Tour Overview:
The 8 days Uganda Wildlife Tour will take you through Uganda’s most picturesque national parks of Lake Mburo-Uganda ‘s Compact game , Bwindi Impenetrable –home of Mountain Gorillas, Queen Elizabeth-Uganda’s finest wildlife safari park and Kibale forest national park-World’s primate Capital. The impressing safari package will offer you an opportunity to partake in interesting tourists activities such as Game drive & Boat ride in Lake Mburo national Park, Gorilla tracking in the ancient dark forests of Bwindi and Chimpanzee tracking in Loviest Kibale Forest. The 8 days Safari will start and end in Kampala Capital City.
Tour Highlights:
Day 1: Transfer from Kampala to Lake Mburo National Park& Do an Afternoon Boat Cruise
Day 2: Do morning Game drive & Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
Day 3: Do Gorilla trekking & afternoon Cultural encounter with the Local Batwa
Day 4: Transfer from Bwindi to Queen Elizabeth National Park & enroute game drive in Ishasha.
Day 5: Do morning game drive & afternoon boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel
Day 6: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park with enroute visit to the Rwenzori Art Foundation – the only bronze casting center in Africa & Ruboni Community craft & wax center and afternoon Bigodi wetland walk.
Day 7: Do morning Chimpanzee trekking & Afternoon Fort Portal Crater Lake hike & a visit to Amabere g’ Nnyinamwiru caves.
Day 8: Transfer from Fort portal to Kampala & Departure.
Detailed Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Transfer from Kampala to Lake Mburo National Park & Do an Afternoon Boat Cruise
After breakfast, our English professional driver guide will meet you in your Kampala place of stay and depart from Kampala city heading to Lake Mburo in South western Uganda 240km about 3-4hrs drive without enroute stopovers. The journey to Lake Mburo will take you through Mpambire Drum makers and the Uganda Equator crossing Kayabwe, where you will have stopover for marvelous water experiments and amazing photo shots. Thereafter, advance with the drive to Lake Mburo national park through the farmed hill sides and the wonderful rangelands of Ankole. You will arrive in Lake Mburo early afternoon and have your lunch in the park grounds as you marvel at the game and birds within the park. After lunch, embark on Launch trip that sets of at 2:30pm on the waters of Lake Mburo. The boat trip will offer you an opportunity to encounter the unique wild game such as Hippos, Nile Crocodiles and a variety of water birds such as the colorful Kingfishers, magnificent Fish Eagles, Hammerkops as well as the prehistoric-looking Shoebill. Retreat back from the activity to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Mihingo Safari Lodge (Luxury), Arcadia Cottages Mburo (Mid-Range), Eagle’s Nest (Budget).
Day 2: Do early morning Game drive & Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
After an early morning breakfast, embark on the interesting game drive through the park in search of wild game. The connection of game tracks found in the eastern part of the park passes through a variety of beautiful landscape such as acacia woodland, wetlands vegetation, savannah grassland which supports the survival of different wildlife grazers including gigantic eland antelope, Zebras, Waterbucks, Klipspringer and the rare Topi, Impala, Warthog, Oribi, Buffalo, Defassa reedbuck. The game drive will take you between 2-3hours. After the activity, you will embark on drive transfer of 235kms about 5-6 hours to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The drive will take you through the impressive country side landscapes with rural setting and local populations. On arrival to the park, you will drive to your pre-booked lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Chameleon Hill Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Gorilla Mist Camp (Midrange/Standard) or Broadbill Forest Camp (Budget/Basic).
Day 3: Do gorilla trekking & an evening Cultural encounter with the Batwa Communities.
After an early morning breakfast, you will continue to the Park headquarters to join other trekkers in an early morning briefing from the park rangers about the etiquettes of Gorilla Trekking at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. As soon as the briefing is done, you will enter the jungle to trek through thick creepers and undergrowth with your guides to find the Gorillas. The trek may take you between 2-8 hours to encounter the Mountain gorillas and this will mainly depend on the movement of the apes. The steeply forested landscape is incredibly dense but crisscrossed by numerous animal trails allowing access to tourists. Once up-close to the apes, you will be given one magical hour to View and interact with these stunning apes plus taking photographs. Retire back to the starting point after the one hour and proceed to your lodge for a late lunch and relaxation. After relaxation, you will be driven to the nearby Batwa community for memorable, refreshing cultural encounter. Here you will be guided by a local guide who will take you to the different communities to see how people have managed to survive through farming. You will see how local brew is processed from fresh Bananas and forest remedies to get beer and Waragi and also enjoy the performances done by the local Batwa women groups. After that interesting cultural encounter, you will drive back to your respective lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Chameleon Hill Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Gorilla Mist Camp (Midrange/Standard) or Broadbill Forest Camp (Budget/Basic).
Day 4: Transfer from Bwindi to Queen Elizabeth National Park & enroute game drive at Ishasha Sector.
