Uganda habituation experiences for gorillas, chimps, monkeys, lions habituation & Kidepo NP Safari - 15 Days

Uganda Gorilla habituation safari with chimps habituation experience, golden monkey habituation, and lion tracking,  with  Kidepo Safari – 15 Days Uganda Safari of Wildlife Habituation Experiences with BIG-5 and Endangered primates.

Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe Airport, Optional “Behind the Scenes” Tour at Uganda Wildlife Education Center (Entebbe Zoo).

Upon arrival at Entebbe airport, you are met by your safari guide. Go through the program for your stay here in detail before being transferred to your hotel in Entebbe. If you will be arriving early in the day, you could choose to visit the Uganda Wildlife Education Center for some intimate time with the wildlife here.

In this specially arranged "behind the scenes"  experience, you will observe the animals’ behavior and experience firsthand how the keepers feed the lions, carry out health checks, or bring them back to their holding facilities. Have the luxury of a privileged few and visit the food preparation areas, the pharmacy, the exhibits, and much, much more. This way you can say that you have truly visited the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre.

Accommodation Options (Full Board)

Top-Luxury: Hotel No.5

Luxury: Protea Mariott Hotel - Entebbe

Moderate: Horizon Hotel Entebbe or 2 Friends Beach Hotel

Day 2: Drive to Ziwa Rhinos for Rhino Tracking 

You will be picked up by our driver/guide at your hotel or residence in Entebbe after you have had breakfast ready to start your tour to the most isolated national park in Uganda and we will drive you through the plain and remote vegetation to the northern part of the country.

Within about three hours we shall arrive at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary where you will be tracking the white rhinos

The Rhino's restoration project is an initiative of two organizations, Rhino Fund Uganda and Uganda Wildlife Authority. Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is situated about one hundred and seventy-six kilometers (approximately 100 miles) north of Kampala on the Gulu highway as you are heading towards Murchison Falls National Park.

 Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is the only place in Uganda where you will get the opportunity to see rhinos in the wild. 

At the moment the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is a habitat for 34 southern white rhinos. Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary has become very popular with tourists in recent years. It’s a perfect spot for rhino trekking, nature walks, bird watching, and relaxation.

Accommodation (all meals included)

Top Luxury & Luxury: Amuka Safari Lodge

Midrange: Amuka Safari Lodge

Day 3: Onwards to Kidepo Valley National Park, Traditional Karimajong  Tribe Cultural Experience

Today you will travel to Kidepo Valley N.P. A long but rewarding drive will take you past one of the most beautiful sceneries in Uganda.

If you can plan today on a Wednesday, you'll have the chance to experience an authentic Karamajong cattle market (that is today in this tour). Some herders walk for 5 hours to be able to buy or sell their goats, cows, or chicken here. It’s a colorful and stunning sight and one of the few remaining authentic experiences. Don’t miss this!

The Karamojong are related to the Maasai in Kenya and live and dress similarly. The main difference is that not any other tourist is going here. Only a few years ago, tourism in Karamoja would not have been possible due to armed inter-tribal conflict but nowadays it’s safe. 

After this thrilling experience, it is time to enter the most remote and pristine national park in the country, Kidepo Valley National Park. The park has some of the most amazing scenery in the country! For many people, this is the most beautiful park in Uganda. Here you will find almost no tourists leaving you free to enjoy the park and its unique combination of wildlife without distraction

Accommodation (all meals included)

Top Luxury: Apoka Safari Lodge

Luxury: Adere Safari Lodge

Midrange: Kidepo Savannah Lodge (ensuite)

Day 4: Safari in Kidepo Valley National Park 

In Kidepo Valley National Park you will find zebras, giraffes, elephants, lions, and leopards. This is also the only place in Uganda where you can find the cheetah and ostrich.

Kidepo is famous for its lions relaxing on the rocks - a scene that may remind you of a certain Disney film. You might even be very lucky to spot a leopard or cheetah! Besides the 4x4 safaris, you can also take a bush walk in the park with an armed ranger.

Accommodation (all meals included)

Top Luxury: Apoka Safari Lodge

Luxury: Adere Safari Lodge

Midrange: Kidepo Savannah Lodge (ensuite)

Day 5: Murchison Falls National Park

We shall set off after breakfast from Kidepo at 7 a.m. driving southwards to Murchison Falls National Park.

This route gives you an opportunity to enjoy the scenery of Labwor hills and in particular the massive and bare Alerek (Kidi Rwot) rock about 55 km from Kotido. 

Murchison Falls National Park is the largest in Uganda at 3,840 square kilometers. Here is the awe-inspiring Murchison Falls where the River Nile hurls itself in convulsions through a narrow crevice and then plunges 40 meters in one breathtaking leap.

