18 DAYS GORILLAS, BIG FIVE, AND NATURE SAFARI IN UGANDA

|ENTEBBE|JINJA|MURCHISON FALLS N P |HOIMA|KIBALE NP | QUEEN ELIZABETH NP |BWINDI NP|
LAKE BUNYONYI|MGHAHINGA NP|LAKE MBURO|BULAGO ISLAND|ENTEBBE| 18 D A Y S | 17 N I G H T S

Overview

Uganda is a land of contrast. In half a day you can drive from mist shrouded volcanic mountains to hot hazy savannah, dappled with wildlife. Serene undulating hills of tea plantations, lush but ordered, give way to tangled jungle and rainforest with the musical accompaniment of chaotic, cacophonous birdlife. Uganda is alive!

With these contrast: the tiniest sunbirds, iridescent in the morning light, the massive lumbering yet silent elephant, disappearing like a vapor behind the trees, the chimpanzees crashing about the forest canopy, the lugubrious gorilla, chewing thoughtfully in the bamboo thicket. There’s the Nile, twisting its way north like a shimmering ribbon, through arid semi-desert scattered about with rocky kopjes.

Snowcapped peaks, tropical, sandy freshwater beaches, and smiling faces everywhere. It’s all here, a feast for all the senses.

Let us show you the Uganda we know and love.This is Africa the way it should be!

Highlights:

Explore the terrific land with all the beauty it has to share with you in these
Primates: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi, Chimps in Kibale
Fun: Game Drives, boat trips, amazing Murchison falls, Island resort
Bragging Rights: Seeing the Gorillas and the Tree climbing lion

Your Program

Day One
Arrival

Destination

Arrival at Entebbe International Airport (EBB)

Arrive at Entebbe International Airport, which is relatively Visitor Friendly with minimal hassle for tourists as they enter East Africa. From the time that you land to entering arrivals area is about 45 minutes. Our driver-guide will meet you with a Home To Africa Tours and Travel sign in the Arrivals area, welcome you to Uganda and drive you to your accommodation for the night.

Lake Victoria View Guest House garden offers a secret if its own, hidden from all the noises of Entebbe town. It has a beautiful view of Lake Victoria where you can see the sunrise and sunset on the Lake while at the porch of the main house or bandas. Wake up to incredible views, the guest house is overlooking the breath taking Lake Victoria.

Accommodation

Lodge: Victoria View
Meal Plan: Dinner

Day Two
Transfer to Jinja

Destination

Jinja

After an early morning breakfast transfer from the hotel to Jinja for the most exhilarating adventure sport, white water rafting. During the trip, you will enjoy a stop at the Mbira forest, a natural rain forest where you will enjoy beautiful nature sights. At Jinja, you will enjoy half-day of white water rafting. You may choose to raft in a paddle-powered boat for one of the wildest raft rides on the planet or opt to be rowed downstream by a professional guide in a safety raft.

There will be safety rafts and kayakers, a photographer, and a video-kayaker that will record videos of this experience. At the end of the safari, you can buy a copy if you want. High-flotation life jackets, helmets, spray jackets, and custom-made rafting equipment will be provided and no rafting or swimming experience is necessary. Check into your accommodation for the night as you anticipate the next day’s activities.

Accommodation

Lodge: Murchison River Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day Three
Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park

Destination

Murchison Fall National Park

After lunch, you will be transferred to the Murchison Falls National Park via Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary where you will enjoy a trek of these magnificent endangered rhinos. A well trained guide will take you on a two-hour walk as you see firsthand how the rhinos spend their day.

You will then drive to Murchison Falls National Park. Upon arrival, you will check into your accommodation for the night as you anticipate the next day’s activities. 

Accommodation

Lodge: Murchison River Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day Four
Murchison Fall National Park

Destination

Murchison Fall National Park

After breakfast, you will depart for an early morning game drive across the rollin g plains of Uganda’s largest National Park where you will have chances of viewing lions, giraffes, hartebeest, buffalo, and elephants.

For the birders among you, these areas support the secretary bird and black chested snake eagle, to name a few. In the afternoon, you will go for a boat trip to the base of Murchison Falls where the Nile thunders through a small seven-meter gap, plunging 43 meters into the Lake Albert.

Accommodation

Lodge: Kibale Forest Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day Five
Hoima

Destination

Hoima

After an early breakfast, you will drive to the ferry crossing area to be transferred to the northern bank famous for game drives for the most likelihood African elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, and many more as the checklist of mammals reaches up to 76 species. You will continue the drive circuit to the delta point for a cocktail of birds and mammals. After a lunch, you will be transferred to the Hoima Town.

