African Travels: 7 DAY UGANDA GORILLA AND SAFARI TOUR (MID)

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 embark on your safari vehicle for your 4.5 hours transfer to Lake Mburo National Park. Upon arrival, you will register with the park office and proceed with a 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, a boat safari on the lake, and a mountain bike safari. It is exciting to approach the wildlife at such close range, especially combining the fresh air with the beautiful scenery of Lake Mburo National Park. Today you will retire at your accommodation for check-in, freshen up, lunch and later you will head to an afternoon game drive.

Dinner and Overnight at your accommodation 

This morning after your early breakfast your driver guide will meet  you at your hotel at 06:300 am brief you about  your day itinerary before transferring to Bwindi National Park via a game drive. You will have a chance to view most of games that Lake Mburo Host such as lot of Zebra, Impala and herds of Buffalos, Giraffe etc. Proceed to your accommodation in Bwindi for check in, freshen up, lunch  and relaxation with the lodge facilities.

Dinner and overnight stay at your accommodation

MOUNTAIN GORILLA TREK

This morning take an early breakfast and be ready at your accommodation reception by 6:30 am where your driver/guide will be ready and waiting to transfer you to the briefing point of your Mountain Gorilla Trek.

Once at the briefing point the park rangers will organize everyone in to like fitness groups.  The rangers are in touch with advanced tracking guides and will also brief you on the trek rules and Gorilla behaviors before heading off in to the rain-forest of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in search of these mighty beasts.

Mountain Gorillas are nomadic so treks can take between 2-6 hours depending on their movements.  Once you get close to your group all weariness will evaporate as you get to spend an hour observing their behaviors, language, interactions and eating habits.  It's often described as on of the great natural animal encounters on the planet and Bwindi is home to over a 1/3 of the remaining 1000 or so Mountain Gorillas.

Then it's time to descend and your driver/guide will be waiting for you to hear about your unique experiences as you embark on your safari vehicle for your transfer back to your accommodation for a freshen up ,lunch and relaxation with the lodge facilities.

After your breakfast you be assisted to check out of your lodge  with a packed lunch embark on your vehicle as 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 1990’s.  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, ensure 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.  Thought to be an adaptation over thousands of years to living and moving in the thick rain forest conditions.

After the Batwa we shall proceed to  Ishasha Sector in Queen Elizabeth for an amazing  afternoon game drive and in search fro Tree climbing Lions. Ishasha is only one of two places in the world where tree-climbing lions are found, the other being in Lake Manyara.  Whilst all lions can climb trees these two prides are the only ones found to spend a majority of their time in trees.

Ishasha is also home to great population of Topis, not found anywhere else in this National Park.  On the river you may spot hippos and the Ugandan national bird the Crested Crane. 

Proceed to your accommodation for check in,a freshen up dinner & overnight stay.

Have your breakfast at leisure later you will check out of your lodge embark on your vehicle for your transfer to Kasenyi plains in Queen Elizabeth National Park via a game. During this game, drive expect some sightings of the various animals like huge herds of Uganda cobs, elephants, lions, hippos, & warthog.  Queen Elizabeth National Park is an Elephant lover’s dream & we are sure you will have plenty of close encounters. For the extremely lucky you might even catch a sight of the impressive but very shy leopard. You will proceed to your accommodation in time for check-in a freshen up and lunch. In the late evening, we shall proceed to Kazinga Channel for a Boat Safari.  

Kazinga is thought to have the highest concentration of hippos in Africa and you will easily spot crocodiles, water buffalo, and many species of birds.  Elephants often come to the channel for a drink as well if you are lucky.  This is wall-to-wall wildlife from a whole different perspective.  Enjoy the stunning views as we return watching the sun go down on a magnificent day. It’s only a thirty minutes transfer to your accommodation for Dinner and Overnight.

After breakfast, we have a unique experience planned for you 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 before returning to your lodge to check out and have lunch.

Immediately after lunch, we head towards Kibale Forest National Park, the home of the most established Chimpanzee Trek in Uganda.   We will take a short detour on the way to the lesser explored northern Kasese sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park.  This area has wide open savanna's and it has a very authentic feel.  The animals might not be prolific but you can sense they are not as used to human contact.

We will reach our Authentic accommodation at Kibale Forest which overlooks the National Park on one side and the Rwenzori Mountains on the other.

Check-in, dinner, and overnight.

On your last day of this epic tour we have a wonderful primate encounter planned in Kibale Forest National Park.

The chimpanzee's here are well researched and protected and after a briefing from the expert rangers we will head off in to the forest for one last trek.

Once locating the troop, you will get to spend an hour with our closest animal relative, and yes there will be some familiar faces and behaviors. 

On returning from the trek we will return to your accommodation for check out and lunch before a final transfer back to Entebbe arriving late in the afternoon.

We wish you a safe onward journey with memories that will move you long after you return home.