Overview
Visit Lake Mburo NP in western Uganda for a wildlife game drive before transferring to Bwindi Impenetrable NP. Track the rare mountain gorillas in mist-covered hillsides blanketed by one of Uganda’s oldest and most biologically diverse rainforests. Head out on a community walk to discover the local Bakiga and Batwa Pygmy cultures. Pass through the Ishasha sector in the southern parts of Queen Elizabeth NP for the famous tree climbing lions. You will later embark on a water safari on Kazinga Channel which is famous for its concentration of hippos. Transfer to Kibale NP for chimpanzee tracking.
Trip Highlights
- Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National park
- Batwa community walk
- Wildlife game drive
- Water safari on Kazinga Channel
- Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park
Itinerary
Upon your arrival at Entebbe International Airport, meet and greet our driver guide who will transfer you to Lake Mburo NP in the western part of Uganda. Lake Mburo NP is just a 5 hour drive from Entebbe and it is the smallest savannah park in Uganda covering 370 square kilometres. On reaching the park you will check in at your hotel for dinner and overnight.
Travel duration: 5 hours
Overnight at booked lodge
Wake up very early in the morning for your morning game drive. The park is so famous for large concentrations of the Impala though it has an immense population of wildlife such as oribi, eland,hyena, buffalo, zebra, leopard, hippo, deffasa water back. The park is also home to over 350 bird species in this rather small protected area. After the game drive, transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable NP.
Travel duration: 7 hours
Overnight at booked lodge
After your early morning breakfast you will be transferred to the park visitor centre for a briefing about the dos and don'ts. With a well trained ranger guide, delve into the jungle in search for the rare mountain gorillas. Once you find these wonderful creatures, you will have a maximum of 1 hour to spend with these magnificent animals.
In the evening, head out for a community walk to see how the local people of the region live their lives. Visit the Batwa community, the first inhabitants of the forest and the Bakiga who live in this region. On this hike you will see the forest through the eyes of the original dwellers and keepers of the tropical rainforest. Enjoy as they demonstrate how they hunted down small animals and gathered food. Visit a traditional Batwa homestead and learn from the women how to prepare, cook and serve a meal.
Activity duration: 3-8 hours
Overnight at a booked lodge
After a relaxed breakfast, transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP through the Ishasha sector. Enter the park through the southern part where you will have a chance to spot the tree-climbing lions. The lions in this region have learned how to climb trees to protect themselves from biting insects while lazing on the ground under trees or to escape the heat on the ground. As you transfer to Kasenyi Plains, watch out for fascinating views of the savannah with roaming antelopes such as topis, elephants, and Uganda kobs, among others.
Travel duration: 6 hours
Overnight at a booked lodge.
After your breakfast, head out to Kasenyi Plains for an early morning game drive. Early morning game drives are often the best for sighting predators as they hunt their prey. You will have the opportunity to spot big cats like lions, large herds of elephants and buffaloes among others. After the game drive you will return to your hotel for lunch and rest.
Activity duration: 3 hours
Boat cruise on Kazinga channel
After having your lunch, embark on a water safari along Kazinga Channel, a waterway that connects Lake Edward to Lake George. This channel is famous for its enormous concentration of hippos and crocodiles. Watchout for other animals like Waterbucks, Buffaloes and elephants as they come to drink water on the shores. Transfer back to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Activity duration: 2-3 hours
Overnight at a booked lodge.
This morning you will have another game drive in Kasenyi Plains before traveling to Kibale Forest NP. Watch out for animals like waterbuck, warthog, giant forest hog, hippopotamus, topi, Nile crocodile, leopard, spotted hyena, lion, African elephant, African buffalo, and the Ugandan kob. After the game drive, return to the hotel for your late-morning breakfast. You will have lunch at the hotel and transfer to Kibale Forest NP in the afternoon.
Activity duration: 2-3 hours
Travel duration: 2-3 hours
After your breakfast, the driver will take you to Kanyanchu visitor centre for a briefing about the dos and don'ts of the activity. You will be assigned a well trained Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger who will guide you through the forest as you trek the Chimpanzees. The chimpanzee groups in Kibale NP live in the wild but they have been habituated and they are now accustomed to human presence. Once you find a chimpanzee group you will spend a maximum of 1 hour with these interesting creatures. Watch them as they groom their young ones, remove ticks and dirt from one another’s bodies, use sticks to retrieve insects from their nests or dig grubs out of logs and use stones to smash open tasty nuts. After 1 hour with a chimpanzee group, the driver will pick you up from the end point and drive you back to your hotel for lunch.
Activity duration: 2-4 hours
In the afternoon, it will be time for Magombe walk in Bigodi Swamp. This swamp is a birders paradise and this walk will give you a chance to View the wildlife from the forest pathways, boardwalks and atop a tree house tucked high in the canopy. Watch out for rare and colourful birds such as purple breasted sunbird, the African pitta, black-capped apalis, green breasted pitta, and papyrus gonolek.The swamp is also home to primates like colobus monkeys, Red Tailed Monkey, Grey Cheeked Mangabey, Olive Baboon, L’hoest Monkey, and other small mammals like otters. In the evening, transfer back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Activity duration: 2-3 hours
Overnight at booked lodge
After your relaxed breakfast in the morning, transfer to Kampala / Entebbe for your flight.
Tour Inclusions
- Professional driver guide (English speaking)
- Transport (4WD vehicle)
- Full board accommodation
- Bottled drinking water during all transfers Gorilla trekking permits
- Chimpanzee tracking permits
- Park entry fees
- All activities as indicated on the itinerary
- Meals as indicated on the itinerary
- Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger guide
Tour Exclusions
- Visas and international flights
- Extra activities especially those not included in the itinerary
- Personal expenses (laundry services, tips, beverages/drinks)