Accommodation

Lodge: Kibale Forest Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day Six
Kibale Forest National Park

Destination

Kibale Forest National Park

After an early breakfast, you will pick up your packed lunch and head to Fort Portal town. The drive is long but incredibly scenic as you will pass through villages, lush green forests, and hills dotted with tea plantations which characterize this part of Uganda.

You will stay at a wonderful lodge just outside the town of Fort Portal with spacious rooms and amazing views over one of the crater lakes in the area.

Accommodation

Lodge: Irungu Forest Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day Seven
Kibale Forest National Park

Destination

Kibale Forest

On this day, you will experience some serious primate business as Kibale Forest National Park boasts the highest number of primate species in the world, including the chimpanzees. Approximately 5,000 chimpanzees live in the wild in Uganda which makes it a perfect place to spot them. An experienced ranger will take you chimp-tracking in the morning or afternoon. Once you locate the chimpanzees, you will have a full hour with them.

Your swamp walk will take you through grassland, small communities, and some beautiful scenery where the locals are likely to greet you with enthusiastic waves. It is usual to spot three to four different primate species during the walk through the highlight is catching a glimpse of the great blue turaco.

Accommodation

Lodge: Broadbill Forest
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day Eight
Queen Elizabeth National Park

Destination

Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast, you will continue your journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Queen Elizabeth is Uganda’s second largest park and is located at the base of the majestic Rwenzori Mountain range, adjacent to Lake Edward and Lake George.

You will stay overnight at a beautiful lodge located in the heart of the park on the Mweya peninsula where you will watch wildlife from your private veranda and fall asleep to the roaring of lions on the distant savanna. You will sleep in the exclusive deluxe safari tents.In the afternoon, you will take a private boat safari along the Kazinga Channel which joins Lake George and Lake Albert.

There, you will see a lot of hippos as well as a variety of other animals which come to the water to drink or bathe. You can expect to see buffalo, crocodile, bathing elephant, and a range of beautiful birds. This will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of your tour.

Accommodation

Lodge: Irungu Forest Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day Nine
Queen Elizabeth National Park

Destination

Queen Elizabeth National Park

You will wake up early in the morning, a little before sunrise and enjoy some coffee, tea, and donuts in the lounge before you head out for a long game drive in time to see the first rays of light. You will search for all the wildlife in the park and are likely to come across elephant, buffalo, lion, waterbuck, leopard, Uganda kob, and many warthogs.

After breakfast, you will proceed to the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park to an area called Ishasha. If you are lucky, you might spot a few during your game drive.

Accommodation

Lodge: Irungu Forest Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day Ten
Queen Elizabeth National Park

Destination

Queen Elizabeth National Park

You will enjoy a trip to the Ishasha area where, to escape from the heat during the day, the lions there have learned how to climb the fig trees. If you are lucky, you might spot a few during your game drive so keep your eyes open and look up. Besides these famous lions, there is other interesting wildlife to be seen, like buffalo and the Uganda kob. You can also discuss with your guide how many game drives you wish to make.

Accommodation

Lodge: Irungu Forest Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day Eleven
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Destination

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After breakfast, you will enjoy a game drive on your way out of the park for a last chance at spotting those tree climbing lions. A lunch will be provided at the lodge in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, home of the mountain gorillas. You will get a good night’s sleep because the next day, you will have to be fresh for the gorilla trekking.

Accommodation

Lodge: Broadbill Forest Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day Twelve
Lake Bunyonyi

Destination

Lake Bunyonyi

On this big day, you will prepare yourself for an encounter with one of Bwindi’s gentle giants, the endangered mountain gorilla. For most people, this is the absolute highlight of a tour in Uganda.

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest boasts both mountain gorillas and chimpanzees and is the only forest in Africa that can make this claim. It also hosts five other species of primates, 113 species of mammals, over 200 species of butterflies, and 360 species of birds. The gorillas you track belong to one of nine habituated family groups who can tolerate the presence of humans for a brief period every day.

The time taken to track the gorillas can be as few as two hours to as many as seven hours. Once the gorillas have been located, your group will be allowed a maximum of one hour with them. Coming face-to-face with a mountain gorilla is a truly humbling and emotional experience. This is a fantastic and privileged opportunity to get up close and personal with the gorillas. Later, you will drive to Lake Bunyonyi to enjoy some rest.

Accommodation

Lodge: Bunyonyi Overland Resort
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day Thirteen
Lake Bunyonyi

Destination

Lake Bunyonyi

Lake Bunyonyi is a tourists and travelers haven especially for those who undertake a gorilla trekking safari in Uganda or go to Uganda after their Rwanda gorilla safari experience. You will relax at the beautiful Lake Bunyonyi as you enjoy the best scenery in the whole world while you involve yourself in various cultural and community activities as well birding and canoe riding. Later in the afternoon, you will embark on a two-hour drive to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and check into your accommodation.

