13 Days Gorilla Tracking Safari
Day 1: Welcome to Uganda!
You will be picked up and welcomed from the airport by a representative of your hotel. He will transfer you to your hotel. You will meet your driver/ guide tomorrow morning when he picks you up from your hotel.
Depending on the time of your arrival, you may be able to explore the sites in and around Kampala. Activities today are at your own costs.
You will stay in a nice lodge with beautiful views on Lake Victoria. The hotel has cozy safari style furnished rooms, equipped with satellite TV, fridge bar, telephone, fan, balcony with lake-view and a comfortable bathroom.
Journey Time 1,5 hour
Accommodation Cassia Lodge
Meal Plan No meals included
Day 2: drive to Ssezibwa falls then Source of the Nile
Start this day with a delicious breakfast ,then proceed to Jinja as you are going to Jinja you will pass through Mabira forest this one of the tropical rain forest we have in Uganda, you will be able to see different monkey species jumping from different branches, near the forest there is a market for fresh fruits and roasted barbecues as you finish the forest you will meet beautiful and fascinating ever green Tea Plantations and the sugar cane plantations where you will later branch off to Ssezibwa Falls which are said to have been born as twin Falls that is a female and male, enjoy the cool environment and storytelling about this forest like environment, later drive to Jinja for the mighty source of the Nile have you delicious Lunch then in the afternoon, you will be taken around this area or else opt to do a boat cruise where you will be able to see the really source of Nile and much more bird life along the river mostly the Kingfishers and the cormorant. After this fabulous experience you will be driven to the lodge where you will have your dinner and spend an overnight.
Journey Time ?? hours
Accommodation Source of the Smile
Meal Plan Breakfast and dinner
Day 3: Bungee Jumping or white water Rafting
Start this day with a delicious breakfast, then proceed to one of these Andrinarin activities on the world’s second largest river with a lot of amazing stories about the river, different perceptions of the people about the river and Jinja town as a whole then later after this amazing experience you will be driven back to the lodge for lunch and relax for the whole evening or decide with your guide to do any other optional activity since Jinja is an adventurous district with a lot of touristic activities. In the evening you will retire for the night after your delicious dinner.
Journey Time ?? hours
Accommodation Source of the Smile
Meal Plan Breakfast and dinner
Day 4: Drive to Murchison Fall National Park and on your way visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Start this day with an early morning Breakfast then setoff for Murchison falls national park, this is the largest National Park in Uganda and the world’s most powerful waterfalls. On the way to Murchison Falls National Park make a stop at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for rhino tracking. This sanctuary covers an area of 70km2 and has over 78 park rangers and security guards who keep 24 hours watch on the Rhinos to ensure their security. The 70km2 is surrounded by 2m electric fence to keep the Rhinos in and intruders out. This sanctuary is a home to at least 40 mammals and reptilians species including monkeys, antelopes ,hippos, crocodiles and numerous bird species. After this amazing experience you have your delicious lunch and proceed for Murchison falls. This is the largest national park in Uganda but its very existence is determined by the famous Murchison falls. As you reach the lodge you will welcomed and checked in, where later you have dinner and spend an overnight.
Journey Time 6 hours
Accommodation Kibale Forest Camp
Meal Plan Breakfast and dinner
Day 5: Early Morning Game Drive and afternoon Boat Cruise
Start this day with an early morning breakfast, the game driveis mostly conducted in the northern part of the park with our knowledgeable and skilled drive guide is the fantastic way to see and photograph a wide range of animals in the Nile valley. This park is the Uganda largest and oldest conservation area, hostingabout 76 species of mammals and about 451 species of birds. The stretch of the river provides one of Uganda’s most remarkable wildlife spectacles. Regular visitors to the river bank include elephants, giraffes and buffalos while hippos andNile crocodiles and aquaticbirds are permanent residents. After this fabulous experience you go for you delicious lunch and later drive to the Launch trip, the launch trip upstream from Paraa presents an astonishing display of wildlife and culminates with the frontal view of the falls. This park is bisected by the VictoriaNile, whichplunges 45m over the remnant rift valley wall, creating the dramatic Murchison falls. The Launch trip is destined to the bottom of the falls which is well rewarding with wildlife. The stretch of the river provides one of Uganda’s most remarkable wildlife spectacles. Regular visitors to the river bank include elephants, giraffes and buffalos while hippos and Nile crocodiles and aquatic birds are permanent residents. After this fascinating and memorable experience you will drive back to the lodge rest as you wait for you dinner and spend a night.
