Gorilla & Chimpanzee Tracking
Day 1.
Arrival at Entebbe International Airport. You will be welcomed by our driver guide who will drive you to your place of accommodation specified in the itinerary. The guide will also brief you for the next day and the rest of the safari. Welcome to the Pearl of Africa.
Day 2.
Break up the journey to Murchison Falls National Park with a stopover at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for the rhino tracking experience. Around 30 white rhinos are protected here and can be observed with a ranger on foot a few meters away. This easy to moderate nature hike is guided by a ranger who will give explanations about the animals and their behavior. After this experience, you continue the journey to the largest national park in Uganda with approximately 4,000 square kilometers.
Day 3.
Today is the day of adventure through the national park with a safari vehicle. You start very early after breakfast to get the animals before sunrise. On the animal checklist are Nubian giraffes, antelopes such as Uganda kobs, waterbucks, Jackson’s hartebeests and oribis, elephants, buffalos, lions, leopards, warthogs, hyenas, and many other small animals. There are also beautiful birds to watch such as bee-eaters, kingfishers, weaver birds, hornbills, marabous, herons, to name but a few.
The 3 hour afternoon boat ride to the gigantic Murchison Falls is just amazing. You will see schools of hippos bathing and yawning in the water. Not only that but also lots of colorful birds and other wild animals that come to drink water.
Day 4.
When heading south towards Kibale Forest National Park, you won't miss the beautiful scenery along the way. Driving through a rift valley area, you will see Lake Albert somewhere at the escapement. From time to time you will drive through small towns with fully active people, with children happily waving at you in front of the houses and shops. During the trip you will also notice how people live in the countryside and what they grow there. Before you reach the lodge, you drive through Kibale National Park. This is home to chimpanzees and another 12 primate species such as red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys and black-and-white colobus monkeys. Sometimes baboons come to the road expecting something from passersby.
Day 5.
The chimpanzee experience awaits you early in the morning. Despite living in the wild, some chimpanzee families have been habituated – made to get used to humans. A ranger will guide you through this wonderful tracking experience in the forest. On average it takes 3 hours for the whole experience. An hour of it is for observation only.
The afternoon Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary experience is packed with primates, birds, and medicinal plants. Among the primates you can see are red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, blue monkeys and grey-cheeked mangabey. There are also chances of seeing the great blue turaco. This walk through the swamp and villages takes 2-3 hours depending on your speed and interest.
Day 6.
Continue southwest towards Queen Elizabeth National Park and embark on an evening game drive to see more nature and wildlife. This park is the second largest in Uganda after Murchison Falls NP and is known for large herds of elephants along the Kazinga Channel.
Day 7.
Wake up early in the morning for another game drive to see Ugandan kobs, elephants, lions and leopards (depending on luck), hippos, buffalos, warthogs and various bird species. The 2-hour afternoon boat trip on the Kazinga Channel with its various species of birds, crocodiles, buffalos, waterbucks and elephants quenching their thirst from the channel. Schools of hippos and a fishing village at the park boundary are also highlights of this excursion.
Day 8.
As you head to Bwindi Impenetrable national park, chances are that you will see the tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth national park. This route depends on where you will be tracking the mountain gorillas, and you will be informed as soon as your gorilla tracking permits are secured. Alternatively, you will visit a banana plantation where a local farmer will explain to you the different types of banana plants Uganda has. You will also see how local brew is made out of some the bananas.
Day 9.
Gorilla experience yay is finally here. After breakfast you will be instructed by a ranger on how to behave with the gorillas. Well dressed in hiking boots, you set off with a ranger to see where the trackers spotted these amazing apes. You can also hire a porter to help you carry your backpack at a small fee. Meeting the gorillas is an amazing experience. Because we are all different, our reactions will also vary. But trust me, it's a wonderful one-hour experience. On average it takes about 6 hours in total. In the afternoon, relax by looking at the photos over a cup of tea or coffee.
Day 10.
Today you drive through hilly landscape to Lake Mburo national park. This park may be small, but it has a lot to offer. Large herds of zebras and impalas, buffalos, warthogs, waterbucks, topis and various bird species such as the colorful kingfishers can be seen here. The park's vegetation is a mixture of shrubs, trees and grass. Various types of acacia trees can be seen almost everywhere in the park. Embark on a 2-hour late afternoon game drive in the park. After that, continue to the lodge.
Day 11.
On this last of the trip, you will wake up for an early morning nature walk with a ranger through the park. The walk will enable you listen to the different sounds of animals as the car engine won’t be present to make its noise. This gives you the feel of nature and wildlife as the ranger explains to you the flora and fauna in the national park. After around 2 hours you hill head back to take breakfast and thereafter continue your journey to Entebbe. You will also have a stopover at the equator for your last shopping.