An incredible journey into Central Africa – this eight day safari includes return flights to Bwindi/QENP allowing maximum time to look for the spectacular Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National, chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura Gorge, multiple game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park with its amazing selection of wildlife, including the tree climbing lions, and an optional visit to Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary on beautiful Lake Victoria.
Entebbe »Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, » Queen Elizabeth National Park, » Entebbe/Depart
Arrive at Entebbe International Airport where you will be met by a representative and transferred to your accommodation. Depending on your arrival time, a half day trip to Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary can be arranged.
Meals and accommodation at Protea Hotel by Marriott Entebbe
Transfer to Entebbe domestic airport for your scheduled flight to Kihihi airstrip, near Bwindi/Queen Elizabeth National parks. The flight takes just over an hour (depending on the plane used) and on arrival you will be met by a representative and driven to Buhoma Lodge, located at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The drive to the lodge is through local villages and mountain roads – lovely scenery and very interesting en route!
Meals and accommodation at Buhoma Lodge
Following breakfast at the lodge, you will walk down to National Park Headquarters to meet your guides for the day and begin your gorilla tracking experience. Experienced guides and trackers will accompany your party on an early morning trek into the dense rain forest on the mountain slopes*. The journey, through dense foliage and up steep climbs, is abundantly rewarded with the lifetime experience of viewing mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. You will have an opportunity to be within meters of these magnificent apes, sharing in their daily lives and experiencing their day-to-day activities. Mountain gorillas are extremely rare with only an estimated 850 remaining in the wild. This is an experience you won’t soon forget! *Some of the gorilla families are located in an area which you will need to travel to by vehicle, but don’t worry – we will transport you there!
Meals and accommodation at Buhoma Lodge
Those with pre-purchased permits will depart for a second gorilla tracking experience following breakfast at the lodge. Depending upon individual itinerary schedules, guests not tracking gorillas may wish to enjoy other activities available in the area such as a forest walk, a visit to a local school/orphanage or Batwa pygmy village, and curio shopping.
Forest Walk (Optional) - Embark on a walk through tropical rainforest with experienced wildlife guides. Enjoy scenic views, the sights and sounds of the rain forest, ample opportunities for bird watching and glimpses of the many monkey species living in the park as they move through the forest canopy.
Village Community Walk (Optional) - Embark on a community walk through the local villages surrounding Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Optional activities include visits to a traditional home, local orphanage or school, banana brewing demonstrations and even meeting traditional medicinal healers. This three to four hour walk is easily tailored to your individual schedule and interests.
Meals and accommodation at Buhoma Lodge
This morning we depart Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and travel (2-3 hours) to Ishasha in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Time permitting, during our drive from Bwindi to Ishasha, we may visit a Community Project on the border of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Here the local people allow you to enjoy some time in their homesteads, as well as see some of the crops and curios they produce, and visit the local elephant trench project – which stops elephants coming into the village and raiding crops.
Afternoon game drives will be enjoyed in the Ishasha area, looking for the huge herds of buffalo, elephant, Uganda kob and of course the famous tree-climbing lion typically found in the area.
Meals and accommodation at Mweya Safari Lodge
Spend the day enjoying game drives in the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Queen Elizabeth National Park spreads over 1,978 sq km in the western arm of the Great Rift Valley and is home to a wide variety of wildlife including elephants, leopard, lions, hippos, buffalo, Uganda kob, baboon, and many species of birds. With both a riverine and savannah habitat, the park includes the southern Ishasha area with the massive Maramagambo, one of the largest surviving natural forests in Uganda. The northern Mweya area, traversed by the equator and dominated by the scenery of crater lakes, is often occupied by large flocks of flamingos.
Meals and accommodation at Mweya Safari Lodge
In the Mweya area of Queen Elizabeth National Park, also rich with wildlife, visitors will find vast numbers of Uganda’s unique and strange Euphorbia, or “candelabra” tree. The many nearby crater lakes and mountain ranges provide a beautiful backdrop for your journey. Today we depart Ishasha to the ‘Mweya’ sector of the National park. Here you will enjoy a leisurely boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel. You may encounter herds of elephant, buffalos and antelopes, families of warthogs, large groups of hippos, and crocodiles basking on the shore. Kazinga’s shores are a haven for numerous birds, including many migratory species as they make their way south to warmer climates. The cruise also provides a spectacular view of the beautiful Mweya Peninsula and life in local fishing villages set along the banks.
Meals and accommodation at Mweya Safari Lodge
This morning we will travel early to the Chamburu Gorge (Kyamaburu) to enjoy Chimpanzee trekking. After this activity, we depart to the airstrip nearby for the flight to Entebbe.
Meals and accommodation at Protea Hotel by Marriott Entebbe
Entebbe »Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, » Queen Elizabeth National Park, » Entebbe/Depart
These are sample itineraries for which can be customized to fit your needs
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