8 Day Uganda Wildlife & Primates Safari

8 Day Uganda Wildlife & Primates Safari

Destinations:
Murchison Falls National Park
Kibale Forest National Park
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

Overview

This 8 day Uganda Wildlife & Primates Safari takes you to the Murchison Falls National Park, the largest national park in Uganda, renowned for its scenic beauty and the spectacular falls from which it derives its name. The sight and sound of the Murchison fall as the Mighty Nile River crash through a 7-meter gorge before tumbling 40 meters down in a thunderous explosion making a memorable assault on the senses worthy of experiencing. You will enjoy memorable game drives, boat cruises, and views of the mesmerizing scenery of this magnificent park.

The Uganda Wildlife & Primates safari will continue to Kibale Forest National Park, the primate capital of the world, to trek the wild but habituated chimpanzees and for a walking safari in the wild to see other primates, colorful birds, rare flora, and picturesque volcanic landscapes.

The climax of this safari will be an encounter with the elusive Mountain Gorillas in the famous Bwindi Impenetrable Forest where you will come face to face with these giant apes as they communicate, feed, play, and bond with their young. The experience is humbling and one that will leave you with a lasting memory of a lifetime. In Bwindi, you will not miss out on the interaction with the former forest people, the Batwa, who will tell mesmerizing stories about their former lives as gatherers, hunters, warriors, blacksmiths, and herbalists, and who will be eager to demonstrate some of their survival skills.

Safari Highlights

• Track Rhinos in Zziwa Rhino sanctuary
• Game drives in Murchison and Queen Elizabeth
• Boat safari cruise on Victoria Nile
• Chimpanzee safari in Kibale Forest
• A nature walk in the Bigodi swamp
• Uganda gorilla trekking in Bwindi Forest
• Equator experience

Travel Schedule

Day 1: Arrival in Uganda and transfer to Kampala
Day 2: Travel to Murchison Falls National Park
Day 3: Game drive and Boat launch on the Nile River
Day 4: Visit the top of the fall and travel to Kibale Forest National Park
Day 5: Chimp trek and Bigodi swamp walk
Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 7: Gorilla Trekking
Day 8: Travel to Kampala

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DETAILED SAFARI

Day 1: Arrival in Uganda

You will be met at the airport by our Uganda Wildlife & Primates 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 Murchison Falls National Park (5-6hrs)

You will have an early breakfast and drive to Murchison Falls National Park via the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary where you will have the opportunity to trek the Rhinos. The sanctuary houses Uganda’s Rhino reintroduction project. There are 9 white rhinos and tracking is done on foot for 1 and half hours. You will continue to Masindi Town for lunch and later drive to Murchison Falls National Park. The entire Uganda Wildlife & Primates Safari journey takes 6-7 hours. You will have dinner and overnight at the lodge of your booking.

Luxury: Paraa Safari Lodge/ Nile Safari Lodge/ Bakers Lodge
Mid-range: Fort Murchison (in rooms)/ Murchison River Lodge
Budget: Fort Murchison in tents/ Murchison River Lodge in tents / Red Chili
Meal Plan: Full Board Basis

Day 3: Game drive and Boat launch on the Nile

You will wake up very early and set off at 6.30am for a sunrise game drive in the Nyamsika plateau to see the Cape buffaloes, Rothschild’s giraffes, Uganda kob, hartebeest and waterbucks. You may also spot oribi, bushbuck, Bohor reedbuck, shy sitatunga, bush duiker, warthog and bush pig plus large carnivores including lions, leopards and spotted hyenas. Chimpanzees and olive baboons head the list of six species of primates found in the park. Crocodiles and hippos will be seen along the banks of the Nile River.

Some of the more common birds that can be seen include goliath heron, Egyptian geese, pelican, bee-eaters, kingfishers, hornbill, cormorant, saddle-bill stork, and the rare shoebill stork. You will return to your lodge for a late breakfast and some relaxation before you set off in the afternoon for a boat cruise on the placid Victoria Nile, upstream, to the base of the falls. En route you will see hippos, crocodiles, waterbuck, and a wide variety of birds like the rare shoebill stork. The boat stops just tens of meters from the “Devil’s Cauldron” for pictures to be taken of the photogenic and majestic Murchison Falls.

Luxury: Paraa Safari Lodge/ Nile Safari Lodge/ Bakers Lodge
Mid-range: Fort Murchison (in rooms)/ Murchison River Lodge
Budget: Fort Murchison in tents/ Murchison River Lodge in tents / Red Chili
Meal Plan: Full Board Basis

Day 4: Visit the top of the fall and travel to Kibale Forest National Park

You will after your breakfast visit the “top of the thunderous Murchison falls”, where you will observe the Nile River squeezing itself into a 7-meter gorge before tumbling 40 meters down in a thunderous explosion and then flowing down into a very peaceful river whose water banks are swarmed with a profusion of water and land animals as well as birds.

You will thereafter set off on a 9-hour journey to Kibale Forest National Park.  The Uganda Wildlife & Primates Safari drive is through verdant countryside dotted with traditional homesteads and farms and via the towns of Hoima and Fort portal which rest in the shadow of the fabled Mountains of the Moon. You will have dinner and overnight at the lodge of your booking

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 5: Chimpanzee tracking and Bigodi swamp walk

After breakfast, you will go for chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest National Park, where the greatest variety and highest concentration of primates in East Africa are exceptionally represented. The most famous of its 13 species is the Chimpanzee known to be a delightful ape. It is also home to species like the rare I’Hoest’s monkey, the black and white Colobus, Blue monkey, Grey-cheeked mangabey, Red tailed monkey and Olive baboon among others. The walk takes 2-3 hours after which you will return to your lodge for lunch.

After lunch, you will go for the Bigodi swamp walk where you will see a variety of rare bird species and other smaller mammals, and return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

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 6: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

You will have an early breakfast and set off for Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in Southwestern Uganda near the border with Rwanda. This is a long Uganda Wildlife & Primates Safari journey of 9-10 hours but on a paved road passing through areas richly endowed with beautiful geographical features along the way. You will travel along the Albertine rift through the towns of Fort Portal and Kasese with stopovers in areas with tourist attractions along the route

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 7: Uganda Gorilla Trekking

You will have an early morning breakfast and move to the Park headquarters to join other trackers in a briefing about the Uganda gorilla trekking rules at 7:45 am. You will trek through thick creepers and undergrowth with your guides to find the Mountain 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. You will have one hour to stay with the Gorillas once sited before returning to your lodge. Time allows you will go for a guided nature walk around the 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 Safari Lodge.
Meal plan: Full Board Basis

Day 8: Transfer back to Kampala / Entebbe

This is the last day of the Uganda Wildlife & Primates Safari that starts after breakfast with a return journey to Kampala. You will 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 arrive in Kampala in the late afternoon and either transfer to the Airport to catch your evening departure flight or to the hotel of your booking for a well-deserved rest.

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 (USD $700)
• Travel &Health insurance – This should be arranged by you in your home country before you travel.
• Physical fitness

The Safari package includes:

• Full board accommodation as per the itinerary
• 4WD safari vehicle with popup roof
• Bottled drinking water
• Rhino trekking fees
• Ferry crossing fees
• Boat trips
• Visit the top of the Murchison falls fee
• Chimpanzee trekking permit in Kibale forest
• Gorilla trekking permit for $700
• Services of an English Speaking Driver/guide.
• Game drives safari
• 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

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