Gorilla trekking and wildlife tour 9 days
This Trip takes you to Murchison Falls National Park which is the largest national park of about 3,893 square kilometers and it is situated in Masindi close to the Bugungu Wildlife Reserve and the Karuma Wildlife Reserve. it is also part of the 5,308 square kilometers Murchison Falls Conservation Area.in Amuru in northern Uganda. You can expect to see lots of large African wild animals like the Water buffalo, the elephant, Crocodile, Lion, Leopard, Hippopotamus, Antelope, Giraffes, Uganda Kob, Oribi, among others while lots of water birds are so many along the Nile River that is within the park like the exceptional Shoe bill stork.
Program;
Day 1 :– Pick up and transfer to catch 8:30 domestic flight to Pakuba airstrip where you meet your driver to transfer you to your accommodation; afternoon Launch boat to the base of the falls; hike to top where you meet your driver to bring you back to your accom.
Day 2 :– Murchison: Morning Game drive; optional Delta boat trip to Nile Delta / Game drive
Day 3 ;– Drive day to Kibale National Park
Day 4 ;- Kibale:All day Chimpanzee Habituation Experience
Day 5 ;– Drive to Queen Elizabeth NP; afternoon Boat ride on Kazinga channel
Day 6 ;– Morning Game drive , Afternoon Kyambura Gorge Chimpanzee walk;
Day 7 ;- Bwindi: Gorilla trekking
Day 8 ;– Transfer to Kihihi airstrip for 10:55 flight to Entebbe; optional tour within Entebbe or take a boat to Ngamba Chimpanzee Island
Day9;-
End of Safari
Day 1: Entebbe/Kampala – Murchison Falls National Park |
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Day 2: Murchison falls National Park
This morning after breakfast, you will set off and take a boat to Nile delta. The ride is about 3hrs and will offer you an opportunity to view different water birds plus mammals. If you are lucky you may see the rare Shoe billed stock; a bird so much sort by birders worldwide. Return to the Lodge in time for Lunch. In the afternoon, you may choose to relax at your accommodation / go for a game drive / cross over to the top of the falls just in case you weren’t able to hike there the previous day. game often seen include; elephants, waterbuck, Buffalo, Jackal, Genet, Mongoose, oribi, Bushbuck, warthog,jacksons’ hartebeest, hyena, giraffe, bush pig, leopard, lion and primates here include Baboons, velvet monkeys, Pitas monkeys. Return for Dinner and Overnight at. Paraa Safari Lodge /Nile Safari Camp/ Murchison River Lodge
Day 3: Murchison Falls National Park – Kibale Forest
After breakfast, and with packed lunch boxes, drive to Kibale Forest area via Biso, Hoima, Kyenjojo to Fort Portal with a lunch stop over en route. The approximately 8hours drive is incredibly scenic as it takes you along the western arm of The Great African Rift Valley passing through lush green, beautiful agricultural countryside, tropical rain forests and tea plantations. During the drive you may see baboons, black and white colubus monkeys, vevet monkeys. You are expected to arrive at your accommodation late in the afternoon/evening. Time permitting, you may choose to take a walk around the Lodge or just rest in preparation for the next day.Overnight Primate lodge / Ndali Lodge. BLD
Day 4: Kibale Forest – Chimpanzee Habituation Experience Walk:
After an early cup of tea/Coffee and with your packed breakfast and Lunch, you will be escorted/driven to the starting point/park offices where you may be joined by other clients for a briefing on the days’ adventure and assigned a local ranger guide for your days’ activity. Habituation is usually up to 6pax in a group per ranger guide. So you may be joined by other pax. Kibale forest is a home to 13 primate species. Walking is not difficult as paths have been made in the forest and all walks are in company of excellent local guides. You are expected to spend all day following and watching these great creatures while your guide explains their life style in detail. Today in Uganda, there are approximately 4,950 Chimps left in the wild, which makes it a perfect place to spot them! This activity is a whole day experience which takes you through the day to day life style of a chimpanzee. You are expected to de-nest and nest the chimps and walk them through their days’ activities. The other primates that you may see include among others; – Gray Cheeked Mangabeys, Red-tailed Monkey, Olive Baboon, Black and White Colobus, vevet monkeys etc. You may also encounter other forest mammals like the forest Elephants, duikers and various bird species during the walk. You then return to your accommodation for early dinner, before you again set out for a night guided walk with a park ranger guide in search of bush babies, Gallegos, night jars etc Overnight at Kibale Forest Camp. BLD
