Embark on a 12 Days Gorilla Trekking Uganda Safari with inspirational wildlife and gorilla adventures Uganda doubled with Authentic Local Experiences in a robust Toyota Rav4 or Toyota land cruiser from as low as US $673pper person. The Primate Special package combines the highlights of the country including the hike & scenic views of the famous Murchison falls, vibrant & spectacular wildlife encounters, exciting chimp walks, safari drive wildlife viewing in Queen Elizabeth and of course the unforgettable gorilla tracking on a self drive car rental in Uganda. An ideal safari for those in love with primates and an ultimate chance to do birding in these particular destinations
TOUR SUMMARY
Trip Starts: Entebbe – Uganda
Trip Ends: Entebbe – Uganda
Hotel Rating: Lodge (Budget/lazy camping Accommodation – Midrange)
Permits: Trekking Permits Secured for each person/$600 per person
Fees: Gorilla Permit Fees and Park fees inclusive own arrangement
Meals: Breakfast included: Meal own arrangement
Itinerary at a glance & Highlights
Day 1: Transfer to Murchison falls N.P
Day 2: Discovering the beauty of Murchison Fall N.P
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
Day 4: Chimpanzee Trekking & Bigodi swamp walk
Day 5: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth for Kazinga Boat cruise
Day 6: Kasenyi Game drive and Afternoon Ishasha game Drive
Day 7: Ishasha Game drive &Transfer to Bwindi Forest N.P
Day 8: The Ultimate Gorilla Trekking Experience
Day 9: Lake Bunyonyi & The Batwa Experience
Day 10: Transfer to Lake Mburo & African Experience
Day 11: Lake Mburo Game Drive & Experience
Day 12: Transfer back to Kampala/Entebbe.
Day 1. Encountering one of the Big 5 and to the biggest game reserve.
Start your incredible self drive safari in Uganda through the capital Kampala city as you take a look around heading north west of Uganda. After 3hrs on average depending on your superiority to drive, the route will lead you to the Ziiwa Rhino sanctuary. Opt for Rhino tracking and lunch thereafter. The Ziwa rhino sanctuary is a private ranch where you can track the huge fascinating Rhinos on foot with a ranger guide. Through the woodland and lush green dotted canopies of Budongo forest, get to see some of the few animals that the Murchison has to offer including the endemic Abyssinian ground horn-bill. Opt to visit the top of the falls 12kms off the main Paraa en-route. Be able to view the thundering falls recorded as the most spectacular thing that has ever happened to the mighty river Nile. Drive to the ferry and cross river Nile to Paraa side headed to fort Murchison. Through the park you will have done more less an evening self drive safari. Distance 250kms: Time 6hrs
Accommodation: Fort Murchison camp for lazy camping with incredible views to the Albert Nile or Paraa Safari lodge nested on a hill overlooking the Hippo thronged Nile river
Day 2: Murchison Falls National Park
Get ready for an early wake up today! In the early morning hours animals are the most active, the sun is not yet so bright and temperatures are cooler. It offers the best time to spot wild animals. After an early breakfast you will go out on a game drive to explore the northern part of the park.
Come eye-to-eye with the African animal kingdom: elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, lions, leopards, different species of antelope and many tropical birds may all be spotted during the game drive. So keep your eyes open, they are all there in Murchison Falls National Park!
In the afternoon you will take a boat safari up the Nile River to Murchison Falls. Carefully watched by crocodiles, hundreds of hippos, buffaloes, water birds, monkeys and all the other thirsty wildlife that the Nile attracts, you will reach the base of the 43-meter high Falls which approach with a thunderous sound.
After the boat safari you will hike to the top of the falls. From here you have a wonderful view and fantastic photo opportunities! (The hike requires to be picked from the top of falls and this is where a driver comes in handy) later return back to your comfortable lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Fort Murchison Lodge
Day 3. Transfer to the the known rain forest in Uganda.
