9 Days Explorer Uganda Safari

Uganda is a great destination to experience wildlife viewing in both forest and savannah. Not to be missed is gorilla tracking in Bwindi; while chimps can easily be spotted in Kibale Forest. Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls National Parks offer wonderful savannah safaris with good wildlife viewing, but animals are not as abundant compared to the top parks of Kenya and Tanzania.

The Explore Uganda Safari takes you to one of the very few places to see endangered mountain gorillas, combines primate viewing with a classic savannah safari, gives you a good balance between vehicle, boat and walking activities and not leaving out the excellent birding experience and the scenic beauty.

Explore Uganda Highlights Include

• Visit the Majestic Murchison Falls National Park and amazing boat cruise to the bottom of the falls
• Visit Kibale Forest National Park lots of primates and bird life, the Crater Lakes and beautiful colonial tea plantations.
• The Kazinga Channel that joins Lake Edward and Lake George, this is wildlife bonaza.
• Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, this forest has a lot to offer and its home to largest population of Mountain Gorillas.
• Community walks will introduce you to locals’ way of life, perfect photographic opportunity.

Your safari at a Glance!!!!

Days	Routes / activities		Accommodation		Covered Meal Plan
Day 1	Arrival at Entebbe Airport		Papyrus Guesthouse		B,B
Day 2	Rhino trekking and Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park		Hornbill Bush lodge		B,L,D
Day 3	Full Day Murchison Falls		Hornbill bush lodge		B,L,D
Day 4	Murchison Falls  – Kibale Forest – visit the Crater region		Isunga Lodge		B,L,D
Day 5	Morning Chimpanzee trekking and Transfer to Queen Elizabeth  Park		Kasenyi safari Lodge		B,L,D
Day 6	Game drive in Kasenyi Sector  - proceed to Ishasha sector		Topi Lodge		B,L,D
Day 7	Morning game drive Ishasha sector and proceed to  Buhoma sector of Bwindi		Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge		B,L,D
Day 8	Gorilla tracking activity – Buhoma		Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge		B,L,D
Day 9	Aerolink transfer to Entebbe – mabamba swamp – airport transfer for outbound flight
B-Breakfast	L-Lunch		D-Dinner

 

DAY 1: ARRIVAL ENTEBBE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

On your arrival we will meet you at Entebbe International Airport and will transfer you to Papyrus Guesthouse; your accommodation for tonight.

Overnight at Papyrus Guest House (B&B)

 

DAY 2:  - ENTEBBE MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK – RHINO TREKKING

After Breakfast pick up from you accommodation in Entebbe. Proceed with rhino trekking before having a lunch break and the proceed to Murchison Falls in the afternoon – allow 3 -4 hours’ drive, access the park entrance through the north bank.

Accommodation: Hornbill Bush Lodge  

Meal Plan: Full Board

DAY 3: GAME DRIVE AND BOAT CRUISE AND HIKE TO THE TOP OF THE FALLS

Take an early cup of tea/coffee at and then set off for a game-drive in the park. You have the chance of seeing Big cats hunting, Elephants, Giraffes, Buffalos, plus more as the checklist of mammals reaches 76. We continue browsing the Drive circuits to the Delta point for a cocktail of Birds and mammals. Enjoy a relaxed lunch and then have a 3 hour boat ride to the base of the falls where you get to see the Hippos (You have never seen more hippos yawning, Grooming in there Pods anywhere else than here- Believe me you)! Nile Crocodiles, Elephants and a variety of beautiful bird species along the banks. If you are a keen birder this might be your magnet to catch them. Continue with the hike to visit the top of the falls. This is a magnificent classic highlight on our 2nd day as an explosive dash of water at close range gushes through a narrow crevice.

Overnight at Hornbill Bush Lodge. 

Meal plan: Full board

 

DAY 4: - MURCHISON FALLS – KIBALE FOREST NATIONAL PARK.

This is a driving day where provision should be made to allow 8 hours on the road.

