8 days Uganda safari

This 8 Days Uganda Safari combines two of the most popular travel destinations in Uganda- Queen Elizabeth and Bwindi Impenetrable National Parks. The famous tree climbing lions in the Ishasha Sector of Queen Elizabeth national park and the highly sought after Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi national park, are the major highlights of this tour. You will also get a chance to meet the famous Batwa (Pygmies) in Bwindi and learn more about their interesting culture and way of life. Do enjoy the spectacular views of wildlife in some of the most breathtaking national parks in Uganda. Bon Voyage!

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Chimpanzee Trekking in Kabale National Park.
  • Lion Tracking Experience in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
  • Game Drive and Boat Cruise on Kazinga Channel.
  • Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
  • Batwa Trail Experience
  • Incudes Mid-range/luxury accommodation with meals
  • Comes with a Lion tracking permit, Chimpanzee and Gorilla Trekking permits.

Itinerary Summary:

Day 1: Meet and Greet at Entebbe Airport.

Day 2: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park.

Day 3: Chimpanzee Trekking & Bigodi Swamp Walk.

Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Day 5: Morning Game Drive & Evening Boat Cruise.

Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park & Batwa Trail Experience.

Day 7: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Day 8: Transfer back to Kigali.

Detailed Travel Itinerary.

Day 1: Meet and Greet at Entebbe Airport.

Welcome to Uganda! Today marks your first day with us on this amazing 8 days safari in Uganda. You will meet your guide at the Airport, get acquainted and then proceed to drive you to your hotel. Along the way, you will to catch a glimpse of shimmering waters of Lakes Victoria which is the largest fresh water lake in Africa and the second largest in the world. You will have a stopover at the Uganda Wildlife Education Center/ Zoo, where you will get to see lots of wildlife animals such as lions, serval cats, elephants, Rhinos and the rare Shoebill Stork among others. If you wish, you can choose to have your lunch near or on–route. You will then proceed to drive to Kampala City, which is Uganda’s amazing capital. During your tour of Kampala city, you can visit interesting sites such as; the Uganda Museum, Idi Amin torture chambers, Craft Village, Acacia shopping mall, Kabaka’s Lake, Bahai Temple, Uganda Martyrs shrine-Namugongo, Kasubi Tombs, Bulange Mengo, and Ndere Cultural Centre among other places.

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 & Bigodkibale Swamp Walk.

Today marks one of the highlights of your tour. Have a hearty breakfast at your lodge and proceed to drive to Kibale national park where you will trek chimpanzees from. Kibale National Park is home to about 1,500 chimps, most of which have been habituated. Chimpanzee trekking activities in the park start from Kanyanchu Visitor Center at 8am and 3pm respectively. Today you will be trekking in the morning so you have to be at the park by 7am. Chimpanzee trekking is done in groups of a maximum of 6 people per group, and the activity will take you about 3 hours inclusive of one hour that you will get to spend with the chimps once you have located them. Make sure that your camera is nearby and get ready to take lots of memorable pictures with these amazing apes.

After spending your quality hour with the chimps, you will have lunch and proceed with your journey to Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary. Here, you can either embark on a community tour or go deeper into the forest on a swamp walk. The community tour gives you an opportunity to interact with the locals, visit arts and craft stores, and watch wonderful dance performances from the local entertainment groups. Should you choose to do the swamp walk in Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, be sure to have an amazing time viewing a variety of wildlife especially birds like the Rare Shoebill Stork.

Later retire back to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Wake up early in the morning and have a heartfelt breakfast at your lodge. Checkout of your lodge and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park in Kasese district, western Uganda. This national park was first established in 1952 and named after the queen of England. The park is the second largest national park in Uganda, covering an area of 1,978 km². This national park is home to over 612 species of birds and about 95 mammal species. It will take you about a 2½ hours’ drive to get to Queen Elizabeth national park from Kibale national park. Upon your arrival at the park, you will embark on an amazing adventure of lion tracking. There are estimated to be about 40 lions roaming the savannah grasslands of Queen Elizabeth national park. You will have the opportunity to see the famous tree climbing lions in the Ishasha sector of the park. You will all be able to see other wildlife animals like Uganda Kobs, antelopes, topi, elands, warthogs and impala among others.

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 haven for game drives, pleasuring visitors with plenty of wildlife animals to see like lions, buffaloes, elephants, antelopes, duikers and so many more. Have an early morning breakfast and proceed on a morning game drive in the park which begins at 6am. This morning game drive will give you a great chance to view nocturnal animals like leopards, serval cats and other wildlife such as African savannah elephants, hyenas, Uganda Kobs, heart beasts, giraffes, zebras and many more. Queen Elizabeth National Park is blessed with over 612 bird species thus making it a great destination for birding activities. While on your game drive, you may spot birds like the African skimmer, Chapin’s flycatcher, Shoebill stock, the great flamingos and Pink- backed pelicans.

Return back to your lodge for lunch and in the afternoon, head out for an evening boat cruise along the Kazinga channel. The boat cruise starts at exactly 1pm and can take approximately 2 hours. During your boat cruise, you may sight lots of wildlife such as hippos, Nile crocodiles, elephants and some species of birds like the great flamingos, Shoebill stock, Ibis and so many others.

Later retire to your lodge for dinner and a good night’s rest.

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.

This is the day you have been anxiously waiting for. Have breakfast very early at you lodge as your guide will pick you up at 6am. You will embark on a short journey to the Parks headquarters in Buhoma. You are supposed to be at Buhoma at exactly 7am for a briefing by the park’s head ranger which will begin at 8am and then you will be put in groups of 8 individuals per group depending on the gorilla group you are going to track. Tracking begins at exactly 8:30 am hence endeavor to always keep time.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has a total of 15 habituated gorilla groups that are tracked from four trailheads. Of these 15 habituated gorilla groups, 3 are found in Buhoma area in the northwest part of the park; while 4 gorilla groups are situated in Ruhija in the eastern part of Bwindi and 8 gorilla groups in Nkuringo and Rushaga respectively, located south of Bwindi.

Each tracking group consists of strictly eight individuals with each group having a park guide and ranger. Tracking can take about 1- 6 hours depending how easily and quick the gorillas are spotted. Once you have located a gorilla group, you will be give exactly an hour with them; hence you should maximize your time well and don’t forget to take lots of pictures without using your camera’s flash. The tracking trails can be very wet, steep and slippery thus you should wear a good pair of hiking boots.

After your tracking activity, you can proceed to have an optional hike to local communities and on this expedition, you can visit Batwa [pygmies] communities that have lived within Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for many years. Get to watch various performances like; dance, singing, drumming and storytelling by the local dance groups.

Return back to your Lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 8: Transfer back to Kigali.

Unfortunately, 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.

Hope you had lots of fun on your trip! It was a pleasure embarking on this amazing safari with you and we hope to see you again.

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