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Day 1: Drive from Entebbe enroute Ziwa Rhinos and Sleep in Kitgum town
Day 2: From Kitgum town to Kidepo, do an afternoon game drive.
Day 3: An early morning game drive in Kidepo Valley and afternoon optional visit to the indigenous Karimajong
Day 4: Early morning drive and mid-morning transfer to Gulu town for a sleep
Day 5: Drive back to Kampala / Entebbe Airport
Day1: Drive from Entebbe enroute Ziwa Rhinos and drive to Murchison Park to visit the Top of Falls, Sleep around the park
Day 2: Early morning game drive and afternoon Boat Cruise on River Nile
Day 3: Drive back to Kampala / Entebbe Airport
Day 1: Drive from Entebbe enroute Ziwa Rhinos and drive to Murchison Park for the Top of the Falls tour, Sleep around the park
Day 2: Early morning game drive and afternoon Boat Cruise on River Nile
Day 3: Drive from Murchison to Kibale
Day 4: Chimpanzee Tracking and Bigodi Swamp
Day 5: Drive back to Kampala / Entebbe Airport
Day 1: Drive from Entebbe to Kibale
Day 2: Chimpanzee Tracking and Bigodi Swamp
Day 3: Drive to Queen Park, afternoon game drive
Day 4: Early morning game drive and afternoon Boat Cruise on Kazinga Channel
Day 5: Drive back to Kampala / Entebbe Airport.
Uganda is a habitat to 345 species of mammals which is 39% and 7.8% of Africa’s and world’s totals respectively! The list includes the endangered and endemic Gorillas (gorilla berengei berengei) a specie shared among Uganda, DR Congo and Rwanda, the range-restricted African chimpanzees, the African Big five and many exciting primates among others
This itinerary emphasizes the viewing of mammals from their ecosystems accompanied by ecological interpretation from our guides but at the same time pointing out at other wildlife like birds and plants…… which are also members of the complete ecosystems of Uganda.
Several major airlines provide service to Entebbe, including United, Delta, Emirates, Ethiopian, KLM, and others. Note, you book your flight depending on your country of origin. Usually, day 1 is usually planned as just a day of rest; for those arriving in time we gather for a welcome dinner at a hotel. For those that arrive early in the day, you can rest and, in the afternoon, enjoy a city tour of Entebbe site tours of the Kasenyi Landing site on Lake Victoria, the site seeing of the Legislative Council (Uganda’s first Parliament), The Bugonga Church, Independence tree, the State House, Old airport Control Tower among others
The hotels are close to the airport, and provide dependable and convenient shuttle services.
Early morning drive from Entebbe town through the suburbs of Kampala City, the drive takes you through the remote areas of Uganda along the highway towards northern Uganda, the route also presents broken forests and Savanna vegetations!
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary lies on a 70 sq km area. It was established in 2005 for the re-introduction of White Rhinos following their extinction in the 70s and 80s through poaching caused by then political turmoil in Uganda. The Sanctuary now boasts of over 40 individuals in a breeding space of less than 20 years. These grazing animals which are under surveillance 24 hours for daily location are tracked on foot in less than two hours while escorted by armed specialized rangers. Other animals that can be encountered are the Uganda kob, Side-spotted Bushbuck, Defassa Waterbuck, Black-faced Vervet Monkey among others. The Sanctuary is also a habitat to 300 species of birds including the elusive Shoebill. From the Sanctuary we continue driving north cross the mighty Nile River, then through Gulu town and retire in Kitgum town.
Early morning drive from Kitgum through the remote pastoral communities of Karimojong region to Kidepo Valley National Park. Lying in the rugged, semi-arid valleys of Karamoja province on the far northern border with the South Sudan, Kidepo Valley is Uganda’s most remote national. Not many undertake pilgrimage to the park but the spectacular beauty of this pristine wilderness impresses all that make it. Kidepo valley National Park is a popular Uganda safari destination largely because of the large concentration of mammal species. In excess of 85 mammal species reside in Kidepo valley National Park, 28 of which found in nowhere else in other national parks in Uganda.
