Uganda Safari Adventure

Enjoy discovering the Pearl of Africa in just a matter of days surrounded by comfort; from the far North of Kidepo to the far South of Bwindi Impenetrable forest. It’s a remix of Primates, wildlife, birds, culture and a breathtaking scenery. The climax of this of this Safari is an encounter with a Silverback!

Safari Outline:

• Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe
• Day 2: Entebbe transfer to Kitgum
• Day 3: Kitgum continue to Kidepo Valley National Park
• Day 4: Kidepo; Game drive and Cultural Tour
• Day 5: Kidepo; Game drive and Nature walk
• Day 6: Kidepo drive to Murchison Falls
• Day 7: Game drive and Launch cruise
• Day 8: Murchison drive to Kibale National Park
• Day 10: Kibale transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park – Launch Cruise
• Day 11: Kasenyi Game drive – Ishasha Sector
• Day 12: Ishasha Sector – Buhoma Sector
• Day 13: Buhoma Sector – Nkuringo / Rushga Sector
• Day 14: Gorilla Tracking
• Day 15: Nombe & Buniga Forests (encounter with the Batwa)
• Day 16: Nkuringo / Rushaga; Canoe excursion on Lake Mutanda – Mgahinga
• Day 17: Mt. Sabinyo Hiking
• Day 18: Golden Monkey Tracking
• Day 19: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park
• Day 20: Full day in Lake Mburo
• Day 21: Lake Mburo- Entebbe 

Especially for:

• Perfect for a family
• Primates lovers
• Photographers
• Adventurers

Detailed Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe
Depending on the time of your flight, Escape To Africa representative will pick you up at the Airport with a placard and transfer you to the Hotel.

• Travel time: 10 Minutes
• Accommodation: Protea Marriot Hotel/ Boma Guest House
• Meal Plan: Breakfast Only

Day 2: Entebbe transfer to Kitgum
With an early breakfast, transfer with the guide to Gulu town; the biggest town in Northern Uganda with remains of Colonia rule. After Lunch continue to Kitgum.

• Travel time: 7 ½ Hours
• Accommodation: Boma Guest House
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 3: Kitgum continue to Kidepo Valley National Park
After breakfast, with your guide continue to Kidepo Valley National Park. This is the most magnificent park with Africa’s finest wildernesses. The park is gifted with over 77 mammals and almost 500 bird species recording, from Apoka in the core of the park.  Enjoy the distant mountain ranges that create a backdrop of breath-taking scenery and wildlife viewing on the way to the Lodge.

• Travel time: 2 ½ Hours
• Accommodation: Apoka Safari Camp  / Nga’moru Wilderness Camp / Savannah Lodge
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 4: Kidepo; Game drive and Cultural Tour
With an early wake up call, transfer to the park for a morning game drive. Be on the lookout for the different wildlife; Elephants, Zebras, Reedbucks and Bulbu. After a hot lunch and relaxation at the Lodge, transfer to the local community in the evening.  Interact with the Karamajong and get to know their lifestyle, culture, dress cord and traditional performances. Overnight at the Lodge.

• Accommodation: Apoka Safari Camp / Nga’moru Wilderness Camp / Savannah Lodge
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 5: Kidepo; Game drive and Nature walk
Enjoy a morning game drive before driving back to the Lodge for a leisurely breakfast. Relax at the lodge and after lunch transfer to the park for a nature walk. While on the walk, look out for the different wildlife which can be seen up-close; 50 – 70m. Later enjoy an evening game drive and take as many pictures as possible.

• Accommodation: Apoka Safari Camp  / Nga’moru Wilderness Camp / Savannah Lodge
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 6: Kidepo drive to Murchison Falls
After an early breakfast, with parked lunch, enjoy the beautiful scenery on the way to Murchison falls. Murchison Falls is known for the Victoria Nile that plunges 45m over the remnant rift valley wall, creating the theatrical Falls. This centre piece is finalized in an event of an 80km stretch of rapids with a display of the rainbow. This spring of river provides the most extraordinary wildlife spectacles with regular visitors including; giraffes, elephants and buffaloes, while Nile crocodiles, school of hippos and aquatic birds are permanent residents. Enjoy an evening game drive as you continue to the Lodge.