Journey Time 6 hours
Accommodation Kibale Forest Camp
Meal Plan Breakfast and dinner
Day 6: Drive to Kibale National Park and Bigondi Swamp Walk
Kibale national Park is the most magnificent of Uganda’s tropical rain forest and one of the most rewarding areas to explore, it boasts 13 species of primates including the localized Red Colobus,L’hoest monkeys and the endemic Uganda Mangabay. Kibale’s major attraction is the Chimpanzees, the delightful Apes, most closest to humans than any other living creature. This can be seen swinging in the tree branches as one treks through the forest trails. This park also inhabits the elusive forest Elephants, Buffalos, giant forest Hogs and antelopes making it one of the most stunning Parks in Uganda. You will close this day with a fascinating swamp walk through Bigondi where you will be able see different monkey species and lots of beautiful birds such as the Great Blue Turaco
Journey Time 6 hours
Accommodation Kibale Forest Camp
Meal Plan Breakfast and dinner
Day 7: Chimpanzee Habituation Experience/Chimp Tracking
The chimpanzee habituation experience allows you to accompany Kibale’s forest researchers and habituators as they follow chimps during their daily activity, thereby getting them used to human presence without altering their natural behavior. This is a whole day activity and early visitors may be able to see the spectacular scene of the chimpsde-nesting,copulating,hunting,breast feeding, resting, patrolling and displaying until they build new nestsand retire for the night around 7:00 pm. After this amazing experience will walk back to the briefing point where you will be picked by your guide back to the lodge for dinner and spend an overnight.
Journey Time 15 minutes each way
Accommodation Kibale Forest Camp
Meal Plan Breakfast and dinner
Day 8: Drive to Queen Elizabeth N.P and do a Boat Cruise
Start this day with an early morning breakfast and head to the second largest National Park in Uganda. It is a medley of wonders because of its fabulous wildlife and many eye catching attractions. This beautiful park is crossed by the Equator where you will have a stopover and pose for the photos as you watch the beauty of the jagged Rwenzori ranges. After this fascinating experience you proceed to Mweya Peninsular, this is the tourism Hub of Queen Elizabeth National Park with most of the attractions the visitors wouldn’t want to miss out.
Mweya Peninsular is an area encircled by two water bodies that is Kazinga channel and the waters of Lake Edward leaving one way which is the entrance and the same time Exit. This is where the majestic boat cruise on Kazinga Channel is conducted. You will have a hot lunch before you setoff for this wonderful activity which is non-other than a boat cruise on Kazinga Channel. This is an oasis for many of the fascinating species that inhabit the park, and taking a boat trip along Kazinga Channel gives the visitors a chance to cruise just a few meters from hundreds of enormous hippos since Kazinga channel is well known for its big number of Hippos of over 4800, Crocodiles sun basking and Buffaloes while Elephants linger along the shoreline.. This will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of your tour. This takes about 2hours from the starting point to coming back.
After this marvelous and unforgettable experience you will opt for an evening game drive either to the salt lake of Katwe or to the craters. This park is blessed with an assortment of crater lakes which are over 52 in number, where by others are filled up by water and others and emptygrabens filledwith vegetation, this is where you will have the great and clear views of the jagged Rwenzori Mountains, you later drive back to the lodge where you will have dinner and spend a night.
Journey Time 6 hours
Accommodation Bush Lodge
Meal Plan Breakfast,Lunch and dinner
Day 9: Game drive in Kasenyi then Drive to Ishasha for Tree climbing Lions and travel to Bwindi
Start this day with an early morning breakfastthen setoff for the classic African safari in the Kasenyi tracks, the North Kazinga which offers virtually guaranteed Buffalos, Antelopes and Elephant sightings, along with warthogs. This is a rewarding game in the Kasenyi plains, this is the northern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park rich with wildlife, the game drive takes about 4-6 hours according to the season and the movement of these animals, this is a magnificent game which includes a lot to see such as Herds of Elephants, Hippos,Buffalos,Antelopes like Uganda Kobs, Daffasa Waterbuck and much more wildlife and on lucky days see a pride of lions and the solitary Leopard. This Park is known to have the longest bird list in all East African protected National Parks, thus giving you a chance to see a lot of beautiful Savanna species. You will later relax and stretch as you are enjoying your bush Breakfast. After you will leave for Ishasha which is about 75Kms from the northern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park along the way you will meet a lot of amazing wildlife such as the Baboons, Black and white Colobus monkeys, Red tailed monkeys,Vavet Monkeys and much more bird species. When you reach Ishasha you will relax, have lunch and set off for a game drive in the Ishasha plains, this is more than rewarding with a lot to see starting from the big mammals to the small ones like the mongooses, reptiles like the Nile monitor Lizard and the Agama Lizards and more eye catching bird species. Nature is unpredictable that means I cannot guarantee the sighting of the Predators but we trust our guides to do the required needful. After this memorable experience you will continue Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, check in Buhoma Community Lodge where you will have dinner and spend an overnight.
