8-Days Best of Uganda mid-range gorilla, chimps, tree climbing lions, Big five wildlife and

Day 01: Airport pickup and transfer to your hotel.

On your arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be met by your Around Africa Safari driver guide. Having passed immigration and luggage collection point, please, exit the arrival hall and look out for your company representative who will be holding up a signboard with your name and featuring our company logo. He will greet you and transfer you to your Kampala hotel taking just 45 minutes from the airport depending on the traffic. Overnight at Kaazi Beach Resort (Bed & Breakfast)

Day 02: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

After breakfast, we will depart for Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park with a brief stopover at the Uganda Equator crossing sign for a popular photo opportunity and then have a hot lunch around Mbarara Town. The park is a UNESCO Natural World Heritage site and one of the richest biological and botanical regions in the world. The forest covers an area of 331 km² at the south-western edge of the western Rift Valley. Bwindi’s most-revered species that are over 800 wild Mountain Gorillas that makes up half of the world population of these gentle giant apes. The drive from Kampala to Bwindi Buhoma covers a total estimated distance of 512 km in approximately 9 hours. Dinner and overnight at Haven Lodge [Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner]

Day 03: Gorilla Tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

You will be up early on the morning of your Gorilla Tracking for a good breakfast in preparation for the day’s physical activity. You will report for registration at the Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger station at 7:45Am. After a briefing by the rangers, your gorilla trek will commence at 8:00Am. The trek usually takes between 30minutes to seven hours so, a reasonable degree of fitness is required, as well as a strong pair of walking boots or shoes.

The rangers will guide you through the village gardens and into the jungle-like forest. They will escort you through the sometimes-thick bush, occasionally hacking the dense undergrowth with a machete as you search to locate the gorillas. The mountain gorillas are under 24-hour monitoring for their own safety, so you’re almost guaranteed to see them. The rangers monitor each gorilla family by keeping in close radio contact.

In part due to gorilla tourism, the population of gorillas is slowly increasing but the species remains critically endangered. Gorillas and humans share almost identical genetic material and their health must not be compromised by coming into contact with human diseases (via our food, for example). To reduce transmission of disease from humans to gorillas, you will also be advised to keep a distance of 7 metres from the gorillas.

Once you have located the gorilla family, you will be asked to leave all your belongings to one side, and approach the gentle giants, just with your camera. The guides will interpret the animals’ behavior and advise on what you are watching. Females and their young ones, young males and even a dominant Silverback may be seen feeding, playing, interacting with each other, or just sleeping! You will never forget your encounter with the gorillas. They will be quite curious to see you! You are allowed exactly one hour with the gorillas before returning to base. Overnight at Haven Lodge [Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner]

Day 04: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park - Game drive in Ishasha

After breakfast, we will depart Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for Queen Elizabeth National Park with an “en route game drive” passing through Ishasha, the remote, southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. It is on the expansive plains of Ishasha that you will be on the lookout for its famous resident: the tree climbing lions. Sighting is not guaranteed but you have a better chance of seeing them here in the large low-limbed fig trees of Ishasha than anywhere else in Africa. The drive from Bwindi Buhoma to Ishasha takes between 2 hours covering a total estimated distance of approximately 68 km. Evening at leisure in your lodge. Dinner and Overnight at Marafiki Safari Lodge /Tent [Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner]

Day 05: Morning Chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura/Kalinzu Forest in Queen Elizabeth National Park & Boat cruise in Kazinga

After an early breakfast, you will depart to the visitor’s center and report to the ranger station for registration at 7:45 am in Kyambura Wildlife reserve located in the north-eastern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park or in Kalinzu Forest Reserve located in about 10 km in Bushenyi District West of Ishasha sector within Queen Elizabeth National Park to track the habituated Chimps. Although chimp sightings are not guaranteed, visitors stand a pretty good chance of hearing and seeing our distant cousins as they are habituated. These engaging apes, our closest living relative, are great fun to watch as they play and fight in the fruiting trees. Your experienced guides will introduce you to the different members of the chimp families, as well as the birds and plant life of the forest. The trails through the forest are generally easy to navigate and you will always be accompanied by Rangers. The tour lasts between one to three hours and the tracking starts at 08:00am daily. You are only allowed to spend a maximum of one hour around the chimpanzees. After your trek, you will head back to the lodge for lunch and a few hours’ relaxation.

At 2pm, you will enjoy the slow 2 hour shared boat cruise in the Kazinga Channel, a natural canal that joins Lakes Edward and Lake George. The canal offers great chances to enjoy the scenery, spotting large herds of elephants and buffaloes. Predators as well as nocturnal animals normally come to the shores in the late afternoon to quench their thirst. Also you will see a wide array of colorful birds soaring near to the water surface.

