18 Days gorilla-chimpanzee & adventure safari
This 18 Days gorilla-chimpanzee & adventure safari: will take you to Jinja, Murchison falls, Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi Lake Bunyonyi, Semuliki and Lake Mburo National Park. Jinja is Uganda’s second largest settlement for most of the 20th century, Jinja is large and historic town whose main fame is the source of the Nile; the place where the world’s longest river exits. Murchison Falls National Park also referred to as Kaberaga Falls is Uganda’s largest protected area and one of the most exciting to track animals, bird watching such as the shoebill, Giant Kingfisher, Giant Heron and more. Kibale Forest National Park is particularly rich in primates with at least 60 mammal species with 13 species recorded. The park is the most important stronghold of Ugandan red colobus but it supports eight other diurnal primate species; vervet, red-tailed, L’Hoest’s and blue monkeys; Uganda mangabey; black-and-white colobus; olive baboon and chimpanzee. Queen Elizabeth National Park is a home to various mammals like the tree climbing lions in the Ishasha sector, crocodiles, elephants, buffaloes and much more. The park also holds different activities like bird watching whereby the park contains 600 bird species making it a must visit destination for birders and here Migratory birds are seen from November to April, boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel and Chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura Gorge. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park which is among the oldest forests. Besides the Gorillas, you will also have an opportunity to see other primates such as the baboons, red-tailed monkeys, chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys among others. The park also offers some of the best montane-forest (mountain-forest) bird watching in Africa with an estimation of over 350 bird species, 14 not recorded anywhere else in Uganda and migratory birds are present from November to April. Lake Bunyonyi “Place of many little birds” is in South-western Uganda between Kisoro and Kabale and it is close to the border with Rwanda. It is also well known as a deepest Lake thou some study insists that it is much deeper about 900m (3,000ft) leading it to its being the second deepest Lake in Africa. Semuliki National Park for your game drive and primate sighting, Sempaya hot springs, springs have a geyser that shoots up from the 8 meters hole, and the water is at a high temperature. Lake Mburo National Park harbours several mammal species not easily observed elsewhere in the country. The park supports Uganda’s only remaining population of impala and is one of only two national parks where Burchell’s zebra occurs.
SUMMARY
Day 1: Arrival – Transfer to the Hotel
Day 2: Transfer to Jinja City
Day 3: Travel to Murchison Falls National Park
Day 4: Game drive – Launch cruise
Day 5: Top of the falls – Transfer to Hoima
Day 6: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
Day 7: Chimpanzee trekking – Bigodi wetland visit
Day 8: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 9: Chimpanzee tracking – Launch cruise
Day 10: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 11: Gorilla Trekking – Community visit
Day 12: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
Day 13: Transfer to Semuliki National Park
Day 14: Game drive – Bird watching
Day 15: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park
Day 16: Game drive – Nature walk
Day 17: Cultural Tour – Depart to Kampala
Day 18: Departure – Entebbe Airport
DETAILED ITINERARY
Day 1: Arrival – Transfer to the Hotel
On your arrival, you will be picked by one of our representatives from Great Nest Image Safari and thereafter, you will be transferred to your booked hotel in Entebbe/Kampala for your accommodation. Depending on your arrival time, you can proceed to visit some of the places around Entebbe/Kampala like the busy big markets, African craft shops, gardens (for the bird lovers) or one of the biggest shopping malls around town.
Accommodation
- Innophine Hotel (Entebbe)/Prestige Hotel (Kampala)
- (Mid-range accommodation)
Meals & Drinks
- Breakfast
- Bottled Drinking water
Day 2: Transfer to Jinja City
After an early morning breakfast, you will start on your journey to Jinja City, Uganda’s former industrial town during the colonial times in Eastern Uganda. You will have a stopover at Mabira Forest for a short forest walk in search of forest birds and colobus monkeys. You will have lunch in Jinja Town and later proceed for a boat cruise on the source Nile, at the boat cruise you will be gifted with chances of seeing various species of birds like beautiful kingfishers. You will also have a chance to step at the point where John Speke stood as the first European to discover the source of the River Nile the longest River. Later you will check in your lodge and in the evening you can decided to talk a walk tour around town.
Accommodation
- Hotel Paradise
- (Mid-range accommodation)
Meals & Drinks
- Breakfast
- Bottled Drinking water
Day 3: Travel to Murchison Falls National Park
After breakfast, you will start on your journey to Murchison Falls National Park. En route, make a visit to Ziwa Rhino sanctuary for your first Big 5 experience where you will have an hour of rhino tracking and another stop will be in Masindi in order to enjoy your lunch. We shall then proceed with our journey to Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda’s largest National Park where you will have the chance of viewing lions, giraffes, hartebeest, buffalo, and elephants. You will reach the park late afternoon then check in the lodge.
