13 Days Adventure & Gorilla safari

Activities

• Gorilla trekking
• Chimpanzee tracking
• Boat cruise
• Game drive
• Community walks
• Hiking and Canoeing
• Visit to the Source of the Nile 

Travel Schedule

Day 1: Arrival in Uganda and briefing on safari plan

Day 2: Travel to Jinja – Tour of Source of the Nile

Day 3: Transfer to Mt. Elgon National Park

Day 4: Exploration of Mt. Elgon

Day 5: Transfer to Kidepo Valley National Park

Day 6: Community Visit – Game Drive

Day 7: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park

Day 8: Game Drive – Boat Cruise

Day 9: Transfer to Kibale National Park

Day 10: Chimpanzee Tracking – Transfer to Bwindi

Day 11: Gorilla Trekking – Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi

Day 12: Hike and Canoe on Lake Bunyonyi

Day 13: Transfer back to Entebbe

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and transfer to accommodation

On your arrival in Entebbe, you will be welcomed and transferred by a representative of Great Nest Image Safaris to your place of accommodation. You will spend an overnight here and get a briefing of the tour.

Accommodation Options

• Protea Hotel (Luxury)
• Imperial Botanical Beach Hotel (Midrange)
• Acacia Beach Hotel (Budget)

Day 2: Transfer to Jinja – Source of the Nile Tour

Our guide will pick you at 7.00am from where you are residing and drive you to Jinja in the eastern part of the country. There will be an excursion to Ssezibwa Falls in Lugazi town. You will also have a brief stopover at Mabira forest, the largest remaining tropical forest in Central Uganda. You will then continue to the source of the Nile in Jinja. You will explore the source of the Nile by boat and later have a brief drive through this historical town before heading to your accommodation.

Accommodation Options

• Source of the Smile Hotel (Luxury)
• Gately on the Nile (Midrange)
• Chel & Vade Cottages (Budget)

Day 3: Depart Jinja – Transfer to Mt. Elgon National Park

You will after an early breakfast drive eastward to Mt. Elgon. You will have a stopover at Sipi falls for a cultural feel and continue to Kapchorwa town located on the foothills of Mt. Elgon. En-route you will drive past tea and sugarcane plantations, lush green forests and grasslands, colorful fruits beautifully displayed by the roadsides and enjoy a varied display of landscapes and local communities. You will have lunch in Kapchorwa and proceed to tour the Sipi falls located between beautiful hills and waterfalls. Your dinner and overnight will be at one of the selected lodges adjacent to the Sipi falls.

Accommodation Options

• Mbale Resort Hotel (Luxury)
• Lacam Lodge (Midrange)
• Suam Guest House (Budget)

Day 4: Mt. Elgon Exploration 

You will have breakfast and thereafter take a walk to the Mt. Elgon Forest Exploration Center for a briefing on the activities of the day. You can go for an interactive Cultural Community Walk in the Bunduri Community not far from Mt. Elgon. This community group, based in Budadiri, offers cultural dances, guided coffee tours and community nature walks. Visitors can discover the region’s cultural dances, food preparation, folklore and its famous delicacy malewa bamboo shoots. There is also a tour of Mt. Elgon’s famous Arabica coffee processing plants, which supports local farmers.

Accommodation Options

• Mbale Resort Hotel (Luxury)
• Lacam Lodge (Midrange)
• Suam Guest House (Budget)

Day 5: Transfer to Kidepo Valley National Park

After a very early breakfast, embark on an adventurous road trip to the very far north east of Uganda – to the wild, remote and much lesser visited Kidepo Valley National Park. This particular Adventure & Gorilla Safari in Uganda journey to Kidepo from Mt. Elgon will take you through Pian-Upe game reserve where you will spot some wild animals. You will have lunch on the way and then continue the journey as you view the beautiful landscape and African lifestyle. The road trip will take around 10 hours depending on the weather conditions which determine the state of the roads in this part of the country. You will spend the night at one of the lodges in the park.