Enjoy another exciting self drive through the gravy and murram road through masindi and Hoima towns that will lead you to fortortal a clean, lush green vegetation and a colonial town. Kibale forest National Park is a canopy and mist enveloped gtropical rainforest also referred to as the Primate capital of the world. With over 13 primate species, Kibale is home to the closest relatives of human and a sublime of bird watching activity. Distance 225kms: Time 6hrs
Accommodation: The kibale forest camp for a comfortable tent or the Primate lodge for upgrade. All nested and enveloped by huge and tall forest trees surrounded in Nature
Day 4: Chimpanzee Encounter & Swamp Walk
Today is a day to experience some serious monkey business! Kibale Forest National Park boasts the highest number of primate species in the world, including the chimpanzees. Approximately 5,000 chimpanzees live in the wild in Uganda, which makes it a perfect place to spot them!
An experienced ranger will take you chimp tracking in the morning or afternoon; (8am or 2pm) you might also see other monkey species that live here. Once you locate the chimpanzee you will have a full hour of and up-close and personal
Late on in the afternoon, you will embark on the famous Bigodi swamp walk (2-3 hours) will take you through grassland, small communities and some beautiful scenery, where the locals are likely to greet you with enthusiastic waves. It is usual to spot three to four different primate species during this walk, though the highlight is catching a glimpse of the great blue turaco! A beautiful rare blue bird
Accommodation: Kibale forest camp
Day 5 of the 12 Days Gorilla Trekking Uganda Safari: Queen Elizabeth N.P.
After a relaxed breakfast in the morning, you can relax at your lodge and late you will continue your journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park, the most Bio-diverse national game reserve in Uganda.
Queen Elizabeth 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 has prolific game, including antelopes, Uganda kob, warthog and waterbuck. Lions are often sighted both in and at the entrance to the park. Be prepared for huge numbers of hippo and elephant, and keep your eyes peeled for a leopard lazly sleeping or hitching on the Phobia cactus trees.
In the late afternoon about 4pm, you will go for a game-drive into the park.
Accommodation: Bush Lodge
Day 6 of the 12 Days Gorilla Trekking Uganda Safari: Park Game Drive & Boat Safari
Today you wake up early. A little before sunrise coffee, tea and donuts will be served in the lounge before you head out for a long game drive in time to see the first rays of light. You will search for all the wildlife in the park and are likely to come across Elephant, Buffalo, Lion, Waterbuck, Leopard, Uganda Kob, and many Warthogs.
A well-deserved lunch will be served back at the lodge in the late morning.
In the afternoon you will take a boat safari along the Kazinga Channel which joins Lake George and Lake Albert.
Here, you will see a lot of hippos (more than you can possibly imagine!), as well as a variety of other animals which come to the waterhole to drink or bathe. You can expect to see buffalo, crocodile, bathing elephant, and a range of beautiful birds. This will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of your tour.
Accommodation: Bush Lodge
Day 7: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable Forest
Today you drive to Bwindi impenetrable national park through ishasha sector for a search of the tree climbing lions. Through the eye catching sceneries of south western Uganda, You will definitely cross a beautiful part of the country often referred to as ‘the Switzerland of Africa’ characterized with spectacular sceneries and rolling lush green vegetation. You will see a great country-side, bamboo forest and have great views over the Virunga Mountains as you approach the southern sector of Bwindi.
Dinner and overnight at Gorilla valley lodge or Rushaga Gorilla camp
Day 8: The ultimate once in a lifetime wildlife encounter.
On this day you will be in for once in a lifetime wildlife encounter, the Mountain Gorilla experience. You will be tracking the Rushaga or Nkuringo groups situated south of the mist covered rainforest inhabiting 450 half of the world’s endangered mountain Gorillas. With packed lunches you will descend and get enveloped into the thick mist forest searching for the great apes. It is an awesome experience getting up-close and personal with human closest relatives.
Accommodation: Gorilla valley Lodge or Rushaga camp. These are a combination of midrange and budget nested on hills overlooking the forest.
Day 9. A moment at the second deepest lake in Africa known as the Switzerland of Uganda.
