6 Day Uganda Gorillas & Wildlife Safari

6 Day Uganda Gorillas & Wildlife Safari – Gorilla Trekking & Game Drive

Destinations:
Lake Mburo National Park
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Lake Bunyonyi

Overview

This 6 day Uganda Gorillas & Wildlife Safari takes you to Lake Mburo National Park whose major attractions include game viewing, birding,  walking safaris in the wild, village cultural exposures, and boat cruises on the lake. This park is the only place in Uganda where Impala can be found and the best place to see large herds of Elands (Africa’s largest antelopes) and the only national park where you can experience a safari on foot and also enjoy a night game drive to see the elusive leopard and other nocturnal animals.

The Uganda Gorillas & Wildlife Safari will then take you to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, to trek the elusive Mountain Gorillas and to interact with the former forest people, the Batwa, who will mesmerize you with stories about their former life as gathers, hunters, warriors, blacksmith, and herbalists. You will crown the safari with a visit to Lake Bunyonyi “the Switzerland of Uganda” for canoe rides on this beautiful lake dotted with 20 islands and hike the steep terraced hills encircling the lake for a scenic view of the beautiful surroundings whose birdlife is prolific.

Safari Highlights

• Equator experience
• Game viewing safari in Lake Mburo National Park
• Mountain Gorilla tracking
• Batwa trail cultural experience
• Canoe ride and Birding in Lake Bunyonyi 

Travel Schedule

Day 1: Arrival in Uganda and transfer to Kampala
Day 2: Travel to Lake Mburo National Park and Boat ride
Day 3: Game drive in Mburo and transfer to Bwindi
Day 4: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
Day 5: Canoe ride, swimming, and hiking to the viewpoint
Day 6: Travel to Kampala

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DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrival and Transfer to Kampala

You will be met at the airport by our Uganda Gorillas & 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: Half Board Basis

Day 2: Travel to Lake Mburo National Park and Boat ride

You will set off for the Uganda Gorillas & Wildlife Safari journey after breakfast for the Lake Mburo National Park in the western part of the country. You will have a stopover at the Mpigi Drum Makers village to see how the Royal drums are made using traditional methods that have been handed down over generations. Another stopover will be at the Equator for photos at this international landmark where the two hemispheres divide. You will continue the drive through the rolling hills and plains dotted with homesteads, gardens, and herds of the long-horned Ankole cattle to Lake Mburo National Park. You will arrive in time for an afternoon boat ride and later retire for dinner and overnight at your booked Uganda wildlife safari lodge.

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 3: Game drive in Mburo and transfer to Bwindi

You will wake up early and set off for a morning game drive to enjoy the rich biodiversity of this small park that boasts of large herds of zebra, impala, gigantic eland, topis, and a variety of bird species. You will return to the lodge for a late breakfast and hit the road for Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, arriving in the evening.

Dinner and overnight will be at the lodge of your booking.

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 Safari Lodge.
Meal plan: Full Board Basis

Day 4: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi

You will have an early morning Uganda Gorillas & Wildlife Safari 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 1-8 hours. The steeply forested landscape is incredibly dense but crisscrossed by numerous animal trails allowing access by tourists.

On-site, you will have one hour to stay with the Gorillas watching them at close range as they feed, communicate, and bond with their young. The drive will be through a beautiful part of the country often referred to as ‘the Switzerland of Africa’ because of its surprising cool weather despite being near the Equator. This lake is said to be one of the most beautiful places in western Uganda. It is the second deepest lake in Africa [900 meters deep] and also one of the few places in the country where it is considered safe to swim as it is bilharzia free. Dinner and overnight will be at your lodge of booking.

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

Day 5: Canoe ride, swimming, and hiking to the viewpoint

Bunyonyi means “place of little birds” and as the name suggests, there is plenty of birdlife around the lake. The landscape around the lake is made up of terraced hills protruding from the water’s edge. You will spend the whole day in the Lake Bunyonyi area taking boat rides, swimming if you like, and hiking the hills around the lake to get views of the beautiful scenic landscapes.

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

Day 6: Travel to Kampala

You will have a relaxed breakfast and set off on the Uganda Gorillas & Wildlife Safari journey back to Kampala. You will arrive in Kampala in the late afternoon and either be transferred to the airport for your 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 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 (USD700)
• 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
• Boat trip fees
• Rhino trekking fees
• Gorilla trekking permit in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
• Services of an English Speaking Driver/guide.
• Game drives
• 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
• Personal Insurance
• Cigarettes

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