UGANDA WILDLIFE & GORILLA TREKKING
Start/End: Kampala
Duration: 14 Days
Activity: Rhino tracking, Game Drive, Boat Cruise, Chimpanzee tracking, Bird watching, Night game Drive, Village Walk.
Destinations: Murchison falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Lake Albert, L. Bunyonyi, L. Mburo, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
Description:
This 14 day Uganda Wildlife & Gorilla Trekking Safari is phenomenal and specific for lovers of Wildlife, Nature, Birds, Gorillas… name it. The Safari takes you around six amazing National parks, a Rhino Sanctuary, the second deepest Lake in Africa and home to countless Bird species, to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a UNESCO designated Heritage site and home for the endemic Mountain Gorillas in Uganda ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bwindi_Impenetrable_National_Park ).
wow, on this trip you will certainly not miss out on the BIG FIVE i.e. The Rhinoceros, Lions, Leopards, Elephants, and the Buffaloes. You will see several primates including man’s closet relative-Chimpanzee, the Shoe-bill stork, the ree climbing Lions, the equator crossing and above all, you will trekking and stand face to face with the humongous and gentle Mountain Gorilla in the dense Forest of Bwindi.
It is a fact that this Uganda Wildlife & Gorilla Trekking Safari will paint the picture and also display bare to you why Sir. Winston Churchill referred to her (Uganda) as the true pearl of Africa (http://pearlofafrica.tv/the-pearl-of-africa/)!
Welcome to tour the bigger part of Uganda’s wildlife and Bird Habitat in 14 Days with RAK SAFARIS ( http://raksafaris.com/about-us/)
Safari Summary
- Day 01: Transfer to Murchison Falls and visit to Zziwa rhino sanctuary
- Day 02: Game Drive and Boat cruise at Murchison Falls
- Day 3: Transfer to fort portal
- Day 4: Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest NP + Bigodi wetland walk
- Day 5: Amabere caves, transfer to Semliki + night game drive
- Day 6: Hot springs visit and shoe-bill Stork boat ride on Lake Albert
- Day 7: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park and evening game drive
- Day 8: Game drive and launch cruise on Kazinga channel
- Day 9: Transfer to Bwindi
- Day 10: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi forest
- Day 11&12: Drive to Lake Bunyonyi, visit home of Edirisa and Batwa pygmy village
- Day 13: Transfer to Lake Mburo national park
- Day 14: Salt lick and transfer to Kampala
14 DAYS UGANDA WILDLIFE & GORILLA TREKKING SAFARI
DAY 01: TRANSFER TO MURCHISON FALLS VIA ZIWA RHINO SANCTUARY
After breakfast, meet and greet with Driver/Guide at your Hotel in Kampala and drive through Luweero District. You will make a brief stopover at Nakasongola Zziwa rhino sanctuary for Rhino tracking and may see the Shoe-bill Stork. This may take about two hours, have lunch proceed to Murchison falls National Park where you will reside at your choice lodge.
DAY 02: GAME DRIVE & BOAT CRUISE AT MURCHISON FALLS NP
Pre-breakfast Game Drive to spot early risers after which you will return to your lodge for breakfast and later lunch. Board the afternoon Launch Cruise to the bottom of the falls. You may see elephants, crocodiles, hippos, and water birds like the kingfisher, shoe bill, waterbucks and many more. Overnight at lodge in the park
DAY 03: TRANSFER TO KIBALE FOREST NATIONAL PARK
This day is reserved for your drive to Kibale forest National park. The drive will take you a better part of the day arriving late evening with a stopover for lunch en’route. Dinner and overnight in Fort portal at choice hotel or lodge
DAY 04: CHIMPANZEE TRACKING IN KIBALE FOREST NP + BIGODI WETLAND WALK
Report to the park headquarters for debrief after breakfast at your lodge. You will then be allocated a guide and go in search of Chimpanzees. You will see Chimpanzees in their natural habitat and lots of forest specialists. You will also see other primates like the black and white colobus, vervet monkey and many more. After lunch visit the Bigodi wetland a birder’s paradise, while here you will also see several primates. Dinner and overnight in fort portal at choice hotel or lodge
DAY 05: AMABERE CAVES+ SPOTLIT NIGHT GAME DRIVE
After breakfast,
Drive to the Fortportal crater lakes area. You will see breast like features, hanging on the roof of the cave with whitish milk like substance tickling out – This is a result of a ‘chemical reaction between water and calcium carbonate’ in the course of years forming stalactites and stalagmites. The combination causes the dripping of milk like substance similar to breast milk hence the name of Amabere ga Nyina Mwiru a local word for breasts of Nyinamwiru.
