13-Day All-Inclusive Best of Uganda Primates and Big 5 Tour.
Detailed Safari: Best of Uganda Primates and Big 5
Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe
Welcome to the pearl of Africa! Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be met and greeted by your English-speaking guide. He will warmly welcome you and then transfer you to your hotel in Entebbe for relaxation and overnight stay.
Accommodation: Entebbe forest lodge (Luxury)/ Papyrus guest house (Midrange)
Meal plan: Bed & breakfast
Day 2: Rhino tracking & transfer to Murchison Falls National Park with top of falls hike
After breakfast, you will checkout of the hotel and transfer to Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary for rhino tracking. During rhino tracking, you will spot both the black and white rhinos. After Rhino tracking, have lunch and then proceed to Murchison Falls National Park. You will pay the park entrance fees and then drive to the top of the falls. You will hike to the top of the falls for a picnic lunch. At the top of the falls, you will have an astonishing experience as you watch the picturesque falls squeezing into the rocks in an 8m gorge. Please ensure that you take as many pictures as possible for memories.
After the top of the falls hike, you will be transferred to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation: Nile safari lodge (Luxury)/ Pakuba safari lodge (Midrange)
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 3: Morning game drive, afternoon boat cruise & night game drive
After an early breakfast, you will get into your safari vehicle and setoff for another exciting game drive to search for lions, giraffes, leopards, elephants, antelopes among other animals if you are lucky. The game drive usually takes approximately 3-4 hours, depending on what nature has to offer that day. After the game drive, you will head back to the lodge for lunch and relaxation.
After lunch, you will go for a boat cruise along the Nile. During the boat cruise, you will have the capability of spotting numerous animals such as Nile crocodiles, buffaloes, hippos, African elephants relaxing along the Nile banks and several bird species like the bee-eaters, African jacana among others. This launch cruise will take you up to the bottom of Murchison falls and while there you will have the ability of seeing these beautiful falls clearly for picture moments.
After the game drive, you will return to the lodge for relaxation and early dinner. At night, you will head back to the park for a night game drive in search of the nocturnals.
Accommodation: Nile safari lodge (Luxury)/ Pakuba safari lodge (Midrange)
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 4: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
After breakfast, you will checkout of the lodge with a morning game drive and transfer to Kibale Forest National Park. You will have a brief stopover along the way for lunch and in case you see something eye catching, feel fee to tell the driver guide to stop for picture moments. The transfer from Murchison falls to Kibale Forest national park takes approximately 6-7 hours driving so on this day, expect no activity. Upon arrival, you will check-in at the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation: Tabebuia Safari Resort (Luxury)/ Kibale tourist lodge (Midrange)
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking & Bigodi wetland visit
After an early breakfast, you will be transferred to Kanyanchu at for briefing about the code of conduct during the chimpanzee trek. Chimpanzee trekking at Kibale Forest national park starts as early as 8am.
Chimpanzees are the closest relatives to human beings and they share 98% of their DNA with human beings. During the search for these charming chimpanzees, you will get a golden opportunity of seeing numerous more animal and primate species like L’Hoests monkeys, black- red-tailed monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, bush babies, and many bird species such as the yellow-spotted nictor, the rampant puppet, and the crowned eagle, as well as elephants, which are mammals.
Kibale forest national park is situated on an altitude of 3,300 feet and this tropical rainforest is a home to countless chimpanzee communities. There are more than 100 members in each chimpanzee group offering creating a highly competitive social structure. The adult males dominate the groups and it’s their responsibility to protect the chimpanzee community from any harm. You will have the chance of observing them playing, feeding, socializing, and jumping through the trees. After the trek, you will return to the lodge for relaxation and in the evening, you will go for the Bigodi wetland visit.
Accommodation: Tabebuia Safari Resort (Luxury)/ Kibale tourist lodge (Midrange)
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 6: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park with lake Katwe
After breakfast, you will checkout of the lodge and get into the safari vehicle for the 3 hours journey to Queen Elizabeth national Park. Along the way, you will enjoy the magnificent landscapes of the country side and the nature of this country. Your first stopover will be at Lake Katwe and this lake is very salty and aquatic life cannot survive in it. Lake Katwe has been a source of income for the local community since the 16th century. The local community spends most of their time getting salt from milk like waters of this lake. You will explore the tedious and yet captivating procedure of local salt excavation. After the lake Katwe visit, you will be transferred to the lodge for relaxation and lunch.
Accommodation: Bufalo safari lodge (Luxury)/ Acacia wilderness Mweya (Midrange)
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 7: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Wake up early, have breakfast and then get into the safari vehicle for the transfer to Kasenyi plains and mweya peninsular for the 3-4 hours game drive. You will search and have incredible sightings of animals like lions, elephants, cape buffalos, waterbucks, hyenas, warthogs, Kobs. If you are lucky enough, you will also spot the leopard. This park is also a home to over 606 bird species and most of them can be sighted along Kazinga channel. After this exciting game drive, you will return to the lodge for hot lunch and relaxation.
