8 Day Safari: Outstanding Wildlife Safari in Uganda

Today you will drive to Fort Portal in western Uganda. The route is incredibly scenic, passing through tea plantations and the lush green countryside which characterizes so much of Uganda. The last hour of the journey will take you through dense forest and the sounds of the wild. 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 Forest Camp offers an affordable classic canvas experience in the form of 10 African safari style tents tucked away in a lush forest. Kibale Forest 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.

Kibale Forest National Park boasts the highest number of primate species in the world, including our delightful cousins, the chimpanzees. Today, in Uganda, there are approximately 5,000 chimpanzees in the wild, which makes it a perfect place to spot them! An experienced forest ranger will take you chimp tracking in the morning or afternoon. You might also see other monkey species that live in this tropical forest. Once located, you will spend a full hour with the chimps. Since they are still wild animals, we can never guarantee you to see them and might have to settle with hearing their hoots and hollers. Your swamp walk (2-3 hours) will take you through grassland, small communities, and some beautiful scenery, where the locals are likely to greet you with enthusiastic waves. It is usual to spot three to four different primate species during this walk, though the highlight is catching a glimpse of the great blue turaco! Optional: Chimpanzee Habituation tracking for free.At an additional fee of only $70 us dollar pp. You will do the chimpanzee habituation tracking instead of the regular chimpanzee tracking. This will take all day and you will be 100% sure to have a very close encounter with your closest relatives. Book this in time because only 6 persons per day are allowed to go. Your swamp walk can be postponed to the next morning. Dinner and overnight at Kibale Forest Camp.

In the morning, you can relax at your lodge, make a crater lake hike or visit a nearby tea plantation, where you will be able to assist the tea pickers and learn about how leaves are selected for the highest quality(All activities of this morning are at your own cost). You will then continue your journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda’s second-largest park, located at the base of the majestic Rwenzori Mountain range, adjacent to Lake Edward and Lake George. The park has prolific game, including Gazelle, Uganda Kob, Warthog, and Waterbuck. Lions are often sighted both in the park and at the entrance to the park. Be prepared for huge numbers of hippo and elephant, and keep your eyes peeled for a leopard lazing in the sunshine in the late afternoon you will go for a game-drive into the park. Dinner and overnight at Marafiki Safari Lodge. 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!..

Today you wake up early. A little before sunrise coffee, tea and donuts will be served in the lounge before we head out for a long game drive in time to see the first rays of light. You will search for all the wildlife in the park and are likely to come across Elephant, Buffalo, Lion, Waterbuck, Leopard, Uganda Kob, and many Warthogs. A well-deserved brunch will be served back at the lodge in the late morning. In the afternoon you will take a boat safari along the Kazinga Channel which joins Lake George and Lake Edward. Here, you will see a lot of hippos (more than you can possibly imagine!), as well as a variety of other animals which come to the waterhole to drink or bathe. You can expect to see buffalo, crocodiles, bathing elephants, and a range of beautiful birds. This will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of your tour. Dinner and overnight at Marafiki Safari Lodge After the boat-safari you game drive back to the lodge. Optional activity: Chimp tracking Kyambura Gorge: The spectacular Kyambura Gorge, also called the “Valley of Apes”, is located in the eastern corner of Queen Elizabeth. The landscape is among the most impressive you will find in Uganda. Enter into the Gorge and you will be marveled by the verdant, rich Tropical Rain-forest right close to the Equator crossing. You can make a wonderful hike here looking for chimpanzees. Chances of seeing chimps are 50% and that is why we rather call it a nature walk. Don’t miss it; the gorge is simply amazing!

Today you drive to Lake Mutanda in the south-western part of Uganda; close to the borders with Rwanda and Congo. You cross a beautiful part of the country often referred to as ‘the Switzerland of Africa’. You will pass the country-side, the bamboo forest, and have great views over the Virunga Mountains. For lunch you stop at a local restaurant (not inclusive).Your comfortable lodge is overlooking Lake Mutanda and the Virunga volcanoes on the border with Rwanda. This will undoubtedly be one of the most spectacular views you have ever seen! From here you will depart tomorrow for the gorilla tracking so it is best to get a good night's sleep. Dinner and overnight at Mutanda Lake Resort

Today is the big day; prepare yourself for an encounter with one of Bwindi’s gentle giants: the rare mountain gorilla. For most people, this is the absolute highlight of their tour in Uganda. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest boasts both mountain gorillas and chimpanzees - the only forest in Africa which can make this claim, in fact. It also hosts five other species of primate, 113 species of mammal, over 200 butterflies, and 360 birds. En route to the gorillas, your guide will point out signs of previous gorilla activity, including dung, nests, and chewed bamboo shoots. The gorillas you track belong to one of nine habituated family groups that can tolerate the presence of humans for a brief period every day. The time taken to track the gorillas can be as few as 2 hours to as many as 7 hours. Your track will be an exciting journey along forested slopes, entwined vines, bushes, and bamboo before you eventually reach the gorilla family. Once the gorillas have been located, your group will be allowed a maximum of one hour with them. Coming face-to-face with a mountain gorilla is a truly humbling and emotional experience. This is a fantastic and privileged opportunity to get up close and personal with Uganda’s very own ‘Gorillas in the Mist’. Dinner and overnight at Mutanda Lake Resort

After an early breakfast at the lodge, we will drive back to Kampala or Entebbe (Airport) stopping at the equator for the requisite snapshot and a bit of souvenir shopping. Accommodation for tonight is not included in the program. If you wish to depart tonight from EntebbeAirport, make sure your flight is at 10 pm or later. If you would like us to book one (or more) nights in Kampala and/or Entebbe, please let us know.