Our 15 Days Uganda Primate Tracking Safari is designed for those who have enough time to explore and discover in Uganda. This Uganda safari gives you an opportunity of trekking chimps in their natural habitat of Budongo Forest, Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park and Kibale Forest National Park. Enquire Now It also provides you a chance to visit three Savannah National Parks for game drives and boat cruises. Enjoy two boat cruises in Murchison Falls National Park, one boat cruise on Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Lake Mburo National Park and finally at canoeing ride in Lake Bunyonyi. These three Savannah National parks included here offer the best of game drives with chances of spotting thousands of antelopes, hippos, elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards and so much more.
Detailed Itinerary.
Day 1: Arrival – Transfer To Budongo Forest
A Gorilla Adventure Tours safari guide will pick you from your hotel or place of residence in Kampala, brief you about the safari and take you on a drive to Murchison Falls National Park with en-route stop over at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to track endangered white and black rhinos that are being restocked in the sanctuary, then proceed to Masindi for lunch and after drive to Budongo Forest which is located in Murchison Falls National Park Conservation area. Arrive at the lodge for dinner and overnight stay. This marks the start of the 15 Days Uganda Primate Tracking Safari.
Meal Plan: (Lunch and Dinner).
Accommodation: Budongo Eco Lodge.
Day 2: Budongo Chimpanzee Trekking – Top of the Falls Visit
Begin your day with morning breakfast, then walk to the forest headquarters for briefing about chimpanzee trekking Dos and Don’ts and thereafter start your primate walk in Budongo Forest guided by well-trained ranger guides. Your walk will expose you to other primates, birds and different plant species in the forest and once you get into close proximity of the chimpanzees, you will be allowed one hour of observation and photography, then return to thr lodge for lunch.
After lunch your driver will drive you to the top of the Murchison Falls to observe how water squeezes itself in a narrow gorge of 7 meters and explodes downstream. Proceed to the lodge in Murchison Falls National Park where you will relax as you prepare for next day’s activities.
Meal Plan: (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner).
Accommodation: Paraa Safari Lodge (High End), Murchison River Lodge (Mid Range), Red Chili (Budget).
Day 3: Morning Game Drive – Afternoon Boat Cruise on the Nile
Begin your day with a cup of coffee, after which your driver guide will pick you up for a morning game drive where you will have an opportunity to spot several antelopes, hippos, buffaloes, giraffes, buffaloes, and if luck, big cats such as leopards and lions and then return to the lodge for lunch.
In the afternoon, you will enjoy a boat cruise to the base of the falls. On your way from the jetty point to the bottom of the falls, you will spot several herds of buffaloes, crocodiles, hippos, water bird species and other wild animals as they flock River Nile to drink water. Continue upstream to the base of the falls to observe how water squeezes in a narrow gorge of 7 meters, later on drive back to lodge.
Meal Plan: (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner).
Accommodation: Paraa Safari Lodge (High End), Murchison River Lodge (Mid Range), Red Chili (Budget).
Day 4: Hot Air Balloon Safari – Late Afternoon Delta Cruise
After an early breakfast, your tour guide will pick you up to start your Hot Air Balloon safari on the Paraa side of Murchison Falls National Park. It’s at Paraa Lodge that all will assemble to start your journey to the starting point of your balloon ride. You, the pilots and the whole crew will be transported to the starting point of your hot air balloon safari. As the Balloon is being assembled, you will be offered a cup of tea or coffee. Once this is done, the pilot will give you a short briefing, get on board and start your hot air balloon safari. Imagine the experience of observing all these animals the beautiful rivers, trees and the sun rising some meters above. This whole experience may take about one hour exploring Murchison Falls National Park. After landing, you will be given certificates and those that will have paid a full hot air balloon package will be treated to a full bush breakfast. Transfer to your Lodge for relaxation, lunch and an afternoon boat cruise on the Albert delta where there is a lot of action and activity. Depending on your luck, you may find elephants, buffaloes and hippos crossing, crocodiles as well as chances of spotting the rare shoebill stock.
