10 Days Wildlife Uganda And Primate Experience Safari

Upon your arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be welcomed by our customer care representative and your allocated English-speaking safari guide for a meet and greet and, thereafter, a transfer to your booked hotel in Entebbe town. The hotel is about 10 to 15 minutes’ drive from the airport on the shores of Lake Victoria.

Depending on your time of arrival, if time allows, visit the Entebbe botanical gardens that are found on the shore of Lake Victoria in Entebbe town for a walking safari. Botanical gardens are home to some primate species, such as vervet monkeys, and several bird species. The walk will take you to the shores of Lake Victoria, where you will have a chance to spot some water birds, enjoy the fresh breezes from the lake, and get used to Uganda’s beautiful nature. Lake Victoria is the largest water body in Africa and the second largest freshwater body in the world, and it is shared by three East African countries (Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya). Later, return to your hotel to have dinner and an overnight stay.

Accommodation: Papyrus Guest House (Mid-range)

Meal plan: Dinner

Encounter the White Rhinos at Ziwa Rhino sanctuary on your 10 Days Wildlife Uganda And Primate Experience Safari

On your first morning in Africa, wake up early in the morning to have your travel bag arranged, be served breakfast, and get prepared for pick-up by your allocated safari guide at 7 a.m. Start your African safari with a drive to Murchison Falls National Park, located in north-western Uganda, about 320 km from Kampala. On your way, you will visit the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, located in the Nakasongola district, the home of Uganda’s rhinos, where you will have a chance to see the white rhinos in their natural environment, up close to their feet, which provides an unforgettable experience. The Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is the only place in Uganda where you can see white rhinos in the wild. Once, Uganda had an adequate number of rhinos, which were found in the Kidepo Valley and Murchison Falls national parks, but they became nationally extinct due to numerous illegal human activities such as poaching and civil unrest in the early 1970s. Therefore, in 2005, the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary was established to facilitate the re-introduction of rhinos into Uganda’s wildlife inventory. While at Ziwa rhino sanctuary, you will have a chance to see rhinos up close with the help of your local site guide and spend a maximum of one hour with them. During your time with rhinos, you will be allowed to take as many photos as you want, so your camera has to be on standby so you don’t miss any of your great moments. Seeing the rhino sanctuary at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary will complete your Big Five game checklist. After the rhino tracking experience, proceed to Kabalega restaurant to have a hot lunch and, thereafter, drive to Murchison Falls National Park, the source of happiness for nature lovers, reaching there in the late afternoon, where you will be welcomed by hundreds of baboons lined along the road. On arrival at Murchison Falls National Park, visit the Murchison Falls to enjoy the breathtaking views and great sound of the Murchison Falls as it squeezes itself through the narrow gorge that is only 7 meters wide, then drops 43 meters into a pool that creates a strong, thunderous sound that is so lovely. The tour to the top of Murchison Falls takes about an hour, starting from the view point to the boat of the falls. After enjoying the mighty Murchison Falls, proceed with the drive to the northern sector of the park across the Nile to check in at your booked lodge to refresh, and then spend your evening at leisure till time to be served dinner and overnight.

Murchison Falls National Park is Uganda’s oldest and largest national park, covered by savannah and tropical forest vegetation, and home to a wide range of wildlife animals that live together in harmony in the natural environment. Murchison Falls National Park is home to 76 recorded mammals and over 450 species, which makes it one of Africa’s best wildlife destinations to spot several wildlife species fully in their natural habitats in a larger concentration, such as lions, leopards, elephants, the African cape buffaloes, Rothschild’s giraffe, warthogs, hippos, Nile crocodiles, several antelope species, many primates like chimpanzees, olive baboons, and many others. The park is endowed with a wide range of unique and extremely interesting features that contribute greatly to the beauty of the country.