• Travel time: 6 ¾ Hours
• Accommodation: Bakers Lodge / Murchison River Lodge
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 7: Game drive and Launch cruise
With an early wake up call, transfer to the park for a game drive. Enjoy viewing different wildlife; Elephants, Buffalos, Uganda Kobs, Lions, Antelopes and if very lucky Hyenas. Drive back to the Lodge for a leisurely breakfast and a hot lunch. And in the afternoon transfer to the Nile pier for an afternoon Launch cruise on the Nile. Remember to carry sunscreen as the afternoon sun is very brutal on the Lake. Be on the lookout for a school of Hippos, herds of Buffalos, Elephants, crocodiles on the shores of the Nile. Drive back to the Lodge with an evening game drive.

• Accommodation: Bakers Lodge / Murchison River Lodge
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 8: Murchison drive to Kibale National Park
With an early wakeup call from the Lodge staff, along with packed lunches transfer to Kibale Forest. This park is famous for its population of habituated chimpanzees and 12 other species of primates. Kibale forest is one of the loveliest forests in Uganda with so much to offer from different bird species, 13 species of primates, other species of mammals, numerous indigenous and exotic tree species. Enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Rwenzori ranges.

• Travel time: 7 ½ Hours
• Accommodation: Primates Lodge Kibale / Crater Safari Lodge
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 9: Half Day chimpanzee trekking  & Bigodi Wetland visit
With the tracking permit transfer to the park headquarters at Kanyanchu for Morning Chimpanzee tracking. This activity starts at 8am and lasts an average of three hours accordingly. A hot meal at the Lodge and after relaxation with your guide transfer to Bigodi wetland Sanctuary. This swamp is an extensive collection of biodiversity, including primate species; mangabeys, vervet monkeys, white & black colobus monkeys, red colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, grey cheeked and the L’Hoest monkeys. This wetland is a great example of a community-based project in an effort to protect the forest and areas around it. And it’s also famously known as a birders paradise.

• Accommodation: Primates Lodge Kibale / Crater Safari Lodge
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 10: Kibale transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park – Launch Cruise
With a leisurely breakfast transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park enjoying the breathtaking scenery of the craters. With a view of the Rwenzori Mountains, the park’s splendid panoramas cover dozens of breath-taking craters imprinted theatrically into rolling green hills, beautiful views of the Kazinga Channel and its outstanding main attraction are the big five. Either with a private or scheduled boat enjoy a 2 1/2 – 3 hours afternoon Launch cruise on Kazinga channel, just meters away from hundreds of huge hippos and herds of buffalos, while elephants, buffaloes, warthogs fool around the shoreline.

• Travel time: 3 Hours
• Accommodation: Katara Safari Lodge / Kyamburo Gorge / Kasenyi Safari Camp
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 11: Kasenyi Game drive – Ishasha Sector
Enjoy yet again another game drive in the Kasenyi sectors and be on the lookout for; Rothschild giraffes, buffalos, elephants and different bird species as you head out for Ishasha Sector. The Ishasha sector is famously known as a haven for the tree climbing lions and its located in the Southern part of the park.  It is the only other place in the entire world where you will find tree climbing lions apart from Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania.

• Accommodation: Ishasha Wilderness Camp
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 12: Ishasha Sector – Buhoma Sector
After an early breakfast, enjoy a morning game drive in the Ishasha sector and if you weren’t lucky the previous night with sighting the tree climbing lions, now is your chance. Spend as much time as possible on the game drive and with packed lunch continue to Buhoma sector in Impenetrable forest National Park. This vast reserve offers arguably the most productive montane forest birding in Africa and supports 23 of Uganda’s 24 Albertine Rift endemic bird species. Once part of a much larger forest that included the Virunga Volcanoes in neighboring Rwanda, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is now an ecological island within a sea of human cultivation and is of immense conservation importance.

