This 10-day Uganda wildlife and primate safari begins and ends at Uganda’s Entebbe international airport. This Uganda safari includes exclusive primate encounters such as meeting the mystical mountain gorillas and chimp tracking, as well as general wildlife encounters, boat cruises, and horseback riding in the wilderness. It takes you to Ziwa rhino sanctuary for rhino tracking, Murchison Falls National Park to see the famous Murchison Falls, Wildlife sighting safari, Nile River boat cruise safari, Kibale Forest National Park for chimp tracking, Queen Elizabeth National Park for wildlife sighting, Kazinga channel boat cruise safari, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park to see the magical mountain gorilla, Lake Bunyonyi for relaxation, and Lake Mbu for fishing. This is an ideal tour for exploring the abundance of wildlife species, beautiful scenery, and numerous primate species such as the miraculous Mountain gorillas, Chimpanzees, and others, as well as seeing several Africa classic games such as Lions, Leopards, Elephants, African Caped buffaloes, Giraffes, Zebras, and many others.
On arrival at Entebbe international airport, you will be warmly met by a company representative with your professional English speaking safari guide to meet and greet and then be transferred to your booked hotel in Entebbe town to check in, freshen yourself and later meet with our company representative and safari guide at the hotel lobby to brief you about your 10- Day Uganda wildlife and primate safari. The hotel is about 10-20 minutes’ drive from Entebbe international airport on the shores of Lake Victoria.
Later, if time permits, drive to the Entebbe Botanical Gardens on the shores of Lake Victoria for a walking safari. Some primates, such as Vervet monkeys, and several bird species live in the Botanical Gardens. The walking safari will take you to the shores of Lake Victoria, where you will see some water birds, enjoy the fresh breezes from the lake, and become acquainted with Uganda’s stunning natural beauty. Lake Victoria is the largest body of water in Africa and the world’s second largest fresh water body, shared by three East African countries (Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya). Lake Victoria is also the source of the Nile River, which flows for over 6,600 kilometers (4,100 miles) from Lake Victoria to the Mediterranean Sea in the north through several African countries including Uganda, Egypt, Sudan, and South Sudan. Return to your hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.
Via Via Guest House (Standard), 2 Friends Beach Hotel (Mid-range), Protea Hotel by Marriott Entebbe (Luxury)
Meal plan; Dinner
Early in the morning (630 a.m.), check out of your hotel and begin your drive to Murchison Falls National Park, located in northwestern Uganda about 320 kilometers from Kampala. Along the way, you will stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in Nakasongola district for a white rhino tracking experience. The Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is Uganda’s only place where you can meet white rhinos in the wild. Uganda once had a sufficient number of rhinos, which were found in the Kidepo Valley and Murchison Falls national parks, but they became nationally extinct in the early 1970s due to a variety of illegal human activities such as poaching and civil unrest. As a result, the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary was established in 2005 to reintroduce Rhinos into Uganda’s wildlife inventory.
During rhino tracking, you will have the opportunity to see them close to their feet with the assistance of a local site guide and spend a maximum of one hour with them. You will be allowed to take as many photos as you want, so keep your camera ready so that no great moment goes uncaptured. After your unforgettable encounter with rhinos, relax with a bottle of water before driving to Kabalega Diner for lunch. Later, drive to Murchison Falls National Park and visit the falls to enjoy a breathtaking view of the falls and the verbal burble of the falls as they drop into a pool of water. While at Murchison Falls, you will see how the entire Nile River forces itself through a narrow gorge only 7 meters wide, then drops 43 meters into a pool, creating a beautiful thunderous sound.
