16 DAYS UGANDA GORILLAS AND WILDLIFE SAFARI.
Overview.
Our 16 days Uganda Gorillas and Wildlife Safari is one of the most mesmerizing long safari packages that entails spine-tingling adventures of the Nile River, Chimpanzee trekking, mountain gorilla trekking, wildlife viewing, community and village visits and many others.
During this long safari, expect to visit top tourist sites such as Jinja City – the adventure Capital of East Africa, the remote Semliki National Park for a tour around the Sempaya hot springs, Kibale Forest National Park for chimp treks and guided wetland walks, Lake Bunyonyi, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for gorilla treks and Lake Mburo National Park as well as Queen Elizabeth National Park for wildlife viewing, and so much more. Also, the safari will start and end in Uganda-Kampala or Entebbe.
Detailed itinerary.
Day 1: Arrival in Uganda and transfer to Kampala for a City tour and overnight stay.
Arrival in Uganda through Entebbe International Airport where our Company driver will be ready to welcome and transfer you to the bustling City of Kampala (starting point for most safaris).
With the help of the Company representative check-in at a nice Hotel and freshen-up, then enjoy a delicious meal. Later in the evening take a city tour to any of the historical and cultural sites that include Kabaka’s Palace in Mengo, Kasubi Royal Tombs, Uganda National Museum and Namugongo Martyrs Shrine among others. Dinner and overnight stay in the same place you had Lunch.
Day 2: Drive to Jinja, the adventure City of East Africa.
Breakfast at your place of stay in Kampala and drive to Jinja, the adventure Capital of East Africa at approximately 80 kilometers/2-3 hours’ drive from the Capital City. On getting to this Town, immerse yourself in some of the adrenaline-packed activities such as Bungee jumping from 140 feet cliff to kiss the Nile or whitewater rafting, then have Lunch.
In the afternoon, have a relaxing boat cruise to the source of the Nile to stand on the same spot John Speke, the European Explorer stood is declaring the source of the mighty Nile River. Return back to Kampala for dinner and overnight stay at the same Lodge.
Day 3: Road transfer from Kampala City to Kibale Forest National Park.
Have Breakfast at the Hotel in Kampala and embark on a transfer to Kibale Forest National Park with at least two en-route stopovers. Drive through Kampala-Mityana-Mubende-Fort Portal Road with the first stop at Mubende for the hike to Mubende Hill, famous for the Nakayima Tree that has existed for over 6 centuries and said to make locals richer, make barren women fertile and many other local believed myths.
Go on with the journey while capturing photos of the rocky landscapes, tea plantations and have another stopover at Fort Portal Town for lunch, before transferring to your place of stay for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 4: Undertake the exciting Chimpanzee trek and guided wetland walk.
Early morning breakfast, move to Kanyanchu Visitor Center (Park Headquarters and starting point for majority of Park activities) for briefing that will see you start the chimp trek at 8am. Expect wide range of primate species-L’Hoests monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, blue monkeys, olive baboons, vervet monkeys as well as birds, butterflies, reptiles and Amphibian species.
Get back to the lodge for lunch and in the evening relax by undertaking a leisurely walk through Bigodi wetland Sanctuary with lots of wetland bird species and at least 6 primate species. Get on the vehicle for a drive back to the Lodge to freshen-up, unwind, dine and slumber.
Day 5: Transfer from Kibale Forest to Semliki National Park and night game drive.
Breakfast and drive to Semliki National Park, journey lasting 2-3 hours and straightaway check-in at the booked Lodge for Lunch and rest. Prepare yourself for the night game drive where chances of encountering pottos, leopards, bush babies, white-tailed mongoose and serval cats among others. Overnight stay within the remote and untouched wilderness of Semliki National Park.
Day 6: Guided walk along the Sempaya Nature Trail and afternoon game drive.
Have breakfast and embark on a guided walk along the Sempaya Nature Trail lasting 2-4 hours and involves transversing the lush forest and encountering unique bird species especially the Rwenzori Turaco as well as primates such as the unique DeBrazza’s monkeys and black and white colobus monkeys before finally reaching the female and male natural springs that are collectively known as “Sempaya Hot springs”.
These hot springs are naturally hot with the capability of boiling eggs in 15 minutes. Enjoy your picnic Lunch and start a game drive that will introduce you to the rare wildlife species of the Park like Uganda Kobs, buffaloes, forest and savannah elephants and bushbucks among others. Back to the Lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 7: Transfer from the magnificent Semliki National Park to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Breakfast at the Lodge in Semliki National Park is followed by a transfer to the jaw-dropping Queen Elizabeth National Park, lasting about 3 hours. Check-in at a Lodge on arrival for a sumptuous meal and prepare for a sunset game drive (before it gets dark) to spot the warthogs, Olive baboons, Uganda Kobs, different Mongoose species, elephants, buffaloes, spotted hyenas, duikers, giant forest hogs, Topis, Defassa waterbucks and many other game species. If you are lucky you will come across African rock pythons and other snake species.
Day 8: Whole day Queen Elizabeth National Park exploration.