Meal Plan: (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner).
Accommodation: Paraa Safari Lodge (High End), Murchison River Lodge (Mid Range), Red Chili (Budget).
Day 5: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park.
In the morning after breakfast, you will embark on a longer drive to Kibale National Park making some stopovers for lunch along the way and as well catching up some bird species.
Meal Plan: (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner).
Accommodation: Kyaninga Lodge (High End), Primate Lodge (Mid Range), Kibale Guest House (Budget).
Day 6: Chimpanzee Trekking – Bigodi Wetland Walk
After breakfast, you will be transferred to Kibale National Park headquarters at Kanyakyu to join other trekkers for briefing and eventual chimpanzee trekking. Your game ranger guide will take you for a guided primate walk inside Kibale Forest National Park. This forest provides an opportunity to visit one of the habituated communities/part of chimpanzees and spend an hour with them observing and taking photographs. Kibale National Park is home to other 13 primate species coupled with forest birds. After your chimpanzee trek, you will drive to Bigodi Village for a wetland walk that was designed to benefit the local community living around Kibale Forest National Park.
Meal Plan: (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner).
Accommodation: Kyaninga Lodge (High End), Primate Lodge (Mid Range), Kibale Guest House (Budget).
Day 7: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
After morning breakfast, you will embark on a drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. You will have an opportunity of passing through small towns, seeing several foothills of Mountain Rwenzori, small rivers that originate from Rwenzori mountain ranges as well as crossing the equator at Kikorongo. Check in at the lodge, relax as you prepare for a late afternoon game drive in Mweya. This section of Queen Elizabeth National Park is endowed with Antelopes, Buffaloes, Warthogs, elephants and many other wild animals including lions and leopards.
Meal Plan: (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner).
Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge (High End), Enganzi Lodge (Mid Range).
Day 8: Game Drive – Boat Cruise along Kazinga Channel
After an early morning cup of tea, you will drive back to Kasenyi plains for a game drive to catch up with what you could have missed out on your earlier game drive. During this morning game drive you will be lucky enough to observe the big cats are out hunting for their prey and as such chances of spotting lions and or leopards are slightly high, other mammals include buffaloes, hippos, several species of antelopes, and many others. Return to the lodge for lunch. In afternoon, drive directly to Mweya jetty for an afternoon boat cruise on Kazinga Channel. This two hour boat cruise is one of the highlights in Queen Elizabeth National Park. It provides you an opportunity to view over 300 out of the 600 water bird species recorded here, antelopes, crocodiles, elephants, buffaloes and hippos.
Meal Plan: (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner).
Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge (High End), Enganzi Lodge (Mid Range).
Day 9: Chimpanzee Trekking at Kyambura George – Katwe Salt Mines
After breakfast, you will be driven to Kyambura George to join other trekkers for briefing and their after start your chimpanzee walk in the gorge. The ranger guide will help you identify several flora and fauna resident in this gorge and once you find a community of chimpanzees, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them for photography. Return from the trek for lunch and relaxation at the lodge.
In the afternoon, you will visit Lake Katwe salt mines. Lake Katwe is an explosive crater which is gifted with salt and it’s the local community that mines/extracts salt from this lake. The local community guide will take you for a tour around the salt mines explaining how salt extraction is done, challenges faced and opportunities available. Lake Katwe salt extraction project is one of the live examples supporting Queen Elizabeth National Park one of the conservation areas in the whole world where man is sustainably co-existing harmoniously with wildlife.
Meal Plan: (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner).
Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge (High End), Enganzi Lodge (Mid Range).
Day 10: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
After breakfast, you will drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park located in south western Uganda. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to almost half of the world’s endangered mountain gorillas and the only National Park where wild chimpanzees co-exist with mountain gorillas. Your journey to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park will take you through rolling hills with terraced gardens of Irish potatoes and Kayonza tea plantation.
