Best of Uganda Fly in Safari - Flying to Wildlife safari Gorilla trek chimps Safari - 10 Days

Day 1: Fly in to Kibale from Entebbe  via Kasese

At Kasese Airstrip, we have our safari guide waiting to receive you. before you proceed to Fort Portal driving through the shadow of the fabled "Mountains of the Moon." Head out to Kibale forest driving through farmlands and homesteads.  In the afternoon, you have an option to take a bird walk around the lodge. Meals and Overnight accommodation included. 

Accommodation Options (Full Board)

Upscale: Ndali Lodge | Kyaninga Lodge |  Crater Safari Lodge

Midrange: Isunga Lodge | Chimpanzee Forest Lodge | ensuite tents at Kibale Forest Camp

Day 2: Chimpanzee Tracking in Kibale National Park & Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary

Assemble at Kanyankyu River camp at 08:00 hours to go for the most popular activity in this park which is chimpanzee tracking.

Chimpanzees are man’s closest cousins though they are one of the most threatened primate species. More primates like black and white colobus monkeys, L’Hoest monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey, red-tailed monkeys, bush babies, pottos, and many bird species like the yellow-spotted nicator, rumped tinker bird, little greenbul, green breasted pitta, the crowned eagle, black bee-eater, and mammals like elephants can be seen in this walk.

Kibale National Park, which averages about 3,300 feet in elevation, is an extension of the great rainforests of central Africa. It is inhabited by three large communities of chimps, each numbering more than 100 individuals. Each community has a complicated social structure. The big adult males dominate the group and defend the community territory against incursions by male outsiders; the females usually wander in small family groups.

Typically, we locate the chimps by listening to their pant-hooting calls, then hustle to the area from which they are calling. We get to observe them as they feed in fruiting trees, lounge, and socialize with each other, or even, occasionally hunt.

In the afternoon we visit a nearby forest swamp that is excellent for viewing primates and other forest animals. At the eastern edge of Kibale Forest is Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary which is maintained by the local community. You will expect birds like the great blue turaco, blue monkeys, baboons, otters, mongoose, bushbucks, bush pigs, and others.

Accommodation Options (Full Board)

Upscale: Ndali Lodge | Kyaninga Lodge |  Crater Safari Lodge

Midrange: Isunga Lodge | Chimpanzee Forest Lodge | ensuite tents at Kibale Forest Camp

Day 3:  Safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Leave the national park after breakfast and drive to Fort Portal.

We incorporate some crater lake hikes into this program. You will be simply amazed by the beauty of these ancient and not ancient crater lakes found in the Fort Portal area.

After you have witnessed all these amazing landscapes, you will be transferred to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Accommodation Options (Full Board)

Up-market/Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge | Katara Lodge 

Mid-range: Buffalo Safari Lodge | Ihamba Safari Lodge| Enganzi Lodge |  Bush Lodge 

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Day 4: Safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast, we depart to Queen Elizabeth National Park which is dominated on its northern border by the snow-capped 16,000-foot Rwenzori Mountains - the famed "Mountains of the Moon". This 767-square-mile conservation area is bordered on the northeast by Lake George and on the southwest by Lake Edward; its western border adjoins the Congo Parc du Virunga.

As we drive through the park, expect to spot teeming herds of impala-like Uganda kob, as well as topi, elephant, and Cape buffalo. There are also several soda lakes filling ancient volcanic calderas where flamingos reside seasonally.

In the afternoon we will go on a boat trip along the Kazinga Channel. This gives you the opportunity to view wildlife up close: hippos huff and spray at very close range from the boat, and buffalo linger in the shallows. The shores of the channel are also home to an array of birds including pink-backed pelicans, pied and malachite kingfishers, saddle-billed storks, and many others.

Accommodation Options (Full Board)

Up-market/Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge | Katara Lodge 

Mid-range: Buffalo Safari Lodge | Ihamba Safari Lodge| Enganzi Lodge | Bush Lodge 

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Optional activity: Lion Tracking:

For visitors who yearn to get up close to wild African fauna, a research trip is a rewarding adventure. This new and unique experience allows visitors to actively participate in monitoring some of the lions in the park, using locator devices, learning habituation calls, as well as monitoring weather, surroundings, and behavior. The results are added to researchers’ databases, contributing valuable information to the overall understanding of wildlife ecology - and helping to conserve this wonderful ecosystem. This will as well give you a 95% chance to see the lions!

