10-Day Wildlife Big 5, Murchison Falls and Gorilla Safari

Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, a Home to Africa assigned driver (guide) will receive and welcome you to Uganda – the Pearl of Africa. Thereafter, you will transfer to the booked accommodation (Entebbe).

In case you have had an early landing in Uganda, you can proceed to visit the Entebbe Botanical Garden. The Garden is one of the places around Entebbe where you can spot many species of birds and a few primates such as: the black and white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys. It is also a place of tranquility and peace, a feast for the eyes with notable absence of people and you simply immerse in nature, the sounds of birds breaking the stillness of the moment.

After breakfast, the assigned driver (guide) will pick you from the hotel and hit the road to Murchison Falls National Park. Note: We provide either safari land-cruiser or safari van depending on whichever is available on your date.

The highlights of this park include the roaring rapids of the Murchison, the rolling plains of Uganda’s largest National Park where you will have the chance of viewing lions, giraffes, hartebeest, buffalo, and elephants. Then surely, the concentration of hippos and the Nile crocodiles here will fascinate you.

En route, make a visit to Zziwa Rhino sanctuary for your first Big 5 experience where you will have an hour of rhino tracking.

Another stop will be in Masindi in order to enjoy your lunch. Continue to the park and check in to your accommodation to relax for the Evening.

Have your breakfast, depart for an early morning game drive across the rolling plains of Uganda’s largest National Park and be on the look for wildlife including: lions, leopards (though hard to spot) among others. For any birder, there are quite a number of birds to sight too during the drive. Return to the accommodation for some rest time and lunch. Optional: If interested, you may opt for the hot air balloon safari (instead) at an extra cost (on ground).

After lunch, you will head out for the boat trip to the base of Murchison Falls where you will also be able to catch sight of more animals including Hippos and Crocodiles and several water birds. Continue with a hike (if you like) to the top of the falls. The hike may be a strenuous one but the thrill on reaching the top is unforgettable. Miss it only if you must. Return to your accommodation and have a relaxed evening.

After breakfast at your accommodation, depart right away for Kibale Forest National Park. The drive is quite long but incredibly scenic – passing through villages, lush green countryside and hills dotted with tea plantations that characterize this part of Uganda. The beautiful scenery will amaze you all the way.

Kibale NP is popular for its primates like the chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, L'Hoest's monkey, Uganda mangabey (Lophocebus ugandae). While on your chimpanzee trails, you will see them swinging in the forest trees and others feeding on the wild fruits. You will reach and do little but check into your accommodation where you will have dinner and the overnight rest.

Have breakfast and head to the rangers’ post where you will receive some briefing on the dos and don’ts during chimp trekking. Thereafter, you will proceed to trek the chimps in the Kibale Forest. An experienced ranger guide will take you chimp tracking (Kibale Forest) and you will be left amazed by the presence of primates here. Once you locate the chimpanzees, you will have a full hour in their presence.

You will return to the lodge for lunch and thereafter you will head out for Queen Elizabeth National Park. You will arrive in the evening and overnight at your booked accommodation.

Be up early and have your breakfast. Proceed for a morning game drive to the Kasenyi plains and be on the look for Cape buffalos, herds of elephants plus the big cats: lions, leopard (but very hard to spot) among others. Return to the accommodation for some rest time and lunch.

After lunch, you will go for a 2-hour boat trip on the Kazinga Channel that connects Lakes George and Edward. During the trip, the sight of wildlife including giant hippos, elephants and crocodiles among others will fascinate you. You will also see many varieties of birds at the water shores. You will have dinner and overnight at your accommodation.

Have breakfast then set off for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park through the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park – famously known for its resident tree-climbing lions. The chance of spotting these lions is about 70% though sometimes they are hard to spot (most especially when they are down in the grassland looking for prey). Hoping you get the chance to spot them, the sight will be spectacular!

Continue to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Bwindi is a big habitat for mountain gorillas in Uganda (harboring an estimated 400 mountain gorillas – roughly half of the world’s population) including several habituated groups, which you will trek. With a strenuous day ahead, you will do less on arrival but just check in your accommodation, relax as you prepare for the Bwindi gorilla trekking experience the following day.

Have breakfast and move to the rangers’ post. You will receive some briefing (from a ranger guide) on the dos and don’ts during trekking. Thereafter, you will enter the gorilla sanctuary for your adventure. The beauty of this rain forest is spectacular! The area offers dramatic steeply forested landscape and is incredibly dense but crisscrossed by numerous animal trails allowing access to tourists. The time taken and the terrain vary with the movements of these great primates. Once you have located a gorilla group, you will be allowed an hour in their presence. The thrill of spending time observing these gentle but endangered giants is unforgettable.

Thereafter, you will return for lunch then drive off to Lake Bunyonyi. The lake is framed by lush, green-terraced hills that reach a height of (2,200 – 2,478m) but it’s the 29 islands of various shapes and sizes scattered across the water that make it most magical — you could admire them all day….

Have breakfast and set off to Lake Mburo NP via Mbarara town. You will arrive in the early afternoon and take some rest before proceeding out for the late afternoon (evening) game viewing. On the game drive, expect to see the gigantic eland antelopes, zebras, topi, impalas, Uganda kob and Cape buffalos among others.

Later, relax at the accommodation where you will spend the night. Optional: In case you are interested, you may go out for the breathtaking Mburo night game drive (at an extra cost on the ground). During the night game drive, expect to sight nocturnal creatures including snakes, hyena, owls and the elusive leopard (on a lucky day) among others.

Enjoy your early breakfast and proceed for the Mburo morning park (bush) walk in the presence of an armed Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger/guide. On this early morning guided walk; you will have the opportunity to encounter (at close range): Zebras, Giraffes and Eland, Topi and other antelope, Cape buffaloes among others.

Take the Trail to the top of the hills and see Lake Mburo and beyond. From this vantage point, you will have a great view of 9 of the twelve lakes surrounding Lake Mburo NP. Thereafter, return to the accommodation for checkout and then hit the road to Entebbe airport for your flight out (recommended for 18:00 onward). We hope to see you (or any referral) when next, you visit and thanks for choosing Home to Africa!