The Mountain Gorillas of Uganda meeting & then climb the Rwenzori Mountains. For people who love to adventure, this is your suitable safari! Includes a seven day hike in the Rwenzori mountains as well as: gorilla trekking, game viewing in 3 national parks, safari walk in Ziwa rhino sanctuary and relaxation on Bushara Island in the beautiful Lake Bunyonyi.
Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe, Uganda – Transfer to your hotel
Your arrival is at Entebbe International Airport followed by a transfer to Blue Sapphire Hotel, Lweza, Depending on the arrival time and how you will be feeling, we can have optional bird watching at Entebbe, especially on the lush grounds of the Entebbe Botanical Gardens, where we’ll see both forest and lake shore birds. Our first bird species could include Palm-nut Vulture, Great Blue Turaco, Eastern Gray Plantain-eater, African Pied Hornbill, Splendid Glossy Starling, the rare Orange weaver, Slender-billed, Golden Backed, Later, head to the Hotel and get ready for the next day’s safari. Dinner (H-B) and overnight at Blue Sapphire Hotel, Lweza.
Accommodation: 2 Friends Beach Hotel Entebbe
Meal Plan: Dinner
Day 2: Transfer to Murchison falls National Park and Ziwa rhino sanctuary.
You will be picked up from the hotel early in the morning after your breakfast and set off for Murchison Falls National Park. On your way to the park, you will branch off to Ziwa rhino sanctuary. In Nakasongola District, near Nakitoma Village is where you will get a moment to track these beautiful animals. The white Rhinos became extinct in Uganda’s national parks in 1980, but conservationists and the government through Uganda wildlife authority took the few that had remained and transferred them to the sanctuary for better protection. There are about 32 rhinos in the sanctuary at the moment and there is a plan to reintroduce them in Uganda’s game parks in the future.
Lunch will be at the sanctuary before proceeding to Murchison falls national park. Later when you reach your lodge, relax abit and head out for an evening game drive.
During the game drive, expect to see some animals like buffaloes, elephants, hyenas, Rothschild giraffes, Oribi, Kobs and waterbucks. If lucky, you can see the lions and leopards. Later you will drive back to your lodge for dinner and relaxation till overnight.
Accommodation: Heritage Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 3: Morning Game Drive and Boat Cruise, plus evening game drive.
After an early morning breakfast, you will leave for an early morning game drive looking for the early morning riser. As you head out for the game drive, you will be in position to spot animals like the buffaloes, elephants, lions, leopards, hyenas, Rothschild giraffes, Oribi, Kobs and waterbucks together with some bird species along the way with some feeding together with the big animals. Later you will head to Paara cruise point for a boat cruise along the Victoria Nile.
You will have a private boat to cruise to the bottom of the falls. This Boat ride on Victoria Nile goes for approximately 3 hours and you will be able to see some Nile crocodiles, numerous hippos, as well as various bird species. After you will return to the lodge for lunch and relax at the pool as you wait for the evening game drive.
The evening game drive will take you to see the animals as the walk back to their resting habitats and caves. You will have more opportunity to see them resting under trees and others hiding out. You will also have beautiful picture moments of the sunset and later after your evening adventure drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation: Heritage Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 4: Morning game drive and evening nature walk in Kaniyo Pabidi forest of budongo
After early breakfast, you will go for a game drive in the morning for an opportunity to see the African elephants, giraffes, buffaloes and up to 76 other animal species. We will continue along the drive circuit to the delta point.
Have lunch, rest as you prepare for an evening nature walk in the cool and tropical forest. This is great place to listen to the “sounds of the night”: birds, primates and frogs. Dinner and your overnight stay will be at the Budongo Eco Lodge.
Accommodation: Budongo Eco Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Top of the falls and transfer to Kibale national park
On this day, you have breakfast and head to the top of the falls where you will view it from above. At the top of Murchison Falls “also known as Kabalega Falls”, the Nile forces its way through a gap in the rocks that is only 8 meters wide, and tumbles 43 meters before flowing westward into Lake Albert.
Later you will drive out of the park through the southern gate heading to Kibale national park via Hoima and Fort Portal were you will have lunch before heading to the park.
On arrival at your lodge in the park, you will head out into the rainforest with a ranger guide for an evening nature walk. The nature walk will give you a closer encounter with the natural diversity of the park, from the big trees, flowers and vegetation, to the butterflies and several monkey species such as the red Colobus, Olive baboons and L’Hoest monkeys plus several birds. After you will head back to your lodge for an overnight relaxation and reflecting on the day’s adventures as we await the more thrilling advetnure the following day.
