5 Days Uganda Gorilla Trekking & Wildlife Safari
The 5 Days Uganda Gorilla Trekking & Wildlife Safari takes you to Uganda gorilla trips through a lifetime gorilla trekking experience in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, 2 game drives and a boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
In Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, which is located in Southwestern Uganda, you will walk through the rain-forest to see a family of mountain gorillas in Rushaga sector.
During gorilla trekking in Rushaga sector, you get to learn more about the different daily behaviors of mountain gorillas, including how they socialize, mate, feed, groom each other with the opportunity for you to also take pictures while they are in their natural habitat.
At Queen Elizabeth National Park in Western Uganda, you have 2 game drives to participate in, the first will be conducted via Kasenyi Track and the second game drive at Ishasha sector while en-route to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Along Kasenyi track, the Northern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park you stand a chance to view Cape Buffaloes, African Lions, African Bush Elephants and for lucky visitors, you also have a chance to see Leopards.
A boat cruise at Queen Elizabeth National Park takes you via Kazinga Channel in Kasese District which connects 2 fresh water lakes that is Lake Edward and Lake George. Kazinga channel is a natural channel with depth of 8 meters and has a length of about 32kms.
On a boat cruise along Kazinga channel, expect to view one of the biggest concentration of hippos in the world, the Nile Crocodiles, aquatic birds and also many other wildlife that roam along the banks of Kazinga channel.
Detailed Itinerary for the 5 Days Uganda Gorilla and Wildlife Safari
Day 1: Kampala – Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day one of your 5 Days Uganda Gorilla Trekking & Wildlife Safari, After breakfast at a hotel in Kampala, meet your Uganda safari guide for briefing about what to expect on the 5 Day Uganda Gorilla and Wildlife Safari and start your gorilla trekking Uganda bwindi
Leave Kampala for Queen Elizabeth National Park which is found in Western Uganda, 7 hours’ drive, pass via Masaka, Mbarara route using a 4×4 Land Cruiser with pop up roof for you to have amazing view of wildlife while on a game drive.
En-route, you will stop at Uganda Equator, a historical landmark found at Kayabwe along the Masaka road. At the Equator landmark. You will perform a water experiment/demonstration of the carioles effect for you to have insight into how movement changes direction when in motion either to the left or to the right when moving on a rotating body.
The Equator crossing has the Northern and Southern hemispheres or poles with the Northern hemisphere indicating a clockwise rotation and southern hemisphere shows the anti-clockwise rotation.
Water experiment at Equator crossing can also be performed to determine the movement and drainage of water that differs in each of the hemispheres. This experiment can be performed or demonstrated on either sides of the Equator or directly on the Equator itself.
At the Equator, you will also buy some crafts at the craft stalls run by local community and they include baskets, jewelry like bracelets, necklaces, bangles and others.
In addition, you have a chance to take as many photos as you can then proceed to Igongo Cultural Centerto have en-route lunch. After lunch, drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park to check into the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodations
Day 2: Game drive and boat cruise
Second day of your 5 Days Uganda Gorilla Trekking & Wildlife Safari, in the morning after breakfast, set off for a guided game drive via Kasenyi Track/Plains-the Northern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Game drive at Queen Elizabeth National Park
Your game drive experience will take 2-4 hours and in your 4×4 Land Cruiser, expect amazing encounters of wildlife species such as Lions, Buffaloes, Elephants, warthogs, antelopes including Uganda Kobs and hundreds of birds.
Retreat from your game drive, have lunch at the lodge and after relaxation, catch up with an afternoon boat cruise at 2:00pm.
The boat cruise will be done on Kazinga Channel, a 32kms long natural channel that links Lake George and Lake Edward and for your 2-3 hours’ launch cruise experience, you will enjoy views of hippos, Nile crocodiles, aquatic birds plus large herds of elephants on the land. Get back to relax, dine and spend a night at your lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Accommodations
Day 3: Game drive in the Ishasha sector and drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
On the third day of 5 Days Uganda Gorilla Trekking & Wildlife Safari, Have breakfast, after leaving your lodge at 8:00am for a morning game drive via Ishasha sector in the Southern side of Queen Elizabeth National Park. You will leave with a packed lunch.
At Ishasha, you will be watching lots of the tree climbing lions as they seek shelter in the tree branches due to hot sunshine and also for them to relax.
Have lunch under the tree shade proceed to Rushaga sector, the Southern gorilla trekking sector in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Check into your lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodations
Day 4: Gorilla Trekking & Batwa cultural experience
The forth day of 5 Days Uganda Gorilla Trekking & Wildlife Safari, Breakfast will be enjoyed early morning, after, transfer to Rushaga sector/trailhead for briefing on gorilla trekking rules and regulations-briefing starts at 7:00am. Report at Rushaga trailhead with some packed lunches, energy giving snacks, bottled water.
The park official who conducts the briefing will also allocate to you one gorilla familyof the 9 that are in Rushaga including Nshongi gorilla family, Mucunguzi, Kahungye, Busingye, Mishaya, Bweza, Kutu, Rwigi family and Bikingi family. At 8:00am, the park guide leads you through 2-6 hours of gorilla trekking experience in Rushaga sector.
Your gorilla trekking experience in , Uganda trekking gorillas, Rushaga includes hiking through lush vegetation, steep slopes and when you come across a gorilla family, you will be given one hour to stay with them.
This includes learning more about how they behave that is from their feeding habits, grooming, mating, how they socialize etc, then also taking as many photos as possible.
All these will be explained to you by the park guide who also goes ahead to interpret the unique body gestures displayed by mountain gorillas. While trekking to see mountain gorillas, you will also encounter other primates, different plant species that are of medicinal importance.
After one hour with your family of gorillas, return to relax, enjoy lunch at the lodge and in the evening, you will take a walk to Batwa community for a cultural experience.
This includes interacting with the Batwa pygmies who lived in Bwindi Forest for over 500,000 as hunters and gatherers, learn how the traditional methods they used for hunting or gathering, get to know the traditional ways they use for making fire.
The Batwa pygmies will also perform cultural dances before you then you return to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodations
Day 5: Return to Kampala
Have early breakfast, after check out of your lodge, making sure you have a packed lunch to enjoy en-route. Meet your safari driver guide for transfer back to Kampala, about 9 hours’ drive while enjoying the scenic hills of Kigezi region for Uganda gorilla trekking tours
Lunch be had en-route, have a stopover at Mpambire Village, known as the home of royal drum makers. Get to know how African drums are made and then you connect to Kampala. end of your 5 Days Uganda Gorilla Trekking & Wildlife Safari.
End of 5 days
5 Days Uganda Gorilla and Wildlife Safari price includes
Gorilla Trek Uganda permit
2 Game drives
A boat cruise
Park entrance fees
Bottled water
Accommodation for 4 days plus meals as per the itinerary
Ground travel using 4×4 Land Cruiser
Ranger guide: safari driver service for 5 days
All activities excluding optional ones in the itinerary
All relevant government taxes to be paid
Uganda gorilla trekking permit
5 Days Uganda Gorilla and Wildlife Safari price Excludes
Tipping
Souvenirs
Laundry fees
Insurance
Visa fees
Porter
Air ticket
Telephone calls
Accommodation after your safari
All optional safari activities
Cigarettes
Alcoholic drinks
Porter fees