After lunch, you will be transferred to the docking point of the boat in preparation for the boat cruise. This unique boat cruise along Kazinga channel lasts between 2 to 3 hours. During the launch cruise, you will sight animals like the Nile crocodiles, hippos, buffaloes, elephants relaxing along the banks, buffaloes among others and you should as well expect to spot numerous bird species. The launch cruise will also grant you a golden opportunity for photography and please ensure that you take as many pictures as possible.
Accommodation: Bufalo safari lodge (Luxury)/ Acacia wilderness Mweya (Midrange)
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 8: Transfer to Ishasha for game drive in search for the tree climbing lions.
After breakfast, you will checkout of the lodge and transfer to the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth national park. The Ishasha sector is known for the for the tree climbing lions. This part of is less crowded and satisfying. The Ishasha sector offers the golden opportunity of experiencing the true African wilderness. Upon arrival, you will check-in at the lodge for lunch in preparation for an evening game drive. After lunch, you will go for game drive to search for the famous tree climbing lions.
Accommodation: Ishasha wilderness lodge (Luxury)/ Enjojo lodge (Midrange)
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 9: Morning game drive and transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
After breakfast, you will checkout of the lodge with packed lunch and head out for a game drive in Ishasha. This sector is known for the tree climbing lions which is a sparse habit for the big cats. During the game drive, you will hunt the big fig trees for lions and also get an opportunity of spotting animals such as elephants, leopard and buffalos.
After the game drive, you have lunch and then embark on the journey to the home of the mountain gorillas. Upon arrival, you will check-in at the lodge for relaxation and dinner as you enjoy the beautiful views
Accommodation: Sanctuary gorilla forest lodge (Luxury)/ Ichumbi gorilla lodge (Midrange)
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 10: Gorilla trekking & Batwa cultural tour
After an early breakfast and with a lunch box, you will be transferred to the park headquarters for briefing about the code of conduct during gorilla trekking. After briefing, you will be allocated a gorilla family and then enter the forest in company of armed ranger guides. You will enjoy the beauty and freshness of this impenetrable forest. Bwindi is a home to the half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas. You will continue through the thick vegetation to trek these gentle giants and the distance to be walked will be determined by where they slept the previous night. After spotting the gorillas, you will only be allowed to spend with the one hour and this is done for conservation reasons. Watch these endangered species as they socialize, feed, play, feed and train their young ones. You will head back to the lodge for refreshment and relaxation.
In the evening, you will visit the Batwa community where you will interact with them and acquire more knowledge about their ways of life.
Accommodation: Sanctuary gorilla forest lodge (Luxury)/ Ichumbi gorilla lodge (Midrange)
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 11: Transfer to lake Bunyonyi with boat ride
After breakfast, you will checkout of the lodge and transfer to lake Bunyonyi famously known as the ‘’Switzerland of Africa”. You will then transfer to the docking point of the boat. The boat will take you to the numerous islands of the beautiful lake Bunyonyi. Lake Bunyonyi is among the deepest lakes has 29 islands which include the punishment island. During the boat ride, you will see some of the islands and learn more about the unique stories behind their names. After the boat ride, you will return to the lodge for lunch and relaxation.
Accommodation: Arcadia Bunyonyi (Luxury)/ Bunyonyi overland (Midrange)
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 12: Transfer to lake Mburo national park with evening game drive
After breakfast, you will get into the safari vehicle for the 5 hours journey to Uganda’s smallest savannah national park. Along the way, you will spot the long-horned cattle and if interest, you can stop and take pictures with them. Upon arrival, you will pay par entrance fees and proceed to the lodge for lunch as you prepare for the game drive. In the evening, you will go for a game drive to search for zebras, giraffes, buffaloes, and impalas in the open landscapes. This national park does not have large predators s you are free to get out of the vehicle and take pictures.
Accommodation: Kigambira safari lodge (Luxury)/ Hyena hill lodge (Midrange)
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 13: Walking safari & transfer to Entebbe for your flight back home
Have breakfast and then head to the park for the walking safari. During the walking safari, you will have an opportunity of approaching wildlife on food. The animals you will watch include zebras, giraffes, elands, warthogs among others. Walking safaris are done in lake Mburo national park because there are very few dangerous predators. After the walking safari, you will
you will checkout of the lodge and transfer back to Entebbe for your flight back home. You will have a stopover at the equator for pictures and lunch.
End of tour.
Inclusions
Transportation
English speaking driver guide
Accommodation
Meals as mentioned above
Gorilla permit
Chimpanzee permit
Rhino permit
Batwa cultural tour
Bigodi wetland visit
Game drives
Boat cruises
Park entrance fees
Walking safari
Boat ride along lake Bunyonyi
Top of the falls hike
All transfers
All activities mentioned above
Excludes
Visa fees
International flights
Tips & gratuities
Personal expenses