11 Days Uganda Primate Safari

Arrival in Entebbe as per your international flights and transfer to Papyrus Guest House.

In the afternoon (departure from the hotel must be max at 14.30/15.00 hours) departure by car and local canoe to Mabamba Swamp, one of the best places for spotting the rare shoebill storks. Of course some fortune is needed but rarely does one leave the swamp without seeing one! Many other water birds have chosen this area as their home so birding is always very interesting.

Enjoy a relaxing sundowner on Lake Victoria and then return to the Guest House.

Accommodation: Papyrus Guest House (standard room)

Meal Plan: Bed & Breakfast basis; Lunch & Dinner on own’s account

After an early breakfast, transfer to Entebbe International Airport for the AeroLink flight to Kisoro across central Uganda and offering a view of the country beautiful landscape of mountains, hills, cultivated terraces, tropical rainforest, bamboo forests and the majestic chain of the Virunga Volcanoes.

Upon arrival meeting with the vehicle and our walking safari guide for a briefing on the very interesting activities of the day which will be adapted to the clients’ desires. You can either walk for approx. 90 minutes - 4km to Lake Mutanda Sheba’s Camp - or drive 30 minutes to the lake. You then “settle” in a dugout canoe for 2-3 hours of gentle relaxed cruising across the lake, enjoying the beautiful landscape. After lunch at a restaurant on the lake shores, continuation on foot till Rubuguri (9km – 2/3 hours) where you meet up the vehicle and drive for another 10 km up to the Lodge in Nkuringo (approx 1 hour). Of course you can also be picked up by the vehicle at the lake and drive all the way up to the Lodge. Guests decide!

Accommodation : Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge
Meal Plan : Full Board

AeroLink flight schedule Entebbe - Kisoro (in May and to be reconfirmed at the time of reservation): January to June & September to December – Dept at 0745 and arrival at 0855

June to September – Dept at 0700 and arrival at 0810

After breakfast, at around 7:45 am, with packed lunch and drinking water you will be transfer to the National Park Head Quarters for the briefing on the dos and the don’ts while with the gorillas. You then continue to the forest for the start of the actual gorilla tracking.

The beauty of this rain forest is spectacular. The area offers a 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 as per the movements of these great primates. The thrill of spending time observing these gentle and endangered giants is an awesome, exciting experience to be long savored. Many find it to be a rare and moving opportunity. The tracking can take place at Nkuringo or at Rushaga (1 hr drive from Nkuringo), as per the gorilla permits obtained.

Upon return, relax at the lodge and, for those who like, at 5.00 pm either stroll through the community center or drive up to the “Top of the World” - the name given to the football field, high up in Nkuringo which offers amazing views over the peaks and forests around Nkuringo. A great way to stretch your legs after the gorilla tracking and to enjoy a sundowner.

Accommodation: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge

Meal Plan: Full Board

This morning after a hearty breakfast, enjoy birding in Nombe Pocket Forest – it was part of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and it is still quite impenetrable, however it was cut off from it as people needed more land to live on and cultivate. It can be reached on foot (approx. 1 hour to go and 2 hours to come back) or by vehicle and the visit lasts approx. 2 hours, depending on the interest of guests.

Lunch at the lodge and at 2.00 pm departure to Buniga Forest Trail Walk, an informative project run by USAID and the local Batwa community. The Batwa tribe was forced to leave their home in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in 1991 when it was declared a UNESCO Heritage site for gorillas only. They had been living in the forest as nomadic hunter-gatherers for millennia, in perfect balance with the flora and fauna around. Moving out and suddenly living in communities with a completely different way of life has proven to be a huge challenge. They now survive as best as they can and earn a living explaining their previous life in the forest and their rich heritage.

Continuation of the walk through the community to visit the traditional herbalist and the black smith.

Accommodation: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge
Meal Plan: Full Board

After a very early breakfast, drive 7 km along the Nteko Ridge to the junction of the Ivy River Trail with the forest and start your unforgettable hike (13km - 4-5 hours).

