8-Day Primates and Wildlife Safari Takes you to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Murchison Falls National Park (MFNP) and Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP) for an opportunity to spot the ‘’Big five’’ African animals (elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion (including the famous tree-climbing lions of Ishasha) and leopard) by land. In addition, you will track radio collared lions in the “Kasenyi planes” of QENP with experienced researchers. By boat, on the Nile River at MFNP and through Kazinga channel in QENP you will have a close-up experience with one of the world’s largest concentrations of hippos, as well as Nile crocodiles, elephants, buffalos and other wildlife along the banks of the water. For your unique African great ape encounters, you will trek to find chimpanzees in Kibale National Park (home to 1,500 chimpanzees and over a dozen monkey species), and have the ultimate experience of spending time with endangered Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park (a UNESCO World heritage site and home to half of the world’s remaining Mountain Gorillas). After your exciting and rigorous trekking adventures, you will go to beautiful Lake Bunyonyi (“a place of little birds”) to relax before your flight home. Lake Bunyonyi is a magical place; its contorted shore encircles 29 islands surrounded by steep terraced hillsides reminiscent of parts of Nepal. This beautiful lake is crocodile /hippo and bilharzia free, making it suitable and safe for swimming.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Transfer to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary then Murchison Falls National Park.
On this day, you will be picked up from your accommodation/ airport and warmly welcomed by one of our professional driver guides. Thereafter, you will be transferred to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for Rhino tracking. This will take about 2 hours, and then have lunch at the sanctuary. Thereafter you will transfer to Murchison Falls National Park via Masindi, in the southern gate.
On arrival into the park, you will and drive straight to the top of the falls with scenic view along the way. While there, you will enjoy the spectacular view of the most powerful waterfall in the world, Murchison falls. Murchison Falls “also known as Kabalega Falls”, the Nile forces its way through a gap in the rocks that is only 8 meters wide, and tumbles 43 meters before flowing westward into Lake Albert.
From there, you will drive as you head to your lodge. Check into your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Destination: Murchison Falls National Park
Accommodation:
- Chobe Safari Lodge
- Pakuba Safari Lodge
- Red chili rest camp
Meal Arrangement: Lunch and Dinner.
Day 2: Morning Game Drive and afternoon Boat Cruise
After an early morning cup of hot tea / coffee, you will leave for an early morning game drive looking for the early morning riser. As you head out for the game drive, you will be in position to spot animals like the buffaloes, elephants, lions, leopards, hyenas, Rothschild giraffes, Oribi, Kobs and waterbucks together with some bird species along the way with some feeding together with the big animals.
After you will head back for breakfast and rest at the lodge till lunch is served. In the afternoon you head for a Boat ride along the Victoria Nile to the bottom of the falls. This Boat ride on River Nile goes for 3 hours and you will be able to see some Nile crocodiles, numerous hippos, as well as various bird species.
You will then return to the lodge with a short evening game drive, for dinner and the overnight at the lodge.
Destination: Murchison Falls National Park
Accommodation:
- Chobe Safari Lodge
- Pakuba Safari Lodge
- Red chili rest camp
Meal Arrangement: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale National Park
Today, you will wake up to a warm breakfast at your lodge. You will then leave the park through the southern gate heading to Kibale National Park. You will stop over in Hoima for some great views and lunch. You will then continue to fort portal in the afternoon where you will drive to your lodge in the evening for dinner and overnight stay.
Destination: Kibale National Park
Accommodation:
- Primate Lodge Kibale
- Turaco Treetops Lodge
- Kibale Forest Camp
Meal Arrangement: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 4: Chimpanzee tracking and Bigodi swamp walk.
Today you will have early morning breakfast and head straight the headquarters for the briefing from the guides as you start on the chimpanzee tracking expedition by 7:30 am. You will head into the forest and look for these intelligent creatures that share over 90% DNA with humans, which makes them very intelligent and behave almost like humans. Meeting these animals will depend on the last nesting location of the previous night. When you reach the chimpanzees, you will be limited to one hour with them and continue with the adventure as you discover more of the secrets of the park. You will also view other primates especially monkeys floating in the trees and several bird species.
Later you will head back to your lodge for lunch as you rest for the evening. In the evening, you will head to the southern part of Kibale national park for an amazing birding experience. Bigodi swamp is located just 6km from Kanyanchu visitors center and it is such a fascinating area where you can find over 200 bird species including the famous shoebill which may be seen during guided walks along the boardwalk trail and viewing other various primates. Bigodi Swamp Walk is a 5-km, three-hour tour through this protected forest on the outskirts of Bigodi Trading Center. Later you’ll head back to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Destination: Kibale National Park
Accommodation:
- Primate Lodge Kibale.
