Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival and Transfer to your hotel in Kampala and getting ready for an evening City Tour. On your arrival at Entebbe international airport, you will be met by a Arcadia safaris staff that will brief you and transfer you to your hotel for relaxation. In the evening you will be transferred to Ndere cultural centre In Kampala central, which is a home of performing arts and a representation of Ugandan cultures through music, dance and drama. Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel Destination: Kampala City. Accommodation options: Kaazi Beach Resort or Similar Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner – Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey
Day 2: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park for Chimpanzee Trekking. After breakfast at your accommodation you will depart to Kibale Forest National Park. The drive is incredibly scenic, passing through villages, lush green countryside and hills dotted with tea plantations which characterize this part of Uganda. Kibale NP is popular for its primates like the chimpanzees, colobus monkeys, grey cheeked Mangabey and red tailed monkeys. On your chimpanzee trails, these are regularly seen swinging in the forest trees and others feeding on the wild fruits. You will reach and do little but check into your accommodation where you will have dinner and the overnight rest. Destination: Kibale Forest National Park Accommodation options: Turaco Tree Tops or Similar Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner – Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey
Day 3: Chimp Tracking and the Bigodi Swamp Walk. Have breakfast and head to the trekking point where you will receive some briefing on the dos and don’ts during chimp trekking. Thereafter, you will proceed to trek the chimps in the Kibale Forest. An experienced ranger guide will take you for chimp tracking and you will be marveled by the sights of primates here. Once you locate the chimpanzees, you will have a full hour with them. Return to your accommodation for some rest time and lunch. Later go out for the Bigodi swamp walk. The Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary is a fascinating area, located in Magombe swamp. This area is recognized for its extensive array of biodiversity among which are several primates’ species like the baboons, black & white colobus monkeys, vervet monkey and the L’Hoest monkey. The Bigodi swamp is also a paradise for bird watchers. Among the major bird species within the sanctuary is the grand Blue Turaco. Destination: Kibale Forest National Park (Chimpanzee) Accommodation options: Turaco Tree Tops or Similar Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner – Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey
Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP and take the Boat Trip on the Kazinga Channel. After breakfast you will Exit Kibale NP and continue your journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Queen is Uganda’s second largest park, located at the base of the majestic Rwenzori Mountain range, adjacent to Lake Edward and Lake George. The park’s diverse ecosystem which include sprawling savannah makes it the ideal habitat for classic big game, ten primate species including chimpanzees and over 600 species of birds. On reaching Queen it will be early enough to rest, have lunch and later go for a boat safari along the Kazinga Channel which joins Lake George to Lake Edward. You will surely be fascinated by the concentrations of giant hippos, elephants and crocodiles among others. You will also see many varieties of birds at the water shores. Return to the accommodation for dinner and later overnight rest. Destination: Queen Elizabeth National Park Accommodation options: Buffalo Safari Lodge or Similar Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner – Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey
Day 5: Queen’s Morning Game Drive and the afternoon Explosion Crater Drive. Be up early and have your breakfast. Proceed for a morning game drive in the park, along the Kasenyi plains and be on the look for Lions, Elephants, Leopards (though hard to spot), Bushbucks, Cape Buffaloes, Waterbucks, Giant Forest Hogs, Uganda Kob among others. After the game drive, our driver-guide shall drive you back to your accommodation for some rest time and lunch. In the afternoon you will go for the explosion crater drive. The drive is basically sightseeing with very spectacular view of the breathtaking scenery in and around Queen. There is also plenty of wildlife to see along the drive although commonest are sights of Cape Buffaloes plus Elephants. Return to the accommodation for relaxation, dinner and the overnight stay. Destination: Queen Elizabeth National Park Accommodation options: Buffalo Safari Lodge or Similar Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner – Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey
Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable NP through Ishasha Tree Climbing Lions. Be up and have your breakfast served. Go for tree-climbing lions’ sighting in Ishasha sector still in Queen Elizabeth national park and thereafter transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Bwindi is a big habitat for mountain gorillas in Uganda (harboring an estimated 400 mountain gorillas – roughly half of the world’s population), including several habituated groups, which can be tracked. With a strenuous day ahead, you will do less on arrival but just check-in your accommodation, relax as you prepare for the Bwindi gorilla trekking experience the following day. Destination: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Gorillas) Accommodation options: Rushaga Gorilla Camp or Similar Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner – Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey
Day 7: Gorilla Trekking Bwindi Forest and Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi. After an early breakfast and a briefing by a ranger guide, you will enter the gorilla sanctuary for your adventure. The beauty of this rain forest is spectacular! The area offers dramatic steeply forested landscape and is incredibly dense, but crisscrossed by numerous animal trails allowing access to tourists. The time taken and the terrain vary with the movements of these great primates. Once you locate a gorilla group, you will be allowed an hour in their presence. The thrill of spending time observing these gentle and endangered giants is an awesome, exciting experience to be long savored. Return to your lodge for some rest time and lunch. Thereafter, embark on a transfer to Lake Bunyonyi. You will reach and do little but check into your accommodation, relax, enjoy your dinner and overnight stay. Destination: Lake Bunyonyi Accommodation options: Arcadia Lodge or Similar Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner – Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey
Day 8: Transfer back to Entebbe for your Flight. Have a relaxed breakfast at the accommodation with spectacular view of the Bwindi hills Bunyonyi just right in front of you and thereafter embark on your return journey to Entebbe Airport. Expect enroute stopovers in Mbarara town for lunch and the Uganda Equator line mark in Kayabwe for some memorable photos and maybe buying some art pieces of interest. Proceed with the journey arriving late afternoon/evening for drop off at the airport. This shall be the end of our 8 Day Gorillas – Chimps and Big Five Experience. We hope to see you (or any referral) when next, you visit and thanks for choosing Arcadia Safaris. Destination: Entebbe (City) Accommodation options: No (End of tour) Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner – Drinking Water, Fruits and Wi-Fi throughout the journey
