This safari takes you to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for mountain gorilla trekking and Queen Elizabeth National Park for chimpanzee tracking and a boat launch cruise. The tour begins and ends in Kampala OR Kigali.
Day 1: Depart for Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
This morning, we will leave for Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, home to the
few remaining mountain gorillas. Bird life and primate life in Bwindi is
quite superb, and there is an incredible variety of flora. Once continuous
with the forests of the Virunga Volcanoes (Dian Fossey's stomping ground),
Bwindi is now an ecological island, surrounded by cultivation on the rich
volcanic soils.
Dinner and overnight at:
Silver
Back Lodge / Ruhija
Gorilla Lodge (Luxury)
Lake
Kitandara Tented Camp / Engagi
Lodge (Midrange)
Buhoma
Community Bandas /
Kisoro Tourist Hotel / Wagtail
Eco Lodge (Budget)
Day 2: Gorilla trekking
We head to the park headquarters for a briefing from the Uganda Wildlife
Authority before setting off to the forest see the gorillas. The ranger
guides will take you through the forest to track gorillas, which can take
from half an hour to five hours. A reasonable degree of fitness is required
as well as a sturdy pair of walking shoes. If you have the afternoon free,
you will take a guided village walk to see how the Ugandans live.
Dinner and overnight at:
Silver
Back Lodge / Ruhija
Gorilla Lodge (Luxury)
Lake
Kitandara Tented Camp / Engagi
Lodge (Midrange)
Buhoma
Community Bandas /
Kisoro Tourist Hotel / Wagtail
Eco Lodge (Budget)
Day 3: En route to Queen Elizabeth National Park
This morning, we depart for Queen Elizabeth National Park. Queen Elizabeth
is Uganda's most popular game reserve. It boasts one or the highest bio
diversity ratings of any game park in the world, from the open savannah
to rain forest, dense swamps and beautiful crater lakes to the vastness
of Lake Edward. Almost 100 species are found here including hippos, lions,
buffaloes, leopards, hyenas, chimps, colobus monkeys and baboons.
Dinner and overnight at:
Mweya Safari Lodge
(Luxury)
Katara Lodge
(Midrange)
Ihamba Safari
Lodge /
Simba Safari Camp (Budget)
Day 4: Chimpanzee tracking and boat cruise
We venture into Queen Elizabeth park to view antelopes, hyenas, lion and
other animals on the savannah. Also, we enter the Kyambura Gorge to track
chimpanzees. In the afternoon, we enjoy the unique 2-hour boat cruise on
the Kazinga Channel and into Lake Edward. This trip passes through a high
concentration of hippos, buffalo, elephants, crocodile and water birds,
for fantastic photo opportunities.
Dinner and overnight at:
Mweya Safari Lodge
(Luxury)
Katara Lodge
(Midrange)
Ihamba Safari
Lodge /
Simba Safari Camp (Budget)
Day 5 : Return to Kampala or Kigali
We will depart to Kampala OR Kigali, with lunch en route.