13 Days Uganda Primates and Wildlife Safari Tour
This 13-day Uganda primates and wildlife safari offer you an abundance of wildlife, scenery, and cultural experiences. You will explore the true African wilderness that lies in the rugged, semi-arid valleys of Kidepo valley national park. It is in Uganda’s second largest and most remote park, but the stunning beauty of this faultless wilderness is very impressive. Gorilla and chimp tracking may be the highlight of this safari, but there are amazing opportunities for seeing Rhinos, lions, hippos, buffaloes, leopards, elephants, and several species of birds and an abundance of dense green forests. Enjoy the thundering Murchison Falls in the north of Uganda. This journey will bring you close to nature and culture. The Safari will also take you to Uganda’s most visited National Park- Queen Elizabeth National Park found in the Western part of the country. It is classified with various ecosystems such as the dazzling lakes, Kazinga channel, extensive savannah, humid forests and also lush wetlands. This safari will also give you the opportunity of visiting Lake Bunyonyi Uganda’s most beautiful lake commonly known as “The Switzerland of Africa”
Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe International Airport
Welcome to Uganda! Upon arrival at the airport, you will be met and greeted by our driver guide who will also brief you and take you through the trip plan. He will then transfer you to your hotel in Kampala for relaxation as you contemplate the adventure that lies ahead of you. On the way to the hotel, you will get your first impressions of the colourful life at the roadside.
Accommodation options; Serena hotel/ Sheraton hotel (Luxury), Grand imperial hotel/ Protea Hotel (Moderate)
Day 2: Transfer to Gulu to visit Aruu falls
After an early breakfast at your hotel, our driver/ guide will pick you up from your hotel in Kampala and drive you to northern Uganda. This is a 7-8 hours journey meaning you will have lunch in Gulu town. After lunch, you will be on an hour’s drive to Aruu falls in the Pader district. These falls have recently been put on the tourist map. These beautiful waterfalls are situated roughly 47km off Gulu –Kitgum highway and 4 and a half km off Pader-Kitgum highway. You will hike a short distance to where the falls are. Later embark on your journey to your hotel in Gulu town for an overnight stay and dinner.
Accommodation; Boamah hotel Gulu (Moderate)
Day 3: Transfer to Kidepo Valley National Park
After early morning breakfast at the hotel, you will embark on your journey to Kidepo valley National Park through the plains of Pader. Being the land of nomadic pastoralists, you can always have a glance at the large herds of cattle and the small huts (Manyattas) which make up the people’s homesteads. You will drive to Kidepo Valley National Park arriving in the afternoon, check-in and have a late lunch at the lodge. Later in the evening, you will have a guided walk in Karenga and visit the Karamajong homestead settings famously known as the Manyattas. You will be invited to the cultural performances before heading back to your accommodation for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation options; Apoka Safari Lodge (Luxury), Savannah lodge (Moderate)
Day 4: Game drive and evening game drive
Rising to the sounds of mother nature, you will have an early morning breakfast and head for a morning game drive in the true African wilderness along the Kanangorok hot springs which has a variety of wildlife such as the Elephants, Antelopes, buffaloes and Giraffes and you are likely to spot lions, cheetahs and leopards as well. Return to the lodge for lunch and relax to put off the fatigues to the exhausting yet interesting game drive.
After lunch, you will have some rest and then set out for an evening game drive in the Narus valley. Kidepo valley national park has a great variety of animal species of which 28 of them do not occur in any other Ugandan national park. The Narus valley offers an opportunity to see the park’s wildlife almost throughout the year. Here you have an opportunity to see the animals up close.
Accommodation options; Apoka Safari Lodge (Luxury), Savannah lodge (Moderate)
Day 5: Transfer to Murchison falls national park
After breakfast, you will continue your journey to Murchison falls national park. You will drive through the Karamoja nomadic area, visit one of their villages and get an insight into the way of life of this tribe. You can reach Murchison falls national park via the northern approach road and take the first game drive on the yay to the ferry. Upon arrival at the park, you will check in at the lodge for relaxation, dinner and an overnight stay.
Accommodation options; Chobe Safari Lodge(luxury), Pakuba lodge/ Murchison River lodge (Moderate), Red Chili Rest Camp (Budget)
Day 6: Game drive and boat cruise
With your packed breakfast, you will go for a morning game drive with your guide who will help you spot a big number of wildlife found in the Park, you will be able to spot a lot of the African animal wildlife for example elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, lions, leopards, different species of antelope and many tropical birds. After the game drive, you will drive back to the hotel for lunch as you prepare to enjoy the boat cruise on River Nile. This boat will allow you to get close to the water animals which include over 4000 hippos as well as the Nile crocodiles. The Nile has got much stunning bird life which is also enjoyed while taking your boat trip; these include; the bee-eaters, coloured kingfishers, shoebill stork, grey throated and the yellow-billed birds. After the boat cruise, you will go for a rest at the lodge in the Evening as you wait for dinner and an overnight stay.
