8 Days Uganda Wildlife & Primates Safari
8 Days Uganda Wildlife & Primates Safari: Explore the best highlights of the western part of Uganda on an 8 Days Western Uganda Tour. These 8 Days Uganda Wildlife & Primates Safari will bring you in close contact with our favorite primates, the charismatic chimpanzees of Kibale Forest and the famous yet rare mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable national park. Also look forward to viewing savannah wildlife animals in Queen Elizabeth national park.
Highlights for the 8 Days Uganda Wildlife & Primates Safari
- Day 1: Pick Up from Entebbe & Transfer to Kampala.
- Day 2: Transfer to Kibale National Park.
- Day 3: Chimpanzee Trekking & Bigodi Swamp Walk.
- Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
- Day 5: Morning Game Drive & Afternoon Boat Cruise.
- Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
- Day 7: Gorilla Trekking and Batwa Trail Experience.
- Day 8: Transfer Back to Kampala & Departure.
Detailed Itinerary for 8 Days Western Uganda Tour.
Day 1: Pickup from Entebbe & Transfer to Kampala.
Pickup & Transfer to Kampala: Upon your arrival at Entebbe International Airport on Day 1 of your 8 Days Uganda Tour, you will be met by your guide/driver from Explore Rwanda Tours. After getting acquainted with your guide/driver, you will be transferred to Kampala city, which is the capital of Uganda. It will take you about 2 hours to get to Kampala from Entebbe Airport.
Kampala City Tour: Upon your arrival in Kampala, you will drive to your hotel, check in and have lunch. After you lunch, you will embark on a short tour of Kampala city where you will visit interesting places like; the Uganda Museum, Shopping malls, Buganda King’s Palace in Mengo, Craft village, Ndeere Center, Kasubi Tombs and so many more. After your city tour, drive back to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay at your preferred hotel.
Accommodation options: Hotel African/ Sheraton Hotel/ Kampala Serena Hotel.
Day 2: Transfer to Kibale National Park.
Transfer to Kibale: After having your breakfast, proceed with your transfer to Kibale Forest National Park. The park is located in the western region of Uganda, and it will take your about 5 hours to get to the park from Kampala city. The national park is home to 70 species of mammals, 375 bird species and 13 primate species, including over 1500 chimpanzees. You will have a stopover at the equator monuments in Kayabwe for a few pictures and also visit some of the local arts & crafts shops in the area. You will have lunch enroute to the park and then proceed with your voyage to Kibale national park. Upon your arrival at the park, check into your lodge, have dinner and an overnight stay at the Chimpanzee Guesthouse/Primate Lodge/Kyaninga Lodge.
Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest and Bigodi Swamp Walk.
Chimpanzee Trekking: Wake up to an early morning breakfast and proceed to Kanyanchu Visitors Center in Kibale Forest National Park. You will be welcomed by the head ranger at the park, sign in and then have a short briefing before you begin tracking chimpanzees. Kibale Forest National Park is home to over 1500 chimpanzees, thus making the park a haven for all chimp trekking tours in Uganda. Chimpanzee trekking activities in this park will begin at exactly 8am in the morning, and last between 2-5 hours. Once you have located the chimps, you will be given exactly an hour to spend with the chimps; so make sure you have your camera ready with you. After your chimpanzee trekking activity, you will head back to your lodge to freshen up, have lunch and relax.
Bigodi Swamp Walk: Later in the Afternoon, you will proceed to Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary which is just adjacent to the national park. Here, you will embark on a guided nature walk in the Swamp; where you will get to sight a number of bird species like; the Yellow-spotted Barbet, Hairy-breasted Barbet, Superb Sunbird, Black Bishop bird and the rare Shoe Bill Stock to mention but a few. There are about 138 bird species in Bigodi Swamp alone. Later head back to your lodge for dinner and accommodation.
Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth and Lion Tracking Experience.
