9 Days Uganda Safaris, Gorillas & Wildlife Tours

Safari Overview

This 9 Day Uganda gorilla and wildlife Safari will take you to the Murchison Falls National Park the largest national park in Uganda where you will see the Big Five and the beautiful and powerful waterfalls found on the mighty River Nile (the longest river in the world).proceed to Kibale National Park also known as the primate City of East Africa which has the highest diversity of primates across the region where you will track habituated chimpanzees and other primates. Queen Elizabeth National Park –Uganda’s most popular game park will be the next destination and thanks to its rich and abundant wildlife diversity you will enjoy game drives and a lunch Cruise on the kazinga channel. The Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park which is home of the mountain gorillas will be our final destination and there you will enjoy the highlight activity of coming face-to-face with the endangered mountain gorillas believed to be just 1006 in number remaining in the world today.

Activities: Rhino tracking, game drives, launch cruises on the River Nile and Kazinga Channel, chimpanzee tracking, gorilla trekking

Optional activities: nature walk in Bigodi swamp and cultural visit to the batwa pygmies

Day 1: Arrival in Uganda

Day 2: transfer to Murchison Falls National Park

Day 3: Game drive and lunch cruise on River Nile

Day 4: Visit the Top of the Falls, transfer to Kibale National Park

Day 5: Chimpanzee Trek and Optional Bigodi Nature Walk

Day 6: Game Drive and lunch Cruise on Kazinga Channel

Day 7: Explore the Ishasha sector, transfer to Bwindi NP

Day 8: Gorilla Trek and Batwa Cultural Experience (Optional)

Day 9: departure to Kampala

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Uganda

On arrival at the Entebbe international airport you will be received by you safari drive-guide for the Safari who will brief you about this adventure. They will transfer you to your hotel in Kampala where you will dine and spend the night.

Travel time: one and a half hours

Meal plan: lunch and dinner

Accommodation

Luxury: Imperial Hotel, Serena Hotel
Mid-Range: Speke Resort Hotel, Emin Pasha Hotel
Budget: Acardia Cottages Namirembe Guest House

Day 2: transfer to Murchison Falls National Park

Early morning your driver will pick you up at the hotel and transfer you to Murchison Falls National Park found in the northern part of the country having lunch en-route. before arriving at the park you will visit the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary where you will get an opportunity to track the endangered white rhinos which where totally extinct in this country due to severe poaching back in the late 1970s. after this one and a half hours of tracking on foot you will proceed to the park.

Travel time: 6 hours

Meal Plan: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodation

Luxury: bakers Lodge paraa Safari Lodge nile Safari Lodge
Mir-range: Murchison River Lodge
Budget: red chili

Day 3: Game drive and lunch cruise on River Nile

You will have an early cup of tea or coffee and then proceed for a game drive to see different animals such as the Uganda kobs, cape buffaloes, elephants, bushbucks, giraffes, Bush pigs, spotted hyenas, duikers, lions and many others. Return to your accommodation for a late breakfast and lunch. Later in the afternoon set out for a 2 hours launch cruise on River Nile that will take you to the bottom of the Murchison falls with the boat stopping just a few meters away from the devil’s Cauldron. During this portrait you will see several types of common birds such as the Egyptian geese, Kingfishers, cormorants, herons, hornbills, rare shoebill stork and bee eaters. Several animals like elephants, buffaloes, Nile crocodiles and hippos can also be seen along the river banks.

Meal Plan: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodation

Luxury: bakers Lodge paraa Safari Lodge nile Safari Lodge
Mir-range: Murchison River Lodge
Budget: red chili

Day 4: Visit the Top of the Falls, transfer to Kibale National Park

After an early morning breakfast your driver-guide will transfer you to the top of the powerful Murchison Falls where you will enjoy a unique view of the large volumes of the River Nile squeezing through a small 7 meter gorge and then drop more than 40 meters below with a trembling sound. This powerful drop creates a rising cloud of water spray.

From here you will proceed on a long drive to Kibale National Park located in southwestern Uganda driving through the beautiful countryside with rolling hills, large plantations of bananas and tea, as well as small village settlements. Have a stopover in the beautiful Fort Portal city located at the bottom of the snow-capped Mountains of the Moon – Mount Rwenzori. On arrival in the park you will check into your accommodation

Travel time: 9 hours

Meal plan: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodation

Luxury: Primate Lodge Ndali Lodge Kyaninga Lodge
Mid-Range: Create A Safari Lodge Mountains Of The Moon Primates Lodge
Budget: Grand Zurich Travelers Inn Chimpanzee Forest Guest House

