The 6 Days Uganda Primates and Wildlife Safari will take you to some of Uganda’s top attractions. Be prepared to witness chimps, gorillas, and all of the big five mammals. Uganda’s largest wildlife protection area is the Murchison Falls National Park. The Nile cuts the park in two, leaving behind the famed Murchison and Karuma waterfalls. The park is home to 76 different animal species and around 450 avian species. While visiting Murchison Falls National Park, you can observe chimps in Budongo forest, rhinos at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, hippos along the Nile, and much more.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park
A driver from Judith Safaris will pick you up from your accommodation or the airport to begin your journey to Murchison Falls National Park. The route to the national park passes through various districts and towns, including Luwero, Nakasongola, and Masindi. You’ll stop at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. This sanctuary was designed to protect Uganda’s last remaining rhinos and expand their population so that they might be reintroduced into the wild.
After touring the Rhino Sanctuary, you will travel to the adjacent town of Masindi for lunch before heading to the National Park. When you arrive at the park, you will be transported to see the breathtaking and well-known Murchison Falls. Watch the Nile River squeeze through a tiny canyon before thundering downstream. After this adventure, the driver will take you to the hotel/lodge for some rest and leisure while you wait for supper.
Accommodation: Paara Safari Lodge, Chobe Safari Lodge, Pakuba Safari Lodge.
Meals: (Lunch, Dinner).
Day 2: Morning Game Drive – Afternoon Boat Cruise.
Wake up early and have breakfast as you wait for the Guide to take you on a morning game drive to witness animals heading out for the day and others returning to their caves after a long night of hunting. Murchison Falls National Park boasts an incredible variety of fauna. Expect to witness hyenas, giraffes, elephants, lions, buffaloes, water bucks, and many other animals. Roskilde giraffes are found in greater numbers here than in any other East African national park. Birders will be delighted by the variety on offer. This is where you can see the shoebill stork, ibis, marabou stork, egrets, and kingfishers. You can enjoy a picnic by the riverbank while listening to the magnificent sounds of birds and animals such as hippos.
After the game drive, the Driver/Guide will transport you back to the lodge for lunch before heading out for an afternoon boat tour on the Nile. The boat ride begins in the lower stream and concludes at the foot of the Murchison Falls. While here, you will be astounded by the area’s pure beauty, the wildlife, and the tremendous waterfalls. Crocodiles, hippos, buffaloes, water bucks, and elephants can be seen drinking and bathing along the riverbanks.
This location boasts one of Uganda’s most diverse bird populations. Water birds are the most common here, and you should witness Kingfishers, fish eagles, goliath herons, weaver birds, cattle egrets, bee eaters, and many other species. You might even see some migratory species you’re familiar with from home. The highlight is viewing the waterfalls from the bottom. This amazing sight must be photographed so that you can share it with your relatives and friends back home.
Accommodation: Paara Safari Lodge, Chobe Safari Lodge, Pakuba Safari Lodge.
Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner).
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale National Park – Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary Nature Walk.
You will wake up at your leisure and embark on a long yet fascinating journey through Uganda’s countryside. The tour takes you through various towns and significant trading centres, allowing you to see life in Uganda’s rural areas. Prepare to pass by schools, country residences, markets, big tea and banana plantations, cattle farms, rivers, lakes, and much more. When you arrive at your accommodation, check in and freshen up in preparation for a guided walk in the Bigodi wetlands habitat. The sanctuary is one of the greatest spots to see primates in Uganda. You will see Black/White Colobus Monkeys, Baboons, Red-Tailed Monkeys, Vervet Monkeys, Mangabeys, and L’Hoest Monkeys. Apart from monkeys, you can expect to witness bush pigs, antelopes, and bush backs.
Accommodation: Primate Lodge, Papaya Lake Lodge, Kibale Forest Camp.
Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner).
