13-Day Uganda Safari with Gorillas, Chimpanzees and Murchison Falls

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Day 01

Arrival and Transfer to Kampala

• On arrival, you will be welcomed by our company representative, who will brief you about the 13-day classic Uganda Safari tour.
• You will then drive to Kampala for your night's stay. Check in to Latitude O Degrees, have dinner, and rest for the night.

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Day 02

Transfer to Murchison Falls and Rhino Tracking at Ziwa

• Enjoy your breakfast, then drive to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, where you will have the thrilling opportunity to track rhinos on foot, the main attraction of the sanctuary.
• Starting with six animals relocated from outside Uganda in 2005-6, the white rhinos of Ziwa have now bred to more than 20 individuals.
• The long-term plan is to reintroduce rhinos into national parks where they are now locally extinct, but for now, Ziwa is the only place in Uganda where you can see Africa's second-bulkiest land mammal in the wild. Afterwards, head to your accommodation and check in.

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Day 03

Morning Game Drive and Nile Boat Cruise

• After breakfast, you will head out for the morning game drive. Imagine being out in the early morning light, wrapped in a blanket, just as the animals emerge from their night's rest or the shadows of their nighttime adventures. On an early morning game drive, the world feels fresh and new. The sun has yet to beat down upon the earth, and it may be your favourite time to be out on safari.
• After lunch, you will go on a boat cruise on the Nile River, where you will see aquatic life at close range, such as hippos, crocodiles, water birds, elephants, and buffaloes on the riverbank drinking water and wallowing. Then, head back to your accommodation for dinner and rest for the night.

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Day 04

Journey to Kibale via Fort Portal and Bigodi Visit

• After breakfast, you will travel from Murchison Falls National Park, driving southwest through the Albertine Escarpment of the Great Western Rift Valley.
• Drive through Hoima, then Kyejonjo District, and reach the colourful and 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 have a lunch stopover and continue your journey to Kibale.
• On arrival, drive to Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary for a community walk and cultural interaction. It is a fascinating area located in Magombe Swamp, recognized for an extensive array of biodiversity, including several primate species like the red colobus monkey, baboon, black-and-white colobus monkey, blue monkey, grey-cheeked mangabey, vervet monkey, red-tailed monkey, and the L'Hoest monkey. Additional mammals such as sitatunga can also be found here. After checking in to your accommodation, rest.

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Day 05

Chimpanzee Tracking in Kibale Forest

• The tracking will start early and takes about two to three hours, depending on the location of the chimpanzees.
• The opportunity to see chimpanzees in the wild is one of the most memorable of all safari activities. Getting close to these creatures that share so much of our DNA is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and the excitement of walking through the forest and knowing that they are close will stay with you forever.
• After the trek, you will head back to your accommodation and rest.

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Day 06

Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park and Boat Ride

• Enjoy an early morning breakfast, then head to Queen Elizabeth National Park, which offers plenty of variety to safari-goers.
• On the Kasenyi and Ishasha Plains, large herds of Uganda kob, the national antelope, stand on constant guard for the lions that feed on them. Lakes Edward and George, together with the connecting Kazinga Channel, support around 5,000 hippos and an abundance of water birds, as well as being a magnet for thirsty elephants and buffalo herds.
• You will go for a boat ride upon arrival at Queen Elizabeth National Park.

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Day 07

Wildlife Game Drive and Afternoon Boat Cruise

• After the morning meal, you will head out for a game drive in search of wildlife, and you may spot elephants, giraffes, warthogs, buffaloes, Uganda kob, bushbucks, leopards, and hyenas, among others.
• After the drive, you will return to your accommodation for lunch and get ready for a lunch cruise on the Nile River. On this cruise, you will see aquatic life at close range, such as hippos, crocodiles, water birds, elephants, and buffaloes drinking water and wallowing at the riverbank. Then, you will head back to your accommodation for dinner and rest for the night.

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Day 08

Transfer to Bwindi via Ishasha's Tree-Climbing Lions

• After an early morning breakfast, you will be transferred to the Ishasha sector in search of the tree-climbing lions. It is time to go to the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park: Ishasha. This area is famous for its tree-climbing lions.
• When you arrive in Ishasha, you will first try to spot the lions in one of the huge trees. The Ishasha sector is notably recognized for its resident tree-climbing lions, which are an exceptional attraction and one of the highlights of all safaris taken within Queen Elizabeth National Park.
• In the southern section of this park, lions are occasionally spotted hanging on branches of huge fig trees, whereas the Uganda kob, which are their main food source, graze in the plains of the Ishasha sector.
• You will check in to your booked accommodation in the evening, have dinner, and rest.

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Day 09

Gorilla Trekking and Batwa Community Visit

• After breakfast, head out with packed lunches to the park head offices with your guide and attend a briefing about the dos and don'ts while in the park with gorillas.
• Afterwards, head out for gorilla trekking through the misty rainforest. Trekking can take 2 hours or up to 6 hours, based on the location of the gentle giants. Ensure you carry enough water, sturdy shoes, non-flash cameras, and rain jackets.
• After gorilla trekking, you will embark on a community walk where you will visit the Batwa, an indigenous group of people who have lived in the forest for 500,000 years, and enjoy traditional dances and drama. Head back to your accommodation, have dinner, and rest.

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Day 10

Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi and Canoeing

• Enjoy an early morning breakfast and leave for Lake Bunyonyi. Bunyonyi is a flooded river valley extending 25 km from north to south but is nowhere more than 5 km wide.
• The absence of hippos and crocodiles means swimming is safe. This has also resulted in an unusually dense population of otters, which are often seen from the shore. It is also a great beach chill-out destination.

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Day 11

Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park

• After your morning breakfast, you will be driven to Lake Mburo National Park. This popular and thoroughly worthwhile park is a convenient addition to any safari.
• A visit here isn't so much about the Big Five, though you're certain to see buffaloes and leopards are a genuine possibility, as it is about admiring the hilly setting, exploring the atmospheric wetlands, and enjoying the high concentrations of herbivores such as zebra, giraffe, hippo, warthog, impala, and bushbuck.

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Day 12

Game Drive and Evening Boat Cruise on Lake Mburo

• After your morning breakfast, you will head out for a game drive in a 4x4 vehicle. While enjoying the drive, you will spot wildlife species like zebras, hyenas, and leopards, plus grazers like hippos, among others, as well as a variety of birds.
• Head back to your accommodation, rest, and have lunch. Later, head out for an evening boat cruise and view animals at close range, including hippos, crocodiles, and aquatic birds like kingfishers, herons, pelicans, and African fish eagles. While you're enjoying the magnificent scenery, take beautiful pictures at sunset. Head back to your accommodation and rest.

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Day 13

Nature Walk and Return to Entebbe

• After breakfast, you will go for a nature walk in the park. After the walk, you will be driven to Entebbe. You will have a stopover at the Equator for lunch in Masaka. You will see where this imaginary line divides our planet into two equal hemispheres. Snacks, souvenirs, and photographs may be taken here.
• You will be driven to the airport for your scheduled flight at night. That will be the end of the 13-day classic Uganda Safari Tour.