12 Days Uganda Safari Gorilla Primates & wildlife Trip
The 12 Days Uganda Gorilla Trekking Safari will unleash fascinating beauty of Uganda’s rolling plains, hidden wildlife species in their Natural habitat like the African elephants, cape buffaloes, rhinos, leopards, lions, sitatungas, mongoose, spotted hyenas, jackals, civet cats, various bird species like grey crowned crane, black headed lapwing, weavers, shoebill, marabou stork, and also primate species like chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, red colobus monkeys, L’Hoest monkeys among others in the different National parks of Uganda.
Safari destinations
Murchison Falls National Park
Nestled in the North Western region of Uganda, Murchison Falls National Park is the largest Park in Uganda covering an approximate area of 3,840sqkm. The park has a mammal checklist of about 76 species and these include Lions, Elephants, Giraffes, Buffaloes, Leopards, Uganda kobs, Bush bucks, Chimpanzees, and also Primates like the black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, red colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, L’Hoest monkeys and many others. Murchison Falls National Park is as well a bird’s haven with about 451 bird species, these include the rare shoe bill, giant kingfisher, marabou stork, Giant heron, the grey crowned crane, Nightjars, black headed lapwing, black bellied bustard, and many other bird species.
Kibale Forest National Park
Strategically located in Western Uganda, Kibale Forest National Park was established in 1993. The park is known for being “The primate capital of the World” with a Chimpanzee population of over 1,500 individuals and about 120 Habituated ones. The park also has 13 Primate species making it the park with the highest primate population and among them include the black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkey, olive baboons, Galago, Mantled guereza, Potto, grey cheeked mangabeys, Vervet monkey, White-eyelid mangabey, among others. The park is also home to about 120 mammal species including African golden cats, bush pigs, warthogs, blue and red duiker, rare sitatunga, forest hogs, African elephant, forest cape buffaloes, among others. Kibale Forest National Park is among the best birding destinations with more than 300 species of birds. These include unique species like the olive long-tailed cuckoo, blue breasted king fisher, western tinker bird, grey parrot, little greenbul, red faced woodland, yellow spotted nicator, blue headed sunbird, and many others.
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Named after Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to Uganda in 1954, Queen Elizabeth National Park is the most visited park in Uganda. It is famously known for it’s Tree Climbing Lions of Ishasha sector. These lions are only found here and also in Lake Manyara National Park, Tanzania. Queen Elizabeth is home to about 95 mammal species including the 4 members of Africa’s Big 5. These are Elephants, Lions, Leopards and Buffaloes. Other species to see here include bush bucks, Uganda kobs, oribis, bush pigs, forest hogs, hippos, sitatungas and over 600 Bird species. Some of these birds are the African skimmer, grey headed kingfisher, African mourning dove, rare saddle billed stork, African crowned eagle, swamp flycatcher, grey capped warbler, Nubian woodpecker, little bee eater among other bird species.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
This is one of Uganda’s oldest rainforests aged more than 25000 years. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is home to almost half of the World’s population of Mountain Gorillas which gives a great opportunity for Gorilla Trekking in the park’s sectors of Buhoma, Nkuringo, Ruhija and Rushaga. Bwindi provides a safe refuge to about 120 species of mammals like the Elephants, duikers, buffaloes, golden cats, civet, bush pigs, yellow-backed duiker, black-fronted Duiker, giant forest hogs, clawless otter, side-striped jackal, numerous bats and rodents. It as well about 350 bird species which include the handsome francolin, red headed blue bill, African blue cuckoo, breasted sunbird, purple sunbird, regal sunbird, Ruwenzori turaco, Shelley’s crimson among other species.
Lake Mburo National Park
Lake Mburo National Park is the smallest savannah park in Uganda located in Kiruhura district, it is known for its large herds of zebras, Elands, Impalas, Topis, and buffaloes. Other species to find here are Defassa waterbuck, oribis, hippo, hyena, leopard, and reedbuck among others. Lake Mburo National Park is also home to about 350 bird species and some of these include the pied kingfisher, Malachite kingfisher, mosque swallow, black bellied bustard, African wattled lapwing, Red-faced barbet, bare-faced-go away bird, Ruppel’s starling, Saddle-billed stork, Yellow-breasted apalis among other bird species.