- Turaco Treetops Lodge
- Kibale Forest Camp.
Meal Arrangement: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Experiential Lion and Leopard tracking and afternoon boat cruise.
On this day, after your breakfast, you will head out to the Northern section of the park “Kasenyi planes”. While there, you will interface with the predators under the guidance of a ranger guide and researchers who drive around the park with radiation trackers. These trackers help them to find lions that have radio collars placed around their necks. The lion tracking experience takes about 3 hours and later on, you will return to the lodge for lunch as you prepare for the afternoon boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel.
Briefly: Queen Elizabeth National Park is the most visited national park in Uganda with thousands of hippos that populate shorelines of Kazinga Channel. The open savannah dotted with Acacia and Euphorbia trees provide a habitat for elephants, lions, leopards, Uganda Kobs and big herds of buffaloes.
The boat safari along Kazinga channel gives you an amazing view of water loving animals such as the water buffaloes, Elephants, hippos, crocodiles and bird species on the shores of the channel such as fish Eagle among others.
You will then return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Destination: Queen Elizabeth National Park
Accommodation:
- Mweya Safari Lodge
- Buffalo Safari Lodge
- Irungu Forest Safari Lodge
Meal Arrangement: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park via Ishasha sector for the Tree-climbing lions
On this day, you will have breakfast then set off for a breathtaking game viewing experience in the Ishasha area of Queen Elizabeth National Park – famously known for its resident tree-climbing lions. The chance of spotting these lions is about 70% though sometimes they are really hard to spot. Hoping you get the chance to spot them, the sight will be spectacular! You will also be able to see other wildlife such as the Uganda Kob, Cape buffaloes, elephants, and warthogs in addition to the tree-climbing lions. Thereafter, you will be transferred to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. In the evening you may go for a nature walk or community visit. Dinner and overnight stay.
Destination: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Accommodation:
- Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge
- Buhoma Gorilla Camp
- Gorilla Closeup lodge
Meal arrangement: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner.
Day 7: Gorilla trekking and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi.
Encountering the rare and endangered Mountain Gorillas of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is an experience of a lifetime. Half of the world’s populations of gorillas live under the mist-covered canopies of Uganda’s oldest and most biologically diverse rainforest. In the company of an experienced park ranger, you will be tracking the whereabouts of one of the habituated family groups who reside here.
Your tracking experience will be an exciting, yet challenging, journey along forested (often muddy and slippery) slopes, tangled vines, thick vegetation, and bamboo forests before you reach the territory of these gentle giants. En route, your ranger will point out telltale signs of previous gorilla activity like dung, nests, and chewed bamboo shoots. Depending on the location of the gorillas on any given day the walk can take anything from 2 to 7 hours.
Once the family of gorillas has been located, settle into your surroundings and enjoy the 1 hour you have to quietly observe these fascinating primates whose habits and mannerisms remind us so much of our own.
After tracking you will transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for relaxation as you get to appreciate the beauty in the south western part of Uganda.
Lake Bunyonyi is found in the south-western part of Uganda near the border with Rwanda in Kabale District. Lake Bunyonyi “place of many little birds” is undoubtedly the loveliest lake in Uganda. Its contorted shore encircles 29 islands, with the famous punishment Island, surrounded by steep terraced hillsides reminiscent of parts of Nepal. A magical place, especially with a morning mist rising off the placid waters, it has supplanted the Ssese Islands as the place for travelers to chill out on their way through Uganda, and has a selection of gorgeously remote and bucolic places to stay on distant islands, where you’ve only the birds for company.
Main destination: Lake Bunyonyi
Accommodation:
- Acadia lodge Lake Bunyonyi (luxury)
- Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort (mid-range)
- Hawk’s Eye Lodge Bunyonyi (budget)
Meal arrangement: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner.
Day 8: Transfer to Kampala with a stopover at the Equator
This will be your last day of the safari. You will wake up to a delicious breakfast and since Lake Bunyonyi is known to be a bilharzia, crocodile and hippo free lake, swimming would be an ideal activity to wind up your relaxation experience. Thereafter, you will check out of your lodge and then you will be transferred to Kampala city with a stopover at the Equator for lunch and taking photographs as well as souvenir shopping. You will then drive straight to Kampala and be dropped off at your place of residence or Hotel.
End of your safari