15-Day Uganda Safari and Primate Discovery with Gorillas and Chimps

1

Day 01

Arrival and Transfer to Kampala

• On arrival, you will be welcomed by our company representative, who will brief you about the 15-day Uganda Safari and Primate Holiday.
• You will head to your booked accommodation for an overnight stay, have dinner, and rest.

2

Day 02

Journey from Kampala to Sipi

• Have breakfast in the morning, check out of the hotel, and head to Sipi.
• In the afternoon, you will arrive in the Sipi area - Kapchorwa. Check in to your booked accommodation and rest.

3

Day 03

Sipi Falls Hike and Coffee Tour

• You will have breakfast and thereafter proceed to explore the Sipi Falls. The hike, which takes about 2 1/2 to 3 hours, leads you to the nearby Sipi Falls, a set of three falls.
• The views are breathtaking and make for a great excursion while in Sipi. The afternoon coffee tour, on the other hand, will enable you to trace the story of coffee from seed to cup, and you do not want to miss this informative experience.
• Later, just relax at the accommodation with a spectacular view of Sipi Falls.

4

Day 04

Pian Upe Nature Walk and Ngapedet Cave

• Have an early morning breakfast and head to Pian Upe. While there, you will continue to Ngapedet Cave on a nature walk. The cave is believed to have been used by the first inhabitants of the area.
• At the cave, you will see the old paintings as well as enjoy sightings of roaming antelopes, baboons, giraffes, and hartebeests, among others.
• Afterwards, head to your accommodation, check in, and rest for the night.

5

Day 05

Transfer to Kidepo and Evening Game Drive

• Have an early morning breakfast and then set off at about 6 am for Kidepo Valley National Park, arriving in time for some rest and lunch before going out for game viewing.
• You will proceed for game viewing in the Narus Valley in the southern sector of Kidepo. Narus is the sector of Kidepo that has savannah grasslands mixed with acacia woodland.
• It is also the area of the park with permanent water sources throughout the year and, for that matter, most of the animals are found in this part of the park.
• Be on the lookout for large herds of buffaloes, elephants, many zebras, antelope species, lions, and the elusive leopards. You will return to the accommodation for dinner and an overnight stay.

6

Day 06

Sunrise Safari and Karamojong Cultural Visit

• Enjoy your breakfast, then embark on a sunrise game drive where you will have the opportunity to encounter wildlife, including lions, herds of buffaloes, elephants, zebras, and the elusive leopard, among others.
• Return to the lodge for lunch and afternoon relaxation. After a good rest, move out for a cultural encounter with the Karamojong community, where you will spend a wonderful evening with the Karamojong people and gain insight into their way of life and beliefs. Dinner and overnight stay will be at the booked accommodation.

7

Day 07

Game Viewing and Transfer to Murchison Falls

• Have an early morning breakfast and proceed for an early-riser game viewing experience. Thereafter, exit Kidepo and hit the road 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, buffaloes, and elephants.
• Surely, the concentration of hippos and Nile crocodiles here will fascinate you. On arrival in Murchison, you will simply check in to your accommodation, then have some rest, dinner, and an overnight stay.

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Day 08

Murchison Game Drive, Nile Cruise, and Transfer to Kibale

• After breakfast, you will head out in a 4x4 vehicle for a game drive, which will reward you with clear sightings of the park's wild species, including leopards, elephants, hyenas, giraffes, bushbucks, and others.
• After lunch, you will go on a spectacular boat cruise on the great Nile River. You will see water animals such as hippos, crocodiles, and elephants bathing, as well as water birds including secretary birds, herons, fish eagles, and breast-bee-eaters, among others.
• Head back to your accommodation, check out, and continue to Kibale National Park.

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Day 09

Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale

• After breakfast, you will head to the park headquarters for a briefing before entering the rainforest for chimpanzee tracking.
• You will join a group of six and wait until the chimpanzees are found, which can take between 2 and 6 hours. Once they are located, you will be given one hour to learn more about their behaviours.
• You should be dressed comfortably in boots, a long-sleeved shirt, and pants to avoid scratches in the forest.
• After the trek, head back to your accommodation and rest.

10

Day 10

Transfer to Queen Elizabeth and Evening Game Drive

• Have breakfast in the morning and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
• You will reach Queen Elizabeth with some time to head out for game viewing.
• During the game drive, look out for wild animals such as lions, the elusive leopard, herds of elephants, and buffaloes, among others.
• Head back to your accommodation and rest.

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Day 11

Kasenyi Game Drive and Kazinga Channel Boat Trip

• Have an early morning breakfast, then proceed for a morning game drive in the Kasenyi Plains and be on the lookout for Cape buffaloes, herds of elephants, lions, and leopards, though they are hard to spot, among others. 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, which 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 along the water shores. Return to your accommodation and rest.

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Day 12

Drive through Ishasha to Bwindi

• Enjoy a relaxed breakfast and then travel to the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is famously known for its tree-climbing lions that are frequently seen in the area.
• The chance of spotting these lions stands at about 60-70%, but sometimes they are hard to spot, especially when they are down in the grassland looking for prey.
• If you spot them up in the trees, the sight is picturesque and memorable. From Ishasha, you will continue to your accommodation at the edge of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. With a strenuous day ahead, you will do less on arrival - just check in to your accommodation and relax as you prepare for the Bwindi gorilla trekking experience tomorrow.

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Day 13

Bwindi Gorilla Trekking and Relaxation

• Have breakfast and move to the rangers' post. A ranger guide will brief you on the dos and don'ts of trekking. Thereafter, you will enter Bwindi Forest for your adventure.
• The beauty of this rainforest is spectacular. The area offers a dramatic, steeply forested landscape. It is incredibly dense but crisscrossed by numerous animal trails that allow tourists access.
• 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 one hour in their presence.
• The thrill of observing these gentle but endangered giants is unforgettable. After a strenuous trek, return to the accommodation and have a good rest.

14

Day 14

Transfer to Lake Mburo and Evening Game Drive

• Enjoy a relaxed breakfast and then set off for Lake Mburo National Park. Mburo is a compact gem located conveniently close to the highway that connects Entebbe/Kampala to the parks of western Uganda.
• It is the smallest of Uganda's savannah national parks but is home to many bird species and animals such as giraffes, zebras, impalas, elands, buffaloes, and the elusive leopard, among others. We shall arrive and check in for some rest before heading out for a late afternoon-to-evening game drive that will bring us up close with the Mburo inhabitants. Finally, we will return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

15

Day 15

Lake Mburo Nature Walk and Return to Entebbe

• Enjoy your early breakfast and proceed for the Lake Mburo morning park walk with an armed Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger guide.
• On this early morning guided walk, you will have the opportunity to encounter zebras, giraffes, elands, topi, other antelope, and Cape buffaloes at close range.
• After this up-close encounter with wildlife, return to the accommodation for check-out and then hit the road to Entebbe Airport to catch your flight.
• Expect a stop at the Equator crossing mark in Kayabwe, where you will have a photo opportunity and also buy some souvenirs. Drive straight to the airport; that will be the end of our 15-day Uganda Safari and Primate Holiday.