13 Day Ultimate Safari

Safari summary

DAY 1: Travel to Murchison Falls National Park (5-6hrs)
You will have an early breakfast and drive to Murchison Falls National Park via the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary where you will have the opportunity to trek the Rhinos. The sanctuary houses Uganda’s Rhino reintroduction project. There are 17 white rhinos and tracking is done on foot for 1 and half hours. You will continue to Masindi Town for lunch and later drive to Murchison Falls National Park. You will have dinner and overnight at the lodge of your booking

Mid range: Fort Murchison (in rooms)/ Murchison River Lodge

Budget: Fort Murchison in tents/ Murchison River Lodge in tents / Red Chili

Meal Plan: Full Board Basis
DAY 2: Game drive and Boat launch on the Nile
You will wake up very early and set off at 6.30am for a sunrise game drive in the Nyamsika plateau to see the Cape buffaloes, Rothschild’s giraffes, Uganda kob, hartebeest and waterbucks. You may also spot oribi, bushbuck, Bohor reedbuck, shy sitatunga, bush duiker, warthog and bush pig plus large carnivores including lions, leopards and spotted hyenas. Chimpanzees and olive baboons head the list of six species of primates found in the park. Crocodiles and hippos will be seen along the banks of the Nile. Some of the more common birds that can be seen include goliath heron, Egyptian geese, pelican, bee-eaters, kingfishers, hornbill, cormorant, saddle-bill stork and the rare shoebill stork. You will return to your lodge for a late breakfast and some relaxation before you set off in the afternoon for a boat cruise on the placid Victoria Nile, upstream, to the base of the falls. En route you will see hippos, crocodiles, water buck and a wide variety of birds like the unusual shoebill stork. The boat stops just tens of meters from the “Devil’s Cauldron” for pictures to be taken of the photogenic and majestic Murchison Falls.
Luxury: Paraa Safari Lodge/ Nile Safari Lodge

