The 9 Days Uganda Big 5, Gorillas and Chimpanzee Safari is an expereince packed holiday adventure of a lifetime across Uganda’s best safari circuit boasting a diversity of natural beauty and cultural heritage. On this private tour, you will explore on foot, for up-close encounters with the endangered mountain gorillas and chimpanzee in their rainforest homes, follow a group of rhinos as they feed on foot and in the comfort of your game drive vehicle, come up-close to a variety of other iconic African Wildlife. Read on below in the detailed itinerary for highlights and activities.
Safari Overview and Highlights
The 9 Days Uganda Big 5, Gorillas and Chimpanzee Safari begins with a guided nature walk at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary where you will follow a grazing group of rhinos as they forage across their natural habitat. Coming into Murchison Falls NP, you will take a boat cruise to view the famous Murchison Falls formed as the Victoria Nile crushes through a narrow crack in the escarpment wall to create the world’s most powerful waterfalls. Across the palm dotted savannas of Murchison Falls NP, you will take well paced game drives for chances to encounter the Big 5 member and a wide range of other game. Following the escarpment wall southwards into the Kibale Forest NP named the “Primate’s capital of Africa” because of the dense populations of various primate species, you will trek along the chimpanzee to observe its human-like attributes and social structure within its natural habitat.
In Queen Elizabeth NP, we will extend our wildlife expereince along a boat cruise Kazinga Channel popular for its dense populations of hippo, crocodile and excellent birdlife. Coming into the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth NP (QENP), we will explore for the notorious tree climbing lions as the rest up in the figs plus look out for herds of Topi, Kob and various birdlife. Finally, we track the gentle mountain gorillas in the impenetrable ancient rainforest of Bwindi where over half of world population of these apes thrive.
We will wrap us the safari with a cultural experience with Ankole Royal Long-horned cow hands-on milking, ghee-making and a sneak peek into the rich culture of the Bahiima pastoralists.
9 Days Uganda Big 5, Gorillas and Chimpanzee Safari – Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Walk with Rhinos, view the Top of Murchison Falls in Murchison Falls NP
This morning, your guide will meet you at your lodge, brief you on the safari. Thereafter, you will drive on north-west of Kampala stopping only for health stops and at colourful fruit markets and have a taste of Uganda’s fruit. Arriving at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, the only place in Uganda that host rhinos, will meet up ranger guides and after a short safety briefing, embark on a 1-2 hrs guided walk to follow a family of rhinos as they forage, learning about their habits and importance to the entire ecosystem. the sanctuary’s other residents include the newly introduced giraffes, Kob, bushbuck and a quality list of birds. After a hot lunch break, we will continue on into the Murchison Falls NP entering from its southern gate, driving through the magnificent Budongo Forest known for diversity of primates including Chimps. We will take a diversion to view the magnificent Murchison Falls then driving through the game stocked savanna grasslands on the Northern Nile banks heading to our accommodation facility located in the park. Accommodation: Pakuba Safari Lodge, FB
Day 2: Game drives and Boat Cruise in Murchison Falls NP
We set off early after breakfast today for a game drive through the flat grasslands landscape that’s dotted with Borassus palms, acacia woodland and dry scrub overlooking the Nile Delta and L. Albert. A host of mammals occur including the biggest populations of Nubian Giraffe, but Buffalo herds, Elephant, beautiful Jackson’s Hartebeest, Oribi, Defassa Waterbuck, Common Warthog, Bush Duiker, Kob and the terrestrial Patas Monkey are encountered. Healthy Prides of Lions tame the herbivores, Hyenas and the elusive Leopards are also encountered. The marshes at the delta and Nile hosts schools of Hippo, and Crocodile.
For birdlife Murchison falls team with a great checklist including, African White-backed, Lappet-faced Vultures, giant Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Martial Eagle, Shoebill and a wide range of woodland species. After a hot lunch, we take a 2-hour boat cruise upstream the Nile to behold the magnificent Murchison falls where the Nile forces its way through the 6m escarpment crack, roaring through a 40m canyon before calming down towards L. Albert.