Meal Plan: (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner).
Accommodation: Buhoma Lodge (High End), Silver Back Lodge (Mid Range) and Buhoma Community Bandas (Budget).
Day 11: Gorilla Tracking – Village Walk
After an early morning breakfast, you will transfer to the Park headquarters for briefing about the gorilla tracking activity while with the gorillas, then after you will be taken to the starting point of your allocated gorilla family to start your trek into the impenetrable Bwindi Forest. This trek may take from 30 minutes to three quarters of the day depending on where mountain gorillas will be. Thus gorilla trekking can be strenuous and as such a certain level of fitness is required. Once you find the gorillas, the experience will be worth it and you will be allowed one hour of observation and photography. You will then return to the park headquarters where you will be awarded a certificate in recognition of your effort of helping to conserve the endangered mountain gorillas. Return to the lodge for relaxation and then back for a village walk to learn more about the local people living around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Meal Plan: (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner).
Accommodation: Buhoma Lodge (High End), Silver Back Lodge (Mid Range) and Buhoma Community Bandas (Budget).
Day 12: Transfer To Lake Bunyonyi.
Drive from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to Lake Bunyonyi in Kabale District. Lake Bunyonyi is one of the Lava damned lakes which was formed when lava flowing from one of the volcanoes blocked a river channel and water was forced to flow back hence filling the space to create lake Bunyonyi. Bunyonyi locally means small birds due to the abundance of small birds in this area. Lake Bunyonyi is said to be the deepest lake in Uganda and second deepest in East Africa.
Meal Plan: (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner).
Accommodation: Bunyonyi Overland Resort, Bunyonyi Rock Resort, Bird Nest.
Day 13: Canoeing or Hiking
After breakfast, you are free to admire the beauty of the lake and its surrounding hills. You will have a choice of either taking a canoe ride on the lake to explore different island with exciting history. You will for example visit the Punishment Island where girls who would produce babies out of legitimate tradition marriage would be dumped and left to die. This is a whole day activity and you will surely enjoy it. Alternatively, you can hike one of the hills around Lake Bunyonyi.
Meal Plan: (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner).
Accommodation: Bunyonyi Overland Resort, Bunyonyi Rock Resort, Bird Nest.
Day 14: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park.
After breakfast, drive to Lake Mburo National Park via Great lakes museum or Igongo Cultural Center to learn more about the cultures of ethnic groups in western Uganda. Lunch will be served en route. Arrive at Lake Mburo National Park for a boat cruise on the Lake followed by an evening game drive. Lake Mburo National Park is popular for animals such as impalas, Giraffes, Zebras and so much more. Return to the lodge for overnight.
Meal Plan: (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner).
Accommodation: Mihingo Safari Lodge (High End), Lake Mburo Safari Lodge (Mid Range).
Day 15: Drive to Entebbe International Airport.
After breakfast, you will start your journey to Entebbe International Airport with a stop at the Equator crossing for photography and here you can purchase a souvenir to take with you back home.
Meal Plan: (Breakfast and Lunch).
End of the 15 Days Uganda Primate Tracking Safari.
The 15 Days Uganda Primate Tracking Safari includes;
- All airport transfers.
- Kibale Chimpanzee permit.
- Transport by Safari vehicle.
- Services of an English speaking guide.
- Fuel for entire trip.
- Drinking water in the vehicle.
- Boat cruises.
- Canoeing.
- Game drives.
- Community visit.
- Hot Air Balloon safaris.
- Ziwa Rhino.
- Park entry fees.
However, the 15 Days Uganda Primate Tracking Safari excludes;
The package excludes expenses of personal nature like Airfare, Visa, drinks, laundry, tips to local guides, telephone, porter fee while trekking, personal insurance, and personal shopping bills.