The number of people on each outing is limited in order to reduce stress on the animals and to increase the quality of the experience for visitors.

For visitors who yearn to get up close to wild African fauna, a research trip is a rewarding adventure. This new and unique experience allows visitors to actively participate in monitoring some of the exotic birds and mammals that fill the park, using locator devices and learning habituation calls, as well as monitoring weather, surroundings, and behavior. The results are added to researchers’ databases, contributing valuable information to the overall understanding of wildlife ecology - and helping to conserve this wonderful ecosystem.

The experiential tourism activities currently available are Mongoose Tracking, Lion Tracking, Hippo Census, and Bird Counts. The number of people on each outing is limited in order to reduce stress on the animals and to increase the quality of the experience for visitors.

Experiential tours last between one and three hours. They usually take place in the early morning or evening, or occasionally at night. All activities must be booked through the Visitor Information Centre in Mweya at least 24 hours in advance.

Costing: $225 US dollars p.p.

Day 5: Tree climbing lions in Ishasha & Maramagambo Forest Bush Walk

Another early start for a bushwalk through the Maramagambo Forest.

This is one of the largest forests in Uganda and forms a habitat for a number of primates and forest dwellers. Due to its location, Maramagambo also has a great diversity of butterflies and birds. The walk culminates in a visit to volcanic caves that are home to thousands of bats. Pythons are often observed in the crevices of the bats' caves as they prey on bats. On this walk, you will see the picturesque blue lake Kimeranjojo which got its name after swallowing an elephant. Other trails will lead you to the crater lake and habitats of wild chimps and forest birds.

In the afternoon you will proceed to Ishasha Sector. Drive along the deep and wide dry craters that are occupied by savanna grasses and acacia. The drive takes you through the unique western rift valley escarpment and the (southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park) Ishasha sector where you will take on yet another game drive in search of tree-climbing lions in the afternoon and evening. 

Accommodation Options (Full Board)

Up-market/Luxury: Ishasha Wilderness Campsite

Mid-range: Enjojo Lodge 

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Day 6: Flight Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, home to the mountain gorillas | Batwa Pygmies Experience

After your breakfast, we will depart Ishasha Sector for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The flight to Bwindi departs from Kihihi Airstrip which is about 20 minutes of driving from your lodge/ camp. It departs at 07:00 a.m. and lands at Kisoro Airstrip from where you will meet your safari guide again. You will then first be transferred to your accommodation to check-in.

Option 1: Batwa Cultural Experience

In the afternoon, we shall on a one-hour walk along the park boundaries to experience the Batwa Pygmies community.

The Batwa are one of Uganda’s marginalized tribes and are viewed with derision by many. The Batwa have lived their lives to current generations by hunting and gathering in the forest. The visit to the Batwa invariably involves songs and a dance demonstration, and once the music begins you can’t help but notice that they project a genuine pride in themselves. You shall then return to the lodge for lunch and also relax. Enjoy your evening at leisure as you prepare yourselves for the next day’s journey back to Entebbe. The forest itself is lush and green and there are streams running through it.

Option 1: Coffee Tour and Lake Mutanda Canoeing

Through the coffee tour, you will learn how to dig, weed, and harvest organic coffee in a real farming environment. You will get involved and learn about the process from seedlings to the drink/cup. You will be able to take part in picking, pounding, roasting, grinding, and drinking coffee. The skills and knowledge needed by farmers will bring a new appreciation to your coffee-drinking habits. Here you take nothing but the coffee-making experience.

You'll then take on your 2-hour guided canoe challenge on the beautiful calm waters of Lake Mutanda. At the end of the canoe experience, take a walk through the communities and villages of Bwindi outskirts till you meet your driver to transfer you to the hotel.

