Safari to See Gorillas of Uganda

5 day tour- Lake Mburo and Bwindi National Park

DAY 1: Pick ups to Lake Mburo National Park

Meet and interact with your booked tour guide after breakfast/ arrival, discuss trip expectations and then travel straight to Lake Mburo National Park, with a few stops for lunch in major town and photographs at the equator crossing point, a journey of nearly 5 hours.

On arrival, take a rest and have a 3 hour boat/ canoe ride on the lake, with sights of the distant Rwenzori, schools of hippos, buffalos in the shallows, crocodiles at the lakeshores and several birds like fish eagles, kingfishers, pelicans and other papyrus endemics.  Enjoy sunsets by the lake or visit a nearby community of mostly game rangers and fishermen.

You will have your dinner and overnight at Rwoonyo campsite and Arcadia cottages for cheaper accommodation and Mantana Luxury tented camps or Mihingo Lodge for luxury and up market accommodation.

DAY 2: Lake Mburo National Park and Transfer to Bwindi Gorilla Forest

Breakfast is followed by a morning game drive to the park watching different animals feed and drink by the lakeshores like Uganda kob, buffaloes, warthogs, antelopes, spotted hyena, rothchild’s giraffes, zebras, hippos, elephants and crocodiles and several birds.

Return to the lodge for lunch and then set off to Bwindi impenetrable forest National park, passing by Maramagambo forest for a short nature walk in the primate habitat, also enjoy backdrop views of the glaciated peaks of Rwenzori mountains and its forested slopes.

Bwindi forest is one of the untouched rain forests in Africa, home to some remaining families of the mountain gorillas and golden monkeys, a primate specie endemic to the Albertine rift that stretches into this massive ridge mountains.

Dinner and over night at Buhoma Community bandas or Bwindi View bandas or Nkuringo campsite tents or Virunga Hotel or Nkuringo safari centre for budget accommodation packages, Lake Kitandara camp, Engagi lodge, Nkuringo camp site, Buhoma Lodge or Wagtail Eco lodge for moderate facilities and luxury at Silverback lodge, Gorilla Forest Camp or Clouds Lodge , Gahinga Volcanoes Lodge  and Volcanoes Bwindi  safari Lodge.

DAY 3: GORILLA TRACKING IN BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST

Take an early breakfast and walk to the nearby ranger station where you’ll have briefing on the much anticipated adventure, given appropriate gear and then escorted by an armed ranger into the unfamiliar forest cover. Tracking is often long and strenuous and requires fitness in mind and body, several hours of fruitless tracking is surprisingly rewarded sooner, by the on sight of a silverback family found feeding and the young playing in the vines. Spend one intense hour with the animals and take some pictures with them.

From the trek, visit the Munyanga river and the fringing forest’s unique flora and fauna and a colorful variety of butterflies. Alternatively, take a village walk, visiting the Batwa people and the Bakiga that live near the park.

Enjoy the rest of your evening at the lodge and savor different cuisine prepared to the delight of your taste.

DAY 4: BWINDI GORILLA FOREST – KAMPALA

Pack your luggage, have breakfast and board tour van for a 9hour trip back to Kampala. Stop by interesting points like the Equator crossing point and road side craft markets for refreshments and snacks. Lunch can be arranged in hotel en-route from a major town.

Check into a hotel/ inn for overnight and dinner. There are budget packages from Holiday Express Hotel, Tourist Hotel, Speke hotel, Cassia hotel and other hotels. Luxury options from Kampala Sheraton, grand Imperial Hotel and Kampala Serena hotel.

You could opt to enjoy Kampala nightlife in eating points, clubs and the cinema.

DAY 5-  Kampala city tour To Entebbe International Airport

Have a guided tour of the capital Kampala city, the old cathedrals, Kibuli mosque, independence monument and finally visit the vibrant market and craft villages for purchase of souvenirs, gift items and clothing to take home.

Transfer to Entebbe in time for check in time and departures.