This 8 Days Classic Uganda Safari will expose you to Ugandan cultures ranging from the Batwa, Batooro and Bakiga. It will also take you to Uganda’s pristine forests – Kibale and Bwindi to watch chimpanzees and mountain gorillas respectively. Enjoy a game drive and boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth national park, with an opportunity to see savannah wild animals and birds including lions, elephants, buffalos, leopards, warthogs, spotted hyenas, crocodiles, hippos and many more. You will visit Semuliki national park to witness the wondrous Sempaya hot springs and hike to the Amabere Ga’Nyinamwiru caves in Fort Portal tourism city.
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe and transfer to Kampala for optional night life
You will arrive and go through the immigration process at the airport in Entebbe which will be followed by a transfer to Kampala at the booked hotel. Have an option of taking a night life in the city of Kampala and this can will be after having dinner. Night life will involve visiting night clubs, casinos, cinema halls, and street food tasting among others.
Day 2: Transfer to Bwindi national park
A road transfer from Kampala or Entebbe to Bwindi takes almost whole day (9-11 hours) and you will therefore wake up early and start your journey after having breakfast. You will have a stop over at Kayabwe for the equator experience, have lunch in Mbarara town and proceed, traverse through the Kigezi terraced land to the park arriving in the evening.
Day 3: Gorilla trekking experience and Batwa community tour.
Gorilla trekking will commence immediately after briefing whereby the park ranger guide, fully armed will lead the group of trekkers to trek the assigned gorilla family. This may involve walking long distances, hiking, and encountering other residents of the forest apart from the mountain gorillas.
The trek may take 2 to 5 hours depending on the location of the great apes and an hour will be spent to wit them after they have been spotted. Head back to the lodge for your lunch followed by visiting the nearby Batwa community where the people of this tribe will take you through cultural entertainments, and show you their skills in making fire making using sticks, traditional medicines and much more.
Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park via Ishasha sector, afternoon boat cruise on Kazinga channel.
Enjoy a morning breakfast and set off to Queen Elizabeth national park located in western Uganda. You will drive through Ishasha sector to give yourself a chance to spot the tree climbing lions which have made this sector famous. Other animals you are likely going to spot include elephants, buffalos, warthogs, and Uganda kobs among others. Head straight to Kazinga channel and embark on the afternoon boat cruise that lasts for about 2 hours. The water body is renowned for a high hippo concentration. Crocodiles and water birds are common. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Day 5: Game drive and transfer to Kibale national park.
After an early morning breakfast, go for a game drive to catch up with wildlife residents of Queen Elizabeth national park; Uganda kobs, waterbucks which attract predators like the lions, spotted hyenas, leopards. You will transfer to Kibale national park after the 5 hours game drive.
Kibale national park is renowned for a high concentration of chimpanzees and its other 12 primate species. Head to Isunga cultural community office on your arrival and engage in the traditional dances and music for both Batooro and Bakiga cultures that live at the edge of this forest park.
Day 6: Chimpanzee tracking and Bigodi tour
This day will start with an yummy breakfast at the lodge followed by a transfer to Kanyanchu Information Center to attend a briefing about chimpanzee trekking. Walk through the forest which may surprise you with an encounter with grey-cheeked mangabeys, red-tailed monkey or blue tailed monkey as you search for the chimpanzees. Once they are spotted, you will have an hour with them and return to the lodge.
You will go for a nature walk around Bigodi swamp sanctuary. This is another chance to see more primates alongside interesting bird species including the Great blue turaco.
Day 7: Visit Semuliki hot springs and Amabere Ga’Nyinamwiru caves
You will have a 2.5 hours’ drive traversing through the foot hills of Mt. Rwenzori to Semuliki National Park. On arrival, take a guided walk able to the Sempaya hot springs. The guide will guide you on how to boil eggs and other foods which get ready in the shortest time possible and there you will enjoy your eggs or banana. Your presence in this park gives you a chance to spot primates such as black and white colobus monkeys, Vervet monkeys, mangabeys among others.
Return to Fort Portal and visit Amabere Ga’Nyinamwiru caves, Nyakasura falls and hike Mweganywa hill. This area has a historical significance relating to the Bachwezi people and the hilltop offers best view of Fort Portal city, three crater lakes, the Rwenzori mountain ranges and the surrounding communities.
Day 8: Transfer back to Kampala.
Have breakfast in the morning and transfer to Kampala. You will be dropped off at the airport in Entebbe and this will mark the end of your 8 days Uganda safari.
