20 DAYS LONG GORILLA SAFARI TO UGANDA & RWANDA
Day 01: Kampala - Murchison falls
Depart from Kampala early morning and drives North-west through Luwero Triangle up to Masindi Town have a stopover for lunch. After lunch proceed to Murchison Falls National Park, take a drive as you proceed to magnificent falls. So wondrous! Marvel at the robust Nile as it is cascades it forms, which can be viewed at different points up to the culmination.
Dinner and overnight at Red Chili or Paraa Safari Lodge..
Day 02: Morning game drive and afternoon launch cruise
Early morning breakfast, and set for a game drive on the northern bank of River Nile in search of Rothschild Giraffe, Elephants, Jackson Hartebeest, Waterbucks and variety of Savannah woodland birds. Drive back for lunch in the afternoon you go for the amazing launch trip to Murchison Falls. You’ll pass pods of Hippos, Crocodiles, vast numbers of exotic birds and butterflies and myriad wildlife coming to the water to drink. If you are lucky you can see the legendary Shoebill stork. The fall itself is one of Africa’s wonders-the whole of the Albert Nile bursting majestically through a six meter gap to an awesome forty meters drop.
Dinner and overnight at Red Chili or Paraa Safari Lodge.
Day 03: Depart to Kibale forest national park
Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park, this drive will take us through verdant countryside and pass traditional homesteads and farms, banana and coffee plantations, and indigenous cattle grazing along the road. Have a stopover for lunch and relax around Fort Portal then proceed to Chimps Nest or primates’ lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 04: Chimpanzee trekking and afternoon Bigodi swamp walk
Early morning breakfast and report to kanyanchu Tourist Centre where the chimpanzee tracking begins from. Set out in the forest in search for man’s closest animal brothers the endangered chimpanzee! The chances of viewing the chimps are over 90% but it’s not a guarantee and this can take 4-6 hours. Other primates in the forest that you will encounter are the threatened Red-Colobus monkey, the rare L’Hoest’s monkeys, the Red tailed monkeys, Blue monkey, Grey Cheeked mangabeys, velvet and many others not leaving out Butterflies. Came back for lunch and in the afternoon you visit the Bigodi swamp eco-tourism site is amazing, as we encounter rare and beautiful flora and fauna.
Dinner and overnight at Chimps Nest or primates’ lodge.
Day 05: Depart to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Depart to Queen Elizabeth National Park, Drive along the Rwenzori ranges and Savanna grasslands and we will enter via the Northern Crater Area. With beautiful lakes and rich grassland which are set deep in the crater valley, this is truly the most breathtaking scenery in the park. Queen Elizabeth is a host to a large variety and volume of wildlife. It boasts one of the highest bio diversity ratings of any game park in the world, from the open Savannah to Rain forest, dense swamps and beautiful crater lakes to the vastness of Lake Edward. Almost 100 species that include Hippos, Lions, Buffaloes, Leopard, Spotted Hyena and the elusive Giant Forest Hog. There are over 606 species of birds found here including the Martial Eagle, Black-rumped Buttonquail, Verreux’s Eagle owl and African Skimmer to name but a few. The Primates include Chimps, Black and white Colobus Monkeys, Blue, Black Faced Red Colobus, and Red Tailed monkeys and Olive Baboons.
Evening game drive and overnight at Jacana Safari Lodge or Mweya Hostel.
Day 06: Morning game drive and launch cruise along Kazinga channel
Early morning breakfast cup of coffee, you go for a game drive provide excellent opportunities to see Lions, Leopards, Giant Forest Hog, Cape Buffaloes, Elephants, Defassa Waterbucks, Uganda kobs, Topi and Bush bucks and many more. Drive back for lunch in the afternoon you go for 2-hours boat cruise on the kazinga Channel and into Lake Edward. This trip passes through possibly the highest pods of Hippos and many animals may be seen drinking at the water’s edge. This launch cruise offers an excellent platform for photography, bird watching and game viewing, ideal for the Uganda safari. The prolific bird life is colorful and stupendous with well over 550 resident species. Dinner and overnight at Jacana Safari Lodge or Mweya Hostel.
Day 07: Maramagambo forest walk and visits to the salt mines
Early morning breakfast and visit Maramagambo Forest. We visit the Bat Cave and hunters’ cave where we take a close look at the bats, rock python and forest cobras. This walk will you with an opportunity of seeing the Blue Lake, birds, primates, and tree species etc. drive back for lunch in the afternoon you visit Katwe salts mine one of the Crater Lake in the park and see how salt is traditionally mined. Then drive back for dinner and overnight.
Day 08: Depart Bwindi impenetrable forest for Uganda gorillas
This morning after breakfast you proceed to Bwindi via the Ishasha Sector. As you drive animals such as the Waterbucks, Elephant, Antelopes, Buffalo, Kobs, can be seen along the road. The Ishasha sector is on the southern of Queen Elizabeth and is very known for its Tree- Climbing Lions so we do a game drive before continuing on to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, home of the few remaining mountain gorillas. Bird life and primate life in Bwindi is quite superb, and there is an incredible variety of flora. Bwindi is the Bird watchers haven! It holds 348 species of birds and supports 24 of 26 Albertine Rift Endemics that occur in Uganda; and seven red data book species. Once continuous with the forest of the Virunga Volcanoes (Dian Fossey’s stomping ground); Bwindi is now an ecological island, surrounded by cultivation on the rich volcanic soil.
Dinner and overnight at Kitandara camp, Buhoma homestead, Engagi Lodge or Buhoma community Rest camp..
