10 Day Uganda Primates & Wildlife Safari

10-Day Uganda Primates & Wildlife Safari

Destinations:
Kibale Forest National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Lake Bunyonyi
Lake Mburo National Park

Overview

This 10-Day Uganda Primates & Wildlife Safari starts with a visit to Kibale Forest National Park, the primate capital of the world, to trek the wild but habituated chimps and to see various species of monkeys and birds as well as the beautiful scenic views of the crater lakes dotting this area. The safari continues to Queen Elizabeth National Park for game drives and boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel renowned for its amazing diversity of wildlife, birdlife, and picturesque scenery.

The climax of this Uganda Primates & Wildlife Safari will be an encounter with the elusive Mountain Gorillas in the famous Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and interaction with the Batwa, a former forest people who used to live in this forest before it was gazetted as a National Park. You will visit Lake Bunyonyi “the Switzerland of Uganda” for canoe rides around the 20 islands protruding from this lake and hike the steep terraced hills encircling it for a scenic view of the stunningly beautiful surroundings whose birdlife is prolific. The Uganda Primates & Wildlife Safari does not miss out on Lake Mburo National Park for boat cruises, bird watching, and walking safaris in the wild; the only park in Uganda where a wildlife safari can be conducted on foot.

Safari Highlights

• Chimpanzee trek in Kibale National Park
• A nature walk in the Bigodi swamp
• Game drive in Queen Elizabeth National park
• Boat cruise on Kazinga channel
• Canoe ride on Lake Bunyonyi
• Hiking the Bunyonyi hills
• Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable forest
• Cultural tour among the Batwa people
• Game drive in Mburo Park
• Boat ride on Lake Mburo
• Equator experience 

Travel Schedule

Day 1: Arrival in Uganda and transfer to Kampala
Day 2: Travel to Kibale Forest National Park
Day 3: Chimpanzee trek, Swamp walk, and transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP
Day 4: Game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park and Boat cruise
Day 5: Game drive and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
Day 6: Canoeing on Lake Bunyonyi, hiking the hills and transfer to Bwindi
Day 7: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi forest
Day 8: Cultural trail in Bwindi
Day 9: Transfer to Lake Mburo NP and boat cruise on the Lake Mburo
Day 10: Game drive in Mburo National Park and travel to Kampala

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DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrival in Uganda

You will be met at the airport by our Uganda Primates & Wildlife safari guide who will transfer you to the hotel reserved for you in Kampala.

Dinner and overnight will be at this hotel.

Luxury Lodge: Serena Hotel/ Imperial Hotel
Moderate:  Emin Pasha Hotel/ Speke Resort Hotel
Budget facility: Acardia Cottages/ Namirembe Guest house
Meal Plan: Full Board Basis

Day 2: Travel to Kibale Forest National Park

You will depart Kampala after breakfast and head westwards to Fort Portal town. The Uganda Primates & Wildlife Safari drive will take about 4 -5 hours. You will have lunch in Fort Portal and continue to Kibale Forest National Park where you will go for either a community walk or visit the beautiful Crater lakes region for a spectacular view.

Dinner and overnight will be at your reserved lodge.

Luxury: Ndali Lodge/Primate Lodge/Kyaninga Lodge
Moderate: Mountains of the moon/Kibale Forest Camp/Crater Safari Lodge/ Primate Lodge
Budget: Rwenzori Travelers/Kibale Forest Camp/Chimpanzee Forest Guest House
Meal plan: Full Board Basis

Day 3: Chimpanzee tracking and nature walk in Kibale Forest

After breakfast, you will report to the Kanyanchu Tourist Centre at 08.00 am for a briefing on the rules of chimpanzee tracking. Kibale Forest National Park has the greatest variety and highest concentration of primates in East Africa. The most famous of its 13 species is the Chimpanzee, a very delightful ape. The trek takes 2-3 hours and it will provide you with the opportunity to see a variety of other primates and animals as well as birds, and a variety of butterflies, and other insects.  You will return to the lodge for lunch and in the afternoon go for a nature walk in the Bigodi Wetland to see a variety of birds and monkey species.

