Day 1
Airport Pick-up and Hotel Check-in
Upon arrival, a Hospitable Africa Tours and travel driver guide shall receive and transfer you to your hotel where you shall have your dinner and stay for the overnight.
Day 2
Transfer to Kibale National Park
Having woken up and taking your breakfast in the morning, we shall hit the road and drive to Kibale National park.
Kibale National Park, also known as the Primate capital of the world is located in western Uganda that protects moist evergreen rainforest. The park is 766 square kilometres (296 sq mi) in size. Kibale’s varied altitude supports different types of habitat, ranging from wet tropical forest (moist evergreen forest) on the Fort Portal plateau, through dry tropical forest (moist semi deciduous), to woodland and savanna on the rift valley floor.
At least 60 mammal species are present in Kibale Forest. The park hosts a variety of very stunning wildlife species including the 13 marvelous primates’ species, about 375 bird species including The Black bishop, white winged warbler and papyrus gonolek. Over 70 mammals like terrestrial mammals which include; African forest buffaloes, bush pigs, forest elephants among others. Kibale forest National Park is also home to over 1450 chimpanzees.
Upon arrival, you shall check in your lodge, have lunch and then have a free afternoon.
OR
You can choose to go visit some sites around Fort Portal city like, Amabere ga nyinamwiru, also known as the Nyakasura caves are located approximately 8 Kilometers west of Fort Portal town off Bundibugyo road in a lovely hilly area dotted with crater lakes.
It is a limestone site which has stalagmites and stalactites. Legend has it that the cave Amabere ga Nyinamwiru (Breasts of Nyinamwiru) are named after Nyinamwiru. She was the daughter of Bukuku, King of the Batembuzi Dynasty predecessor of the current Babito Kings of Toro and Bunyoro Kingdoms. She was a beautiful girl who refused to marry the man her father chose for her. As a result she was punished by cutting off her breasts which then grew into rock dripping with milk.
He eventually hid her away in the caves. Whilst there, Nyinamwiru was impregnated by the Batembuzi king Isaza to give birth to Ndahura, the future founder of the Bachwezi dynasty, and lacking breasts herself, she fed the infant with the cloudy limestone “milk” that drips from the breast –like stalactites.
Legend has it that after Ndahura surrendered the Bachwezi throne to his son, he retired to his birthplace and foot prints can still reputedly be seen in the caves’ vicinity.
The other site that may be of interest to you is the Karuzika palace which is located within the town centre along Fort Portal – Kasese road overlooking the beautiful historical Fort Portal town. Tooro kings chose this site so as to easily watch and monitor the kingdom hence the name “kabalore” literally meaning let
them see.
Day 3
CHIMPANZEE TRACKING IN THE MORNING AND AFTERNOON NATURE WALK IN BIGODI WETLAND
After an early breakfast, you shall be transferred to the park headquarters for a briefing and thereafter embark on chimp tracking tour that will enable you to encounter various primates in the forests. Kibale forests have the highest chances of meeting chimpanzees than any other place in East Africa. After the tracking, you shall be returned to the lodge for lunch and then proceed to Bigodi swamps for excellent nature walk in the afternoon.
Bigodi wetland is located approximately 6 Kilometers from Kibale national park. The wetland is purely for ecotourism purposes. It is famous for primates that are easily seen due to the openness of the tree cover and the well habituated state of the animals. This Sanctuary is an interesting area, situated in Magombe swamp.
The area is known for a wide range of biodiversity including many species of primates such as red colobus monkey, black and white colobus monkey, grey cheeked, mangabey, red tailed monkey, L’Hoest monkey, vervet monkey, blue monkey and baboon. Mammals like Sitatunga, bush pigs, bush bucks, otters, mongooses and chimpanzees also visit the swamp from Kibale National Park. It is also a home to 138 bird species.
The Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary is a good example of a community based approach to natural resources management that can be of economic benefit to the local residents of the area as well as the tourism industry.
Accomodation: Kibale forest camp FB
Day 4:
TRANSFER TO QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK AND A GAME DRIVE
After having your breakfast, you shall be transferred to Queen Elizabeth national park via Fort Portal-Kasese Highway. Upon arrival, you shall have lunch at the lodge and then proceed for a game drive in Kasenyi plains and after be transferred to your lodge.
