3-Day Uganda Gorilla Safari To Bwindi & Lake Bunjonyo Tour
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- 3-Day Uganda Gorilla Safari To Bwindi & Lake Bunjonyo Tour
Overview
Your 10 days Uganda safari tour begins when you step off your flight at Entebbe International Airport. You’ll be met by a friendly guide and comfortably transferred to a nearby hotel in Entebbe for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
Highlights
Day 1: Arrive at Entebbe International Airport & transfer to your hotel in Entebbe.
Day 2: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park. Do rhino tracking in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary en route.
Day 3: Enjoy a morning game drive in savannah & afternoon boat cruise on the Nile River to the bottom of Murchison Falls.
Day 4: Visit the top of Murchison Falls & transfer to Kibale National Park via Fort Portal town.
Day 5: Have a Uganda Chimpanzee trekking safari adventure in Kibale Forest & afternoon Bigodi community village walk.
Day 6: Travel to Queen Elizabeth National Park for a relaxing boat cruise on the Kazinga channel and an evening game drive along the Channel track.
Day 7: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park via Queen Elizabeth National Park’s Ishasha sector, the home of tree-climbing lions.
Day 8: Do gorilla trekking in Uganda Bwindi Impenetrable Forest & transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for a boat tour and relaxation.
Day 9: Drive from Lake Bunyonyi to Lake Mburo National Park for an evening game drive
Day 10: Enjoy a morning walking Safari in Mburo. Transfer back to Entebbe via the Uganda Equator Kayabwe.
Itenary
Day 1: Arrive in Uganda via Entebbe International Airport & Transfer to Your Hotel in Entebbe.
Your 10 days Uganda safari tour begins when you step off your flight at Entebbe International Airport. You’ll be met by a friendly guide and comfortably transferred to a nearby hotel in Entebbe for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
Entebbe is a small, quiet town in central Uganda, about 40km southwest of the capital Kampala, stunningly located on the shores of Lake Victoria, the world’s biggest tropical lake. If your flight arrives earlier in the day, you might choose to explore one or more of the nearby attractions.
You can take a leisurely stroll through the beautiful Entebbe Botanical Gardens to see over 300 varieties of exotic plants, and indigenous Uganda bird species and admire the beautiful Black-and-white colobus monkeys.
You can also visit the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre where you can see and learn about Uganda’s native wildlife, local markets to buy souvenirs, Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Lake Victoria for chimpanzee close-up encounters, or Mabamba Swamp to see the rare shoebill stork.
Accommodation
Luxury: Protea Hotel Entebbe/Hotel No.5/Serena Lake Victoria Resort
Mid-range: Boma Hotel Entebbe/2 Friends Beach Hotel Entebbe
Budget: Airport Guest House
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activities & Services:-
- Airport pick up
- Transfer to a hotel
Day 2: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park. Do Rhino Tracking in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary Enroute.
Day two of 10 days Safari Uganda tour begins at 6.00 am with a delicious breakfast at the hotel. Then, set off on a drive of about 5-6 hours northwest to Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda’s oldest, largest, and one of its best game parks.
You pass through lively towns and rural Uganda villages before having a memorable stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, the only place in Uganda where you can track, see, photograph, and even film rhinos in their natural habitat. Enjoy a thrilling 2 hours rhino tracking adventure on foot in the company of an expert local ranger guide.
After that, enjoy a good lunch at the nearby Kabalega Dinner and then continue to Murchison Falls NP. At 3,893 km2, this park boasts over 70 mammal species including four of the Big 5, more than 470 bird species, and spectacular scenery.
Here, the world’s longest river, River Nile bisects flourishing savannahs, flanked by lush riverine woodlands, before bursting through a tiny gap in the Rift Valley escarpment to form the world’s strongest waterfalls, the dramatic Murchison Falls. You’ll arrive at your lodge in the early evening for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
Accommodation
Luxury: – Paraa Safari Lodge/Bakers Lodge/Nile Safari Lodge
Mid-range:- Pakuba Safari Lodge/Murchison River Lodge
Budget: – Hornbill Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive Distance & Time: – Approx. 375 km or 7-8 hours
Activities & Services:-
- Ziwa Rhino tracking on foot
- Drive to Murchison Falls NP
Optional Activity:-
- Night game drive
Day 3: Enjoy A Morning Game Drive in Savannah & Afternoon Boat Cruise Along The Nile River to the Bottom of Murchison Falls.