Day 1: Pick up from Entebbe International Airport – Drive to your Hotel
Day 1 of the 12 Days Uganda Gorilla Trekking Safari will start with a pick up from Entebbe International Airport by our professional driver guide. He will meet and greet you, give you a briefing about the Safari and thereafter transfer you to your hotel where you will have rest and relaxation from the long journey.
Location: Kampala Uganda
Accommodation Option:
| Luxury | Latitude 0 Degrees or Similar |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner, a selection of drinks, laundry, and activities at the lodge
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey
Day 2: Drive to Murchison Falls National Park with a stopover at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Having had breakfast at your Hotel, you will then hit the road to Murchison Falls National Park. During the drive, you will make a stopover at Ziwa rhino sanctuary which is located along Gulu highway for rhino trekking. The sanctuary is the only place in Uganda that offers guests an opportunity to watch these endangered, magnificent creatures in their natural habitat. You will as well encounter several antelopes like the Uganda kobs, bush bucks, oribis, waterbucks and also species of birds like the Shoebill, Grey-Crowned Crane, Marabou Stork, African Fish Eagle, African Jacana, White Egret, Red-Billed Oxpeckers, and African Grey Hornbill among other bird species. You will then return for a special lunch and later continue with the journey to Murchison Falls National Park for your dinner as well as an overnight.
Location: Murchison Falls National Park
Accommodation Option:
| Luxury | Paraa Safari Lodge or Similar |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner, a selection of drinks, laundry, and activities at the lodge
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey
Day 3: Murchison falls National Park – Morning Game drive – Launch Cruise and Hike to Top of the falls
This Day 3 of your 12 Days Uganda Gorilla Trekking Safari will start with an early morning delicious breakfast and thereafter, you will drive through different trails of the park as you search for wildlife. During the drive, you will meet eye to eye with the Bufaloes, elephants, lions, leopards, bush barks, giraffes, warthogs, Jackson’s hartebeest, crocodiles, hippos, Uganda kobs among others, you will thereafter return to your lodge for lunch and rest.
Launch Cruise
Later in the afternoon, you will enjoy an afternoon boat cruise upstream to the bottom of the falls which will take about 3 hours and will give you striking views of the Murchison Falls. While on the cruise, you will see giant Nile crocodiles resting under the shade, herds of hippos, elephants at the water banks and for the bird enthusiasts, be on the lookout for the different bird species like the shoebill, grey crowned crane, marabou stork, the black bee eater, Malachite kingfisher, Abyssinian ground hornbill, Long-tailed nightjar, Senegal thick-knee, Black-headed lapwing, Long-toed lapwing , Black-billed barbet, and many others.
Hike to Top of the falls
From the cruise you will connect and hike to the top of the falls from where you will be amazed by the gushing waters of the Murchison falls. Take as many pictures as possible to give you beautiful memories of the Pearl of Africa. You will then return to your accommodation for rest as you await your dinner as well as an overnight.
Location: Murchison Falls National Park
Accommodation Option:
| Luxury | Paraa Safari Lodge or Similar |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner, a selection of drinks, laundry, and activities at the lodge
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey
Day 4: Drive to Kibale Forest National Park –Visit Bigodi Wetland and Community
Having had your morning breakfast on day 4 of your 12 Days Uganda Gorilla Trekking Safari, you will transfer to Kibale Forest National park which is located in in Kabarole district in the Western region of Uganda. This drive will take about 5 hours but reward you with scenic views of Uganda’s landscape. You will have a lunch stopover in Fort Portal the Tourism City of Uganda.
