10 Days Chimpanzee Trekking and Gorilla Tracking | Primates Safari Uganda

DAY 1: MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK

In the morning our guide will pick you up from your hotel and transfer to Murchison Falls National Park in northern Uganda. Prior to reaching you accommodation, you will visit the top of the falls to see the great Nile force its way through a narrow 7 meter gorge before thunderously plunging 43 meters below. From here you will cross the Nile by ferry to your accommodation – Paraa Safari Lodge. You will see various animals such as buffaloes, crocodiles and hippos as you cross on the river banks. Dinner and over night at Paraa safari Lodge / Nile safari camps or Sambiya River lodge or Basic Red Chillis camp ( HB)

DAY 2: WILDLIFE SAFARI AND GAME VIEWING

Early in the morning you will set out for a game drive. Some of the animals you will see include: Giraffes, antelopes, bush bucks, water bucks as well as several others. Head back to the lodge for a late breakfast and later lunch. in the afternoon, you will set off for a launch cruise on the Nile up to the bottom of the falls. During this amazing voyage, you will see large schools of hippos, waterbucks and giant crocodiles plus various birds including cormorants, kingfishers, ducks, the rare shoebill, herons and fish eagles along the river banks. Return to either Paraa Safari Lodge, or Sambiya River lodge, or Budget Red Chili Camp for dinner and the overnight

DAY 3: KIBALE NATIONAL PARK – FORT-PORTAL.

You will then drive to Kibale National Park; a splendid journey which will take 8- 9 hours. Kibale National Park (KNP) gifeted with verdant lush tropical rainforest and home to an impressive variety of wild animals is among Uganda’s most beautiful patches of forest land. Kibale is home to the highest number of man’s closest species – the chimpanzees and the endangered red Colobus monkey, the L’Hoest monkey and other primate species. Its forest is home to the highest number and variety ofprimates on the African continent with a total of 13 species like the bush babies, grey – cheeked mangabey, black & white colobus mokneys, pottos and Blue monkeys red tailed monkey. In addition, this park is home to more than 325 bird species including the yellow rumped tinkerbird and the yellow spotted nicator. You will drive past the Albertine escarpment, Have lunch along the way and finally reach Fortportal later in the Afternoon. Dinner and overnight at Ndali Lodge/ Primates Lodge or Rwenzori View Guest House or Kanyankyu Ecological Bandas (FB)

DAY 4: CHIMPANZEE TREKKING | KIBALE

Begin the day with an early breakfast, and then head to Kanyankyu tourist centre where you will be briefed before Chimpanzee Tracking. Kibale forest has a large number of about 13 primate species including the grey mangabeys, uncommon L’Hoest, pottos, red Colobus monkey, baboons, blue monkey, bush babies and black faced vervet monkeys, among others. A series of shady trails offers great to delight to botanists as well as butterfly lovers, whereas birders will have a lot to enjoy of the 335 bird species. Other wildlife here includes buffaloes, giant forest hogs and various antelope species. Return to the lodge for lunch before going for a nature walk in Bigodi swamp.
Dinner and slumber at Ndali Lodge, or Rwenzori View guest house, or Kanyankyu campsite

DAY 5: QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK

After breakfast you will transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park driving through the stunning crater Valley which comprises of gorgeous lakes and grasslands. Queen Elizabeth prides as on of the leading greatly diversified natural areas with diverse habitats including the Crater lakes areas, open Savannah, thick Papyrus Swamps, Rain Forest and the beautiful Lake Edward. There are nearly 100 species of mammals here including Buffaloes, Lions, the elusive Giant Forest Hog, Leopards, Bushbucks, Hippos, Mangoose, Spotted Hyena, Elephants in addition to more than 600 bird species such as the Swallow Tailed Bee Eaters, Black Chested Eagles, Lesser Flamingos, Black Bee-Eaters, Chappirs Fly Catchers as well as the Bustards in addition to the renowned Shoe-bill Stork. This park is among the leading birder’s paradise across East Africa. Queen Elizabeth national park is in addition home to various primate species including Chimpanzees, Black & White Colobus Monkeys, Black Faced Olive Baboons Red Colobus, Blue and Red Tailed monkeys among others. Green Mambas, Puffadders, crocodiles, Rock-Python, Turtles, Gabon Rippers and Spitting Cobras, are among the reptiles here.
Dinner and overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge or Jacana safari Lodge, or Institute of Ecology