• Travel time: 4 Hours
• Accommodation: Buhoma Lodge / Bwindi Lodge / Mahogany Springs
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 13: Buhoma Sector – Nkuringo / Rushga Sector
With packed lunch report to the park quarters where you will be accompanied by park rangers. This walk links the southern side to the Northern side using marked trails on foot, using any of the 2 trails –long or short trail. With any of these trails, since there are no roads inside the park, the guide and the vehicle has to drive around the forest – this drive is 7 hours.  Enjoy the walk with the Uganda wildlife armed rangers, walking guide and a rack sack with some change of clothes and snacks. The Ivy River Trail; at 14km, taking about 4 – 5 hours with Vehicle support needed to the lodge or Kashasha trail at 19km, taking about 7 – 8 hours through the forest from the Northern side to the Southern side. Then depending on your accommodation either continue to Rushaga sector or overnight in Nkuringo.

• Travel time: 7 Hours
• Accommodation in Nkuringo: Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge
• Accommodation in Rushaga: Gorilla Safari Lodge  / Rushaga Gorilla Camp
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 14: Gorilla Tracking
With an early breakfast transfer from the lodge with packed lunches.  After gorilla briefing, continue to the forest for gorilla tracking. The beauty of this rain forest is spectacular offering a dramatic, steeply forested landscape, incredibly dense, but crisscrossed by numerous walk trails allowing access to tourists. The time taken and the terrain vary as per the movements of the gorillas. 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. Tracking can take place at Nkuringo or at Rushaga (1hour drive from Nkuringo), as per the gorilla permits obtained. Upon return, relax at the lodge or opt for a 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 forest. A great way to stretch your legs after the gorilla tracking and to enjoy a sundowner.

• Accommodation in Nkuringo: Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge
• Accommodation in Rushaga: Gorilla Safari Lodge / Rushaga Gorilla Camp
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 15: Nombe & Buniga Forests (encounter with the Batwa)
With a leisurely breakfast, transfer to Nombe Pocket Forest for a walk and a picnic. Depending on ones location, its 1 hour drive from Rushaga and 30 minutes’ drive from Nkuringo. This forest used to be part of Bwindi but was later given to the local community. It’s a beautiful forest for birding, as it hosts many different bird species. Later after relaxation at the Lodge, visit the Batwa trail that takes you through that part of Bwindi forest that used to be home to the Pygmies the Batwa; also known as “people of the forest”. This trail is run by the local community and it involves the Batwa acting out their pervious life in the forest inform of traditional dance and drama.

• Accommodation in Nkuringo: Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge
• Accommodation in Rushaga: Gorilla Safari Lodge / Rushaga Gorilla Camp
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 16: Nkuringo / Rushaga; Canoe excursion on Lake Mutanda – Mgahinga
This morning drive from Bwindi to Mgahinga National Park; This park was conserved to protect the endangered mountain gorillas where they found asylum. Mgahinga forest has only 1 habituated gorilla group with 19 individuals tracked. Despite the fact that this is a gorilla park, it was also home to the indigenous Batwa pygmies. And is also recognized from its three extinct volcanoes that lies along the border region of Uganda, Congo and Rwanda. On the way to Mgahinga, enjoy a half day canoe on lake Mutanda. canoeing is done by local community experienced guides. Only 1 – 2 pax are allowed in the canoe with 1 guide. For those interested, canoe on your own for a few minutes. On arrival to Kisoro continue to Mgahinga National Park.

• Travel time: 2 ½ Hours
• Accommodation: Gahinga Lodge  / Travellers Rest Camp
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 17: Mt. Sabinyo Hiking
With an early breakfast, transfer to the park quarters for hiking. Mt. Sabinyo is at 3669m above sea level and it provides an opportunity of being in 3 countries at once; Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. This mountain is made up of 5 peaks and it’s a full day’s hike including descending. Hiking Sabinyo is a physically challenging hike and one should be in good health and in shape.

• Accommodation: Gahinga Lodge / Travellers Rest Camp
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 18: Golden Monkey Trekking
Just like Gorilla tracking, transfer to the park headquarters for Golden Monkey trekking. This unique species can only be found in the Virunga circuit. Only 1 hour is allowed in the company of the golden monkeys. Time to be spent in the forest can’t be estimated.

