Overview.
The 5 days Uganda Gorilla Trekking & Wildlife Tour introduces you into the vast savanna plains of Queen Elizabeth National Park to see huge elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards, antelopes, warthogs, while they freely roam.
With assistance of an experienced guide, immerse yourself into the mist impenetrable forest of Bwindi impenetrable National Park to see the massive mountain gorillas in the wild, half of 1063 of these endangered species all live here. Your combined gorilla and wildlife safari in 5 days begins and ends in Kampala, Uganda.
Safari details.
Day 1: Kampala to Queen Elizabeth Park.
Pick up at the hotel in Kampala and your journey will begin after briefing about the 5 days you will spend in Uganda and what you should expect. It will take you about 7-8 hours’ drive to reach to Queen Elizabeth National Park, the 2nd biggest National Park in Uganda with its land area stretching to cover up to 1978sq.kms.
The park is suitably found in Western Uganda, and today, you will get there through the Kampala-Masaka-Mbarara-Bushenyi route. This is one of the best routes, offering visitors plenty opportunities to explore the beautiful countryside. You will make a stopover at Equator crossing to take pictures or perform a water experiment to determine the Northern and Southern hemispheres.
From equator crossing at Kayabwe, drive to Igongo for lunch and if time allows, visit the museum to explore a bit of Ankole cultures. After, proceed Kasese-Bushenyi route and then finally to Queen Elizabeth National Park with remarkable views of extensive tea plantations, banana farms and rift valley escarpment.
Day 2: Game viewing experience and boat cruise.
After a delicious breakfast, leave your comfortable lodge for a game drive before the sunrises. Register with the park officials, then proceed for your game drive through Kasenyi Plains, the Northern section of Queen Elizabeth N/Park. This is one region that will reward you with amazing wildlife encounters during the 2-3 hours’ game drive.
The expected animal sightings along Kasenyi sector range from large herds of elephants, buffaloes, pride of lions, leopards (on a lucky day), birds with 620 bird species all surviving here; warthogs, variety of antelopes and many more. At the background, don’t miss the breathtaking view of the Rwenzori Mountains of the Moon and after a game drive, return to have lunch at the lodge.
At around 2:00pm, you will be expected at Kazinga Channel for an excellent boat cruise. This is one of exciting and rewarding recreational activities and you will take 2-3 hours. On a boat cruise along Kazinga channel, expect to see hippos, crocodiles, aquatic birds, plus plenty of other wildlife at the river banks/shores including elephants, buffaloes.
Day 3: Drive to Ishasha to watch the tree climbing lions. Proceed to Bwindi impenetrable national park.
Wake up early to enjoy heavy breakfast, and later be prepared to leave Queen Elizabeth National Park for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park located in Southwestern Uganda in Kanungu, Kisoro and Rubanda districts. Enroute to Bwindi, you will enjoy a game drive within Ishasha sector, a region that is most popular for watching tree climbing lions and other wildlife. This will be followed by a bush lunch and you continue to check into your accommodation in Bwindi, one of the UNESCO Sites in Uganda.
Day 4: Trekking Gorillas in Bwindi and Batwa cultural experience.
A sumptuous breakfast early enough, after, join other guests for briefing starting at 7:00am till 8:00am when actual trekking to see mountain gorillas begins. The park official will be available to assign each small group of 8 people a gorilla family and park guide.
In Bwindi National Park alone, a total of about 20 habituated gorilla groups are all open for tracking and if your fitness level doesn’t favor, you can request for the easier group to track but it is important that you inform your driver guide early enough.
At 8:00am, start your adventure through the dense misty Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to search for mountain gorillas, taking you about 2-6 hours. Upon locating them, there is a chance to enjoy 1 hour face-to-face with these large primates, taking photos, observe every bit about them, their behaviors, body gestures. The park guide will be explaining to you everything about mountain gorilla behaviors and for clarification purposes, feel free to ask as many questions as you can.
Note: you must be prepared for gorilla trekking adventure in Bwindi. Essential items you must have for day include bottled mineral water, energy snacks, long-sleeved shirts, daypack, rain jacket, waterproof hiking boots, long trousers, gardening gloves, socks etc.
After spending good time with Bwindi Mountain gorillas, walk back to relax at the lodge. Later in the evening/afternoon, you will visit the Batwa pygmy community to interact with the Batwa pygmies, the original forest keepers. They lived in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for 1000s of years as hunters and gatherers, left without any negative impact on it. You will be entertained by Batwa dances, music performances, listen to inspirational stories as told by the elders, get to know the ancient hunting and gathering techniques, etc.
Day 5: Drive back to Kampala / Entebbe airport for departure.
Have breakfast early morning and start your return journey to Kampala/Entebbe immediately with lunch enjoyed enroute.
Fun photography opportunities are available upon reaching the equator crossing Kayabwe and last drop off at the hotel in Kampala/Entebbe marking the end of 5 days Uganda Gorilla Trekking & Wildlife Tour.
