16 Days African Great Apes, Wildlife and Scenic Photography Safari
The safari will take you through five of Uganda’s ten national parks. Top of the Murchison Falls, game drive and Nile cruise in Murchison Falls National Park, Chimps in Kibale National Park, game drive, Kazinga cruise and tree climbing lions of Ishasha in Queen Elizabeth National Park and mountain gorillas of Bwindi. Canoe ride and Cray fishing at Lake Bunyonyi, zebras of Lake Mburo and the recently reintroduced Rothschild Giraffes. Crown the safari with a visit to the source of the River Nile.
Day 1 – Arrival
Arrive at Entebbe International Airport, where you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel. Overnight at Lake Victoria Serena Resort on a bed and Breakfast basis.
Day 2 – Murchison Falls National Park
You will set off early in the morning for Murchison Falls National Park. The 4 – 5 hour drive will take you through Bombo and Luwero districts, and later stop in Masindi town for lunch. Later, proceed to the amazing Top of the Falls, where you will have a spectacular view of the Mighty Nile forced into a seven-metre fissure to thunder 45 metres underneath in a series of cascades. Here, the Nile can be viewed at various points up to the Baker’s Summit. Thereafter, dinner and overnight either at Paraa Safari Lodge. Meal Plan – Lunch and Dinner. Travel time is 5 hours to the top of the falls.
Day 3 – Game drive and Boat cruise
Early riser today, 0630am we head out on a game drive in the park to lookout for games of interest like lions, elephant, buffalo, giraffe and a variety of antelope which are regularly encountered on game drives. We return to the lodge for a mega breakfast. After lunch, we will take a boat cruise on the Nile River. The Nile itself hosts one of Africa’s densest crocodile populations, and a dazzling variety of water birds including the world’s most accessible wild population of the rare shoebill stork. The boat cruise will last up to 3 hours. Return to lodge for dinner and overnight. Meals and overnight at Paraa Safari Lodge. Meal Plan – Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 4 – Kibale Forest National Park
Today, after breakfast, we head south to Kibale Forest National Park, getting there in the evening. Kibale is home to 13 primate species; these include the much localised red Columbus and L’Hoest’s monkey. However, Kibale’s major attraction is the opportunity to track habituated chimps – these charming apes are more closely related to humans than to any other living creature. They are tremendously funny to watch as they wrangle and play in fruiting trees. Dinner and overnight at Ndali Lodge.
Meal Plan – Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Travel Time: 7 hours or more, depending on the road conditions.
Day 5 – Chimpanzee tracking
Soon after breakfast, we will set out on the popular chimp tracking. This will take 2 to 4 hours. A set-up of shady forest trails offers much to enjoy for lovers of botany and butterflies. If you adore birds, you are in for a treat with 335 species evidenced, including the prevalent Priogromine’s ground thrush. After that tour, we will get back to your accommodation for lunch. Soon after that, take the swamp stroll in the Bigodi haven, a dwelling place rich in bird-life. Here we have the great Blue Turaco as one of the most common and adored. Return to Ndali Lodge for Dinner and Overnight.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 6– Transfer to QENP + Game Drive
The day begins with a relaxed drive after breakfast as you leave Kibale National Park, headed for Queen Elizabeth National Park. Watch out for the incredible scenery of the “Mountains of the Moon” unfolding before your eyes as you drive along the smooth road. Upon arrival in the park, check in and have lunch at the Mweya Safari Lodge. After lunch, enjoy a late afternoon game drive in the park along different tracks of the Northern wing, where you might catch sight of wildlife species of the elephant, lion, leopard, and Cape buffalo, among others. Return to the Lodge for dinner and overnight.
Meal Plan – Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Travel Time: 3 hours.
Day 7- Game drive and Boat cruise
We shall be up early today, departing at 0630am for a morning game drive. Our intention is to catch up with big cats such as lions hunting and feeding on their morning kill. Lions habitually hunt in the mornings due to the cool temperature, which is more hunting-friendly for the king of the jungle. Other tourist attractions to expect are hyenas prior to their departure into the thickets, Cape buffalo, the handsome Uganda kob, warthog, elephant, leopard, and waterbuck. Later on, return to Mweya Safari Lodge for a late breakfast and lunch. Soon after lunch, we will drive to the Jetty where we will take a cruise on the Kazinga channel. Queen Elizabeth National Park possesses one of the top biodiversity ratings of any game reserve in the world. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight. Meal Plan – Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 8- Ishasha, the tree-climbing lions
After breakfast, our safari leads to Ishasha, a southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Ishasha derives its name from the River Ishasha, which separates Uganda from the Democratic Republic of Congo. This sector of the park is most famous for its tree-climbing lions, and it is among the few places in the world with lions of such a great adaptation. We shall proceed with a game drive in search of the big cats as they loosen up in large fig trees. More animal species we have here include: buffalo, topi, Uganda kobs, baboons and leopards. Dinner and overnight are at Ishasha Wilderness Camp.