The park has a variety of vegetation ranging from riparian forests and swamplands to broad savannah and provides visitors the opportunity to see large concentrations of wildlife including lion, leopard, civet, hyena, elephant, giraffe, buffalo, hippo, crocodile, a host of smaller game, small primates and many bird species, including the rare shoebill stork. The park is especially famous for crocodiles and hippos.

Once we enter the park, you will be stopping at the top of the falls which is a fantastic sight. Here the Nile, the longest river in the world, is forced through a narrow gap in the rock (only 7 meters wide), before ferociously plunging down 43 meters.

Accommodation Options (Full Board)

Top Luxury: Nile Safari Lodge

Luxury: Thatched cottage at Murchison River Lodge | Deluxe Room at Paraa Safari Lodge

Moderate:  Pakuba Lodge

Day 6: Murchison Falls National Park | Game Drive | Boat Trip

After breakfast head to the delta in search of birdlife and enjoy the game drive to look for lions, giraffes, herds of elephants, buffaloes, and many more. We will drive back to the lodge for lunch before taking an afternoon boat cruise to the foot of Murchison Falls.

This boat trip along the Nile is often cited as being the highlight of a trip to Murchison since it allows you to get up-close and personal with the animals. Along this stretch of the river, there are reported to be around 4,000 hippos in addition to some enormous Nile crocodiles. The bird life is stunning with brightly colored kingfishers and bee-eaters darting along the riverbanks. If lucky, you may see the rare and prehistoric-looking shoebill, which is a cross between the dodo and a dinosaur. The boat takes you to the base of the falls which only adds to their impressiveness.

Accommodation Options (Full Board)

Top Luxury: Nile Safari Lodge

Luxury: Thatched cottage at Murchison River Lodge | Deluxe Room at Paraa Safari Lodge

Moderate:  Pakuba Lodge

Day 7: Kibale National Park & Fort Portal; PM- Bigodi Wetland Primates' Walk

Leave Murchison Falls National Park for Kibale Forest National Park via the Lake Albert escarpment, having a good view of the lake. Stopover at Kolping Hotel in Hoima for lunch and after a drive across the interesting river Nkusi (flowing from the southern end of Lake Albert, through the villages of Kagadi, joining Victoria Nile). Both rivers join Lake Kyoga and flow through Murchison Falls continue to Lake Albert and north to the Mediterranean Sea.

Traveling on both asphalt and unpaved roads, you pass through traditional Ugandan villages where you see people at work tending their traditional crops of millet, sorghum, beans, and maize. The lush rolling hills of this region provide good photo opportunities.

As you approach Fort Portal in the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains, you enter Uganda's famous tea plantation region. A carpet of green spreads before you, as far as the eye can see, and seems an unusual contrast to the countryside through which you have just passed.

You arrive at Fort Portal, then, continue toward Kibale Forest, one of the great African rainforest research reserves. Years of study by scientists (who have cut a grid through the forest) have habituated many of its animals to human observers. This forest is famed for the variety of primates found here and it is a terrific area for birds. This rural Ugandan town is locally famous for its weaving and basketry, and we can spend some time briefly examining some of this local art.

Fort Portal is a small and attractive city. The fort was built between 1891 and 1893 and named after Sir Gerald Portal, the British Consul General of Zanzibar who arrived in Uganda in 1892 to formalize the protectorate of Uganda. He died of malaria a few months after the fort was completed.

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 among others.

Accommodation Options (Full Board)

Top Luxury: Kyaninga Lodge | Ndali Lodge

Luxury: Crater Safari Lodge| Primate Lodge Kibale 

Moderate: Isunga Lodge | Chimpanzee Forest Lodge (ens uite cottage) | Kibale Forest Camp | Turaco Treetops

Day 8: Chimpanzee Habituation Experience Plus Other Primates

Today we’ll accompany Kibale’s researchers in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to contribute to a “soft” habituation project with chimpanzees. You’ll learn to safely observe the chimps during their daily activities, so they get comfortable with human presence without changing their natural behaviors. You will be able to experience the chimp families as they wake up, hunt, patrol, play, fight, copulate, and breastfeed.

Guided by biologists and researchers, we will enjoy unprecedented intimate access to these wild chimps for the entire day until they build their nests at bedtime.

