Murchison Falls, Kibale Forest, Queen Elizabeth, Ishasha, Gorillas and Lake Mburo – 13 days
Day 1. Transfer to Zziwa Ranch which is a two-hour drive from Kampala, along the road on the way to Murchison Falls National Park. Rhinos roam freely in an area of 7,000 ha of dry combretum savannah, laced with swamps and the cactus-like euphorbia candelabrum trees. While you track the rhinos, visit the information centre and craft shop, enjoy the prize-winning cattle, look out for bush buck, leopard, Uganda kob, oribi, crocodiles, hippo and other wildlife present on the ranch. The bird life is abundant, with even the rare shoebill stork present in the Lugogo Swamps. Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary offers peace and tranquility in beautiful surroundings. In the afternoon, continue to the spectacular site at the top of the Falls where you can see the Nile's beauty perfected! Marvel at the Nile, compressing from 50 meters to squeeze through a 6 metre canyon dropping 40 metres with a thunderous roar creating a beautiful rainbow, a plume of spray and the best thing that happened to the Nile "the Murchison Falls". Superlatives like “awesome” 'stupendous' 'fantastic' and 'wow' have been used to describe this amazing spectacle. {lunch & dinner}
Day 2. Proceed for an early morning game drive. Elephant, Cape buffalo, Rothschild's giraffe, Uganda kob, hartebeest and waterbuck are commonly seen. You may also spot oribi, bushbuck, Bohor reedbuck, bush duiker, warthog and bushpig. Large carnivores include lion, leopard and spotted hyena. After lunch, go for a boat safari upstream the calm Victoria Nile. En-route, marvel at the toothsome hippos, crocodiles and over this 17 km stretch you may see elephant, waterbuck and Uganda Kob. This is also a zone of many bird species like Goliath heron, Egyptian goose, pelican bee-eater, kingfisher, hornbill, cormorant and the rare shoebill stork. The boat will stop just tens of metres from the sinister, frothing and bubbling base of the falls. {breakfast, lunch & dinner}
Day 3. All day drive to Fort Portal through scenic, verdant African forest and sleepy hamlets. The verdant countryside is alive with herds of cattle, farms and homesteads; the scenery is pockmarked with crater lakes. { breakfast, lunch & dinner}
Day 4. The density and diversity of primates in Kibale National Park is the highest in the whole of Africa. The most well known of its 13 species are the chimpanzees, our closest relative. Kibale’s 1450 chimpanzee indicate Uganda’s biggest population of this threatened primate. Additionally Kibale is home to the uncommon l’ hoestes, red colobus, blues, red tailed monkeys and grey cheeked mangabeys. 325 bird species have so far been identified. The guide will provide detailed explanations, not only about primates, but also on all the forest flora and fauna and will ensure that our walk is both informative and enjoyable. This walk is excellent for bird watching and for seeing primates at close quarters. We will have an afternoon forest walk in Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary. Located in Magombe Swamp, it is known for a wide range of biodiversity including species of primates such as red colobus, black - and- white colobus, grey cheeked mangabeys, red-tailed, l'hoest, vervet, blue monkey and baboon. Mammals like sitatunga, bush pigs, bush bucks, otters, mongoose and chimpanzees are seen. 138 bird species have so far been identified. {breakfast, lunch & dinner}
Day 5. Proceed to Queen Elizabeth NP. In the afternoon, the unique 02 hour launch trip along the Kazinga Channel between Lakes George and Edward passes through possibly the highest hippo concentration in Africa and many mammals may be seen drinking at the water's edge. The cruise offers an excellent platform for photography and game viewing. It’s like a “Who’s who” of African bird life. {breakfast, lunch & dinner}
Day 6. After an early breakfast proceed for a game drive. Queen Elizabeth National Park's diverse Eco-system of grassy plains, tropical forest, rivers, swamps, lakes and volcanic craters is home to an incredible abundance of wildlife.) On game drives in this park, with the massive Ruwenzori as a backdrop, Elephant, Cape buffalo, Uganda kob, hartebeest and waterbuck are commonly seen. You may also spot oribi, bushbuck, Bohor reedbuck, bush duiker, warthog and bushpig. Large carnivores include lion, leopard and spotted hyena. Evening forays with the sun setting over the blue mountains of Congo as a backdrop provides excellent opportunities, animals that can be seen are the best of what Uganda can offer and as many as 650 bird species may be found in the park....one the single largest concentration in the world. {breakfast, lunch & dinner}
Day 7/8. Proceed to Ishasha. It is the unspoilt remote southern sector of Queen Elizabeth NP, providing a true wilderness experience. Diverse habitats including the Ishasha River, savannah woodland and the marshy Lake Edward Flats support a variety of wildlife including the famous tree-climbing lions and the rare shoebill stork. Other residents of the park include elephant, Cape buffalo, Uganda kob, waterbuck, bushbuck, warthog, giant forest hog, leopard and hyena. Topi are found here. The first night at Ishasha is always the most impressive one for visitors. At night we usually have a concert of black-and-white colobus monkeys, baboons, hyena, hippos and the roaring lions! {breakfast, lunch & dinner}
Day 9. Proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. {breakfast, lunch & dinner}
Day 10. After an early breakfast and a briefing by a ranger guide enter the gorilla sanctuary for your world premier wildlife encounter and adventure. The beauty of this rain forest is spectacular. The area offers dramatic steeply forested landscape and is incredibly dense, but criss-crossed by numerous animal trails allowing access to tourists. The time taken and the terrain vary with 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. Whether you track the "M" group or the "H" group, you will not find a wildlife experience quite as exhilarating or emotional. {breakfast, lunch & dinner}
Day 11. Depart for Lake Mburo NP. {breakfast, lunch & dinner}
Day 12. Enjoy a game drive along the Lakeshore track finding herds of African buffalo, oribi and topi. Lake Mburo is the only park in Uganda to host Burchell’s Zebra and Eland. In the evening a boat ride on Lake Mburo allows the visitor to get quite close to crocodiles and hippos. Birders can enjoy the more than 250 Species of birds found in Lake Mburo, including shoebill, African fin foot, saddle-billed stock, papyrus gonolek, brown-faced lapwing, Caruthers’s cisticola, the extraordinary white-winged warbler, and bare-faced go- away bird. {breakfast, lunch & dinner }
Day 13. Proceed for a safari walk under the escort of an armed ranger (this is the only park where you are not entirely imprisoned in a vehicle). The Kopjes are particularly interesting and camouflage topis and klipspringers. Return to Kampala. {breakfast & lunch}
Prices
Current prices are immediately available upon request.
Included: Services of an English-speaking Driver-guide, vehicle, fuel, all park fees, all meals, activities, accommodations mentioned in the itinerary and one gorilla permit EACH.
Excluded: All beverages {alcoholic and non-alcoholic}, any accommodation or activity NOT mentioned in the itinerary, tips, souvenirs and items of a persnal nature.