Meal Plan – Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Travel Time: 2 ½ hours.
Day 9 – Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
After an early breakfast, we take a game drive through the park to take a final glimpse at the tree-climbing lions and leopard. We then proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, which is a prominent habitat to endangered mountain gorillas. A beautiful emerald enfolds across the steep ridges of the Albertine Rift Valley, the ancient rainforest, which is one of the few in Africa to flourish throughout the last Ice Age. The park is home to half of the world’s endangered mountain gorillas. On arrival at Buhoma, you will check in at Mahogany Springs.
Meal Plan – Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Travel Time: 2 ½ hours.
Day 10 – Gorilla Trekking
The most exciting yet strenuous experience awaits you this day. Carry your packed lunch, which you will enjoy en route in the midst of this impenetrable forest, where you will have your hike-of-a-lifetime on this day. After your breakfast, head to the park HQs for a thorough pre-tracking briefing by the park rangers who will serve as your guides for the day’s excursion that may last from an hour or two to eight hours, before you can meet the gorillas. Once you meet the gorillas, however, you will be able to spend one full, unforgettable hour with them. The day’s tracking is normally guided by where the gorillas were found the previous day. At the end of the tracking, you will return to the lodge to relax the afternoon away and enjoy a cocktail by the campfire as you listen to the sounds of Bwindi, then later have dinner and sleep. However, depending on your return time and state of body, you may choose to take a nature walk around the surrounding Batwa community, watching the magical motions of traditional Ugandan dances and feasting your eyes on local craftworks of the community on sale. (at a small added cost)
Meal Plan – Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 11 – Lake Bunyonyi
After breakfast, we leave the mountain giants and head on to Lake Bunyonyi, where over 200 bird species have been recorded. “Bunyonyi” actually means “the place of many little birds” Lake Bunyonyi is one of the few African lakes completely safe for swimming – there is no bilharzia. The lake’s altitude is 1,950 m, and it is surrounded by hills that are 2,200 to 2,478 m high and intensely cultivated. The data on the lake’s maximum depth varies from 44 m to 900 m. Lake Bunyonyi is probably the second deepest lake in Africa. The temperature on the surface rises to 25 degrees Celsius. Dinner and overnight at Arcadia Cottages or Bunyonyi Nature’s Prime Island.
Meal Plan – Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Travel Time: 3 hours.
Day 12 – Canoeing, Swimming and village community walks
We shall spend the day relaxing and wind down in one of East Africa’s most gorgeous and highly elevated locations, 6437 ft above sea level, with some of the most systematised mountain farming in the world. Some of the activities to enjoy this day will include: canoeing, swimming, and village strolls. Dinner and overnight at Arcadia Cottages or Bunyonyi Nature’s Prime Island.
Day 13 – Lake Mburo National Park
After breakfast, we set off to Lake Mburo National Park. This is certainly the best place in the country to view the enormous eland antelope, zebra, topi, impala, and numerous acacia-related birds. You will also look out for the recently reintroduced Rothschild giraffes. Take an afternoon game drive/walk in the company of an armed ranger. After which Dinner and overnight will be in Mihingo Lodge.
Meal Plan – Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Travel Time: 3 hours.
Day 14 – Game drive, Equator souvenir shopping and Kampala
After an early breakfast, take a game drive through the acacia savannah and woodlands of the park. Animals common here are: zebra, impala, eland (the largest antelope species), buffalo, topi, warthog and the occasional leopard. There are many savannah bird species, including: cocqui francolin, lapwings, and hornbills. Come back for a late breakfast, then transfer to Kampala via Masaka, making a stop at the equator for relic shopping and picture taking; we will make another stop at the drum makers’ shop and get to see how they make the local traditional drums. Proceed to Kampala and check in at Cassia Lodge, booked on a bed and Breakfast basis.
Meal Plan – Breakfast and Lunch
Travel Time: 5 hours.
Day 15– Source of the Nile
After breakfast, visit Jinja, which is prominent for the source of the longest river in the world, the Nile River. We take a boat ride on the river, which will take us to have a look at the very starting point of the river as it makes it 6400 kilometer journey to the Mediterranean. Later, we shall return to Cassia Lodge in Kampala, booked on a bed and breakfast basis.
Meal Plan – Breakfast and Lunch
Travel Time: 2 hours to Jinja.
Day 16 – Free day, flight out
Today will be a free day, and depending on the time of departure flight, we can take a city tour, do some shopping for relics, before dropping at the airport for your departure flight.