12 Day Wildlife, Primates And Cultural Safari In Uganda, The Pearl Of Africa

Highlights of this Tour

• Gorilla Tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
• Chimpanzee Tracking in Kibale Forest National Park
• Rhino Tracking in Ziwa Sanctuary
• Tree climbing Lions in Ishasha

Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe Airport and Evening Cultural Concert

After a long flight, you finally land at the pearl of Africa as declared by Churchill Winston. This is neither a myth nor fantasy but the real truth. In fact, one can evidently confirm it even from above during the flight before landing. Upon checking out, you will be welcomed by our friendly tour guide who will be with you for the rest of the holiday. After which, you will be transferred to the hotel for an afternoon rest. Later on in the evening, you will be driven to Ndere cultural centre for a thrilling traditional concert that depicts the wealth of Ugandan cultures. (Overnight at Skyz Hotel 40 Minutes’ drive)

Ndere Troupe Cultural performers

Day 2: Entebbe – Rhinos and Murchison Falls National Park

After an early morning breakfast, you set off for a pretty long but rewarding journey. With regular breaks, you reach your first attraction, Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary (70km²), a protected home for white rhinos that became extinct due to extensive poaching during the political unrests in the 1970s. An organisation, Rhino Fund, was formed to re-establish Rhinos with extra protection so that they can later be again be sent back into the wild after attaining a certain number of rhinos. The view of rhinos is usually done on foot with the guide of highly trained rangers who track their movements and can read their behaviours. After that, you will have a lunch break before continuing further to the day’s final destination, a rich national park of Uganda. It is not only known for its wealth in animal species but also most importantly, for its thunderous Murchison Falls of the great River Nile. These falls flow through a thin 8m deep and 44m long gorge. The Nile divides the park into the southern and northern sections of the park. The southern is predominantly forest and mainly harbours primates and birds while the northern is savannah grassland and its where all the game activities take place. (Overnight at Paraa Safari Lodge B, L D. Drive time 7-8 Hours)

Mother Rhino with baby at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Day 3: Game Drive, Boat Ride on the Nile and Hiking to the Top of the Falls

The early morning bird catches the worm is the guideline today. You have another very early morning breakfast and set off to catch animals while it’s still cool before they hide in shades in the approaching afternoon heat. With fully charged cameras and watchful eyes, the park will offer animals ranging from big cats (Lions and shy Leopards), giraffes, elephants, buffalos, antelopes (Uganda Kobs, Hartebeests, Waterbucks, Bushbucks, Oribis), Patas monkeys, about 450 bird species and many other mammals. The game drive lasts about 4 to 5 hours depending on the sightings and weather conditions. Afterwards, we drive to a convenient place for lunch picnic before having an afternoon boot ride at 14 hours. The boot ride lasts around 2 hours up to a view point of the thunderous falls. During the boot ride, we expect to see hippos, crocodiles, water birds and several mammals that come to drink water due to the afternoon heat and thirst. After the 2 hour boot ride, you will board off to the mainland where you will be received by a ranger to take you through the hiking to the top of the falls. The hiking is moderately demanding but the reward is the breath-taking view of the Murchison Falls. It lasts between 45 minutes and 1.5 hours depending on your fitness. At the end of the hiking, you will be driven back to the lodge for a free evening, possibly in the swimming pool. (Overnight at Paraa Safari Lodge B, L, D)

Day 4: Murchison Falls – Kibale Forest National Park

You leave the Northern part of the country and drive towards the Southern. The beauty of this journey is the varying landscapes and the different ways of living for the several tribes that you will be driven through.

Baboons in Kibale Forest NP

This journey starts from the forest and savannah grasslands of the park to the escarpment with a breath-taking view of the western arm of the Great Rift Valley and the oil rich Lake Albert. You will also have beautiful views of tea plantations. You will reach Fort Portal town early enough to be treated to a mouth licking local lunch buffet. After lunch, you have a choice of visiting a nearby local urban market with your guide to have a taste of Ugandan shopping before driving for the next 45 minutes through Kibale Forest up to the lodge (Overnight at Kibale Guest Cottages. B, L, D)

Day 5: Chimpanzee Tracking and Bigodi Swamp Walk

Brace yourself for an adventurous day. After an early morning breakfast, you head towards the information centre of Kibale Forest National Park for briefing. This forest prides itself of being the world’s biggest primate harbour. In addition to primates, it is also home to several bird species, forest elephants, buffalos, galagos, bush babies among other mammals. There are over 1300 chimpanzees in this forest, however, only a few of them are habituated for human viewing. This foot activity is moderately energy demanding, but usually easy to do since the forest is not thick and softly undulating. After tracking, you will have lunch in a traditional Ugandan set up from a local home with explanations on how and why things are done that way. After lunch, you will make a second walk along the periphery of Bigodi Swamp for view of several monkey species, birds and plants. This activity is undertaken by a locally formed organisation with the main of conserving the environment (Bigodi Swamp) and community development through the proceeds earned in tourism. This normally takes 2-3 hours depending on your pace, sightings and weather changes. In the late afternoon, you return to the lodge for relaxation. (Overnight: Kibale Guest Cottages. B, L D)

Day 6: Kibale Forest – Queen Elizabeth National Park (Afternoon Boat ride)