After breakfast at 6.00 am, head out on a 3 to 4-hour morning game drive. Explore the scenic savannah grasslands of the park’s northern section before. Watch the beautiful sunrise as you search for Giraffes, Buffalos, Elephants, Lions, Leopards, Hyenas, Warthogs, Hippos, Antelopes, Patas monkeys, and Baboons.
You can also look out for special birds such as Pel’s Fishing Owl, Saddle-billed Stork, Goliath Heron, Ground Hornbill, Grey Crowned Crane, and Great Blue Turaco. You may even be lucky to catch a glimpse of the rare prehistoric-looking shoebill stork. Return to the lodge for lunch and some time to rest.
In the afternoon, take a thrilling three-hour boat cruise on the Mighty Nile River. Watch gigantic crocodiles slip beneath the waves and pods of hippo grunt and jostle. See countless waterbirds, before pausing a little distance from the bottom of the falls.
Marvel at 50 meters wide Nile River thundering through an 8 meters rocky gap, before falling 45 meters below what has been termed as the devil’s cauldron. Return to the lodge for dinner, and overnight.
Accommodation
Luxury: – Paraa Safari Lodge/Bakers Lodge/Nile Safari Lodge
Mid-range:- Pakuba Safari Lodge/Murchison River Lodge
Budget: – Hornbill Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activities & Services:-
- Game drive
- Nile River boat cruise
Optional Activity:-
- Night game drive
- Spot fishing
- Mubako village tour
Day 4: Visit The Top Of Murchison Falls & Transfer To Kibale National Park Via Fort Portal Town.
Have a leisurely breakfast today and drive to the top of the Murchison falls to see the world’s strongest waterfalls from a different perspective. After witnessing magical waterfalls, proceed on a drive of about 6 hours south across the scenic Albertine rift valley, through rural Ugandan villages.
You will reach Fort Portal town in time for lunch. Fort Portal is another scenic area of the country, situated shadow of the fabled Mountains of the Moon and is famous for its many tea plantations. From this lovely town, continue to Kibale National Park, containing one of the loveliest and most varied tracts of tropical forest in Uganda.
Spanning some 770km2, the park is reputable for having the greatest variety and the highest concentration of primates in Africa – a total of 13 primate species including over 1500 wild chimpanzees, the man’s closest living relatives. You will reach your camp in the late afternoon for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Crater Safari Lodge/Kyaninga Lodge/Primate Lodge Kibale
Midrange: – Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse – Cottages/Kibale Forest Camp
Budget: – Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse – Main house
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive Distance & Time: – Approx. 366km or 6 hours
Activities & Services:-
- Top of the falls visit
- Drive to Kibale Forest
Day 5: Have a Chimpanzee Trekking Adventure in Kibale Forest & Afternoon Bigodi Community Village Walk.
After breakfast at 6.30, transfer to the Kanyanchu Visitor Centre in Kibale Forest to do your sensational Chimpanzee tracking adventure which begins at 8.00 am.
You start with a briefing at 7.00 am from the expert local park rangers who will be your guides for the activity. Then, you head to the forest in search of wild Chimpanzees on foot. Smaller than their gorilla cousins but no less charming, intelligent, or expressive, chimps live in communities of up to 250 individuals.
Trekking them can 2 to 6 hours and will be filled with all sorts of enchanting encounters. Kibale offers a 95% success rate of seeing our distant cousins – far higher than any other location which offers chimpanzee trekking in Uganda or Rwanda. When you find the Chimps, you have a full hour to enjoy these precious human-like creatures and you are free to take as many photos as you wish!
You then return to your lodge for lunch. Later in the afternoon, go for a guided cultural walk in Bigodi Village. You will follow the village path and visit a primary school; traditional homesteads, and listen to the storytelling of a Mzee (elderly man). Return to the lodge for relaxation, dinner, and overnight
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Crater Safari Lodge/Kyaninga Lodge/Primate Lodge Kibale
Midrange: – Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse – Cottages/Kibale Forest Camp
Budget: – Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse – Main house
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activities & Services:-
- Chimpanzee tracking
- Bigodi village walk
Day 6: Travel Queen Elizabeth NP. Enjoy A Boat Cruise On Kazinga Channel & Evening Game Drive Along The Channel Track.
