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8 Days Uganda Gorilla Tour

8 DAYS UGANDA GORILLA TOUR

Overview of 8 days Uganda gorilla tour

8 days Uganda gorilla tour is 7 nights, 8 days long Uganda safari distinctly crafted for you to explore top tourist destinations each with unique attractions. The long Uganda safari 8 days includes visiting Murchison Falls National Park for game & launch cruise, Kibale National Park for chimpanzee tracking.

It also includes a game viewing safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park and mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Bwindi National Park is located in Southwestern Uganda and over 120 mammals call it a home, these include the massive mountain gorillas; 360 plant species, 360 bird species, 200 butterfly species and reptiles.

Kibale National Park is an iconic primate safari destination with 13 primate species and they include 1500 chimpanzees. Other primates include olive baboons, chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys and more. Over 375 bird species are all sheltered within Kibale Forest making it not only a preferred chimpanzee tracking destination but also birder’s paradise.

Murchison Falls National Park is 5-6 hours’ drive from Kampala, located right in the Northwest and a home to the world’s powerful Murchison waterfalls. The park extends up to 3840sq.kms of land area and protects 4 members of the big 5 game- elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards etc.

Located in Western Uganda, Queen Elizabeth National Park is another area of interest on your 8 days Uganda gorilla tour. Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda’s second largest park spans on 1978sq.kms of land area. The park’s landscape is characterized by crater lakes, forests, savanna plains and shelters important wildlife such as hippos, the tree climbing lions, water bucks, elephants, buffaloes, crocodiles, leopards and others.

Brief itinerary

Day 1: Kampala-Ziwa, then to Murchison Falls National Park

Day 2: Game drive, launch cruise (Full Day experience in Murchison)

Day 3: Kibale National Park

Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking & Queen Elizabeth National Park 3-4hrs

Day 5: Driver guided game drive & boat cruise

Day 6: Queen Elizabeth N/P-Bwindi, Ishasha game drive en-route

Day 7: Gorilla trekking, Batwa cultural trip

Day 8: Departure

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Kampala-Ziwa, then to Murchison Falls National Park

Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, located within Nakasongola District and it is with no doubt the only place to encounter rhinos in the wild. A visit to Ziwa will be done while en-route to Murchison Falls National Park in Northwestern Uganda and you will engage in Rhino tracking.

After rhino tracking, exit Ziwa then drive up to Masindi town to have lunch in any of the classic hotels or lodges. Today, your access to Murchison Falls National Park will be via Kichumbanyobo gate in the South, then you drive via lush rain-forest- Budongo. You will check in at the lodge after visiting the top of the falls.

Accommodation:
  • Luxury: Baker’s Lodge/Nile Safari Lodge/Paraa Safari Lodge
  • Midrange: Heritage/Pakuba Lodge/Murchison River Lodge
  • Budget: Red Chili Campsite

Day 2: Game drive, launch cruise (Full Day experience in Murchison)

Rise up early for breakfast, after, set off for a long day thrilling guided game drive expected to take 2-4 hours and you will be using a 4WD vehicle. Today, your morning sightings will range from big game- buffaloes, lions, bush elephants, leopards plus antelopes including hartebeests, Uganda kobs; birds, giraffes, warthogs to mention but a few.

Retreat from 3-4 hours’ game drive on the Northern bank of Murchison Falls National Park, settle for a leisurely lunch. Later, meet your safari guide for transfer to Paraa where you will start your launch cruise excursion on the Victoria Nile, connecting you up to the bottom of Murchison Falls. From the bottom of the falls, enjoy incredible view and take pictures and later, leave the boat ready to start your trek to the top of the falls.

Accommodation:
  • Luxury: Baker’s Lodge/Nile Safari Lodge/Paraa Safari Lodge
  • Midrange: Heritage/Pakuba Lodge/Murchison River Lodge
  • Budget: Red Chili Campsite

Day 3: Kibale National Park

Meet your driver guide ready for transfer to Kibale National Park. Visiting Kibale will be for you to engage in chimpanzee tracking. There are 13 primate species in the National Park alone and they include over 1500 chimpanzees, a significant number/communities of which have been habituated and open for chimpanzee tracking.

Traveling from Murchison Falls NP to Kibale takes 7-8 hours’ drive. This will include en-route stopover at Fort Portal city for lunch at a hotel and after, drive to Kibale National Park in Kabarole district.

