7 Days Mount Rwenzori & Queen Elizabeth Safari
7 Days Mount Rwenzori & Queen Elizabeth Safari takes you on an adventurous cultural and wildlife tour to the western part of Uganda. You will get to explore some of the unique tourist attractions in the Rwenzori Mountains and Queen Elizabeth national parks. Take a guided hiking trip up Ruboni Hill in the Rwenzori Mountains national park. You will also get an opportunity to visit one of the local communities that reside near the national park. You will then transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park where you will get to view a wide variety of wildlife species such as the famous tree climbing lions in Ishasha sector. Take an afternoon boat cruise on Kazinga Channel and watch wildlife along the river banks as you relax and unwind while sipping a cold beverage. You will also get to track some of the habituated chimpanzees in Kalenzu forest and later transfer back to Kampala marking the end of your 7 Days Mount Rwenzori & Queen Elizabeth Safari.
Highlights for 7 Days Mount Rwenzori & Queen Elizabeth Safari.
- Day 1: Arrival in Kampala & Transfer to Rwenzori National Park.
- Day 2: Ruboni Hill Walk.
- Day 3: Community Cultural Tour or Village Walk.
- Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
- Day 5: Morning Game Drive & Afternoon Boat Cruise.
- Day 6: Chimpanzee Trekking & Optional Community Tour.
- Day 7: Transfer back to Kampala.
Detailed Itinerary for 7 Days Mount Rwenzori & Queen Elizabeth Safari.
Day 1: Arrival in Kampala & Transfer to Rwenzori National Park.
Arrival & Transfer to Rwenzori: On Day 1 of your 7 Days Mount Rwenzori & Queen Elizabeth Safari, start your day with breakfast early in the morning at your hotel. Your guide/driver from Explore Rwanda Tours will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to Rwenzori Mountains national park. You will have a stopover at the equator monuments in Kayabwe for a couple of photos and you can also pay a visit to any of the nearby craft shops. Have lunch and proceed with your drive to Rwenzori national park-where upon your arrival in the park, you can check into your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 2: Ruboni Hill Walk.
Ruboni Hill Walk: Depart early in the morning to hike up Ruboni Hill. Enjoy scenic views of the River Mubuku as well as Baker and Portal Peaks as you ascend. As you reach the top of the 2300 meter hill, you will be rewarded with a panoramic view of the Mountains of the Moon and the glorious snow-capped Margherita Peak.
Later return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Community Cultural Tour or Village Walk.
Community Cultural Tour: After an early morning breakfast, set off on the Bulemba-Ihandiro Cultural Trail for impressive views and an exploration of the local Bakonzo culture. This 6-7 hours hike to a hilltop cultural museum passes through the renowned ‘Bat Valley’- a holy place of worship for the Bakonzo people, and crosses the River Kamusonge. You will also pay a visit to the traditional healer who explains how he uses his ‘Muhima’ or rather powers, to cure the sick. Have lunch and head back to your lodge for dinner and relaxation.
Village Walk: Alternatively, you can opt to embark on a guided village walk where you will pay a visit to the neighboring villages of Ruboni or Mihunga for a cultural tour including dance performances and the chance to buy local handcrafts.
Dinner and accommodation at your lodge.
Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Transfer to Queen Elizabeth: Have breakfast early in the morning at your lodge and then meet up with your guide. Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park which is about ——-kilometers from the park. You will access the national park from the south via Ishasha where you will get an opportunity to spot wildlife like the Uganda Kob, impala, elephants and buffaloes to mention but a few. Drive to your lodge for lunch and relaxation.
Lion Tracking Experience: After lunch, you will embark on a lion tracking experiential tour in the park. The lion tracking experience will give you the opportunity to view the famous tree climbing lions of Queen. Of recent, these majestic giant cats have become rare sights in the park because of poaching activities that have become rampant in the park. This lion tracking experience takes between 1 to 3 hours and is done only twice a day, in the morning and afternoon. You will drive off tracks when tracking the locations of the lions. You will be able to get an up close view of the lions and take photos.
Dinner and accommodation at your lodge.
Day 5: Morning Game Drive & Afternoon Boat Cruise.
Morning Game Drive: Have an early morning breakfast and proceed on a morning game drive in the park which begins at 6am. This morning game drive will give you a great chance to view nocturnal animals like leopards, serval cats and other wildlife such as African savannah elephants, hyenas, Uganda Kobs, heart beasts, giraffes, zebras and many more. Queen Elizabeth National Park is blessed with over 612 bird species thus making it a great destination for birding activities. While on your game drive, you may spot birds like the African skimmer, Chapin’s flycatcher, Shoebill stock, the great flamingos and Pink- backed pelicans. Drive back to your lodge for lunch.
Afternoon Boat Cruise: After having your lunch break, head out for an afternoon boat cruise along the Kazinga channel. The boat cruise starts at exactly 1pm and can take approximately 2 hours. During your boat cruise, you may sight lots of wildlife such as hippos, Nile crocodiles, elephants and some species of birds like the great flamingos, Shoebill stock, Ibis and so many others.
Later return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 6: Chimpanzee Trekking in Kalenzu Forest & Optional Community Tour.
Chimpanzee Trekking: After an early morning breakfast, head out to track chimpanzees in Kalenzu forest which is about an hour’s drive from Queen Elizabeth National Park. Chimpanzee tracking can take several hours between four to six hours or more since the chimps are always on the move, hence you are likely to finish this activity by noon. Head back to your lodge for lunch and relaxation.
Community Tour (Optional): Later in the evening, you can opt to head out for a cultural tour to the neighboring local communities and get to interact with the local Bakonzo people. While on the cultural tour, you will be taken through their historical and social lifestyle and also be entertained by local cultural groups in the community. Drive back to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 7: Transfer back to Kampala.
Transfer back to Kampala: After your breakfast in the morning, proceed with your transfer back to Kampala City. You can have a stopover at the equator monuments again and take more pictures if you wish. You also have another stopover for lunch and to ease yourself. Upon your arrival in Kampala, you will embark on a short tour of Kampala city where you can visit interesting sites such as; Craft village, Kabaka’s Palace, Ndeere Cultural Center among others. Your guide/driver will later drop you off at a hotel of your choice or at the airport in Entebbe in case you have to board your flight back home. End of Uganda Safari Tour.