You will have the entire day to explore the beauty of Queen Elizabeth National Park through two amazing tourist activities. Start the day with hefty breakfast and get into the safari vehicle and head for a game drive (with UWA Ranger guide on-board) so as to identify wildlife species in their various hiding places especially lions, Oribis, leopards, Cape buffaloes, warthogs, giant forest hogs and many others. After over 3 hours of driving through the wildlife hot spots, get back to the Lodge for Lunch.
In the afternoon set-out for the second activity of this day-Launch cruise through the Kazinga Channel, a 32-kilometer long natural channel connecting Lakes Edward and George. This is where you will get close to Hippos, Nile crocodiles in addition to spotting elephants, buffaloes and Uganda Kobs as well as plethora of wetland and aquatic-dwelling bird species such as African fish eagles, Pink-backed pelican, cormorants and Kingfishers among others. At the end of the day you will be satisfied with the beauty of the Park, then return to the Lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 9: Guided walk around the Katwe salt mine and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Have Breakfast and with your bags be driven through the Park to Lake Katwe area to watch the traditional salt mining process as well as the nearby Crater Lakes such as Nyamunuka and Munyanyange to see some of the migratory bird species especially flamingos. Leave the area for a drive to any of the four sectors of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Pass via Ishasha sector where if lucky will see the magical tree climbing lions and arrive Bwindi in the evening for dinner and slumber.
Day 10: Gorilla Trekking Experience and transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
On this day, you will be among the few people to get at least 7 meters close to the giant apes, not in a film/documentary or book but rather in their natural habitat. Have breakfast and with so much eagerness move to the Park Headquarters for a briefing on the guidelines of trekking and spending time with these endangered creatures. By 8am the trek starts and lasts 1-5 hours before they are detected from a distance.
You will have one hour to listen to the interesting information on the mountain gorillas, watch and take photos of them living their life. Return to the Lodge for Lunch and leave for Mgahinga Gorilla National via Lake Mutanda for another dose of adventure-packed tour.
Day 11: Volcano climbing/hiking.
Breakfast at the Lodge and transfer to Ntebeko Visitor Center briefing on Mountain climbing and after choose from the three options-Mount Gahinga (characterized by a swampy caldera at the Peak), Mount Muhabura (steepest of the 8 Virunga Mountains and features a Crater Lake on its summit) or Mount Sabyinyo (rugged summit in the shape of old man’s teeth).
Each of these Mountains boasts of breathtaking views while at the top and can be completed in one day. After completing the hike, enjoy packed Lunch at the summit and descend to the bottom and return to the Lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 12: Batwa Cultural Trail and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi.
Breakfast and set off for the Batwa Cultural trail, under the guidance of Local Batwa pygmies who will take you through the forest to identify the medicinal plants, demonstrate traditional honey harvesting techniques and Bamboo cup making demonstrations among others.
Climax of the walk is a visit to Garama Cave, a natural storage, former King’s Palace and refuge for ancient wars. While here, women will sing emotional songs of their home (the forest) being taken when it was gazetted. Get back to the Lodge for Lunch and road trip to Lake Bunyonyi shores.
Day 13: Whole day relaxation on the shores of Lake Bunyonyi.
You will have an entire day to explore the hidden beauty of the “Lake of a thousand hills”, with over 29 hills, of which only the large ones with unique histories will be explored during the 5-6 hours’ boat ride. Lunch and in the evening undertake a guided community/village walk, swimming in its bilharzia and crocodile-free waters or mountain biking and return to the Lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 14: Drive from the pristine shores of Lake Bunyonyi to Lake Mburo National Park.
On this day, have breakfast and transfer to Lake Mburo National Park with a stop at Biharwe Hill for the 1520 AD Eclipse Monument with unique historical background as well as at Igongo Cultural Center (also in Biharwe) for Lunch.
Arrive at Sanga gate for clearance and immediately begin a game drive while encountering Impalas, zebras, Topis, Defassa waterbucks, warthogs, common elands and giraffes alongside the game tracks. Continue for overnight stay, dinner and unwinding at the booked Lodge.
Day 15: Early morning game drive within the savannah landscapes and boat ride on Lake Mburo.
Cup of tea/coffee starts off the day and undertake a game drive through the well-gazetted game tracks with sights of zebras, bushbucks, impalas, Topis and buffaloes alongside colorful bird species. Drive back to the Lodge and Lunch and relaxation until afternoon when you will be undertaking the boat ride on Lake Mburo.
The Boat ride here rewards visitors with chances of seeing more hippos and Nile crocodiles and well as antelopes drinking by the Lakeside and if lucky reach the fishing villages to see the different fish preservation methods. Return to the jetty, hop into the safari vehicle for return to the Lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 16: Undertake a guided bush walk and transfer to Kampala.
After breakfast, be introduced to UWA Park ranger who will be guiding you through the bush walk as a way of getting up-close to nature. The Bush walk is the only way you can go closer to animal habitats, identify them by footprints of droppings in addition to offering chances of exploring some landscapes and vegetation types such as Rubanga forest, the acacia woodland, the salt licks, summit of Kazuma Hill and many others where some wildlife species can be found.
After this hectic but rewarding bush walk, return to the Lodge to freshen-up, have Lunch and pack your bags for transfer to Kampala. En-route stop at the Equator to stretch legs, buy souvenirs, photography and several equator experiments. Arrive the Capital City in the evening for rest at the booked Hotel.
End of the 16 days Uganda Gorillas and Wildlife Safari.

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