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16 Days African Great Apes, Wildlife and Scenic View Safari
This Stream adventure will take you through five of Uganda’s ten national parks. Top of the Murchison fall, game drive and Nile cruise in Murchison falls National Park, Chimps trek in Kibale National Park, game drive, Kazinga boat cruise and tree climbing lions of Ishasha in Queen Elizabeth National Park and nearly extinct mountain gorillas of Bwindi virgin forest.
Local Canoe ride and cray fishing at Lake Bunyonyi, zebras of Lake Mburo and the recently reintroduced Rothschild Giraffes. Crown the safari with a visit to the source of River Nile the longest river in the world.
Includes: Airport transfers, accommodation, Meals as per the itinerary, Park entry fees, Game drives, cruises on the Nile and Kazinga Channel, chimpanzee permits, Gorilla Permit and private 4×4 ground transportation with an English speaking driver guide.
Excludes: Beverages, tips, and personal expenses.
SAFARI ITINERARY
Day 1: Arrival
On arrival at Entebbe International Airport you will be met by our representative and driven to your hotel. After a briefing about your safari by your drive guide you rest in anticipation of your safari the following day.
Overnight at Lake Victoria Serena Resort on Bed and Breakfast basis.
Day 2: Murchison Falls National Park
We set off early morning for Murchison fall National Park. The 4 – 5 hour drive will take you through the districts of Bombo and Luwero the historic grounds of Uganda’s bush war in the 1980s breaking in Masindi town for lunch. Later proceed to the amazing top of the Murchison falls.
The Top of the falls offers a great opportunity to view the mighty Nile forced into a seven meter gulch dropping about 150 feet hence forming the Murchison falls after which the park was formed. Later you will be driven to your overnight lodge and checked in.
Dinner and overnight at Paraa Safari Lodge.
Meal Plan: Lunch and Dinner.
Transit Time: About 5 Hours to the park.
Day 3: Game Drive and Boat Cruise
Today you will rise with the early birds and after warming up with a cup of coffee or tea you will set off for your game drive looking out for the predators like the lions and hyenas. Other animals here include the African elephants, Rothschild giraffes, buffaloes, hartebeest among many others. Murchison Falls National Park is also a hub for birds with over 451 species recorded including the rare ones like the Shoe Billed stork.
Return to your lodge for breakfast and after lunch transfer to the jetty where you will take a Nile Cruise up to the bottom of the falls. Along the way you will encounter schools of hippos, Nile crocodiles and a variety of water birds both indigenous and migrant species. The Nile itself hosts one of Africa’s densest crocodile populations. Other animals like the elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks also frequent the river to cool off. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Meal Plan –Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 4: Kibale Forest National Park
Today, after breakfast we drive south along the western escarpment overlooking Lake Albert to Kibale Forest National Park, arriving in the evening. Kibale forest is habitat to at least 13 primate species; these include the red colobus monkey, L’Hoest monkey, blue monkey, red-tailed monkey, olive baboon among others.
Kibale is majorly famous for an opportunity to track habituated chimps in the ever green rainforest. These charming apes are more closely related to humans than to any other living creature. You will arrive in Fort Portal town in the late afternoon and proceed to Kibale for dinner and overnight at Ndali Lodge.
Meal Plan – Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Travel Time: 7 hours or more depending on the road conditions.
Day 5: Chimpanzee Trekking
Soon after breakfast you will transfer to the park offices for pre-trek briefing by your ranger guide before setting out on the popular chimp trek. This will take 2 to 4 hours. With over 335bird species recorded in this virgin rainforest some of which are endemics of this region of the Albertine Rift valley, Kibale is a hot spot for birder.