Accommodation options; Chobe Safari Lodge(Luxury), Pakuba lodge/ Murchison River lodge (Moderate), Red Chili Rest Camp (Budget)
Day 7: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
After Breakfast, start your trip to Kibale Forest. You will drive through the beautiful green scenery and tea plantations. Here you will have a chance to visit the local family and interact with local people during the walk. After lunch, you will have a 3-hour drive to Kibale forest where you will be able to spot some monkeys, birds and Baboons during the stop-overs. Also, visit the crater lakes for the nature walk that takes 2-3 hours.
Accommodation options; Ndali lodge (Luxury), Kibale Forest Camp/ Kibale Guest Cottages (Moderate)
Day 8: Chimp tracking & transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP
Today you will have your breakfast at the lodge and prepare for your trip for the Chimpanzee walk. Kibale forest consists of 13 primate species the only National park is to see many types of monkeys like; the wonderful Red Columbus, Grey cheeked mangabeys, Black and white Columbus monkey and Chimpanzees. Here you will be able to see our cousins today for one hour and the trip takes a 3-4 hour walk through the tropical rain forest with the experienced guide.
After trekking, you will return to the lodge for lunch. After lunch, you will check out of the lodge and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park arriving in the evening. Upon arrival, you will check in at the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Accommodation options; Katara Lodge/Mweya safari lodge (Luxury), Kasenyi Safari Camp/Ihamba Safari Lodge (Moderate), Simba safari camp (Budget)
Day 9: Morning game drive & and afternoon boat cruise
Arise early enough and after breakfast and drive to the wild for a morning game drive where you will see various animals like elephants, elands, antelopes, buffaloes, and lions, among others.
A game drive gives you the chance to view different landscapes and ecosystems in Uganda. The park is the oldest and most visited in Uganda. The game drive will take place on the Kasenyi plains which are in the northeast section of the park and west of Lake George. There are a large number of various animals like elephants, elands, antelopes, buffaloes, lions, baboons and the odd leopard if you are lucky.
After the game drive, you will return to the lodge for lunch and then set out for an afternoon boat cruise on the Kazinga channel where you will see various numbers of animals like crocodiles, hippos, water bucks, buffaloes, as well as birds like the storks, Kingfishers among others.
Accommodation options; Katara Lodge/Mweya safari lodge (Luxury), Kasenyi Safari Camp/Ihamba Safari Lodge (Moderate), Simba safari camp (Budget)
Day 10: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
After breakfast, you will check out of the lodge and transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park. This journey offers beautiful scenery taking you from cultivated hills to forest-covered mountains. You will observe the extinction of endangered mountain gorillas and thus contribute to the protection of these unique animals. We have lunch along the way and arrive for the check at the lodge in the late afternoon.
Accommodation options; Chameleon hill lodge (Luxury), Four Gorillas lodge (Moderate)
Day 11: Gorilla Trekking
Encountering the rare and endangered Mountain Gorillas of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is an experience of a lifetime. Half of the world’s population of gorillas lives under the mist-covered canopies of Uganda’s oldest and most biologically diverse rainforest. In the company of an experienced park ranger, you will be tracking the whereabouts of one of the nine habituated family groups who live in the park. Your tracking experience will be an exciting, yet challenging, journey along forested (often muddy and slippery) slopes, tangled vines, thick vegetation and bamboo forests before you reach the territory of these gentle giants.
En route, your ranger will point out telltale signs of previous gorilla activity like dung, nests and chewed bamboo shoots. Depending on the location of the gorillas on any given day the walk can take anything from 2 to 7 hours. Once the family of gorillas has been located, settle into your surroundings and enjoy the hour you have to quietly observe these fascinating primates whose habits and mannerisms remind us so much of our own. Encountering the mountain gorillas in the wild is a truly humbling and emotional experience, one that you are sure to remember for the rest of your life. After gorilla trekking, you will return to the lodge for lunch and use the afternoon for relaxation.
Accommodation options; Chameleon hill lodge (Luxury), Four Gorillas lodge (Moderate)
Day 12: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
After a tasty breakfast, you will check out of the lodge with help of your guide and drive to Kabale through the beautiful terraced verdant hills. This place is known as the “Switzerland of Africa”.
You check in at your hotel for lunch as you enjoy the breathtaking views of Lake Bunyonyi.
Accommodation options; Bird nest Resort (Luxury), Hawks Eye (Moderate)
Day 13: Explore Lake Bunyonyi and transfer to Kampala
After a tasty breakfast at your lodge, you will take a boat ride on Lake Bunyonyi to the numerous islands to sightsee as well as view the various bird species.
After the boat ride, you will check out of the lodge and transfer back to Kampala.