DAY 6: CHIMPANZEE TREKKING IN KYAMBURA PARK

Following an early tea/coffee, you will meet at the starting point by 8.00am for chimpanzee trekking within the Kyambura Gorge. Some of the primates besides the Chimpanzees that you will see include the Black & white Colobus monkeys, the red colobus monkeys and blue Mangebeys among others. This gorge is home to a large number of bird species as well. Later you will transfer into Maramagambo forest to Jacana Lodge a small intimate lodge for lunch. After lunch, have a guided nature walk in Maramagambo Forest to encounter species such as the great Blue Lake Kimeranjojo and also visit the Bats cave home to Pythons which prey on the bats.
Dinner and overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge/Jacana safari Lodge/Budget Institute of Ecology (FB)

DAY 7: BOAT CRUISE ON KAZINGA CHANNEL

You will set out for an early game drive inside the Park to see various animals, birds and reptiles as outlines above. In the mid morning you will return to your lodge for a late breakfast and later lunch. In the afternoon, go for a boat ride along the Kazinga channel to see the different animals in and on the water edge including diant hippos and Buffalo moving on the shores of the channel plus a ggreat profusion of birds including the African Jacana, Great White and Pink-Backed Pelicans, Pied Kingfishers, Great and Long-Tailed Cormorants, Malachite and Open-Billed Stork. Migrants species can best be seen in February and March. During the boat ride you will be detailed about the various wildlife that you will see by your guide. Return for dinner and overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge or Jacana safari Lodge, or Institute of Ecology.

DAY 8: BWINDI FOREST NATIONAL PARK

After breakfast you will drive through the Ishasha area and enjoy a game drive in southern Queen Elizabeth as you transfer to Bwindi National park. This area is renowned for its population of tree climbing Lions which you are likely to see before continuing on to Bwindi, home to the mountain gorillas. Bwindi has a very impressive Bird life as well as variety of primates, in addition the rich plant life within its forest. It is considered a Bird watchers paradise, with 348 birds species including 24 of the 26 Albertine Rift Endemics which are found in Uganda; plus seven red-data book species. Several years back, the Bwindi was continuous with the Virunga Volcanoes forests (where the legendary Dian Fossey lived and worked). Today Bwindi is an ecological island, encompassed by cultivation cultivated rich volcanic soils. Dinner and over night at Gorilla Resort Camp, or L. Kitandara Luxury Camp, or Buhoma Community Bandas (Full Board)

DAY 9: GORILLA TRACKING – BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST

Today you will set out in the early morning dressed in long trousers and hiking boots, with a packed lunch, drinking water, cameras, rain jackets for a briefing by the rangers concerning the gorilla tracking experience! You will assemble at the ranger station by 8.00 am where you will be briefed and also meet your ranger guides who will guide you through this amazing activity. There is no predictable time frame in which you will see the gorillas however the activity may take anything between 2 – 8 hours of trekking. On finding them you will be stunned by the big size of the dominant male – the silver back, and you will observe them play feed and interact with one another and also take photos of them .sadly there are only 650 estimated mountain gorillas remaining in the entire world! If time allows, you will enjoy a guided walk in the afternoon to the nearby villages to observe the traditional lifestyle of the locals. Dine and overnight at Gorilla Resort Camp or gorilla safari lodge or Buhoma Community Bandas (Full Board)

DAY 10: DEPARTURE – KAMPALA

Today after an early breakfast you will drive back to the capital Kampala, have lunch on the way and a stopover at the equator. End of the Safari