Overnight Lodges/ Camps:

Top Luxury: Kyaninga Lodge | Ndali Lodge

Luxury: Crater Safari Lodge| Primate Lodge Kibale 

Moderate: Isunga Lodge| Kibale Forest Camp| Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse

Day 9: Queen Elizabeth National Park, Viewing Rwenzoris, Crater Lakes & Wild Animals

We then drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The wildlife that we hope to see is partly dependent on the weather season. However, we shall be spending some time in the Kasenyi plains because they usually have higher lion sighting opportunities than other places in the park.

The drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park from Kibale is normally about one and a half hours on a mostly paved road. It is one of the most beautiful drives tourist experience while in safari in Uganda. On your right are awesome views of the Rwenzori Mountain ranges - the snow-capped 16,000-foot peaks famed as the "the Mountains of the Moon". There are also several crater lakes that you get to see even before entering Queen Elizabeth National Park, and the the crossing of River Nyamwaba near Kasese. 

The 767 square-mile conservation area of Queen Elizabeth National Park is bordered on the northeast by Lake George and on the southwest by Lake Edward; its western border adjoins the Congo Parc du Virunga. You will expect to see teeming herds of impala-like Uganda kob, as well as topi, elephant and lion, giant forest hog, and Cape buffalo. There are also several soda lakes filling ancient volcanic calderas where flamingos reside seasonally.

Overnight Lodges/ Camps:

Top Luxury: Elephant Plains Lodge | Kyambura Gorge Lodge | Kasenyi Safari Camp |  Mazike Lodge

Luxury: Mweya Lodge | Katara Lodge

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

Day 10: Queen Elizabeth National Park, Jeep Safari, Lion Tracking, Boat Safari

See a different face of the park as we venture off-road with a research team to track lions and contribute to a valuable lion research project in the Ishasha Sector. The researchers' Land-cruiser is fitted with radio-collar-receiving equipment. You get a full briefing on the animals with the opportunity for as much lion photography as you can manage.

After a leisurely lunch on the Mweya Peninsula, we’ll enjoy a two-hour boat safari along the Kazinga Channel. This affords the opportunity to view wildlife up close: hippos huff and spray 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.

Overnight Lodges/ Camps:

Top Luxury: Elephant Plains Lodge | Kasenyi Safari Camp | 

Luxury: Mweya Lodge | Katara Lodge

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

Day 11: Tree-climbing Lions, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After breakfast we drive further south through stunning savannah grasslands as we head to the southern sector of the park – Ishasha. This is the best area to see the famous tree-climbing lions draped from the low-hanging limbs of fig trees. Next, we visit the Kob Mating Ground—a defined area specifically used by these stunning antelopes for challenging other males, enticing females, and mating. Finally, we’ll pass through beautiful savannah grasslands as we head toward the breathtaking Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.

While most of today's forests are no more than 12,000 years old, Bwindi's vegetation has been weaving itself into tangles for over 25,000 years, in the process accumulating a lengthy species list. This includes 310 species of butterflies, 51 reptiles, 200 trees, 88 moths, and an exceptional 120 species of mammals including 10 primates. The latter includes chimpanzees, L'Hoest's, red-tailed and blue monkeys, black and white colobus, baboons, and Bwindi's most famous resident, the mountain gorilla.

Bwindi is a prime destination for bird watchers. Its 350 species include seven which are IUCN red data listed and 90% of all Albertine Rift endemics – species that are difficult or impossible to see in any other part of East Africa.

Top Up-market: Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge | Four Gorillas Lodge

Luxury: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge | Chameleon Hill Lodge | Deluxe Cabin room at Gorilla Safari Lodge

Moderate: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge 

Day 12: Mountain Gorilla Habituation Experience (spending 4 hours with the gorillas)

We have an early morning entry into the mountain gorillas’ sanctuary. Our intimate gorilla habituation experience allows you to accompany the Uganda Wildlife Authority’s Bwindi gorilla habituation team for the entire day, allowing you to have a minimum of 4 hours in the presence of a mountain gorilla family – since regular permits only allow 1 hour, this is 4 times the amount of time spent up close with Gorillas – more than any other safari operator! During this time, you will be able to experience the gorilla family as they wake up, hunt, patrol, play, fight, copulate and breastfeed until they build their nests at bedtime.

The thrill of spending time with and observing these gentle giants is a rare and moving adventure that will leave you with long-lasting memories. Spending more time with them than the norm means you are assured of the best possible experience, with 4 full hours for better photography, researcher access for more questions, and enough time to experience more intimate and unusual behaviors. The gorillas are shy and peaceful animals, and it is an unforgettable experience to watch and photograph them as they interact with each other.

The walking can sometimes be tough and long, but when you catch a glimpse of the magnificent silverback, any discomforts will be quickly forgotten. Once the gorillas are sighted, you will be guided to within 6 meters of the gorillas and be able to sit all around them while gazing into their big round eyes as the researchers note their health, behavior, and other characteristics.