You will after the walk continue the Uganda Primates & Wildlife Safari route with a transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Luxury Lodge: Mweya Safari Lodge: Katara Lodge/ Jacana Lodge
Moderate:  Bush Lodge (in rooms) / Simba Safari Camp in rooms/ Buffalo Safari Resort/ Enganzi Lodge/ Ihamba Safari Lodge
Budget facility: Kazinga Channel View Lodge/ Simba Safari Camp in tents/ Bush Lodge in tents
Meal Plan: Full Board Basis

Day 4: Game drive and boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth National Park

After your morning breakfast, you will have an early morning Uganda Primates & Wildlife Safari Game drive where you will see the lion, leopard, giant forest hog, Cape buffalo, elephant, defassa waterbuck, Uganda Kob, topi, and bushbuck among others. You will return to your lodge for lunch and in the afternoon go for a 2-hour boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel. It is a 42kms channel that joins Lake Edward and Lake George. This trip passes through possibly the highest concentration of hippos and offers an excellent platform for photography, bird watching, and game viewing. The prolific bird life is colorful, with well over 550 resident species. Dinner and overnight will be spent at your reserved lodge.

Luxury Lodge: Mweya Safari Lodge: Katara Lodge/ Jacana Lodge
Moderate:  Bush Lodge (in rooms) / Simba Safari Camp in rooms/ Buffalo Safari Resort/ Enganzi Lodge/ Ihamba Safari Lodge
Budget facility: Kazinga Channel View Lodge/ Simba Safari Camp in tents/ Bush Lodge in tents
Meal Plan: Full Board Basis

Day 5: Game Drive and travel to Lake Bunyonyi

You will wake up early for a morning game drive in the park during which you will see Lions, Elephants, Topis, Leopards, Bush bucks, Cape Buffaloes, Defassa Waterbucks, Giant Forest Hogs, and Uganda Kobs, among others. You will return to your Uganda Primates & Wildlife Safari lodge for a late breakfast after which you will travel to Lake Bunyonyi. The lake lies close to the border with Rwanda and is said to be one of the most beautiful places in western Uganda. It is the second deepest lake in Africa and also one of the few places in the country where it is considered safe to swim as it is bilharzia free. The journey takes 6-7 hours and you will have your lunch en-route. Dinner and overnight will be at one of the many lodges near the lake.

Budget: Bushara Island Camp
Moderate:  Bird’s Nest
Up-market: Bird’s Nest/ Archadia Cottages
Meal Plan: Full Board Basis

Day 6: Canoeing and hiking on Lake Bunyonyi & transfer to Bwindi

This beautiful Uganda Primates & Wildlife Safari morning you can choose to either have a canoe-ride on the lake or a walk through the surrounding hills. The landscape around the lake is made up of steep slopes covered with lush green vegetation protruding from the water’s edge. Bunyonyi means “place of little birds” and as the name suggests, there is plenty of birdlife around the lake. You can get to know the seven islands, visit the local families and admire views of volcanoes. In the afternoon you will drive to Kisoro in the south-western part of Uganda; close to the borders with Rwanda and Congo. You will go through a beautiful part of the country often referred to as ‘the Switzerland of Africa’. You will see the great countryside, bamboo forests, and great views over the Virunga Mountains and if it is a Monday or Thursday you will see a large colorful market in Kisoro. You will have dinner and overnight at Nkuringo Lodge.

Budget: Buhoma community Rest camp / Ruhija Gorilla Friends Camp / Gorilla Valley Lodge
Moderate: Gorilla Resort Bwindi /Gorilla Safari Lodge / Lake Mutanda Resort/ Gorilla Mist Camp.
Up market: Mahogany Springs Lodge / Buhoma Lodge / Rushanga Gorilla Satari Lodge.
Meal plan: Full Board Basis

Day 7: Uganda Gorilla trekking in Bwindi

You will have an early morning breakfast and move to the Park headquarters to join other trackers in a briefing about the Gorilla trekking rules at 7:45 am. You will trek through thick creepers and undergrowth with your guides to find the Gorillas, which can take you 2-8 hours. The steeply forested landscape is incredibly dense but crisscrossed by numerous animal trails allowing access by tourists. You will have one hour to stay with the Gorillas once sited and watch them as they communicate, feed, play, and bond with their young. The experience is humbling and one that will leave you with memories of a lifetime.

