An impressively long 10 Days Uganda primates & wildlife safari is needed if you love fun, excitement and adventure. Explore 4 unique national parks in both the north west and western region of the country. Visit the unmatched Lake Bunyonyi, with over 29 significant islands on it. This lake is also described as the “Switzerland of Africa”.
You will engage in game drive exercise in Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth National Parks. Track the chimpanzees in Kibale Forest National Park and the mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. Relax at Lake Bunyonyi, view the world’s most powerful waterfalls, and watch the unforgettable geographical demonstration at the equator.
Trip Details
Day one: Pick up and drive to Murchison Falls National Park
On this day, our expert driver-guide will be glad to meet you at the agreed place. This is either at your hotel or airport. After, a short talk about the trip commences, the driver explains to you what you should have, and expect.
The conversation is accompanied by coffee/glass of juice before starting a 5-6-hour drive to Murchison Falls NP. Spot the world’s most powerful waterfalls and several mammals.
As you reach Nakasongola district, make a stopover at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. Inside, track the only surviving rhinos as part of the Big five. This is done for one to two hours. Then, you continue with the Journey, only stopping for lunch. Drive to your lodge at the park for dinner and overnight.
Day Two: Morning Game Drive and Afternoon Boat Cruise
This is a day that excites with watching different mammals and primates teeming up within the savannah grassland vegetation. In fact this is through the northern sector of Murchison Falls National Park. This is by far the largest national park in Uganda, yet with the most powerful waterfalls on earth.
The adventure starts as soon as you get done with breakfast. Make a 3-4-hour game drive to catch-up with mammals such as lions, leopards, antelopes grazing. The giraffes stretch their necks to get food as though posing for a snap. Giant elephants take full charge of the territory and large herds of Buffalos graze. Meanwhile, those that are old and lazy are isolated.
You will have a picnic lunch then wait for an afternoon boat launch to the bottom of the falls. This ride lasts for approximately 2-3 hours. It exposes you to the thundering roars and beautiful water squeezing itself through the rocks. Eventually it flows to join the Albert Nile. Hike to top of the Murchison falls. As you hike spot different bird species, mammals, several hippos, and the Nile crocodiles. They yawn, play and feeding by and in the Nile River. After, return for some refreshment and dinner at your lodge
Day Three: Hiking to the top of the falls then a departure to Kibale National Park
After an early breakfast, get to the vehicle and proceed with your 7-8-hour drive to Kibale Forest National Park. Spot different unique attractions, fascinating hills, lush vegetation, and scattered homesteads. Lunch is enroute as you progress with the smooth ride to Fort Portal. Arrive in the evening ready for dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Day Four: Track the chimpanzees and visit Bigodi swamp
Greet your intestines with a cup of coffee, before going to the park’s trailhead for a pre-trekking briefing early in the morning. This is obviously held by the park rangers, who will explain to you all you need to know about the tracking exercise.
Thereafter, the ranger and trackers will accompany you to the jungle for approximately 6-hour adventure in the Jungle that is covered by the sounds and sights of birds, and different primates such as Colobus monkeys, grey cheeked monkeys, baboons and the dominant chimpanzee population.
Upon finding them, you will be given an allowance of one hour to watch and interact with these apes. Kibale forest, recognized as the world’s primate world has over 13 different primate species with biggest population of chimpanzees in East Africa.
When you are done with the tracking exercise, have lunch at the lodge before going to Bigodi swamp to view some of the primates and unique birds that have decided not to reside in the forest; these may include olive baboons, Vervet monkeys and many more.
Also, expect to watch the locals engage in different activities such as craft and art work, water projects, brewing and much more. Bigodi swamp is one of the Ramsar sights recognized by UNESCO. Drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day Five: Morning Nature walks and Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park (the medley of wonders)
Have breakfast in the morning before heading out to the nearby crater lakes. Stretch your legs for roughly two hours, with a professional nature guide. Well, you have nature feel, spot several tree species and bird species. It’s a two-hour walk of nothing else but only photography, discovery and information.
After the nature walk, return to the lodge and checkout for a 2-3-hour drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. A drive through both tarmac and marram roads expose you to the amazing view of the eye-catching Rwenzori ranges. You will also view plantations and rolling valleys. Arrive at the park in the afternoon and head for some refreshment, dinner and take a nap.
Day six: Morning Game drive and Boat cruise at Kazinga Channel
Start your day with a cup of coffee then drive to Kasenyi sector. This is for a rewarding game drive experience in the grassland. Get a chance of spotting any of the four of the big 5 mammals namely; lions, leopards, buffalos, and elephants. Not only these but also antelopes, warthogs plus unique flora species and several bird species.
Enjoy a mouth-watering picnic lunch followed by some refreshment before going for a boat ride experience at Kazinga Channel. Watch different mammals such as the buffalos, elephants and waterbucks. Hippos and crocodiles remain on the watch as the latter spies at their target.
This experience lasts for approximately 2-3 hours while sailing through the water. Meanwhile, get amazed at the surrounding environment and then a return journey to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day Seven: Tree climbing lion tracking & travel to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Start this morning in a very beautiful way with a cup of coffee, a morning energizer. Do this as you get excited at the amazing sunrise. Then check out for a fantastic game drive experience in the Ishasha sector. Here you will get the chance of watching tree-climbing lions either resting at the tree branches. Some of these lions roam arround the savannah grassland in search for prey.
Have lunch then proceed with the drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, home of the endangered mountain Gorillas. Arrive at the park in the evening ready for dinner and a nap
Day Eight: Gorilla Trekking and Cultural Encounter with the Batwa people
Gorilla trekking is one experience that everyone looks up to, and with any opportunity that comes your way, you don’t turn it down. So when you wake up in the morning, pack your cameras, binoculars and other special equipment plus all the documents such as the trekking permit and head to the sector’s ranger headquarters where you will have your tracking.
The activity begins with a briefing session by the Uganda wildlife authority ranger; they will take you through some details and information concerning this park or the mountain gorillas as they verify the documentation and at the same time telling you the does and don’ts while tracking the Apes.
They will allocate you to a gorilla group that you will track through the guidance of an expert park ranger who starts the search from the point they previously left them. The exercise can last for up to 8 hours depending on your speed, fitness and how far the allocated family has moved. One hour is yours to watch the creatures interact with each other, the exciting silverbacks and the mothers nursing their young ones.
Thereafter, drive back for lunch then head for an exciting encounter with the Batwa pygmies, the forest occupants who have not corrupted their culture despite that they were displaced from Bwindi and Mgahinga forest. They take you through their exciting though sorrowful songs, their ancestral caves, and showcase some of the local tools they use.
Day Nine: Buhoma community hospital and Depart Bwindi for Lake Bunyonyi (the Switzerland of Africa)
After early morning breakfast, have a walk to the Buhoma community hospital. This is a pro-tourism project to benefit the poor community. Visitors donate the little they have towards the running of this hospital. Tour and interact with some patients in the place before you return to the lodge for a heavy breakfast. Then, check out and drive to Lake Bunyonyi for a relaxed day and evening serenity.
Explore the place using a canoe led by a very knowledgeable guide. He/she takes you around to visit few of the twenty-seven highlands spread across the lake. Sum up the experience with a relaxed evening at the lodge and a nap at your resort.
Day Ten: Departure
After breakfast, while having a clear view of the beautiful sunrise check out of the lodge. Have an amazing 7-8hour drive to Kampala/ Entebbe international airport. But, stop at the Equator for a magical geographical demonstration of how the earth is divided into two. Then, photography and a mouth-watering meal, and continue on the journey to Kampala.
End of the Safari