For lovers of botany and butterfly watch the butterflies float through the vegetation. After trek, lunch is served at the lodge. Soon after that, take a stroll in the Bigodi swamp rich in biodiversity and accompanying bird-life like the Blue Turaco. The wetland offers surprises like the endangered swamp antelope Sitatunga, mongoose, civet cats and bushbucks. Return to Ndali Lodge for Dinner and Overnight.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 6: Queen Elizabeth National Park
After breakfast, we drive to our next park, Queen Elizabeth National Park. Along the journey don’t miss the sight the of the snowcapped Rwenzori mountain also known as “Mountains of the Moon” in the backdrop as it domineers the surrounding landscape. This is the third highest mountain in Africa. Upon arrival in the park, check in and have lunch at the prestigious Mweya Safari Lodge.
After lunch, a late afternoon game drive awaits on the northern circuits or the crater areas. Be on the look for the different wildlife species like the elephant, lion, leopard, Cape buffalo, among others. Learn the secrets of the African bush. Return to the Lodge for dinner and overnight.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Travel Time: 3 hours.
Day 7: Game Drive and Boat Cruise
You will be out of bed early enough to prepare for the morning game drive that starts at 0630 hours. After a hot cup of tea or coffee drive out of the lodge heading to the Kasenyi track where the cats are usually sighted before they retreat to the thickets after sunrise. Along the way you will stop to see a variety of animals like the hippos moving back to the water, elephants, water bucks, hyenas, buffaloes among others. With over 612 bird species recorded Queen Elizabeth National Park is a bird haven. Return to your lodge for breakfast and after lunch you will go for a Cruise along the Kazinga channel.
The 32 kilometers stretch that joins Lake Edward to Lake George is believed to hold the largest concentration of hippos in the entire world. Elephants, solitary buffaloes and waterbucks are among the animals normally sighted at the banks. On a lucky day lions and other predators are also sighted in the hideouts waiting to catch their prey as it goes for a drink at the channel. The channel is also rich in bird life as thousands of birds are always at the channel both indigenous and migrant species that fly thousands of miles all the way from Europe and other parts of the world to escape the winter.
Some of the bird species include the Martial Eagle, Black-rumpled Buttonquail, African Skimmer, Chapin’s Flycatcher, Pink backed Pelican, African Broadbill, Verreaux’s Eagle Owl, Black Bee-eater, White-tailed Lark, White-winged Warbler, Papyrus Gonolek, Papyrus Canary, Corncrake, Lesser and Greater Flamingo, Shoebill, Bar-tailed Godwit.
Queen Elizabeth National Park has one of the top biodiversity ratings of any game reserve in the world so enjoy every moment as it lasts. Return to lodge for dinner and overnight.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 8: Ishasha the tree climbing lions
After breakfast, our safari leads to Ishasha a southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Ishasha derives its name from River Ishasha which significantly separates Uganda from The Democratic Republic of Congo. This sector of the park is most famous for its tree-climbing lions and it is among the few places in the world with lions of such a great adaption. We shall proceed with a game drive in search of the big cats as they loosen up in large fig trees.
Other game species we have here include buffalo, topi, Uganda kobs, baboons, hippos, leopards among others. Dinner and overnight is at Ishasha Wilderness Camp.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Travel Time: 2 ½ hours.
Day 9: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
After an early breakfast, we take a game drive through the park for another chance to catch glimpse at the tree-climbing lions and leopard. We hit the road for Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park through Kihihi town where you will have a chance to interact with the locals as they go through their day today activities. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a prominent habitat to endangered and nearly extinct Mountain Gorillas.
A beautiful emerald enfolding across the steep ridges of the Albertine Rift Valley, one of the few ancient forests still surviving in Africa. The park is home to half of the world’s endangered mountain gorillas. No other wildlife encounter in Africa matches the astounding experience of spending time face-to-face with wild gorillas. On arrival at Buhoma you will check in at Mahogany Springs.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Travel Time: 1 ½ hours.
Day 10: Gorilla Trekking
Breakfast is served early morning and remember to carry your packed lunch as you leave the lodge. Head to the park headquarters to meet your experienced park rangers for a thorough pre-trekking briefing. The rangers are your guides for the day. We begin the day’s excursion that may last from two to eight hours. Enjoy every moment of the hike en route in the midst of this impenetrable forest. The tracker leads you into the secret paths looking for a habituated gorilla family.