Accommodation
- Red Chili Rest Camp
- (Budget lodge located inside Murchison Falls National Park)
Meals & Drinks
- Breakfast
- Bottled drinking water
Day 4: Game drive – Launch cruise
You will have your breakfast early in the morning and go for an early morning game drive across the rolling plains of Uganda’s largest National Park and be on the lookout for wildlife including: lions, giraffe, elephants among others. For any birder, there are quite a number of birds to sight too during the drive like the kingfishers, standard night jar, herons and more. Later return to the lodge for some rest and lunch. After lunch, you will head out for a 2-3hr boat trip/launch cruise to the base of Murchison Falls where you will also be able to catch sight of more animals including Hippos and Crocodiles and water birds like the kingfishers, wagtails, herons, shoebill and many more. Continue with a hike (if you like) to the top of the falls as you enjoy the thunderous roars of the magnificent falls as they make their way through an 8m gorge and falling at 43m to meet again the Victoria Nile. The hike may be a strenuous one but the thrill on reaching the top is unforgettable. Return to your accommodation and have a relaxed evening.
Accommodation
- Red Chili Rest Camp
- (Budget lodge located inside Murchison Falls National Park)
Meals & Drinks
- Breakfast
- Bottled drinking water
Day 5: Top of the falls – Transfer to Hoima
After breakfast, you will visit the top of the falls, where the longest river in the world is forced through a narrow gap in the rock only 7 meters wide, before ferociously plunging down 43 meters to the devil’s cauldron, while here take as many photos as you can. Later, you will transfer to Hoima, with stopover en route at Kabiro salt Gardens and here you will meet the heritage of this significant site. The Kibiro Salt Gardens has supported the livelihoods of the surrounding community dating far back to 900 years ago before the coming of the Europeans. The locals extract fine salt which they exchange with the other communities for food and other items. Later you will proceed with your journey to Hoima. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.
Accommodation
- Hotel Kontiki Hoima
Meals & Drinks
- Breakfast
- Bottled drinking water
Day 6: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
After an early morning you will start on your journey to Kibale National Park. You will have lunch in Fort portal, after go and visit the Amabere g’ Nyinamwiru Caves breast like features believed to have belonged to Nyinamwiru the daughter of Bukuku who was a self-enthroned King of the Bachwezi, you will also hike the Fort Portal Crater Lake field. The guide at the place will give you more informative and educative history about the place. From here you will depart to Kibale Forest National Park for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation
- Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse
- (Mid-range guest house located just outside Kibale Forest National Park)
Meals & Drinks
- Breakfast
- Bottled Drinking water
Day 7: Chimpanzee trekking – Bigodi wetland visit
After an early morning breakfast, you will go to the park headquarters where you will be briefed about the dos and don’ts while doing chimpanzee trekking. After, you will start your search for the chimpanzees within the park and this can take you half a day depending on the movements of these primates. These primates are the closest relatives to the human being and they share 98% of their DNA with that of the human beings. There are other primates in the area like the golden monkeys, baboons, L’Hoest monkey, white and black Colobus monkeys, red Colobus and blue monkeys. Other animals to watch include; forest elephants unique from the common type and giant forest hogs. This park is one of the great rain forests in Africa and has the largest community of chimpanzees consisting of 1-100 individuals. Later after lunch, you will take a guided nature walk to Bigodi swamp sanctuary, a good site for birders and here watch out for the Great Blue Turaco, Papyrus Gonolek, herons and kingfishers among others. Other primate species to view include; the bush pigs, baboons, bush bucks and more. Dinner and overnight stay at your lodge.
Accommodation
- Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse
- (Mid-range guest house located just outside Kibale Forest National Park)
Meals & Drinks
- Breakfast
- Bottled Drinking water
Day 8: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
After an early morning breakfast, you will enjoy a walk along the foot hills of the Rwenzori Mountains where you will have a glance at the great peak of this mountains of the moon. After, you will transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park which is 3 hour’s drive away from Kibale National Park. You will drive Southwest through Fort portal and the Albertine Escarpment of the Western Rift Valley and you will have lunch on the way. From here you will continue to Mweya peninsula found in the Queen Elizabeth national park. This park was named after Queen Elizabeth the second and it has variety of wildlife species including; the impalas, kobs, forest hogs, elephants, buffaloes, tree climbing lions, and the cape buffaloes. The park also contains 600 bird species making it a must visit destination for birders to Uganda. You will arrive the Park in the evening, have dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.
