Uganda’s Wildlife Wonders

Safari Overview

Destinations visited: Zziwa rhino sanctuary, Murchison Falls, Kibale Forest, Queen Elizabeth and Bwindi National parks.

For travellers who want to see the best of Uganda; This 11-days adventurous journey takes you into the depths of Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to see some of the world’s last remaining mountain gorillas. The experience begins with Big5 wildlife encounters, through primate filled jungles of Kibale to the lush savannah of magnificent Murchison falls National park where the R. Nile violently squeezes into a 7 meter gorge and finally leading you to the remote mountainous regions of southern Uganda.

Safari Summary

Day	Itinerary
Day 1	Arrival in Uganda
Days 2- 4	Big 5 Sightings!
Days 5- 6	Primal Primates
Days 7- 8	Explore Queen Elizabeth National Park
Days 8- 10	Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Day 11	Domestic flight to Entebbe for Departure

Day 1: Welcome to Uganda

On arrival at Uganda’s Entebbe International Airport, you’ll be met by a representative and transferred to your guesthouse for relaxation and overnight.

Depending on your arrival time, you may have the option of visiting the city tour of Kampala. OR Mabamba swamp for the dinosaur bird, the shoebill stork(by boat)

Day 2: Rhino Sanctuary & Murchison Falls

Depart Kampala heading to the North West of Uganda to Murchison Falls national park, En-route, Trek rhinos at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. This sanctuary is a true success story of the revival of rhinoceros after the extreme poaching that killed the last rhino in Uganda in 1982. Doing this guided trek gets you “up close and personal” with these special animals that are among “Africa’s Big five.

Proceed to Murchison Falls national park one of Uganda’s best highlight with exceptional wildlife and landscape. The meandering Victoria Nile and the dramatic Murchison Falls neatly bisecting Uganda’s largest park, you’d expect a wide range of animals at Murchison Falls and you’d be right. It’s a stunning habitat for wildlife and it’s where to go in Uganda for classic big game species.

Before checking in your lodge, you’ll drive to the top of the powerful Murchison Falls, Hike the (Baker’s summit) to marvel at the spectacular Nile dropping in a wave ofrapids into a 7metre wide Rock gorge on its way to the Albert. This highly recommended hike is a great way to stretch your legs after the drive and offers a unique perspective of the falls and the surrounding landscape.

Your guide will drive you to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 3: Explore Murchison Falls National Park

Early breakfast, Conduct a morning game drive, On the savannah, Grassy plains are dotted with Giraffes, elephants that trumpet when you get too close, hyenas, leopards, and different species of antelopes such as the oribi, reedbuck, waterbuck, bushbuck, warthogs, kob- an antelope species found only in central Africa that are an important prey species for the lions.

The lions themselves are known for their black manes! Buffalo roam the grasslands and plains, and these huge bovids are particularly fond of wallowing in mud found in marshy areas. This can give them a comical appearance as they emerge caked in a thick layer of mud, but as your guide will tell you, they are far from comical when faced withdanger! They are considered one of the most dangerous animals in Africa.

In the afternoon, A 3-hour Boat Cruise along the Victoria Nile will lead you to the base of the Murchison Falls. Along the way, you will be able to view a wide variety of birds and wildlife; numerous hippos, elephants and crocodiles, as well as breathtaking scenery. You will be transferred to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 4: Continued Game Drives

You will have the opportunity to explore more of the park’s wildlife and landscapes on a morning game drive. see the animals you may have missed the previous day and enjoy the beautiful sunrise over the savannah. In the park, In the afternoon, you can choose to relax at your lodge or, if you’re up for more adventure, later in the evening, drive through the parks tracks for a jeep safari, you may spot different species of wildlife. and overnight at your lodge.

Day 5: Transfer to the primate world of Africa

After your Big 5 safari, you embark on a Safari route that traces through small villages, picturesque green tea plantations and beautiful landscapes of numerous crater lakes of volcanic origin. Proceed to Kibale forest- home to the primates! Kibale Forest boasts the highest number of primate species in the world, including our delightful cousins- the Chimpanzees. At this moment, in Uganda, there are over 6000 Chimps left in the wild, which makes this forest a perfect and best place to spot chimpanzees in Africa! During the excursion, your ranger will point out the other species living in the forest, including birds, flora and fauna.

A birding/community excursion is also possible in Kibale region.

Your swamp walk (1- 2 hours) will take you through grassland, small communities and some beautiful scenery, where the locals are likely to greet you with enthusiastic waves. It is usual to spot 3 or 4 different primate species during this walk, though the highlight is catching a glimpse of the Great Blue Turaco bird! Of course, the stars of the show are chimpanzees and nine other species of primate. Smaller than their gorilla cousins but no less charming, intelligent or expressive, chimp families can cover vast distances and the trek in Kibale forest to find them will be filled with all sorts of enchanting encounters.

Optional activity: Chimpanzee Habituation tracking

At an additional fee of $60pp you do the chimpanzee habituation tracking instead of the regular chimpanzee tracking. This will take all day and you will be 100% sure to have a very close encounter with your closest relatives. Book this in time because only 6 persons per day are allowed to go.