Accommodation Options (Full Board)

Up-market: Four Gorillas Lodge |  Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge

Moderate: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge | Lake Mulehe Gorilla Lodge | Mutanda Lake Resort

Day 7: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After breakfast, proceed for the morning briefing before enjoying the highlight of the trip - gorilla trekking, which may last the entire day.

We trek through the rainforest and bamboo-covered slopes, accompanied by a guide and trackers, in search of a mountain gorilla family. The walking can sometimes be tough and long, but when you catch a glimpse of the magnificent silverback, any discomforts will be quickly forgotten. When sighted, visitors will be guided to within 6 meters from the gorillas, sit around them for a whole hour while gazing into their big round eyes.

Gorilla trekking is unpredictable. It's difficult to foresee how many hours you will hike. The gorilla excursion can take from 2 up to 8 hours. Expect to walk a long distance in steep and muddy conditions, sometimes with rain overhead, before you encounter any gorillas. A good physical condition is recommended. For conservation purposes, time spent with the gorillas is limited to one hour. A ranger will brief you on how to behave with the gorillas.

Accommodation Options (Full Board)

Up-market: Four Gorillas Lodge |  Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge

Moderate: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge | Lake Mulehe Gorilla Lodge | Mutanda Lake Resort

Day 8: Golden Monkey Tracking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

After breakfast, we will trek the scenic Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, and our target this morning will be to track a troop of golden monkeys.

The Golden Monkey may not be the most well-known primate, but is certainly an enjoyable, little creature that is worth visiting. It is a small curious monkey, golden in color and loves to scamper around the trees. Golden monkeys are named after their golden-orange fur, and like mountain gorillas, are also considered endangered species. Conservation efforts have been put in place by the Uganda Wildlife Authority to ensure that the monkeys are protected – especially from poachers.

There is a habituated family of monkeys in Mgahinga, where tourists can track and stay with them for a period of four hours depending on where they nested the previous night and how far it is from the starting point.

It is estimated that Mgahinga Gorilla National Park has between 3000-4000 golden monkeys grouped in troupes of 30s led by a principal adult male. Golden monkeys are primarily to be found in the bamboo forest that skirts the lower slopes of the volcanoes. They are quite more active in the bamboo canopy.  Golden monkeys are opportunistic feeders. What they feed on could be the availability of fruits, leaves of bamboo trees, shoots of bamboo, shrubs, flowers, and invertebrates and these make it to be restricted to the highland forest, mostly the bamboo forest.

Golden monkey tracking starts at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park headquarters at 7:30 a.m. for a pre-tracking briefing (on the dos and don’ts of tracking the golden monkeys). The actual trek begins at 8:00 a.m. Hiking through the forests to sight the golden monkeys is not as strenuous as gorilla trekking because golden monkeys live in lower areas, so tourists do not track for more than 3 hours. When tourists encounter the golden monkey family, they are given one hour to spend with them (to take photographs and observe their behavior). 

Day 9: Lake Bunyonyi, relaxing in the afternoon.

After breakfast, we drive to Lake Bunyonyi.

This is a 2 hours' drive. Arrive at Bunyonyi early and with great scenic views of the surrounding hills. This lake is located between Kisoro and Kabale in southwestern Uganda close to the border with Rwanda. It’s believed to be the second deepest lake in Africa with a depth between 44m and 900m deep and it's about 7 to 25 km wide. With its freshwater, bilharzia-free, and beautiful landscapes, Lake Bunyonyi is a small paradise for travelers.

Accommodation Options (Full Board)

Up-market: Bird's Nest | Acadia Cottages Lake Bunyonyi

Moderate: Bunyonyi Overland Resort

Day 10: Transfer to Kihihi Airstrip for flight transfer to Entebbe

This morning, we shall depart from Lake Bunyonyi and drive to Kihihi Airstrip for your flight to Entebbe International Airport.  

If you plan to spend additional time in Uganda, this safari can be tailored to your wishes to include some of the many activities available in Entebbe and throughout Uganda. You could explore Kampala; visit Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary or the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre; have a luxury sunset boat cruise on Lake Victoria or take a short trip to Jinja, the Adventure center of East Africa, offering grade 5 white water rafting, and quad biking.