In the evening, go on a short game drive around the northern sector of the park called Kasenyi, or better known as the “Kobs Mating Ground”. In this open savannah area, you will find hundreds of Uganda kobs and have a chance to see their breeding behaviors. The kob is an elegant antelope, similar to the impala, which lives in harems up to twenty females, leaded by one dominant male. Consequently, it is not exceptional to encounter a hungry ‘king of the African jungle’ - lion in this area, waiting for his chance to pounce on one of the unsuspecting animals. Big herds of buffaloes, giant forest hog, warthogs, monitor lizards and sometimes a lonely elephant or hyena can be seen during a game drive in Kasenyi as well. Return for dinner and overnight at Marafiki Safari Lodge /Tent [Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner]

Day 06: Depart Queen for Murchison Falls National Park

Today, you will drive to Murchison Falls National Park. En route with a hot lunch along the way (Hoima town). You will arrive at Murchison River Lodge in the evening.

Refresh and enjoy your dinner and overnight at Murchison River Lodge / Thatched cottage [Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner]

Day 07: Game drive and boat trip in Murchison Falls National Park.

After breakfast, you will have an extensive game drive around the park. Murchison Falls National Park plays host too many unique attractions and adventures, you will see the diversity of wildlife and amazing landscapes that Uganda has to offer. The wildlife biodiversity in Murchison Falls National Park contains the most astonishing number of species about 76 types of mammals and 451 different birds. The River Nile, on its journey from Murchison Falls, attracts a whole host of different wildlife such as crocodiles, hippos and water birds. Other animals include lions, warthogs, buffalos, rare aquatic sitatunga antelopes, giant forest hogs, Uganda Kobs, topi, waterbucks, elephants and leopards.

In the afternoon, we head out for a shared boat ride to the bottom of the falls where you can see a diversity of wildlife. Return for dinner & overnight at Murchison River Lodge / Thatched cottage [Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner]

Day 08: Depart Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for Entebbe

Today's journey will take you back to Entebbe. After breakfast, you will visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in Nakasongola where you will go for a guided rhino tracking with an experienced ranger, which will give you a unique opportunity to view the rhinos from a close distance. On spotting them, spend an hour with them. After a successful tracking, you will have lunch then proceed to Entebbe. Then drop off to Entebbe International Airport to connect with your scheduled international flight to India. The drive from Ziwa Rhino Camp to Entebbe take approximately 3½ hours covering a total estimated distance of 191 km.

Please note that check-in for international flights should be done two hours prior to flight departure. The departure area of the airport has a small restaurant, several duty-free shops and a seating area.

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The quote below is based on 02pax sharing a double/twin room in a Uganda mid range primates and wildlife safaris in 2022.

Per person sharing a double / twin room for a group of 02pax on a Uganda safari.

$ 3,128

Package price includes:

◙ All accommodation on Full Board (FB) or Bed and Breakfast (B&B) basis as quoted in the text.

◙ A 4x4 Toyota Land Cruiser Safari vehicle and fuel.

◙ An English-speaking tourist driver guide.

◙ 1 gorilla permit at $ 700 per person

◙ 1 chimp permit at $ 50 per person

◙ 1 rhino tracking permit at $ 50 per person

◙ Airport transfers

◙ Lunches

◙ Game drives

◙ Entrance fees to the national parks

◙ Boat cruises (Kazinga channel & Murchison to bottom of falls)

◙ Government taxes.

◙ Drinking water in the vehicle.

◙ Temporary evacuation medical service (AMREF)

Package price excludes:

◙ Uganda entry visa fees

◙ Beverages / alcoholic drinks

◙ Additional meals

◙ Tips/gratuities

◙ Activities not part of the described programme

◙ International travel insurance

◙ Yellow fever vaccination fees

◙ PCR covid-19 test fees

Please observe our additional checklist for Gorilla & Chimpanzee trekking.

◙ Long sleeved shirts and trousers. (Old clothes are recommended as they can get very dirty and torn from the thorns and jungle foliage)

◙ Insect repellent and sunscreen

◙ Hat and sunglasses (although once in the jungle you are in the shade)

◙ Gardening gloves to protect your hands from the thorns and vines

◙ Good, comfortable, sturdy hiking boots with good ankle support

◙ Long socks to truck your trousers into

◙ Rain jacket

◙ Camera with choice of lenses

◙ Waterproof rucksack (or plastic bags inside your rucksack)

◙ Plenty of water (your lodge will provide a packed lunch and lots of water)

◙ For evenings at the camp, it is worth taking a warm fleece as evenings can be chilly. For the daytime, light, casual clothes generally suffice.