14 Days Gorilla, Chimpanzee Uganda Wildlife Safari

• Uganda

Uganda’s 18,783 plant and animal species, ranks her among the top 10 most biodiverse countries in the world. Uganda is notably home to half of world’s mountain gorillas. Kibale forest is home to 13 primate species; a number no other country can outcompete. The cultural, artistic and cultural expressions i.e., cultural beliefs, handicrafts, cultural sites, monuments and antiquities, etc. make Uganda a great tourist destination.

Sir Winston Churchill, in his book – My African Journey referred to Uganda’s forests as more luxuriant than any other forest he had earlier visited. ‘’Birds are as bright as butterflies; butterflies are as big as birds. The air hums with flying creatures; the earth crawls beneath your foot,’’ he wondered.

Tour Overview

On this 14-day safari through Uganda, discover a variety of animals, beauty, and cultural experiences. The most popular activities on this trip are often mountain gorilla trekking and chimpanzee tracking. There are incredible chances to observe a wide variety of exotic creatures, including rhinos, lions, hippos, buffaloes, leopards, elephants, and many bird species. Enjoy the crater lakes and the rumbling Murchison Falls in the Northeastern, western and southwestern parts of the nation. This voyage will bring you near to Uganda, the Pearl of Africa’s, natural beauty and cultural heritage!

Day 1: Kampala City Tour.

Day 2: Visit to Mabamba Swamp for shoe bill stack

Day 3: Transfer to Lake Mburo National park

Day 4: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park

Day 5: Gorilla tracking

Day 6: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Day 7: Chimps at Kyambura and afternoon boat cruise on Kazinga channel

Day 8: Transfer to Murchison falls national park.

Day 9: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise

Day 10: Transfer to back to kampala via ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Day 11: Transfer to jinja

DAY 12:   Transfer to Sipi falls Kapchorwa

Day 13: Full day at Sipi falls Kapchorwa.

Day 14: Transfer back to Entebbe or Kampala

14Days Full Uganda Safari: Detailed Itinerary

Day 1:  Kampala Capital city Tour.

After Morning breakfast you will embark on your journey to visit Kampala city Uganda’s capital where you will be able to visit the mengo king’s palace (King of Buganda), Gaddafi mosque in the heart of Kampala with the best views of Kampala city, Boda Boda Experience(motor bike experience) and market experience then after you be taken back at your hotel

Main Destination: Kampala

Accommodation: Express view inn, Entebbe palm Hotel, Victoria rock resort

Day 2: Visit Mabamba Swamp

Drive to the harbour and take the boat ride across the lake with a beautiful view of Entebbe the airport, fishermen and lots of birds, especially on approaching the swamps. At Mabamba you will disembark the bigger boat and enter the smaller canoes for the Mabamba Swamps. The canoes will take a maximum of 3 persons excluding the driver and guide. Sometimes the Shoebill may also be seen from the shores in the lagoon while coming into or when returning to Entebbe. Whatever the case may be, the boat trip through the lagoon is usually very rewarding for all of its birds. Return back to Entebbe for dinner and overnight stay as above.

Main Destination: Entebbe

Day 3: Transfer to Lake Mburo National park.

Western Uganda’s Lake Mburo National Park is a hidden gem, and the drive there takes you past picturesque countryside, plantations, and farms, and here you will have a chance to stop at equator for equator experience then proceed to your way to the park. Within a few hours, you will be arriving at the park, check in at your lodge and then have lunch
Later that afternoon, you will be taken to the park for evening game drive after you will be taken back to the lodge for overnight stay.

Accommodation Options:

• Mihingo Lodge
• Lake Mburo Safari Lodge
• Eagles Nest Camp.

Day 4: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable/ Mgahinga national park.

It’s on day 4 that you will be transferred to Bwindi Impenetrable or Mgahinga National Park to achieve your dream of encountering the endangered mountain gorillas. Have breakfast and check-out of the Lodge and start the exciting journey that will reward you with the awe-inspiring views of the Kigezi highlands. Lunch can be en-route depending on the time of traveling, at a certain point it can be served at the hotel. check in after you can go for batwa(pygimies) experience, you will be able to observe their way of living when they were still in the forest of Bwindi.

• NOTE: To book a hotel here, depends on the Permit of the tracking location given by Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).

 

Main Destination: Bwindi impenetrable forest National Park

 

Day 5: Gorilla Tracking in Bwindi:

After your breakfast, get your trekking gear ready for the exhilarating gorilla trek. Move to the Briefing point where you will meet your fellow trekkers for a briefing on the guidelines of the activity. Later move/be driven to the trailhead where you will trek in the company of 7 other trekkers, armed rangers, guides, and porters. After 1-4 hours, you will be ushered to the allocated gorilla family going around with their daily activities. After when you come back you will be taken back to your hotel and then be transferred to Lake Bunyonyi for reaction and overnight stay.

 

Accommodation: Overland Resort bunyonyi. Rock resort Bunyonyi

 

Day 6: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Today you have another long travel day to Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda’s most popular savannah reserve. This fabulous national park has a large range of wildlife, potentially including lions, buffaloes, elephants and many other species. This experience also includes a boat safari, one new way to view wildlife. The estimated travel time to your hotel is approximately 5 hours. Check in at the hotel, rest and chill for an overnight stay.

Main Destination: Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Accommodation options: Engiri safari Lodge, Kazinga Wilderness Camp, Aardvark Safari Lodge, Buffalo safari lodge

 

Day 7: Chimps tracking at Kyambura and afternoon boat cruise on Kazinga channel.

