Safari Overview:
The 10 Days Uganda Gorilla Group Safari is detailed safari package that offers you a golden opportunity to trek the Nyakagezi mountain gorilla group- the only habituated gorilla group in the natural habitat of Mgahinga gorilla park- where gold meets Silver. The 10 Days Uganda Gorilla Group Safari will take you through Semulki national park famous for its unique wild game species such as the pygmy antelope, two flying species of squirrels, forest buffalos, monkeys, leopards, water chevrotains, hippos, bush babies, civets, elephants and even the 9 species of duikers that can be only found in the park. The 10 days Uganda gorilla group safari will also connect you to natural endowed Queen Elizabeth national park, Loviest lake Bunyonyi and the compact gem of Lake Mburo national park. The safari will combine Uganda’s most picturesque national parks with memorable cultural experiences and taste of world class services from some of the best lodges/hotels in Uganda.
Safari Highlights:
Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe International Airport & Transfer to Kampala.
Day 2: Transfer from Kampala/Entebbe to Semuliki National Park
Day 3: Do an Early Morning Game Drive and Afternoon Cultural Encounters with the Batwa Community
Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park and do afternoon Launch Cruise
Day 5: Do morning game drive & Afternoon Chimpanzee trekking
Day 6: Transfer to Mgahinga National Park and enroute game drive in Ishasha sector.
Day 7: Do Early Morning Gorilla trekking and An Afternoon Batwa trail.
Day 8: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi and do afternoon boat cruise and relaxation
Day 9: Transfer from Lake Bunyonyi to Lake Mburo National Park.
Day 10: Do morning Game drive and transfer to Kampala with stopover at the Uganda Equator.
Description:
Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe International Airport & Transfer to Kampala.
On your arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be welcomed by a representative of prime safaris and tours Ltd who will transfer you to your pre-booked hotel in Kampala. Depending on the time of arrival, our guide will take you on a city tour for an exhilarating introduction with the capital City of the Pearl of Africa. Visit some interesting sites such as Namugongo Martyrs Shrine -place where a number of Christians were burnt alive after failing to denounce their religion, Bahai Temple -the only mother Temple of the Bahai faith in Africa, Uganda Museum, Kasubi tombs and of course Ndere cultural Centre in the evening. After exploring the city attractions, retire back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Sheraton hotel (Luxury /Upmarket), Humura Resort (Standard/Mid-Range Hotels), Buziga Country Resort (Budget).
Day 2: Transfer from Kampala/Entebbe to Semliki National Park
On this particular day, the driver guide will pick you up from your respective Kampala hotel and depart from Kampala driving on the south western direction to Semuliki National Park. The drive journey of 352 kilometers about 5-6hours without enroute stopovers will take you through the impressive country side landscapes with rural setting and local populations. Arrive in Fort Portal town for lunch after which you will continue with 52 kilometers drive to Semuliki National Park. Upon your arrival to the park, you will drive to the lodge to check-in and afterwards proceed to do an afternoon visit to the Hot springs. The long trail which takes like one hour leads you to the outer parts meeting the Male” spring and the trail continues through a patch of forest where you may watch the red-tailed monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys and black-and-white colobus monkeys. The 30-minutes hike through palm forest from the main road will lead you to the inner, “female” spring, mostly occupied by a boiling geyser where you can do live experiment of boiling Eggs and matooke within period of 30 minutes in boiling hot springs water. After the activity, you will retire back to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accomodations: Semliki Safari Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Mountains of the Moon Hotel (Mid-Range), National Park Bandas and Campsite (Budget).
Day 3: Do an Early Morning Game Drive &Afternoon Cultural Encounters with the Batwa Community
After taking an early morning breakfast, you will embark on an early morning game drive through the well-established three tracks that cross the savannah grassland of Toro Semliki Wildlife Reserve. The early morning game drive will reward you with the views of the smaller forest and larger savannah elephants, buffalo, waterbuck, crocodile, warthog and the Ugandan bird species such as Uganda kob. With luck, you may have chance to see pygmy hippopotami as well as leopards and elusive bush babies. After 3-4 hours game drive, you will retreat back to your lodge for relaxation, lunch as you wait for an evening cultural encounter with the local communities around Semulki National Park. After lunch, Embark on drive to the local community to have refreshing cultural interaction with the Batwa also dubbed the Pygmies in Uganda. The encounter will expose you to the local lifestyle of the Batwa people and the local guide will guide you to local homesteads, schools. The activity will enable you to enjoy cultural performances inform of dances, drama, stories and also visit to craft shops .Retreat back to you lodge after the activity for dinner and overnight.