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is a vast unique natural reserve - monkeys, duikers, bush pigs and some of Bwindi's world renowned bird species plus many butterflies can be sighted. If you are very lucky you may even encounter gorillas! Once part of a much larger forest that included the Virunga Volcanoes in neighboring Rwanda, the park is nowadays an ecological island within a sea of villages and farmland, its conservation importance is immense. The emphasis of this activity is for your walking guide to share his knowledge of the forest with you, it is not simply an A to B hike. The trail is also an important footpath for local people, particularly on market days, travelling from Nkuringo and Nteko to Buhoma, on the northern boundary of the park. There is no road through Bwindi so vehicles driving between the two locations have an incredible 170 km bone jarring journey taking 6 to 8 hours.

Upon arrival at the park headquarters in Buhoma, meet with the vehicle and continue to Queen Elizabeth National Park, conduct a game drive in search of the tree climbing Lions as you head to the Lodge.

Accommodation: Ishasha Wilderness Camp

Meal plan: Full board

After an early morning game viewing, you  will proceed directly to the head of the Mweya Peninsular to conduct a launch trip on the Kazinga Channel which is a  home to one of the largest concentrations of hippopotamus, as well as herds of elephants, buffalo, and other wildlife that come to drink from the river. The Kazinga also attracts a tremendous variety of bird species including the African Eagle, Open-Billed Stork, and Pied Kingfishers. After the boat cruise you will head back to your accommodation for the night.

Accommodation: Kyambura Gorge Lodge

Meal plan: Full board

Have an early breakfast, enjoy another game drive. View more game as you catch them from their hunt expeditions before driving to Kibale. Enjoy the land scape as you set off to Kibale Forest National Park found in Fort Portal, a town at the south-western side of Uganda. The park bares homage to a very large number of primates. This day will be a long driving day of 3- 4 hours. 

Afternoon – BIGODI WETLAND VIST

After breakfast – proceed to visit the Bigodi Swamp, to Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary for a nature walk, Rich in biodiversity and beautiful scenery, the wetland is a birder’s paradise with about 138 species. Located outside the park in Magombe Swamp, it also hosts eight species of primates including the black-and-white colobus, grey-cheeked mangabey, red-tailed, l’Hoest’s and blue monkeys, and olive baboons. Bushbucks and mongooses can also be found here. The sanctuary was set up to preserve the exclusive environmental features along with the wetland and is managed by the local community. And you will also be introduced to some of the local community projects.

Accommodation: Primate Safari Lodge 

Meal Plan: Full Board Arrangement

Proceed early morning at 6:30am for full day chimpanzee habituation experience; you will spend the entire day with Chimpanzees following them from nest to nest. While tracking, you will be able to spot different animal species like the Red Colobus, Black and white Colobus, Grey-cheeked Mangabey, Olive Baboon, Red-tailed Monkey, and L’Hoest’s Monkey among others

Accommodation:Primate Lodge 

Meal Plan: Full Board Arrangement

With an early breakfast drive to Kasese Airstrip for your flight to Entebbe Kidepo valley national park.

The morning flight from Kasese to Entebbe will take 1;15hrs, then you will connect to the flight to Kidepo approximate arrival time 1.30hrs. You are picked from the airstrip and dropped to Apoka lodge, check in, relax and have lunch. After lunch, take an evening game drive through Kidepo Valley National park.

Accommodation: Apoka Safari Lodge 

Meal Plan: Bed and Breakfast

Early morning breakfast, we set off for a 2-3 hours morning game drive to Kidepo Valley National Park in search for lions, cheetahs and leopards.  Return to the lodge for late breakfast, Enjoy mid-morning at the open swimming pool with sighting of wildlife from the lodge. The lodge offers nice viewing platform for wildlife and often at night you will hear the lions roar and the hyena cries. We relax at the Lodge, lunch and we arrange for an evening fully parked Game drive.

Accommodation: Apoka Safari Lodge 

Meal plan: Full Board Arrangement

Morning Game drive and return to the lodge for breakfast and lunch. You will be transferred to the Airstrip to proceed to Entebbe. Our driver will transfer you to Papyrus Guesthouse for day room

Accommodation: Papyrus Guesthouse 

Meal plan: Full board