9 DAYS UGANDA ADVENTURE SAFARI
Overview
The 9 days start from Entebbe to Uganda’s prime parks. Starting from the gorilla haven at Bwindi to Queen Elizabeth’s famous sector of ishasha for the tree climbng lions. Then to the northern part-Kasenyi plains and a cruise on the Kazinga Channel before joining to the forest and primate capital of Kibale forest. You will also explore Murchison falls national park, that is Uganda’s oldest park and part of Uganda’s largest conservation area, track the rhinos at Ziwa Rhino sanctuary and return to Entebbe for your exit flight.
Details
Day 1- Transfer from Entebbe to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
You will be picked up around 9:00 am from your Hotel in Entebbe by our Guide who will brief you about your tour. You will later be driven in comfortable and secure touring vehicle to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in the South-West which will take around 8 hours of drive. Lunch will be provided en-route at Mbarara, arriving late in the evening for an overnight and relax as you wait for the next day’s adventure.
Accommodation: Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge
Main Destination: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Rushaga sector)
Day 2- Gorilla tracking and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
After an early morning breakfast around 6:30 am you will be driven to the park headquarters for briefing on the do’s and don’ts during gorilla tracking and thereafter you will proceed to the gorilla trail. Gorilla tracking normally lasts between 2 to 8 hours or even a day to encounter the Gorillas. However, you will be allowed to stay in the presence of these awesome apes for at least an hour.
It is advisable that you carry packed lunch, which will be provided, as one cannot determine how long it may take to encounter the mountain gorillas. After tracking transfer to Lake Bunyonyi.
Accommodation: Arcadia Cottages
Main Destination: Bwindi Impenetrable National park and Lake Bunyonyi
Day 3- Lake Bunyonyi Canoe and island tour and later to Ishasha Sector
After having early breakfast, you will set off for the island tour and canoe ride. This lake is said to be one of the most beautiful places in western Uganda. It is the second deepest lake in Africa (900 meters deep) and also one of the few places in the country where it is considered safe to swim as it is bilharzias free. After we drive from her to Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National park. The journey takes 3-5 hours. The landscape around the lake is made up of terraced hills protruding from the water’s edge. Bunyonyi means “place of little birds” and as the name suggests, there is plenty of birdlife around the lake.
Accommodation: Enjojo Lodge
Main Destination: Lake Bunyonyi and Ishasha sector/Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 4: Game drive in Ishasha and boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth National Park
After your breakfast you will be taken to Ishasha Sector, famous for the tree climbing lions lounging in the tree branches while keeping a close eye on herds of Uganda kob, their favorite prey. You could have a chance to spot some tree climbing lions after proceed to your lodge.
In the afternoon you will take a Boat Cruise along the amazing Kazinga channel to see, at close range, the water animals to include Hippos, Buffalos, Crocodiles and elephants bathing on the channel banks. There is also a variety of bird species on the water banks especially the famous Shoebill, pelican and Jacana.
Accommodation: Park View Safari Lodge
Main Destination: Queen Elizabeth National park
Day 5: Full day Game drive at Queen Elizabeth and transfer to Kibale National Park
After breakfast you will take packed lunch and head for a full day game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park to see Africa’s highly famed “Big 5”, Bush Bucks, Giant Hogs, Antelopes, Waterbucks and plenty of birds. . Later in the evening you will be transferred to Kibale Forest National Park.
Accommodation: Isunga Lodge
Main Destination: Queen Elizabeth National park
Day 6: Chimpanzee Trekking and Bigodi walk in Kibale National Park
After breakfast head to Kibale Forest. The activity begins at 8.00 am with a briefing of the rule for trekking the chimpanzees after which you set off to search for them in the forest. Kibale Forest National Park, it boasts the highest number of primate species in the world, including the chimpanzees. Approximately 5,000 chimpanzees live in the wild in Uganda, which makes it a perfect place to spot them! An experienced ranger will take you chimp tracking in the morning. Once you locate the chimpanzees, you will spend an hour with them and then head back to the accommodation for Lunch. Post Lunch you will be taken for Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary walk this is a guided swamp walk that takes you closer seeing primates mostly monkeys, birds and butterflies. The wetland is a birder’s paradise with about 138 species and is best known for being home to the Great Blue Turaco.
This is a 2½ – 3 hour walk and is a must for bird lovers. The walk is almost as popular as the Kibale Forest Walk. You will need good walking shoes since part of the walk is sometimes muddy. Hopefully you will spot the elusive Sitatunga antelope and the Shoebill Stork. This is nothing to be missed. You will meet some of the primates here, even a chimpanzee at times. Other primate species include the black-and-white colobus, grey-cheeked Mangabey, red-tailed, l’Hoest’s and blue monkeys, and olive baboons. Also,
Bushbucks and mongooses and many more can also be found here. There is also an abundance of butterflies. Bigodi Sanctuary is located outside the park in Magombe Swamp.
Accommodation: Isunga Lodge
Main Destination: Kibale Forest national park
Day 7: Transfer to Murchison falls National Park
After breakfast you will be transferred to Murchison Falls National Park which will take around 7/8 hours of drive, Head straight to tour the Top and bottom of majestic falls, where the Nile crashes through a 7 meters gorge to the falls 45 meters. Numerous scenic viewpoints are a photographers’ delight, the most impressive view of the foaming waters rushing into the gorge with a deafening roar.
Accommodation: Pakuba Safari lodge
Main Destination: Murchison Falls National park
Day 8: Game drive and Boat cruise in Murchison falls National Park
You will set off at 6:30 am cross to the northern bank of river Nile head for a sunrise game drive in the Nyamsika plateau to see the Cape buffaloes, Rothschild’s giraffes, Uganda kob, hartebeest and waterbucks. You may also spot oribi, bushbuck, Bohor reedbuck, shy Sitatunga, bush duiker, warthog and bush pig plus large carnivores including lions, leopards and spotted hyenas. Chimpanzees and olive baboons head the list of six species of primates found in the park. Crocodiles and hippos will be seen along the banks of the Nile. Some of the more common birds that can be seen include goliath heron, Egyptian geese, pelican, bee- eaters, kingfishers, hornbill, cormorant, saddle-bill stork and the rare shoebill stork.
You will return to your lodge for a late breakfast and some relaxation before setting off in the afternoon for a Boat cruise on the placid Victoria Nile, upstream, to the base of the falls. En route you will see hippos, crocodiles, water buck and a wide variety of birds including the unusual shoebill stork. The boat stops just tens of meters from the “Devil’s Cauldron” for pictures to be taken of the photogenic and majestic Murchison Falls.
Accommodation: Pakuba Safari Lodge
Main Destination: Murchison Falls National park
Day 9: Rhino tracking in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and transfer to Kampala/Entebbe
After an early morning breakfast, depart with great memories of the moments spent at Murchison falls, you will be driven to the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, after a briefing from the ranger you trek the sanctuary for close to two hours. With Lunch en-route you will be transferred back to Kampala/Entebbe.
Accommodation: Lake Victoria Hotel
Main Destination: Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
The costs include:
ü Transport in a 4×4 safari land cruiser
ü Accommodation
ü All meals
ü Park fees
ü Gorilla permit & Chimpanzee permit
ü Boat fees
ü Drinking Water on board.
The costs do not include:
· Tourist insurance
· International flights
· Tips and any expenses of personal nature
· Beverages