This 5-Day Uganda Gorillas & Game Safari leads you to southwestern Uganda to see the majestic Mountain Gorilla.
Upon arrival in Uganda at Entebbe International Airport, located on a peninsula that juts out into Lake Victoria, Africa’s biggest fresh water lake, you will be welcomed and greeted by your driver/guide. He will be standing at the Arrivals Hall holding a placard with your name so you cannot miss him. You will then be transferred to the hotel/ guest house you have chosen and check-in for dinner and overnight stay. Your driver/ guide will brief you about your safari at some stage (either before dinner or first thing after breakfast the next day).
For those that arrive early in the day – there are optional activities around Entebbe especially if you intend to stay active and not rest after long overseas flights. You can visit the Entebbe Botanical Gardens or head out to trawl Mabamba bay for a chance to see the prehistoric and mythical shoebill. Or, your guide will be on hand to take you to the local markets or one of the malls to shop for some essentials.
With packed breakfast, at 6.00am, commence the drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. You will make two stops – at the Equator point (for leg stretches) and at a picturesque tea estate en-route to Queen Elizabeth National Park. At both places, take pictures quickly and continue to Queen Elizabeth National Park. You arrive on the edges of the park by about mid-day and will enjoy lunch at Katunguru town just outside the park. After lunch, drive to Mweya in the park to embark on a boat cruise along the Kazinga channel – a major highlight of your safari to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The channel is a natural waterway, linking lakes Edward and George. It boasts one of Africa’s highest concentrations of hippos (there are 1,500 hippos found along the channel), providing a mesmerizing spectacle of these aquatic giants. Glide along the tranquil waters, accompanied by the symphony of birdcalls and the occasional splash of a crocodile, as you soak in the serene beauty of the surroundings. On the boat cruise, hippos frolic and yawn wide, elephants and buffalo drink to their fill at the channel’s banks. The boat trip is a front-row seat to nature’s spectacle. The boat cruise promises to be a highlight of your journey, offering unparalleled opportunities for wildlife viewing and birdwatching. The cruise also provides a spectacular view of the beautiful Mweya Peninsula. From the boat cruise, if time allows, you can do an evening game drive culminating into your arrival at the lodge you have chosen. Check-in, refresh and enjoy an early dinner.
You are up as the sun rises and go for a game drive along the Kasenyi plains – teaming with the Uganda Kob antelopes. Also sighted are elephants, warthogs while predators like lions are many given the abundant prey. On a game drive in Kasenyi, if you are in luck you will come across the elusive leopard. After your guided game drive this morning, continue to Bwindi via the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. As you journey through the picturesque landscapes, keep your gaze trained on the horizon as you search for the iconic tree-climbing lions that inhabit this unique region. If you are lucky to find them, marvel at the sight of these majestic predators perched atop ancient sycamore fig trees or acacia trees, surveying their kingdom with regal poise.
There are about four prides of lions in the area numbering more than 40 in total. Look out for the males with their black mane, which is a notable attribute. Also, there are about 1000+ elephants present in the area and you normally see large herds. There are Topi (savannah relatives of the world-famous Wildebeest) and Uganda Kob antelopes in large numbers. The drive is a fantastic opportunity to take lots of pictures. On arrival in Ishasha, you go on a search for the area’s famous residents. If you are lucky to encounter them, see them and marvel at their unique adaptation. Take as many pictures and video if they are close by. After an exhilarating wildlife encounter, continue your journey to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, a realm of mist-shrouded mountains and dense vegetation. Along the way, feast your eyes on the scenic beauty of the landscape, from vast banana, tea plantations to lush valleys and towering forests.
As the day draws to a close, arrive at the lodge you have chosen in Bwindi, where you can unwind amidst the tranquil surroundings and prepare for the extraordinary adventure that awaits tomorrow.
After breakfast, with your packed lunch, lots of water in your rucksack, your guide will take you to the park HQ before 8:00am for registration and briefing by Uganda Wildlife Authority staff. Once the formalities of what to do and not to do while tracking the gentle giants are communicated, you will head to the trail-head of the gorilla family you have been allocated. At the trail-head, you will commence the trek, pushing your way through the undergrowth, to track the gorillas. (the trek can last from half an hour to 8 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, take in everything as you watch the gorillas go about their day – feeding on the green leaves, bamboo shoots, wild celery, stinging nettle and wild fruit. If there are juvenile gorillas, enjoy them play about and take it all in. Take lots of pictures (and a selfie if you happen to have a gorilla in your selfie frame) and video as the one-hour will be over before you know it. It is an extraordinary feeling being in the presence of these majestic apes, sitting/standing in the dense rainforest with the knowledge that you are in the presence of the few remaining wild mountain gorillas. After the mandatory one hour is up, the rangers will lead you back to the starting point/trail-head where you will find your driver/guide. Once back at the trail-head, your driver/guide will be waiting to take you back to the park HQ where you receive your tracking certificates (evidence of your contribution to the conservation of the majestic gorillas). From here, you will commence the short drive to the picturesque Lake Bunyonyi. On arrival in Lake Bunyonyi, check-in at the resort you have chosen for a hot lunch. After lunch, relax and can use the time to look back on your awe-inspiring encounter with the gorillas through the lens of your camera. Later, dinner and overnight at the resort.
What to bring for gorilla tracking/trekking: light but sturdy hiking shoes, light rain jacket, daypack, 2 litres of water, gardening gloves, long trousers either jeans/khakis, long-sleeved shirt/blouse, wide-brimmed hat, sun glasses, insect repellent and an energy bar.
Optional/Alternative Activities: Gorilla Habituation, boat trip at Lake Bunyonyi
After breakfast, check-out and commence the 7-hour drive to Entebbe. You will make two stops including one for an early lunch. After lunch, continue with a stop at the Equator point. Here, you can purchase some crafts and souvenirs from your Uganda safari and take fun photos at the Equator monument. You should arrive in Entebbe in the late afternoon/ early evening where you are dropped-off at the airport for you to check-in for your onward flight home. If your flight is much later, you can use the facilities at one of our partner Guest Houses to freshen up ahead of check-in. At the appropriate time, you will be dropped off at the airport in time for you to check-in for your onward flight to bring to an end what we believe will have been an awe-inspiring Uganda safari whose memories will live with you for a long time.
This 5-Day Uganda Gorillas & Game Safari leads you to southwestern Uganda to see the majestic Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The safari takes you through the lush landscapes of Uganda, where central plains give way to highlands and dense forests – not to mention the tranquil lakes that await your discovery. On this safari, you traverse rugged terrain, encounter fascinating wildlife, and connect with vibrant local communities, creating memories that will live with you for a long time. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a verdant magnificent swathe of rain forest across the steep ridges of the Albertine Rift Valley. This treasure trove of flora and fauna is home to over 450 Mountain Gorillas – almost a half of the world’s population of Mountain Gorillas. A tour to this park enables you to get up close and personal with the majestic and gentle Mountain Gorillas. American zoologist George Schaller, one of the first people to study gorillas in the wild, once said: “No one who looks into the eyes of a Gorilla, gentle and vulnerable, can remain unchanged.” And so this trip will leave you with an indelible mark on your conscience and the satisfaction that you will have added to the legacy of Dian Fossey – the trailblazing primatologist who brought light to the plight of Africa’s largest apes – that they were endangered. Before your date with the Mountain Gorillas, you will make a de-tour to Queen Elizabeth National Park where you go on guided game drives and a boat trip along the Kazinga channel – a natural channel teaming with hippos and Nile crocodile not to mention prolific birdlife.
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