Day 5: Chimpanzee Trek and Optional Bigodi Nature Walk

He will have breakfast early and then transfer to the park headquarters where you will be met by park range-guides who will brief you about the chimpanzee tracking activity. These highly experienced guides will lead you on a 2 to 4 hours trek as you search for the habituated chimpanzee family which on finding, you will spend an hour observing them play about, feed, care for their little ones and swing in the tree branches. Chimpanzees are believed to be man’s closest living relative as they share about 98% of their DNA with us. In addition within this Forest you are likely to encounter other primates such as the red tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, Olive baboons and blue monkeys among others in addition to several bird species like the blue turaco. You will return for lunch at the lodge

In the afternoon there will be an optional nature walk in the Bigodi wetland sanctuary where you will traverse the swampy grasslands, visit the local communities and enjoy the scenery. Some of the things to expect here include seeing various primates, different water birds and small animals. another option is you may visit the Crater lakes region. at the end of the adventure, transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Meal plan: breakfast lunch and dinner

Accommodation

Luxury: Ndali Safari Lodge, Jacana Lodge
Mid-Range: Buffalo Safari Resort, Ihamba Safari Lodge, Enganzi Lodge
Budget: Kazinga Channel View Lodge, Simba Safari Camp

Day 6: Game Drive and lunch Cruise on Kazinga Channel

After breakfast in the morning you will head out on a game drive to see different animals such as the Bushbucks, elephants, topi, leopards, warthogs and lions. You will later return to your accommodation for lunch and then in the afternoon have a 2 hours boat cruise on the kazinga channel that connects Lake George and Lake Edward. During this adventure you will enjoy amazing views of large schools of hippos and other animals offering great photography moments. this National Park in addition is home to more than 550 bird species so bird lovers will certainly be well rewarded.

Meal plan: breakfast lunch and dinner

Accommodation

Luxury: Ndali Safari Lodge, Jacana Lodge
Mid-Range: Buffalo Safari Resort, Ihamba Safari Lodge, Enganzi Lodge
Budget: Kazinga Channel View Lodge, Simba Safari Camp

Day 7: Explore the Ishasha sector, transfer to Bwindi NP

This morning you will explore the Ishasha sector – home of the tree climbing lions found in the southern part of the park. Very early morning after breakfast you will drive to the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park in Ishasha sector where the unique tree-climbing Lions can be seen. You will also encounter several other animals here such as hyenas, elephants, buffaloes and antelopes plus several birds. The unique tree climbing Lions which are the price sight in this area are normally seen resting in the tree branches of the giant acacia trees

After lunch you will proceed to the Bwindi impenetrable Forest National Park habitant to the endangered mountain gorillas which are believed to be only 1006 remaining in the world today. The drive will take you through the beautiful countryside where you will enjoy the green scenery and beautifully terraced gardens and tea plus banana plantation. On arrival, check into your accommodation

Meal plan: breakfast lunch and dinner

Accommodation

Luxury: Mahogany Springs Lodge Rushaga Gorilla Safari Lodge Buhoma Lodge
Mid-Range: Gorilla Safari Lodge, Gorilla Mist Camp, Gorilla Resort Bwindi
Budget: Buhoma Community Rest Camp, Gorilla Valley Lodge, Ruhija Gorilla Friends Camp

Day 8: Gorilla Trek and Batwa Cultural Experience (Optional)

Following an early morning breakfast transfer to the park headquarters by 8 a.m. to be briefed by the park guides about the do’s and don’ts of gorilla trekking. Led by experienced guides and armed rangers begin the hike in this gorilla habitant as you such for the habituated gorilla family an activity that may take anything from 2 to 6 hours. The ranger guides will use their matches to clear the ground vegetation for you. Expect to encounter several birds, butterflies and little primates. Once you find the Gorillas you will spend an hour observing and taking photographs of them. An opportunity to come face-to-face with the giant silverback dominant male is an experience that will leave you with lasting memories.

After the lunch break there will be an optional cultural visit to the Batwa pygmy community during which you will learn about the amazing lifestyle of these people who live close to this Forest and they will entertain you which cultural dances, songs and drama. Alternatively you may decide to spend the rest of the day relaxing back at your lodge

Meal plan: breakfast lunch and dinner

Accommodation

Luxury: Mahogany Springs Lodge Rushaga Gorilla Safari Lodge Buhoma Lodge
Mid-Range: Gorilla Safari Lodge, Gorilla Mist Camp, Gorilla Resort Bwindi
Budget: Buhoma Community Rest Camp, Gorilla Valley Lodge, Ruhija Gorilla Friends Camp

Day 9: Departure to Kampala

This is the final day of our 9 day gorillas and wildlife Safari in Uganda. After a nice breakfast you will begin to drive back to Kampala where you will arrive in the evening. Along the way you will stop over at the Uganda equator for a photography moment and also have lunch en-route. Once in Kampala you will be dropped at a hotel of your preference or to the Entebbe international airport for your departure flight.

End of safari