After an early morning cup of Coffee, embark on transfer from Bwindi to Queen Elizabeth National Park -a drive distance of 218kms. The drive will take you through the impressive country side landscapes with rural setting and local populations. On arrival to Ishasha sector, you will have your lunch and participate in an afternoon game drive through the tracks of Ishasha sector. The game drive will give you the possibilities of encountering tree climbing lions that tend to lie on the branches of fig trees while keeping a close eye on herds of Uganda kob. You may also see other wildlife species like buffalos, elephants and some bird species. After game drive in Ishasha, continue with the drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park in Mweya peninsular.
Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Enganzi Lodge (Midrange/Standard) or Pumba Safari Cottages (Budget/Basic).
Day 5: Do morning game drive & afternoon boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel
Take an early morning cup of coffee before embarking on the wild game drive in the rolling savannah plains of Queen Elizabeth National Park. The drive will take you through Kasenyi which is a dwelling place for a wide range of Wild game including the elephants, lions, buffaloes, Antelopes among others. The tracks are well designed to increase you possibilities of encountering wild game. You may enjoy the sights and views of elusive wildlife like leopard, defassa waterbuck, Uganda kob, Side stripped Jackal; Oribis among others. Retire back to the lodge after this 3 -4 hour game drive for refreshment and relaxation until the time for lunch. After having a thrilling lunch, embark on the rewarding boat cruise on the 45km long Kazinga Channel that connects Lakes Edward and George. The 2 hour boat cruise opens your possibilities of enjoying the calm channel waters filled with counts of Hippos no wonder the channel is called the Paradise of Hippos. The other sights of water birds and the Nile crocodiles may not be missed. Retire in the evening at 5pm to connect to the lodge for overnight. You may have a mini night game drive along the channel track to encounter the wild game enjoying themselves in their natural habitats.
Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Enganzi Lodge (Midrange/Standard) or Pumba Safari Cottages (Budget/Basic).
Day 6: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park with enroute visit to the Rwenzori Art Foundation – the only bronze casting center in Africa & Ruboni Community craft & wax center and afternoon Bigodi wetland walk.
Have your early morning breakfast and thereafter depart Queen Elizabeth National Park heading to Kibale Forest National Park 157km about 3 hours’ drive excluding stops en route. You will have your first stop at Rwenzori Art foundation which is the only bronze casting center in the whole of African Continent that is located in the shadows of Rwenzori Mountains. You may participate in the wonderful process of sculpture making. Thereafter, advance with the tour to the Ruboni community wax and craft center where you will be exposed to the local traditions and the usage of local knowledge to contemporary development. From there, you will proceed to Kibale Forest National Park and on arrival; you will drive direct to your lodge for relaxation and lunch. After lunch, embark on the transfer to Bigodi wetland. The Bigodi wetland, lies in close distance to the park thus connecting there is less hectic. The Bigodi wetland walk exposes you to typical eco –tourism encounter in Uganda. The impressive flora and fauna existing along with the local community is indeed rewarding to encounter. The sights of great blue turaco and the Sitatnga may not be missed. Retreat from the activity back to lodge for relaxation dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Ndali Lodge (Upmarket), Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse (Mid-range/Standard) or Rwenzori View Guesthouse (Budget/Basic).
Day 7: Do morning Chimpanzee trekking & Afternoon Fort Portal Crater Lake hike & a visit to Amabere g’ Nnyinamwiru caves.
Following your early morning breakfast, drive to Kanyanchu headquarters for early morning briefing about dos and don’ts of Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest National Park. Thereafter, you will walk through the forest with an experienced guide who will be enlightening you about both wildlife and plants life. Immediately you encounter the primates, you will be allowed one memorable hour to interact with the primates. The Chimpanzees will lure you in a state of amazement as they swing through the branches, make pant hooting calls, play with each other, and imitate your body language along with other features that will make your one full hour with them a memorable experience of its own. Thereafter, transfer to fort port town for lunch and thereafter, you will continue to do the Fort Portal Crater Lake Hike to gain impressive views of the Fort Portal explosion crater. You will also visit the Amabere g’ Nnyinamwiru caves with a magical Nyakasura River falling over them forming beautiful water fall. The caves have breast like features which the locals attach a great cultural connotation and are thought to date back to the Chwezi era. Retreat from the activity and get to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Ndali Lodge (Upmarket), Mountains of the Moon (Mid-range/Standard) or Rwenzori View Guesthouse (Budget/Basic).
Day 8: Transfer from Fort portal to Kampala & Departure.
Immediately taking your early morning breakfast in your respective Fort portal lodge, you will depart Fort Portal town driving back to Kampala 332km about 4-5 hours’ drive without enroute stopovers. The drive will take you through the impressive country side landscapes with rural setting and local populations. On arrival to Kampala, the driver guide will take you to any hotel in Kampala for Lunch and relaxation and thereafter transfer to Entebbe international Airport for your scheduled flight back home.