Day 1: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park. Visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary en route
After breakfast at your place of stay in Kampala, embark on the trip to Murchison Falls National Park in the north of Uganda, a journey of 311 km about 5 hours’ drive. You traverse through the undulating hill slopes of Nakasongola before branching off at Nakitoma for 7 km to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. The Sanctuary boasts to be the home to White Rhinos and thus offers an unforgettable Rhino tracking. After this activity, you will continue on the drive to Murchison Falls National Park for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Paraa Safari Lodge
Standard: Pakuba Safari lodge
Basic: Redchili Rest camp
Day 2: Morning game drive and afternoon Nile launch cruise
After an early morning cup of tea at the lodge, continue to the park for a morning game drive which tends to last 3 – 4 hours exploring the park’s attractive wilderness in its authenticity. The activity is carried out in the northern sector of the park which is a renowned hub where numerous counts of wildlife dwell including lions, Rothschild giraffes, leopards, elephants, Buffaloes, Jackson Hartebeest, Oribis, and Kobs among others. Return from the activity and head back to the lodge for relaxation and a sumptuous lunch after which you assemble at Paraa Jetty for a thrilling afternoon Nile launch cruise departing at 2pm heading for the bottom of the waterfalls. The boat cruise avails you with opportunities to encounter numerous birds, terrestrial and aquatic species such as the Nile Crocodiles, Hippos and the elusive shoebill stork not forgetting other wild game that quench their thirst from the Nile waters during sunny afternoons. The stretch to the bottom of the falls and the eventual hike to the top of the falls soon you are exposed to the thunderous roar of the waters of the Nile, arguably the longest river in the world where it squeezes its self to penetrate through a less than 8m gorge forming a rapid drop of spray marked by a trade mark rain bow as it plunges 43m below to what has been termed as the Devil’s Cauldron. Retire from this rather interesting 3 hour activity for relaxation, dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Paraa Safari Lodge
Standard: Pakuba Safari lodge
Basic: Redchili Rest camp
Day 3: Transfer to Hoima. Visit Kibiro Salt Gardens en route
After breakfast, embark on the journey to Hoima. Drive through pleasantly undulating landscapes of the Albertine rift before making a stopover at Kibiro salt gardens and hot springs en route on the steep shores of Lake Albert. You venture into the traditional means of salt extraction and learn how locals in this area have made a fortune out of this natural feature. The hike to the salt gardens is an adventurous experience of its own. Retreat from this activity and move on to Hoima for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Accommodation:
Kontiki Hotel
Day 4: Transfer to Fort Portal and do Mpanga Tea Estate Cycling
After breakfast, you will transfer to Fort Portal Area, a 5 hours’ journey traversing through rural landscapes and traditional homesteads of Kagadi district before approaching Kyenjojo and certainly Fort Portal town. You rest for lunch and then drive back to Mpanga tea estates for a thrilling bicycle cycling experience. Cycling across the undulating tea landscapes with impressive scenery and chatting with the estate staff as they harvest tea where you can also take part in the experience. Retreat from the activity and transfer to Kibale National Park for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Accommodation:
Upmarket: Primate Lodge
Standard: Kibale Forest camp
Basic: Rwenzori View Guest house
Day 5: Morning chimpanzee trekking in Kibale NP and afternoon Bigodi wetland walk
Following your breakfast at the lodge, assemble at the park headquarters, Kanyanchu Tourism Center at 8am for briefing and set off. The park staff will take you through this session and clarify on the chimpanzee trekking code of conduct and the trekking instructions after which you proceed to the forest in search of our closest cousins. The hike through the jungle with sights of birds, impressive flora and other primate species like Black and white colobus monkeys and eventual encounter with the chimpanzees as they roll themselves in their natural habitat gathering fruits, socializing and making
pant hooting calls combine to make your chimp tracking experience memorable. The Chimpanzee trekking experience tends to last 2 – 5 hours and including one hour of direct encounter with them. You will retreat to the starting point for a short relaxation and enjoy your lunch. After this, you will embark on a historical afternoon wetland walk in the nearby Bigodi wetland. The Bigodi wetland walk allows you to have an encounter with nature, the local people and a great deal of wetland biodiversity. The swamp has numerous populations of birds, a wide range of over 138 different species of birds including the Great Blue Turaco, swamp animals like Sitatunga antelope and an encounter with the community where you visit the traditional healer makes it more interactive. Retreat from this as activity and return to the lodge for relaxation dinner and overnight.
