7-Day Epic Gorillas, Chimps, Big 5 & Big Cats Safari

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Entebbe Airport and Transfer to Kibale Forest NP

Stop At: Kibale National Park, Kibale National Park, Western Region
Hopefully, your flight is scheduled for an early (not past noon) landing in Entebbe. Your safari will start from the Entebbe International Airport where you will be received by the assigned driver/guide and depart for Kibale Forest NP. The park is popular for its primate’s population like the chimpanzees, colobus monkeys and red tailed monkeys. On your chimpanzee trails, these are regularly seen swinging in the forest trees and others feeding on the wild fruits. You will arrive in the late afternoon (evening) and just check into your accommodation, relax and later enjoy your dinner plus the overnight stay (awaiting the next day’s activity).
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Isunga Lodge

Day 2: Chimps tracking Kibale Forest and Transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP

Stop At: Kibale National Park, Kibale National Park, Western Region
Have breakfast and head to the rangers’ point where you will receive some briefing on the dos and don’ts during chimp trekking. Thereafter, you will proceed to trek the chimps in the Kibale Forest. An experienced ranger guide will take you chimp tracking and you will be marveled by the sights of primates here. Once you locate the chimpanzees, you will have a full hour with them.
You will return to the lodge for lunch after which you will head out for Queen Elizabeth National Park. You will arrive in time for your dinner and overnight at the booked accommodation.
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Irungu Forest Safari Lodge

Day 3: Queen’s Morning game drive and afternoon boat trip along the Kazinga Channel

Stop At: Queen Elizabeth National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Western Region
Be up early and have your breakfast. Proceed for a morning game drive in the park during which you will see Lions, Elephants, Leopard (though a rare sighting), Cape bushbuck, Cape Buffalos, Defassa Waterbucks, Giant Forest Hogs, Uganda kob among others. Return to your accommodation for some rest time and then lunch.
In the afternoon you will go for a 2-hour boat trip on the Kazinga Channel which connects Lakes: George and Edward and you will surely be fascinated by the concentrations of giant hippos, elephants and crocodiles among others. You will also see many varieties of birds at the water shores. You will have dinner and overnight at your accommodation.
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Irungu Forest Safari Lodge

Day 4: Transfer to Bwindi with en route game drive in Ishasha area

Stop At: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Western Region
Have breakfast then set off for Bwindi Impenetrable NP through the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park [famously known for its resident tree-climbing lions]. The chance of spotting these lions is about 70% though sometimes they are really hard to spot (most especially when they’re down in the grassland looking for prey). Hoping you get the chance to spot them, the sight will be spectacular!
Continue to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Bwindi is a big habitat for mountain gorillas in Uganda, harboring an estimated 400 mountain gorillas – roughly half of the world’s population, including several habituated groups which can be tracked. With a strenuous day ahead, you will do less on arrival but just check in your accommodation, relax as you prepare for the Bwindi gorilla trekking experience the next day.
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Bwindi View Lodge

Day 5: Go gorilla trekking Bwindi and later transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for relaxation

Stop At: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Buhoma, Uganda
After an early breakfast and a briefing by a ranger guide, you will enter the gorilla sanctuary for your adventure. The beauty of this rain forest is spectacular! The area offers dramatic steeply forested landscape and is incredibly dense, but crisscrossed by numerous animal trails allowing access to tourists. The time taken and the terrain vary with the movements of these great primates. Once you locate a gorilla group, you will be allowed an hour in their presence. The thrill of spending time observing these gentle and endangered giants is an awesome, exciting experience to be long savored.

Return to your lodge. Have your lunch and thereafter check out for a transfer to Lake Bunyonyi. Lake Bunyonyi is framed by lush, green-terraced hills that reach a height of (2,200 – 2,478m) but it’s the 29 islands of various shapes and sizes scattered across the water that make it most magical — you could admire them all day.
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Bunyonyi View Lodge

Day 6: Transfer to Lake Mburo NP and enjoy afternoon (evening) game viewing

Stop At: Lake Mburo National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, Western Region
Have breakfast and set off to Lake Mburo NP. Drive past the intensely terraced Kigezi hill slopes into Mbarara town and finally Lake Mburo NP. Arrive in the park in the early afternoon and take some rest before proceeding out for the late afternoon (evening) game viewing.
On the game drive, expect to see the gigantic eland antelopes, zebras in big numbers, topis, impalas, warthogs, Uganda kob and Cape buffalos among others. Later, relax at the accommodation where you will spend the night.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Eagles' Nest

Day 7: Mburo park (nature) walk and transfer to Entebbe Airport for your flight out

Stop At: Entebbe, Entebbe, Central Region
Enjoy your early breakfast and proceed for the Mburo morning park/nature walk in the presence of an armed Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger/guide. On this early morning guided walk, you often encounter hyenas that are returning to their dens after a night of being on the prowl. Also, you will have the opportunity to encounter (at close range): Zebras, Giraffes and Eland, Topi and other antelopes, Cape buffaloes among others.

Take the Trail to the top of the hills and see Lake Mburo and beyond. From this vantage point, you will have a great view of 9 of the twelve lakes surrounding Lake Mburo NP. Thereafter, return to the accommodation for checkout and then hit the road to Entebbe airport for your flight out (recommended for 18:00 onward).
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
No accommodation included on this day.