9 Days Uganda safari
9 Days Uganda safari – gorilla habituation, chimpanzee habituation and wildlife : The 9 days Uganda safari is an amazing adventure that will take you to the most interesting national parks in Uganda including Murchison falls national park, Queen Elizabeth National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. During the 9 days Uganda safari, you will be able to spend time with the endangered gorillas and chimpanzees in their natural environments, view different animals including elephants, rhinos, waterbucks, lions, leopards, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, giraffes, Jacksons hartebeest, Nile crocodiles, hippos, warthogs, oribi, bushbucks among others during the game drives and boat cruise.
Highlights of the 9 days Uganda safari
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Murchison falls national park via Ziwa Rhino sanctuary
Day 2: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale forest national park
Day 4: Chimpanzee habituation experience
Day 5: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park-afternoon boat cruise
Day 6: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Day 7: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 8: Gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 9: Departure to Kampala
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Murchison falls national park via Ziwa rhino sanctuary
Depending on your location on day 1 of the 10 days Uganda safari, you will be welcomed by our driver guide who will brief you about the safari and then start the journey to Murchison falls national park which is located in north western part of Uganda. On the way you will have a stopover at Ziwa rhino sanctuary for rhino tracking where after you will continue the journey with another stopover in Masindi for lunch. After lunch you will proceed the journey to Murchison falls national park and upon arrival you will go for an optional evening game drive where you will be able to view animals like buffaloes, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, elephants, giraffes among others heading back to their resting areas. After the game drive you will drive to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Morning game drive,
After an early breakfast on the second day of the 9 days Uganda safari, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to go for a morning game drive where you will be able to view the early risers. During the game drive you will be able to spot large herds of elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, warthogs, giraffes, lions, leopards, view several bird species among others. After the game drive you will return to the lodge for lunch.
Afternoon boat cruise, after lunch you will go for an exciting boat cruise to the bottom of the falls where you will get a chance to view large herds of hippos and crocodiles in water, buffaloes, elephants, antelopes along the shores, view aquatic birds like kingfishers, cormorants, bee-eaters, hornbills among others. After the boat ride you will drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale forest national park
After breakfast on the third of the 9 days Uganda safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to start the journey to Kibale forest national park. On the way you will have en-route lunch and enjoy spectacular views of the local people, farmlands, traditional homesteads, Rwenzori Mountains, tea plantations with stopovers to take photos and stretch your legs. Upon arrival in Kibale forest national park, you will connect to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Chimpanzee habituation experience
After an early breakfast on the fourth of the 9 days Uganda safari, you will carry your packed lunch and your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to transfer to Kanyachu visitors centre for a chimpanzee habituation briefing. After the briefing, you will start trekking in the forest in search of the chimpanzees which takes a whole day and during trekking, you will be able to view other primate species, birds, plant species among others. Once the chimpanzees are found, you will be allowed to spend four hours with them in their habitat which gives you a chance to learn and monitor their habits and behaviours, watch them feed, breastfeed, play, rest, take photos and record videos. After an encounter with the chimpanzees, you will return to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park-afternoon game drive
After a relaxed breakfast on the fifth day of the safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to start the journey to Queen Elizabeth national park. Upon arrival, you will have lunch where after you will relax at the lodge and later go for an afternoon game drive where you will be able to view animals like buffaloes, elephants, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, warthogs, lions, leopards among others. After the game drive, you will connect to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Morning game drive/ lion tracking experience and afternoon boat cruise
Morning game drive,
After an early breakfast on the sixth of the 9 days Uganda safari, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to go for a morning game drive/ lion tracking experience in Kasenyi plains. During the game drive you will have great views of the sunrise, big four mammals which are lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, other animals like waterbucks, bushbucks, Uganda kobs, views of different bird species among others. After the game drive you will return to the lodge for lunch.
Afternoon boat cruise, after lunch you will go for an amazing boat cruise along Kazinga channel a 40km long channel that connects Lake George and Lake Edward. During the boat cruise, you will be able to view large concentrations of hippos and Nile crocodiles in water, view buffaloes, elephants, warthogs drinking water along the banks, view water birds among others. You will also be able to see the fishermen along the shores preparing their fishing gears for night fishing, take beautiful pictures among others. After the boat cruise you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
After breakfast on the seventh day of the 9 days Uganda safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park. On the way, you will have en-route lunch and then proceed the journey to Bwindi impenetrable national park, upon arrival you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 8: Gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Gorilla trekking,
After an early breakfast on the eighth day of the 9 days Uganda safari, you will carry packed lunch and your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the rules, regulations and expectations of gorilla trekking. After the briefing, you will start trekking in the jungle which takes a whole day and during trekking, you will have views of mammals, other primates, different bird species among others. Once the gorillas are found you will be allowed to spend four hours with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to watch them carry out their daily activities like feeding, breastfeeding, playing, grooming young ones, observe their behaviours, take photos and record the breath-taking moments.
After the encounter with the gentle giants you will trek back to the park headquarters where you will be awarded a certificate for participating in gorilla habituation, meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 9: Departure to Kampala
After breakfast on the last day of the 9 days Uganda safari tour, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your guide to start the journey back to Kampala with en-route lunch on the way and a stopover at the Equator where you will buy souvenirs, craft items among others. From the Equator, you will continue the journey to Kampala arriving early evening and upon arrival your driver guide will drop you off at Entebbe international airport for your departure flight or drop off at any place of advise.
End of 9 days Uganda safari
Tour includes
- Gorilla habituation permit
- Chimpanzee habituation permit
- Rhino tracking fees
- Park entrance fees/ game drives
- Boat cruise fees
- Professional English speaking driver guide
- Full board accommodation
- Ground transfers (in a 4WD vehicle)
- Vehicle and fuel
- Bottled drinking water
Tour excludes
- International air flight tickets
- Visas
- Optional activities not included on the itinerary
- Life insurance
- Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter, tips among others.