With an early game drive, you will depart Paraa Safari Lodge via the rift valley escarpment road offering spectacular views over Lake Albert to the DR Congo and West Nile. You will proceed via the towns of Biso, Hoima, Kenjojo and onto Fort Portal to your overnight accommodation venue within Kibale Forest National Park at Primate Lodge. The venue is great starting point for Chimpanzee tracking.

En-route to the lodge we will shake off the long drive with a walk to the “top of the world” along crater lakes which this area is also famous for.

Accommodation: Primate Lodge

Meal plan: Full board

 

DAY 5: - CHIMPANZEE TREKKING (KANYANCHU)  – QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK

Proceed morning at 7:30 Am for a half day chimpanzee experience; you will spend the half day with Chimpanzees following them around. While tracking, you will be able to spot different animal species like the Red Colobus, Black and white Colobus, Grey-cheeked Mangabey, Olive Baboon, Red-tailed Monkey, and L’Hoest’s Monkey among others and different bird species.

 

In the afternoon depart Kibale Forest to Queen Elizabeth National Park, lying 1978 sq. km west of Uganda. It harbours a diverse eco-system with a lovely savannah, fertile wetlands making it home for the big game, 10 primate species and a large number of bird species.

Proceed directly to the Mweya Penisular and will enjoy an afternoon Launch cruise along the Kazinga channel. The channel is 40 wide and offers beautiful scenery of hundreds of hippos along the banks as well as different bird species seen when cruising west towards Lake Edward.

 

Accommodation: Kasenyi Safari Lodge

Meal Plan: Full board arrangement

 

DAY 6:  – FULL DAY QENP NATIONAL PARK WITH ISASHA SECTOR 

Have an early morning Game drive the best time for the game drive where you have an excellent opportunity to see lion, leopard, giant forest hog, cape buffalo, elephant, defassa waterbuck, Uganda Kob, topi, bushbuck and different bird species with the help of the guide, return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon proceed to the Ishasha Sector, very famous for the tree-climbing lions. The Ishasha sector is the only other place in the entire world where you will find tree climbing lions apart from Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania.

Accommodation: Topi Lodge   

Meal Plan: Full board arrangement

 

DAY 7:– ISHASHA - BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST

 

Today we will depart the beautiful area of Queen Elizabeth and drive to the southwest via a Ishasha sector with a brief game drive in search of tree climbing lions, thereafter proceed to Buhoma sector.

In Buhoma which is the northern side of the park you will meet our Nkuringo Walking Safari guide who will walk with you 4 hours through the forest to Nkuringo, on the southern side. Your safari guide will meanwhile drive around to the lodge and will meet you there so we recommend you pack a little day pack as chances are high that you will arrive before him. A packed lunch will be provided.

Your arrival in Nkuringo will see you at 2160m above sea level. From the vantage of Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge a 270-degree panorama will hopefully unfold to reveal views of the volcanoes of the Virunga, the western arm of the Great Rift Valley and a huge swathe of primary forest that constitutes the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.

Accommodation: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge

Meal plan: Full board

 

 

DAY 8:  - GORILLA TRACKING – BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST NATIONAL PARK

After breakfast proceed to the Nkuringo visitor’s reception 300m from Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge. The guides do a good job to describe the surroundings and the lifestyle of the animals. After this tour, in the evening you can relax around a campfire, take walks or retire to the lodge.

On completion of the gorilla tracking you will return to Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge to freshen up, and reflect back and browse your pictures of the gorilla tracking activity earlier in the day. Time permitting with one of the Nkuringo Walking Safaris guide team you can explore the village of Nkuringo to engage in some cultural interaction to visit the 'Top of the World' view point where on a clear day the Rwenzori Mountains can be seen some 170km distant.

Accommodation: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge

Meal plan: Full board

 

DAY 9:– TRANSFER TO ENTEBBE / KIGALI

After breakfast depart Nkuringo via town of Kisoro and continue the drive back to Entebbe or Kigali. You will then be transferred back to papyrus for freshening up before being transferred to the airport for your out bound flight.