10 Days Uganda Tour With Gorilla Tracking Safari

Today after your fantastic breakfast, begin your 10 days Uganda tour with gorilla tracking with a drive to Kibale forest national park that is found in western Uganda. The drive will take you through villages and small towns while seeing local people carrying out their daily activities such as working on their coffee and banana plantations, tea plantations, farms and laying bricks and many others. You will be excited by their style of work as they do not use modern technology but they get more yields. Kibale Forest National Park is popular for its high concentration of primates in African with 13 different primate species, these include the biggest population of chimpanzees and other primates like; the uncommon L’Hoest’s monkeys, the endangered Red colobus monkeys, Red tailed monkeys, the Black & white colobus, Blue monkeys, Grey cheeked mangabeys, Olive baboons, Bush babies, Vervet monkeys, Uganda Red Colobus, Patas monkey and potto among many others. This park is a home to over 375 bird species and other mammals such as Bushbucks, Blue duikers, Bush pigs, Sitatungas, Common warthogs, Giant forest hogs, and African buffalo, Leopards, Servals, different mongooses and African golden cats. On your way to Kibale Forest national park, you will have an en-route stop in Fort portal city to have lunch and thereafter, continue with the drive to check in at your reserved lodge, relax and later go to Bigodi Sanctuary Swamp for a guided evening nature walk. Bigodi sanctuary Swamp is a home to over 200 bird species which makes it an ideal destination to bird lovers and surprisingly it is possible for certain bird species to miss out in the Park Forest and found here, it is also provide habitat to about 8 primate species. Besides the swamp walk, you visit communities around the swamp for coffee making experience, local beer brewing experience, traditional medicine and basketry. Then return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight.

Accommodation options
Papaya Lake Lodge (Luxury option)
Isunga Safari Lodge (Mid-range)
Rwetera Safari Park (Budget)

Meal plan; Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

After having breakfast, meet your driver guide to drive to the park information office to meet other guests to be briefed about the guidelines to follow during chimpanzee tracking by the UWA guide and then begin your day activity of forest walk for an unforgettable and rewarding experience in search of man’s closest relatives the chimpanzees in their natural habitat. During chimpanzee tracking walk, you may encounter other primate species such as; Red-tailed monkeys, Black and white colobus monkey, L’Hoest monkeys, blue monkeys, Olive baboons, Grey cheeked mangabeys and many others. In addition to primates, Kibale Forest National Park is a home other wildlife species such as over 339 bird species, 200 tree species and other big and small mammals such as wild pigs, giant forest hog and warthogs etc. Your guide will give you information about everything that you will encounter that will make this tour so exciting and adventurous. Once you meet the chimpanzees, you will be allowed to stay with them for a maximum of 1 hour, taking as many photos as would want and ask questions. After seeing the chimpanzees, return to the park information center to meet your driver, have refreshments, enjoy lunch and then drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park to check in at your reserved lodge, have a short break to relax and later go for the Kasoga community tour. Kasoga community is one of the best communities to visit for cultural interactions with local people round Queen Elizabeth national park, it gives an opportunity to directly get in touch indigenous people and take part in doing some of their daily activities such as basket weaving, traditional millet gridding, cultural life, local fish preservation, marine practices, visiting women making crafts shops. After the community tour, drive back to your lodge for dinner and an overnight.

Accommodation option
Mweya Safari Lodge (Luxury)
Elephant Hab Safari Lodge (Mid-range)
Pumba Safari Cottages (Standard)

Meal plan; Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Rise up very early to have breakfast, meet your driver and then drive to Kalinzu forest reserve for a morning guided forest walk while searching for chimpanzee tracking. Kalinzu Forest Reserve is part of Maramagambo forest reserve, it is a home to 6 primate species, 379 species of birds, 414 tree species, 261 butterfly species and other wildlife species. On your arrival at the forest office center, you will be warmly welcomed by the local site guide who will brief you about the guidelines to follow during forest walk and chimpanzee tracking and later start the forest walk. In the course of the forest walk, you will encounter several primates including Chimpanzees, Blue monkeys, Red tailed monkeys, Olive baboons, Vervet monkeys and others plus other mammals, many bird and tree species. Your local site guide will help you to spot several wildlife species in the forest and give you much information about everything that you will encounter. When you meet the intelligent chimpanzees, you will be allowed to spend a maximum of 1 hour with them carrying as they are enjoying life in their natural habitat like playing in the forest, hunting and jumping in tree branches. After Kalinzu forest walk and chimpanzee tracking, return to your lodge to have refreshments and lunch and then drive to Queen Elizabeth national park for an afternoon boat cruise safari on the Kazinga channel. The Kazinga Channel is one of the most impressive features in the Park, where you will explore numerous wildlife species both mammals and birds. It is a narrow water stream connecting Lake George and Lake Edward with 32 km long and said to be having the highest concentration of hippopotamuses and crocodiles in Uganda and at the same time, it is the main water source to the park wildlife. The Kazinga channel is also known to have the biggest population of Hippopotamuses in Africa. Therefore, during your afternoon boat cruise safari on the channel, you will encounter a variety of wildlife species such as, big schools of hippopotamus, Nile crocodiles, monitor lizards and other land mammals like Caped buffaloes, Elephants, Uganda Kobs and many bird species. After your afternoon boat cruise safari, have a short break to relax and start your evening wildlife sighting game drive through Kasenyi plains to lookout for the wildlife species of the park mostly the big predators such as Lions, Leopards, Spotted hyenas and others during the game drive, you will encounter numerous mammals such as Uganda Kobs, Caped buffaloes, Warthogs, Forest giant hog, herds of huge Elephants, Caped buffaloes and many others. Then dinner and an overnight.