You will have your Uganda Primates & Wildlife Safari dinner and overnight in a Bwindi Lodge.

Budget: Buhoma community Rest camp / Ruhija Gorilla Friends Camp / Gorilla Valley Lodge
Moderate: Gorilla Resort Bwindi /Gorilla Safari Lodge / Lake Mutanda Resort/ Gorilla Mist Camp.
Up market: Mahogany Springs Lodge / Buhoma Lodge / Rushanga Gorilla Satari Lodge.
Meal plan: Full Board Basis

Day 8: Bwindi Forest Cultural Village Walk

You will, after breakfast, go for a guided 3-5 hour community walk through the farms and villages of the Bufumbira and Bakiga tribes to experience the livelihoods of these local communities. You will visit a traditional herbalist to see how he prepares native medicine to treat a wide array of human sicknesses, see how local beer is brewed using local methods, and be entertained by the traditional dances offered by the local community entertainment groups.

You will then transfer and continue the Uganda Primates & Wildlife Safari route with a drive to Lake Mburo national park. Overnight at your lodge of booking.

Dinner and overnight will be at your lodge of booking.

Luxury: Mihingo Lodge/ Mantana Lake Mburo Camp/ Arcadia Cottages
Moderate: Lake Mburo Safari Lodge/ Rakobo Rock
Budget: Eagles Nest Camp
Meal Plan: Full Board Basis

Day 9: Game drive in Mburo Park and boat cruise on the Lake

You will have an early breakfast and travel to Lake Mburo National Park centered on a series of swamp-fringed lakes rich in bird life while its green acacia woodland harbors wildlife like the Zebra, warthog, Elands, Impala among others. You will have lunch in Mbarara town and continue the drive to the park. In the afternoon you will go for a 2-hour boat ride on Lake Mburo and get quite close to the water animals that including crocodiles and hippos. You will have dinner and overnight at the lodge of your booking.

Luxury: Mihingo Lodge/ Mantana Lake Mburo Camp/ Arcadia Cottages
Moderate: Lake Mburo Safari Lodge/ Rakobo Rock
Budget: Eagles Nest Camp
Meal Plan: Full Board Basis

Day 10: Walking safari and Return to Kampala.

At 6;30 you will go for a tour of the park on foot with an experienced Uganda Primates & Wildlife Safari game ranger who will explain to you which animals have left behind footprints and droppings and how long ago. Mburo is one of the two parks in Uganda where it is permitted to go for a tour on foot. You will after the game walk return to the lodge for lunch and later set off on your return journey to Kampala.

Have a stopover at the Equator where you will have an opportunity to stand in two hemispheres at the same time and take some photos. You will have another stopover at the Mpigi Royal Drum Makers center where you will be able to watch the ceremonial drums being crafted using traditional methods passed down through the generations. You will arrive in Kampala in the late afternoon and either be transferred to the airport for your evening departure flight or to the hotel of your booking for dinner and overnight.

END OF SAFARI

Requirements for this Safari

• A Visa – you can apply for a visa online or very easily get one at the point of entry into the country (airport)
• Chimpanzee and Uganda Gorilla trekking permits – You can apply and secure these online but experience has shown that it is better coordinated when you send money to the tour firm to handle it for you at no extra cost to the standard fee ($600)
• Travel & Health insurance – This should be arranged by you in your home country before you travel.
• Physical fitness

The Safari package includes

• Accommodation as per the itinerary
• 4WD safari vehicle with popup roof
• Bottled drinking water
• Chimpanzee trekking permit in Kibale forest
• Uganda Gorilla trekking permit @ $700 per person
• Game drives
• Boat trips
• Services of an English Speaking Driver/guide.
• Community visit fees
• Guided nature walks
• Pickup and Return airport transfers.

The Safari package excludes expenses of a personal nature such as:

• Other drinks
• Laundry
• Tips to local guides
• Telephone expenses
• Porter fees while trekking Gorillas and chimpanzees
• Personal Insurance
• Cigarettes

Request a quote for this safari