Accommodation

Lodge: Travellers Rest
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day Fourteen
Mgahinga Forest National Park

Destination

Mgahinga Forest National Park

Golden Monkeys are unique to the Virunga mountain range which spans Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

They are some of the most beautiful monkey species, especially because of their striking golden fur coats, thus the name “golden” monkeys. They live in large groups called troops and inhabit the lower areas of the mountains which are largely covered with bamboo forest.

They love to feed on the bamboo shoot so the tracking session will start with a briefing by the rangers at the park offices at 7:30 a.m. then starting the trek at 8:00 a.m. The Monkeys do not veer off too high up the mountain but rather spend most of the time in the bamboo nearer to the base.

They travel in their hundreds, spending most of the time in the bamboo canopy picking the shoot from the tops but will often come down to the ground as well. The golden monkeys are photogenic and not shy to move within a small distance to human. You will follow them through the forest for not more than one hour.

Accommodation

Lodge: Travellers Rest
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day Fifteen
Lake Mburo National

Destination

Lake Mburo National

On this day, you will say goodbye to the gorillas and the jungle. Your safari will continue to the Lake Mburo National Park in the afternoon, which is the smallest of the national parks in Uganda, but should not be underestimated. There, you can discover a variety of sometimes rare wildlife such as the impala, antelope, and for the bird watcher, there is also the chance of encountering an abundance of tropical birds.

You can further enjoy a boat ride on the lake or game drive and bush walk through the Lake Mburo National Park, which is famous for its scenic landscapes and dazzling variety of antelopes as well as large herds of zebras. Giraffes were recently introduced to the park, which were trans located there from other national park lands.

Accommodation

Lodge: Rwakobo Rock
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day Sixteen
Pineapple Bay Resort

Destination

Bulago Island, Lake Victoria

Today drive back to Entebbe for yet another amazing experience. This drive to Entebbe also offers the additional chance to take a photo at the Equator crossing. Upon arrival in Entebbe, transfer to Pineapple Bay Resort on Bulago Island; a 500 acre island that has it all: rocky cliffs, tropical forests, and sweeping grasslands. Pineapple Bay is where you can take your shoes off and keep them off until you get back to the mainland. Where you can climb to a breezy hilltop and enjoy an ice -cold sundowner with a 360 degree view, or lie in your bed with your morning tea and in your view is nothing but Lake Victoria and all her glory.

Sunlight reflects off the large expanse of water. Bulago Island is in your sights. The boat pulls into the perfect crescent-shaped bay, fringed by white sandy beach and coconut palms. Waves lap the shore and hundreds of little shorebirds dart across the sand, pecking and peeping. A mirage appears beyond the palms, a grand pink – hued structure replete with crenellated towers. Is it a castle? A Moroccan fort? A Swahili outpost?

Accommodation

Lodge: Pineapple Bay Resort
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day Seventeen
Pineapple Bay Resort

Destination

Bulago Island, Lake Victoria

This is a day where you can lounge on a Lamu bed, looking out to the sparkling waters of Lake Victoria. Where you can charter a fishing-boat and head off with rod and tackle to fish for the legendary Nile Perch. Where you can arm yourself with binoculars and roam for kilometers over this unspoiled island paradise in search of hundreds of birds who make this their home. And then come back and plunge into the dark blue pool or go with the chef to the organic gardens and choose your own pineapple, your own avocado, and your own greens to have for lunch. Or just relax and spend the day enjoy the beautiful views.

Accommodation

Lodge: Pineapple Bay Resort
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day Eighteen
Entebbe International Airport

Destination

Entebbe

On this day, you will be transferred to the Entebbe International Airport (EBB) to take your flight back home.

Accommodation

No accommodation
Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch
****End of your safari and our services ***

Inclusions

1. Boat ride, or game drive & bush walk through the Lake Mburo NP
2. Boat trip to the base of Murchison Falls
3. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest excursion to see gorillas and chimpanzees
4. Cultural and community activities as well birding & canoe riding at Lake Bunyonyi
5. Half-day white water rafting adventure
6. Private boat safari along the Kazinga Channel
7. Stop to visit the Mbira forest
8. Trek of the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Exclusions

1. Airfare
2. Alcoholic drinks
3. Chimp trekking permit for 150 USD
4. Gorilla trekking permit for 600 USD
5. Government imposed increase of taxes or park fees
6. Gratuities and tips
7. Personal expenses
8. Personal insurance

Booking Form