15 Day Uganda Wildlife Escapade: Gorillas, Culture, Birds
Overview:
Experience the incredible sights and sounds of Uganda, on this quality fully serviced safari. Witness the awe-inspiring sight of water thundering over Murchison Falls; search for wildlife in the game parks and visit the beautiful Sempaya hot springs in Semilik National Park.
Explore the Kazinga Channel, Queen Elizabeth National Park offers a great diversity of wildlife as it covers a variety of vegetation types and geological features. Game drive through the famous wildlife area of Kasenyi plains and the Ishasha sector on the edge of Queen Elizabeth.
Lake Mburo is teeming with birdlife and is a prime wildlife area where hippo, buffalo, lion and other big game can be seen in abundance. Camping in the heart of these beautiful national parks allows a full appreciation of these unique habitats and a complete wilderness experience.
Complete gorilla trekking and chimpanzee tracking tour is offered to you showing all aspects of Bwindi and Kibale national parks respectively. This is a truly memorable journey, full of incredible wildlife opportunities.
Highlights:
- Gorilla tracking
- Nature/cultural walk
- Boat cruise along kazinga channel
- Game drives
- Tree climbing lions
- Chimpanzee tracking
- Boat cruise
- Hot springs
- Batwa pygmies
- Maberega nyinamwiru caves
- Lake bunyonyi
- Jinja road trip
- White water rafting
Day 1. Arrival and pick up/preparing for the tour
Welcome to Uganda! Check in to your hotel and prepare for a fascinating journey.
Day 2. Transfer from Kampala to Murchison Falls National park
Your trip starts at 08:00 am with departure from Kampala. Please be ready at the reception of the Hotel at 07:30 am. Travelling through the little villages and small towns. A stop over at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary before proceeding to the park. Check-in and overnight at the lodge.
Day 3. Game Drive – Launch Trip
In the early morning, you can partake on a game drive in search of the many amazing animals found inside the park, including the Big Five. The largest game park in Uganda, Murchison falls National Park is home to over 600 bird species, 76 mammal species, an early rise, as we make our way to Murchison. Our wildlife experience begins as soon as we enter the park, heading into prime game viewing areas where we hope to catch a glimpse of some of the animals. Enjoy lunch at one of the picnic spots before continuing for a boat trip on the placid Victoria Nile, upstream, to the base of the falls. En-route, you will see hippos, crocodiles, waterbuck and a wide variety of birds like the unusual shoebill stork.
Disembark from the boat and take a hike to the Top of the falls where you can see the Nile’s beauty perfected!! Marvel at the Nile, return to the lodge for an evening of relaxation. Accommodation: Lodge
Day 4. Transfer to Semuliki National Park
Today leave beautiful Murchison falls behind and transfer to Semuliki national park as you enjoy a full day at leisure for your own discoveries. Check-in into your accommodation for dinner and overnight.
Day 5. Sempaya Hot Springs and Batwa Pygmies
We continue through Semuliki national park as we make our way to the Sempaya hot springs, a 30-minute hike through palm forest from the main road leads to the inner, “female” spring, dominated by a boiling geyser where eggs and matooke (green plantain) can be cooked in these boiling waters and enjoyed by hungry hikers. The hour-long trail to the outer, “male” spring also leads through a patch of forest where red-tailed monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys and black-and-white colobus monkeys are common. Later proceed for Batwa pygmies where you will get to explore their rich cultural history through music and dance performances at Ntandi. They also produce intricate handcrafts for sale. Thereafter return to your accommodation for overnight.
Day 6. Transfer to Kibale – Chimp Tracking- Bigodi Swamp Walk
Rise early in the morning for breakfast and after, drive to kibale forest where you will join the rest of the visitors for briefing in Kanyanchu visitor centre and then set off for chimpanzee tracking for about 2 to 3 hours which also allows you to explore the black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, butterflies, bird and others. You only have an hour to have a face to face encounter with the chimpanzees and then continue to the lodge for lunch and later proceed to Bigodi village and wetland for birdlife and primate exploration. After primate walk, you return to your lodge of choice for a night.
Day 7. Fort Portal- Queen Elizabeth National Park
You will begin your day with an excursion to Fort portal town, where you will visit Amabeere Ga Nyina Mwiru caves just 10km away from town. This cave is actually a result of the formation of stalagmites and stalactites, hidden within a small forest, you will need to pass under the magnificent waterfall in order to access the dark caves. After lunch transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park, check-in and proceed for an introductory sunset launch cruise along the Kazinga channel where you will be able to view abundant game and the astounding number of bird species.
Day 8. Game Drives to Kasenyi Plains and Ishasha Sector
Rise early and embark on a dusk game drive, after breakfast drive towards the north Kazinga plains, the tracks through Kasenyi provide a wonderful opportunity to see lion, Uganda Kob, leopard, giant forest hog, Cape buffalo, bush buck, elephants, de fassa waterbuck, and Topi. Have lunch and rest, then continue for another game drive in Ishasha sector, located in the Southern of the park. This sector offers a classic game viewing experience; therefore expect to see hippos, elephants, buffaloes, and more besides. The chance of sighting lions is particularly good in Ishasha; the local prides obligingly spend their days resting up in the branches of shady fig trees.
Day 9. Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable forest
You will spend most of your day en route to Bwindi impenetrable forest, the drive take through the Ishasha sector where you can have another opportunity to spot the tree-climbing lion, continue as you have scenic stopovers for photography and lunch. On arrival check-in and rest, overnight at the lodge.
Day 10. Gorilla Tracking
Rise for breakfast before assembling for a briefing by the ranger guide. Embark on a once in a lifetime experience of tracking mountain gorillas in their sanctuary. Once you spot them you are allowed to spend an hour watching your closest long lost cousin, the thrill of spending time observing these gentle and endangered giants is an awesome, Unforgettable and exciting experience to be long savoured. Many find it to be a rare and moving opportunity. Return to your lodge, for overnight.
Day 11. Lake Bunyonyi Transfer
Today, travel and explore the spectacular beauty of Lake Bunyonyi as you take a canoe ride. Have lunch and hike (optional) or rest hence ending your day in a thrilling manner. Overnight at your accommodation.
Day12. Transfer to Lake Mburo
This morning we head a long highway as we travel to Lake Mburo approximately 5-6 hours. On arrival, you can rest or refresh and proceed for an evening or night game drive (optional). Overnight at the lodge
Day 13. Game Drive – Kampala – Jinja
Rise and have breakfast and after, set off for your exciting wildlife experiences in Lake Mburo National Park to spot out most of the early morning risers and then proceed to Jinja, the renowned adrenaline capital of East Africa. A stopover at Uganda Equator on the Masaka-Mbarara route for photography and purchase some souvenirs. After, proceed by Kampala and connect to Jinja where you will check in the lodge of your choice for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay.
Day 14. White Water Rafting
Today, have breakfast and after gather at the beginning point for your most thrilling adventure to the mighty River Nile. The source of River Nile is entirely situated around Jinja making it the adventure capital of East Africa, among which include the white water rafting which features as one of the most thrilling adventures that you shouldn’t miss out in life.
Day15. Transfer to Kampala
We make our way back to Kampala and this will mark the end of your 15 days wildlife adventure in Uganda.