In the afternoon Narus Valley can yield the following mammal species; Common Zebras and Elands, Cape Buffaloes, Bohor reedbucks, African Elephants, Defassa Waterbucks. Predators like the Lion and leopard are sometimes seen being followed by scavenging Spotted hyena.
Accommodation around Kidepo park
Other exciting game viewing on Day 2 of the Kidepo visit lies along the road to Kananorok Hot springs in the Kidepo Valley, for it’s here that most of the charismatic African animals can be seen! Amongst these are such as Bat-eared Fox, Caracal, Cheetah and Klipspringer. Other mammals of interest that are recovered from the years of poaching during the Amin era are the Striped Hyena, Lesser Kudu, grant’s Gazelle and Beisa Oryx. Among the important bird species luckily to be encountered are the arid specials which include; the globally vulnerable Karamoja Apalis, Pygmy Falcon, White-bellied Go-away-bird, Red-billed Hornbill, d’Arnaud’s Barbet, Rattling Cisticola, the Secretary Bird, Croak calls of White-bellied Bustard, Common Ostrich, Rose-ringed Parakeet.
Afternoon visit to the traditional “Loluk Karimajong” community to experience their way of life through foods, drama, housing style the “Manyattas”
Accommodation around Kidepo park
Set off early from Kidepo valley National Park to Murchison Falls National Park through Kitgum and Gulu towns, much of the toad is paved except the start from Kidepo, the stretch provides chances to experience the rural settings in northern Uganda. Reaching Murchison in the evening allows us to do a sun-downer game drive to interact with wildlife like the African elephant, Savanna Buffalo, active Hippopotamuses as they get out of the Nile for overnight grazing and many antelope family members as they retire from the day’s grazing.
Accommodations around Murchison Falls Park
A variety of unique habitats and lots of superb animals make a visit to Murchison Falls Park a must for every wildlife and nature enthusiast. The game drive experience here is greatly enhanced by the abundant habitats and landscapes, note the spectacular falls for which the park is named. Seated on over 3000 sq kms, Murchison Falls National Park is the biggest park in Uganda with over 76 species of mammals and 450 species of birds. This is the only park in Uganda which is crossed the longest River in the world the NILE on its long journey to empty in the Mediterranean Sea. The drive on the northern bank of the Nile opens up chances for views of the Rothchild’s Giraffe, Jackson’s Hartebeest, Uganda kob, Oribi (the smallest of the antelopes around), Defassa Waterbuck, Side-striped Jackal, Spotted Hyena, Savanna Patas Monkey and luckily see the elusive cats ie Lion and Leopard.
The Delta point (Hippo pool) where the Nile enters into Lake Albert is a famous point for the semi-aquatic Hippopotamuses rest having retired from the night grazing. The point is also a good point to see some of the aquatic birds of the area which include the White-faced Whistling Duck, Goliath and Purple Herons, Great and Intermediate Egrets, Black-crowned, Black-headed and Spur-winged Lapwings, Kittlitz’s Plover,
The afternoon boat cruise on the Nile is a unique experience! It allows a traveler to view the thunderous Murchison Falls from downstream the mighty Nile squeezing itself in a 7metre space creating the most roaring falls in the world During the cruise you see the crocodile, Hippo, Elephants, Nyamusika cliffs with lots of birds like the Red-throated and Carmine Bee eaters, Pied Kingfisher, Pratincole. European visiting birds; Gull-billed and white-winged Terns…..In the evening after the boat cruise, a drive is made to the “Top of the Falls” for site touring, at this point the Nile pushes water through a narrow cleft (7metres). The drop is almost 150 feet, majestic and mesmerizing!! a walk is done slowly and closer to the falls to experience a breath-taking experience and a cool breeze of the Falls amidst the high temperatures of the park. A good place for relaxation and maximum camera usage!! From here we retire and drive back to the lodge.