Accommodation:
Upmarket: Primate Lodge
Standard: Kibale Forest camp
Basic: Rwenzori View Guest house
Day 6: Transfer to Semuliki. Visit Sempaya hot Springs and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
After breakfast, embark on the journey to Semuliki National Park driving through Fort Portal town, Uganda’s arguably tourism city and eventually continue to Semuliki. Upon arrival, you will begin with the Sempaya Nature Walk exploring both male and female hot springs at Sempaya. This walk rarely exceeds 4 hours and then you transfer back to Fort Portal for lunch and later to Queen Elizabeth National Parkarriving in the evening for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge
Standard: Ihamba Safari Lodge
Basic: Simba Safari Camp
Day 7: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise along the Paradise of Hippos – the 45km long Kazinga Channel
After a splendid morning cup of coffee at your hotel, embark on the drive across the fascinating rolling savannah rangelands of Queen Elizabeth in search of wild game. The stretch to the Kasenyi plain, the renown mating ground offers you a lifetime opportunity of encounter numerous families of wild game in a single glance including elephants, buffaloes, water bucks and Kobs along with predators like lions, leopards and jackals. The game drive takes 3 – 4 hours and you retreat back to the lodge for relaxation and lunch. After lunch, you continue to Mweya jetty to catch up with a boat trip at exactly 4pm. The 2 hour boat cruise offers a chance to explore the 45km long Kazinga Channel which links the twin lakes, George and Edward, the channel is known to be the capital of Hippos and Nile crocodiles. Its banks are usually fully stocked with numerous wild game like elephants and buffaloes which can be seen along quenching their thirst from the Kazinga waters on a hot day. Retreat from the activity and do the game drive along the channel track as you proceed to the lodge.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge
Standard: Ihamba safari Lodge
Basic: Simba safari camp
Day 8: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Do game drive in Ishasha in search of tree climbing lions
After breakfast, transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. En route Ishasha, in the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, the exit to the Bwindi impenetrable national park where you will do a game drive looking for the elusive tree climbing lions, the unique Species that are only found in this part of Uganda with another group known to be living in Lake Manyara National Park in the south of Tanzania. However, low lying fig trees of Ishasha offers a closer contact with these unfamiliar species than any other part. You will eventually arrive in Bwindi in the evening for relaxation dinner and overnight.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Gorilla Safari Lodge
Standard: Bakiga Lodge
Basic: Broad bill Forest Camp
Day 9: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi and relax at the lodge
After an early morning breakfast you will be briefed by your ranger / tour guide and after start your gorilla trekking journey, you will enter into the amazing rain forest (gorilla sanctuary) as it offers an exciting, heavily forested and dense landscape interrupted by plenty of animal trails that provide access for tourists tracking these resident animals. Mammals thriving here include majorly the endangered mountain gorillas, elephants, buffaloes, giant forest hogs, the rare golden monkey, black-fronted Duikers, bush bucks, leopards to mention but a few. HOWEVER, The charming mountain gorillas form the highlight of the park, you will continue to the misty Bwindi forest in search of the world’s most sought after and endangered species. The trekking adventure takes you through impressive hikes exploring the attractive forest landscapes characterized by rugged terrain which makes it quite challenging to explore.
The time and track taken while looking for these beautiful primates varies according to their movements, “Remember they are also wild animals”. The duration of the activity is between 2 – 8 hours inclusive of one (1) hour direct contact with these unfamiliar creatures as they forage, socialize and make their joyous tactics with the frightening eyes of the Silverback. Once tracked, observing, spending time with and photographing these gentle, peaceful and shy apes is a unique, breathtaking, inspiring, and thrilling life time memorable adventure that leaves you desiring to have it again
Retreat from the activity when your time gets exhausted and then reassemble at the starting point. After this experience, you will return to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Gorilla Safari Lodge
Standard: Bakiga Lodge
Basic: Broad bill Forest Camp
Day 10: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for a boat cruise and relaxation
After a relaxed breakfast, you will undertake a tour on Lake Bunyonyi, spending the entire day at Uganda’s deepest lake. You explore the attractive landscapes of the lake and impressive relief of Kigezi region. Reach out to some of its 29 Virgin Islands amidst the pleasantly undulating hills of Kigezi. This 5 – 6hr boat cruise is a rewarding experience worth venturing. You return to the lodge and spend the rest of the day relaxed, enjoying dinner and overnight.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Arcadia cottages, Bunyonyi
Standard: Bunyonyi Safaris Resort
Basic: Supreme adventure park
Day 11: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park & do evening game drive
After breakfast, embark on the trip to Lake Mburo National Park, a journey of 219km about 4 – 5 hours’ drive traversing the impressive plain lands in the countryside of south western Uganda before getting to Igongo Cultural Center 12km past Mbarara town for a traditional sumptuous lunch. You will later continue for a distance of 33km to Lake Mburo National Park for an evening game drive activity exploring the park’s savannah low lands with impressive faunal and floral species. Retire for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation options:
Luxury: Mihingo Safari Lodge
Standard: Arcadia Cottages
Basic: Eagles’ Nest
Day 12: Morning game walking safari and transfer back to Kampala
After breakfast, embark on a fascinating game walking safari after the sunrise to explore the magnificent savannah acacia landscapes with gentle rolling hills marked with the extrusive Kopje rocks and other ancient Precambrian rocks that have existed in that locality for the past 500 million years. The animals which can be encountered include; Impala antelope which only exists in this small but rich national park, Lake Mburo National park, Burchell’s Zebra, Rothschild Giraffes, Topis, water bucks, warthogs, among other wildlife. Retreat from the 3 – 4 hour activity and undertake the transfer back to Kampala 240km about 4 hours’ drive. You will make a stop at Uganda Equator crossing Kayabwe for an amazing photo session for memories.
End of safari with Love Uganda Safaris