Day 4: Chimpanzee Tracking in Kibale Forest – Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Wake up early to eat breakfast and wait for the Guide to transport you to the park office for a briefing. During the briefing, you’ll learn what to expect and how to prepare for the activity. Chimpanzees are tracked in groups. Only six visitors are allowed to track a chimp group. The Ranger will guide you all the way. Chimpanzee tracking differs from gorilla trekking in a variety of ways. Chimps are extremely outspoken, stubborn, and unpredictable. Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale takes approximately three hours. The season influences where the chimps can be found. During the dry season, chimps are known to wander frequently in quest of scarce fruits and water.
The rainy season is a time of abundance, so the chimps don’t need to venture out into the forest as much. They are easier to find without travelling vast distances. It is worth noting, however, that chimps occasionally go out to patrol their areas, even during the wet season of abundance. In this situation, you may need to track them over larger distances. The best part about chimpanzee trekking in Kibale forest is that there are multiple habituated chimp groups. You can always be allocated to a community that is easier to monitor. Baboons, Vervet monkeys, Blue monkeys, Red tailed monkeys, elephants, bush pigs, butterflies, and birds are common sightings while tracking the chimps.
You’re only given one hour with the chimps. This one hour can be more interesting than spending time with the gorillas, assuming you can find them in a decent clearing and on the ground. You’ll see members of the community grooming, breastfeeding, fighting, and playing. The rangers recognise each chimp by name, history, and place within the group. They will urge you to stay away from specific people. Flash photography is not permitted. After spending an hour with the chimps, the Ranger will take you back to the park offices. You should find our Guide waiting to drive you back to the hotel for lunch before continuing on to Bwindi.
Accommodation: Buhoma Lodge, Mahogany Springs, Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge.
Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner).
Day 5: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi – Visit the Batwa Pygmies
Begin the day with a hearty breakfast as you wait for the Guide/Driver to transport you to the park headquarters for a briefing. The park wardens brief guests to ensure they are prepared for all aspects of gorilla trekking. The wardens and rangers will ensure that you have everything you need for a comfortable walk, including drinking water, hiking boots, rain jackets and hiking sticks.
Gorillas are assigned depending on a variety of characteristics, including age, fitness level, and individual traveler preferences. It is vital to understand that the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is huge. Don’t expect to see just gorillas. We’re talking about a park with over 345 species of birds, chimps, baboons, forest antelope, bush pigs, and elephants, to name a few. Tracking mountain gorillas in Bwindi might take anywhere from 30 minutes to 8 hours, depending on where the gorillas are. Once you find the group, you have only one hour with the primates.
After spending time with these majestic relatives of ours, you should return to the hotel for some leisure and rest before heading to the Batwa in the afternoon. The Batwa were the indigenous occupants of the Bwindi and Mgahinga forests. They spent thousands of years hunting and gathering in the jungle.
Accommodation: Buhoma Lodge, Mahogany Springs, Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge.
Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner).
Day 6: Return to Kampala – Departure.
After five days of intense activity, you should be exhausted and anxious to return home with interesting stories about Africa and Uganda. Wake up at your leisure and eat breakfast as you ready to travel. The journey and route back to Kampala will be different from the one used previously. There will be a lunch stop at Mbarara’s Igongo Cultural Centre. Another stop will be at the equator crossing for photos and refreshments before continuing on to Kampala or Entebbe.
Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch).
End of the 6 Days Uganda Primates and Wildlife Safari.
The 6 Days Uganda Primates and Wildlife Safari cost includes;
- 1 Gorilla Permit per person.
- 1 Chimpanzee Permit per person.
- Airport Transfers.
- Accommodation and meals as per the itinerary.
- Services of an English-speaking tour guide.
- Transportation in a 4×4 safari vehicle.
- Park Entrance Fees.
- Wildlife Game Drives.
- Tour Guide Allowances.
- Bottled Water in the Car.
- Relevant Government Taxes.
However, the tour cost excludes; Visa Fees, International Air Fare, personal shopping bills, tips to local guides, and items of personal nature such as laundry, cigarettes, alcohol, souvenirs and items not listed as included in the cost.