PRIMATE WATCH SAFARIS

Day 1: Arrival and transfer to the hotel

Arrive in Entebbe, and transfer to your accommodation to rest and freshen up. If time permits visit the famous Entebbe Botanical Gardens or the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre.

Accommodation: 2 Friends Beach Hotel / Papyrus Guest House

Day 2: Entebbe – Mabamba Swamp – Entebbe

We will have an early breakfast and then proceed to Mabamba Swamp, which is a large and easily accessible wetland situated on the shores of Lake Victoria. This area is known as one of the best places to observe the Shoebill Stork. In the afternoon, we will visit the Botanical Gardens located in Entebbe to witness many beautiful bird species.

Accommodation: 2 Friends Beach Hotel / Papyrus Guest House

Included: Birding in Mabamba Swamp, birding in Botanical Gardens

Day 3: Entebbe – Mabira Forest – Jinja – Kampala

Transfer to Mabira Forest, 65km east of Kampala. We spend the rest of the day birding in the Mabira forest, pausing for lunch at Jinja and visiting the source of the Nile. Transfer to Kampala afterwards.

Accommodation: 2 Friends Beach Hotel / Papyrus Guest House

Included: birding in Mabira Forest, visit the source of the Nile

Day 4: Kampala – Murchison Falls National Park

Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park. Birding in Kaniyo Pabidi (Budongo Forest) in the afternoon. Afterwards, we proceed to Murchison falls and spend the night on the shores of the Nile.

Murchison Falls is one of the most beautiful national parks of Uganda. One of the main attractions is the Nile, with the spectacular Murchison Falls, where the whole Nile is forced through a narrow gorge and falls 60 meters. Expect to see elephants, giraffes, lions, hippos, crocodiles, buffaloes and maybe leopards.

Accommodation: Sambiya River Lodge

Included: birding in Budongo Forest

Day 5: Murchison Falls National Park

Early game drive in the morning to see the large animals of Africa and also for birding. In the afternoon we make a boat trip on the Victoria Nile up to the bottom of the falls. The boat is an ideal platform to make photos of the birds.

Accommodation: Sambiya  River Lodge

Included: game drive, boat trip

Day 6: Murchison Falls National Park

Early morning adventure on the Nile on a private boat trip to the delta. Game drive in the afternoon or visit the top of the Falls.

Accommodation: Sambiya River Lodge

Included: boat trip, game drive or visit top of the falls

Day 7: Murchison Falls National Park- Hoima

Early transfer to Budongo forest. Birding through the  jungle. In the afternoon we drive to Hoima Town were we spend the night. Budongo Forest is also home of many butterflies and chimpanzees.

Accommodation: Hoima Cultural Lodge

Included: birding in Budongo

Day 8: Hoima – Kibale National Park

After breakfast, we drive to Kibale National Park. You can take a walk through the forest around the lodge in the afternoon. It is also possible to take a night walk through the forest to see the animals of the night, like bush babies (both activities optional).

Kibale National Park is a spectacular jungle, with 13 primate species! Including chimps, baboons, black and white colobus, red colobus, grey-cheeked mangabey and L’Hoest monkeys.

Accommodation: Turaco Treetops

Day 9: Kibale National Park

Chimpanzee tracking in the morning or in the afternoon. Birding in the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary. It is also possible to visit the local people or the crater lakes (optional).

Accommodation: Turaco Treetops

Included: chimp tracking, Bigodi Swamp Walk

Day 10: Kibale National Park

Birding in Kibale National Park and the area around it.

Accommodation: Turaco Treetops

Included: birding in Kibale National Park

Day 11: Kibale National Park – Semuliki National Park

Transfer to Semuliki National Park. Visit the Sempaya Hot Springs and make a walk through the jungle for birding.

Semuliki is a unique place and the only lowland jungle in East Africa, part of the Congo ecosystem.

Accommodation: UWA Bandas

Included: birding walk

Day 12: Semuliki National Park – Semliki Wildlife Reserve – Fort Portal

Transfer to Semuliki Wildlife Reserve for a Boat trip on Lake Albert. Transfer to Fort Portal afterwards.

Semuliki is an interesting area, partly forested and partly savannah. The shores of Lake Albert are well known to see the Shoebill Stork.

Accommodation: Rwenzori View Guesthouse

Included: boat trip

Day 13: Fort Portal – Queen Elizabeth National Park

Transfer to the Queen Elizabeth National Park. On our way we pass the equator where we will make a stop. Game drive for birding or optional guided walk on the Mweya Peninsula in the afternoon.

Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the best places in Uganda to see lions. Expect to see elephants, lions, many hippos, crocodiles, buffaloes and maybe leopards.

Accommodation: Buffalo Safari Lodge / Irungu Forest Lodge

Included: game drive

Day 14: Queen Elizabeth National Park

Game drive in the morning, boat trip on the Kazinga Channel in the afternoon. The boat is an ideal platform to make photos of the birds.

The Kazinga Channel is one of the highlights of Uganda and has the highest concentration of hippos in the world.

Accommodation: Buffalo Safari Lodge / Irungu Forest Lodge

Included: game drive, boat trip

Day 15: Queen Elizabeth National Park – Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Birding through the park, leading to Maramagambo Forest. Transfer to Buhoma, Bwindi, in the afternoon.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a unique jungle, with many monkey species. Bwindi is one of the 2 places in the world where you can find Mountain Gorillas!

Accommodation: Gorilla Bluff Lodge

Included: birding in Maramagambo Forest

Day 16: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Birding in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Accommodation: Gorilla Bluff Lodge

Included: birding in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Day 17: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Birding through the Neck area of Bwindi. It is also possible to do a gorilla tracking (optional).

Accommodation: Gorilla Bluff Lodge

Included: birding in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Day 18: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Transfer to Ruhija. Birding in this unique area, with a lot of Albertine endemics.

Accommodation: Gorilla Mist Camp

Included: birding in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Day 19: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – Lake Bunyonyi

Birding in Mubwindi Swamp and after transfer to Lake Bunyonyi, the deepest and most beautiful lake of Uganda. We sleep on one of the beautiful islands. Possible activities: make a nature walk, go for a birding walk, go for canoeing, take a swim or visit the local community (all activities optional).

Accommodation: Lake Bunyonyi Eco Resort

Included: birding in Mubwindi Swamp

Day 20: Lake Bunyonyi

Birding on the island and along the lake shores. Optional boat trip on the lake.

Accommodation: Lake Bunyonyi Eco Resort

Included: birding on the island

Day 21: Lake Bunyonyi – Lake Mburo National Park

After breakfast we drive to Lake Mburo. Boat trip for birding on the lake in the afternoon. It is possible to do a night game drive with high chances of seeing leopards and nocturnal birds (optional activity).

Lake Mburo is one of the 2 national parks with zebras and the only national park with impalas in Uganda. There are no elephants and lions, so walking safaris are possible.

Accommodation: Rwakobo Rock

Included: boat trip

Day 22: Lake Mburo National Park – Entebbe

Early morning game drive or game walk in Lake Mburo National Park. Transfer to the airport for your departure.

Included: game drive or game walk, airport transfer