The day’s tracking is normally guided by where the gorillas were left the previous day. Once found you will approach the gorillas quietly and settle to observe for an unforgettable hour with them. Watch the adults forage and groom each other. You will be under the watchful gaze of the great silverback whose soft brown eyes constantly sweep over his family. At the end of the tracking, we return to the lodge to relax and relive our unforgettable experience. Enjoy a refreshing cocktail by the campfire as you listen to the characteristic sounds of Bwindi forest.
However, depending on your return time and state of body, you may choose to delight in encounters with the surrounding Batwa community; watch the magical motions and rhythms of traditional Ugandan dances and feast your eyes on local invaluable craftworks of the community on sale. (At a small added cost)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 11: Lake Bunyonyi
After breakfast, we hit the road for Lake Bunyonyi. Lake Bunyonyi is believed to be the second deepest lake in Africa and probably the deepest crater lakes in Africa. You won’t stop marveling at the breathtaking panorama this area has to offer. “Bunyonyi” actually means “the place of many little birds”. Uganda is known as the premier birding destination in Africa and is home to over 1,000 species of bird varieties. Bunyonyi is home to 200 of these bird species like the grey –crowned cranes, herons and weaver birds. Lake Bunyonyi is one of the few African lakes completely safe for swimming.
So dive in and enjoy the feel of fresh water beneath the expansive open sky. The lake’s altitude is 1,950 m, and it is surrounded by hills that are 2,200 to 2,478m high and intensely cultivated. The data on the lake’s maximum depth varies from 44m to 900m in different parts of Lake Bunyonyi. The temperature on the surface rises to 25 degrees Celsius. Dinner and overnight at Arcadia Cottages or Bunyonyi Nature’s Prime Island.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Travel Time: 3 hours
Day 12: Canoeing, Swimming and Village Community Walks
Day 13: Lake Mburo National Park
After breakfast, we embark on a smooth drive to Lake Mburo National Park. Anticipate an encounter with zebras, topis, buffalo, giraffes, ellands, impala, water hogs, and waterbucks.
For bird lovers Lake Mburo is home to over 300 bird species. Take an evening nature walk and expectantly lookout for birds like the papyrus gonolek, African fin foot, bare faced go away bird, the African Fish Eagle, king fisher, pelicans, nubian woodpecker among others. You will also look out for the recently reintroduced Rothschild giraffes. Alternatively you might opt for a game drive. Dinner and overnight at Mihingo Lodge.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Travel Time: 3 hours
Day 14: Game Drive, Equator Souvenir Shopping and Kampala
An early breakfast, then take a game drive through the acacia savannah and woodlands of the park. Animals common here are; zebra, impala, eland (the largest antelope specie), buffalo, topi, warthog and the occasional leopard. The many savannah bird species here include; cocqui francolin, lapwings, hornbills.
Return to lodge for late breakfast and early lunch and thereafter setoff for Kampala via Masaka making a stop at the equator for souvenir shopping and photo opportunity; we will make another stop at the drum makers shop and get so see how they make the local traditional drums. Proceed to Kampala and check in at Cassia Lodge booked on Bed and Breakfast basis.
Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch
Travel Time: 5 hours
Day 15: Source of the Nile
After breakfast, visit Jinja prominent for the source of the longest river in the world, the Nile River. En route visit the Sezibwa falls one of the spectacular spots along the way. Proceed through Mabira forest one of the oldest rain forest in the region. After lunch in Jinja, we take a grand boat ride on the river to the very starting point of the river as it starts the 6400 kilometer journey to the Mediterranean. Later we shall return to Cassia Lodge in Kampala booked on Bed and Breakfast Basis.
Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch
Travel Time: 2 hours to Jinja.
Day 16: Free day flight out
Today you will have relaxed morning and depending on the time of your departure flight, we can take a city tour in the vibrant streets of Kampala, do shopping for souvenirs before the drive to the airport for your departure flight.
