WILDLIFE OF QUEEN ELIZABETH & THE GORILLAS OF BWINDI NATIONAL PARK
April 25, 20251 WEEK UGANDA BIRDING TOUR
May 27, 2025
6 DAY KIBALE, GORILLAS & LAKE MBURO SAFARI
Welcome to this peoples favourite trip to the chimps of Kibale, the gorillas of Bwindi and rewarding lake mburo National Park.
Day 1: Entebbe – Kibale Forest National Park Approx 390 Kms.
Arrive at EBB and drive south towards the town of Fort Portal – Uganda’s tourism city, We will go past rural farm lands and homesteads, children will line the road side as you pass-by, please remember to wave back. Fort portal rests in the shadow of the fabled ‘Mountains of the Moon’ and is famous for her many tea plantations. You will continue into Kibale National Park arriving at Primate Lodge Kibale for late lunch. Spend the afternoon relaxing at the Lodge.
Day 2: Kibale Forest NP and Afternoon at Leisure
The forest opens its doors for a sensational chimpanzee tracking experience.
Following the pre-tracking briefing, you will walk or drive to the trailhead for the start of an unforgettable adventure – hiking in the footsteps of the habituated family of chimpanzees. En-route, your guide will enthral you with stories and facts about the forest and her other inhabitants including other species of primates and birds and other big mammals.
In the afternoon enjoy a guided nature walk through the Bigodi wetland. Bigodi Swamp Walk is an initiative of the local community and is known for its rich diversity of birds and primates. The path and board walk maybe flooded and muddy after heavy rainfall and gumboots are recommended. The walk is about 4km in length taking 3-4 hours at birding pace with local community guides. All proceeds from eco- tourism go back to the community, a conservation project well worth supporting. Dinner and overnight.
Overnight- Primate Lodge Kibale- Standard FB
Day 3: Kibale – Drive to Bwindi from Kibale (Approx. 385kms/6-7hrs )
Early morning drive from Kibale Forest National Park with scenic views of crater lakes and the surrounding rolling hills, you will go through banana farmlands, Afterwards, you will proceed south alongside the majestic Rwenzori ‘Mountains of the Moon’ through Ishasha sector
If you arrive in time, take a village walk to encounter the community.
Day 4: Gorilla Tracking (3 to 8hrs)
Arise early today and prepare for an amazing adventure; an unforgettable encounter with the gentle giants of Bwindi! Following breakfast, transfer to the park offices where participants are divided into groups of 8 and allocated a gorilla family as well as a tracking guide.
After a pre-tracking briefing by your guide (touches on the gorillas generally, your assigned gorilla family as well as appropriate safety precautions), you drive to the trailhead for the start of your thrilling adventure – participants can expect to walk long distances in steep and sometimes muddy conditions with rain overhead, which can be tough and require a degree of fitness. Granted, the time taken can be quite unpredictable taking anything from 2 to 8hrs or longer however the thrill of coming face to face with a giant Mountain Gorilla silverback will more than compensate for the effort in their quest.
Upon sighting the gorillas, you spend the allowed one hour with them as they go about their daily life; feeding, moving, playing, raising their young and sometimes wrestling by the juveniles – it is a totally unique and unforgettable experience!
Afterwards, you hike back to base where your Driver will be waiting to transfer you to the lodge for a deserved shower and lunch or dinner depending on the time taken on the trek.
Day 5: Bwindi Impenetrable – Lake Mburo NP (Approx. 250km/5-6hrs)
After breakfast we depart the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and head to Lake Mburo National Park. Enjoy lunch at a restaurant before we enter the national park, and with a game drive en-route we will calmly proceed to our accommodation, with beautiful views of the park.
In the afternoon go for a scheduled boat drive to give you time enough to view other wildlife and rare bird species.
Day 6: Lake Mburo NATIONAL PARK to ENTEBBE International AIRPORT (Approx.250km/5-6hrs)
Early start of the day, we will go for a bush walk guided by a ranger. Experience a safari on foot that will allow you to notice the smaller, often overlooked, details and usually brings you much closer to the wildlife than when in a car. Later on, depart the park and head on to Entebbe International airport for our flight home and connect in time for your flight out .
What is included in your safari?
- Expert English-speaking Driver guide.
- Accommodation, as mentioned in the itinerary
- Meals as mentioned (Breakfast- while overnight)
- Bottled drinking mineral water
- 4WD Safari LAND CRUISER vehicle and all transportation on ground
- All entry fees into the National Park
- Gasoline in the Vehicle
- Lunches en-route- to and from Safari
What is NOT included in your safari?
- International flights (both inbound and outbound)
- Entry/Tourist Visa for Uganda
- Meals and drinks not mentioned here-in
- Optional activities not mentioned here-in
- Items of personal nature
- Tips for the Guides.
