9 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari

Day One: Entebbe – Kampala:

Travel Time: 42 km, 1 hour
Arriving at the airport you will be warmly welcomed by a Ngeye Trekking Safaris representative, and transferred to your hotel in Kampala.

Optional Activities:

City Tour: Depending on your time of your arrival explore the vibrant and chaotic city of Kampala. Discover historical and political sites including the ancient tombs of the Kabakas, where the Buganda tribe laid their kings to rest or the Bahai Temple, etc.

Eat Out: Kampala is a town full of culinary wonders. Stray out from your hotel to taste some of the eclectic cuisine of the region including Kampala’s delicious Indian

food!

Accommodation:

Luxury: Sheraton Kampala hotel
Medium: Malakai Eco Lodge
Budget: Forest Cottages.

Days Two-Three: Kampala – Kibale

Travel Time: 400 km, 6 hours
Your safari continues as you depart for Kibale National Forest for two nights a 795 sq km of rainforest in Western Uganda. Kibale is home to an extraordinary thirteen species of primates, including chimpanzees, red colobus, and L’Hoest monkeys. Kibale National Forest has also recorded over 355 bird species, and a range of other mammals including the elusive forest elephant. The next morning go for Chimpanzee tracking along the network of forest trails. Seeing habituated chimps squabbling and swinging from the trees is an exhilarating experience. Later in the afternoon you will have the opportunity to visit Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, which is rich in bird species, vegetation, and wildlife. This is also a great opportunity to support local tourism initiatives which benefit social and economic development in the area.

Optional Activities:

Crater Lakes Hike: Formed by ancient volcanic activity, the crater lakes of Uganda are located near Fort Portal, and are a great hiking option. Typical hikes take you through local villages and tea plantations, to the base of several of these incredibly serene and beautiful lakes. With the Rwenzori Mountains in the background, this is by far one of Uganda’s most peaceful and extraordinary sights.

Accommodation Options
Luxury: Papaya Lake Lodge

Medium:  Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse
Budget: Rwenzori Guesthouse

Day Four – Five: Kibale – Queen Elizabeth National park

Travel Time: 160 km, 2.5 hours
Today you depart Kibale for two nights in Queen Elizabeth National Park, which boasts one of the highest biodiversity ratings of any game park or reserve in the world. Uganda’s second largest National Park, the 1,978 sq km has everything from open savannah to rain forest. Queen Elizabeth has over 100 mammal species, and an astounding 606 bird species, making it a premier safari destination. Arrive in the park in the afternoon, and go for a game drive in the early evening. In morning, you will have a game drive to the Kisenyi area to look for lion prides and other wildlife like the Uganda Kob, before returning to the Lodge for breakfast. In the afternoon take a cruise along the Kazinga Channel, home to one of the largest concentrations of hippopotamus, as well as herds of elephants, buffalo, and other wildlife that come to drink from the river. The Kazinga also attracts a tremendous variety of bird species including the African Eagle, Open-Billed Stork, and Pied Kingfishers.

Optional Activities:

Queen’s Pavilion: Just 800 metres from the equator monument, and overlooking a thrilling landscape of crater lakes is the Queen´s Pavilion, a community-run internet café. This is the perfect spot to revive yourself after an early morning safari with a cup of Ugandan tea or coffee. Listen to the elephants trumpeting on the dry plains below and enjoy the savannah views.
Katwe Salt Walk: This tour offers a unique insight into the fascinating process of salt mining, as well as providing an alternative income for Katwe. During the tour you will see community members at work, cross the mud walkways and enter one of the traditional grass huts used to shelter and store tools. The nearby bird sanctuary lake offers a chance to see flamingos from October to May.
Kikorongo African Art Workshop: Traditional crafts hold a special significance in Ugandan villages. Small baskets of groundnuts as a sign of friendship; a calabash on top of a house to ward off evil spirits or a traditional healer´s woven purse filled with natural remedies. Kikorongo Women Community invites you to learn their traditional skills during this fascinating workshop.
Accommodation:
Luxury: Mweya Lodge OR Katara lodge
Medium:  Bush Lodge OR Kasenyi Safari Camp
Budget: Marafik Lodge Cabins

Day Six: Queen Elizabeth – Ishasha southern sector

Travel Time: 120 km, 2 hours
Today you proceed to Ishasha, home to the famed tree climbing lions. The lions are located in the Southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, and are best seen in early hours of the morning. Have a game drive before stopping for lunch, and another game drive in the afternoon before dinner.

Accommodation:

Luxury: Ishasha Wilderness Camp
Medium: Savannah Resort Hotel
Budget: @ The River Ishasha.

Day Seven: Ishasha – Bwindi

Travel Time: Aprrox.3 hours
Activities of the day: Transfer to Bwindi.
Today you will continue to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for two nights passing via Ishasha in search of the tree climbing lions. Bwindi is a home to over half of the world’s mountain gorilla population. Interacting with these gentle giants is one of the most moving experiences that Africa has to offer and should not be missed! The ancient rainforest of Bwindi spans 321 sq km and boasts 90 mammal species, including a range of primates, as well as 23 Albertine Rift endemic bird species, including the African Green Broadbill, the Bar Tailed Trogon and many others. Relax in the evening and get ready for the following day’s gorilla tracking.

Overnight at either Mahogany Springs or Silverback hotel or Buhoma Community Rest camp. F/B

Day Eight: Gorilla tracking in Bwindi

Activities of the day: Gorilla tracking for the day and possible optional activities in the evening.
This morning you will set off for gorilla trekking. Hiking through the thick, verdant, rainforest to eventually come across the gorillas in their natural habitat, is an amazing and unforgettable experience. Actual trek times can vary; these are wild animals after all. If time permits there are a diverse range of activities which are unique to Bwindi which you can participate in during the afternoon.

Optional Activities:

Batwa Trail: During this moving tour, the Batwa demonstrate hunting techniques; gather honey; point out medicinal plants and demonstrate how to make bamboo cups. 
Guests are then invited to the sacred Ngarama Cave, once home to the Batwa King to be entertained by traditional music and dance.
Village Walk: Overlooking the imposing hillsides of Bwindi Impenetrable forest, with the mist swirling over the summits, this is one of the most dramatic settings for your cultural tour! Among others, meet a traditional healer, who not only treats the sick, but uses his knowledge to conserve and educate about the various medicinal plants.
Bwindi Community Hospital: Started by a Canadian doctor BCH revolutionized health care for the Batwa and the Bwindi community. This free hospital tour provides insight into the region and issues that the local community member’s face.
Waterfall Walk: Walk along the Congolese border and Bwindi to see the magnificent waterfalls and the incredible scenery.

Overnight at either Mahogany Springs or Silverback hotel or Buhoma Community Rest camp. F/B

Day Nine: Bwindi – Kampala – Flyout

Travel Time: Travel Time: 550 km, 9-10 hours
This morning you will have breakfast and then proceed to Kampala having lunch enroute. You will stop at the Equator-where you will be able to stand in both hemispheres simultaneously arriving in Kampala in the afternoon.