Then you will proceed to Bigodi wetland for a swamp walk. During this walk you will spot some butterfly species, also birds like the Black-crowned Waxbill, White-spotted Fluff tail, Black Bishop, White-breasted Negrofinch, Yellow-spotted Barbet, Yellow-billed Barbet, Brown-crowned Tchagra, Black & white Shrike-flycatcher, Hairy-breasted Barbet, Western Nicator, Superb Sunbird, among others. You will then proceed for a community walk where you will see and taste the Gins brewed from bananas, craft making, coffee processing, and then you will return back to your accommodation for dinner and an overnight.
Location: Kibale Forest National Park
Accommodation Option:
| Luxury | Kyaninga Lodge or Similar |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner, a selection of drinks, laundry, and activities at the lodge
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey
Day 5: Kibale National park – Chimpanzee Trekking – Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park
After having your breakfast on this Chimpanzee Trekking day, you will dress appropriately for the day. Among what to consider include long sleeved shirt, a pair of karky or jean trousers, a round cap, water proof boots and a heavy sweater to protect you from the falling tree branches and also in case of bad weather. Also carry in your back packs some energy giving snacks and drinking water to help keep you hydrated during the trek since it may take from 1 to 4 hours.
Chimpanzee Trekking
Then you will proceed to Kanyanchu Visitor center for a briefing on the Do’s and Don’ts of the park. You will be given a chimpanzee family to look out for and also a Park ranger who will guide you throughout the entire trek. During the trek, you will spot several primates, mammals and also birds. Finding Chimpanzees is much easier compared to Gorilla Trekking since they can easily be detected from the loud screams they make as they play on the tree branches. Upon finding them, you will be allowed a maximum of 1 hour in their presence as you study their behaviors, social life, how they feed and play, feel free to ask the park ranger as many questions as possible. After the trek, you will then drive for about 3 hours to Queen Elizabeth National park where you will have your dinner and overnight.
Location: Queen Elizabeth National Park
Accommodation Option:
| Luxury | Mweya Safari Lodge or Similar |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner, a selection of drinks, laundry, and activities at the lodge
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey
Day 6: Queen Elizabeth National Park – Morning Game drive OR Optional Experiential Lion and Leopard Tracking – Boat Cruise – Crater Lake Exploration
Your Day 6 of the 12 Days Uganda Gorilla Trekking Safari will start with an early morning breakfast and thereafter drive into the savannah plains in search for different wildlife. At this time of the day, the early risers tend to be actively searching for prey, these include the lions, leopards, jackals, hyenas and many others.
You can Opt for an Experiential lion and leopard tracking Experience which involves driving off track while tracing the lions and the leopards using Radio collars. You will also learn about their population, behavior, life style and many others. This Experience will cost an Extra $250 per person.
Launch Cruise
Later after lunch, you will head out for a mind blowing boat cruise on the Kazinga channel. This cruise will give you stunning views of the park and also an opportunity to view the herds of hippos. The Kazinga channel prides in being the place with the most concentration of Hippos in Uganda. You will also see giant Nile crocodiles resting at the banks of the Kazinga channel and for the bird lovers, also be on the look out for unique bird species like the African fish eagle, grey headed kingfisher, rare saddle billed stork, the yellow billed stork, the African skimmer, Nubian woodpecker, Swamp Nightjar, swamp flycatcher, grey capped warbler and little bee eater among other bird species.
Crater Lake Exploration
In the Evening, you will go for a Crater Lake exploration at Lake Katwe Explosion craters which is a 27km drive through the craters in Queen Elizabeth National Park. The Katwe Explosion and Salt Craters are a short drive from Mweya Safari Lodge. Lake Katwe is about 3,265 ft. deep and highly saline. You will spot some animals like the lonely male buffaloes and elephants, water bucks, Uganda kobs, sitatungas, and also flamingos at Lake Munyanyange, termites, snakes and many others. You will see the number one salt distributor in Uganda and learn how salt is extracted. Also, you will see the Western arm of the Great East African Rift Valley and escarpments. Let the crater lakes’ striking beauty harmonize your senses and take home memories that will last a lifetime.