Day 5: Kibale – Queen Elizabeth National Park –
After breakfast check out and set off for Queen Elizabeth National Park, visiting Crater Lakes en-route. The drive passes through Fort Portal southwards along the Eastern length of the Rwenzori Mountains. On a clear day you may see the glaciated peaks as you gently descend to the Great Rift Valley to the park. The Rwenzori Peaks provide a magnificent backdrop to antelope-filled plains. Queen Elizabeth National Park covers about 2,000 square kilometers and spreads along the eastern shore of Lake Edward. After lunch In the afternoon, go for an exciting launch/boat cruise trip of about 2 hours on Kazinga Channel; this water body is a home to countless hippos, as well as baboons and abundant bird life. The launch boat offers a good bird viewing spot (Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the best birding parks in Africa with “560” + recorded bird species and recorded “296” bird species seen in a 24 hour period). You may also watch game including the hippopotamus, Elephants, etc. The Channel is believed to have the largest concentration of world’s hippopotamus.return for dinner and Overnight at Mweya safari Lodge / Bush Lodge BLD
Day 6: Queen Elizabeth Park
This morning we will enjoy a game drive in the park. This may include a drive to the magnificent plains of Kasenyi, crater lakes valleys, and the channel drive. Here we may spot early risers as they return to their dens from morning hunt such as lion, leopard. Herds of Uganda kob, bushbuck, waterbuck, reedbuck, African Elephants, bush pigs, warthog and buffalos are more of the likely game. After lunch we, drive to Kyambura Gorge for Chimpanzee tracking walk. At 2Pm you will meet your park ranger guide who will take you into the Gorge for chimp tracking. However, just like any other wild game, we do not guarantee seeing Chimps but the beauty of the gorge and the other primates like monkeys are a worthy sight too.Overnight at Mweya safari Lodge / Bush Lodge BLD
Day 7: Queen Elizabeth National Park – Bwindi: –
After breakfast, check out and drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park via the Ishasha section of Queen Elizabeth. Please note that going through Ishasha is only done if the road conditions permit. Enter with a game drive in search of tree climbing lion. Unlike the other sector, Ishasha section is well known for tree climbing lions, and also has Topis’ which are not found in the other sections of this park. The Edward flats offer a nice view and the area is known for thousands of elephants too. You will later proceed to Bwindi National Park. Overnight atMahogany Springs Lodge./ Gorilla Camp / Buhoma lodge or Buhoma Community Rest Camp BLD
Day 8: Bwindi – Gorilla trekking
After an early morning breakfast, your driver will help organize your packed lunch boxes then drive you to Ruhijah section of the park where you will assemble at the park offices for briefing. Here, you may be joined by a group of other tourists to receive a briefing from the park warden or head ranger on the dos and don’t during gorilla trekking before you begin your adventure. Each gorilla family is visited by a maximum of 8 tourists a day so you may be joined by other people on the trek. You will then begin your adventure into the gorilla sanctuary. The time taken and the terrain vary (1- 8 hours) according to the movement of these gentle giants. Gorilla trekking takes between less than an hour to 8 hours before encounter depending on the terrain. However, the thrill of meeting face to face takes away the pain of some times long and arduous trek. You are then allowed one hour with the gorillas before trekking back. When you return from trekking and after you receive your “trekking certificate” you will drive back to your accommodation for Dinner and Overnight Mahogany Springs Lodge./ Gorilla Camp / Buhoma lodge(BLD)
Day 9: – Transfer to Kihihi airstrip for 10:55 flight to Entebbe; optional tour within Entebbe then transfer to airport for flight connections