Top Up-market: Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge

Low Budget:  Gorilla Safari Lodge | Four Gorillas Lodge

Luxury: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge | Chameleon Hill Lodge | Deluxe Cabin room at Gorilla Safari Lodge

Moderate: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge

Day 13: Golden Monkey Habituation Exercise, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, transfer to Lake Bunyonyi

After an early breakfast, set off for the national park for the Golden Monkey habituation experience which allows you up to 4 hours with the monkeys.
The monkeys are primarily to be found in the bamboo forest that skirts the lower slopes of the volcanoes. The monkeys are very active in the canopy of the bamboo where your guides mimic their calls to follow the group. 

Mgahinga is more famous for mountain gorillas but is also the only place in Uganda where the rare golden monkeys can be found. Apart from primates, the park has rare bird species, some endemic to the Albertine Rift area such as scarlet-tufted malachite sunbird, mountain yellow warblers, Rwenzori batis, Rwenzori turaco, Archer’s robin-chat, and many more.

We then take a scenic drive to Lake Bunyonyi taking you through the beautiful terrain of the rolling hills with terraced landscape. A short drive leads us to the beautiful Lake Bunyonyi where we can relax and enjoy some reflection time. With its freshwater, bilharzia-free and beautiful landscapes, Lake Bunyonyi is a small paradise for travelers.

Overnight 

Top Luxury, Luxury, and Midrange: Birdnest Lake Bunyonyi Lodge

Day 14: Canoe Trekking, Drive to Lake Mburo National Park

After breakfast, set out for a 5-hour canoe trek as well as bird watching on the beautiful Lake Bunyonyi, traversing to the gorgeous Kyabahinga peninsula. Here you will be gladly welcomed with songs plus dances by the resident school children. You will enjoy with the locals at least a cup of “Obushera” which is a local brew. You will ascend the Kyabahinga slopes having a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the birdlife and the verdant terrain. The view is very breathtaking! The guide will certainly brief you about the history of the area.
Among the bird species, you will see are the Dusky Turtle Dove, the Handsome Francolin, and Alpine Chat. A renowned herbalist who is a traditional healer -Omugurusi Jeremiah, based on the hilltop will disclose to you some of the secrets about the flora on the tropical highland. 

We will then take a 3-hour drive to Lake Mburo National Park, a small but picturesque national park renowned for its herds of antelope and one of the only two Ugandan parks home to Burchell's zebra. The park is also especially good for acacia-associated birds.

Overnight in Lake Mburo National Park

Top up-market and Luxury: Mihingo Lodge

Medium: Rwakobo Rock Lodge | Kigarama Wilderness Lodge  

Day 15: Lake Mburo National Park Game Drive, Return to Entebbe

Rise early for breakfast before a short drive to the Rwonyo Park headquarters.

This has often been a good chance of seeing hyenas coming back to their dens, hippos walking back to the water, you will see buffalo, zebra, impala, and topi and with a bit of luck maybe even a sitatunga, an antelope rarely seen living in the papyrus swamps.

After your early morning activities, return to the lodge for a late breakfast and later, you will be driven to the lake to meet your captain of the day who will take you for a two-hour boat excursion. Lake Mburo boat cruise is an opportunity to see hippos, crocodiles, and waterbirds such as the African fish eagle and the rare African fin foot. Many animals such as buffaloes and antelopes gather here to drink some water so an opportunity to enjoy wildlife most especial marine animals.

We then bid farewell to the park’s friendly staff as we depart for Entebbe. En route, we will stop at the Equator for photographs and a ‘polar-water experiment', then local community crafts shops and fruit markets.

We will be in Entebbe in the evening before your flight back home.

 

Included

• Behind the Scenes experience at Uganda Wildlife Education Center
• Bwindi gorilla habituation experience permit that allows you four hours with the mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
• Chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale National Park
• Lion tracking experience in Queen Elizabeth National Park
• Golden Monkey Habituation Experience in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
• Rhinos tracking in Ziwa Sanctuary
• Game drives and boat trips in Murchison Falls National Park
• A boat trip along Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park
• Other game viewing permits
• Safari game drives in search of wildlife
• Accommodation with meals indicated on the program
• Bottled drinking water on the vehicle
• Services of a good experienced English-speaking tour guide/driver
• Transport on tour as well as hotel transfers using a customized safari land-cruiser

Excluded

• Tips for drivers and other staff
• Flight tickets and departure taxes
• Travel documentation (visas)
• Travel and medical insurance
• Optional excursion
• Beverages other than mineral water in the vehicle