Enjoy a relaxed breakfast and set off on a scenic drive of about 2-3 hours south to Queen Elizabeth National Park, a UN Biosphere Reserve, and the most popular destination for a safari in Uganda.
At 1978km2 in size, the park has a diverse range of landscapes, from sprawling savannah, shady humid forests, sparkling lakes, and fertile wetlands, making it the ideal habitat for classical big game and over 600 species of Uganda birds.
You will arrive at your lodge in time for lunch and some relaxation. In the afternoon, take a two-hour boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, a 32km-long natural channel between Lakes Edward and George, which hosts one of Africa’s densest concentrations of hippos. The channel shores are dotted with huge Crocodiles, Elephants; herds of lazy Buffalos, Antelopes, and countless water birds.
Cruise past local fishing villages and soak up the peaceful tranquility of this beautiful African day. This cruise will be one of the highlights of your 10 days Uganda safari tour. After the boat cruise, take a short game drive along the channel track as you head back to the lodge for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
Accommodation
Luxury: – Mweya Safari Lodge/Kyambura Gorge Lodge
Mid-range:- Enganzi Game Lodge/Kasenyi Safari Camp/Bush lodge
Budget: – Pumba Safari Lodge/Bush Lodge
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive Distance & Time: – 120km/2-3 hours
Activities & Services:-
- Transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP
- Kazinga channel boat cruise
Day 7: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park via Queen Elizabeth NP’s Ishasha Sector, the Home of Tree-Climbing Lions.
Have a leisurely breakfast today and head towards the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park (Ishasha).
Take a game drive in search of rare tree-climbing Lions who spend long lazy days dozing in the pretty fig trees. The Uganda Kob, which they watch from the branches, graze the plains and enjoy game watching – make sure to look out for buffalo, elephants, topi, and a huge variety of birdlife.
After a short game drive, exit the park and continue south through rolling hills, and traditional homesteads and enjoy panoramic views. Enjoy lunch somewhere en route before you eventually reach Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, a World Heritage Site. This 321km2 park lies on the edge of the Rift Valley.
Its mist-covered hillsides are blanketed by one of Africa’s oldest and most biologically diverse rainforests, containing almost 400 plant species. More famously, this “impenetrable forest” protects 50% of the world’s last remaining Mountain Gorillas – about 459 gorillas at last count. It also provides shelter to a further 120 Uganda mammals and 351 bird species, including 23 Albertine Rift endemics.
You arrive in the evening for relaxation before your gorilla trek tomorrow.
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Haven Lodge Buhoma/Gorilla Forest Camp/Buhoma Lodge
Mid-range:- Gorilla Mist Camp/Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
Budget: – Trekkers Tavern Ruhija
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive Distance & Time: – Approx. 130-220km or 4-7 hours
Activities & Services:-
- Drive to Bwindi
- Search for tree-climbing Lions
Day 8: Do Mountain Gorilla Trekking In Bwindi Impenetrable Forest & Transfer To Lake Bunyonyi For A Boat Tour & Relaxation.
Today, experience what some people define as a life-changing adventure: a meeting with the gentle giants of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Forest!
After a hearty breakfast at 6.30 am and transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing from the expert local park rangers who will be your guides for the activity. At 8.00, trek through the dense rainforest, filled with rare monkeys, exotic birds, and butterflies. The gorilla trekking in Uganda can take 2 and 8 hours and the going can be fairly strenuous as the trails can be steep, the air humid and the vegetation dense.
But the effort is all worth it when you finally reach a family of rare and endangered mountain gorillas eating, grooming, playing, or napping. Their behavior is so familiar that you may feel like you have known them all your life; it is an inspiring moment to see the world’s largest living primates in their natural habitat.
After an hour with the gorillas, enjoy your packed lunch and transfer back to the park center where you get awarded a Gorilla tracking certificate. Then, drive to Lake Bunyonyi, the beautiful tropical gem of the Kigezi highland where you’ll be blown away by the beauty and scenery of the lake. You’ll enjoy a relaxing boat cruise as you explore some of its famous 29 islands.
