5 Days, Bwindi and Queen Elizabeth Tour Uganda

DAY 1-To QUEEN ELIZABETH National Park

On arrival at the airport, you’ll are warmly welcomed and pick up by a tour guide who will escort you to all adventure trips. Start your journey into south west Uganda stopping by the equator crossing for a few refreshments, snacks and pictures. Lunch is arranged from a hotel from a major town en-route.

Within hours, you’ll be in Queen Elizabeth National Park, ready for an evening game drive through the park. This park is one of the largest game parks in Uganda and host several wild animals, birds and boasts scenic views of the neighboring crater lakes Edwards and George linked by the Kazinga channel.

Check into your preferred lodge, Institute of Ecology,Hippo Hill and Ihamba lodge for budget friendly accommodation. Upmarket facilities are available in Mweya safari lodge, Jacana safari lodge, Katara Lodge and also King Fisher Resort.

DAY 2  GAME DRIVE AND LAUNCH CRUISE

Start your morning with game drive through the park visiting lions, buffaloes, kobs, the Python, Elephants, giraffes, hyenas, warthogs, chimpanzees, colobus monkeys, olive monkeys, vervets and others.  Return to the lodge for lunch and then go on an afternoon launch cruise on Kazinga channel for 2 -3 hours. The channel attracts many hippos, buffalos, crocodiles and several birds, both migrant and residents of the papyrus reed and swamp shores. These include the pelicans, malachite kingfishers, martial fish eagles, saddle billed stork and others.

Ride back to your lodge by sun setting on the waters for dinner and overnight.

DAY 3 CHIMPANZEE TREK IN KYAMBURA GORGE AND  TRANSFER TO BWINDI

Take your breakfast and set off to Kyambura wildlife reserve located on a 100m deep gorge, south of Queen Elizabeth Park and Lake Edward. The reserve is sustained by the flowing Kyambura river that in turn attract a buffer of game from Queen Elizabeth National Park. The tropical rainforests on the gorge are home to several primates such as chimpanzees, colobus monkeys, grey cheeked mangabeys and olive baboons among others. Look out for the birds residing by the riverine swamps and forest such as herons, kingfishers, fish eagles, and much more. There are also several small fresh and alkaline water lakes such as Bagusa, Nshenyi and Maseche, Kararo, Kinera, Chibwera and Kyamwiga.

Proceed on towards Ishasha River, south of the park, a popular sight with tree climbing lions, antelopes and zebras. The horizon by the river gives way to terraced hill slopes and patches of lush forest cover on some sides.

Reach Bwindi forest before the late evening and take closer looks at the home of some of the last gorilla surviving in the whole world. The park also host over 300 species of birds, 24 of the 26 Albertine rift endemics and golden monkeys in its lush, unique flora eco-system. Check into a lodge, camp or hotel for dinner and overnight at Buhoma Community bandas, Bwindi View bandas, Nkuringo campsite tents, Lake Kitandara camp, or Virunga Hotel, Traveller rest camp or Nkuringo safari centre and campsite and Wag tail Eco-lodge for budget and standard accommodation facilities. Engagi lodge, Clouds lodge, Gorilla forest camp, Buhoma lodge, Gorilla Resort camp or Silver back lodge and Volcanoes Bwindi Safari odge offer up market and luxury options.

DAY 4 GORILLA TREK AFRICA

Start you day with a sumptuous breakfast and then walk to the nearby ranger station for briefing and then head straight to the park behind the lead of an expert tracker and ranger guide. It will take 2-7 hours of tracking on trails left by the gorillas but when you meet a silverback or black family, the experience becomes worthwhile. Watch these creatures as they feed, play and grumble to each other while you take their pictures; be keen on all precautions that your guide gives as you interact with them.

The Bwindi eco-system also supports different species of birds, butterflies and the rare Albertine rift endemic golden monkeys. Return to your lodge for the evening dinner. shorter tracking session will enable you travel to Kabale or Mbarara town for overnight and have you cut short travel time and distance to Kampala.

DAY 5- Transfers to Kampala

Wake up early enough for breakfast and scheduled departures back to Kampala, with lunch en-route from a hotel in a major town.