Mid range: Fort Murchison (in rooms)/ Murchison River Lodge

Budget: Fort Murchison in tents/ Murchison River Lodge in tents / Red Chili

Meal Plan: Full Board Basis
DAY 3: Visit to the top of the fall and travel to Kibale Forest National Park
You will after your breakfast visit the “top of the thunderous Murchison falls”, where you will observe the River Nile squeezing itself in a 7 meter gorge before tumbling 40 meters down in a thunderous explosion and then flows down into a very peaceful river whose water banks are swarmed with a profusion of water and land animals as well as birds. You will thereafter set off on a 9 hour journey to Kibale Forest National Park. The drive is through verdant countryside interpassing traditional homesteads and farms and via the towns of Hoima and Fort portal which rests in the shadow of the fabled Mountains of the Moon. You will have an opportunity to do a swamp walk upon reaching Kibale. You will have dinner and overnight at the lodge of your booking.
Moderate: Mountains of the moon/Kibale forest camp/crater safari lodge
Budget: Rwenzori travelers/Kibale forest camp/Chimpanzee forest guest house
Meal plan: Full Board Basis
Day 4: Chimpanzee tracking over 12 primates in Kibale Nation Park
Assemble at kanyankye river camp at 0800hours to go for the most popular activity in this park which is chimpanzee tracking. Chimpanzee are mans closet cousins though they are one of the most threatened primates species. More primates like black and white Columbus monkeys, I’Hoests monkeys, Grey checked mangabey, red tailed monkey, bush babies, pottosand many birds species like the yellow spotted nicator, rumped tinker bird, little greenbelt green breasted pitta the crowned eagle, black bee eater and mammals like elephants can be seen in this walk. Kibale national park, which average s about 3300 feet in elevation, is an extension of the great rainforest of central Africa. it is inhabited by three large “communities “of chimps, each numbering more than 100 individuals. Each community has a complicated structure. The big adult’s males dominate the group and defend the community territory against incursions by male outsiders; the females usually wander in small family grouped .chimps tend to forage in small parties or even as individuals. They usually travel on the ground but being primarily fruit eaters, they mostly feed in trees. They coalesce into large groups when they find an abundant source of food, such as fruiting fig tree. Typically, we locate the chimps by listening for their pant hooting calls, then hustle to the area from which they are calling, We get to observe them as they feed in fruiting trees, lounge, and socializing with each other or even, occasionally, hunt. Dinner and overnight will be at your lodge of booking.
Moderate: Mountains of the moon/Kibale forest camp/crater safari lodge
Budget: Rwenzori travelers/Kibale forest camp/Chimpanzee forest guest house
Meal plan: Full Board Basis
DAY 5: Travel to Queen Elizabeth, evening game drive
You will have an early breakfast and then travel to Queen Elizabeth National Park entering it through the Ishasha sector renowned for the tree climbing lions. You will have a game drive along the way during which you will see Lions, various Antelope species, Elephants, Hyenas, Leopards and Buffaloes. You will get to Queen Elizabeth National Park in the evening you will do an evening game drive in search for Elephant, Buffalos, Lions, Bush bucks, Kobs, Giant forest hog, Hyenas leopards, antelopes, and Waterbucks as well as birds. You will thereafter retire for dinner and overnight at the lodge of your booking.
Mid-range /moderate: Bush Lodge (in rooms) / Simba Safari Camp in rooms/ Buffalo Safari Resort/ Enganzi Lodge/ Ihamba Safari Lodge
Budget facility: Kazinga Channel View Lodge/ Simba Safari Camp in tents/ Bush Lodge in tents
Meal Plan: Full Board Basis.
Day 6: Game drive and boat cruise
You will set off early (about 6.30am) for a morning game drive, an awesome experience to spot the animals in natural habitats. Expect to see the famous Big Five; Elephant, Buffalos, Lions, Bush bucks, Kobs, Giant forest hog, Hyenas leopards, antelopes, and Waterbucks as well as birds. You will return for breakfast and relax till lunch. In the afternoon you will take a launch cruise along the amazing Kazinga channel to see, at close range, the water animals to include Hippos, Buffalos, Crocodiles and elephants bathing on the channel banks. There is also a variety of bird species on the water banks especially the famous Shoebill, pelican and Jacana. And in the evening you will do another game drive. Dinner and overnight will be at your lodge
Mid-range /moderate: Bush Lodge (in rooms) / Simba Safari Camp in rooms/ Buffalo Safari Resort/ Enganzi Lodge/ Ihamba Safari Lodge
Budget facility: Kazinga Channel View Lodge/ Simba Safari Camp in tents/ Bush Lodge in tents
Meal Plan: Full Board Basis.
DAY 7: Queen Elizabeth / Ishasha – Tree Climbing Lions / Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
After breakfast we drive further south through stunning savannah grasslands as we head to the southern sector of the park – Ishasha. This is the best area to see the famous tree-climbing lions draped from low hanging limbs of fig trees. Next we visit the Kob Mating Ground—a defined area specifically used by these stunning antelopes for challenging other males, enticing females and mating. Finally we’ll pass through beautiful savannah grasslands as we head towards the breathtaking Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.
