African Travels: 14 DAY ULTIMATE PEARL OF UGANDA GORILLA AND SAFARI TOUR (LUXURY)

Welcome to Uganda, the Pearl of Africa. On your arrival at Entebbe international airport, you will be met by our knowledgeable expert guide and will be briefed about your itinerary and the pearl of Africa which is Uganda, later you will be transferred to your Hotel.  

After breakfast, enjoy the panoramic drive northwest of Kampala through the famous battle zone of the Luwero triangle. It’s a 3-hour drive and we will take lunch at Rhino Sanctuary. 

After Lunch, we have a super interesting White Rhino trek. Ziwa has 22 free-roaming white rhinos. The trek takes about two hours in the company of a well trained and knowledgeable local guide who will educate you on their habits, behaviors, and conservation plans of this unique animal. You will fall in love with Rhinos after this experience. The Rhino re-introduction project is a project of Rhino Fund Uganda and Uganda Wildlife Authority.

Later after this fascinating and interesting trek, we will proceed to Murchison falls for checking in at your accommodation for your Dinner and overnight.

Set off the early morning at 7:30 am for the 3 hours Voyage to  Murchison Riverboat Cruise on the Victoria Nile River. Over a 17km stretch enjoy sightings of hippos, crocodiles, elephant, waterbuck, and Uganda Kob. The boat will stop just tens of meters from the sinister, frothing, and bubbling base of the falls where you can take pictures of the majestic Murchison Falls. Have your packed lunch and proceed for the next session of today's activities. 

Later on, you will proceed for a game drive in the Nyamsika plateau to see the Cape buffaloes, Rothschild’s giraffes, Uganda kob, and waterbucks. You may also spot oribi, bushbuck, Bohor reedbuck, bush duiker, warthog, and bush pig plus large carnivores including lions, leopards, and spotted hyenas and olive baboons, and a list of six species of primates found in the park.

After the game drive, we shall transfer back to your accommodation for a freshen up, dinner and overnight stay 

This morning you have the early morning unique Shoebill Trek and Canoe boat safari Ride. One of the most sought-after birds to be seen in Uganda is the shoebill stork. Murchison Falls Swamps is one of the only places that you are almost always guaranteed to see the storks. The best sighting has been 11 in one trip! Within our swamps, these prehistoric-looking birds are nesting and the best time to view them is early at sunrise.

The tour goes from 6 am to 10 am, proceed with an en-route game drive with lunch heading to the afternoon Boat Safari. The boat Safari is pleasant to ride with lots of wildlife on the sides of the river.

During the afternoon you will proceed with a game drive to see various different types of animals in their Savanna including the Cape buffaloes, Rothschild’s giraffes, Uganda kob, and waterbucks. You may also spot oribi, bushbuck, Bohor reedbuck, bush duiker, warthog, and bush pig plus large carnivores, Lions, leopards, and spotted hyenas and olive baboons, and a list of six species of primates found in the park. 

Dinner and overnight at your accommodation

Today have your breakfast at leisure later you will be assisted to check out of your accommodation for your 6 hours transfer to Kibale  Forest National Park. This park has more than 23 species of mammal, more than 255 species of bird, 289 species of butterfly, 130 species of moths, and 260 species of trees. Here also we find mammals that include Monkeys & chimpanzees. Arrive in time for lunch and relaxation with the lodge facilities as you enjoy the beautiful lodge surroundings perhaps you may see the primates mentioned in this forest. 

Dinner and Overnight stay at your accommodation

CHIMPANZEE TREK

After breakfast we will head off for a 7 : 00 am rendezvous at Kibale Forest National Park headquarters. where the rangers will give you a trek briefing before we head off to find our closest living relative. The Kibale Chimpanzees are considered extremely reliable with a trekking success rate of over 95%.

In Uganda today, Efforts to actually conserve the chimpanzees are extensively acknowledged and well supported.  Actually, The Jane Goodall Foundation has played a major role in the overall conservation of these close relatives (Chimpanzees) found in Uganda. A chimpanzee’s life expectancy is at 40 years whereas that for those living in captivity can extend up to 60 years.