After seeing the Murchison Falls, cross the Nile and drive to your booked lodge to check in and spend the evening relaxing while preparing for your adventurous night game drive safari, which will increase your chances of encountering nocturnal animals and birds of the park such as lions, leopards, porcupines, civets, spotted hyenas, grazing hippos, and others not only to hear the lovely sounds of animals but also to run how wildlife animals spend their night in the jungle On a lucky day, you might see predators hunting, which is one of the best savannah wildlife experiences. Murchison Falls National Park is one of Uganda’s best savannah national parks for a night game drive. Dinner and a night’s stay
Murchison Falls National Park has 76 recorded mammal species, including Jackson’s hartebeest, Waterbucks, Hippopotamuses, Nile crocodiles, primates such as Chimpanzees, Olive baboons, Black and white colobus monkeys, Giraffes, Uganda kobs, Elephants, Caped Buffaloes, Lions, Leopards, Spotted hyenas, Civets, Dinner and a night’s stay.
Accommodation; Hornbill Bush Lodge (Standard), Pakuba Safari Lodge (Mid-range), Paraa Safari Lodge (Luxury)
Meal Plan; Breakfast / Lunch /Dinner
Wake up early for a cup of coffee, grab your packed breakfast, and head to the park’s northern sector for fantastic game drive safaris. During the game drive, your safari guide will assist you in spotting several animals and will share a wealth of information about the various wildlife species that you will see, such as Caped buffalo, Elephants, Uganda Kobs, Jackson hartebeest, Roth child giraffes, oribis, Lion, Common warthogs, and some primates species. If you are lucky, you may spot a leopard. Leave the jungle later in the afternoon and return to your lodge to relax, eat lunch, and then drive to Paraa gathering point for an afternoon boat cruise safari on the Nile, which begins at 2:00 pm.
The boat cruise safari travels upstream from the calm Victoria Nile to the base of the Murchison Falls, stopping a few meters from the ‘Devil’s Cauldron’ of the falls for incredible views of the falls and to see how the River Nile drops into a pool. The boat cruise will take you through zones of water mammals and birds such as hippopotamus, Nile crocodiles, Egyptian goose, goliath heron, kingfisher, pelican bee-eater, hornbill, cormorant, and you may see some land mammals when they come to drink water and swim. After the boat ride, return to your lodge and spend the night relaxing, eating, and sleeping.
Accommodation; Hornbill Bush Lodge (Standard), Pakuba Safari Lodge (Mid-range), Paraa Safari Lodge (Luxury)
Meal Plan; Breakfast / Lunch /Dinner
Check out of your lodge after a delicious breakfast and slowly drive through the park, across the Nile River, and then to Kibale Forest National Park. Kibale Forest National Park is famous for having the world’s largest chimp population, with over 1500 individual chimps, some of which are well habituated for tourism and research. The park is also known as Africa’s primate capital, with more primate species recorded than any other national park or wildlife reserve in Africa, making it a primate lover’s paradise. The park also has the largest population of the threatened and rare L’hoest’s monkey and red colobus monkeys in East Africa.
The black-and-white colobus, blue monkeys, red-tailed olive baboons, grey-cheeked mangabeys, and over 375 bird species can all be found in Kibale Forest National Park. You will enjoy spectacular views of tea estates, several forests, and the shadow of the legendary Rwenzori Mountain, which forms a mystic backdrop to the beautiful volcanic landscape as you travel to Kibale Forest National Park. Stop in Fort Portal City for lunch, then walk around the city before continuing on to the park to check in at your booked lodge and then drive to Bigodi Swamp for a nature walk and community experience.
Bigodi Sanctuary Swamp is a bird lover’s paradise, with over 138 bird species and eight species of primates such as the grey-cheeked mangabey, black-and-white colobus, l’Hoest’s and blue monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, and olive baboons, as well as other mammals such as Bushbucks and mongooses. The swamp is managed by the surrounding community with the intention of preserving unique environmental features as well as the wetland for future generations. As a result, during this walk, you will have the opportunity to see a variety of monkeys and bird species.
The Bigodi community walk will take you through the nearby community to interact with local people and learn how they live in harmony with wildlife species. It will also take you through how they go about their daily activities without using modern technology, such as making nice gins from bananas, delicious coffee, and art crafts. Return to your lodge after the walk to relax, be served dinner, and spend the night.
