Safari overview:
The Uganda 12 Days wildlife Fort night adventure safari will be a memorable trip of a life time; it allows you to explore the remarkable physical endowments of Uganda known to be the Pearl of Africa by Winston Churchill.
This pleasant Adventure is quite unique in that it involves an encounter with the big five (elephant, Rhino, leopard, Buffalo and lion) in Ziwa, Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth National Parks,
an adventurous boat cruise along Nile River and Kazinga Channel with prospective views of the Hippos, Nile Crocodiles and the rare shoebill stork, Golden monkey trekking in Mgahinga gorilla National Park, mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a memorable boat cruise at the source of River Nile- the longest river in the world, Jinja and whole day relaxation with priceless ambiance at lake Bunyonyi known to be the lake of a thousand Islands and the second deepest lake in Africa.
Safari summary:
Day 1: Arrival in Uganda / Entebbe International airport.
Day 2: Murchison Falls National Park, Visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary en route.
Day 3: Game drive & an afternoon boat cruise along the Nile and hike to the top of the falls.
Day 4: Transfer to kibale national park
Day5: Chimpanzee trekking & Bigodi wetland walk.
Day 6: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP & do an afternoon launch cruise along Kazinga Channel.
Day 7: Game drive & transfer to Ishasha sector.
Day 8: Morning game drive in Ishasha and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Day 9: Gorilla trekking. Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi.
Day 11: Boat cruise at Lake Bunyonyi with 29 Islands dubbed the lake of a thousand Islands. Transfer to Lake Mburo national park.
Day 12: Game walking safari & Return to Kampala / Entebbe via the equator line at Kayabwe. Departure.
ITINERARY IN DETAIL:
Day1: Arrival in Uganda.
Arrive through Entebbe international airport, and be received by a professional tour/driver guide who will introduce you to the pearl of Africa and be driven to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay. Accommodation: Lake victoria view guest House
Day2: Transfer from Kampala -Murchison Falls Park via Ziwa Rhino sanctuary.
After breakfast at your accommodation in Kampala, embark on the trip to Murchison Falls National Park in the north of Uganda, a journey of 311km about 5 hours’ drive. You traverse through the undulating hill slopes of Nakasongola before branching off at Nakitoma for 7 km to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary just 176km north of Kampala. Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch is the proud home of the only wild rhinos in Uganda following their extinction and thus offers an unforgettable Rhino tracking experience. Ziwa is the only place where you will be able to see rhinos in the wild.
Presently the sanctuary is home to over twenty (20) southern white Rhinos. The sanctuary has become increasingly popular with tourists; for rhino trekking, bird watching, nature walks and relaxation. After this activity, you will continue on the drive to Murchison Falls National Park for relaxation, dinner and overnight. Accommodation options: Red chill camp.
Day3: Morning game drive & boat cruise along the Nile to the bottom of the falls and hike to top of the falls.
You will wake up very early in the morning to go for a morning game drive where you will have a chance to spot early risers and nocturnal species before they return to their hideouts. This is the most beautiful national park in Uganda and this is because it hosts 4/5 of the big 5 animals and also it also home to one of the most beautiful and powerful falls in the world so far.
Traverse the rolling plains of Uganda’s largest National Park before returning later to the lodge for breakfast. The 3,893 sq. km park is home to a range of animals, and you will have a chance of viewing some of the Park’s residents including lions, giraffes, Jackson’s hartebeests, antelopes, buffalo, and elephants.
For the birders, you will enjoy a cock tail of them as these areas support the secretary bird and the black chested snake eagle, to name a few.
In the afternoon, go for a boat trip to the base of Murchison Falls, where the Nile thunders through a small 7 meter gorge plunging 43 meters into the Nile on the way to Lake Albert. Lots of bird diversity can be spotted and numerous animals resting and drinking water along the banks of the Nile. The most common ones being hippos, buffaloes, Nile crocodiles and birds include, the African fish eagle, Yellow billed stork, Egyptian goose, Egrets, Malachite kingfisher among others. The launch cruise will take you close to the falls’ base where you will be shown the spot where Ernest Hemingway’s plane crashed during sightseeing tour to Murchison falls in 1954.
You can then get off the boat and go hiking up the side of the falls to the top.
After the cruise, you will drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation options: RedChill
Day4: Game drive Transfer to Hoima. Visit Kibiro Salt Gardens en route.
After breakfast, embark on a boat ride to look out for what you might missed on the previous day. Retreat from this activity and transfer to Hoima for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Accommodation options: Kontiki Hotel
Day5: Transfer to Kibale National Park.After breakfast, embark on the transfer to Kibale national park known as primate capital of the world.about 5-7 hours’ drive traversing the rural sceneries and traditional homesteads of Kagadi district where you visit tea plantatios if time allows reaching at the lodge in the late noon for relaxation dinner and overnight.
Accommodation options: Rwetera safari park
Day6: Morning Chimpanzee trekking & Bigodi wetland walk.
After an early breakfast, drive to Kanyanchu, Kibale Park Headquarters, by 8.00a.m for chimpanzee pre-trekking briefing by the park staff. The Chimpanzee trekking experience tends to last 2 – 5 hours and including one hour of direct encounter with these amazing creatures.