Accommodation: Pakuba Safari Lodge (Mid-range)

Meal plan: Breakfast / Lunch /Dinner

Encounter the King of the African Jungle on a game drive safari in Murchison falls NP on your 10 Days Wildlife Uganda And Primate Experience Safari

Wake up very early in the morning by 6 a.m., have a quick cup of coffee with a snack to warm your body, get boxes of your packed breakfast, get into your safari vehicle, and then set out for an early morning game drive safari for wildlife encounters. The early start is a better time to have high chances of sighting several wildlife species, including nocturnal animals and elusive predators such as lions, leopards, spotted hyenas, and jackals, as they are still active in the jungle before they have returned to their hideouts. During the morning game drive safari, expect to encounter several animal species such as elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, warthogs, and many antelopes like the Jackson hartebeest, Uganda kobs, water bucks, oribis, and many others, plus several bird species. Murchison Falls national park is the main stronghold in Africa for Rothschild Giraffes, so expect to see them in big numbers. Have a short break to enjoy your full breakfast and later proceed with your game safari until 11.30 a.m. Your safari guide will help you encounter as many wildlife species as possible and share with you a lot of information regarding the various wildlife species that you will encounter, so each time your camera has to be on standby so that you do not miss anything. After the game drive, drive back to your lodge to relax for some time, have lunch, and then set off for a 3-hour afternoon boat cruise safari on the Nile, which starts at 2 p.m. from Paraa and goes upstream up to 500m to the bottom of the Murchison Falls. The afternoon boat cruise safari on the Nile offers an array of wildlife sightings like the Nile crocodile, hippos, and lizards, which are common throughout the cruise. As you cruise towards the Murchison Falls, you will encounter a lot of huge Nile crocodiles, among the largest ever seen amassed together, and this place is referred to as “Croc Bar. Some land big game like elephants, buffaloes, and some antelope species can also be sighted drinking and swimming to cool off the heat by the river banks since this park is hotter. So, you will have a wonderful opportunity to take as many photographs of the various animals as you want since the boat cruise takes you closer to animals such as hippos and crocodiles. Because the Nile attracts birds, this is the best time to enjoy them. After your 3-hour afternoon boat cruise, return to your lodge to have a free evening until it is time to be served dinner, and then drive back to the park for a night game drive safari. The night game drive safari is so adventurous and opens up more chances to encounter nocturnal mammals and birds of the park, such as lions, leopards, porcupines, civets, spotted hyenas, and grazing hippos, among others. These species are more active during the night hours and, on a lucky day, you may see them in the act of hunting, which is one of the greatest jungle experiences. During the night game drive safari, you will have the opportunity to encounter the nightlife of the jungle, see how animals behave at night, and enjoy the night sounds of the jungle. Murchison Falls National Park is the best savannah national park in Uganda for a night game drive. After the game drive, drive back to your lodge for an overnight stay.

Accommodation: Pakuba Safari Lodge (Mid-range)

Meal plan: Breakfast / Lunch /Dinner

Today rise up at your best time to have all your trave bags loaded into your safari vehicle, be served breakfast, check out drive slowly through the park to cross the river Nile and then proceed with your safari to Kibale Forest national park located in western Uganda that is proudly known as as the Africa’s primate capital, with over 13 recorded primate species than any other national park or wildlife reserve in Africa plus the biggest population of chimpanzees that are amounting to more than 1500 individual chimpanzees. Kibale Forest national is most famous for its population of chimpanzees and is known as the best destination for the wild chimpanzees tracking experience activities on the earth. While at Kibale Forest national park expect to encounter several primates such as the black-and-white colobus, red-tailed- monkeys, blue monkeys, olive baboons, grey-cheeked mangabeys, the threatened and rare L’hoest’s monkey and red colobus monkeys. Besides primates, the park is a home to forest elephants and some antelopes plus over 370 bird species which includes the 23 Albertine Rift endemics. On your way to Kibale Forest national park, you will enjoy the spectacular views of tea estates, several forests where olive baboons are parading alongside the roads and the shadow of the legendary Rwenzori Mountain that forms a mystic backdrop to the beautiful volcanic landscape with a stopover in Fort Portal City to have lunch, relax move around the city on foot, and later continue with your journey to the park to check in at your booked lodge and later drive to Bigodi Swamp for a nature walk and community experience.