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Birdnest @ Bunyonyi
Mid-range:- Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive Distance & Time: – Approx. 55-85 km or 1-3 hours
Activities & Services
- Gorilla trekking
- Lake Bunyonyi boat cruise
Day 9: Drive from Lake Bunyonyi to Lake Mburo National Park for an Evening Game Drive.
After a relaxed breakfast on day nine of your 10 days Uganda safari tour, embark on a drive of about 4 hours northeast to Lake Mburo National Park, the smallest national park in Uganda at 260km2 (100 miles2).
Although small, this scenic quiet park is home to 350 birds and 68 mammal mammals including Leopards, Jackals, Hyenas, and Buffalos. This area is one of the only places in western Uganda where you can see Zebras, Impalas, and gigantic Eland antelopes. There are 5 lakes in the park which are home to hippos, Crocodiles, and Waterbirds, while the papyrus swamps provide cover for Sitatunga antelopes.
The scenic drive to Mburo will take around 4 hours, through small villages, coffee and banana plantations, and rolling hills. You’ll have a stop in Mbarara town for lunch at Igongo Cultural Centre. This huge commercial enterprise features a five-star hotel, a top restaurant, craft centers, and also one of the best museums in Uganda.
After lunch, proceed to the park and look out for the herds of Ankole cattle on the way to the entrance. Check-in at the lodge and have some time to rest, before embarking on an evening game drive. Return to the lodge to freshen up and have your delicious farewell dinner after an amazing tour through the “Pearl of Africa”.
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Mihingo Safari Lodge
Mid-range:- Rwakobo Rock
Budget: – Eagles Nest Mburo
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive Distance & Time: – Approx. 199km/3-4 hours
Activities & Services:-
- Drive to Lake Mburo
- Evening game drive
Optional Activities:-
- Night game drive
- Lake Mburo boat cruise
Day 10: Enjoy A Morning Walking Safari in Mburo. Transfer Back To Entebbe via the Uganda Equator Line Kayabwe.
Lake Mburo NP is one of the best spots in Uganda for a walking safari.
After an early breakfast at 6.00 am, join a local park ranger who knows the area better than anyone and search for giraffes, zebras, elands, impalas, topis, waterbucks, bushbuck, birds, and much more on foot (there are no lions or elephants to worry about here, so you’re safe without a vehicle!).
After a nature walk, embark on 3-4 hours back to Entebbe. En route, stop at the Uganda Equator Line at Kayabwe, where you can stand in the middle of the world with one leg in the Northern hemisphere while the other in the Southern and pose for a photo! It is also an impressive site for purchasing souvenirs to take back home as a memento of this incredible 10 days Safari in Uganda tour.
From here proceed to Entebbe, arriving at around 8.00 pm, and depending on your flight time your tour guide will take you directly to the airport or to a chosen hotel where you have arranged a day room if you have a late flight.
Meal Plan: – Breakfast
Drive Distance & Time: – Approx. 240km/3-4 hours
Activities & Services:-
- Morning game walk
- Drive back to Entebbe
- Photo shoots at Equator Kayabwe
Optional Activities:-
- Lake Mburo Park – cycling tour
- Ankole Community tours
End of the 10 Days Uganda Safari Tour
Includes & Excludes
10 Days Uganda Safari Tour − SAFARI INCLUSIONS
- Uganda Gorilla Trekking Safari Permit
- Chimpanzee trekking Permit
- Full Board Accommodation on Safari
- Transportation in 4X4 Safari Van/ 4×4 Land Cruiser all with Pop up roof & AC
- Fuel
- Professional English-speaking driver guide. Any other foreign language speaking guide can be arranged on request.
- Entrance fees to the tourist sites including protected areas mentioned
- Activity fees of the tourist activities mentioned
- Bottled water while on safari
- Airport Transfers
10 Days Uganda Safari Tour − SAFARI EXCLUSIONS
- General tips for the driver guide, site guides, and service staff at the lodges
- Laundry Services
- Other Beverages/drinks of personal nature like Alcohol
- Domestic Flights (arranged on request)
- Visas
- Optional activity fees
- Other extras not mentioned in the Itinerary