Accommodation; Rwetera Safari Park (Standard), Isunga Safari Lodge (Mid-range), Crater Safari Lodge (Luxury)
Meal plan; Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
After breakfast, meet your safari guide and transfer to the park information offices to join other guests for a briefing on the dos and don’ts of chimp tracking in the forest, as well as how to behave in the presence of chimps. Then go on a guided forest walk to look for intelligent chimps, our closest relatives who share 98.8% of our DNA. During your forest walk, you may encounter other wildlife species, both mammals and birds, such as primates and bush pigs, among others, and your guide will be able to provide you with much interesting information about everything that you will encounter, making your walk even more exciting.
When you meet chimps, you will have a maximum of one hour with them to observe how they play in the tree branches, feed and care for their babies, and take as many photos as you want. After an hour with the chimps, return to the starting point to relax, have a refreshment and lunch, and then drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park, a “medley of wonders.” Queen Elizabeth National Park is known for its diverse wildlife species, including over 95 mammal species, four big mammals, big cats, and other predators, 10 species of primates, aquatic mammals, and approximately 600 recorded bird species, as well as the Kazinga channel, which connects Lake Edward and George.
Before checking into your booked lodge, pay a visit to Katwe, which is located around the salty Lake Katwe and whose main economic activity is the extraction of salt from the lake. Because of the traditional salt mining that has been practiced since the 16th century, this is one of the most well-known communities. You will have the opportunity to participate in salt mining while visiting the Katwe salt mining community, and your local safari guide will provide you with detailed information on how they have been able to sustain their salt mining activities for decades. After the community tour, drive to your booked lodge and spend the evening at leisure until dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Pumba Safari Cottages (Standard), Buffalo Safari Lodge (Mid-range), Mweya Safari Lodge (Luxury)
Meal plan; Breakfast/ Lunch / Dinner
After an early morning heavy breakfast, you will be driven to the Kalinzu Forest Reserve head office to meet the other guests for pre trekking briefings, be given a site guide, and then begin your second chimp tracking safari in a different environment. The second chimp trekking safari will allow you to meet chimps from various habitats and gain insight into how these apes behave in different settings. Your knowledgeable guide will assist you in stopping to identify several flora and fauna species that live in this forest, as well as provide you with detailed information about everything you will see. Once you find a community of habituated chimps, you will have a maximum of one hour with them to enjoy their activities such as jumping in tree branches, grooming their babies, and taking as many photos as you want for photography. After an hour with the chimps in Kalinzu Forest Reserve, return to the starting point for a bottle of water to refresh yourself, then drive back to your lodge for lunch, relax, and then depart for 2 hours. Afternoon boat cruise safari along Kazinga channel, the park’s main water stream connecting Lake George and Lake Edward. One of the most popular adventurous activities for visitors to Queen Elizabeth National Park is a boat cruise safari on the Kazinga Channel.
The cruise will bring you up close and personal with several mammals, including hippos, Nile crocodiles and buffaloes, elephants, and many others, as well as a variety of water birds. The fantastic experience of a 2 hour boat cruise safari along the Kazinga channel is a must-do adventure for all Queen Elizabeth National Park visitors. After the boat cruise safari along the Kazinga channel, return to your lodge to relax for the evening. Back for dinner and an overnight stay.
Accommodation: Pumba Safari Cottages (Standard), Buffalo Safari Lodge (Mid-range), Mweya Safari Lodge (Luxury)
Meal plan; Breakfast/ Lunch / Dinner
Today, wake up at 530 a.m. to prepare yourself and arrange all of your travel bags, be served a delicious breakfast at 0600 a.m., get all of your luggage packed in the vehicle, check out of your lodge at 0630 a.m., and then drive to Kasenyi plains in the northeastern parts of Queen Elizabeth National Park for a morning game drive safari in search of wildlife species. Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of Uganda’s most popular national parks, and it is an ideal habitat for classic big game such as the four mammals of the African savannah’s big five family (Lions, Leopards, Elephants, and Buffaloes), several antelope species, primates, and many others. Your safari guide will ensure that you see as many wildlife species as possible and will provide you with detailed information about everything you see during your game drive.
