A Uganda safari in these 10 days covers primates, wildlife, nature and culture of this beautiful country. The national parks visited rewards you with different attractions like the rare tree-climbing lions in Queen Elizabeth national park, endangered mountain gorillas in Bwindi National Park, chimpanzees in Kibale national park among others.
Explore only two to three cultures with unique experiences such as the Bakiga and Batooro at isunga Cultural Community, Batwa in Bwindi and here you will learn the traditional music and dance, lifestyle among others. Also, a chance to view the Uganda Equator at Kayabwe is provided.
Day 1: Pick up from the airport, visit Uganda Wildlife Education Centre and head to the hotel
Our driver-guide will welcome you at the airport in Entebbe, offers a quick brief about weather of the country and what generally the safari will entail. You can change your currency to Ugandan shillings, purchase a Ugandan Simcard in case you are interested and then get some necessities that you may require while on this 10 days Uganda safari.
If you arrive early enough, head to the Uganda Wildlife Educational Centre where you will discover eye-catching wildlife in captivity. There is a lot to see such as chimpanzees and the grave of Zakayo – a famous Chimpanzee that was loved by many tourists. Other animals are lions, leopards, buffaloes, crocodiles, elephants, giraffes among others with birds like ostriches, shoebill stork, parrots and peacock. Thereafter transfer to Kampala at the hotel where you will spend a night.
Day 2: Transfer to Kibale national park and visit Isunga Cultural Community
Embark on a tremendous journey to the home of primates that is Kibale national park that is located in Western Uganda. The journey is exciting with natural forest, roadside markets, rolling hills covered with rocks and a table like a tea plantation. Kibale national park main attraction is the chimpanzee that is a fellow human cousin. This a home to 13 primates among others include vervet monkeys, red-cheeked mangabeys, olive baboons, red-tailed monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys and colobus monkeys. Although the park also inhabits big mammals like elephants and buffaloes, they are rarely spotted.
On the arrival, enjoy lunch and head to Isunga village which is at the edge of Kibale forest. While here explore the two unique cultures of the Bakiga and Batooro through traditional dances and music, head to visit the cultural site of the cold springs. This amazing feature with water bubbles from the underground but cold. After a great experience, head to the booked accommodation where you will spend a night.
Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking and optional swamp walk, coffee tour experience
Be served with breakfast and then head to the Kanyanchu tourist information Centre where you will meet the park Warden, other trekkers and park rangers. Attend a briefing which will include the guidelines to follow while trekking, checking of trekking permits and assignment of the group you will trek with.
After head to the forest and start a search with minimum silence, the ranger will be using radio calls as they communicate together to be able to locate the chimps so easily. An hour in their presence while taking photos and videos for memories. In the forest, you can spend over 3 hours and in return, be rewarded with a certificate of recognition at the park offices. After lunch in Bigodi, there is an option of either taking a walk in the swamp where you will explore different primates and birds or coffee tour experience in Isunga Community where you will learn the traditional way of growing, picking, drying and processing using rudimentary tools. The day will end after transferring you back to the safari lodge.
Day 4: Visit the Sempaya hot springs and Amabere Ganyinamwiru caves
Enjoy breakfast and be ready to drive to Semliki national park with your packed lunch and anything to boil in the hot spring pans like an egg, potato or bananas (plantain). Semliki national park is one of the savannah national parks in Uganda and the road to this park rewards you with great experiences and unequalled views of the Western rift valley escapements.
The park is a true birders’ haven with over 420 bird species. Driving to the park takes about 2 hours and then attend a briefing session which will be followed by a walk through the forest and then a walking board that will take you to the male hot springs. Then take a boardwalk to the female hot springs which will be accompanied by boiling of an egg that will be enjoyed after a long walk. Traditional stories attached to these spring rewards you with a cultural experience.
Head back to Fort portal tourism city and visit the Amabere caves to enjoy your packed lunch. Thereafter attend a briefing by the local guide with knowledge of the formation of these stalactites and stalagmites that end forming caves after thousand years. These have a cultural story attached to the Bachwezi demi gods. Enjoy the view of Nyakasura falls on the caves and then head for the hike where you will have a view of the Rwenzori mountain ranges, crater lakes like Kigere, Wabikere and Saaka. Thereafter, return to the lodge for your dinners.