Bigodi wetlands, located on the eastern edge of the forest in Magombe swamp punctuated by biodiversity and lovely sceneries, sanctuary swamp is a paradise to bird lover’s with over 138 bird species and hosting eight species of primates such as the black-and-white colobus, red-tailed, grey-cheeked mangabey, L’Hoest’s and blue monkeys, and olive baboons plus other mammals like Bushbucks and mongooses. The swamp is managed by the surrounding local community wish a purpose of preserving exclusive environmental features along with the wetland for future generation. So, during this walk, you will have an opportunity to spot several monkeys, and bird species. The Bigodi community walk, will take you through the nearby community to have a chance to interact with local people to know how they harmoniously live with wildlife species, take you through how they locally to their daily activities without applying the modern technology such as making nice gins from banana, making delicious coffee and making art crafts. Dinner and an overnight.

Accommodation:  Isunga Safari Lodge (Mid-range)

Meal plan: Breakfast / Lunch /Dinner

After breakfast, meet your safari guide and transfer to the park information offices to join other guests for a briefing about the dos and don’ts to follow while looking for chimpanzees in the forest and how to behave around chimpanzees. Then embark on your guided forest walk to search for intelligent chimpanzees, the closest living relatives sharing 98.8% of human DNA. During your forest walk, you may encounter other wildlife species, both mammals and bird species, such as other primates and bush pigs, among others, and your guide will be able to give you a lot of interesting information about everything that you will encounter, which will make your walk so adventurous. Once you meet the chimpanzees, you will spend a maximum of one hour with them, watching how they play in the tree branches, feeding and taking care of their babies, and taking as many photos as you want. After staying with chimpanzees for an hour, return to the starting point to relax, have refreshments plus lunch, and then proceed with your African safari to Queen Elizabeth National Park to check in at your booked lodge to refresh and later spend the evening at your own leisure until it is time to have dinner and an overnight.

Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of Uganda’s most visited national parks and is famous for its big cats, including tree-climbing lions and leopards, the largest bird species population in Africa, chimp tracking experience, and boat experiences on the Kazinga Channel, which is known to have the biggest population of hippos in Africa, numbering 5000. Queen Elizabeth National Park is known for its diverse ecosystems that include sprawling savanna, sparkling lakes, shady, humid forests, and fertile wetlands, which make it an ideal home to over 95 recorded large mammal species, which include four big mammals, big cats, 10 species of primates, aquatic mammals, and 600 avian species. Queen Elizabeth National Park is estimated to have over 5,000 hippos, 10,000 buffalo, and 2,500 elephants, which makes it an ideal destination for a wildlife safari.

Accommodation:  Buffalo Safari Lodge (Mid-range)