After the game drive, relax before continuing on to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park via Ishasha sector in the southern parts of Queen Elizabeth National Park for a game drive in search of the unique tree climbing lions found only in Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda with four prides, Lake Manyara in Tanzania with two prides, and Kruger National Park in South Africa. After the game drive, have lunch before continuing on to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, which is famous for being home to half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas and one of Uganda’s oldest and most biologically diverse rainforests, dating back over 25,000 years and containing nearly 400 tree species that form the huge impenetrable forest that is ever green. It is home to about 500 mountain gorillas, 120 mammal species, including several primate species, and over 350 bird species.
Accommodation; Broadbill Forest Camp (Standard), Bakiga Lodge (Mid-range), Mahogany Springs Lodge (Luxury)
Meal Plan; Breakfast / Lunch /Dinner
DAY 8 Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park – Mountain gorilla trekking –Drive to Lake Bunyonyi.
Day 8 of the 10-day Uganda wildlife and primate safari, get up early (0600am) to organize yourself and gather the necessary equipment for mountain gorilla trekking, such as a camera, binoculars, insect repellants, and so on. Dress appropriately for mountain gorilla trekking, such as long khaki/jean trouser, long-sleeved shirt, water-resistant hiking boots, a rain jacket, heavy duty gloves, and round hats. Have a hearty breakfast, pack your lunch boxes, bring plenty of drinking water, and meet your safari guide to be transferred to the park information offices to be briefed about mountain gorilla trekking dos and don’ts, how to behave in the presence of mountain gorillas, and the expectations. a mountain gorilla family to track, a UWA ranger, and We would recommend you to hire a porter to help you carry your packed bag other and your other items you would need during mountain gorillas. After pre-mountain gorilla trekking session, start your forest walk in search for the endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitats.
The time taken before encountering your assigned mountain gorilla family is unknown; however, it may be between 45 minutes and 4 hours depending on the movements and location of the gorilla family; therefore, you should be physically and mentally prepared to walk a long distance through the forest that is made of hills and with no clear walking trails that are only made on that particular time of tracking by your guide depending on the direction that can easily lead you to t As a result, it is recommended that you bring enough water to stay hydrated and snacks to keep you energized, as walking through the forest in search for mountain gorillas.
When you come across the mountain gorilla family, the thrill of seeing them in their natural habitat will outweigh the difficulty of tracking them down. A mountain gorilla family can consist of several members, including the giant silverback, who is always the family’s leader and protector, mothers, infants, and juveniles. During your time with the mountain gorillas, you will learn a lot about their behaviors, how they socialize, and be excited by their actions such as the playful babies, mothers grooming their babies, and Mr. silverback silently watching the situation as he prepares to protect the family from any kind of attack.
You will have a maximum of one hour with the mountain gorillas and will be free to take as many photos and videos as you want to remember your wonderful experience with the mountain gorilla family in the jungle. After an hour with the mountain gorilla family, return to the starting point of your trek to receive your mountain trekking certificate in recognition of your contribution to the conservation of Uganda’s endangered mountain gorillas. After refreshments and lunch, drive to Lake Bunyonyi to unwind. Dinner and a night’s stay.
Accommodation; Bunyonyi Rock Resort (Standard and Mid-range), Birdnest @Bunyonyi Resort (Luxury)
Meal Plan; Breakfast / Lunch /Dinner
Today, wake up at your convenient time, be served breakfast and then go for a morning boat canoeing safari on Lake Bunyonyi which takes approximately 2 hours of the exploring the lake and visiting different islands of the lake with a local canoe guide who is well experienced about the places and all the things around. Lake Bunyonyi is framed with 29 islands of different size across the water making it view the most magical. Each of the 29 islands on Lake Bunyonyi has its own interesting story that your local guide will tell you about during your canoeing safari, such as the Akampene island, also known as the “punishment Island,” which was used by the Biga community to punish girls who became pregnant before official marriage by isolating them there to death as a way to teach the rest not to make the same mistake.