Arise and shine to the sweet melodies of the wilderness, have breakfast and head for chimps tracking tracking at Kyambura Gorge after you will head back to the lodge for Lunch.
The afternoon boat cruise awaits you and will be conducted along the Kazinga Channel where you will be treated to yet another surprising wildlife sight at the banks of the Channel where the Nile crocodiles and Hippos will be seen relaxing as well as the aquatic birds especially the African fish eagles and pelicans among others. Retreat to the Loge to relax, have dinner and overnight.

 

 

Day 8: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park.

After Early morning Breakfast, drive with your guide to Murchison Falls, Uganda’s largest park and home to 451 bird species and 76 mammal species. Your eyes will be fed with lots of sightings along the way as you will enjoy a bottle of drinking water. You will have lunch on the way as you en route to Murchison falls national park, check in at the hotel and dine for an over night stay at the lodge.

Main Destination: Murchison Falls National Park.

Accommodation Options: Ikorom Safari Lodge, Fort Murchison lodge, Pakuba Safari Lodge.

 

Day 9: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise.

Have an early delicious breakfast, explore the Northern part hosting a high number of Savannah wildlife. This game drive offers great opportunities for photography of elephants, lions, Uganda kobs, buffaloes, giraffes, waterbucks as well as hippos, and in case you are fortunate to even the leopards, in addition to a big number of bird species. Following lunch, have for a 2-hour boat cruise to the bottom of the Murchison falls from where great volumes water escapes through the small gorge forming an immense thunderous roar. During this boat ride, you will see several water birds plus mammals in big numbers like Hippos and crocodiles. Head back to the lodge with a short evening game drive then have dinner and rest at your lodge.

Main Destination: Murchison Falls National park.

 

Day 10: Transfer to back to kampala via ziwa  Rhino Sanctuary.

Have breakfast in the morning and depart for Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for Rhino tracking, where you will track Rhinos on foot, but before you will pass via the Top of falls where you will be able to view the  Murchison falls from its top where the  Nile roars. Then you will proceed with your journey to the sanctuary, lunch on the way after tracking the Rhinos. After tracking the Rhinos you will proceed to kampala for an over night stay.

Main Destination: Kampala city.

Accommodation Options: Express View Inn, Entebbe Palm Hotel, 2friends hotel Entebbe, Best western premier Hotel,

Day 11: Transfer to jinja.

After breakfast you will be transferred to jinja, here you will be able to visit Sezibwa falls it is attached to culture site where you will get to know how the falls where formed culturally Nature walk to the forest then after you will proceed to jinja and Visit the source of the longest River the Nile. After you will be transferred to the hotel for an overnight stay in jinja.

Optional activities in Jinja

• Bungee Jumping US$130.00 per jump
• Kayak the Nile US$150.00 for one person, US$135.00 for two or more
• Quad Biking US$100.00
• Over lander Safari Horseback Riding US$100.00 for 2 hours ride
• Sunset Cruise $45 pp (minimum 5 passengers)

Main Destination: Jinja

Accommodation Options: 2 FRIENDS Hotel jinja, Jinja Nile Resort, Nile Village Hotel jinja.

Day 12: Transfer to Sipi Falls.

After Morning Breakfast at the lodge, you will jump in your safari vehicle and start the adventure through Kampala city and connect to Sipi in the Elgon region, where you will visit the coffee farms for Lunch, dinner and overnight stay at Lodge.

Main Destination: Sipi Falls Kapchorwa District

Accommodation: Sipi Valley Resort, Mist Cave Lodge

Day 13: Morning hike to Sipi Falls and Relax.

Have morning breakfast from the lodge and go for a hike in Kapkwai. This walk is 5.5 Km (the shortest) and it will take you through the 3 spectacular waterfalls and the caves. You will even see the Kobet River. Return to your accommodation for Dinner and overnight stay at the Lodge.

Day 14:  Back to Entebbe/ Kampala.

On this day after your breakfast you will head back to Entebbe or Kampala to catch your flight back home. Lunch will be served to en route.

End Of Safari

 

NOTE: Accommodation before and after the safari can be arranged on an extra cost.

Gorilla and Chimpanzee trekking tips

• Bwindi impenetrable national park requires hiking, you should pace yourself and drink plenty of water.
• Eating, drinking and smoking near the gorillas is forbidden. Your ranger guide will communicate a designated time and place for such.
• We encourage you to carry a rain poncho
• Waterproof walking shoes or hiking boots are essential.
• Gardening gloves for protection against stinging plants
• Long trousers and long-sleeved sweaters or shirts while in the forest to avoid insect stings.
• Photography is permitted, although you must not use flash
• Porters are available to help you carry your day pack for a minimum fee of $20 or 70,000 Ugx

PRICE INCLUDES

• 1 Gorilla Permits
• 1 Chimpanzee Permits
• Rhino Tracking
• Accommodation for 13 Nights
• Meals on booked program
• Bottled Water in the vehicle
• English Speaking Guide
• Park Entrance Fees
• Boat Rides
• Cultural Tours
• All Activities Mentioned

PRICE EXCLUDES

• International flight fare
• Entry Visas
• Laundry services
• Tips
• Alcoholic Drinks
• Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
We highly recommend the items below:
Bug spray, Mosquito repellent and Malaria preventive pills
Power Bank
International travel adapter
Head Lamp
Sunscreen
Comfortable sneakers /shoes
Hiking Boots
Sandals
Camera
Hat and Sunglasses for the hot days

CLOSING REMARKS
The above proposal is totally flexible and can be amended to match your intended experience. Iam happy to work with you to design and implement your trip of a lifetime.