Meal plan: Breakfast / Lunch /Dinner

Wake up very early in the morning to have breakfast, meet your safari guide, and then drive to Kalinzu Forest National Park. One of the forest reserves around Queen Elizabeth National Park has abundant wildlife species, like over 379 bird species and six primate species, which include chimpanzees, blue monkeys, baboons, l’hoest monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, black and white Colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, and some nocturnal animals like bush babies, pottos, and galagos. Kalinzu Forest Reserve is also home to about 261 species, which makes it a paradise center for butterflies, 414 species of trees, 98 species of moths, flowers, and reptiles. At Kalinzu Forest Reserve, chimpanzees are the key attractions that draw visitors to the forest for the chimpanzee tracking experience, and it hosts one of the largest communities of chimpanzees in Uganda. This makes it the second-best place for chimpanzee tracking experiences, with about 320 chimpanzee individuals and up to 50 chimpanzees that are habituated for tourism. On arrival at Kalinzu Forest Reserve, you will start with the experience briefing from the site guide about the guidelines to follow during the forest walk in search of the chimpanzees, and then head to the forest to lookout for your chimpanzee family. As you are searching for chimpanzees, you will encounter other forest creatures, such as birds and primates like baboons, blue monkeys, L’hoest monkeys, and red-tailed monkeys. Once you meet the chimpanzee family, you will stay with them for one hour to observe their behavior and group dynamics as they swing from tree to tree, some grooming one another. On a lucky day, some individual chimps may come close to you, while most will keep their distance, and you will listen to their different sounds to express different emotions. After an hour with the chimpanzees, return to the starting point to meet your safari guide, and then drive to your lodge to have lunch, relax for a while, and later drive to the park for an afternoon boat cruise on the Kazinga channel. The boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel is one of the highlights of why one should visit Queen Elizabeth National Park. It will bring you close to the density of wildlife mammals, reptiles, and birds that are usually seen along the shores of the channel, and it is known for inhabiting the highest concentration of hippos in all of Africa. During the afternoon boat cruise safari along the channel, expect to encounter mammals such as buffaloes, elephant herds, several antelope species, Nile crocodiles, monitor lizards, and thousands of various kinds of birds. Your camera has to be ready to snap pictures of the scenes before you. After the afternoon boat cruise on the Kazinga channel, drive to the Kasenyi plains for an evening game drive safari to lookout for more wildlife species, mostly predators. So, during your evening game drive safari, expect to see herds of huge elephants, buffaloes, several antelope species, warthogs, lions, leopards, spotted hyenas, and many more because this park is home to over 95 recorded mammals. It is always so amazing for the sunset to meet you in the middle of the African jungle. After the game drive, drive back to your lodge to refresh, have dinner, and stay overnight.

 Accommodation:  Buffalo Safari Lodge (Mid-range)

Meal plan: Breakfast / Lunch /Dinner

After having your tasty breakfast, get all your luggage packed in the vehicle, check out of your lodge, and then drive to the Kasenyi plains found in the north-eastern parts of the park for the morning game drive safari in search of wildlife species. Queen Elizabeth National Park is understandably one of Uganda’s most popular national parks and an ideal habitat for classic big game such as the four mammals of the big five family of the African savannah (lions, leopards, elephants, and buffaloes), several antelope species, primates, and many others. Your safari guide will ensure that you spot as many wildlife species as possible and give you as much information as possible about everything that you may encounter during your game drive. After the game drive, relax and then start the journey to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park via the Ishasha sector in the southern parts of Queen Elizabeth National Park for a game drive to lookout for the unique tree-climbing lions, which are only found in the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda with 4 prides, Lake Manyara in Tanzania with 2 prides, and Kruger National Park in South Africa. After the game drive, have lunch and proceed with the journey to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, which is famous for being home to half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas and one of Uganda’s oldest as well as most biologically diverse rainforests, dating back over 25,000 years with almost 400 tree species that form the huge impenetrable forest that is evergreen. It is home to approximately 500 mountain gorillas, 120 mammal species, such as numerous primate species, and over 350 bird species, including 23 Albertine Rift endemics. It is also the ancient home of the Batwa bush people. Dinner and an overnight

Accommodation: Bakiga Lodge (Mid-range)

Meal plan: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Today, wake up very early in the morning to have your backpack ready. Dress up in the recommended style for the best mountain gorilla trekking experience. long trousers, possibly khaki or jeans, a long-sleeved shirt, water-proof hiking shoes, a water-proof jacket, a round hut, and heavy-duty gloves. This is due to the unpredictable weather conditions in the forest; it can rain at any particular time of the day, and then, for protection, Later, you will be served breakfast, get boxes of your packed lunch, and meet your safari guide to drive to the park information centre for the pre-gorilla trekking briefing, where you will be informed about the dos and don’ts during gorilla trekking, what the expectations are during gorilla trekking, how to behave while in the presence of the gorillas, and many other things. You will be joined in groups of eight people per group and then be assigned a particular gorilla family for tracking, with two gun-baring rangers (for your security) and a tracker/guide with a machete to lead your way during the forest walk while searching for the magical mountain gorillas. After the pre-gorilla trekking experience, your group of eight trekkers will continue into the dense forest, following various forest trails in search of the allocated mountain gorilla family. The time taken while searching for the mountain gorillas is not known, but it can be anywhere between 45 minutes and 6 hours, depending on the location and the movements of your allocated gorilla family on that day. Therefore, you need to be mentally and physically fit and prepared for multiple hours of forest walking over uneven and steep terrain. So, it is better to ask to be assigned near a gorilla family. if you are not fit to manage multiple hours in the forest. If you consider yourself fit, choosing a challenging family will be more fun and enjoyable because you will have the opportunity to encounter several wildlife species that live in this forest, and the longer you stay in the jungle, the more you will enjoy it and have opportunities to see many things.