Journey Time ?? Hours
Accommodation Buhoma Community Lodge
Meal Plan Breakfast, Lunch and dinner
Day 10: Gorilla Tracking
Today is the big day; prepare yourself for an encounter with one of Bwindi’s gentle giants: the rare mountain gorilla. For most people this is the absolute highlight of their tour in Uganda.
Tracking is a captivation and unforgettable experience which more than repays the efforts needed to reach Bwindi and to trek through the forest. Gorilla tracking can be challenging and needs one to be reasonable fit before undertaking to venture into the activity. Gorilla tracking starts at 8:30am and lasts from a few hours to a whole day depending on where the Gorillas where left the previous day. This means you shall have to carry you packed Lunch and enough driving water. Though Gorilla tracking is the main attraction, the forest is also endowed with 120 species of mammals, 364 species of birds, 202 species of Butterflies, 163 species of trees, 100 species of ferns and many other endangered species. It is a UNESCO designated world Heritage Site popular for Mountain Gorillas and chimpanzees, the two great African apes listed as endangered animals in the IUCN Red Data Book.
After this memorable and unique experience you will be driven back to the lodge where you will relax, have dinner and spend an overnight
Journey Time Tracking
Accommodation Buhoma Community Lodge
Meal Plan Breakfast, Lunch and dinner
Day 11: Batwa Trail
Start this day with an early morning breakfast and set off for this amazing Batwa experience with their interesting and great stories of their lives. These are the indigenous people that lived in the forest before they were vacated out of the forest, initially they would feed on the fruits, leaves and hunt forest birds and animals like the duiker, then later they were vacated from the forest sensitized and one its one of the interesting communities around the forest of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park since they have alone showcase such a telling about their lives while they lived in the forest, their traditional dances and ways of lives.
After this memorable and unique experience you will be driven back to the lodge where you will relax, have dinner and spend an overnight.
Journey Time Tracking
Accommodation Buhoma Community Lodge
Meal Plan Breakfast, Lunch and dinner
Day 12: Drive to Lake Mburo National and Igongo Cultural Center
On this day, you will wake up have a warm and delicious breakfast then later drive to Igongo Museum where you will get to learn the traditional ways of the people in western Uganda and their culture “the Banyankole in particular” this is where you will have your lunch. And depart for Lake Mburo National Park. This is a gem of a park which is conveniently located close to the western highway that connects Kampala to the parks of western Uganda. It is a very special place with a medley of habitats ranging from wooded and open savanna, lakes, swamps to forests. This park is remarkably different from other parks. It is the best park to view the gigantic Elands, Impalas, Zebras and Acacia associated birds. The five lakes within] the park attract hippos and crocodiles while fringing swamps hide secretive papyrus specialists such as Sitatunga Antelope, Papyrus Gonlek and the rare shoebill and African Finfoot. You reach in this fascinating park during lunch time enjoy your lunch and opt for either Boat cruise or an evening game drive. These are all amazing activities; the chance is tours to choose among the two options. In case of any opted activity it will be after lunch in the late afternoon .when you are done with the activity you will come back to lodge for dinner and spend an overnight.
Journey Time ?? Hours
Accommodation Rwakobo Rock
Meal Plan Breakfast, Lunch and dinner
Day 13: Walking Safari, then back to Kampala and Entebbe for the Flight
Start this day with a warm breakfast and set off for the walking safari which is conducted on foot with the help with the armed ranger guide who will help to interpret to you the various flora and fauna of this park, about the locals in this area, these guided walks also help you to explore the park around Rwonyo which is a visit to a natural salt lick frequented by the wildlife. Viewing is facilitated by a timber observation Plat form.
After this unique experience you drive back to Kampala we will drive or Entebbe (Airport) stopping at the equator for the requisite snapshot and a bit of souvenir shopping.
Accommodation for tonight is not inclusive in the program. If you wish to depart tonight from Entebbe Airport, make sure your flight is at 10 pm or later. If you would like us to book one (or more) nights in Kampala or Entebbe, please let us know.
Journey Time 6 hours
Accommodation Not included
Meal Plan Breakfast