Uganda Primate Jungle Safari

Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel in Entebbe.
Midrange: The Boma (B&B)
High end: Hotel No.5 Entebbe (B&B)

After breakfast, we drive west to Kibale National Park via the lovely town of Fort Portal, resting in the shadow of the fabled Mountains of the Moon and famous for her many tea plantations. After stopping for lunch at a local restaurant, time permitting you will explore the crater lakes and continue on to the Park and check in at Primate Lodge / Turaco Treetops.
Kibale Forest National Park is an extensive Biodiversity National Park in South Uganda and also known as the “Primate Paradise” has one of the greatest variety and concentration of primates in Africa including our famous cousins the Chimpanzee, Red Colobus Monkeys, Vervet Monkeys, L’Hoest’s, Black-and- White Colobus and the Olive Baboons. There is also a wide array of unique birds, forest elephants (smaller and hairier than the more familiar savannah elephant) and much more.
Midrange: Turaco Tree Tops- Cottages (B-L-D)
High end: Primate Lodge Kibale- Luxury cottage (B-L-D)

Today the forest opens its doors for a sensational chimpanzee tracking experience. Following the pre-tracking briefing, you will walk or drive to the trailhead for the start of an unforgettable adventure – hiking in the footsteps of the habituated family of chimpanzees. En-route, your guide will enthral you with stories and facts about the forest and her other inhabitants including other species of primates and birds and other big mammals.

Upon sighting the chimpanzees, you will spend an unforgettable one hour with them as they go about their daily life – feeding, playing, grooming, taking care of their young, howling and screeching, in their natural habitat. Return back to the lodge for lunch then in the afternoon enjoy a guided nature walk through the Bigodi wetland.

Bigodi Swamp Walk is an initiative of the local community and is known for its rich diversity of birds and primates. The path and board walk maybe flooded and muddy after heavy rainfall and gumboots are recommended. The walk is about 4km in length taking 3-4 hours at birding pace with local community guides. All proceeds from eco- tourism go back to into the community, a conservation project well worth supporting. Later return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Midrange: Turaco Tree Tops- Luxury Cottages (B-L-D)
High end: Primate Lodge Kibale- Luxury cottage (B-L-D)

Kibale – Queen Elizabeth National Park. Approx.185km/3hrs drive: After an early breakfast, we will check out visiting and enjoy sight-seeing around the scenic crater lakes that surrounds the dense forest of Kibale National Park. Afterwards, you will proceed south alongside the majestic Rwenzori ‘Mountains of the Moon’ to Queen Elizabeth National park. Check in at the lodge for lunch and relaxation, later enjoy an evening game drive.
Midrange: Ihamba Safari Lodge- cottage (B-L-D)
High end: Elephant Plains Lodge- luxury cottage (B-L-D)

Morning Game drive and afternoon boat cruise: The day begins early when we start with a morning game drive and head to the mating ground of the Uganda Kobs. We search for lions, elephants, buffaloes and other wild animals in their natural habitat. Alternatively, you can decide to experience a second chimp tracking in the lush Kyambura Gorge (pre-booking required). In the afternoon we take on a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel, a natural channel between Lake Edward and Lake George. The channel is 33 km long and 2-3 km at its widest points. The scheduled 2-hour boat ride (beverages and snacks included!) will cover a 12-14 km stretch of the channel, with almost guaranteed excellent wildlife sightings including multitudes of hippopotamus – possibly the world’s highest concentration – Nile crocodiles, wallowing buffaloes on its reedy banks, elephants, and many birds.
Midrange: Ihamba Safari Lodge- cottage (B-L-D)
High end: Elephant Plains Lodge- luxury cottage (B-L-D)

Game drive in Ishasha Sector, PM game drive with sundowner : After your Exquisite breakfast, you will depart the northern part of QENP and drive to the southern section of Queen Elizabeth National Park in search of the tree climbing lions, with a game drive through the Ishasha side in search of the tree climbing lions It is a beautiful route with the Rwenzori Mountains on your right side and the green valley on the left this is one of the most amazing scenic views you will experience, getting there in time for lunch and some rest. Later on you will enjoy another game drive in search of the tree climbing lions, returning back in time for a beautiful sundowner at the lodge as you watch the sun go down.

