10-Day Uganda Safari with Gorilla Trekking and Murchison Falls

1

Day 01

Arrival in Entebbe and Transfer to Your Hotel

• Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be welcomed by our office representative and an English-speaking professional tour driver-guide. After that, 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 some activity, you may consider: a) an excursion to the Entebbe Botanical Gardens to sight a few primates and birds, or b) an excursion to Mabamba Wetland in search of the prehistoric shoebill stork. Otherwise, check in and take your rest.

2

Day 02

Rhino Tracking at Ziwa and Transfer to Murchison Falls

• Have an early morning breakfast and drive off to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.
• Once there, you will proceed for an hour of on-foot rhino tracking. From the rhino tracking, 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 the Murchison and the rolling plains of Uganda's largest National Park, where you will have the chance to view lions, giraffes, hartebeest, buffalo, and elephants. Then surely, the concentration of hippos and Nile crocodiles here will fascinate you.
• If interested and time allows, we can proceed for a late afternoon-evening game drive.

3

Day 03

Morning Game Drive and Boat Trip to Murchison Falls

• Have breakfast, depart for an early morning game drive across the rolling plains of Uganda's largest National Park, and be on the lookout for wildlife, including lions and leopards, though they are hard to spot, among others.
• For any birder, there are quite a number of birds to sight during the drive too. Return to the accommodation for some rest time and lunch.
• After lunch, you will head out for the boat trip to the base of Murchison Falls, where you will also catch sight of more animals, including hippos, crocodiles, and several water birds.
• Optional (extra cost 15$): If interested, continue hiking to the top of the falls. The hike may be strenuous, but the thrill of reaching the top is unforgettable.
• Then, after you return to your accommodation, relax.

4

Day 04

Top of the Falls Visit and Scenic Transfer to Kibale

• We will have breakfast and then drive to the top of the falls to truly appreciate the beauty and magnificence of Murchison Falls. From the top, we shall transfer to 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 characterise this part of Uganda. The beautiful scenery will amaze you all the way.
• Upon arrival at the accommodation, check in and relax.
• Optional (extra cost 15$): If interested, you can proceed with the crater lakes excursion. You will enjoy the beauty of the numerous small lakes, surrounded by gentle hills, and the stunning views. Otherwise, enjoy your rest at the facility.

5

Day 05

Bigodi Wetlands Excursion and Game Viewing in Queen Elizabeth

• After breakfast, you will proceed for the Bigodi wetlands excursion. The Bigodi Wetland boasts extensive biodiversity, including several primate species like the black-and-white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, L'Hoest's 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, we shall embark on a transfer of about 2 hours to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
• You will reach Queen Elizabeth National Park early enough to have lunch, rest, and proceed for game viewing. During the game drive, look out for wild animals like reedbuck, bushbuck, kob, warthogs, elephants, lions, and buffaloes, to mention but a few.
• Alternatively, you could choose to go for Queen Elizabeth's breathtaking explosion crater drive instead. Return to the accommodation and take your rest.

6

Day 06

Chimp Tracking in Kalinzu and Boat Trip on Kazinga Channel

• Have an early breakfast and drive to the nearby Kalinzu Forest Reserve. The forest is home to habituated chimpanzees and other primates, including baboons, monkeys, and bird species.
• Today, you will spend the early part of the day tracking chimpanzees here. After that, 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 Lakes George and Edward. During the trip, the sight of wildlife, including giant hippos, elephants, and crocodiles, among others, will fascinate you. You will also see many varieties of birds on the water shores.
• After the boat trip, you can proceed for a brief late afternoon game drive and return to the lodge.

7

Day 07

Kasenyi Plains, Ishasha Tree-Climbing Lions and Transfer to Bwindi

• Wake up early enough, have breakfast, and proceed for an early morning game drive in the Kasenyi Plains. Be on the lookout for Cape buffaloes, herds of elephants, lions, and leopards, though they are hard to spot, among others.
• Return to the lodge and check out, then head to the Ishasha sector in search of 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. Should you get to spot them, the sight is picturesque and memorable.
• From Ishasha, we shall continue to the accommodation at the edge of Bwindi National Park, Ruhija sector, arriving in the evening at about 5 or 6 pm.

8

Day 08

Bwindi Gorilla Trekking and Relaxation at Lake Bunyonyi

• Have breakfast and move to the briefing point. You will receive some briefing from a ranger guide on the dos and don'ts during trekking.
• After that, you will enter Bwindi Forest for your adventure. The time taken and the terrain vary with the movements of these marvellous 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.
• 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 2,200-2,478 m, but it's the 29 islands of various shapes and sizes scattered across the water that make it most magical - you could admire them the whole evening.

9

Day 09

Transfer to Lake Mburo and Evening Game Drive

• Have breakfast and set off to Lake Mburo National Park via Mbarara City.
• You will arrive at the accommodation in Lake Mburo in time and rest before moving out for an afternoon-to-evening game drive.
• On the game drive, expect to see the gigantic eland antelopes, zebras, topi, impalas, Uganda kob, and Cape buffaloes, among others.
• Later, relax at the accommodation where you will spend the night.
• Optional (extra cost 30$): If interested, you may consider the night game drive to encounter nocturnal creatures, which will be rare compared to regular daytime sightings.

10

Day 10

Morning Walking Safari in Lake Mburo and Return to Entebbe

• After breakfast, you will proceed for a morning park bush walk in Lake Mburo 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, zebras, giraffes, elands, topi and other antelope, and Cape buffaloes, among others.
• Take the trail to the top of the hills and see Lake Mburo and beyond. You will have a great view of 9 lakes surrounding Lake Mburo National Park from this vantage point.
• Afterwards, you can return to the accommodation for check-out and then hit the road to Entebbe Airport to catch a flight at 1800 hrs or later.