Overview.
Embark on our 5-Days Gorillas and Queen Elizabeth National Park safari which includes captivating gorilla trekking adventure and wildlife viewing. Expect to explore more about mountain gorillas in the wild specifically in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. At Bwindi, you will have a guided gorilla trek in any of the 4 regions/sectors including Ruhija, Buhoma, Rushaga or Nkuringo.
A visit to Queen Elizabeth National Park will focus mainly on a guided game drive and boat cruise. A game drive will be enjoyed along Kasenyi track, an area where you will come across hyenas, antelopes, elephants, buffaloes, lions, birds, and leopards.
A boat cruise will be done on the Kazinga channel, a 32 km natural channel that connects Lake Edward and Lake George. Kazinga boat cruise allows you to enjoy the sight of hippos, crocodiles, and water birds as well as other small and huge mammals along the banks.
The entire tour will begin with a visit to Queen Elizabeth National Park and finalize with a gorilla tour in Bwindi National Park. You will be accompanied by a professional and experienced guide from Uganda.
Detailed Itinerary.
Day 1: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth Park for a wildlife tour.
Meet an experienced safari guide who will take you on a short briefing about your holiday in Uganda. After you will head to Queen Elizabeth National Park which is lying in western Uganda and your journey will take about 7-8 hours. Enroute, your road trip will include a stopover at the equator for you to have leisurely photography.
Later, continue on a scenic drive to Mbarara City where you will have lunch then connect to Queen Elizabeth National Park via Bushenyi. Arrive in Queen Elizabeth National Park early to check in your lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay.
Day 2: Game drive and boat cruise.
Leave your respective lodge for a memorable game drive in a 4×4 safari vehicle. Expect to explore Kasenyi plains on a 2-3 hour guided game drive. As you drive through the Kasenyi track, you will come across a variety of wildlife such as Uganda Kobs, spotted hyenas, lions, elephants, warthogs, waterbucks, bushbucks, and many birds.
At leisure, drive back to your lodge for you to have lunch. After lunch, you will be transferred to Kazinga for a boat cruise. First, you will get briefed about your recreational activity and also ensure that everyone has put on a life jacket.
The 2:00pm boat cruise on the Kazinga channel will take 2-3 hours and you will have incredible sights of aquatic life. The different aquatic species to find along Kazinga channel include hippos, crocodiles, and water birds. At the banks of Kazinga channel, you will also enjoy a clear view of elephants, antelopes, and buffaloes etc.
Day 3: A Trip to Bwindi National Park via Ishasha Sector.
Enjoy a hefty breakfast at leisure and later, you will connect to Bwindi National Park. Drive via the Ishasha sector in the southern end of Queen Elizabeth Park where you stand a chance to see the tree-climbing lions plus other freely roaming wildlife. Continue from Ishasha to Buhoma region to check in your accommodation to have a leisurely dinner and overnight stay.
Day 4: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi NP + Batwa Community Visit.
Have a hot cup of tea/coffee at the lodge and after, you will report to Bwindi Park offices for a briefing about guidelines for gorilla trekking. The park official present will also assign you a habituated gorilla group and park ranger guide. At around 8:00am, the actual trek to explore your gorilla group will begin and expect to spend between 2 and 6 hours.
The long day trek involves navigating via the natural forest and at times steep slopes before you come across a gorilla group. Upon locating mountain gorillas, you will have a maximum of 1 hour which includes photography and observing how these large apes behave.
After the great moment with a family of mountain gorillas, start walking back to the briefing center. Meet the park official and this time round, you will be awarded a gorilla trekking certificate. Thereafter, continue to your lodge to relax till late afternoon when you will be led to the Batwa community.
Day 5: Departure from Bwindi National Park to Kampala.
After a leisurely breakfast, depart from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for Kampala or Entebbe City. Today’s road trip will take between 7-8 hours inclusive of enroute stopovers.
End of tour.