12-Day Uganda Safari and Gorilla Trekking with Rhino Tracking

• Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, an assigned professional tour guide will receive and welcome you to Uganda - the Pearl of Africa.
• Thereafter, you will transfer to the booked accommodation. You will check in and take your rest, recovering from jet lag and adjusting to the time difference.
• Optional (extra cost): If you arrive early and are interested in a nearby activity, you may consider an excursion to the Entebbe Botanical Gardens to sight a few primates and birds, or an excursion to Mabamba Wetland in search of the prehistoric shoebill stork. Otherwise, you may check in and simply rest.

Accommodation: (Via Via Entebbe - Budget Level) | Transfer Time: Approx. 20 minutes.

Main Destination: Entebbe International Airport (Entebbe)

Meals: Dinner: (Breakfast & lunch not included)

• You will have an early morning breakfast and drive to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. Once there, you will proceed for an hour of on-foot rhino tracking. After the rhino tracking, you will head to Masindi, where you will have a lunch stop.
• After lunch, embark on the transfer to Murchison Falls National Park. The highlights of this park include the roaring rapids of Murchison Falls and the rolling plains of Uganda's largest national park, where you will have the chance to view lions, giraffes, hartebeest, buffalo, elephants, among others. On top of all that, the concentration of hippos and Nile crocodiles here will fascinate you. If interested and time allows, you can proceed for a late afternoon-evening game drive.

Accommodation: (Fort Murchison (Tent) - Budget tented camp located just outside Murchison Falls NP) | Transfer Time: 6-7 hours excluding time in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.

Main Destination: Murchison Falls National Park.

Meals: All meals & Drinking water included

• You will have breakfast and depart for an early morning game drive across the rolling plains of Uganda's largest national park, keeping watch for wildlife including lions, leopards (though hard to spot), giraffes, among others. If you are a birder, there are quite a number of birds to sight during the drive too, hence the need to have your camera ready to capture every moment.
• You will thereafter return to the accommodation for some rest time and lunch. After lunch, you will proceed for the boat trip to the base of Murchison Falls, where you will also be able to catch sight of more animals including hippos, crocodiles, and several water birds, and afterwards return to your accommodation and relax.

Accommodation: (Fort Murchison (Tent) - Budget tented camp located just outside Murchison Falls NP) | Transfer Time: N/A.

Main Destination: Murchison Falls National Park

Meals: All meals & Drinking water included

• You will have breakfast and then drive to the top of Murchison Falls to truly appreciate the beauty and magnificence of these falls. From the top, you will embark on a transfer that will see you overnight at the edge of Kibale Forest National Park. The drive is quite long but incredibly scenic, passing through villages, lush green countryside, and hills dotted with tea plantations that characterize this part of Uganda. The beautiful scenery will amaze you all the way. Upon arrival at the accommodation, check in and just relax.
• Optional (extra cost 20$): If interested, you can proceed for the crater lakes excursion. You will enjoy the beauty of the numerous small lakes, surrounded by gentle hills, and the stunning views all around. Otherwise, simply enjoy your rest.

Accommodation: (Rweteera Safari Park - Budget lodge located just outside Kibale NP) | Transfer time: Approx. 7-8 hours.

Main Destination: Kibale National Park (Commonly known for Chimps)

Meals: All meals & Drinking water included

• You will have breakfast and proceed for the Bigodi Swamp excursion. The Bigodi Wetland boasts an extensive array of biodiversity, among which are several primate species like the black-and-white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, and baboons. Bigodi is also a paradise for bird watchers. Among the major bird species within the area is the Great Blue Turaco.
• From Bigodi, you will embark on a transfer (approx. 2 hours) to Queen Elizabeth National Park. You will reach the park early enough to have lunch, rest, and then proceed for a game drive. During the game drive, look out for wild animals like reedbuck, bushbuck, kobs, warthogs, elephants, lions, and buffaloes, among others.
• Alternatively, you could choose to go for Queen's breathtaking explosion crater drive instead.
• Return to the accommodation and take your rest.

Accommodation: (Irungu Forest Safari Lodge - Mid-range lodge located just outside Queen Elizabeth NP) | Transfer Time: 2-3 hrs.

Main Destination: Kibale National Park (Chimps)

Meals: All meals & Drinking water included

• You will have an early breakfast and drive out to Kalinzu Forest Reserve. The forest is home to habituated chimpanzees, plus other primates including baboons and monkeys, as well as bird species. Today, you will spend the early part of your day tracking chimpanzees.
• Thereafter, return to the accommodation for some rest time and lunch. After lunch, you will go for a 2-hour boat trip on the Kazinga Channel that connects Lake George and Lake Edward.
• While on this trip, you will have an amazing opportunity to sight wildlife including elephants, giant hippos, crocodiles, among others.
• You will also see many varieties of birds along the lake shores. After the boat trip, you can proceed for a brief late afternoon game drive and thereafter return to the lodge.

