12 DAYS UGANDA GORILLA TREKKING, PRIMATES & WILDLIFE SAFARI

Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be transferred to the booked accommodation (Entebbe).

After breakfast, the assigned driver (guide) will pick you from the hotel and hit the road to Murchison Falls National Park. Note: We do provide either a safari land-cruiser or van depending on whichever is available on your date.

The highlights of this park include the roaring rapids of the Murchison, the rolling plains of Uganda’s largest National Park where you will have the chance of viewing lions, giraffes, hartebeest, buffalo, and elephants. Then surely, the concentration of hippos and the Nile crocodiles here will fascinate you.

En route, make a visit to Ziwa Rhino sanctuary for your first Big 5 experience where you will have an hour of rhino tracking. Continue to the park and check in to your accommodation to relax for the Evening.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Lodge: Fort Murchison

Have your breakfast, depart for an early morning game drive across the rolling plains of Uganda’s largest National Park and be on the look for wildlife including: lions, leopards (though hard to spot) among others. For any birder, there are quite a number of birds to sight too during the drive. Return to the accommodation for some rest time and lunch. 

After lunch, you will head out for the boat trip to the base of Murchison Falls where you will also be able to catch sight of more animals including Hippos and Crocodiles and several water birds. Continue with a hike (if you like) to the top of the falls. The hike may be a strenuous one but the thrill on reaching the top is unforgettable. Miss it only if you must. Return to your accommodation and have a relaxed evening on 12 Days Uganda gorilla trekking, primates & wildlife safari.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Lodge: Fort Murchison

After breakfast at your accommodation, depart right away for Kibale Forest National Park. The drive is quite long but incredibly scenic – passing through villages, lush green countryside and hills dotted with tea plantations that characterize this part of Uganda. The beautiful scenery will amaze you all the way.

Kibale NP is popular for its primates like the chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, L'Hoest's monkey, Uganda mangabey (Lophocebus ugandae). While on your chimpanzee trails, you will see them swinging in the forest trees and others feeding on the wild fruits. You will reach and do little but check into your accommodation where you will have dinner and the overnight rest.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Lodge: Isunga Lodge

Have breakfast and head to the rangers’ post where you will receive some briefing on the dos and don’ts during chimp trekking. Thereafter, you will proceed to trek the chimps in the Kibale Forest. An experienced ranger guide will take you chimp tracking (Kibale Forest) and the presence of primates here will surely amaze you. Once you locate the chimpanzees, you will have a full hour in their presence.

Later (after lunch), proceed to explore the crater lakes, crowned with a hike to the “top of the world”. You will enjoy the beauty of the numerous small lakes, surrounded by gentle hills, and the stunning views. Take a hike to Lake Nkuruba where you will encounter different species of primates and birds. Meet and interact with the local people as you walk through their villages and enjoy the panoramic views of the Kibale area on 12 Days Uganda gorilla trekking, primates & wildlife safari.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Lodge: Isunga Lodge

Have a relaxed breakfast at the accommodation and drive off to Queen Elizabeth NP. You will reach Queen early enough to relax, have lunch and in the afternoon proceed out for game viewing. During the game drive, look out for wild animals like reedbuck, bushbuck, kob, warthogs, elephants, lions and buffaloes to mention but a few.

Alternatively, you could choose to go for the Queen’s breathtaking explosion crater drive (instead). The drive is sightseeing with very spectacular view of the breathtaking scenery in and around Queen. There are also some wildlife to see along the drive although commonest are sights of Cape Buffaloes plus Elephants. Return to the accommodation for relaxation, dinner and the overnight stay. 

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Lodge: Irungu Forest Safari Lodge

Be up early and have your breakfast. Proceed for a morning game drive to the Kasenyi plains and be on the look for Cape buffalos, herds of elephants plus the big cats: lions, leopards (though hard to spot) among others. Return to the accommodation for some rest time and lunch on 12 Days Uganda gorilla trekking, primates & wildlife safari.

After lunch, you will go for a 2-hour boat trip on the Kazinga Channel that connects Lakes George and Edward. During the trip, the sight of wildlife including giant hippos, elephants and crocodiles among others will fascinate you. You will also see many varieties of birds at the water shores. You will have dinner and overnight at your accommodation.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Lodge: Irungu Forest Safari Lodge

Have breakfast then set off for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park through the Ishasha sector 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 hard to spot (most especially when they are down in the grassland looking for prey). Hoping you get the chance to spot them, the sight will be spectacular!

Continue to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Bwindi is a big habitat for mountain gorillas in Uganda (harboring an estimated 400 mountain gorillas – roughly half of the world’s population) including several habituated groups, which you will trek. With a strenuous day ahead, you will do less on arrival but just check in your accommodation, relax as you prepare for the Bwindi gorilla trekking experience the following day.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Lodge: Bwindi Forest Lodge

Have breakfast and move to the rangers’ post. You will receive some briefing (from a ranger guide) on the dos and don’ts during trekking. Thereafter, you will enter the gorilla sanctuary for your adventure. The beauty of this rain forest is spectacular! The area offers dramatic steeply forested landscape and is incredibly dense but crisscrossed by numerous animal trails allowing access to tourists. The time taken and the terrain vary with the movements of these great primates. Once you have located a gorilla group, you will be allowed an hour in their presence. The thrill of spending time observing these gentle but endangered giants is unforgettable.

Thereafter, you will return for lunch then drive off to Lake Bunyonyi. The lake is framed by lush, green-terraced hills that reach a height of (2,200 – 2,478m) but it’s the 29 islands of various shapes and sizes scattered across the water that make it most magical — you could admire them all day.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Lodge: Lake Bunyonyi Lake Resort

After breakfast, you will have the option of visiting and interacting with the local community who inhabit areas surrounding Lake Bunyonyi on 12 Days Uganda gorilla trekking, primates & wildlife safari.

Alternatively, you could opt for a canoe trek on Lake Bunyonyi which will introduce you to the major islands and their rich history but also there will be some great time spent in the traditional dugout canoe. Return to your accommodation for lunch and relaxation probably reflecting on your trip so far.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Lodge: Lake Bunyonyi Lake Resort

Have breakfast and set off to Lake Mburo NP via Mbarara town. You will arrive in the early afternoon and take some rest before proceeding out for the late afternoon (evening) game viewing. On the game drive, expect to see the gigantic eland antelopes, zebras, topi, impalas, Uganda kob and Cape buffalos among others.

Later, relax at the accommodation where you will spend the night. Optional: In case you are interested, you may go out for the breathtaking Mburo night game drive (at an extra cost on the ground). During the night game drive, expect to sight nocturnal creatures including snakes, hyena, owls and the elusive leopard (on a lucky day) among others.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Lodge: Eagle's Nest

Enjoy your early breakfast and proceed for the Mburo morning park (bush) walk in the presence of an armed Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger/guide. On this early morning guided walk; you will have the opportunity to encounter (at close range): Zebras, Giraffes and Eland, Topi and other antelope, Cape buffaloes among others on 12 Days Uganda gorilla trekking, primates & wildlife safari.

Take the Trail to the top of the hills and see Lake Mburo and beyond. From this vantage point, you will have a great view of 9 of the twelve lakes surrounding Lake Mburo NP. Thereafter, return to the accommodation for checkout and then hit the road to Entebbe airport for your flight out (recommended for 18:00 onward). 

Meal plan: Breakfast & Lunch