Accommodation Options

• Apoka Safari Lodge (Luxury)
• Kidepo Savannah Lodge (Midrange)
• Apoka Rest Camp (Budget)

Day 6: Community visit – Game drive 

Today you will have a lazy morning allowing you to rest after the long journey. In the late morning hours, you will be taken on a Savannah Safari guided cultural village tour where you will learn about the nomadic lifestyle of the people around Karenga and Kidepo. During this cultural tour you will visit the Karamajong homesteads (manyattas) and see the kraals of cattle, the traditional costumes, stools, spears, headdress, knives, bows and arrows, jewelry, grinding stones and utensils all made locally by the natives. In the evening, after an afternoon rest, you will be taken for a sunset Savannah Safari game drive to explore more of Kidepo Valley National Park.  You will return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation Options

• Apoka Safari Lodge (Luxury)
• Kidepo Savannah Lodge (Midrange)
• Apoka Rest Camp (Budget)

Day 7: Drive to Murchison Falls National Park

After an early breakfast, we will set off for the tranquil Murchison Falls National Park. The drive will take you through Kitgum and Gulu towns taking approximately 8 hours before reaching Murchison Falls National Park. You will be transferred straight to your lodge where you will check in and spend the night.

Accommodation Options

• Paraa Safari Lodge (Luxury)
• Heritage Safari Lodge (Midrange)
• Red Chili Rest Camp (Budget)

Day 8: Game drive – Boat Cruise

After breakfast, proceed for a game drive on the northern bank of the Nile, giving you a great chance of seeing animals such as giraffes, elephants, lions, hartebeests and different species of birds. After Lunch, the safari will be continued with a boat cruise on the Victoria Nile to the base of the Murchison falls. Look out for the Nile crocodile, hippos, water bucks and a variety of bird species. Upon reaching the bottom of the waterfalls you will disembark and climb your way up to the Top of the falls where you will be rewarded with amazing views of the falls. After return to your lodge, and enjoy a good night`s rest.

Accommodation Options

• Paraa Safari Lodge (Luxury)
• Heritage Safari Lodge (Midrange)
• Red Chili Rest Camp (Budget)

Day 9: Murchison Falls National Park – Transfer to Kibale National Park

After an early morning breakfast, you will check out of the lodge and head to Kibale National Park in western Uganda. The drive will take around 7-8 hours taking you past the Kijura and Bunyoro escarpments. You will have packed lunch on the way. Dinner and overnight will be at your reserved lodge.

Accommodation Options

• Kyaninga lodge (Luxury)
• Kibale Forest Camp (Midrange)
• Chimpanzee Forest Guest House (Budget)

Day 10: Chimpanzee tracking – Transfer to Bwindi Forest National Park

After breakfast you will report at the briefing point for a breakdown of the rules before trekking the chimpanzees. The trek for the chimpanzees takes 2-3 hours and it will provide you with the opportunity to see other primates and animals as well as birds, and various species of butterflies and insects. You will have lunch at your lodge and thereafter drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.

Accommodation Options

• Mahogany Springs Lodge (Luxury)
• Gorilla Closeup Lodge (Midrange)
• Buhoma community Rest camp (Budget)

Day 11: Gorilla trekking – Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi

The most exciting day of your safari! The briefing is at 8 am where you will learn about gorilla etiquette. Then you will start walking and hiking in the Impenetrable forest until you find the gorillas. For one hour, you are allowed to watch those majestic giants! Depending on the duration of the track you will either have a rest first or thereafter head straight for Lake Bunyonyi. The lake is said to be the second deepest lake in Africa and one of the most beautiful places in western Uganda. It is also one of the few places in the country where it is considered safe to swim as it is bilharzias free.  Dinner and overnight will be at one of the many lodges near the lake.

Accommodation Options

• Lake Bunyonyi Eco Resort (Luxury)
• Bunyonyi Overland Resort (Midrange)
• Amasiko Homestay (Budget)

Day 12: Hike and Canoe on Lake Bunyonyi

This day you can choose to either have a canoe-ride on Lake Bunyonyi or a walk through the surrounding hills. The landscape around the lake is made up of steep slopes covered with lush green vegetation protruding from the water’s edge. Bunyonyi means “place of little birds” and as the name suggests, there is plenty of birdlife around the lake. You can get to know the different islands, visit the local families and admire views of Volcano Mountains.

Accommodation Options

• Lake Bunyonyi Eco Resort (Luxury)
• Bunyonyi Overland Resort (Midrange)
• Amasiko Homestay (Budget)

Day 13: Transfer back to Entebbe

Our guide will drive you back to Entebbe where you will relax before catching your departure flight.

                                                                                      END OF SAFARI