Accommodations around Murchison Park
On a tarmac road the drive takes a couple of hours through Hoima, Kagadi, Kyenjojo and Fortportal towns to Kibale Forest. During the drive we are also able to go through Bugungu wildlife reserve which is part of Murchison Park, with chances of seeing some game, a stopover at the Albertine Escarpment for good views of Lake Albert and Butiaba port/landing site. Here some dry land bird species are encountered like the Foxy Cisticola, Beautiful sunbird, Cliff chat, Spotted Morning Thrush, Cinnamon-breasted Bunting……rural and semi-urban settings are also experienced along the way, plantation tea growing is a lucrative business on this stretch before reaching Kibale Forest because of the rich-nutrient volcanic soils. Fortportal is the last city before reaching Kibale Forest, it is a tourism city because it harbors the home of traditional King Oyo Nyimba of the Toro kingdom and lies amidst the routes to Semuliki, Queen, Kibale and Mount Rwenzori parks and closer to the numerous crater lakes of the region.
Accommodations near Kibale National Park
After breakfast, we drive to Kibale National Park, Kibale is the best safari destination for Chimpanzee tracking in East Africa. It contains one of the loveliest and most varied remnants of all tropical forests in Uganda. Sitting on an area of 776 sq kms, the forest hosts 15 species of primates, including the Chimpanzee rendering it as the ‘’primate capital’’ of the world. The population encountered on this expedition is among the estimated 1450 chimpanzees, Uganda’s largest population of this endangered primate.
At the Park visitor centre, we are briefed on the rules and regulations chimpanzee tracking. The activity lasts a few hours to several hours. It is an extraordinary experience, and just like the Gorillas, Chimpanzee require advance payments for tracking permits, hiking for Chimps here is gentler than at Bwindi. You enjoy the antics of these fascinating apes!
It is also home to the rare L’hoest’s Monkey and East Africa’s largest population of the threatened Red Colobus Monkey. Other primates that you may see include the Black-and-white Colobus, Blue Monkey, the Ugandan near endemic Grey-cheeked Mangabey, Red-tailed Monkey, Olive Baboon and luckily Bush Baby, and Potto.
Kibale’s lush forest cover predominates in the northern and central parts of the park. Kibale’s highest point is at the park’s northern tip, reaching around 1600 metres above sea level.
There are chances of missing some primates in the park in the morning because Chimpanzees are most prioritized, therefore a visit to the Bigodi community wetland, a proximate habitat to the park in the afternoon is worthwhile. The wetland with its open canopies gives good views of these primates
Accommodations around Kibale Park
Morning drive from Kibale Forest to Queen Elizabeth. The drive takes us through the crater lakes of the area, the drive on the highway gives us good views of the Mountains of the Moon (the Rwenzoris) with flowing rivers from the mountain glaciers that empty in the rift valley water bodies of Lake George, Kazinga channel and Lake Edward that form the hydrological system of Queen Park.
Queen Elizabeth Park lies in the bottom of the western arm of the Great East African Rift Valley and sits on an area of >1900 sq kms, the second biggest to Murchison Falls Park. The Park is a habitat to 95 species and 600 species of mammals and birds respectively.
The afternoon boat cruise on the Kazinga channel in this park is a great experience– it is a haven for water birds in Uganda including the migrants from Europe eg Gulls, Terns, Storks. View them as they freely share territory with big game like elephant, hippo, buffalo. Crocodiles are also not strangers on the channel. Watch them as they bask on channel banks. Retire from the boat and drive to the lodge for accommodation
Early morning game drive on the Kasenyi tracks of the park closer to Lake George in search for the lion, Elephant, Buffalo, Defassa Waterbuck, Spotted Hyena, Giant Forest Hog, the numerous Uganda Kobs as they graze and at the same time cautious of the lion attacks. During the drive a lot of bird life is experienced like the raptors, vultures as they all wait to scavenge on the “leftovers” by the lion.
Mid-morning transfer to Ishasha section of the park. This wilderness route leads to DR-Congo and dotted with a cross section of vegetation types ie savanna woodlands and grassland, rainforest that showcase different wildlife.
Ishasha sector is one of the famous places for the tree-climbing lions in East Africa! They occasionally climb the figs for various reasons like spotting their prey, avoid biting insects from the tall grass and sometimes resting after preying on a certain kill, a drive through this area gives us chances to see the Topi, a unique antelope found in only two parks (Queen and Mburo).