Accommodation
- Engiri Game Lodge and Campsite
- (Budget lodge located just outside Queen Elizabeth National Park)
Meals & Drinks
- Breakfast
- Bottled Drinking water
Day 9: Game drive – Boat cruise
Early in the morning have your breakfast, proceed for a morning game drive to the Kasenyi plains and be on the look for Cape buffalos, herds of elephants plus the big cats: lions, leopard (not easy to spot) among others. Return to the lodge for some rest and lunch. You will then go for a 3 hour boat trip on the Kazinga Channel that connects Lakes George and Edward. During the trip, the sight of wildlife including giant hippos, elephants and crocodiles among others will fascinate you. You will also be able to spot out different species of birds at the water shores. You will have dinner and overnight at your accommodation.
Accommodation
- Engiri game lodge and campsite
- (Budget lodge located just outside Queen Elizabeth National Park)
Meals & Drinks
- Breakfast
- Bottled Drinking water
Day 10: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Have breakfast in the morning then set off for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park through the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park famously known for its resident tree-climbing lions. The chance of spotting these lions is about 80% though sometimes are hard to spot most especially when they are down in the grassland looking for prey. You will continue to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park which is a big habitat for mountain gorillas in Uganda harboring an estimated 459 mountain gorillas, including several habituated groups, which you will trek. With a strenuous day ahead, you will do less on arrival but just check in your accommodation, relax as you prepare for the Bwindi gorilla trekking experience early in the morning the following day.
Accommodation
- Gorilla closeup lodge
- (Mid-range lodge outside Bwindi National Park)
Meals & Drinks
- Breakfast
- Bottled Drinking water
Day 11: Gorilla Trekking – Community visit
You will have breakfast and then move to the rangers’ post and here you will receive some briefing on the dos and don’ts during the trekking. Thereafter, you will enter the gorilla sanctuary for your adventure. The area offers dramatic steeply forested landscape and is incredibly dense but crisscrossed by numerous animal trails allowing access to tourists. The time taken and the terrain vary with the movements of these great primates and once you have located a gorilla group, you will be allowed an hour in their presence. The experience of coming face to face with these peaceful giants is very overwhelming. Later you will head back to your lodge, freshen up, have lunch and in the after you can decided to visit the Batwa community, they will tell you their forest stories, learn about their culture, learn their dances as you join them in dancing and much more. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Accommodation
- Gorilla closeup lodge
- (Mid-range lodge outside Bwindi National Park)
Meals & Drinks
- Breakfast
- Bottled Drinking water
Day 12: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
You will have your breakfast and later depart for Lake Bunyonyi well known as the second deepest Lake in Africa and here you are in the base that was named by British’s great diplomat Winston Churchill as the Switzerland of Africa. The word Bunyonyi means “small birds” in direct translation which means that the lake is a must stopover for committed birders and besides that; its serpentine shape and numerous islands are other highlights one must look out for. Later in the afternoon, you will head out for a canoe/boat cruise ride on the lake, here you will be able to visit most of the Islands on the Lake that harbors 29 islands and almost every island with its own interesting history.
Accommodation
- Bunyonyi Overland Resort
- (Mid-range resort located near Lake Bunyonyi)
Meals & Drinks
- Breakfast
- Bottle Drinking water
Day 13: Transfer to Semuliki National park
After breakfast, you will make a transfer to Semuliki National Park, the drive to the park will take about 5-6 hours’ drive with a fantastic view throughout. When we reach the park, you will check in the lodge, freshen up and have lunch. Later in the evening we will visit the hot springs during the Sempaya nature walk which is one of the most interesting activities done at the park. The hot springs consists of a male and a female; the male hot spring also known as Bitente has a wider pool while the female hot spring Nyansimbi features hot boiling geyser that sprouts up to 2m high and boiling to more than 100 degrees Celsius. Eggs and matooke (green plantation) can be cooked in this boiling water and enjoyed by hikers. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.