After the trek, your driver-guide will be waiting for you at the exit point for your transfer back to your accommodation for a freshen up, quick hot lunch, and transfer for a 1.5-hour drive Queen Elizabeth national park.

Queen Elizabeth National Park, register at the park entrance and proceed to check-in at your Lodge with en-route game drive. With her 200 kilometers of well-maintained game viewing tracks, we advise you to be alert and pro-active on your game drive to help the guide spot as many animals as possible. With an astonishing 5000 hippos, 2500 elephants, and over 10,000 buffalo thriving in its grasslands and shorelines, this park guarantees sightings of some of Africa’s most iconic species. All being well you see elephants, buffaloes, different species of antelope, and just maybe some of the exciting predators such as lion, leopard, civet, genal, and serval cats.

Ten species of primates enjoy the park's diverse habitats. Vervet and black-and-white colobus monkeys are easily spotted in the trees, and of course the boldest species; baboons! They are all there! A professional guide with extensive knowledge of the park and its inhabitants will help you to specify birdlife or wildlife. From here we shall drive to the to catch up with a 5 pm nearby Kazinga channel for a sundowner boat safari.

Kazinga Chanel. Here, you will see a lot of hippos (more than you can possibly imagine), as well as a variety of other animals that come to the waterhole to drink or bathe. You can expect to see: Buffalo, Crocodile, bathing Elephant, and a range of beautiful birds. This will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of your tour. After the boat-safari, you will retire to your accommodation for dinner and Overnight.

Banded Mongoose Tracking Experience

Today we will have breakfast at Leisure, later at 9 am we shall head off for the Mongoose tracking experience. They are ten species of Mongoose recorded in Uganda with the banded Mongoose regularly seen around the Mweya Peninsula in Queen Elizabeth National Park. The Banded Mongoose experience is based around the park in Western Uganda and the Peninsula also supports a population of 400 banded mongooses living in twelve or more social groups.

Tracking of Mongoose is normally done using a locator device while you are with your expert guides, have a closer look at their unique long tails and behavior, and later embark to your vehicle with a game drive through the park you will get to view most animals such as Kobs, lions and many more.

Return to your accommodation for a hot lunch as you share great pictures from this unique experience. Later in the afternoon, we will proceed with an afternoon game drive in Queen Elizabeth national park and will get to view most animals such as lions, forest hogs, buffalos, elephants, waterbuck, and many others.

Return to your accommodation for a freshen up, dinner, and overnight stay.

Breakfast at leisure, later you will drive in about 2 hours to the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park with en-route game drive.  During this drive, you won't miss the stunning scenery and superb birdlife and butterflies in this southern remote section.  

We shall proceed with the game drive in the Ishasha sector. This region is also well known for Birdlife, herds of elephants, buffaloes, and antelopes are regularly spotted. Vervet monkeys, baboons, black- and white colobus have become residents to this region of Queen Elizabeth. You will retire at your accommodation for a freshen up and relaxation with the lodge facilities.

Dinner and Overnight at your accommodation

The day you will check out as the day, begins early and we start with a game drive before transferring to Bwindi National Park where you will check-in at your accommodation and lunch the drive is about 3 hours to Bwindi Impenetrable forest National Park. 

We shall proceed with the game drive in search of Tree climbing Lions as this part is famous for its’ unique tree-climbing lions. While lion cubs around the world frequently climb trees for fun, adults rarely do. However, these lionesses enjoy spending the hot afternoons snoozing in fig trees to get away from the tsetse flies and to enjoy a cool breeze.

This region is also well known for Birdlife, herds of elephants, buffaloes, and antelopes are regularly spotted. Vervet monkeys, baboons, black- and white colobus have become residents to this region of Queen Elizabeth.

Later proceed to your accommodation in Bwindi  National Park home to the endangered mountain gorillas, you will check-in for a freshen up and relax with the lodge facilities as we prepare the next adventure as well as the highlight of the tour, of course, Mountain Gorilla Tracking. Dinner and Overnight at your accommodation

MOUNTAIN GORILLA TREK

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. 