Accommodation option
Mweya Safari Lodge (Luxury)
Elephant Hab Safari Lodge (Mid-range)
Pumba Safari Cottages (Standard)

Meal plan; Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Wake up early to have your breakfast, check out of your room and go for a morning lion / carnivore experience. This experience is done by Uganda Carnivore program (UCP) is under the research department of the Uganda Wildlife Authority with a purpose of giving an extra experience of the predators by deeply searching them in their thickets. Predators spend most of their day time hiding and then hunt at night with stealth they can probably approach their prey closer at night than during the day. During the carnivore experience, you will encounter other wildlife species of the park that you could have missed during your previous game drives. After your early morning carnivore experience game drive, have a short break to relax and then start your drive to Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park the home to the half of the world’s remaining endangered mountain gorillas and one of the oldest forest in Africa that has stayed for over 250000 years. Before reaching Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, you will have an en-route game drive through Ishasha sector in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park to search for the tree climbing lions. Tree climbing lions are only found in Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth national park in Uganda with 4 prides and Lake Manyara of Tanzania with 2 prides. Ishasha sector in Queen Elizabeth national park is the best destination to see them. After searching for the tree climbing lions, have lunch and later proceed with your drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park to check in at your reserved lodge, relax dinner and an overnight.

Accommodation option
Rushaga gorilla Lodge (Luxury)
Rushaga gorilla Camp (Mid-range)
Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge (Standard)

Meal plan; Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Today after breakfast with your packed lunch, meet your driver and then drive to the part information center for your ultimate wildlife experience in the “Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. At the park information center, you will be briefed about the dos and don’ts to follow during forest hiking to search for the mountain gorilla by your UWA ranger guide and then start your forest walk to meet eye to eye with the endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. During the mountain gorilla trekking walk, you may meet other wildlife species such as different bird species, other mammals and primates and your guide will be able to give you information about everything that you will encounter. Meeting mountain gorillas is one of the most unique wildlife experiences in Africa. Once you meet the gorillas, you will be allowed to spend a maximum of one hour of watching them, following their moves and taking photos. After spending an hour with mountain gorillas, return to the starting point to pick your trekking certificates, have lunch and then drive to Mgahinga gorilla national park where gold meets silver dinner and an overnight.

Accommodation option
Mount Gahinga Lodge (Luxury)
Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge (Mid-range)
Travelers Rest Hotel (Standard)

Meal plan; Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Rise up very early in the morning to have breakfast and transfer to the Park information center of Mgahinga gorilla national park found in southwestern Uganda to be briefed about the guidelines to follow during golden monkey experience and later begin the hike through the Mgahinga forest to search for lovely Golden Monkeys. Golden monkeys are only found in Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo (Virunga conservation area), they are also categorized amongst the most endangered primates with only about 5000 individuals remaining in the wild. The Golden monkey experience will offer an opportunity to meet wild golden monkeys and then take part of making them used to the presence of human beings, this process. Once you meet Golden Monkeys, you will stay with them for 4 hours that will make you have a close encounter of these little primates and deeply study and understand their behaviors in their natural habitat. During golden monkey experience, you may meet other wildlife species such wild mountain gorillas, forest elephants, other primates, many bird species. After the golden monkey experience, return to the starting point to meet your driver and drive back to your lodge to have lunch, relax and visit the Batwa pygmy community. The Batwa pygmy people around Mgahinga gorilla national park is one of the last groups of short people also popularly known as ‘pygmy’ people. These Batwa people originally lived in the Forests of Bwindi and Mgahinga in southwestern Uganda before they were national parks. The Batwa pygmy people survived by hunting small game using arrows, gathering plants and fruit and been honey in the rain forest. The Batwa cultural trail is one of the most interesting cultural experience in Uganda where you will understand much about the history and way of life of the African Bushmen. The Batwa Trail usually take 5 hours led by the Batwa people themselves. After Batwa cultural trail, return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight.