Queen Elizabeth National park is Uganda’s most popular national park and second largest after Murchison Falls. The park is famous for its Tree climbing lions in the Ishasha sector sector. The park was founded in 1952 as Kazinga National Park and renamed two years later to commemorate a visit by Queen Elizabeth II of England. Queen Elizabeth National Park is home to over 95 mammal species and over 600
bird species. Mammals, it boasts of 20 carnivores like the Lion, Leopards, side stripped jackal and spotted hyena among others. The park is also home to the big four. The Katwe explosion craters mark the park’s highest point at 1,350m above sea level, while the lowest point is at 910m, at Lake Edward.
Accommodation: The bush lodge FB
Driving distance: Approx.130km (2-3hrs drive)
Day 5
BOAT RIDE ON KAZINGA CHANNEL AND TRANSFER TO BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST NATIONAL PARK VIA ISHASHA
After you have taken your breakfast in the morning, you shall be taken for a boat trip on the Kazinga channel and then embark on a drive that will see us in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park via the Ishasha gate. On route, we shall be on a lookout for the tree climbing lions in the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National park.
Having arrived in Bwindi, you shall be driven to your lodge where you shall have supper and the overnight stay.
Accomodation: Gorilla Lodge FB
Driving distance: Approx. 181km (3-4hrs drive)
DAY 6:
GORILLA TRACKING IN RUSHAGA
Have breakfast and move to the rangers’ post. You will receive some briefing (from a ranger guide) on the dos and don’ts during the tracking experience. Thereafter, you will enter the Bwindi Forest for your adventure. 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. After the tracking, you shall be returned to your accommodation and relax as you wait for your dinner and the overnight stay.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in Kanungu district, southwestern Uganda on the edges of the Rift Valley. It is part of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, which is one of Uganda’s oldest forests. The park is situated along the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) border next to the Virunga National Park
and on the edge of the Albertine Rift. The park is just over 330km² (32,000 hectares) and contains almost 400 varied plant species. It is home to over half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas. This biologically diverse region also provides shelter to a further 120 mammals, including several primate species such as baboons and chimpanzees, as well as elephants and antelopes. There are around
350 species of birds hosted in this forest, including 23 Albertine Rift endemics. Bwindi is a home to some 200 butterfly species including the eight albertine rift endemics and is also home several species of reptiles.
(OPTIONAL) You can choose visit Lake Bunyonyi. Lake Bunyonyi 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.
Day 7
TRANSFER TO LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK
After you have taken breakfast in the morning, we shall hit the road and transfer to Lake Mburo National park and check in your lodge. Lake Mburo National park is located in Kiruhura district and covers an area of 370 square kilometers. The park is famous for its large population of herbivorous wild animals like Zebras, antelopes, buffaloes, Elands and Warthogs.
The park is notably blessed with over 315 bird species and probably the best place to view acacia-associated birds, Rwonyo is a good zone to see the mosque swallow, black bellied bustard, bare-faced-go away bird and Ruppell’s starling. A handful of birds is recorded essentially the southern ground hornbill and black throated barbet.
Accomodation: Eagles nest safari camp FB (SafariTent)
DAY 8:
GAME DRIVE AND BOAT CRUISE ON LAKE MBURO
After you have had your breakfast in the morning, we shall go for a game drive in the park where we shall be likely to spot Antelopes, the Rothschild giraffes, Buffaloes, Zebras and some birds like the heron, black bellied bustard, bare-faced-go away bird and Ruppell’s starling. After the game drive, we you shall be driven back to your lodge for lunch and thereafter re access the park for a boat trip on lake Mburo.
After the boat trip, you shall be driven back to your lodge and relax as you wait for your dinner and the overnight stay.
Accommodation: Eagles Nest Safari camp FB
DAY 9:
TRANSFER BACK TO ENTEBBE WITH A STOPOVER AT THE EQUATOR CROSSING POINT IN KAYABWE VILLAGE.
After having your breakfast and checking out of your accommodation facility you shall be transferred back to Entebbe and catch your flight back home. On route, we shall have a stopover at the Uganda equator for pictures and lunch. We shall then embark on our journey back to Entebbe where you shall catch your flight out back home.
