This 15 days Uganda safari takes you to Murchison falls National park for game viewing and boats trips, Ziwa Rhino sanctuary for Rhino trekking, Kibale National park for chimpanzee trekking and nature walks, Queen Elizabeth National park for game viewing and launch trips, Bwindi Impenetrable National park for mountain gorilla trekking and cultural visits, visit to Lake Bunyonyi the “Switzerland of Africa” then finally to Lake Mburo National park for game viewing and boat trips and back to Kampala or Entebbe airport with en-route stopover at the Uganda Equator for photographs.
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Day 1: Pick up from the Entebbe Airport
Upon arrive at Entebbe airport, you will be welcomed by the company representative/guide who will transfer you to Protea hotel, Sheraton hotel or Kampala Forest Cottages.
Day 2: Pick up from hotel – Transfer to Murchison falls National Park After your morning breakfast, you will be picked up by your guide, have briefing and transfer to Murchison Falls National park in north western Uganda. The distance is 344km which is approximately 5-6hours drive to the park via Masindi town. You will en-route visit Ziwa Rhino sanctuary in Nakasongola for white rhino trekking. Meet the rhinos in their natural habit for 1 hour, have lunch and proceed to Murchison Falls National park, visit the top of the falls on arrival and watch the magnificent falls running down between the rocks. Dinner and overnight at Paraa safari lodge, Murchison River lodge or Chill rest camp.
Day 3: Morning game drive and boat cruise
Breakfast and head out for a morning game drive guided by the game rangers, catch up with the early morning risers as they set out to look for food. Drive through the Uganda’s biggest National park with variety of wild animals including elephants, lions, leopards, warthogs, antelopes, bush bucks, Uganda kobs, bush pigs, giraffes, buffaloes and so many bird species. Return to your lodge for lunch and go for boat cruise on Murchison Falls to the bottom of the falls, view more wild animals like crocodiles, hippos, elephants and buffaloes on the banks of the falls and return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 4: Transfer to Kibale National park
After your breakfast, transfer to Kibale National park in western Uganda via kyenjojo Hoima road. Kibale National park is 346km approximately 6-7hours drive from Murchison falls National Park and the biggest rainforest which harbors 13 primate species including chimpanzees, olive baboons, velvet monkeys, red tailed monkeys among others and over 350 bird species. Enjoy the great scenic views along the way as you drive to Kibale National park. Dinner and overnight at KIbale Primate Lodge, crater safari lodge, Rwenzori view guest house.
Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking and nature walks
Head out for chimpanzee trekking very early in the morning after your breakfast in Kibale National park. At exactly 7:30 assemble at the headquarters for briefing by the game rangers on the dos and don’ts of chimpanzee trekking. At 8am move to the forest in search of chimpanzees, may take 1-5 hours depending on where they slept the previous night. On encounter with the chimpanzees, you are allowed to one hour for viewing, observation, taking pictures and videos before you leave the forest and return to the lodge for lunch and relaxation. In the evening set out for a nature walk to Bigodi wetland sanctuary an area in magombe swamp well known for its biodiversity and vegetation which shelters many wild animals like baboons, velvet monkeys, sitatungas, bush pigs, black and white colubus, red tailed monkeys, blue monkeys and so on. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park and rest
Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National park in western Uganda the most popular savannah National park In Uganda with over 600 bird species, mammals like elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards, bush bucks, water bucks among others and great scenic views.
Queen Elizabeth National park can be accesses via Fort portal -Mpondwe road for 2-3hours drive from Kibale National park. Overnight at Mweya safari lodge, Enganzi game lodge or simba safari camp.
Day 7: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise.