• Accommodation: Gahinga Lodge / Travellers Rest Camp
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 19: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park
After an early breakfast proceed to Lake Mburo National Park. This Whispers of the world is home to over 350 bird species and numerous wildlife including; eland, buffalo, hippo, hyena, topi, zebra, impala, oribi, Defassa waterbuck, leopard, and reedbuck. This park is unique from all the other parks, as best for viewing the Gigantic elands, Impalas, Zebra. Enjoy the land scape which is full of curves and colors, giving an impression of an oil painting. Have lunch in Mbarara and continue to the park for an evening game drive before continuing to the Lodge.

• Travel time: 6 Hours
• Accommodation: Mihingo Lodge  / Rwakobo Rock Lodge
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 20: Full day in Lake Mburo
With an early wake up call, transfer to the park for a game drive. Later drive back to the Lodge for a leisurely breakfast and a hot lunch. And in the afternoon transfer to the lake for canoeing. Remember to carry sunscreen as the afternoon sun is very brutal on the Lake. Drive back to the Lodge with an evening game drive.

• Accommodation: Mihingo Lodge (Luxury) / Rwakobo Rock Lodge
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 21: Lake Mburo- Entebbe
Enjoy an early morning game drive and later proceed to Entebbe for your flight back home with a stopover at the equator.

• Travel time: 4 ½ Hours
• Meal Plan: Breakfast only
  

END OF ESCAPE TO AFRICA SERVICES

Included in the above quote:

• Our Quotes offered in USD
• Full Board meals (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner) with Accommodation as listed in the itinerary.
• Gorilla, Chimpanzee and Golden Monkey Permit
• Drinking water in the vehicle (1 litre per person per day)
• Private 4×4 vehicle with experienced English-speaking driver-guide, from the morning of day 1 to the evening of day 21
• All the excursions and activities indicated in the itinerary under the supervision of an experienced English-speaking guide
• Wi-Fi (in main areas of all Lodges and Hotel)
• Government taxes

Excluded from the above quote:

• All drinks
• Lunch & Dinner on (Day 1 & Day 21)
• Uganda Entry Visa fee
• International air flights
• Any optional activity not indicated in above program
• Laundry Services
• Gratuities and Tips

Tsavo is an authentic, fascinating, endless and untouched wilderness that join the Tsavo West and East National Parks into one largest protected area in Kenya. This park offers an opportunity of viewing the Big 5 in a single day. Its famously known for its man-eating lions and humongous elephant populations to the outside world, which makes it one of the must visit parks in Kenya. Between the 2 parts, Tsavo East is much more accessible, though Tsavo West provides a unique added advantage point to get closer to hippos and crocodiles lazing around in the waters.

At nearly 22,000km2, this makes Tsavo the biggest National Park in Kenya. Both of these parks where once one single park but where later separated. Though among the two Tsavo west is considered the best park for photography, birding and game viewing.

Tsavo East is at 13,747 sq.KM and is generally flat, with dry plains across where are River flows.

And the Tsavo West covers an area of 9,065 sq.KM and is generally mountainous with swamps, a Lake and Springs. It is known for bird life and large game; elephants, leopards, hippos, black rhinos, Cape buffalos and Masai lions.

Activities in Tsavo National Park

There is so much that you can do in Tsavo National park from the primarily; game drives involving viewing of elephants, African lions, hippos, cheetahs, hartebeest and buffalo, birdwatching, hill hiking, to caving and boating.

Best Time to Visit Tsavo West

At Escape To Africa, we recommend visiting the park in the months of January and February as well as June through September. And we try as much as possible to avoid the March to May and sometimes November to December as the park roads tend to be muddy and inaccessible. For all birdwatchers, the must months of visit to see migratory birds are October to January.

Recommended Number of Days

We normally advise 2 days to enjoy Tsavo west National park and a day more for all photographers to capture as much as possible.

Accommodation in the Tsavo West

As big as the park is, it has numerous accommodation to choose from for all kinds of budgets. At Escape To Africa we offer the best from comfort to services.