African Travels: 12 DAY UGANDA SAFARI AND PRIMATE TOUR (ECONOMY)

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 4-hour drive and we will have our 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, water buck, 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 

Today have your breakfast at leisure later you will be assisted to check out of your accommodation for your 3.5 hours transfer to Hoima town via a game drive where you will sport more animals you might have missed in the previous game drive.  You will arrive in time for lunch and relaxation with the lodge facilities as you enjoy the beautiful lodge surroundings with beautiful views of the area.

Dinner and Overnight stay at your accommodation 

Today you will have your breakfast at leisure as you relax. Later will head for a 5-hour drive to 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.

Later you will retire at your accommodation for check-in, lunch and later you will proceed to catch up with the sundowner boat safari along the Kazinga Channel. 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 drive back to your lodge for dinner and Overnight.

After an early breakfast, we shall head off to Kalinzu Forest Reserve where the rangers will give you a trek briefing before we head off to find our closest living relative. The Kalinzu 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 not only these Chimpanzees but the Gorillas as well found in Uganda.

You will most likely finish around 11 am.  From there be transferred to your lodge with a game drive through the park and will get to view most animals such as lions, forest hogs, buffalos, elephants, waterbuck.  Return to your Lodge for refreshment and Lunch as you get ready for another beautiful experience of tracking Mongoose.

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 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, Lunch, and relaxation with the lodge facilities.

Dinner and Overnight at your accommodation 

The day begins early as we start with game drives. As we head towards Bwindi, driving through the Ishasha sector.  We shall proceed with a game drive in the Ishasha sector 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.

You will retire at your accommodation in Bwindi National Park Ruhija region, home of the endangered mountain gorillas. You will check-in for lunch, have 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, this is 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 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

Have a most enjoyable breakfast regaling your stories & encounter with the Mountain Gorillas. After breakfast, we head off to meet the Batwa. The Batwa are the original inhabitants of these forests, however today they are a displaced 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 & these tours now help them earn income, ensure their traditions & skills are practiced as well as pass on these traditions to the next generation.

Their bush skills are a delight & their small stature will amaze. Thought to be an adaptation over thousands of years to living & moving in the thick rain forest conditions. After the Batwa, we will head off for Lake Mburo National Park. Arrive for a late lunch later we will then check-in & refresh before heading out 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. 

Dinner and Overnight at your accommodation

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.

After your breakfast why not try one of the different kind of safaris that Lake Mburo offer. Because of their low predator count, you can do Horse Riding Safaris, Bike Riding Safaris or a Boat Safari & get up close to the birdlife & hippos. Or take a traditional game drive in your 4WD. The choice is yours as you have almost a full day before we leave at 2 pm to get back to Entebbe by 8 pm in plenty of time for your International Flight connection in the late evening.

We wish you a safe Flight back Home.