This 8 Days Best of Uganda Wildlife Safari combines two of Uganda’s most popular destinations: Queen Elizabeth National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The famous tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha area of Queen Elizabeth National Park and the coveted mountain gorillas in Bwindi National Park are the biggest highlights of this tour. You will also have the opportunity to meet the famous Batwas (Pygmies) of Bwindi and learn more about their interesting culture and way of life. Enjoy spectacular wildlife scenery in Uganda’s most beautiful national parks.
Detailed Itinerary.
Day 1: Meet and Greet at Entebbe Airport.
Today is the first day of this amazing his 8 day safari in Uganda. Meet your guide at the airport and then transfer to your hotel. Along the way, catch a glimpse of the shimmering waters of Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest and his second largest freshwater lake in the world. Stop at the Uganda Wildlife Education Center/Zoo to see lots of wildlife including lions, serval cats, elephants, rhinos and the rare shoebill. Lunch can be eaten nearby or on the go, depending on your preference. Afterwards, head to Kampala City, the charming capital of Uganda. The Kampala City tour will take you to places of interest such as Uganda Museum, Idi Amin Torture Chamber, Craft Village, Acacia Shopping Mall, Lake of Kabaka, Baha’i Temple, Uganda Martyrs’ Shrine Namgongo and Kasubi. Tomb, Blange Mengo, Ndere Cultural Center. Later drive to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay at Holiday Express Hotel/Cassia Lodge/Sheraton Hotel/Serena Hotel (BB).
Day 2: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park.
After breakfast at your hotel, you will proceed with your journey to Kibale Forest National Park, located in the western part of Uganda. This national park, which was first established in 1932, is home to about 13 primate species that include; chimpanzees, Red Colobus monkeys, Vervet monkeys, L’Hoest monkeys, and Black & White monkeys among others. You will have lunch in Kagadi and proceed to drive to Kibale forest. Dinner and overnight stay at the Chimpanzee Guesthouse/Primate Lodge/Kyaninga Lodge.
Day 3: Chimpanzee Trekking & Bigodi Swamp Walk.
Today is one of the highlights of our tour. Enjoy a hearty breakfast at the lodge before heading to Kibale National Park, where you’ll set out on a chimpanzee track. Kibale National Park is home to approximately 1,500 chimpanzees, most of whom are already settled. Chimpanzee trekking activities in the park begin at the Kanyanchu Visitor Center at 8 AM and 3 PM respectively. We will be hiking in the morning today, so we need to be at the park by 7am. Chimpanzee trekking is done in groups of up to 6 people per group. The activity lasts approximately 3 hours. Find and spend 1 hour with a chimpanzee. Make sure your camera is nearby and get ready to take lots of unforgettable pictures with these amazing monkeys.
After spending a precious hour with the chimpanzees, have lunch and continue your journey to the Bigodi Wetlands Reserve. Here you can join a group tour or take a swamp walk deep into the forest. Community tours give you the chance to mingle with the locals, visit craft shops and watch amazing dance performances by local entertainment groups. If you choose a swamp hike in the Bigodi Wetlands Reserve, you are sure to have a great time observing a wide variety of wildlife, especially birds like the rare stork.
Then return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Wake up early and enjoy a hearty breakfast at the lodge. Check out of the lodge and travel to Queen Elizabeth National Park in the Kasese district of western Uganda. This national park was first established in her 1952 and named after the Queen of England. This park is Uganda’s second largest national park, with an area of 1,978 km². The national park is home to more than 612 species of birds and about 95 species of mammals. It takes about 2.5 hours drive from Kibale National Park to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Upon arrival at the park, embark on an amazing lion hunting adventure. An estimated 40 lions live in the savanna grasslands of Queen Elizabeth National Park. In the park’s Ishasha area, you’ll have the chance to see the famous tree-climbing lions. Other wildlife such as Ugandan humps, antelopes, topis, elands, warthogs and impalas can also be seen. Later Check into your lodge freshen up, have your dinner and retire to bed. Accommodation in Mweya Safari Lodge/Elephant Hub Lodge/Pumba Safari Cottages.
