Overview.
The 5 days Uganda gorilla trekking & wildlife tour introduces you into Queen Elizabeth and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Tour the vast savanna plains of Queen Elizabeth National Park for a chance to see huge elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards, antelopes, warthogs. With the assistance of an experienced guide, immerse yourself into the misty Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This forest shelters the massive mountain gorillas, half of 1063 of these endangered species 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 National Park.
Pick up at the hotel in Kampala and your journey begins after briefing about the 5 days expected experience in Uganda. It takes about 7-8 hours’ drive to reach Queen Elizabeth National Park. This is the 2nd biggest National Park in Uganda, with a1978sq.kms. land area. The park is suitably found in Western Uganda, and today, you reach there through the Kampala-Masaka-Mbarara-Bushenyi route. This is one of the best routes, which also offers visitors plenty of opportunities to explore the beautiful countryside.
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 the Ankole cultures. After, proceed along the Kasese-Bushenyi route and then finally to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Get 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 rewards you with amazing wildlife encounters in 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. After a game drive, return to have lunch at the lodge.
At around 2:00pm, go to the Kazinga Channel for an excellent boat cruise. This is one exciting recreational activity, that takes 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 prepare to leave Queen Elizabeth National Park. Head to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park located in Southwestern Uganda in Kanungu, Kisoro and Rubanda districts. Enroute to Bwindi, 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 before you continue to check into your accommodation in Bwindi. Remember, this is 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. This is time for the actual trekking to see mountain gorillas. The park official is available to assign each small group of 8 people a gorilla family and park guide.
In Bwindi National Park alone, available habituated gorilla families for gorilla treks number up to about 20. If your fitness level doesn’t favor you, request for the easier group to track. Just inform your driver guide early enough. The gorilla trek takes 2-6 hours. Enjoy a 1 hour face-to-face with these large primates, taking photos, observe every bit about them, their behaviors, body gestures. The park guide explains to you everything about mountain gorilla behaviors and for clarification purposes, feel free to ask questions.
After the good time with Bwindi Mountain gorillas, walk back to relax at the lodge. Later in the evening/afternoon, visit the Batwa pygmy community to interact with the Batwa pygmies. Batwa are the original forest keepers. They lived in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for 1000s of years as hunters and gatherers. Also, they left without any negative impact on it. Their entertainment is through Batwa dances and music performances. Listen to inspirational stories as told by the elders to know their 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. Get fun photography opportunities upon reaching the equator crossing in Kayabwe. Your last drop off is at the hotel in Kampala/Entebbe marking the end of 5 days Uganda Gorilla Trekking & Wildlife Tour.
