10 Day Safari: Big Apes and Big Cats | Uganda

After an early breakfast, leave Kampala heading northwest. Optional: Visit the Ziwa Rhino sanctuary for a nature walk to see the rare rhinos in the wild. Lunch en route. Proceed to Murchison Falls National Park, with a brief stop on the top of the falls, where you can see the Nile's perfected beauty and marvel as it squeezes through a seven-meter canyon. The 43meter drop of the falls creates a thunderous roar and a beautiful rainbow in the spray. Dinner and overnight stay at Red Chili Hideaway.

Embark on an early morning game drive on the Northern bank where your guide will help you spot a great number of animals and birds. Return to the lodge for breakfast. Relax at the swimming poolside. After lunch, you will safari upstream by boat to the calm Victoria Nile and the base of the falls; There you can marvel at toothsome hippos, crocodiles and over the 17-kilometer stretch you may also see elephants, waterbucks, and Uganda Kobs. This is also the habitat for many bird species. The boat leaves you near the falls and you can hike to the top of the falls (optional). It is an exciting experience that brings you very close to the rushing whitewater as it squeezes itself through the narrow crevice below. The resulting mist from the turbulence often produces rainbows. Your driver will be waiting for you here and return for dinner and overnight stay at Red Chili Hideaway.

Transfer from Murchison Falls NP driving Southwest through the Albertine Escarpment of the Western Rift Valley. Lunch en route. Drive through Hoima and reach the colorful and the beautiful town of Fort Portal, the capital of the Tooro kingdom, situated in the shadow of the fabled " Mountains of the Moon," the Rwenzori. You will be staying at a wonderful lodge, just outside the town of Fort Portal. You can spend the late afternoon relaxing at the lodge, from which there is a lovely view of the forest and its wildlife. Dinner and overnight at Kibale Forest Camp. The Kibale Foret Camp offers an affordable classic canvas experience in the form of 10 African safari-style tents tucked away in a lush forest. Kibale Foret Camp is located in a patch of evergreen forest, just outside the southern part of the National Park. It borders the Magombe swamp, known for the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, and is a mere It is a 10 min drive to Kanyanchu Visitor Center, the place from where your chimp track will start.

You will spend most of the morning in the forest in search of chimpanzees. These primates are very mobile and viewing them is un predictable but forest walk is enriching, activity starts at 8.00 am in the morning and takes about 4 to 5 hours. This forest is home to large numbers of chimpanzees and other primates including phoestes, Red-colobus, Blue, Red-tailed, grey-cheeked monkeys, birds, and butterflies. The guide will provide detailed explanations on not only primates but also on all the forest's fauna and flora. After lunch, visit either the Kasenda Crater Lake region or Bigodi community initiative swamp and enjoy the amazing panoramic views. Dinner and overnight at Kibale Forest Camp

After a relaxed breakfast, drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park, following the mystical Rwenzori Mountain Range most of the journey. Have a game drive en-route, lunch at the Lodge, with its wonderful location on top of the Mweya peninsula. Enjoy the unique two-hour boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel.  This trip passes through possibly the highest concentration of hippos and many animals may be seen drinking at the water's edge. This launch cruise gives you a great opportunity for photography, bird watching, and game viewing. The prolific bird life is colorful and impressive with well over 550 resident species. Dinner and overnight at Marafiki Safari Lodge

The day starts with an early morning game drive along Kasenyi tracks and Queen's mile in the park and expect to see lions, elephants, cape buffalos, warthogs, spotted hyenas, mongoose, waterbucks, kobs, and, if lucky, the leopard, plus a lot of small animals and birds. You will go as far as Lake George. Drive back to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon drive to the splendid Crater Lakes region for sightseeing. Dinner and overnight at Marafiki Safari Lodge is located in a unique location and has been designed and handcrafted using local materials, fitted by artisans from the local community. Overlooking Lake George in the Queen Elizabeth National Park it offers private safari tents on raised wooden floors and canvas walls that can be rolled up to allow you to sit comfortably watching the Savannah Plains with breathtaking views across the Park and the Rwenzori Mountains. Watch wildlife from your verandah and fall asleep to the roaring of Lions on the distant savannah. This truly is Africa!

With your packed lunch drive to Bwindi via the Ishasha sector of the Park in search of the tree-climbing lions found only in this area of Uganda. The landscape is open savannah with acacia trees. Have a packed lunch. Proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for dinner and overnight at Mutanda Lake Resort

After an early breakfast, you will be briefed by the park rangers before entering the gorilla sanctuary. The rainforest is dense and crisscrossed by numerous animal trails, The thrill of spending time and observing the gorillas is a memorable experience.  Gorillas are shy and peaceful animals and it is an unforgettable experience to watch and photograph them as they interact with one another. Dinner and overnight at Mutanda Lake Resort

After breakfast, you will drive back to Kampala with a stopover for lunch in Mbarara town and proceed to Kampala arriving late afternoon. Drop off at your hotel in Kampala or Entebbe in time for your flight.