While most of today's forests are no more than 12,000 years old, Bwindi's vegetation has been weaving itself into tangles for over 25,000 years, in the process accumulating a lengthy species list. This includes 310 species of butterflies, 51 reptiles, 200 trees, 88 moths and an exceptional 120 species of mammals including 10 primates. The latter includes chimpanzee, L'Hoest's, red tailed and blue monkey, black and white colobus, baboon, and Bwindi's most famous resident, the mountain gorilla. Bwindi is a prime destination for birdwatchers. Its 350 species include seven which are IUCN red data listed and 90% of all Albertine rift endemics – species which are difficult or impossible to see in any other part of East Africa.
Budget: Buhoma community Rest camp / Ruhija Gorilla Friends Camp / Travellers Rest Hotel Kisolo / Gorilla Valley Lodge
Moderate : Gorilla Resort Bwindi /Gorilla Safari Lodge / Silver Back Lodge / Lake Kitandara Camp / Chameleon Hill Lodge / Lake Mutanda Resort.
Meal plan: Full Board Basis.
DAY 8: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Today enjoy gorilla tracking in Bwindi. After breakfast, proceed for the morning briefing before the highlighting of the trip. Gorilla trekking, which may last the entire day. We trek the gorillas through the rainforest and bamboo covered slopes, accompanied by a guide and trackers ,in search of a mountain gorilla family ,the walking can sometimes be tough and long ,but when you catch a glimpse of the magnificent silverback ,any discomforts will be quickly forgotten .when the gorillas are sighted, visitors will be guided to within 6 meters from the gorillas, sit around them for a whole hour while gazing into their big round eyes. Gorilla trekking is unpredictable. It’s difficult to foresee how many hours you will hike .the gorilla excursion can take from 2 up 8 hours. Expect to walk along distance in steep and muddy conditions, sometimes with rain overhead, before you encounter any gorillas. A good physical condition is recommended. For conservation purposes, time spent with gorillas is limited to one hour. A ranger will brief you on how to behave with the gorillas. Overnight will be at your lodge of booking.
Budget: Buhoma community Rest camp / Ruhija Gorilla Friends Camp / Travellers Rest Hotel Kisolo / Gorilla Valley Lodge
Moderate: Gorilla Resort Bwindi /Gorilla Safari Lodge / Silver Back Lodge / Lake Kitandara Camp / Chameleon Hill Lodge / Lake Mutanda Resort.
Meal plan: Full Board Basis
Day 9: Transfer to Mgahinga National Park
You will have an early breakfast and then travel to Mgahinga National Park for golden Monkey tracking. Dinner and overnight will be at your lodge of booking.
Budget: Mount Gahinga Rest Camp or The Travellers Rest
Moderate: Lake Mutanda Resort.
Meal Plan: Full Board Basis
Day 10: Golden Monkey tracking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
After breakfast transfer to the Mgahinga National Park headquarters for briefing and later begin the hike over the volcanic terrain in search for Golden Monkeys in the bamboo forests. Mgahinga National Park shares boarders with Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Virunga National Park in DR Congo. The park is also the most scenic as it stands at three volcanoes of Muhavura, Gahinga and Sabyinyo. Dinner and overnight will be at your lodge of booking.
Budget: Mount Gahinga Rest Camp or The Travellers Rest
Moderate: Lake Mutanda Resort.
Meal Plan: Full Board Basis
Day 11: Transfer to Lake Mburo, Game drive
You will head to Lake Mburo National Park where you will have your lunch and in the evening you will do a game drive where you will have a chance to see a variety of animal species. Dinners and overnight will be at the lodge of your booking
Moderate: Lake Mburo Safari Lodge/ Rakobo Rock
Budget: Eagles Nest Camp
Meal Plan: Full Board Basis
Day 12: Walking safari in Lake Mburo and Boat cruise
Unusually, the whole park is open to walkers as long as they are accompanied by a ranger guide. At Rwonyo, a guided walk leads to a salt lick where many animals are attracted to the salty rocks.
Walks on the western side of the lake begin at 7am and take two hours. At this time of day, you may encounter hyenas returning to their dens and hippos retreating to the lake. Hikes through the woodland provide an opportunity to sight forest birds and mammals, while the walk to the top of the hill rewards visitors with a spectacular view of 9 of the region’s 14 lakes. Later in the afternoon, you will do an afternoon boat cruise in search for different animal species.
Moderate: Lake Mburo Safari Lodge/ Rakobo Rock
Budget: Eagles Nest Camp
Meal Plan: Full Board Basis
Day 13: Transfer Back to Kampala
Early after breakfast, your guide/driver will transfer you back to Kampala to catch up with your flight back home.

About this tour

	Tour type	Custom, tailor-made, private
	Main focus	Primate trekking
	Activity level	Moderate activity
	Best months	All months
	Countries	Uganda
	Parks	Bwindi Impenetrable Kibale Lake Mburo Mgahinga Murchison Falls Queen Elizabeth