UGANDA GORILLA & WILDLIFE SAFARI

The Best Gorilla Safaris in Uganda

Uganda is famous for The Mountain Gorillas of Bwindi and The Chimpanzees of Kibale no other country has two of the 3 great apes within their borders. The Source of the Nile in Jinja, Tree Climbing Lions in Ishasha, Murchison Falls, Hippos in the Kazinga Channel, the remote beauty of Kidepo and Lake Victoria itself all culminate to make Uganda an incredible place to visit. However, we are sure that despite all those breathtaking attractions it is The People of Uganda that make this country the wonderful destination that it is.

This 8 Day Uganda Group Gorilla Trekking Safari will get you even closer to the action whilst on safari. You will not find a more comprehensive safari that lasts 8 Days anywhere else!

UGANDA GORILLA & WILDLIFE SAFARI

8 DAYS FROM USD $2,221Per person sharing Group

This 8 Day Uganda Group Gorilla Trekking Safari will get you even closer to the action whilst on safari. You will not find a more comprehensive safari that lasts 8 Days anywhere else!

DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe

Welcome to Uganda! On arrival, you will be met at the Airport by a Let’s Go Travel representative who will escort you to your safari vehicle and will introduce you to your Driver who will also be your Guide. The first stop will be a short drive to your accommodation where you will be able to relax and contemplate the adventure that lies ahead.

Day 2: Entebbe - Lake Mburo National Park

Your Ugandan safari adventure begins in earnest with a trip to Lake Mburo National Park. You will head west on a scenic drive towards the heartland of the Ankole Kingdom. There will be lunch en route and you will arrive at the lodge in time for an afternoon boat cruise on Lake Mburo. This is one of the best ways to see the diverse wildlife that the Park has. After the boat ride, you will head back to the lodge for a relaxing evening and dinner.

Day 3: Lake Mburo National Park - Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

The day will begin with an early morning game drive. The park has a variety of wildlife that almost contradicts its small size in comparison to the other parks in Uganda. These include leopards, Eland and Rothschild’s giraffe which have recently been reintroduced. However, the highlights of the park have to be the Burchell’s zebra and eland which are only found in two National Parks in Uganda. After breakfast, the safari will continue to westwards towards Bwindi leaving the Ankole Kingdom, heading towards Bwindi and the Kigezi Kingdom, home of the remarkable mountain gorillas.

Day 4: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park - Gorilla Trekking

Gorilla Trekking requires an early start that will see you transfer to the Park Headquarters for a briefing with the Uganda Wildlife Authority guides. Locating the Gorillas can take a few hours or the whole day depending on how far they have moved from the place they spent the previous night. For conservation purposes, the amount of time allowed with the Gorillas is 1 hour. As you trek through the forest you will appreciate why the forest is called impenetrable. There is also a multitude of other animals that you might encounter including antelopes and rare monkeys not to mention the beauty of the forest itself. Once you have completed the trek you will return to the lodge, for a well-earned rest and time to reflect on a truly magical experience.

At Let’s Go Travel we try and support the communities that we interact with as part of the business we run, with a view to minimising the impact we have on communities as well as ensuring that they too benefit from our operations. One such community in the Buhoma area of Bwindi is called Ride 4 a Woman. You will get to visit these incredible women and learn more about their story

Day 5: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park - Queen Elizabeth National Park

With your Gorilla Trekking experience still fresh in your memory it will be time to head north to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The landscape changes as you move away from the thick forest into the open savannah lands. You will begin to notice the traditional home steds and farms that characterise this area. Entry to the Park will be via its southern sector also known as the Ishasha sector. This area is famous for its tree climbing lions and this will be your opportunity to try and find them after you have had lunch at the lodge with the entire afternoon dedicated to looking for them. After which you will return to the lodge for a relaxing evening and dinner.

Day 6: Queen Elizabeth National Park

An early morning game drive will give you another chance to find the tree climbing lions. This will be followed by breakfast and continuing the safari northwards. You will arrive at the lodge around lunchtime after which it will be time for your boat cruise on the Kazinga Chanel, one of the highlights of visiting Queen Elizabeth National Park. The boat ride is a round trip beginning at the Mweya Peninsula and lasting around 3 hours. The Channel is a 32-kilometre long natural channel that links Lake Edward and Lake George. The channel has one of the world’s largest concentration of hippos, numerous Nile crocodiles, buffalo, elephants and a whole host of birds. including African fish eagles, kingfishers, Herons, storks and skimmers. After the boat ride, there will be just enough time to visit The Kataara Women’s Poverty Alleviation Group a women-led social enterprise in the area before returning to the lodge for a relaxing evening and dinner.

Day 7: Queen Elizabeth National Park - Kibale Forest National Park

With the anticipation of your Chimpanzee Trek, the safari will head further north into the Kibale Forest region. You leave the Rwenzururu Kingdom and journey into the heart of the Tooro Kingdom towards the principal city Fort Portal. Look out for the King of Tooro’s grand palace on top of the largest hill in the area.

The Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary is a part of the Magombe Swamp just south of Kibale National Park. A visit to the sanctuary enables you to see rare mammals and birds, like the webbed feet sitatunga as the great blue turaco call this place home. However, if you aren’t lucky enough to see them there are still plenty of other animals, including bush pigs, black and white colobus monkeys and over 200 species of birds that inhabit the swamp. The Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary is a community-based programme that supports local residents and encourages a healthy link between tourism and the community it affects.

Day 8: Kibale Forest National Park ( Chimpanzee Trekking ) - Entebbe

Your Chimpanzee Trekking experience has finally arrived! It begins at the Uganda Wildlife Authority HQ at Kayanchu Gate where your trekking group will head into the forest with a guide after a short briefing. About 1 hour before your group sets off an advance party of guides will have entered the forest to locate where the Chimpanzees spent the night. Once located the advance party send a radio message back to your trekking group so that you can navigate through the forest.

During the trek, you will also get to see the different birds, animals and plant species within the forest. Once you locate the Chimpanzees you can only spend one hour with them this ensures that the Chimpanzees don’t become accustomed to human contact.

After an exhilarating experience with the chimpanzees you will begin your return trip to Entebbe. The journey will see you leave the Kiblale Forest National Park in the Tooro Kingdom and head eastwards back to the Buganda Kingdom. The relaxing ride back to Entebbe will allow you to reminisce about the amazing time you have spent in Uganda and all the wonderful experiences you have had.

Lunch en-route

As your time in Uganda has come to an end, we truly hope you have had a memorable experience that you will remember for many years to come. Have a safe onward journey and we hope that Uganda will always be close to your hearts!

Included in the price:

Transfers and transportation in a 4x4 Safari Vehicle with an English-speaking driver guide ( Land cruiser)
Park entrance fees
1 x Chimpanzee tracking Kibale forest (USD 150 per person)
1 x Gorilla Trekking Bwindi Forest (USD 600 per person)
Game drives
Boat cruise on Kazinga Channel
Bigodi swamp walk
Accommodation as stated above or similar depending on availability at the time of booking Meals as stated above
1 liter of drinking water per person per day in the vehicle.

Not included:

Optional activities and activities not mentioned in above
Tips
Personal expenses
Drinks
International Airfare
Visas to Uganda
Travel insurance

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