Day 5: Morning Game Drive & Evening Boat Cruise.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is a hunting paradise and delights visitors with abundant wildlife including lions, buffalo, elephants, antelopes and duikers. Have an early breakfast and at 6:00 am set off for a morning hunting drive in the park. This morning hunting drive provides a great opportunity to see nocturnal animals such as leopards, serval cats and other wildlife such as African savannah elephants, hyenas, Ugandan hump, heart animals, giraffes and zebras. . Queen Elizabeth National Park is home to over 612 bird species, making it a great place for birdwatching. During your game drive, you may be able to spot birds such as African Skimmers, Chapin’s Flycatchers, Shoebills, Greater Flamingos and Little Pelicans. Return to the lodge for lunch before setting off on an evening cruise along the Kazinga Strait in the afternoon. The boat trip starts at exactly 13:00 and takes approximately 2 hours. During your boat trip, you can see many wild animals such as hippos, Nile crocodiles, elephants and several species of birds such as flamingos, shoebills and crested ibises.
Afterwards, return to the lodge for dinner and a restful night’s sleep.
Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Wake up early in the morning, have a relaxed breakfast meal and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. It takes about 3½ hours of driving to get to Bwindi national park. Get to explore the beautiful, green and well terraced hills of Kabale, as you drive to the national park. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park shelters half of the world’s remaining species of mountain gorillas. The national park is also home to about 120 mammals and 350 species of birds. Upon your arrival in Bwindi, you will embark on a guided nature walk to explore the beauty of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Get to see the unique bird species inhabiting the forest and monkey species like the vervet monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys and so many more. On this day, you will get to embark on a cultural tour to the nearby Batwa communities, where you will mingle with the Batwa people (Pygmies). You will get to see their day-to-day lifestyles, and watch lovely dance performances from the local people.
Later retire to your lodge for dinner and an overnight. Accommodation will be at Silverback Lodge/Buhoma Haven Lodge/Ichumba Gorilla Lodge.
Day 7: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Today is the day you’ve been waiting for. Your guide will pick you up at 6:00 AM and you will have an early breakfast at the lodge. Parkes headquarters in Buhoma is a short drive away. You should arrive at Buhoma just before 7:00 AM for a briefing by the park’s lead ranger, which begins at 8:00 AM. He is then divided into eight groups according to the groups of gorillas he wants to track. Tracking begins at exactly 8:00 am.
30.30pm So always try to be on time. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to a total of 15 gorilla groups, tracked from four starting points. Three of these 15 resident gorilla groups live in the park’s northwestern Buhoma region. Meanwhile, four groups of gorillas are located in Ruhiya, east of Bwindi, and eight groups of gorillas are located in Nklingo and Rushaga, south of Bwindi.
Each tracking group consisted of only his eight people, and each group included one of his park guides and one of his rangers. The chase can last approximately 1-6 hours, depending on the ease and speed of spotting the gorillas. Once he finds a group of gorillas, he can just hang out with them for an hour. So use your time wisely and don’t forget to take lots of pictures without your camera flash. Please bring suitable hiking shoes as the trail is very wet, steep and slippery.
After the tracking activity, you can take an optional trek to a local community. This expedition visits the Batwa [Pygmy] community, a longtime inhabitant of the Bwindi virgin forest. Experience a variety of performances including dancing, singing, drumming and storytelling by local dance groups.
Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 8: Transfer back to Kigali.
This is your last day with us and we hope you enjoyed most of your tour. Take your breakfast at leisure and then head out for a half day tour of Kigali City, depending on when your flight back home departs. While on your Kigali city tour, you can visit places like the Kigali genocide memorial center, camp Kigali, house of Richard Kandt, Nyamirambo Women’s Center, Caplaki craft village and Kimironko market; where you can grab yourself and your loved ones back home some souvenirs. Your guide will then drive you back to your hotel of straight to Kigali International Airport in time for you to check in and board your flight back home.
End of Tour.
The Safari Cost Includes;
- Airport transfers
- Full board Accommodation
- Park Entrance Fees
- Gorilla Trekking Permits
- Chimpanzee trekking permits
- All activities mentioned
- Guiding fees
- A 4×4 comfortable safari vehicle.
- Professional full time English speaking Driver Guide.
However, the safari cost excludes; Airfare, visas, laundry, drinks, tips and other personal expenses.