This another amazing journey through a region filled with crater lakes of unquestionable beauty. In addition, you will experience once again the way of life of the locals, plantations of green cooking plantain, the local households, ever waving and smiling children and many more await you on this journey towards Queen Elizabeth National Park. In the early afternoon, you will enter the park where you will be treated to the best activity in this animal sanctuary, the boat ride on the natural Kazinga channel. This channel connects two lakes, L. George and L. Edward. The afternoon sun makes this channel an inevitable attraction point for a variety of animals. These include hippos, elephants, buffalos, crocodiles, several antelopes, thousands of birds, lizards and many more, depending on what Mother Nature provides at that particular moment. After the unforgettable ride on the channel, you proceed to the lodge slowly while on the lookout for other animals. The lodge is located on a hill with a marvellous endless view of the park. (Albertine Safari Lodge. B, D)

Bulls engaging themselves after a bath in Kazinga channel

Day 7: Kanzinga Channel – Tree Climbing Lions (Ishasha Sector)

In the early morning, take about a 3 hour drive to the southern sector of the park which is famous for the unique lions, the tree climbing lions. This sector of the park is spotted with fig trees, which are short enough to be climbed and flat enough for the lions to sleep on as they digest their dinner through the day. Lions, due to their heavy less flexible muscles, are usually poor climbers, but due to these trees, they have adopted to climbing them. (Enjojo Lodge B, L, D)

Lion on a fig tree in Ishasha sector of the park

Day 8: Tree Climbing Lions – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest NP

Today, you will continue to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, home to more than half of the world’s surviving mountain gorillas. This is a mountainous region with unbelievably splendid views. From this point on for the about 4 days, you will drive through possibly Africa’s most beautiful region, simply known as the Switzerland of Africa. A region that is well packaged with hills, mountains, crater lakes, beautiful people, vegetation, the list cannot end and all depends on what impresses you. (Bakiga Lodge. B, D)

The Switzerland of Africa in Western Uganda “Churchill Winston”

Day 9: Gorilla Tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After breakfast, you will proceed to the park information centre where you will be briefed about the park and the conservation of the gorillas. At about 8:00am, you will be guided into the forest where you will enjoy its beauty and freshness before reaching these endangered huge but gentle giants. The ones you will visit are habituated and used to human visits. However, a respectful social distance is kept between them and humans. Depending on where they built their nests the previous night and by following the destroyed grass and thickets during their movements, the trackers are able to locate them way in advance before you go into the forest to sight them. Therefore, the duration of the activity depends on how far they have moved. This can last anywhere between 2-7 hours. This is an experience one can never forget. Return to the Lodge for relaxation and overnight. (Bakiga Lodge. B, L, D)

An immature Silverback in Bwindi Forest

Day 10: Bwindi -Lake Bunyonyi

This is a continuation of a fascinating journey through the Switzerland of Africa. This region also has a distribution of spectacular crater lakes, only that these ones are bigger than usual with several islands on them. One of such a kind is L. Bunyonyi, believed to be one of the most beautiful lakes on earth. It has 29 hilly islands of varying size, terrain and some with interesting historical backgrounds. The overnight today is located strategically with an amazing view over this charming Crater Lake. Take off time here and breathe the freshness from the well conserved nature and recover from the activities done days before. One can however engage oneself in activities like a boat ride on the lake; a community visit or just relax at the lodge balcony. (Overnight: Acadia Cottages, Bird’s Nest Lodge. B, D)

Day 11: Lake Bunyonyi – Lake Mburo National Park

Amazing sightings in Lake Mburo Park

Today, you transfer to Lake Mburo NP, the second smallest but one of the richest parks of Uganda. It is well known for its wealth in Zebras, Impalas, Bushbucks, Elands, about 550 bird species, Buffalos, Giraffes and many more. As you are driven towards the lodge, you will be able to sight a number of animals already on a short game drive. Your lodge today is also located on a hilltop with a marvellous view of the park. The entire evening is left free for you sit on the verandas of your comfortable cottages with a beer or cigar in the hand, or spend it in the swimming pool. (Mihingo Lodge or Rwakobo Rock B, D)

Day 12: Morning Nature Walk and Transfer to Airport

You will have a wakening breakfast of a cup of coffee, tea or milk before setting out in nature on foot to get as close as possible to the wild animals, with the guidance of a well-trained armed ranger. After about 2 hours of this experience, you will return to the lodge where you will have a second breakfast before checking out. At this point, you will have chance to refresh yourself in preparation for the home flight. On the way to Kampala, you will have a lunch break at the equator and an opportunity for photos and buying souvenirs.

This trip covers the following costs

• All transport services within Uganda from the time of arrival to departure back home
• A full time English speaking tour guide / driver
• All meals, water and soft refreshments (like fruits) during the journeys
• All activities described within the itinerary

This trip excludes the following items

• Flight to and from Uganda
• Hard drinks
• Tips
• Souvenirs
• Any extra activity not included or those described as optional in the itinerary

Travel Dates

Please kindly understand that due to the fixed dates of the cultural concert on day 1, it is not possible to have flexibility in the travel dates of your own choice. Fortunately, there are many dates for you to choose from. We have also included a list of Recommended Airliners plus their arrival times in Entebbe airport, so that the arrival and departure of the flights fits in the flow of the itinerary.

Please also take into consideration that for ease of reservations especially for gorilla and chimpanzee permits, we advise you to make a partial booking as early as a year to your planned travel date, if possible. This allows us to make an early purchase of the permits from the Uganda Wildlife Authority, a government body in charge of wildlife. This is because these permits are very limited in number due to the utmost need to conserve these animals yet there are so many tourists who want to view them. The rest of the payment can be made up to 5 months to the travel date so that we finalise with the hotel bookings. We highly appreciate your interest in visiting the Pearl of Africa along with us.