Consider having an early breakfast and set off at your own pace to the lake Bunyonyi through the gravy exciting and refreshing scenic views of the most fertile lands of Kigezi. Through the eye-catching terraced steep slopes of the enveloped mist covered rainforest you will arrive at the fascinating and breathtaking famous Lake Bunyonyi the second deepest lake in Africa estimated at 900m deep. You could opt for a calm dugout canoe or boat cruise, visit the the traditional islands including the up-side down island and the punishment island. local guides who double as the boat owners tell you all this history of the lake. Consider visiting and hiking to the top of the mountains and visit an isolated community living at the top of the mountain, the views while hiking are spectacular. Distance 80kms: Time 2hrs
Accommodation: Lake Bunyonyi overland camp or the Eco-resort Bunyonyi for an upgrade on the island offer spectacular and calm nights on the lake.
Day 10 of the 12 Days Gorilla Trekking Uganda Safari. Transfer to lake mburo & the African experience
This is another fun filled self drive car rental trip in Uganda. At your pace, have a relaxed breakfast, take your time to have lunch in Mbarara. Through the fascinating rolling hills of Kabale, encounter from time to time the long horned cattle and exciting villagetowns on the self drive roadtrip enrote mbarara. You can decide to have lunch in Mbarara at Agip motel or take up Auto Rental Uganda African lunch offer that involves enhancing your adventure with a treat to a Ugandan traditional delicacy of an amazing traditional meal prepared by a truly Ugandan woman in an African home and in a simple setting. If you would like this, we are more than happy to share with you this experience of the Luwombo meal. Distance 210kms: Time 4rs
Accommodation: 1 night at the Eagles nest lodge or Rwakobo rock. These are Eco-friendly and nice lodges nested on the top of hills and rocks with spectacular views of the Park.
Day 11: In the home of Elands and zebras.
Enjoy an incredible self drive safari with a whole day in the park. With no dangerous predators like lions, Lake Mburo is the best place to go on a guided safari either walking, Game biking or horseback safaris. Lake Mburo this is one of the few National parks in Africa that allow night game drives with chances to see some of the rare nocturnal animals like mongoose, hyena, leopard and serval cat.
Accommodation: 1 night at the Eagles nest lodge or Rwakobo rock. These are Eco-friendly and nice lodges nested on the top of hills and rocks with spectacular views of the Park.
Day 12: Game drive and transfer to Kampala end og the 12 Days Gorilla Trekking Uganda Safari.
Finalise your self drive car rental trip in Uganda with a self drive safari as you get out of the park. Consider doing any extra activities in this small but amazing park. later headout through the exciting village towns and lush green vegetation with time to time long horned cow encounters that will bring you through the equator. If you have not been to this point at 0 degrees, the southern and northern hemispheres you may opt for an an experiment that illustrates this. Later proceed through the drum and stool makers and finally to entebbe for a nightlife. If you like we are more than happy to recommend some. Distance 250kms: Time 5hrs
Accommodations Toyota Rav4 Toyota land-cruiser
Lazy camping/PP $ 637 $ 840
Mid-Range/PP $ 1388 $1580
INCLUDED
Car hire comprehensive insurance
12 day car rental Toyota Rav4 or Toyota Prado Landcruiser
Airport transfers
Detailed day-to-day itinerary
Bradt travel guide Book and roadmap
Mobile phone with local SIM card
Accommodation on the basis of bed & breakfast as per the itinerary
EXCLUDED
Fuel for the whole Journey
Park entrance fees including vehicle ($40 pp & 30000ugx for car paid once in every park)
All meals/Lunch and dinner
All Optional Activities
Why Crystal car hire?
- Comprehensively insured vehicles
- Well Maintained car rental Fleet
- Tailor made Car rental + Accommodation
- Insightful Safari Driver guides in Uganda.
- Car rental services across boundaries
- Quality Car & Camping Gear
- Great Car rental Fleet & Travel Advise
- 24-7 Roadside assistance
Why Travel to Uganda?
- Home of the endangered Mountain Gorilla
- Very Reliable and Safe
- Still Virgin and Lush Green
- Very appealing all year around Weather
- Vibrant Self drive Safaris & wildlife Encounters
- Typical local Authentic & Authentic African Culture
- Fascinating Scenery and beautiful lakes.
- Budget self drive Safari Camping Experiences