In addition to chimps, Kibale forest is home to other primates including the red-tailed and grey-cheeked Mangabey, Phoestes, blue and red-Colobuses. There are many beautiful birds’ species, butterflies and many small insects as well.
A visit to Bigodi swamp ecotourism site, given its astounding flora and fauna, will be worth it too. The swamp has numerous populations of birds, a wide range of over 138 different species of birds including the Great Blue Turaco, and swamp animals like Sitatunga antelope. Retreat from this as activity and return to the lodge for relaxation dinner and overnight.
Accommodation options: Rwetera safari park
Day6: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP & launch cruise along Kazinga Channel.
After breakfast, undertake a trip to Queen Elizabeth National Park in the south of Kibale, a journey of 157km about 3 hours’ drive. Traverse through the magnificent plain landscapes of Kasese and Rwenzori Mountains before making a stopover at Rwenzori art foundation to have an experience with the sculpture making process. The Rwenzori Art foundation is the single bronze casting center in the entire continent of Africa.
Proceed on the trip to Queen Elizabeth National Park for an afternoon boat cruise along the 45km long Kazinga Channel. The Kazinga Channel which stretches to 45km in length at one time had much concentration of Hippopotamus population in the region until the management decided to carry out culling in 1960s.
You enjoy the wide views of the Nile crocodiles and other wild game quenching their thirst on the waters of Kazinga channel and flocking its shores on a hot day.
Retreat from the 2 hour activity; engage in an afternoon game drive along the channel track as you head to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Accommodation at Bumba safari cottages.
Day7: Morning game drive & transfer to Ishasha sector
After a morning cup of African coffee, engage in an early game drive in the undulating savannah plains of Queen Elizabeth National Park and the extensive Kasenyi tracks to explore the park’s unique scenery marked with numerous herds of wildlife including lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, water bucks, jackals and flocks of unfamiliar bird species.
The game drive normally lasts for 3 – 4 hours after which you return to the lodge for relaxation and lunch before you transfer to Ishasha sector for a short evening game drive as you head to the lodge.
Accommodation: Topi lodge
Day9: Do morning game drive in Ishasha sector and Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
After breakfast, before you embark on the trip to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in south western part of Uganda. You undertake a game drive in this part of park searching for the tree climbing lions.
Ishasha sector is well endowed with the infamous climbing lions together with other wild game that dwell in this woodland part of the park. The tree climbing lions prefer to lie flat on fig tree branches in the mid-morning sun while waiting for their prey. After this encounter, proceed on the drive to Bwindi arriving in the evening for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Rushaga gorilla camp
Day10: Gorilla trekking & transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
After an early breakfast, you will take a packed lunch, have a briefing by the game guides at the park headquarters and start your gorilla trail. Hiking through the thick, verdant, rainforest to eventually come across the gorillas in their natural habitat, is an amazing and unforgettable experience. This encounter takes between 2 to 9 hours and is the highlight of an Africa exploration safari. You will only have 1 hour of close contact with these calm gentle apes, take pictures and get acquainted to them.
You are free to shoot as many photos as you desire before you retreat from the activity to return to the starting point. After this encounter, transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for relaxation and overnight stay.
Accommodation options: Bunyonyi Overland resort.
Day11: Visit the islands on Lake Bunyonyi, and transfer to Lake Mburo N/Park.
After a relaxed breakfast, you will undertake a tour on Lake Bunyonyi, spending the entire day at Uganda’s deepest lake,dubbed the lake of a thousand Islands. You explore the attractive landscapes of the lake and impressive relief of Kigezi region. Reach out to some of its 29 Virgin Islands amidst the pleasantly undulating hills of Kigezi.
After this, embark on the trip to Lake Mburo National Park, a journey of 199km about 4 – 5 hours’ drive traversing the impressive plain lands in the countryside of south western Uganda before getting to Igongo Cultural Center 12km past Mbarara town for a traditional sumptuous lunch.
Proceed through Nshara gate and continue for a distance of 33km to Lake Mburo National Park for an evening game drive activity exploring the park’s savannah low lands with impressive faunal and floral species. Retire for dinner and overnight. Accommodation: Eagles Nest.
Day12: Morning game walking safari & Transfer to Kampala with a stop at Uganda Equator crossing Kayabwe. Departure.
After breakfast, embark on a fascinating game walking safari after the sunrise to explore the magnificent savannah acacia landscapes with gentle rolling hills marked with the extrusive Kopje rocks and other ancient Precambrian rocks that have existed in that locality for the past 500 million years.
The animals which can be encountered include; Impala antelope which only exists in this small but rich national park, Lake Mburo National park, Burchell’s Zebra, Rothschild Giraffes, Topis, water bucks, warthogs, among other wildlife.
Later, undertake the transfer back to Kampala after breakfast, a journey of about 240km, approximately 4 hours’ drive. You will make a stop at Uganda Equator crossing Kayabwe for an amazing photo session for memories. Depart in the evening through Entebbe international airport.
