This 4-days gorilla trek tour and wildlife safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park is probably the best and most popular East African Safari package. You get to track the mountain gorillas in their natural sanctuary – Bwindi Impenetrable National Park also with 12 other primates in there, a possibility of seeing tree-climbing lions! in Queen Elizabeth National Park chimpanzee tracking in kyambura gorge plus the other ‘BIG 5’ – Leopard, Elephant, Hippos, Buffalo, lots of antelopes, forest hogs, hyena, and lots of birds (over 600 bird species)! Great scenic views like the unmissable calderas and crater lakes, Rwenzori Mountains.
Itinerary
Day 1: Briefing on the safari, transfer to Bwindi impenetrable Forest, southwestern Uganda for your gorilla trek.
Meet and greet with our local guide over breakfast, and then after drive heading to southwestern Uganda. En route, there is a local community popular for making local drums and crafts and a fruit market. Stopover, admire and buy yourself souvenirs. Proceed to the Equator line taken as one beautiful scenery in Africa – the pathway of the sun and take photographs.
Pass by mountains, tropical rainforest and bamboo forest during the nine hour journey.
Overnight at
Up-market option: Buhoma Lodge/ Mahogany Springs Lodge
Moderate option: Engagi Lodge/ Silverback Lodge / Gorilla Safari Lodge/ Lake Kitandara Camp,Ruhija gorilla safari lodge
Low Budget option: Buhoma Community Restcamp or Ruhija Gorilla Friends / gorilla valley lodge /Travellers hotel
Meals Included today: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner at the Lodge.
Please see other accommodation options in Bwindi impenetrable national park
(Driving time to Entebbe ± 9hrs on surfaced roads)
Day 2:
Gorilla trekking (Bwindi Impenetrable NP), Tracking the Mountain Gorillas and other primates
Today enjoy gorilla tracking in Bwindi. After breakfast, proceed for the morning briefing before enjoying the highlight of the trip- Gorilla trekking, which may last the entire day. We trek the gorillas through the rainforest and bamboo covered slopes, accompanied by a guide and trackers, in search of a mountain gorilla family. The walking can sometimes be tough and long, but when you catch a glimpse of the magnificent silverback, any discomforts will be quickly forgotten. When the gorillas are sighted, visitors will be guided to within 6 metres from the gorillas, sit around them for a whole hour while gazing into their big round eyes. gorilla-adventure-safari
Gorilla trekking is unpredictable. It’s difficult to foresee how many hours you will hike. The gorilla excursion can take from 2 up to 8 hours. Expect to walk along distance in steep and muddy conditions, sometimes with rain overhead, before you encounter any gorillas. A good physical condition is recommended. For conservation purposes, time spent with the gorillas is limited to one hour. A ranger will brief you on how to behave with the gorillas.
While most of today’s forests are no more than 12,000 years old, Bwindi’s vegetation has been weaving itself into tangles over at least 25,000 years, in the process accumulating a lengthy species list. This includes 310 species of butterfly, 51 reptiles, 200 trees, 88 moths and an exceptional 120 types of mammal including 10 primates. The latter includes chimpanzee, L’Hoest’s, red tailed and blue monkey, black and white colobus, baboon, and Bwindi’s most famous resident, the mountain gorilla. Bwindi is a prime destination for birdwatchers. Its 350 species include seven which are IUCN red data listed and 90% of all Albertine rift endemics, species which are difficult or impossible to see in any other part of East Africa.
Overnight at
Up-market option: Buhoma Lodge/ Mahogany Springs Lodge
Moderate option: Engagi Lodge/ Silverback Lodge / Gorilla Safari Lodge/ Lake Kitandara Camp,Ruhija gorilla safari lodge
Low Budget option: Buhoma Community Restcamp or Ruhija Gorilla Friends / gorilla valley lodge /Travellers hotel
Meals Included today: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner at the Lodge.
Please see other accommodation options in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 3:Depart from the Gorilla Tracking Park, Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park – Ishasha Sector (famous for tree-climbing lions)
After breakfast we drive through stunning savannah grasslands as we head to the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, Ishasha a much more remote and less-traveled part of Queen Elizabeth National Park, but one which has a sense of exclusivity and remoteness. The game densities here are high, and this region has reported some of the largest herds of Elephant anywhere in Uganda, as it is their main migration corridor between Uganda and the DRC.
As we enter the park, we do a game drive in search of the wild game. We continue and drive to the northern circuit which is the area near the main road known for its tree climbing lions. But we also visit the Uganda kob mating ground which is their preferred hunting area.
In the afternoon we will go for a launch trip along the Kazinga Channel. This gives you the opportunity to view wildlife up close: hippo’s huff and spray at a mere feet away from the boat, buffalo linger in the shallows. The shores of the channel are also home to an array of birds including pink backed pelicans, pied and malachite kingfishers, saddle billed stork and many others.
Overnight at
Up-market option: Mweya Safari Lodge / Katara Lodge or Jacana Lodge / Enganzi lodge (luxury)
Moderate option: Queen Elizabeth Safari Lodge or Simba Safari Camp
Low Budget option: Mweya Hostels or Kazinga Channel Lodge;
Meals Included today: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner at the Lodge.
Please see other accommodation options in Queen Elizabeth national park
Day 4: Chimpanzee tracking in kyambura gorge and there after we return to Kampala/ Entebbe
We set out early in the morning after breakfast and head for Kyambura gorge for the chimpanzee walk in the gorge, but before you enter into the gorge take panoramic view of the gorge over the raised platform and amazing photographs can be shot. Thereafter we head to Kampala with a stopover in fort-portal for lunch, it’s about 5 hours driving via Mubende. This route travels through breathtaking scenery and delightfully rolling plantations, some of the best in Uganda. Depending on how much time we have on us we can tour around Kampala’s crafts and souvenirs markets before checking in at your hotel or being transferred to the airport.
Tour cost includes: Gorillas and chimp tracking permit, all park entrance and related fees, boat fees, Full board accommodation with all meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner), bottled drinking water on safari, private 4×4 ground transportation with an English speaking driver guide, guides in national parks.
Excluded: Flight tickets and departure taxes, travel documentation (visas), travel and medical insurance, optional excursions, tips and gratiuties for your guides and accommodation staff, Laundry, beverages other than mineral water in the vehicle and at meal times with meals, -Items of a personal nature such as telephone calls, postage fees and so on.
This 1 day trip will give you a classic African safari outlook of Rwanda – the land of “a thousand Hills.” Akagera National Park is a mixture of Savannah and forested areas giving you varied sights of Rwanda. On your trip look out for mostly the big mammals.