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a highlight for many visitors as this is where they will be visiting the home of the gentle giants. The Rare Mountain Mountain Gorilla

The park lies in southwestern Uganda on the edge of the Rift Valley. Uganda's oldest and most biologically diverse rainforests lie on the mist-covered hillsides. This magnificent forest dates back over 25,000 years, even surviving the last Ice Age (most forests disappeared).

The Bwindi forest has an incredible diversity of flora and fauna and is the only forest in Africa that can make claim to hosting both mountain gorillas and chimpanzees. In fact, 1/3 of the worlds’ population of gorillas live here divided into 15 habituated family groups.

Also, 5 other primate species, 120 species of mammal, over 220 butterflies, and 360 birds species call Bwindi home. This is one of the three places to see the critically endangered mountain gorillas up close for your very own ‘Gorillas in the Mist’ moment in the world.

The gorillas you will trek belong to one of fifteen family groups who can tolerate the presence of humans for a brief period every day. Your trek will be an exciting (for some also challenging) journey along forested (sometimes slippery) slopes, entwined vines, bushes, and bamboo before you eventually reach the gentle giants. En-route, your guide will point out signs of previous gorilla activity. Think of dung, nests, and chewed bamboo shoots. The time to complete the gorilla trekking can be as little as 2 - 6 hours! Once the family of gorillas has been located, you will be allowed a maximum of one hour observing them. Coming face-to-face with the mountain gorillas is a truly humbling and emotional experience.

This is a fantastic part of your tour you will definitely remember for the rest of your life.

Return to your lodge for lunch and relaxation

Dinner & Overnight at your accommodation

Today is your last day in Bwindi National Park. After your breakfast, you will embark on your vehicle for a unique traditional experience with Batwa in Buhoma Region.

Batwa are the minority since the early 1990s.  This cultural tour is a re-enactment but a very real one as many members still recall living as forest dwellers and these tours now help them earn income.

Their traditions and skills are practiced as well as pass on these traditions to the next generation. Their bush skills are a delight and their small stature will amaze you.

After the Batwa experience, you will return to your accommodation for a freshen up, lunch and later you will be assisted to check out of your Lodge and embark on your safari Vehicle for a scenic transfer to Emburara Farm Lodge in Mbarara nearby Lake Mburo National Park, you will have evening check-in, a freshen up and relax with the lodge facilities.  Dinner and Overnight at Emburara Farm Lodge

After your breakfast, you will embark on your vehicle for a transfer to Lake Mburo National Park. Upon arrival, you will register with the park office and proceed with the morning game drive in Lake Mburo National Park.

Lake Mburo is a small national Park (on the route from Bwindi National Park back to Entebbe) but should certainly not be underestimated. This is the only place in southern Uganda to see zebras and the only park in the country with impalas, slender mongoose, and giant bush rats. You can also look for hyenas, leopards, topis, elands, and the beautiful Rothschild's giraffes, not to mention the lake itself which is teeming with hippos and crocodiles!

There are a lot of wonderful activities on offer, such as horse-riding, bush walks, boat safari on the lake, and a mountain bike safari. It is exciting to approach the wildlife at such a close range, especially combining the fresh air with the beautiful scenery of Lake Mburo National Park. Today you will retire at your accommodation for a freshen up, diner, and overnight.

Today you will wake up for an early Walking Safari: Lake Mburo National Park is one of the two parks in Uganda where it is permitted to go for a safari walk with an experienced ranger. Footprints and animal droppings tell which animal has been here and how long ago. It is exciting to approach the wildlife at such a close range. Get active and get close to zebra, gazelle, eland and sometimes even giraffe. Return to your lodge for a freshen up, breakfast, and relaxation with the lodge facilities.  

Later after your lunch, you will head for an afternoon game drive. Lake Mburo will amaze you with its density of animals especially Kob, Waterbuck, Zebra’s & more. This is because there are hardly any predators at Lake Mburo & the other animal populations are thriving. This is your chance to spot the Rothschild Giraffes recently re-introduced to Lake Mburo.

Return to your accommodation for dinner and overnight at your accommodation

On this day after your early breakfast, you will be assisted to check out of the hotel and your driver will transfer you to Entebbe  international Air port for your outbound  flight back home.

We wish you a safe Flight back Home