Accommodation
- Ntoroko Game Lodge
- (Mid-range guest house located just inside Semuliki National Park)
Meals & Drinks
- Breakfast
- Bottled Drinking water
Day 14: Game drive – Bird watching
You will have breakfast, after you will drive to the Toro Semuliki wildlife reserve for a chance to catch up with early species that rush from their hideouts, animals to see include the savannah elephants, waterbucks, buffaloes, warthogs, Uganda kobs, crocodiles and bush babies. After, you will get back to the lodge for lunch and late in the afternoon, visit the Sempaya and Ntandi the rewarding places for birders. Here you will spot various species of birds like the flycatchers, sparrows, white crested horn bill, Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill, Yellow-throated Nicator among others. If you still have energy, you can still connect to Ntandi and visit the Batwa pygmies who were initially forest dwellers that were evicted to pave way for conservation. They will entertain you through their cultural music and dance and they also narrate to you their history of existence. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Accommodation
- Ntoroko Game Lodge
- (Mid-range guest house located just inside Semuliki National Park)
Meals & Drinks
- Breakfast
- Bottled Drinking water
Day 15: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park
After breakfast, embark to the 4 hours drive to Lake Mburo national park, a small but rich National park seated on an area of 371 sq km. Lake Mburo National Park is home to a big number of antelopes, Zebras, warthogs, reed bucks and a number of bird species. On your way, you will go through the rolling terraced hills of Kabale and have a stop in Mbarara for lunch. After, you will continue to the park reaching late afternoon. Later you will have a 2 hour boat cruise on the lake and here you will have a chance to spot out different animals like crocodiles, hippos and different bird species like the kingfishers, herons and more. Later have dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Accommodation:
- Mihingo Lodge
- (Budget lodge outside Lake Mburo National Park)
Meals & Drinks:
- Breakfast
- Bottle Drinking water
Day 16: Game drive – Nature walk
After an early morning breakfast, you will set out for a game drive through the park where your eyes will be fed with amazing sights and wildlife such as Impalas, Kobs, antelopes and different bird species. You will go back to the lodge for lunch and after you will enjoy the natural walk through flora and fauna culminating into a ‘’salt lake’’ where you will be able to see a minimum of 4 different species of animals while they lick the salty soil. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Accommodation:
- Mihingo Lodge
- (Budget lodge outside Lake Mburo National Park)
Meals & Drinks:
- Breakfast
- Bottle Drinking water
Day 17: Cultural Tour – Depart to Kampala
After an early morning breakfast, you will do a morning game drive for a more opportunity to view various species of animals, after you will go back to the lodge for lunch, then embark on another cultural tour to the Banyankole to see the Ankole long horned cattle, participate in some of the local activities like milking of the Ankole long horned cattle and much more. You will go back to the lodge, check out and later depart to Kampala with stopovers at the Equator for refreshments and also take some photos. After you will continue with your journey to Kampala, reaching late evening.
Accommodation
- Prestige Hotel
- (Mid-range accommodation)
Meals & Drinks
- Breakfast
- Bottled Drinking water
Day 18: Departure – Entebbe Airport
After your breakfast, you can do some shopping around Kampala Town/buy some souvenirs for example crafts then later transfer to Entebbe International Airport to meet your departure flight back home if scheduled on this day.
END OF SAFARI TOUR
BEST TIME TO VISIT
All the above parks can be visited throughout the year and all the activities can be enjoyed any time of the year.
ACTIVITIES
- Game drives
- Visit the source of the Nile
- Visit the top of the falls
- Chimpanzee tracking
- Gorilla trekking
- Nature walks
- Community visits
- Boat cruise
- Zziwa rhino tracking
Number of Days
18 Days / 17 Nights
Included
- All Park entry fees
- Gorilla permits
- Chimpanzee permits
- A professional driver/guide
- All transportation including fuel
- Launch cruise on Kazinga channel and Game drives
- All activities (included in the itinerary)
- All accommodation (included in the itinerary)
- All Taxes/VAT
- Roundtrip/Airport transfer
- Drinking water
Excluded
- International flights
- Personal items
- Meals
- Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
- Tips
- Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees
PERMITS
In Uganda chimpanzee and Gorilla tracking is done throughout the year. Chimpanzee permit goes for $200 per person while a Gorilla trekking permit goes for $700 per person and all these are payable through the Uganda Wildlife Authority or through our Company.
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SAFARI
- Gorilla and Chimpanzee trekking permits should be paid in advance through our Company or Uganda Wildlife Authority.
- Proof of Yellow fever vaccination.
- Good physical, fit health and mental condition.
- Uganda Visa which can be got on arrival at the Airport.
- Travelers must be at least 15 years old on the day of the trekking.
- Travel & Health insurance arranged from your home Country.
- Hiking shoes.
- Water proof Jacket.
- Long Sleeves shirt & Waterproof Pants.
- Warm Jacket.
Standard 4X4 Safari Vans/Land cruisers
Our standard mode of transport is by road and we use 4×4 Safari van and Land cruisers with open roof tops customized for game viewing and photography. Each Safari van/Land cruiser comes with a professionally trained driver/guide with fuel for the whole safari. Each client is entitled to a window seat and can take up to 8-10 people. We also have very comfortable super customs which can carry up 6 people with their luggage also have small vehicles like Alphads, Harrier and much more that can carry 4-5 people.