TOUR DESCRIPTION
There is a 95% chance that you will come across the Uganda Gorillas while on your trekking safari. This activity ranks among one of the absolute highlights of a trip to Uganda. Starting your holiday with a wildlife experience in Queen Elizabeth national park. You will find crater lakes, gorges, a variety of wildlife & birds, endless Ishasha plains and the Kazinga channel. Early morning game drives in the park will make you encounter most of the animals while the rest are seen on afternoon boat trips. This holiday gets interesting as you take the journey south passing through one of the most beautiful parts of the country – Kigezi highlands.
On the day of your gorilla trekking, prepare yourself for the amazing experience in Bwindi forest, your guide will take you to the park headquarters for a briefing from the park authorities. Moving through the thick jungle forests to find the rare giants, you need to have the right gear & clothing. You will have an hour with the amazing creatures making this trip to Uganda an unforgettable one, so be ready with your cameras. This tour also takes you to see drums being made/ crafted at the ‘Mpigi royal drum makers’ on your way back to Kampala.
This trip is indeed worth trying out by any tourist in Uganda!!
Uganda Gorillas & Wildlife holiday
Start/End: Kampala
Duration: 5 Days
Activity: Game drives, Launch trips, Gorilla trekking, Cultural tours
Destinations: Queen Elizabeth park, Bwindi impenetrable forest
A safari that takes you to see the most outstanding wildlife attractions like the Uganda gorillas and a medley of wonders in Queen Elizabeth Park.
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
- Kampala / Entebbe International Airport
- Queen Elizabeth national park
- Bwindi impenetrable forest
- Mpigi royal drum makers
INCLUDED
- Transport in a 4WD vehicle with pop-up roof.
- All fuel for the tour
- English speaking Ugandan driver/guide.
- Accommodation and Meals on Full Board (Breakfast Lunch and Dinner)
- Park-entrance fees for all National parks
- All activities described in the itinerary
- 1 Gorilla permit per person
- Drinking water throughout the safari.
NOT INCLUDED
- International air fares
- Entry visa Uganda
- Meals that are not part of your accommodation.
- A porter for during the gorilla tracking’s (someone who carries your daypack).
- Personal (medical/travel) insurance
- Tips and gratuities to rangers, driver/guide, porter, hotel staff, etc.
- All expenses of personal nature (e.g. drinks, laundry, optional activities, souvenirs etc.)
TOUR ITINERARY
Day 1: Transfer from Kampala to Queen Elizabeth Park
Your tourist driver / guide will pick you up from Kampala at your accommodation /place of residence and drive to Queen Elizabeth Park. You will pass through Fort portal town with lush green country sides and you will be following the mystical Rwenzori Mountain range for much of the journey.
Accommodation at Mweya Safari Lodge (Luxury) or Kasenyi Safari Camp (Comfort)
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 2: Explore Queen Elizabeth Park
You will find an abundance of wildlife in this park plus grassy plains, tropical forest, rivers, crater lakes and much more. An early morning game drive within the park will provide with excellent opportunities to see lion, leopard, giant forest hog, Cape buffalo, elephants, defassa waterbuck, Uganda Kob, Topi and bush buck. Return to your lodge for Lunch. In the Afternoon, your guide will take you for a 2 – 3 hour boat trip on the famous Kazinga channel, a perfect chance to take as many photos as you want while birding. Quite a number of hippos can be seen, plus buffaloes and elephants. The park has a prolific bird-life and boosts with over 600 bird species.
Accommodation at Mweya Safari Lodge (Luxury) or Kasenyi Safari Camp (Comfort)
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 3: Drive to Bwindi
We drive to Bwindi in south western Uganda passing through the terraced hillsides, with farms & households in Kabale, also known as the “Switzerland of Africa” winding your way down to Bwindi impenetrable forest ready for gorilla trekking the next day.
Accommodation at the Bunyonyi Overland Camp (Standard), Rushaga Gorilla Camp (Comfort), Silverback Lodge (Luxury)
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & Dinner
Day 4: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable forest
Early morning after breakfast, you will get ready to encounter the Uganda gorillas living in the Bwindi forests. This spectacular forest offers a dramatic steeply forested landscape which is incredibly dense, crisscrossed by numerous animal trails allowing access to tourists. Mammals recorded include the endangered Mountain gorilla, rare golden monkey, buffalo, elephant, black-fronted duiker, bushbuck, leopard, and giant forest hog. Bwindi forest park is best known for the fascinating gorillas. The time taken and the terrain varies according to the movements of the primates but normally between 2 – 7 hours. The thrill of observing the gorillas is a rare, moving, awesome and exciting adventure. The gorilla is a shy and peaceful animal and it is unforgettable experience to watch and photograph them as they interact.
Accommodation at the Bunyonyi Overland Camp (Standard), Rushaga Gorilla Camp (Comfort), Silverback Lodge (Luxury)
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & Dinner
Day 5: Transfer back to Kampala
Today your guide will transfer you back to Kampala, with a stop-over at the Mpigi Royal Drum Makers where you will be able to watch ceremonial drums being crafted using methods passed down through generations. There will also be time to stop at the equator for photographs. You arrive in Kampala in the early evening which marks the end of your holiday.
Meal plan: Breakfast & Lunch