During the forest walk in search of the mountain gorillas, you may encounter other wildlife species since Bwindi Impenetrable Forest national park hosts numerous species, including chimpanzees, African elephants, l’Hoest’s monkey, and many others, plus birds, and your forest guide will keep on giving you information regarding everything that you will encounter that will make you enjoy your forest time. Once you meet your assigned mountain gorilla family, you will have one full hour to interact with the magical mountain gorillas. You will be required to keep a low tone, and you will be free to take as many photos as you want as well as ask as many questions as you want to your guides regarding the gorillas. Get ready to encounter Mr. Silverback, who is the head and determines the movements of the entire family. Mothers nurse the young ones, and the juveniles entertain the family, which makes a stay with them so amazing. It is advisable to avoid looking directly into the eyes of the gorillas. In the event of a chance encounter with the gorillas, it is always important to stay calm and quiet and let them pass because running away or making any kind of noise may disrupt the gorillas, causing them to behave wildly despite being habituated. The chances of seeing mountain gorillas in Uganda stand at 99% on any particular day. After an hour with the magical mountain gorilla, return to the starting point and receive your trekking certificates as a sign of appreciation for your contribution towards the conservation of the endangered mountain gorillas in Uganda. Meet your safari guide, enjoy your packed lunch with some refreshments, and later continue with your safari to Lake Bunyonyi, one of the most popular places in Uganda due to its green and lush terraced hills that are punctuated with a plethora of over 200 bird species. It is a perfect paradise for many bird enthusiasts because of its combination of water birds and some migratory birds. Lake Bunyonyi is an ideal place for swimming, boat cruising and canoeing experiences, birdwatching, as well as cultural adventures. Lake Bunyonyi is framed by 29 islands of different sizes, making it one of the most magical views in the world. On arrival at Lake Bunyonyi, check in at your booked lodge to refresh and have a free evening until it’s time to have dinner and overnight.

Accommodation:  Bunyonyi Rock Resort (Mid-range)

Meal plan: Breakfast / Lunch /Dinner

Visit lake Mburo for a thrilling game viewing safari on your 10 Days Wildlife Uganda And Primate Experience Safari