Transfer to Queen: Have breakfast from your lodge early in the morning and check out of your lodge. Meet up with your guide and proceed with your transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The park is located in the western part of Uganda, in Kasese district. It is the second largest savannah national park in Uganda, covering approximately 1,978 square kilometers. The national park is located about a 3 hours drive from Kibale national park.
Lion Tracking Experience: Once you arrive in Queen Elizabeth national park, you will drive to your designated lodge for lunch. After having lunch, you will embark on a lion tracking experience. You will be accompanied by a team of researchers and park ranger on a guided game drive in the park, where you will have an opportunity to see the tree climbing lions in the Ishasha sector of the park. This activity will take about 1-3 hours or more depending on how fast you are able to locate a pride of lions.
Night Game drive (Optional): After having your dinner in the evening, you can opt to go on a night game drive in the park. Night game drives in Queen Elizabeth national park are ideal for viewing nocturnal animals that you might have missed seeing in the park during the day. Please notify your guide in advance in case you which to include this activity into your itinerary.
Later check drive to your lodge an overnight stay.
Accommodation options include: Pumba Safari Cottages (Budget)/Park View Safari Lodge (Mid-Range)/Mweya Safari Lodge (Luxury).
Day 5: Morning Game drive and 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 the stunning wildlife in the park like; 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. Game drives in the park usually take between 2-5 hours. Later drive back to your lodge lunch.
Afternoon Boat Cruise: Head out for an evening boat cruise on Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park. The boat cruise starts at exactly 2pm and can take approximately 2 hours. During your boat cruise, you may sight lots of wildlife such as hippos, Nile crocodiles, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, waterbucks and some species of birds like the great flamingos, Shoebill stock, Ibis and so many others.
Later retire back to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Transfer to Bwindi: After having a breakfast at your lodge early in the morning, meet up with your guide outside your lodge and proceed with your transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. It takes about five to seven hours of driving to get to Bwindi national park (depending on which sector of the park you will be travelling to). You will have lunch enroute to the park. Once you get to Bwindi national park, check into your lodge for dinner and accommodation at Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge/Buhoma Haven Lodge/Silverback Lodge.
Day 7: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Forest & Batwa Trail Experience.
Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi: Have breakfast very early at you lodge as your guide will pick you up at 6am. You will embark on a short journey to the park. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi national park takes place in four locations which include; Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo. The location where you will begin your gorilla tracking experience depends on which gorilla group you will be tracking. You will have a briefing by the park’s head ranger which will begin at 8am and then you will be put in groups of 8 individuals per group depending on the gorilla group you are going to track. Tracking begins at exactly 8:30 am hence endeavor to always keep time.
Each tracking group consists of strictly eight individuals with each group having a park guide and ranger. Tracking can take about 1- 6 hours depending how easily and quick the gorillas are spotted. Once you have located a gorilla group, you will be give exactly an hour with them; hence you should maximize your time well and don’t forget to take lots of pictures without using your camera’s flash. The tracking trails can be very wet, steep and slippery thus you should wear a good pair of hiking boots. You will be given time to have your lunch so make sure you carry packed lunch/meal from your lodge before you set off early in the morning.
Batwa Trail Experience: After your gorilla trekking experience, you will embark on the Batwa Trail Experience in the forest. You will be guided by local Batwa guides who have vast knowledge and experience of the forest. You will be taught some of their hunting techniques, making of traditional herbal medicines and so much more. Head back to base where you will receive your gorilla tracking certificate and reconnect with your guide.
Later head back to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 8: Transfer Back to Kampala and Departure.
Transfer back to Kampala: Have a relaxed breakfast and then check out of your Lodge. Proceed on you return journey back to Kampala. You will have lunch at Igongo Cultural Center near Mbarara town. You will also have a stopover at the equator monuments in Kayabwe, where you can take a few pictures and also visit the nearby craft shops to grab yourself some souvenirs. You will then proceed with your drive back to Kampala. Your guide will either drop you off at your preferred hotel in Kampala or directly at Entebbe International Airport in time to board your flight back home.
End of the 8 Days Uganda Wildlife & Primates Safari
