12 Day Uganda safari experience
12 Day Uganda safari experience offers an amazing experience of Uganda attractions, getting you to have a touch of almost every activity ranging from gorilla trekking in bwindi, game drives in lake mburo national park , golden monkey trekking in Mgahinga gorilla national park, another wildlife encounter in queen Elizabeth national park, an experience of Semuliki national park , chimpanzee trekking in Kibale forest national park and wrapping up with the bigodi swamp walk.
Day 1: Transfer to Lake Mburo national park – walking safari
Meet your driver and be transferred to Lake Mburo national park, you will have a stopover at the Equator where you will take time to take pictures and do the experiment of the equator. There after proceed to enter the park and connect to your lodge for lunch, relax for sometime then go for a walking safari with a ranger guide. This activity is not different from a game drive except that you will be viewing animals on foot. Expect to see animals like the Zebras, Elands, Impalas, Topis, and Buffaloes. Spend the rest of your evening relaxing at the lodge.
Estimate distance: 4 hours
Accommodation: Mihingo lodge/Rwakobo Rock/Eagles Nest Lodge – Full board
Day 2: Morning game drive and boat trip
After an early breakfast, connect for a game drive to explore the park’s beauty and search for the early risers like the lions and on a lucky day the leopards, other animals to be spotted; herds of zebras, Impalas, elands, buffaloes, elephants and other ungulates. The park is also an excellent place for bird viewing. Return to the lodge for lunch.
After lunch, head for your boat trip on Lake Mburo to explore water animals including crocodiles, hippos and different bird species like Fish Eagle and the rare shoebill stork. Return to your lodge for a relaxed evening, dinner and overnight stay as above
Day 3: Transfer to Kisoro – Bwindi
After your breakfast, depart Mburo to connect to Bwindi national park in Kisoro district. Arrive early afternoon in Kabale for lunch then proceed to Kisoro with great views of the rolling hills of Kabale and Kisoro. Connect to your lodge to unwind and prepare for the next day activity. Dinner will be served and spend an overnight.
Estimated distance: 5-6 hours
Accommodation: Lake Mutanda Resort/Gorilla safari lodge/Ichumbi Gorilla lodge
Day 4: Gorilla trekking
You will enjoy early morning breakfast and transfer to the park headquarters with your packed lunch and bottled drinking water for briefing by the park ranger guides at 7:00am. After briefing, you will start your gorilla trekking journey accompanied by the ranger guides in search of the mountain gorillas; this takes 2 to 8 hours depending on the movement of the gorillas. On finding them, you will spend 1 hour with these gentle giants.
Return to the starting point where you will find your driver waiting to take you back to the lodge. Dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above.
Day 5: Golden Monkey tracking
After having early morning breakfast, drive to transfer to Mgahinga National Park-one of the parks on the Virunga Mountains, it’s an hour drive from kisoro. Upon arriving at the park, you will be briefed about the activity then set off to search for the primates. This activity takes about 2-5 hours depending on their movement. On finding the golden monkeys, you will be allowed to spend an hour with them while taking pictures and videos. Return to the starting point and meet your driver at the lodge.
Return for dinner and overnight at Lake Mutanda Resort/Travelers Rest Hotel
Day 6: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
After enjoying your breakfast, set off for Queen Elizabeth national park in Kasese district. On arrival, connect for lunch at the lodge and spend the rest of the day at leisure, for example you could visit the exploration craters or the Katwa salt mines.
Estimated distance: 5 hours
Accommodation: Mweya Safari lodge/Parkview Safari lodge/Pumba safari cottages
Day 7: Game drive and boat cruise
Early in the morning after breakfast, you will set out for the morning game drive in search for early risers in the Kasenyi area. The park has diverse Eco-system of grassy plains, rivers, crater lakes, forests, swamps and lakes. These are a home to various types of wildlife (big 4) and a game drive in Queen Elizabeth will reward you with views of animals such as lions, leopards, forest hogs, buffalos, elephants, waterbuck, Uganda Kob and other types of antelopes.
After return for lunch then go for a 3 hours launch cruise along the Kazinga Channel and into Lake Edward. This cruise will let you pass through a place of the highest concentration of hippos and you may also see many animals drinking at the water’s edge. The cruise also offers good platform for photography, bird watching and games. Dinner and overnight stay at as above
Day 8: Transfer to Semiliki national park – game drive
After your breakfast, embark on your journey to Semuliki National Park. Reach the Park headquarters where you will register and after proceed to your lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, drive to the wildlife reserve for a game drive and look out for animals like Leopards, Forest Elephants, white tailed mongoose and diminutive genet and so on.
Estimated distance: 5 hours drive
Accommodation and Meals: Semiliki safari lodge/ Kirimia guest house – Half board
Day 9: Visit Sempaya hot springs
After breakfast and connect to visit the Hot springs of Sempaya and the Pygmies at their new settlement at Ntandi. Dinner and overnight at lodge as above.
Day 10: Transfer to Kibale forest – visit Amabere and crater lakes
Have breakfast, and then transfer to Kibale forest in Kabarole district. En route activity, visit Amabere Ganyamwiru caves and waterfalls, crater lakes and also have lunch. Later proceed to your lodge. Kibale Forest National Park is the best safari destinations in Africa with 13 species of primate where chimpanzees are the most visited. Arrive at the lodge late afternoon and unwind, have dinner and overnight.
Estimated distance: 2- 3 hours
Accommodation and Meals: Kyaninga Lodge/Kibale Chimpanzee Guest House – Half board
Day 11: Chimpanzee tracking and Bigodi wetland visit
Have early breakfast and transfer to the park head office for a briefing about the endangered chimpanzees and later enter the forest with the guidance of a park ranger along with your tracking gears, packed water and snacks. This tracking takes about 2-5 hours in search of the chimpanzees. On finding the primates, you will spend 1 hour with the creatures while studying their behavior and taking pictures. After tracking, return to the lodge for lunch and refresh.
Later afternoon, connect for a nature walk in Bigodi wetland, where you will get to enjoy walking through a wetland with a variety of bird species. Later in the evening return to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight at as above
Day 12: Back to Kampala/Entebbe & Departure
Enjoy your breakfast then drive out of the park connecting back to Kampala/Entebbe. You’re your lunch in Kampala then proceed to Entebbe airport for your afternoon flight back home. This distance is about 4-5 hours drive. End of the tour