Accommodation around Ishasha
A second game drive before transferring to Bwindi is usually necessary in the morning especially when the tree climbing lions were missed on the previous day. Sometimes chances are there to see these cats at least when two attempts are made! But also, nature cannot be predicted, other wildlife that wasn’t seen on the previous day can show up this morning, birdlife is also abundant in this area like the African Crowned and Martial Eagles, migrant Harriers, African Cuckoo Hawk, Flappet Lark, the African and Lesser Jacanas among others.
Mid-morning drive from Ishasha to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. We drive straight to one of the sectors of the forest where Gorilla tracking is to be made as directed by the Wildlife Agency. The drive interestingly takes us from a hot savanna temperature and ushers us into cooler montane conditions of Bwindi environs because of the regional and habitat overlap. We finally retire in our comfortable lodge around Bwindi Forest
After an early breakfast, we report to the park headquarters for a briefing prior to the Gorilla tracking expedition. This activity may take anywhere from 2-8 hours, so a reasonable degree of fitness is required. The hike starts about 8:30 – 9:00 AM and we are back anytime of the day. It may be just be 2 hours or several hours. It is a wonderful experience to stare into the eyes of these gentle giants; watch them in awe as they play and go about their daily activities. It is indeed a “once in a lifetime experience”
Each encounter is different and has its own rewards; we are likely to enjoy close
view of adults feeding, grooming, and resting as the youngsters play and swing from lianas in a delightfully joyful display. Only a limited number of people are allowed in to see the family groups each day, so the earlier we purchase the permits
the better. The forest ecosystem is fascinating, with lush greenery and of course, a repository of birds. Visits to the gorilla groups support their conservation and
rangers who work hard to pace the hike for you to have success in finding them.
Optional visit to the indigenous people (Batwa Pygmies) to experience their ways of life; foods, drama, demonstrations of their past life while they lived in the Bwindi jungles
Accommodations near Bwindi
The morning drive takes us through scenic beauties of montane areas dominated by terraced farming communities. This region through and from Bwindi is code named the “Switzerland of Africa” because of the rolling hills that were formed as a result of vulcanicity many thousands of years ago! The cruising on both the dirty and paved roads of Uganda leads us to Lake Mburo National Park for an afternoon boat cruise to see Hippo, Crocodile and Buffaloes and Waterbucks as thirst for water from the lake.
Accommodations around Lake Mburo National Park
An early morning game drive gives us an excellent array of large mammals including Plain Zebra, Impala, Common Elands, Topis, Giraffes and Buffalo.
Oribi can be found here, as well as Olive Baboon, and Waterbuck and Reedbuck that enjoy the lush habitat. Where grazing mammals occur, we find Yellow-billed Oxpecker as well.
Mid-morning transfer to Entebbe International Airport for departure
Trip ends
NOTE
Safaris involve extensive time in game-viewing vehicles for safety reasons.
Breakfasts and dinners are served from lodge points while the lunches are served enroute
Day 1: Drive from Entebbe enroute Ziwa Rhinos and Sleep in Kitgum town
Day 2: From Kitgum town to Kidepo, do an afternoon game drive.
Day 3: An early morning game drive in Kidepo Valley and afternoon optional visit to the indigenous Karimajong
Day 4: Early morning drive and mid-morning transfer to Gulu town for a sleep
Day 5: Drive back to Kampala / Entebbe Airport
Day1: Drive from Entebbe enroute Ziwa Rhinos and drive to Murchison Park to visit the Top of Falls, Sleep around the park
Day 2: Early morning game drive and afternoon Boat Cruise on River Nile
Day 3: Drive back to Kampala / Entebbe Airport
Day 1: Drive from Entebbe enroute Ziwa Rhinos and drive to Murchison Park for the Top of the Falls tour, Sleep around the park
Day 2: Early morning game drive and afternoon Boat Cruise on River Nile
Day 3: Drive from Murchison to Kibale
Day 4: Chimpanzee Tracking and Bigodi Swamp
Day 5: Drive back to Kampala / Entebbe Airport
Day 1: Drive from Entebbe to Kibale
Day 2: Chimpanzee Tracking and Bigodi Swamp
Day 3: Drive to Queen Park, afternoon game drive
Day 4: Early morning game drive and afternoon Boat Cruise on Kazinga Channel
Day 5: Drive back to Kampala / Entebbe Airport.