Location: Queen Elizabeth National Park
Accommodation Option:
| Luxury | Mweya Safari Lodge or Similar |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner, a selection of drinks, laundry, and activities at the lodge
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey
Day 7: Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National park through Ishasha sector
On waking up, you will start your day with an early morning breakfast and then check out of your accommodation to proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. The Park is located in the South western region of Uganda and it will take about 5 hours’ drive to reach. During your journey out of Queen Elizabeth, you will drive through Ishasha sector to search for the tree climbing lions and other wildlife including elephants, Topis, Aardvark, Uganda kobs, Hippos, leopards, water buck and many others which are found in this sector of the park. You will stopover in Kihihi for lunch and then continue to the Park for dinner and overnight.
Location: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Accommodation Option:
| Luxury | Buhoma Lodge or Similar |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner, a selection of drinks, laundry, and activities at the lodge
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey
Day 8: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park – Gorilla Trekking – Batwa Community Encounter
Upon waking up, you will start day 8 of the Safari with an early morning breakfast. Prepare for the day’s activity by wearing appropriate clothing like a long-sleeved shirt, a pair of karky or jean trousers, a round cap, water proof boots and also a rain jacket to protect you in case of bad weather. Pack some energy giving snacks and mineral water to help in keeping you hydrated during the trek.
Gorilla Trekking
Then drive to the park headquarters for a briefing on the Do’s and Don’ts while you are with the mountain gorillas. You will be assigned a park ranger who will guide you during the trek and also a gorilla family to look out for and thereafter start the trek. This will take anything from 1 to 7 hours depending on the location of the gorillas. During your trek, you will encounter various primate species like the black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys and many others. As your gaze meets the gentle eyes of Africa’s dark-furred Great Apes, you will spend a maximum of 1 hour in their presence as you watch and capture every moment while they go about their daily activities.
Also use this time to try and relate with them so they become used to human presence. Your guide will be available to answer all your questions. You will also see many forest dwellers during the search for gorillas including elephants, antelopes and different species of birds. Thereafter, you will return to your accommodation for a delicious lunch.
Batwa Community Encounter
Later in the afternoon, you will visit the Batwa community who were the early inhabitants of the ancient Impenetrable forest before it was made a National park and also a UNESCO World heritage site in 1992. You will learn about their ways of life, how they hunt for food in their ancient ways, visit a Batwa homestead to enjoy their dances and also hear ancient legends and their folk songs. Return back later to your accommodation for dinner and an overnight.
Location: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Accommodation Option:
| Luxury | Buhoma Lodge or Similar |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner, a selection of drinks, laundry, and activities at the lodge
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey
Day 9: Drive to Lake Bunyonyi
Day 9 of your 12 Days Uganda Gorilla Trekking Safari will begin with a heavy delicious breakfast and then you will drive to Lake Bunyonyi which is about 3 hours’ drive from Bwindi impenetrable forest National Park. Lake Bunyonyi is located in the southwestern region of Uganda at the extreme border between Uganda and Rwanda. The lake is known for offering great rest and relaxation to travelers due to its breathtaking views. Lake Bunyonyi is the deepest lake in Uganda with 29 different Islands, a fresh climate to relax from and also clear views of the Virunga Mountain ranges. On reaching you will spend the entire day relaxing and enjoying the beautiful views of the area around.
Location: Lake Bunyonyi
Accommodation Option:
| Luxury | Arcadia Cottage Lake Bunyonyi or Similar |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner, a selection of drinks, laundry, activities at the lodge
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey
Day 10: Lake Bunyonyi – Relaxation at Leisure
This day of your safari will have fun-filled activities which will rejuvenate your body after a long safari. Among these activities include Canoeing, swimming, Cycling, Birding and Community visits depending on your choice of preferences. Spend the rest of the day at your convenience.