Accommodation option;
Mount Gahinga Lodge (Luxury)
Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge (Mid-range)
Travelers Rest Hotel (Standard)

Meal plan; Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Wake up very early in the morning to have breakfast and drive to the park meeting point to the UWA guide for briefing about rules to follow and what you should expect during hiking then start your volcanic hike. Mount Sabyinyo is the most adventurous amongst the three volcanoes in Mgahinga gorilla national park with great hiking trails. At the summit of Mount Sabinyo, you will have an opportunity to be in three countries that is; Rwanda, Uganda and DR Congo at the same time without a visa, an exceptional views of Lake Bunyonyi, Mgahinga gorilla national park and some parts of Rwanda and DR Congo. To successfully reach at the summit, it requires someone to be physically fit and mentally ready.  It is rocky natured with terrain along the Sabinyo’s slopes and some craters made of sharp ridges and it can only be hiked from Ugandan side where they managed to craft safe hiking trails that are involving the use of handmade ladders to assist climbers at very steep sections. Hiking mount Sabinyo is one day hike taking approximately 8 hours whereby 4 hours are used to reach at the summit and 4 hours to slope down but this highly depend on the weather conditions of the day, physical fitness and pace of the climbers. The hike will take you through different vegetation covers like bamboo forest zone between 2400 – 2800m and you might encounter some wildlife species such as forest elephants, golden monkeys in the bamboo forest zones, bush pigs, caped buffaloes and a variety of bird species such as the famous Rwenzori Turaco, and by chance you may meet mountain gorillas, though these may not be habituated to meet people. After sloping down to relax, have some refreshments and then drive to Lake Bunyonyi for dinner and an overnight.

Accommodation option
Birdnest Resort (Luxury)
Arcadia Lodge Bunyonyi (Mid-range)
Bunyonyi Rock Resort (Standard)

Meal plan; Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

After having breakfast, depart for the boat canoeing on Lake Bunyonyi. This Lake is found in the western Uganda near the board of Uganda and Rwanda, it is the deepest Lake in Uganda and second deepest in Africa after Lake Tanganyika with over 29 dotted small islands and each island has its unique interesting story such as Akampene Island that was used by the Kiga community to punish girls who were found pregnant before marriage by isolating them there to death as a way of teaching a lesson to others not to do the same. Since in traditional African culture, it is an abomination for a girl to get pregnant before marriage and it cause disrespect to the family therefore, parents would work hard to keep their girls from any sex affairs until their marriage and anyone who would get pregnant before marriage, would be punished. Boat canoeing and bird watching on Lake Bunyonyi are the most exciting activities on this Lake. After your adventurous morning boat canoeing return to your lodge to checkout of your room and continue with your 10 days Uganda tour with gorilla tracking to Lake Mburo National Park the Uganda’s smallest savannah national park with an en-route in Mbarara city to have lunch and later proceed to the park to check in at your booked lodge to relax. Lake Mburo National Park is one of the most beautiful and blessed park with numerous small lakes, woodland vegetation, deep valleys and rolling hills which provides habitats a variety of wildlife species such as Zebras, Buffaloes, Elands, Impalas, Warthogs, Hippopotamuses, Nile crocodiles, Giraffes and many others including over 300 bird species. After relaxing, you will go for an evening and night wildlife sighting game drives. Lake Mburo national park is one of the best destination in Uganda for a successful night game drive mostly to search for nocturnal species such as Leopard, Bush babies, Porcupine, White tailed mongoose and Spotted hyenas and many others, it will be so much interesting to meet any of these nocturnal in action. Dinner and an overnight

Accommodation option;
Mihingo Safari Lodge (Luxury)
Rwakobo rock Lodge (Mid-range) (Mpogo Safari Lodge)

Meal plan; Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Have a simple breakfast and go for your morning horseback riding. Lake Mburo national park is the only park in Uganda where horseback riding can be done in the wilderness, it will enable you to watch a number of the park’s wildlife species from a close range such as Zebras, Elands, Buffaloes and Impala without being scared which makes it to be the best way of exploring the park and getting off the usual game drive tracks which enabling to encounter more than when you use a vehicle. After your horseback riding safari, drive to explore Lake Mburo which is the main water source of the park. Lake Mburo national park has several lakes but Lake Mburo is the biggest and your visit to Lake Mburo will make you encounter numerous water birds, also visit the fishing village which is the main community in Lake Mburo national park and it is from this side that you will explore the fish species in Lake Mburo and the methods of fishing that are used. Return to your lodge to check out and embark on your drive to Entebbe with an en-route stop at Kayabwe Equator landmark. At the Equator landmark, you will watch the water experiment showing the movement of forces like on the northern hemisphere, water rotate clockwise and rotate anticlockwise on the southern hemisphere whereby no rotation in the imaginary line because all forces from different points sink in, take a memorial photo at this landmark, have lunch and later continue with your drive straight to Entebbe International Airport to meet your return flight. This is will be the end of your 10 days Uganda tour with mountain gorilla tracking.