Accommodation: Kibale Forest Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 6: Morning city tour and transfer to Rwenzori mountains
After breakfast, you will visit fort portal town and then transfer to Rwenzori base camp to get ready for the adventure starting tomorrow Mountain Climbing of the Rwenzori Mountain. We spend the night at the Rwenzori base camp.
Accommodation: Trekkers Hostel
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 7: From Nyakalengija to Nyabitaba hut, 2652m
From the Rwenzori Mountains National Park Head Quarter at Nyakalengija, 1.646 m., you will receive the briefing from the guides, with the possibility of hiring equipment. The hike starts through the plantations and homes of the Bakonjo, the people of the mountain, gradually reaching garden plots and elephants grass. You follow the Mobuku river, until crossing the Mahoma river. The trail passes through an open bracken fern slopes and Podorcarpus Forest, up to Nyabitaba Hut, 2.652 m., which is the arrival point for the day. This will take from 5 to 6 hours. From the location, you are facing on the North the Portal Peaks, 4.627 m. and in front Mount Kyniangoma. During the day, you might see monkeys, the Rwenzori Turaco and hearing the chimpanzees.
Accommodation: Nyabitaba Hut
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 8: From Nyamitaba Hut to John Matte Hut, 3414m
From Nyabitaba Hut you cross the Kurt Shaffer Bridge, through a muddy area along the Mubuku river. Then the trail climbs up through the bamboo forest. You reach a steep rocky area, which leads to Nyamuleju Hut. This point marks the start of the giant lobelia and groundsel zone. The way proceeds through a bog full of typical plants along the Bujuku river. The final point is John Matte Hut, 3.414 m. for spending the night. From Nyabitaba Hut to John Matte it can take approximately 6 hours. Enjoy the view of Mount Stanley and snow capped Margherita and Elena Peaks.
Accommodation: John Matte Hut
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 9: From John Matte Hut to Bujuku Hut, 3962m
From John Matte Hut you cross the Bujuku River and enter the lower Bigo bog, a grassy bog where you experience how to jump from tussock to tussock. You reach Bigo Hut and enter the upper Bigo bog, proceeding to Lake Bujuku, where it is starting the alpine savannah zone of little vegetation. You finally arrive at Bujuku Hut, 3.962 m. This day hike can take up to 5 hours. There you have a view on the peaks of Mount Stanley, Mount Baker and Mount Speke.
Accommodation: Bujuku Hut
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 10: From Bujuku Hut to Elena Hut, 4540m
From Bujuku Hut you climb through moss draped groundsel vegetation, to Scott Elliot Pass, 4.372 m., between Mt. Baker and Stanley. Here you divert to Elena Hut, 4.540 m. for spending the night before climbing Mt. Stanley. We later get to our resting camp and relax to be ready for the next stage.
Accommodation: Elena Hut
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 11: From Elena Hut to Kitandara Hut, 4023m
From Elena Hut you ascend the last tract of rock and ice which leads to Margherita Peak on Mt. Stanley, 5.109 m. Time to complete the climbing about 3 hours. The peak was first climbed by the Duke of Abruzzi at 9.30am on 18th June 1.906. After you descend to Upper Kitandara lake and through thick mud to Lower Kitandara lake where is located Kitandara Hut, 4.023 m where you will spend the night. Time to complete the hike about 3 hours more. From Kitandara Hut you can proceed for climbing Mount Baker or Mount Luigi di Savoia and the peak Vittorio Sella. Enjoy the view of Mt. Luigi di Savoia.
Accommodation: Kitandara Hut
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 12: From Kitandara Hut to Guy Yeoman Hut, 3261m
From Lake Kitandara you climb to Freshfield Pass, 4.282 m., a long flat of high alpine mossy glades, before descending the circuit among rocky and boggy areas. The panorama is dominated by the glaciers of Mounts Stanley and Baker and Mount of Savoy. A muddy trail leads to Akendahi, Bujongolo and Kabamba rock shelters, where starts the Kabamba valley down to Guy Yeoman Hut, 3.261 m. This can take up to 6 hours. The hut is surrounded by a beautiful landscape of mountains, vegetations and rivers.