Day 6: Chimpanzee Tracking and Transfer

Early morning breakfast at your lodge, your guide will drive you to the briefing point, As you prepare for the astonishing chimpanzee tracking experience.Guided by experienced local guides, you'll follow the trails of these intelligent primates through the lush forest canopy. The trek can last several hours, depending on the location of the chimpanzees that day. Once you find them, you'll have the incredible opportunity to observe their behavior, social interactions, and natural habitat up close. This unforgettable experience allows you to connect with one of our closest relatives in the animal kingdom while surrounded by the breathtaking beauty of Kibale's rainforest. After the trek, you will be transferred to Queen Elizabeth National park for dinner and overnight stay.

Later afternoon, embark on a 3-hour Safari route that traces the Western Rift valley in the heart of Africa to the South West of Uganda through many hills, surrounded by small villages, picturesque crater lakes and beautiful landscapes.

Day 7: Queen Elizabeth National Park

This part of Uganda is characterized by the presence of numerous crater lakes of volcanic origin. Your day here starts early as you set off in the morning game drive to look for animals like; lions, elephants, buffaloes, Ugandan kob and antelope on the Kasenyi plains while the dense thickets of the Mweya peninsula is the ideal hiding spot for notoriously shy leopard.

On your final afternoon, you will cruise the Kazinga Channel, which flows between Lakes George and Edward. One of the continent’s densest concentrations of hippo lives here, as well as large numbers of elephants, crocodiles and water birds like African fish eagles and pelicans.

Conduct another game drive in the afternoon to maximize your wildlife viewing opportunities, for the species you may have missed in the morning.

Day-8: Lake Katwe salt

Visit the Lake Katwe salt water excursion, this unique experience takes you to the shores of Lake Katwe, a saltwater lake located within Queen Elizabeth National Park. Here, you can witness the traditional salt mining process carried out by local communities. The lake's high salinity creates a surreal landscape, and you may have the opportunity to interact with the salt miners and learn about their way of life. It's a fascinating cultural and natural experience that adds depth to your safari adventure in Uganda.

After the salt excursion, you will be transferred to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Optional activity: Lion Tracking

For visitors who yearn to get up close to wild African fauna, a research trip is a rewarding adventure. This new and unique experience allows visitors to actively participate in monitoring some of lions in the park, using locator devices and learn habituation calls, as well as monitoring weather, surroundings and behavior. The results are added to researchers’ databases, contributing valuable information to the overall understanding of wildlife ecology - and helping to conserve this wonderful ecosystem. This will as well gives you a 95% chance to see the lions! The number of people on each outing is limited in order to reduce stress on the animals and to increase the quality of the experience for visitors.

The experiential tourism activities currently available are Mongoose Tracking, Lion Tracking, Hippo Census, and Bird Counts. The number of people on each outing is limited in order to reduce stress on the animals and to increase the quality of the experience for visitors. Experiential tours lasts between one and three hours. They usually take place in the early morning or evening, or occasionally at night. All activities must be booked through the Visitor Information in at least 24 hours in advance.

Days 9 - 10: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Travel through the rolling hills of central Africa as you make your way to the Mahogany Springs Lodge in the great Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Despite its rather forbidding name, Bwindi is a tropical forest wonderland. The landscape changes dramatically: Bwindi is a place of steep hillsides, dense jungle and towering trees. relaxatat the lodge and prepare for the gorilla trekking experience the next day.

Gorilla Trekking:

Your second day is the one you have been waiting for: today you make the acquaintance of rare mountain gorillas, one of the most memorable wildlife encounters in the world. Led by experienced trackers who are intimately familiar with each individual gorilla and who understand their overnight movements, you will hike through the forest until you find these gentle creatures. For mutual safety, you will have to observe them from a distance and no children under 15 are allowed on a trek. It can be tough going in the rain and mud but it is worth the effort to look into the emotional brown eyes of these marvelous creatures while in their natural habitat.

Meet the Batwa pygimies:

you once lace up your hiking boots and set out to meet members of the Twa tribe, who are thought to be the longest-standing inhabitants of the Great Lakes region. Their history can be traced back at least 4 000 years and they are renowned as dancers and storytellers. You will learn more about the Batwa’s hunting and gathering techniques, their goddess and their musical performances.

The Batwa Experience was created by the displaced Batwa pygmies to educate their children and to share their amazing heritage and traditions with the world. Step back in time to see how the pygimies lived for millennia in the Bwindi, one of the most beautiful jungles on earth and home of the famous mountain gorillas. Enjoy an incredible day hike in the rain forest with Batwa guides, see how the Batwa lived and hunted, learn about medicinal plants, and watch for animals and birds.

A Forest Walk with the Batwa people can be taken in Buhoma, in Buniga Forest and at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. After two days of hiking, you will no doubt enjoy some relaxing after dinner, sharing stories as the moon rises over Bwindi.

Day 11: Departure

An early start sees you off to the airstrip to catch your domestic flight from Kihihi to Entebbe. After seven days of trekking gorillas, enjoying the antics of chimpanzees and immersing yourself in two of the country’s greatest wildlife areas, it is time to bid farewell to Uganda. You will stay in Entebbe town until you catch your departure flight back home. This marks the end of what we hope will be an adventurous trip- Thank you very much!