Accommodations’: Semliki Safari Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Mountains of the Moon Hotel (Mid-Range), National Park Bandas and Campsites. (Budget)
Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park & do afternoon Launch Cruise
On this fourth day, you will wake up very early in the morning, take your breakfast and embark on transfer from Semliki to Queen Elizabeth National Park drive distance of 196kilometres about 3-4hours drive along rough road. The drive will take you through the impressive country side landscapes with rural setting and local people. Upon your arrival to the park, you will connect to Mweya for lunch and an afternoon Kazinga Channel boat cruise. The afternoon launch cruise will offer you possibilities of encountering Hippos, Nile crocodiles, wild game drinking on the channel side and counts of water birds. After the activity, retire back to your lodge in the evening for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Enganzi Lodge (Midrange/Standard) or Pumba Safari Cottages (Budget/Basic).
Day 5: Do morning game drive & Afternoon Chimpanzee trekking
After your early morning cup of coffee, like at 6:00am, you will embark on game drive at 6:30am in the rolling savannah plains of Queen Elizabeth National Park. The drive will take you through Kasenyi with the opportunities of meeting the nocturnal wildlife species when they are retreating back to their hiding grounds and also meet the early morning risers when they are starting their daily activities of looking for food. The ranges of wild game which may be seen during the game drive include the elusive leopard, defassa waterbuck, Uganda kob, Side stripped Jackal; Oribis elephants, lions, buffaloes, Antelopes among others. The tracks are well designed to increase your possibilities of encountering wild game in their natural habitat of Queen Elizabeth National Park. After 3 -4 hour’s game drive, you will retire back to your lodge for relaxation, memory sharing and lunch. Thereafter, embark on the interesting afternoon chimpanzee trekking in the Kyambura gorge that starts from 2:00pm .The Kyambura Gorge experience is more than discovering chimpanzees in their natural environment, the activity stretches an extra mile to teach you about the ecosystems of Kyambura Gorge’s atmospheric “underground” rainforest, including vegetation types; bird identification and behavior; and chimp and monkey ecology. While at the site, you stand a pretty good chance of hearing and seeing our distant cousins-Chimpanzees as they are habituated. The activity which lasts between 2-3 hours is very rewarding and after the activity you will retire to the nearby lodges for dinner and overnight and easy connection to Ishasha as you transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Accommodation: Kyambura Game Lodge (Luxury), Enganzi Lodge (Mid-Range), Pumba Safari Cottages (Budget)
Day 6: Transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla Park & enroute game drive in Ishasha sector.
Immediately after your early morning cup of coffee, you will set of from Queen Elizabeth Park transferring to Mgahinga for memorable gorilla encounter. The drive will take you through the famous Ishasha sector where you will have possibilities of encountering tree climbing lions that tend to lie on the branches of fig trees. You will afterwards continue with the drive, having your lunch enroute. You will arrive in to Mgahinga Gorilla Park in the evening for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Accommodations: Mount Gahinga Safari Lodge (Luxury) Kisoro Travelers’ Rest Hotel (Mid-Range) Virunga hotel and campsite (Budget)
Day 7: Do Early Morning Gorilla trekking & An Afternoon Batwa trail.