Later return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Midrange: Enjojo Lodge (B-L-D)
High end: Ishasha wilderness Camp (B-L-D)

Early Morning Game drive, drive to Bwindi National Park – Evening village walk. (100km/2hrs drive) You will wake to a game drive in the wilderness while enjoying the sunrise that the wild has to offer, after your drive you will be amused to a bush breakfast set out in the heart of the park. After this check out and head further south to Bwindi National Park, home of the gorillas. Upon arrival check in and enjoy lunch. after some time to rest you will then embark on an evening village walk meeting the locals and engaging in the community Later return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Midrange: Haven Lodge / ENGAGI lODGE Buhoma- cottage (B-L-D)
High end: Mahogany Springs Lodge- cottage (B-L-D)

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, home of the rare but critically endangered Mountain Gorillas (gorilla beringei beringei), lies on the edge of the albertine Rift Valley in south-western Uganda, with a wide altitude range between 1,160m and 2,600m.
The forest itself, dating back to the ice ages, is one of Uganda’s oldest and ecologically most diverse with almost 400 species of plants, 350 species of birds including 23 Albertine Rift endemics as well as 120 mammals species including lots of smaller ones like rodents and bats but also the Gorillas, Baboons, Chimpanzees, Elephants and Antelopes

Gorilla Tracking (3 to 8hrs): Arise early today and prepare for an amazing adventure; an unforgettable encounter with the gentle giants of Bwindi! Following breakfast, transfer to the park offices where participants are divided into groups of 8 and allocated a gorilla family as well as a tracking guide.
Please remember to bring your passport for registration, appropriate, water proof hiking boots and a light rain coat. To protect from stinging nettles, we recommend long pants and long-sleeved tops. A pair of old gardening gloves can help grabbing onto the vegetation while most hotels/lodges provide a walking stick that come in very handy especially when hiking downhill. A small waterproof backpack is an excellent idea to carry a light snack, bottled water as well as protection for your camera.

After a pre-tracking briefing by your guide (touches on the gorillas generally, your assigned gorilla family as well as appropriate safety precautions), you drive to the trailhead for the start of your thrilling adventure – participants can expect to walk long distances in steep and sometimes muddy conditions with rain overhead, which can be tough and require a degree of fitness. Granted, the time taken can be quite unpredictable taking anything from 2 to 8hrs or longer however the thrill of coming face to face with a giant Mountain Gorilla silverback will more than compensate for the effort in their quest.

Upon sighting the gorillas, you spend the allowed one hour with them as they go about their daily life; feeding, moving, playing, raising their young and sometimes wrestling by the juveniles – it is a totally unique and unforgettable experience!
NB: Coming face to face with a giant Mountain Gorilla must truly be the most genuinely breathtaking wildlife experience on earth!

Afterwards, you hike back to base where your Driver will be waiting to transfer you to the lodge for a deserved shower and lunch or dinner depending on the time taken on the trek.
Midrange: Haven Lodge / ENGAGI lODGE Buhoma- cottage (B-L-D)
High end: Mahogany Springs Lodge- cottage (B-L-D)

In the morning you will be taken to visit the Batwa – enjoy the walk in the forest as you prepare to meet the Batwa who have a lot in stock for you.

As the original dwellers of this ancient jungle, the Batwa were known as “The Keepers of the Forest.” The history of these small-statured people is long and rich. The Batwa survived by hunting small game using arrows or nets and gathering plants and fruit in the rain forest. They lived in huts constructed of leaves and branches, moving frequently in search of fresh supplies of food. The Batwa lived in harmony with the forest and its creatures, including the mountain gorillas, for millennia. Some anthropologists estimate that pygmy tribes such as the Batwa have existed in the equatorial forests of Africa for 60,000 years or more.

After this amazing experience with the Batwa – you will embark on a guided nature walk to the waterfalls which are situated inside the park, en-route you will be guided with tales about the community, culture and people around, receiving waves from the locals and enjoying the beautiful canopy views. Later return for dinner and overnight
Midrange: Haven Lodge Buhoma- cottage (B-L-D)
High end: Mahogany Springs Lodge- cottage (B-L-D)

Departure: Today you will be transferred to the Kihihi Airstrip (about 1 hour from the lodge) for your departure flight out of Impenetrable forest of Bwindi and head back to Entebbe with the morning or afternoon flight. At Entebbe International Airport connect to your international flight. (B)