According to an oracle; Nyinamwiru daughter to king Bukuku the reigning king of the Bachwezi at the time; would get married and give birth to a son who would dethrone his grandfather. In a fit of rage Bukuku whose daughter had refused chosen suitors selected by him decided to kill her. He cut off her breasts and threw them in the cave. Unknown to him though Nyinamwiru by the time of her death was already nursing a child Ndahura who later dethroned his grandfather making the oracle come to pass. A hike to the bottom of the caves can be made. However the terrain is slippery and sturdy walking shoes with water, light snack and light rain gear is advised. The hike leads you to the hissing and sight of waterfalls and views of birds, monkeys and squirrels
After the cave visit you will drive to Bundibugyo home of Semliki National park. Settle into your lodge on arrival. You will have a guided spot lit Game Drive at night where you will spot nocturnal wildlife
DAY 06: HOT SPRINGS VISIT &SHOE BILL BOAT RIDE ON LAKE ALBERT
Visit the Sempaya hot springs after breakfast. You will understand the different medicinal aspects of the hot springs and will also boil eggs till ready in the hot springs. After lunch enjoy a birding canoe ride on Lake Albert where you will most likely see the endangered shoe bill. Dinner and overnight at lodge in the park
DAY 07: TRANSFER TO QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK +EVENING GAME DRIVE
After breakfast, leave Semliki and drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Check into your lodge and have lunch then enjoy an evening game drive in the crater lakes region. Dinner and overnight at chosen lodge
DAY 08: GAME DRIVE & LAUNCH CRUISE ON KAZINGA CHANNEL
After breakfast have a morning Game Drive in the park where you may see lions, baboons, elephants, warthogs, antelopes, giraffes and many more. Return to your lodge for lunch then enjoy an afternoon launch Cruise along Kazinga channel. Possible sightings may be huge Nile crocodiles basking in the sun, African fish eagle, black and white cormorants, and large schools of hippos, elephants taking a dip and other wildlife as it waters at the shores. Dinner and overnight at chosen lodge
DAY 09: TRANSFER TO BWINDI VIA ISHASHA SECTOR
After breakfast check out of the lodge and drive to Bwindi impenetrable forest via Ishasha sector where you will most likely see the tree climbing lion. You will reach Bwindi in the late evening and check into your lodge for dinner and overnight
DAY 10: GORILLA TREKKING IN BWINDI FOREST
After breakfast report to the park headquarters at 8 am for debrief before embarking on your Gorilla trekking spree. Searching for the gorillas will begin at the spot where they were last seen the day before and can take in between 30 minutes to 6 hours depending on your luck. It is therefore of great importance that you carry light snacks, a picnic lunch, water and a walking stick. Light rain gear is also important since Bwindi is a rain forest and an insect repellent will also come in handy. Wear sturdy walking shoes and long sleeved trousers to guard against the slippery terrain and stinging nettles. Spend an hour with the gorillas when you locate them and head back to your camp. Dinner and overnight at chosen lodge
DAY 11&12: DRIVE TO LAKE BUNYONYI FOR A VILLAGE WALK
After breakfast drive to Kabale home of Lake Bunyonyi. You will enjoy the culture of the local Bakiga and the Batwa pygmies and have a canoe ride to Punishment Island and also chance to taste the local cuisine. Dinner and overnight at chosen lodge
DAY 13: TRANSFER TO LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK
After breakfast drive to Lake Mburo national park arriving in time for lunch and in the evening have a boat ride on Lake Mburo where you will see lots of water birds and wildlife that comes to drink at the water banks
DAY 14: SALT LICK & TRANSFER TO KAMPALA
After breakfast you will be driven to an observation point to watch the salt lick. Enjoy a game drive as you exit the park and drive back to Kampala with a stopover at the equator for photos.
End of Safari