Today, wake up at your convenient time to have your travel bags ready in your safari vehicle, enjoy your hearty breakfast, check out of your lodge, and then go for a morning boat ride on Lake Bunyonyi, one of the most naturally beautiful lakes in Africa and the second deepest lake in Africa, with the cool weather to enjoy nature and offer great panoramic views from all sides. Boat riding is the only way of getting around the lake and its islands, so during the boat ride on Lake Bunyonyi, expect to visit some islands such as Akampene Island, also known as the “punishment island”, which was used by the Bakiga people to punish their girls who would get pregnant before marriage by leaving them on this small island where they would die of hunger and others while trying to swim to the mainland. This was to intimidate others from making the same mistake since, in African traditional society, it is an abomination for a girl to get pregnant before marriage, and parents would do everything possible to keep them from engaging in sexual activities until their rightful time to get married. So, poor men who could not afford to pay dowery could go to this island and pick up some of these abandoned girls. But this act of isolating girls on the punishment island was later abandoned in the first half of the 20th century. Your local guide during the boat cruise experience will narrate to you all the interesting stories about each of the islands, and you will have a chance to visit one of the islands that is occupied by people to interact with them and learn how they manage to stay in this isolated place. Later, return to the mainland to meet your safari guide and then proceed with your safari to Lake Mburo national park, which is home to over 68 recorded mammal species, including zebras, elands, impalas, buffalos, Defassa waterbuck, oribi, giraffes, hippo, leopard, hyena, topi, and reedbuck, and over 350 bird species. When you arrive at Lake Mburo National Park, be served lunch, check in at your room to refresh, have some time at your own leisure, and later in the evening, drive to the park for a game drive safari. In comparison to other East African national parks, Lake Mburo National Park is small but home to a variety of mammals and birds that are easily seen all over the park. So, during your game drive safari, expect to see the largest populations of zebra, impala, eland, and klipspringer, buffalo, topi, waterbuck, and warthog, reedbuck, oribi, giraffes, some primate species and many others. The park is also known for containing the highest concentration of leopards in Uganda. After the evening game drive safari, return to the lodge to refresh, have dinner, and then drive back to the park for the night game drive experience to explore the night life of the jungle, see how animals spend their night lives, listen to the beautiful sounds of the jungle, and boost your chances of encountering a whole variety of animals that are not easily seen during daytime game drives, such as bush pigs, genet cats, leopards, spotted hyenas, bush babies, and many other nocturnal species. It is an interesting experience to be out at night. After the night game drive, return to your lodge for the night.

Lake Mburo National Park is the smallest savannah-protected area in Uganda but is highly endowed with flora and fauna and other natural features. The park has 350 recorded bird species, 68 mammal species, and 13 small lakes. Its woodlands and savannah plains provide good habitats and feeding grounds for zebras, buffaloes, elands, impalas, warthogs, oribi, defassa waterbuck, leopard, spotted hyena, topi, reedbuck, hippopotamuses, giraffes, bush babies, porcupines, white-tailed bush pigs, African rock python, and many others.

Accommodation: Rwakobo Rock Lodge (Mid-range)

Meal plan: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Have an up close encounter of wildlife on a 10 Days Wildlife Uganda And Primate Experience Safari in Lkae Mburo NP

On this day of your 10 Days Wildlife Uganda And Primate Experience Safari, rise up very early in the morning to have all your travel bags ready to be packed in your safari vehicle, have breakfast, check out of the lodge, and drive to the park for the 2-hour morning jungle walking safari. Lake Mburo National Park is one of two national parks in Uganda that permits going for a bush walk with an experienced guide because of its open savannah. A jungle walking safari is one of the most magical ways to experience and enjoy the jungle because it allows you to be free and not confined in a safari vehicle, allowing you to enjoy fresh air directly from the bush and walk with mammals such as impalas, giraffes, and zebras. Your walk safari will never be interrupted by any foreign noise, such as those made by the safari car, allowing you to hear the voices of the animals and birds at all times. The walk will take you to the salt licks area, where animals parade themselves to enjoy the taste of the salty licks made up of water and soil. So, expect to see as many zebras, giraffes, impalas, and other antelope species as possible, and on a good day, you will encounter hippos coming out of the water as well as hyenas returning to their dens. After the walking safari, get in your vehicle and stay in the park for a game drive safari to explore Lake Mburo National Park deeply and to have a chance to encounter more mammals and birds in the park. The more time you spend in the jungle, the more you enjoy it and have more chances to spot as many wildlife species as possible. After that, begin your journey back to Entebbe International Airport to end your safari. On the way back to Entebbe airport, you will have a stopover at the Kayabwe Equator Landmark, which is at zero degrees latitude on the planet. The equator line divides the planet into the northern and southern hemispheres. It is a major stopover to experience the water experiment, which is done to show how forces move on each side of the planet. For example, in the northern hemisphere, forces move clockwise and anti-clockwise, and it is said that when you stand at the centre line, your body weight drops by 3 kg. You will have a chance to prove this to be right or wrong by taking some photos while at the centre of the planet. After the equator experiment, visit the craft shops, have lunch, and later proceed with your drive back to Entebbe airport to conclude your 10-day African safari to Uganda.

Meal plan: Breakfast / Lunch