Accommodation: Guy Yeoman Hut
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 13: From Guy Yeoman Hut back to Nyakilengija Hut
Final descent back to Nyakalengija. The trial is attractive along the valley of the Mobuku and Kichuchu rivers, rich in plants and flowers of the heather zone before reaching the bamboo forest. See Kabamba falls on the way. Time to reach Nyabitaba Hut is about 4 hours. From Nyabitaba starts the 40 minutes trial to see Lake Mahoma and back to the hut for descending to the Park Head Quarter. The trial takes more 2 to 3 hours. At the finishing point your safari guides meets you and takes you to the lodge by Queen Elizabeth national park to rest after your adventure.
Accommodation: Nyakilengija Hut
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 14: Chimp trekking in Kalinzu Forest and boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Start the day with entering the jungle to have a walk in fascinating forest and a meeting with the chimpanzees. After the chimps trekking in Kalinzu forest we head to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon it is time for the boat-cruise on Kazinga channel, this is a 32km channel which links Lake Edward and Lake George. This channel is said to contain the world’s largest concentration of Hippos. Be ready to see land and water adapted hippopotamuses yawning and some slashing canines to each other and the National Geographical society killing machine the Nile crocodile gaping along the banks, savanna version of pigs the warthog- Pumba of the award winning Lion King are a hallmark sign in this animal home of Mamaland Uganda.
Accommodation: Irungu Forest Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 15: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park via Ishasha sector
On this day, you will have breakfast then set off for a breathtaking game viewing experience in the Ishasha area of Queen Elizabeth National Park – famously known for its resident tree-climbing lions. The chance of spotting these lions is about 70% though sometimes they are really hard to spot. Hoping you get the chance to spot them, the sight will be spectacular! You will also be able to see other wildlife such as the Uganda kob, Cape buffaloes, elephants, and warthogs in addition to the tree-climbing lions.
Thereafter, you will be transferred to Bwindi Impenetrable National park. In the evening you may go for a nature walk or community visit. Dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation: Buhoma Gorilla Camp
Meal plan: All meals and mineral drinking water
Day 16: Gorilla trekking and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
On this adventurous day, you wake up on an early morning breakfast and report to Bwindi Park headquarters for a short briefing with the leader tracker/ ranger guide before you start on your day activity. From here you will head into the montane forest for an encounter with the mountain gorillas.
Always watch out for their voices and listen to them grumble and the young as they swing from tree to tree, and marvel at the sheer size of the dominant male; the silverback. The beauty of this rainforest is spectacular as it offers a dramatic steeply forested landscape which is incredibly dense, but crisscrossed by numerous animal trails allowing access to tourists. You will look for these endangered species, and finding them will depend on their last nesting location of the previous night.
Once you locate a gorilla group, you will be allowed only one hour in their presence. Later, you will transfer to Lake Bunyonyi in Kabale, for relaxation.
Accommodation: Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 17: Relax at Lake Bunyonyi
Enjoy a free day by beautiful Lake Bunyonyi. Here there is a short list of possible activities such as canoeing, visiting village islands, swimming in the lake or just relaxing with a good book. Option- hiking on Bushara trail along the lakeshores, return to the hotel and relax, afternoon canoe ride along the lake, visit Pygmies. For the birders, Lake Bunyonyi offers nice birding with small resident and exotic bird species singing.
Accommodation: Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 18: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park and afternoon game drive
Leave Lake Bunyonyi behind and continue driving through the hilly areas, out of the vast savanna dotted with acacia and shrubs. Our aim is to be at the lodge for lunch before heading out for an afternoon game-drive. We search for zebras, topis, warthogs, cape buffaloes and impalas as we drive along the tracks.
Accommodation: Hyena Hill Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 19: Early morning nature walk, afternoon boat cruise and transfer to Kampala
Get up early for a chance to see leopards, water-bucks, zebras and birds before daybreak on a jungle walk. You will then eat breakfast, have a boat cruise on the lake and check out as you embark on an exciting road trip back to Kampala, stopping at the Igongo Cultural Center in Mbarara for lunch, and Equator line, then proceed to Kampala-Entebbe. You will reach Entebbe in the evening, check in at your Hotel, for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation: 2 Friends Beach Hotel Entebbe
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 20: Transfer to Entebbe International Airport for your flight
Morning breakfast with a short visit at Entebbe Botanical Gardens, then transfer to Entebbe International Airport depending on your time of departure.
End of safari