Accommodation: (Irungu Forest Safari Lodge - Mid-range lodge located just outside Queen Elizabeth NP) | Transfer Time: Approx. 1 hr to/from Kalinzu.

Main Destination: Queen Elizabeth National Park

Meals: All meals & Drinking water included

• You will be up early and proceed for an early morning game drive in the Kasenyi Plains. Be on the lookout for herds of elephants, Cape buffaloes, lions, leopards (though hard to spot), among others.
• Return to the lodge and check out, then head to the Ishasha sector in search of the amazing tree-climbing lions. The chance of spotting these lions is about 70%, though sometimes they are hard to spot, especially when they are down in the grassland looking for prey.
• From Ishasha, continue to the accommodation at the edge of Bwindi National Park (Buhoma sector).
• Once at the lodge, you can choose to just relax or, at extra cost (15$), move out for the late afternoon-to-evening local community and cultural encounter.

Accommodation: (Ride 4 a Woman - Budget guest house located just outside Bwindi NP) | Transfer Time: 4-5 hours.

Main Destination: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Gorillas)

Meals: All meals & Drinking water included

• You will have breakfast and then move out for the nature forest walk along the waterfall trail. This is the perfect way to experience the depth of this "impenetrable" forest. Starting from Buhoma at the north gate, the Munyaga River Trail takes you to some beautiful pristine waterfalls - a truly rewarding experience.
• Along the way, you will encounter some flora and fauna, black-and-white colobus monkeys, and sometimes blue monkeys, among others.
• Return to the accommodation, check out, and transfer to the Ruhija sector of Bwindi, where you will have the gorilla trekking tomorrow. With a strenuous day ahead, it is recommended that you spend this afternoon relaxing.

Accommodation: (Broadbill Forest Camp - Budget tented camp located just outside Bwindi NP l) | Transfer Time: 2 hours.

Main Destination: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Gorillas)

Meals: All meals & Drinking water included

• You will have breakfast and move to the trekking starting point. You will receive a briefing from a ranger guide on the dos and don'ts during trekking. Thereafter, you will enter Bwindi Forest for your adventure. The time taken and the terrain vary with the movements of these great primates. Once you have located a gorilla group, you will be allowed an hour in their presence. The thrill of spending time observing these gentle but endangered giants is unforgettable and truly amazing.
• After the trek, you will return to the accommodation, check out, and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi. Lake Bunyonyi is framed by lush, green-terraced hills that reach a height of (2,200 - 2,478m), but it is the 29 islands of various shapes and sizes scattered across the water that make it most magical - you could admire them all day.

Main Destination: Lake Bunyonyi

Accommodation: (Lake Bunyonyi Eco Resort - Budget Level) | Transfer Time: Approx. 2-3 hours.

Meals: All meals & Drinking water included

• After days of long drives and, of course, the strenuous gorilla trekking on the previous day in Bwindi, this day is at your disposal for relaxation. All meals will be served at the accommodation.
• Optional (at extra cost): If you wish to go out for an activity, you may consider the following: Historical Islands' tour, visit to the Batwa/pygmies' community, Nyombe Swamp excursion, mountain bike cycling, zip lining, canoeing, or kayaking on the lake. The activity can be arranged onsite with the help of your tour guide. Enjoy your stay.

Accommodation: (Lake Bunyonyi Eco Resort - Budget Level located in or near Lake Bunyonyi) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Transfer Time: Approx. N/A.

Main Destination: Lake Bunyonyi

Meals: All meals & Drinking water included

• You will have breakfast and set off to Lake Mburo National Park via Mbarara City.
• You will arrive at the accommodation in Lake Mburo in time to rest before heading out for an afternoon-to-evening game drive.
• On the game drive, expect to see zebras, giraffes, Uganda kob, eland antelopes, topi, impalas, and buffaloes, among others.
• Later, relax at the accommodation where you will spend the night.

Accommodation: (Hyena Hill Lodge - Budget lodge located just outside Lake Mburo NP) | Transfer Time: Approx. 4-5 hrs.

Main Destination: Lake Mburo National Park

Meals: All meals & Drinking water included

• Enjoy your early breakfast and proceed for the Mburo morning park (bush) walk in the presence of an armed Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger-guide. On this early morning guided walk, you will have the opportunity to encounter at close range giraffes, zebras, eland, topi, among others.
• Take the trail to the top of the hills and see Lake Mburo and beyond. From this vantage point, you will have a great view of 9 of the 12 lakes surrounding Lake Mburo National Park.
• Thereafter, return to the accommodation for check-out and then hit the road to Entebbe airport to catch your flight (1800hrs or later).
• Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost.
• You will be dropped off at the airport.

Accommodation: No accommodation (End of tour) | Transfer Time: Approx. 5 hours.

Main Destination: Entebbe International Airport (Entebbe)

Meals: Breakfast, lunch & Drinking water (Dinner not included)

End of tour.