fees,
- Ground transportation 4×4 Landcruiser/safari van
- Additional guides/porters where appropriate.
- Bottled waters in the car through the safari.
In conclusion, embarking on a 10-day Gorilla Trekking Safari and Wildlife Tour in Uganda is an experience unlike any other. Throughout this journey, travelers are not merely visitors, but participants in a profound exploration of nature’s wonders. From the awe-inspiring encounters with endangered mountain gorillas in dense forests of Bwindi to the thrilling safaris amidst Uganda’s diverse wildlife, every moment is an opportunity for deep connection and appreciation.
As we bid farewell to the lush rainforests, sprawling savannas, and vibrant communities that have enriched our journey, we carry with us memories that will last a lifetime. Moreover, beyond the breathtaking landscapes and majestic wildlife, this safari offers a chance for personal growth and reflection, fostering a deeper understanding of conservation efforts and the importance of preserving our planet’s ecological treasures.
Ultimately, the Best of Uganda Safaris is not just about witnessing the beauty of nature, but also about fostering a sense of responsibility and stewardship for the fragile ecosystems we have been privileged to encounter. As we return home, may we carry forward the spirit of this adventure, advocating for the protection of Uganda’s natural heritage and inspiring others to embark on their own journey of discovery and conservation.