Accommodation:
  • Luxury: Kyaninga Lodge/Crater Safari Lodge/Ndali Lodge/Papaya Lake Lodge
  • Midrange: Primate Lodge/Chimps Nest
  • Budget: Chimpanzee Guesthouse

Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking & Queen Elizabeth National Park 3-4hrs

Have a delicious breakfast- tea or coffee, after, you will be expected at Kanyanchu which is a visitor or tourist centre and this is where briefing about chimpanzee tracking rules and allocation of park guides will be done by park official.

2-4 chimpanzee trekking tour begins at 8:00am with an armed park guide leading you through. Once you get chimpanzee community, you must observe the standard rule of 1 hour enjoying a face to face encounter with chimpanzees.

Leave the jungles after a magical encounter, have ample time to relax, have lunch. After, you will be transferred to Queen Elizabeth National Park via Fort Portal city. Lying on 11978sq.kms of land area, Queen Elizabeth N/Park is an exceptional National Park known to provide remarkable wildlife viewing.

Accommodation
  • Luxury: Katara Lodge/Mweya Safari Lodge
  • Mid-range: Kazinga Channel View Resort/Enganzi/Bush Lodge
  • Budget: Simba Safari Camp/Bush Lodge tents/Mweya Hostels

Day 5: Driver guided game drive & boat cruise

Game drive: Catch up with early risers along Kasenyi Plains during the guided game drive in your 4×4 vehicle. The extensive Kasenyi Plains will reward you with remarkable sightings of antelopes, big game- elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards and more.

Drive back after an exciting game viewing, settle for lunch and later, you will be at Kazinga Channel for a boat cruise excursion. Enjoy a boat cruise for 3-4 hours, view the crocodiles, hippos, aquatic birds and more.

Accommodation:
  • Luxury: Katara Lodge/Mweya Safari Lodge
  • Mid-range: Kazinga Channel View Resort/Enganzi/Bush Lodge
  • Budget: Simba Safari Camp/Bush Lodge tents/Mweya Hostels

Day 6: Queen Elizabeth N/P-Bwindi, Ishasha game drive en-route

After breakfast, you will be connecting up to Bwindi National Park a celebrated Uganda safari park for mountain gorilla trekking adventure. First, connect to Ishasha sector for a short guided game drive which mainly gets you remarkable sightings of the tree climbing lions plus different other wildlife.

Transfer to Bwindi and this will be 4-5 hours’ drive. Bwindi has 20 habituated gorilla groups open for trekking and 4 regions where gorilla treks start from. You will have ample time relaxing at the gorilla safari lodge in Bwindi.

Accommodation:
  • Luxury: Mahogany Springs/Buhoma Lodge
  • Midrange: Silverback Lodge/Engagi
  • Budget: Buhoma Community Rest Camp

Day 7: Gorilla trekking, Batwa cultural trip

Enjoy a hefty breakfast, after leave for briefing with pack of energy giving snacks and bottled water. Assemble at your respective gorilla trekking regions in Bwindi, get to know which rules and regulations/dos and don’ts to follow at all times while on a trek gorilla.

Actual hike to look out for mountain gorillas begin at 8:00am and all visitors are accompanied by an experienced park guide. This will be a long day excursion involving hiking through steep slopes, winding via dense/verdant vegetation.

Return while sighting more primates plus birds, floral species and more. Walk back to the lodge to have enough time of relaxation and followed by evening cultural walk in the Batwa pygmy community.

Accommodation:
  • Luxury: Mahogany Springs/Buhoma Lodge
  • Midrange: Silverback Lodge/Engagi
  • Budget: Buhoma Community Rest Camp

Day 8: Departure

A delicious breakfast early morning and after, set off for a long road trip likely to take you 8-9 hours’ drive. En-route stopover areas of interest include Igongo for lunch and Equator crossing for photo taking. After, drop off to hotel in Kampala or Entebbe marking the end of 8 days Uganda gorilla tour.

End of tour

Inclusions

  • Gorilla permits
  • Chimp permits
  • Park entry fees
  • Bottled water
  • Travel by road 4WD
  • English-speaking driver guide service
  • Accommodation

Exclusions

  • Visas
  • Airfares
  • Laundry
  • Telephone
  • Cigars
  • Insurance
  • Tips