Start the day with morning game after your delicious cup of coffee, drive in the woodland and savannah grasslands of Queen Elizabeth National park where you will spot the sitatungas, warthogs, lions, buffaloes, elephants, bush bucks, water bucks, antelopes often sighted in the kasenyi sector in the northern part of the park. Drive back to the lodge for lunch and go for a boat cruise on Kazinga channel that links to Lake Edward to Lake George. Enjoy a 2 hours boat trip and get to spot more wild life and water loving animals including crocodiles, hippos, buffaloes, elephants and many bird species. Back to lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 8: Transfer to ishasha sector – game drive
Drive to Ishasha sector in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National park as you do game drive through the park, watch the tree climbing lions that cannot be seen from anywhere in Uganda. Ishasha sector is well known destination for tree climbing lions that are seen sleeping on top of the fig and acacia trees. These lions climb up in the trees to hide from insect bites and also running from the heat on the ground, on the trees they are also able to watch their prey like antelopes as they graze down. Watch also other animals like elephants, leopards, bush pigs along the way. Overnight at Ishasha Wilderness camp, Bwindi Jungle lodge or Enjojo lodge.
Day 9: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National park
After your morning breakfast, transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National park in south western part of Uganda home to the endangered mountain gorillas and the batwa people. Enjoy the great views of Kigezi highlands and hills on your way to Bwindi Impenetrable National park. Dinner and overnight at Gorilla safari lodge, Haven lodge or Bwindi view bandas.
Day 10: Gorilla trekking and cultural tours
Have early morning breakfast and set out to the park headquarters for briefing about the rules and regulations of gorilla trekking by the ranger guides. With your packed lunch and enough drinking water, move into the forest in search of mountain gorillas guided by rangers in their natural habitats. Hike through the trails watch birds, other primates, falls, rivers, reptiles as you search for the gorillas for 1-8 hours depending on how far the group you are allocated to and where they built their nests the previous night. On encounter with the gorillas as you enjoy the breath taking and adventurous experience, you are allowed to 1 hour with the gorillas for observations, learning about them, pictures and videos before you leave the forest back to the starting point. Return to lodge for lunch and relaxation, in the evening set out for the batwa community, enjoy their entertainments of the traditional dances, storytelling, hand craft making among others. Back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 11: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi – Kabale
Drive to Lake Bunyonyi the “Switzerland of Africa” as named by Winston Churchill in Kabale. Lake Bunyonyi is the second deepest lake in Africa and birder’s spot which is visited by quite a number of tourists in Uganda. Enjoy the fresh breath at the lake with sights and sounds of the birds singing with sweet melodies. Meals and overnight at Bunyonyi Resort, Bunyonyi overland camp or Crater bay cottages.
Day 12: Lake Bunyonyi – Canoeing and nature walks
After breakfast, get on a canoe and visit Lake Bunyonyi with 29 islands each island with a different history. Forexample the punishment island where young girls who got pregnant before marriage where taken as a way of punishing them. Have lunch and go for nature walk around the shores of the lake, enjoy the specular views of the forests around with many wild animal species, birds as it is a paradise for the birds. You can go swimming in the lake because it is bilharzia free therefore safe for swimming. Return to lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 13: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park
Set off to Lake Mburo National park in Kiruhura district via Ntungamo Mbarara as you enjoy the great scenic views of the kigezi hills, banana plantations, en route at Igongo cultural centre in Mbarara for lunch and tour the museum which displays things of the kings of Ankole and learn more about the Banyankole, then proceed to Lake Mburo National park with dinner and overnight at Mihingo lodge, Arcadia cottages or Eagles Nest.
Day 14: Game drive and Boat cruise
After your breakfast, embark on the morning game drive around Lake Mburo National home to zebras, enjoy the wild animals as they graze woodlands and savannah grasslands of the park including; zebras, lions, leopards, giraffes, antelopes, elands, sitatungas, duikers, buffaloes among others. Drive back to the lodge for lunch and embark on adventurous boat cruise on Lake Mburo. Spot different water loving animals like hippos, crocodiles, antelopes, buffaloes on the shores of the waters and after return to the lodge for diner and overnight.
Day 15: Transfer back to Kampala – at the equator
Drive back to Kampala, en route stopover at the Uganda equator for lunch, photography, equator experimentations and last shopping of souvenir from craft shops to take back home, proceed to Kampala or Entebbe airport for your flight back to your next destination.
End of safari.