After your early morning hefty breakfast, your driver guide will drive you with your packed lunch, bottled water, to the Park head Quarters for an early morning briefing at about 7:30am to 8:00am about etiquettes of gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla Park. While at the park headquarters, you will meet other trekkers and you will be divided into groups of eight individuals who are only allowed to trek Nyakagezi gorilla group that is habituated in Mgahinga Gorilla Park. After briefing, UWA experienced ranger guide will lead you to the trail heads where thrilling gorilla trekking experience starts from. You will entre in the hilly forested areas of Mgahinga Gorilla Park to begin hiking the Virunga volcanoes and slopping the valleys when looking for the unique species of the mountain gorillas inhabited in the stunning Mgahinga Gorilla Park. The trek can take you between 2-8 hours to encounter the Nyakagezi mountain gorillas and once up close, you will be allowed to spend one magical hour with these stunning apes. During this time you can decide to sit down listen to gorilla crumble, study how these apes go about their daily activities of looking for food. When the one hour is over, you will retire back to the park headquarters and thereafter proceed to the lodge for late lunch, relaxation. After lunch, embark on an afternoon Batwa trail tour. The Batwa Trail is such an incredible experience as it takes you through the thick forests of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. During this Batwa trail tour, the Batwa local guide will demonstrate to you their hunting techniques; how they used to gather honey; point out medicinal plants and demonstrate how to make bamboo cups. The tour will lead you to sacred Garama Cave- once home to the Batwa King, where the women of the community perform a sorrowful song which echoes eerily around the depths of the dark cave, and leaves you with a striking and moving sense of the richness of this fading culture
Accommodations: Mount Gahinga Safari Lodge (Luxury) Kisoro Travelers’ Rest Hotel (Mid-Range) Virunga hotel and campsite (Budget).
Day 8: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi and do afternoon boat cruise and relaxation
After an early morning breakfast, you will depart Mgahinga Gorilla Park driving through the fascinating Kigezi Highlands for an afternoon boat cruise, relaxation, dinner and overnight in Lake Bunyonyi. Lake Bunyonyi is another major tourist stopover that is undeniably amazing. It is the second deepest lake in Africa; it contains lots of the tasty crayfish, so get set for a culinary delight. Bunyonyi is a local word that means “many small birds” in direct translation. It’s a perfect stopover for committed birders and travellers who are from hectic gorilla trekking activities. On arrival to Lake Bunyonyi, you will drive to your lodge for check-in, lunch and you proceed to catch up with the afternoon boat cruise ,also participate in refreshing activities such as swimming in the bilharzia free waters of Bunyonyi, you can also enjoy the evening nature walks in the Bunyonyi Islands .After exploring the different adventurous activities in lake Bunyonyi, you will retire to your lodge to chill in the fire place while enjoying cool evening of Bunyonyi, you will have your dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Birdnest @Lake Bunyonyi Resort (Upmarket/Luxury), Lake Bunyonyi Eco-resort (Midrange/Standard) or Byoona Amagara Island Retreat (Budget/Basic
Day 9: Transfer from Lake Bunyonyi to Lake Mburo National Park.
After taking relaxed breakfast in your Lake Bunyonyi Lodge, you will embark on drive transfer from Lake Bunyonyi to Lake Mburo national park drive distance of 199 kilometers. The drive will take you through the impressive country side landscapes with rural setting and local populations. Upon your arrival in Lake Mburo National Park, you will have your lunch and afterwards proceed to catch-up with an afternoon boat cruise which sets of at 2:30pm on the magnificent waters of Lake Mburo and it takes you across 2-3 hours of adventure. The boat trip will offer you opportunities of encountering the game drinking on the lake side, it will also draw you closer to place where you can have full acounts of Hippos, Nile Crocodiles and a range of water birds such as the colorful Kingfishers, magnificent Fish Eagles, Hammerkops and their enormous nests and even the prehistoric-looking Shoebill. Retreat back from the activity to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Mihingo Safari Lodge (Luxury), Arcadia Cottages Mburo (Mid-Range), Eagle’s Nest (Budget).
Day 10: Do morning Game drive & transfer to Kampala with stopover at the Uganda Equator.
After an early morning breakfast, embark on an interesting game drive through the park in search of wild game. The connection of game tracks found in the eastern part of the park passes through a variety of beautiful landscape such as acacia woodland, wetlands vegetation, savannah grassland which supports the survival of different wildlife grazers including gigantic eland antelope, zebras, waterbucks, Klipspringer and the rare Topi, impala, warthog, oribi, buffalo, Defassa reedbuck. The game drive which takes 2-3hours covering a distance of 150kms is very rewarding with the views of different wildlife species and an extra view of different bird species. After the activity, you will retire back to the park headquarters and then proceed with the drive to Kampala. On your way, you will by-pass Mpigi village, famous for the Royal Drums Makers and of course the Ugandan Equator, where you will have your lunch stopover, take photos and shop for a souvenir. You will arrive to Kampala late in the evening approximate at 5-6pm and the driver guide will drive you back to your Kampala hotel or to Entebbe international Airport for your scheduled flight back Home.
End of the Safari.
