09 days Uganda Wildlife & Ngamba Chimps Holiday

TOUR DESCRIPTION

The ‘Ngamba Chimps & Wildlife holiday‘ is an experience of the game in three big National Parks i.e. Kibale, Queen & Bwindi. Starting off with Ngamba Island chimpanzee sanctuary where you will find a number of orphaned chimps are being taken care of. Surrounded by waters of Lake Victoria, Ngamba can be accessed by a speed boat from the dock of Entebbe or by air.

Going to western Uganda, Kibale is best option for the ultimate chimp and primate’s experience. Your primate walk will be an adventurous one as you will get to see a number of species, followed by a swamp walk in Bigodi. Your trip will also give you a chance to visit the tea plantations and see how Ugandan tea is made, perhaps also have a taste. Game drives in Queen Elizabeth national park will give you an awesome game viewing experience plus a boat trip on the 40 km Kazinga channel which offers the best views for birdlife & wildlife.

This trip takes you to support the local community at their chimp conservation site en-route to Bwindi for gorilla tracking. The forests also offers a range of other walks which give relaxed opportunities to view birds and monkeys while exploring Uganda’s loveliest rainforests. However gorilla trekking requires you to be reasonably fit and always carry the right gear/ clothing.

TOUR ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrive in Uganda at Entebbe Airport

Our driver/guide will be at Entebbe Airport to welcome you to Uganda. He will then bring you to your hotel in Entebbe.
Accommodation at 2 Friends beach Hotel (Comfort), Lake Victoria Serena Golf resort & Spa (Luxury)
Meal plan: Lunch & Dinner

Day 2: Ngamba Island tour (Ngamba Chimps)

The Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Uganda is home to over 49 rescued chimpanzees receiving world class care since 1998. It’s surrounded by the beautiful waters of Lake Victoria. Your guide will pick you from your hotel and transfer you to the Entebbe dock where you will take a boat ride to the Island. It’s a full day tour so be sure to enjoy other activities like sunset cruises, fishing etc.
Accommodation at 2 Friends beach Hotel (Comfort), Lake Victoria Serena Golf resort & Spa (Luxury)
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 3: Drive to Kibale forest national park

Begin your journey to Kibale Forest with a stop-over for lunch in the friendly town of Fort Portal. The drive is incredibly scenic, passing through tea plantations and the lush green countryside which characterizes so much of Uganda. On arrival at the forest, you will enter a completely different world with some serious monkey business! Although you are here specifically to track Chimps, the forest is home to at least 13 primate species including: the Red Tailed Monkey, Olive Baboon, Black and White Colobus Monkey, and the Blue Monkey. The bird life in the forest is also prolific and includes the beautiful Great Blue Turaco. If you are very lucky, you may even catch a glimpse of a meandering herd of Forest Elephant.
Accommodation at Kibale Forest Camp (Standard), Mountains of the moon hotel (Comfort), Papaya Lake lodge (Luxury).
Meal Plan: Breakfast , Lunch & Dinner

Day 4: Chimpanzee tracking & swamp walk in Kibale Forest

Kibale Forest boasts the highest number of primate species in the world, including our delightful cousins, the chimpanzees. The experienced ranger takes you chimp tracking in the morning or afternoon; in the meantime, showing you the many monkey species that live in this tropical forest. A wonderful jungle trip is the result, finishing in an hour of eye to eye contact with the chimpanzees. We can however never guarantee you to see t hem, they are still wild animals! Your swamp walk (2-3 hours) will take you through grassland, small communities, and some beautiful scenery, where the locals are likely to greet you with enthusiastic waves. It is usual to spot 3 or 4 different primate species during this walk, though the highlight is catching a glimpse of the Great Blue Turaco!
Accommodation at Kibale Forest Camp(Standard), Mountains of the moon hotel (Comfort), Papaya Lake lodge (Luxury).
Meal Plan: Breakfast , Lunch & Dinner

Day 5: Visit ‘Amabeere’ Caves then transfer to QENP

Early morning, we go for a cultural tour to the ‘Amabere ga nyina mwiru’ caves – a great historical site located 10km from Fort-portal town. You will also hike to one of the explosion crater lakes surrounding this area before returning back to fort portal town for Lunch. In the afternoon, we continue the journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park. This is Uganda’s second largest wildlife park and located base of the majestic Rwenzori Mountain range, adjacent to Lake Edward and Lake George. The park has prolific game, including Gazelle, Uganda Kob, Warthog and Waterbuck; Lions are often sighted both in and at the entrance to the park. Be prepared for huge numbers of Hippo and Elephant, and keep your eyes peeled for a Leopard lazing in the sunshine.
Accommodation at Kasenyi Safari Camp (Standard), Mweya Safari lodge(Luxury).
Meal Plan: Breakfast , Lunch & Dinner

Day 6: Tour Queen Elizabeth National Park

Today you will get up early and prepare for an early morning game drive, at 6:30 am in the park. Your guide will make sure your in time to see the sunrise. On the game drives you will be searching for all the wildlife in the park including, Elephants, Buffaloes, Lions, Waterbucks, Leopards, Uganda kobs etc. You will head back to your lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, we head for an amazing boat trip on the Kazinga channel. This is a chance for you to see a large number of hippos, Elephants bathing in water, a variety of birdlife, crocodiles, buffaloes and many more after which you drive back to your lodge.
Accommodation at Kasenyi Safari Camp (Standard), Mweya Safari lodge(Luxury).
Meal Plan: Breakfast , Lunch & Dinner

Day 7: Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Transfer to Bwindi national park in the south-western part of Uganda; close to the borders with Rwanda and Congo. On the way you will cross a beautiful part of the country often referred to as the ‘Switzerland of Africa’ – Kigezi highlands. You will see a great country-side, bamboo forest and have great views over the Virunga Mountains. For lunch you will stop at a local restaurant on the road.
Accommodation at  Bunyonyi Overland resort (Standard), Rushaga Gorilla Camp (Comfort), Silverback lodge(Luxury)
Meal Plan: Breakfast , Lunch & Dinner

Day 8: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest national park – Gorilla Trekking

It’s such a big day because this is when you get to see the rare mountain gorillas from a close distance. The gorillas live in habituated groups / families the Bwindi impenetrable forest and trekking them can take up to 2 hours least or 7 hours most. Starting early morning at 8:00am with a briefing from the UWA staff, you will be led by a guide into the think forests of Bwindi in search of these gentle giants. Once you get to them, you will only be allowed 1 hour with the gorillas. For most people this is the absolute highlight of their tour in Uganda because it’s truly a humbling experience. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest boasts both Mountain Gorillas and Chimpanzees – the only forest in Africa which can make this claim in fact.
Accommodation at  Bunyonyi Overland resort (Standard), Rushaga Gorilla Camp (Comfort), Silverback lodge(Luxury)
Meal Plan: Breakfast , Lunch & Dinner

Day 9: Return to Kampala or Entebbe, stop-over at Equator line

The journey continues as your guide drives back to Kampala or Entebbe (Airport). Of course, you stop at the equator, the best place for your souvenir shopping.
Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch.

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