Day 09: Trekking mountain gorillas
Early morning breakfast to give you the energy needed for gorilla tracking. Report to the ranger station at 08.00 am where the guides will take you through the forest, slashing at the undergrowth, parting thick creepers, to track gorillas. This trek can take from 3-8 hours so a reasonable degree of fitness is required as well as a sturdy pair of walking shoes. You sit in the forest among the gorillas listening to them grumble at each other and marvel at the sheer size of the dominant male, the silverback. It is amazing to think that are only 650 or so of these creatures left in the world!
Return to your accommodation for dinner and overnight.
Day 10: Drive to Rwanda
Early morning breakfast and leave for Rwanda through the last hill of the landscape is the vast plane of Uganda, Rwanda and Congo the Virunga volcanoes dominate the view, in the North is the Northern sect of Bwindi national park and in the South is Mgahinga national park, lunch enroute, proceed to the boarder of Uganda-Rwanda and cross to Gorilla Nest Camp or Virunga Hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 11: Gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park
Up relatively early for a hearty breakfast to give you the energy needed for gorilla tracking. Before 8.00am report to the ranger station for registration and briefing before the gorilla trekking starts. The rangers will then take you through the bush pushing your way through the undergrowth, parting thick creepers, to track the gorillas. This treck can take from 4-8 hours so a reasonable degree of fitness is required as well as a sturdy pair of walking shoes. Sit in the forest among the gorillas and listening to them grumble to each other, and marvel at the sheer size of the dominant male; the silverback. It is an extraordinary feeling sitting in the dense rainforest knowing you are with a few of the last remaining mountain gorillas. It’s amazing to think there are only about 650 of these beautiful creatures left live!
Overnight stay at Gorilla Nest Camp or kinigi Guest house..
Day 12: Drive to Kisoro town
After the morning breakfast you drive to Kisoro have lunch and relax at the hotel, in the afternoon you have a visit to the crater lakes of the Virunga volcanoes mountain for sight viewing, and Lake Mutanda surrounded by the volcanoes, take a walk on the shores drive back for dinner and overnight at Kisoro Tourist hotel .
Day 13: Golden monkey trekking in Mgahinga and visits to the pygmies
After morning breakfast, proceed to Mgahinga National Park, then we enter the forest in search for primates but the most important one are the Golden monkeys drive back for lunch and in the afternoon a visit to the local Batwa pygmies and see their cultures drive back for overnight.
Day 14: Depart Bunyonyi and after non cultural work
After breakfast we drive to Lake Bunyonyi the second deepest lake in Africa, have lunch and relax around in the afternoon a village walk to see the real village life or organize with the pygmies and have a visit to their island villages.
Dinner and overnight at Acadia Cottages or Bunyonyi over land camp.
Day 15: Depart to Mburo National Park and evening game drive
Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park, is situated in rolling hills and open grassy valleys. This lovely landscape is complemented by Lake Mburo and four smaller lakes, beautiful and tranquil surroundings where you’ll see impala, waterbuck, topis, zebra, buffalo and eland the largest African antelope and evening game drive.
Dinner and overnight at Mantana Luxury Tented Camp or Rwonyo camp.
Day 16: Guided walk and boat trip
Morning breakfast, you will have a game drive this will take you along the lakeshore track, and with its own system of game trails and cleared walkways, the Kigambara Loop offers interesting guided lakeside walks. Here you can find herds of zebra, cape buffalo and eland, and oribi and topi are easy to approach. Along with the game drive, many visitors also enjoy aboat trip on Lake Mburo and self-guided nature trails. Bird watchers will enjoy more than 250 species of birds found in Lake Mburo including Papyrus Gonoleks, Brown-Faced Lapwing, Carruther’s Cisticolas, the extraordinary white winged Warbler and Bare-Faced Go-away bird.
Dinner and overnight at Mantana Luxury Tented Camp or Rwonyo camp.
Day 17: Morning game drive and depart to Masaka
Morning breakfast then you go for a guided walk its very interesting for a walk you came close to the animals and the best chance for the eland largest Antelope to be seen and you came close to the zebras and birds, back for lunch and in the afternoon proceed to Masaka for dinner and overnight at Brovad Hotel.
Day 18: Drive through Bukakata for you ferry to Buggala Island
Early morning breakfast and transfer to Buggala Island drive to Bukakata for the Ferry to buggala. After a crowded trip on the ferry we soon arrive on Buggala Island where we still need one hour drive to reach the Mirembe Resort Beach where we will stay for two nights. The 84 lush equatorial Ssese Islands forms worlds of their own on this extraordinary lake, forest teeming with wildlife, delightful empty beaches, friendly islanders and peaceful environment provide an unique and fascinating opportunity for fishing, walking, boating, bird watching or simply enjoying beautiful, unusual and un spoilt surroundings. Here, you’ll be able to see vervet monkeys and grey parrots by the forest waterfalls, kingfishers, herons and fish eagles, diving for their food in the lake.
Day 19: Visits to the neighbouring islands
Morning breakfast, and take a boat to visit other islands you came back in the afternoon for a barbecue and overnight.
Day 20: Depart to the main land
Leave the resort very early in the morning after break fast at 06.30 hours to meet with the ferry that moves to Entebbe.
For more, Contact Us, Go See Africa Safaris Ltd
Plot 75/76 Lugogo Bypass P.O Box 31811 Kampala-Uganda
Tel: +256 414 591500, Mob: +256 772 663158
E-mail: sales@goseeafrica.com
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