Day 5: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth N/Park and afternoon boat cruise
Head to Queen Elizabeth National Park after a leisure breakfast while enjoying the sunrise. The journey to the park passes through the Isunga community then Kasenda-Ndali craters will be spotted like the twin lakes. Proceed through the drive on the slopes of mountain Rwenzori and find your way to this beautiful park with diverse wildlife such as Uganda kobs, buffalos, hippos, crocodiles, warthogs, chimpanzees, lions, hyenas among others. The park has also different birds of over 660 species both migratory and natives.
On arrival, you will head to Mweya for a boat cruise on the Kazinga channel where you will have 2 to 3 hours of experience spotting crocodiles, hippos, different birds and elephants lingering at the shores. The channel connects Lake George and Lake Edward. The day will end after a transfer to the park lodge booked.
Day 6: Morning game drive and Kasoga community tour
Take part in an early morning game drive where you will enjoy much wildlife in your sight such as spotted hyenas, lions, elephants, buffalos, warthogs among others. The game drive takes place in Kasenyi plains and it lasts for 3 hours but of experiential. After a great adventure head to the lodge for a break as you leisure out while taking some food.
Thereafter, head to the Kasoga community where you will have a chance to enjoy various activities of your choice. Among others include, community walks where you will meet elders curving local boats as the women weaving baskets, head for fishing using local methods among others. Also, you can engage in taking part in the traditional dances and music. End the day as you retire after dinner at the lodge.
Day 7: Transfer to Bwindi National Park and Batwa community tour
Transfer to the home of gorillas in Bwindi National Park passing through the Ishasha sector where you will have a chance to spot the rare tree-climbing lions resting in the fig tree branches. The park is home to half of the population of endangered mountain gorillas that can be found at foothills of Virunga Mountains.
The park is also home to over 300 bird species including 23 Albertine endemics. On arrival, you will take a community tour to the Batwa culture where you will enjoy the traditional dances and music, purchase some souvenirs to support their livelihood.
Day 8: Gorilla trekking experience, transfer to Lake Bunyonyi and boat cruise with optional zip lining adventure
Embark on the most memorable adventure of gorilla trekking after breakfast which normally begins with a briefing at the park offices by the warden or game ranger guide. The face masks are emphasized and again trekkers with infectious diseases like flu, cough is not allowed to enter the forest.
After the assignment of a group family to trek, you will head to the forest using the demarcated trails and then reach in the presence of the booked gorilla family. Spend an hour with them and them as you are busy taking memorable photos. Thereafter, head back to the park offices and meet your driver guide, awarding a certificate by the park Warden and then head to the lodge for lunch.
Immediately after lunch, check out and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi, the second deepest lake in the world after Tanganyika of Tanzania. The lake offers a great boat cruise which will take you to visit different islands like the Leprosy Island, Punishment Island among others. Spot different birds where the name of the lake originates. The boat cruise will take you to the booked resort where you will spend a night.
Day 9: Transfer to Lake Mburo national park and after boat cruise
Embark on the drive to Lake Mburo national park passing through Mbarara city for lunch and then a boat cruise on Lake Mburo. Lake Mburo is the smallest savannah national park in the country but has diverse wildlife. The park is located in Kiruhura District and again the park is the nearest protected area from the Kampala capital city of Uganda.
The outstanding attraction of this park is basically zebras, Impalas and the Ankole long-horned cattle that graze together along the park. It has 14 lakes of which 5 are located in its boundaries and Lake Mburo is the biggest. The boat cruise enables you to spot hippos, crocodiles as other birds like the African fish eagle, hammerkop among others. Head to the booked lodge for dinner and night stay.
Day 10: Game drive and transfer to Kampala, drop-off at the airport
Embark on the morning game drive where you will spot different animals like zebra, impala, topi, eland, bushbuck, buffalo, warthog, leopard, hyena and jackal among others accompanied with different bird species like grey crowned crested crane, brown chested wattled plover, African fin foot, Tabora cisticola among others.
Thereafter, head to Kampala with a stopover at the Uganda equator where you will be served with lunch, take photos and then proceed to Kampala. A drop-off at Entebbe International Airport and will be the end of the 10 days Uganda safari.