On the Nile banks, a host of wildlife is encountered including Nile crocodile, Nile monitor and elephants. You will disembark from the boat several meters from the falls and take a hike to the top of the falls to appreciate the epic force of this world’s wonder. Driver will be waiting for you at the top of the falls to transfer to your hotel. Accommodation. Pakuba Safari lodge
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale National Park
After breakfast we will have a short-game drive through the park as we transfer to Kibale National Park. Our drive will take us along the rift-valley floor and on the rim of escarpment with great views of L. Albert, several sugarcane farms and forest patches teaming with several primates. The fertile region is dotted with inselbergs, papyrus valleys and is also the biggest Tea growing area. We will make several rests stops and lunch break. Accommodation: Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse. Drive time: 7 hours
Day 4: Chimpanzee Trekking and Bigodi Swamp Walk
Early this morning we will check in at Kibale NP’s Visitors Centre, where rangers will take you through a short briefing on the Chimpanzee tracking activity and Kibale NP in general. The 3-4hour daily tracking activity is led by ranger guides to several habituated Chimp communities scattered in the forest where on locating the groups you take One-hour to learn about their social behavior, see them interact, feed, play and communicate within themselves.
The 760km2 tropical forest of Kibale is a home to 13 species of Primates making it the densest primate forest in Africa, a healthy population of the recent split Uganda Red-Colobus, Red-tailed, Blue, L’hoest and Guereza Monkeys, Olive Baboon and Grey-Cheeked Mangabey occur. The forest floor hosts variety of butterflies, Trees and Birds. After a hot lunch we will further explore the Bigodi Wetland to see more primates, visit various community coffee farms and humble homesteads o learn more about culture and local tradition. Accommodation: Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse, FB
Day 5: Queen Elizabeth NP, Boat Cruise on Kazinga Channel
This morning we will take a drive through the crater field of Ndali-Kasenda, a volcanic epicenter dotted with sparkling crater lakes as we transfer further south in the rift valley. After lunch we will drive through Queen Elizabeth National Park for an afternoon Boat ride on the historical Kazinga Channel famous for its big concentrations of Hippos, Birdlife and other wildlife.
A two-hour cruise takes from the jetty to the mouth of L. Edward, bringing you close to a varied wildlife on the channel banks. Kazinga channel which is a 40km long connects L. George further north and L. Edward and a great water source for wildlife and avian life. After the boat we will have an evening game drive for chances to see Kob, Buffalo and lion in the col of the evening. Accommodation: Twins Lake Lodge. Drive time: 3hrs
Day 6: Climbing Lions Game at Ishasha QENP
This morning we transfer early to Ishasha Sector of Queen Elizabeth Np, famous for climbing Lions that are fond of lodging up in the Fig-trees in the heat of the day. But the golden grasslands team with herds of Kob, Topi and Elephants. Buffalo and a host of birds are encountered within the woodlands of this rich sector. We will have a picnic lunch break at the Ishasha river in the company of hippos before we drive through and exiting to connect to Buhoma at the edge of Bwindi impenetrable forest. Accommodation: Bwindi Community Rest Camp. Drive time 4hrs
Day 7: Mountain Gorilla Trekking Experience
On this gorilla trekking day, you will be transferred early to the visitors briefing centre Bwindi to meet up rangers for the expereince. After briefing, you will be placed into small groups of 8 visitors and led by a ranger guide to trek to a particular gorilla family. On a trailhead, you will pick walking sticks, and if necessary hire a porter to carry your backpack. The trek experience will head out to a designated gorilla family home range exposing you to the rich interior of this ancient forest that hosts endemic birds, variety of tree species, various vegetational eco-zones and primates. on locating the gorillas, you will be allowed a full-one hour to observe, capture moments and watch the interaction of this endangered apes with its rainforest habitat.
The mountain gorilla trekking experience requires average fitness given the high-altitude and terrain of gorilla habitats. The activity duration varies from range of the gorilla family, day’s weather but anywhere between 4-6 hours is usual. Accommodation: Buhoma Community Rest Camp
Day 8: Transfer and Short game drive at L. Mburo
After a late breakfast we transfer to Lake Mburo National Park, having a lunch stop break. We will have an evening drive towards our accommodation. Accommodation: Rwakobo Rock Lodge. Drive time: 5 hours
Day 9: Cultural Experience with Ankole Cows and transfer to Entebbe
This morning we will set out early to have a cultural walk with the typical Ankole Long-horned cows, engage in milking and local ghee making, thereafter have hot lunch as we transfer to Entebbe. Accommodation: Boma Lodge, if the freight is late that night or morning. Drive time: 5 hours
9 Days Uganda Big 5, Gorillas and Chimpanzee Safari Includes
- Gorilla and Chimpanzee tracking permits
- Rhino tracking fees
- All park entrance fees
- Boat cruise and Ferry crossing fees
- Bigodi Swamp fees
- Ankole Long-horned Cow center fees
- A 4WD Car and Driver/guide
- Bottled mineral water
- Accommodations and meals as mentioned
9 Days Uganda Big 5, Gorillas and Chimpanzee Safari Excludes
- Flight tickets to and from Uganda
- Other drinks and meals not mentioned
- Other activities other than indicated
- Travel insurance