Day 1: Arrival
You arrive at Entebbe airport, located on a peninsula that juts out into the largest fresh water lake in Africa, where a representative/guide from Uzuri Uganda Safaris will transfer you to Eureka Place Hotel Kampala.
Meal Plan: No meals inclusive
Day 2: Lake Mburo N.P
Lake Mburo National Park is the nearest park to Kampala. Traveling southwest, you will arrive at Eagles Nest Mburo Lodge in or near the park in time to lunch. Lake Mburo N.P is one of two game parks in Uganda where visitors are allowed to go for a bush walk with an experienced ranger. When you go on a walking safari in Mburo, it is exciting to approach wildlife at such close range.
Optional Activity: Horseback/mountain-bike ride while spotting game
Visitors can choose two optional activities including a mountain-bike safari ($15 p.p extra) or a horseback safari ($60 p.p etra) for 2 hours. You will spot buffalo, zebra, gazelle etc as you ride while also enjoying wonderful scenery along the way. After your walking safari/horseback, you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Continue to Bwindi Impenetrable NP
This morning, after your breakfast, you will continue your journey further south-west headed to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – the home of the Mountain Gorillas. Arriving in the mid-afternoon, you will have lunch and rest at Gorilla Valley Lodge.
Afternoon (Optional): Go on a guided nature walk (at $25p.p) to meet the Ugandans who neighbour the park. You get to learn a thing or two about the culture of the people, so depending on which nature trail you take, you will have a chance to meet the traditional healer and learn how the Bwindi forest (a UNESCO heritage site) is used to treat people for various ailments. You could also visit a local school if the school term is in session.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4: Gorilla tracking and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Have an early breakfast preferably at 6.00am and transfer to the starting point of the specific Gorilla family that you will be tracking. With packed lunch in your carry-on, your guide will deliver you to the tracking/trekking start point before 8:00 am for registration and a briefing from the rangers on what to expect before commencing your tracking/trek. The guides will then take you through the bush, pushing your way through the undergrowth, parting thick creepers, looking for where thee family of gorillas you are tracking spent the night. (Tracking/trekking can take from half an hour to 5 hours – a reasonable degree of fitness is required as well as a sturdy pair of walking shoes). When you finally locate the family that you are tracking, sit in the forest among the gorillas, 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 in the knowledge that you are in the presence of the few remaining Mountain Gorillas in the wild. After the mandatory 1 hour is up, the rangers and guides will lead you back to the starting point where your guide will be waiting for you. You will then commence your transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park (3 hours) this time by road. Arriving late in the afternoon, you will check into the Bush Lodge for relaxation and later dinner and overnight stay.
What to bring for gorilla tracking/trekking: light hiking boots, light rain jacket, daypack, 2 litres of water, gardening gloves, binoculars, a camera, long trousers either jeans/khakis, long-sleeved shirt, wide-brimmed hat, sun glasses, insect repellent and an energy bar.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Morning Game Drive and Boat launch along Kazinga Channel
After an early breakfast at 6.00am, your guide together with a game ranger will take you on a game drive to the northern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park through the Kasenyi track in search for lions, hyenas, buffaloes, leopard, water buck, bush bucks, Uganda Kob plus many bird species including ibis, fish eagles and vultures etc. At about 10.00am you will head back to your lodge for relaxation and lunch.
At 2.00pm, you will embark on a boat cruise along the Kazinga channel – a major highlight of the safari to Queen Elizabeth National Park. On the boat cruise, you will have the opportunity to view great numbers of wildlife including elephants, crocodiles, hippos, buffaloes and large numbers of birds like eagles, kingfishers, sparrows, doves, weaver birds, eaglets and sun birds converging at the channel waters to enjoy a sip of the natural waters. After the 3-hour boat cruise, you will then return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay at the Bush Lodge.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6: Drive to Entebbe & departure
After breakfast on our last day, you commence your transfer to Entebbe. You will stop for lunch in Mbarara town. After lunch you continue to Kampala and as you approach Kampala, you will make a stop-over at the Equator Crossing, where the imaginary line that divides the earth into two halves passes. Here you do fun photos, buy your Uganda safari souvenir and then finish your safari in Entebbe where you will be dropped at the airport in time for you to check-in for your flight home.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch
Package Includes
- Accommodation in standard rooms as described above (or similar) according to the option chosen
- On the ground transport in a 7-seater Safari mini-van with pop-up roofs for game viewing
- Game drives, excursions and sight-seeing activities (if any) as described above
- Activities (if any) as outlined in detailed itinerary
- Transfers as indicated in the itinerary
- Meals as indicated in the itinerary
- Services of an English-speaking driver guide
- Gorilla Permits
- Bottled water whilst on safari (2 half-litre bottles per person per day)
Package Excludes
- Personal expenses such travel and medical insurance, excess baggage fee, communication charges that include, emails, faxes and phone calls beverages including water, soft drinks, luxury champagne, spirits or meals not included in the itinerary
- Gratuity for porterage/ waiters at hotels, camps and airports
- Gratuity for your professional driver guide
- Cost of obtaining passport and Visas
- Any optional tours and excursions not mentioned in the itinerary
- Travel Insurance
- International + Airfare
