12 Days Uganda Gorilla Tour

Trip summary

Day 1: Transfer to Murchison Falls National park  and Visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Day 2: Game drive and Boat cruise

Day 3: Transfer to Kibale National park

Day 4: Chimpanzee tracking and Bigodi wetland walk

Day 5: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National park

Day 6: Chimpanzee tracking and boat cruise

Day 7: Game drive and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National park

Day 8: Gorilla Trekking and community walk

Day 9: Transfer to Lake Mburo National park

Day 10: Game drive and boat cruise

Day 11: Nature walk

Day 12: Transfer back to Kampala

Detailed trip Itinerary

Day 1: Head to Murchison Falls

After breakfast, drive via Bombo and Masindi town to Murchison Falls National Park. Have either lunch in Masindi or a picnic lunch in Kaniyo – Pabidi forest. Proceed to Kichumbanyobo gate accessing Murchison falls National Park late afternoon. Drive to the “Top of the falls” for a breathtaking sight of the raging Nile and witness it forcing its way through a rocky gap barely six meters wide, point where the Nile River detonates through a narrow gorge and cascades down to become a placid river. Overnight at Paraa Safari Lodge / Sambiya River Lodge / Red Chilli Camp (FB

Day 2: Game drive and boat trip
Have an early morning game drive at the Northern Bank of the Murchison falls National park to view animals unique to the African Savannah like giraffe, elephant, antelope, lion, and the Uganda Kob. Mid morning return to the lodge for breakfast, relaxation and lunch. In the afternoon, return to the Nile river for a launch cruise that leads to the bottom of the roaring falls where huge crocodiles, schools of hippos, buffaloes, elephants and a variety of water birds like herons, ducks, cormorants, bee-eaters, skimmers, kingfishers, fish eagle and the rare shoebill are seen. Dinner and Overnight at Paraa Safari Lodge/Sambiya River Lodge / Red Chilli Camp

Day 3: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
Drive via the Albertine Escarpment of the western Rift valley on the Masindi-Hoima – Fort portal road. This will be a long drive south via Hoima to Fort Portal, passing though verdant countryside and traditional homesteads and farms. Fort Portal rests in the shadow of the Fabled “Mountains of the Moon” The Journey is long! At least five hours of driving. Dinner and overnight at Ndali Lodge/Rwenzori View Guest House/ Primate Lodge Cottages

Day 4: Chimpanzee Tracking
After breakfast, you will be taken to Kanyanchu headquarters for briefing before you head for our chimpanzee tracking and other primates including Red-Colobus, L’hoest, Red-tailed and grey cheeked Mangabey. You will walk through the forest with an experienced guide who will be enlightening you about both plant and animals. Tracking the noisy chimpanzee families racing through, this luxuriant forest is a tremendous experience. Have lunch at Tinka’s place where Traditional dishes are prepared for tourists to feel the taste of Uganda culture. After lunch, have a Bigodi Swamp walk in bid to view the birds and monkeys that inhabit the swamp. Dinner and overnight at Ndali Lodge/Rwenzori View Guest House/ Primate Lodge Cottages

Day 5: Enroute to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Transfer straight to Queen Elizabeth National Park located in Western Uganda on Mount Rwenzori foothills. While on the drive, take keen of the wild game that you may come in contact with, on your way to the park. The game seen will depend on the season; the Kasenyi plains are good for lion and the Mweya peninsula for a variety of animals. Dinner and overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge / Institute of Ecology (FB)

Day 6: Chimpanzee tracking and Launch cruise
Early morning have an expedition to Kyambura Gorge nearby to track chimpanzee. Alternatively go for a nature walk in Maramagambo Forest to see other primates and visit the bat cave and the blue lake. After Lunch, head for the boat cruising at the Kazinga channel. As you cruise, you will view variety of birds and animals and of course the wonderful scenery. Dinner and overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge / Institute of Ecology (FB)

Day 7: Game drive and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Have breakfast and enroute to Bwindi Forest driving through the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park which is the Ishasha where you will view the climbing tree lions.

You may have lunch at Savannah Hotel in Kihihi before proceeding to Bwindi. The trip from Queen Elizabeth, including a game drive in Ishasha, is estimated to take 6 hours. Have dinner and overnight at Trekker’s Tavern Cottage (budget), Bakiga Lodge, L. Mulehe Safari Lodge (deluxe), Mahogany Springs, or Four Gorillas Lodge (luxury).

Day 8: Gorilla trekking and community walk
An early morning breakfast and depart with packed lunch to report to the ranger station for a gorilla briefing. Since the forest is quite impenetrable, you will have an experienced guide who will lead to the forest through the undergrowth, parting thick creepers, to track the gorillas. When trekking, you will hear the grumbles of these great primates. This activity is adventurous and tiresome at the same time. If time allows, you may carry out bird and butterfly watching. In the afternoon you can visit the Batwa community in Buhoma. Dinner and overnight at Gorilla Resort / Buhoma Community Bandas (FB)

Day 9: Head to Lake Mburo
After breakfast we will depart for Lake Mburo National Park. This scenic drive which is approximately 7-8 hours will take you to Mbarara where you will stop for lunch before making our final descent to Lake Mburo National Park. After checking in, you will go for a boat trip; this park is an extension of the Tanzanian Plains with big herds of Zebra, Impala, Eland and other savannah species. For birders, this is one of the best places to find African Fin foot, Papyrus, Bush Shrike. Go for an evening game drive. Dinner and overnight at Mantana Tented Camp / Rwonyo Campsite

Day 10: Game drive and boat cruise

Lake Mburo National Park is home to over 350 bird species and a variety of mammals, including Rothschild Giraffes, zebras, impalas, elands, oribi, Defassa waterbuck, topi, reedbuck, buffaloes, hippos, leopards, warthogs, and hyenas. Start your day with a morning game drive to explore the wildlife, then in the afternoon go for boat cruise along Lake Mburo

Day 11: Nature walk

After breakfast at 7:00 am, begin your Uganda game walking safari, passing through the savannah ecosystem with lots of acacia trees. The walk offers you an opportunity to encounter a range of wild game, including Rothschild Giraffes, zebras, impalas, elands, oribi, Defassa waterbuck, topi, reedbuck, buffaloes, hippos, warthogs, and spotted hyenas. You can also hike Kazuma hill before returning to your lodge for lunch.

In the afternoon, you will visit the Enyemebwa cultural center for a cultural tour. A local guide will take you around the local homesteads, exploring both the exterior and interior of local thatched huts, kraals, crop gardens, and banana plantations. Then, you will head to the wilderness to view the long-horned cattle along with their herdsmen.

In the evening, retreat back home with the cows for traditional milking, after which you will attend a traditional performance before heading back to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 12: Return to Kampala
In the morning following breakfast you will transfer back to Kampala. Enjoy a 4-hour drive back to Kampala or Entebbe, with a stop at the Uganda Equator crossing in Kayabwe for about an hour. Here, you can stand with one leg in the northern hemisphere and the other in the southern, making for fantastic photos and memories. This spot is also great for buying souvenirs to take home. Finally, arrive in Kampala for an overnight stay in any hotel of your choice.

End of the Safari in Uganda