As a result, poor men who couldn’t afford the bride price would come to this island to find free wives among those who could have been exiled to this island. It is a disgrace in an African society for a girl to become pregnant before her official marriage, and this would cause the family to lose community respect, so parents were strict with their girl children as a way of protecting them.
Return to your lodge after canoeing on Lake Bunyonyi to check out and begin your journey to Lake Mburo National Park with a stopover at Igongo Cultural Center for lunch and a tour of the Museum, one of Uganda’s richest heritage with history, traditions, and lifestyle of the Ankole people and southwest Uganda that will take you centuries back about the life of the. Following that, proceed to the park to check in at your booked lodge and drive to the park for your evening and night game drives to spot some of the park’s wildlife such as the beautiful Zebras, Impalas, Elands, Topis, other species of Antelopes, Warthogs, Caped buffaloes, and Giraffes. Take a short break to relax before continuing with the night game drive, which will increase your chances of seeing nocturnal savannah mammals such as spotted hyenas, leopards, civets, African rock pythons, porcupines, and bush babies, among others, which are difficult to see during day game drives. It’s an interesting experience to go on a night game drive, and Lake Mburo is one of the best parks for it.
Lake Mburo National Park is Uganda’s smallest savannah protected area, but it is rich in flora and fauna, as well as other natural features. Its woodland and savannah plains provide good habitats and feeding grounds for Zebras, Buffaloes, Elands, Impalas, Warthogs, Oribi, Defassa waterbuck, Leopard, Spotted hyena, Topi and Reedbuck, Hippopotamuses, Giraffes, Bush babies, Porcupine, White tailed, Bush pigs, African rock python, and many others.
Accommodation; Rwakobo Rock Resort (Standard and Mid-range), Mihingo Safari Lodge (Luxury)
Meal Plan; Breakfast / Lunch /Dinner
On this day, you will have a simple breakfast before heading to the park for your early morning jungle horseback riding. Without a doubt, a horseback riding safari in Lake Mburo National Park is one of the most incredible activities that provide visitors with an unforgettable experience of viewing wildlife and taking a nature walk while riding a horse. During a horseback riding safari in the park, you will be able to see animals such as Zebras, Impalas, and the more shy Elands, who are curious about seeing their close relatives without black and white stripes. Horseback riding is the most peaceful way to explore the park because it does not leave any footprints behind, causes noise and air pollution, and makes you feel like you are part of nature. Return to your lodge for a full breakfast, check out, and begin your drive back to Entebbe International Airport to catch your flight home.
On your way to Entebbe International Airport, you will stop at the Uganda equator line in Kayabwe, which is thought to divide the world into two halves: the Northern and Southern hemispheres.
While at the equator, you will notice the water experiment, which is done to demonstrate how forces move differently on each side of the planet and to demonstrate the difference between the two hemispheres, for example, water drains from the funnel in a clockwise motion on the northern hemisphere and in an anti-clockwise motion on the southern hemisphere. Because the sun rises and sets quickly here, and the temperatures and weather are largely consistent all year, take some memorial photos with one foot in the southern hemisphere and another in the northern hemisphere, giving you the opportunity to take a photo while standing on both sides of the world at the same time. It is also said that standing at the equator line reduces your body weight by about 3kgs, so you will have an opportunity to prove this statement true or false. After the water experiment, have lunch and then visit some craft shops to buy some souvenirs that are entirely designed in Ugandan local art. After spending some time at the Uganda equator, continue on to Entebbe International Airport to prepare for your return flight. This concludes your 10-day Uganda wildlife and primate safari.
Meal Plan; Breakfast / Lunch
Trip Includes
Trip Excludes
Freundlich Safaris Uganda is a premier tour operator dedicated to providing exceptional safari experiences in the heart of Uganda.
©Copyright 2024. All Rights Reserved. Freundlich Safaris Uganda Developed by Sausage Tree Pictures Studio