Location: Lake Bunyonyi
Accommodation Option:
| Luxury | Arcadia Cottage Lake Bunyonyi or Similar |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner, a selection of drinks, laundry, and activities at the lodge
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey
Day 11: Drive to Lake Mburo National Park – Evening to Night Game drive
Upon waking up on day 11 of the 12 Days Uganda Gorilla Trekking Safari, you will have breakfast and proceed with your Safari to Lake Mburo National Park. On reaching, you will have a hearty lunch and then spend the entire afternoon relaxing at the lodge. In the evening to night game drive with an armed park ranger and spotlight torches to help you see nocturnals in the night like hyenas, hares, porcupine, honey badgers, white tailed mongoose, jackals, serval cats, bush pigs, civets, galagos, leopards and also hippos while grazing on short grass. You will then return back to your accommodation for dinner and an overnight.
Location: Lake Mburo National Park
Accommodation Option:
| Luxury | Mihingo Lodge or Similar |
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch as well as Dinner, a selection of drinks, laundry, and activities at the lodge
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey
Day 12: Lake Mburo National Park – Nature walk or Horse Riding – Drive to Entebbe International Airport or your Hotel
On the final day of your 12 Days Uganda Gorilla Trekking Safari, you will have an early morning heavy breakfast and then you will proceed for a Nature walk or horse riding within the park. This will take about 2 to 3 hours and it will take you off the main paths. You will go deep into the bush trails to enjoy the park and see herds of zebras, Elands, giraffes, impalas, Defassa waterbucks, buffalos, oribis, leopards, hippos, hyenas, topis and reedbuck among others. After this unique experience, you will then drive back to Entebbe International Airport or your Hotel. Thank you so much for specifically choosing Paradise Adventure Vacations on 12 Days Uganda Gorilla Trekking Safari and we hope to see you again!!!
Location: Kampala (City)
Accommodation Option: No
Meals Plan: Breakfast and Lunch
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey
The Safari Package Includes:
Return airport transfers (pick up and drop off)
Private transport for 12 days in a well-modified safari Extended land-cruiser (4WD,air-conditioned and pop-up roof)
Rhino Tracking in Ziwa rhino Sanctuary
Flue for 12 days
English safari driver guide for 12 days
Luxury accommodation for 10 night on full board (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)
All en-route meals and bottled mineral water throughout your tour
All park entrance and activities feel and all applicable government taxes
Night game in Lake Mburo National Park
Horse Riding in Lake Mburo National Park
Bigodi sanctuary swamp and community safari
1 Chimpanzee Trekking permit per person (Kibale forest national park)
1 Mountain gorilla trekking permit in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park (Buhoma sector )
A visit to the Equator land mark
Batwa Community Encounter
Drinking Water and Fruits Throughout the journey
Alcoholic and other soft drinks (sodas, special juice order at the lodge and wines)
The Safari Package Excludes:
International and domestic flights
Country entry visa
Personal travel insurance
Items of personal nature/laundry/telephone charges
Souvenirs and gifts, Tips
Passenger Information on 12 Days Uganda Gorilla Trekking Safari
In case of non-availability, we may have to reroute and provide alternative accommodation at lodges of similar category.
Passengers should bring only soft sided bags on safaris as our vehicles have limited luggage space
All the passengers must have Identification Card/Passport with them throughout their travel
Our Safari Vehicles Seating Plan - 4x4 Safari Land Cruiser Extended
All our Safari vehicles are Toyota Land-cruiser 4×4 with pop-up roofs. The vehicles are serviced and maintained to a very high standard before, during and after every safari. Paradise Adventure Vacations Ltd offering all-wheel drive safari vehicles suitable for off-road driving, which enable travelers to discover the magical areas of East Africa in a pleasant and reliable manner.
Our fleet consists of 4×4 Toyota Land cruisers with a hinged roof and skylights above the front seats. The hinged roof offers two main advantages: it provides shade without restricting the view, so that you can enjoy your safari even in the very sunny hours of the day. It also allows a 360-degree all-round view.
Our Vehicles Are Equipped With:
- Adjustable comfortable seats
- Electric refrigerator for drinks
- High-performance shock absorbers
- Tool & first aid kit
- Adapters and battery chargers
Due to the difficult ground and road conditions inside and outside the national parks and wildlife reserves, a four-wheel drive vehicle is not only recommended, but also crucial for an eventful safari.
