13 Days Uganda Primate Safari and Big 5 tour

13 Days Uganda Primate Safari and Big 5 tour: This is one of the long Uganda safari tour that starts and ends in Entebbe/Kampala and combines both the primate viewing safaris and the big 5 game viewing adventure. The parks to visit while on the tour include; Murchison falls national park for an encounter with the big 5 game drives and a boat cruise to Nile River, Kibale forest national park for chimpanzee trekking, Queen Elizabeth national park for a game drive and Kazinga channel boat cruise, Bwindi impenetrable national park for gorilla trekking, Lake Mburo national park for the best walking safari, game drive and boat cruise and finally explore Lake Bunyonyi for a canoe ride, and Ngamba island to spend ample time with the orphaned chimpanzees. 

Highlights of 13 Days Uganda Primate Safari and Big 5 tour

• Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Murchison falls national park – White rhino trekking

  

• Day 2: Game drive and Nile boat cruise
• Day 3: Transfer to Kibale forest national park
• Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale forest national park and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
• Day 5: Game drive and Kazinga channel boat cruise
• Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park via Ishasha sector
• Day 7: Mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
• Day 8: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi-boat ride
• Day 9: Transfer to Lake Mburo national park
• Day 10: Walking safari, game drive and boat cruise
• Day 11: Game drive and transfer to Entebbe
• Day 12: Visit Ngamba Island on Lake Victoria and relaxation
• Day 13: Departures

Detailed Safari Itinerary

Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Murchison Falls National Park – White rhino trekking

On day 1 of 13 days Uganda primate safari and big 5 tour at about 8:00am, you will be met by our company representative who will pick you from your hotel in Kampala or Entebbe, brief you about your 13 days safari in the pearl of Africa as you head north eastern region in north western part of Kampala to Murchison falls national park the biggest and oldest national park in Uganda. Along the way, you will have a stopover at Ziwa rhino sanctuary for rhino trekking where you will encounter with the rhinos as they are only seen at Ziwa white rhino sanctuary. After rhinos trekking, you will proceed for a lunch break in Masindi town then head to Murchison falls national park that will welcome you with a thrilling vegetation cover being one of the best savannah parks in Uganda. Proceed with a game drive in the park as you head to your lodge for check in, dinner and overnight. That’s if your accommodation is inside the park otherwise, you will check in your outside lodge for dinner and overnight waiting to visit the park the following day.

• Meal plan: Lunch and dinner

Day 2: Game drive and Nile boat cruise in Murchison falls national park

Breakfast will be served early in the morning, meet your safari driver to go for a game drive in the northern part of the park that thrills with a good number of wildlife species seen in the savannah plains of the park. The game drive will take you along Buligi track towards Nile River for a spackling view of plenty of wildlife including elephants, buffaloes, lions, waterbucks, leopards, giraffes, duikers, bushbucks, Oribi, and some primate species such as Olive baboon and a good number of bird species since the park is a home to both primates, mammals and bird species. After the game drive, you will return to the lodge for lunch and at around 2:00pm, you will go for an afternoon boat cruise upstream to the base of the waterfall. This cruise is one of the best activities which gives tourists an opportunity to watch hippos in water and Nile crocodiles basking on the shores, view elephants and buffaloes along the banks, aquatic bird species among others. Later drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

• Meal plan: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 3: Transfer to Kibale forest national park

On day 3, you will enjoy your breakfast, then check out of the lodge to meet your safari driver to transfer to the top of the falls where you will view the breathtaking and magnificent waterfall in the whole world as it forces its way out through a tinny hole. Later drive out of the park and start the journey to Kibale forest national park. The journey is long but very adventurous as you watch different attractions along the way ranging from dotted homesteads, vegetation cover, farmlands among others. Lunch will be enjoyed along the way and upon arrival at the park, you will be dropped at your lodge for check in, dinner and overnight.

• Meal plan: breakfast, lunch and dinner 

Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale forest national park and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park

After breakfast, you will meet your safari guide to head to the park headquarters for a briefing about chimpanzee trekking before embarking on a half day adventurous search of the endangered chimpanzees in their natural habitats as they thrill in the forest that harbors 13 primate species. During chimpanzee trekking, look out for other primates such as Olive baboons, Vervet monkeys, Red tailed monkey, black and white Colobus monkey, Grey checked Mangabey monkey, Patas monkey, bush babies and some mammals that reside in the same forest with primates without forgetting bird species, butterflies and the flora of the forest. After finding the chimpanzees, you will have one hour to stay in their vicinity, take photographs, watch their habits, behaviors and later trek back to meet your driver guide and transfer to the lodge for lunch. After lunch, check out of the lodge and start the journey to Queen Elizabeth national park where you will arrive in the evening, proceed to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

• Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 5: Morning game drive and Kazinga channel boat cruise 

On day 5, enjoy a cup of coffee for breakfast then be driven to Kasenyi plains for a morning game drive where you will view animals such as elephants, Lions, leopards, waterbucks, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, warthogs, bushbucks and many more. After the game drive, return to the lodge for lunch and embark on an afternoon boat cruise along the Kazinga channel that connects Lake Edward to Lake Gorge. During the boat cruise, you will be able to view large population of Hippos, Nile crocodiles and other aquatic species. Later return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

• Meal plan: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park via Ishasha sector

You will enjoy a relaxed breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to start the journey to Bwindi impenetrable national park. On the way, you will have a stopover in Ishasha sector in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth national park for a game drive where you will be able to spot the tree climbing lions and other animals like Uganda kobs, oribi, warthogs, elephants, buffaloes among others. After the game drive, you will have en-route lunch and then proceed to Bwindi impenetrable national park  arriving in the evening and upon arrival, connect to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

• Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 7: Mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park

After an early breakfast at the lodge, you will be driven to the trailhead depending on the sector you intend to trek in for a gorilla trekking briefing which will introduce you to the rules and regulations to follow during Gorilla trekking in Uganda. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi national park takes about 30 minutes to 8 hours depending on where the gorillas are located and once they are found, you will be allowed to spend one hour of close view, take pictures, record videos, watch them feed, play, rest, breastfeed among others. After one hour with the mountain gorillas, you will return to the lodge for a relaxed evening or have an option of evening Batwa experience.

• Meal plan: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 8: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi

On day 8, you will wake up for breakfast, check out and exit Bwindi impenetrable national park to transfer to Lake Bunyonyi in Kabale where you will relax your mind and memorize all the moments you have spent in the wild. Upon arrival, you will enjoy your lunch overlooking the stunning Lake Bunyonyi the deepest Lakes in Uganda and with fresh water free from bilharzia and Nile crocodiles thus the best water for swimming as long as you are an experienced swimmer due to its depth. After lunch, you will take a canoe ride to explore the islands since the Lake has about 29 islands. Take a walk along the lake shores while watching plenty of birds since the lake is known as the lake of many little birds. Take a nap at any lodge near the shores of Lake Bunyonyi in preparation for the next day’s journey.

Meal plan: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 9: Transfer to Lake Mburo national park

Arise at the sunrise for breakfast at leisure while overlooking Lake Bunyonyi, then check out of the lodge and embark on the road drive to Lake Mburo national park where you will stop at Igongo cultural center for lunch and spend some hours exploring different attractions in Igongo including the craft shop, the museum, among others. Later on proceed with your drive to Lake Mburo national park which will welcome you with grazing mammals alongside Ankole cattle. Head to the lodge for check-in, dinner and overnight.

• Meal plan: breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Day 10: Walking safari, game drive and boat cruise

After breakfast, you have a lot of things to do in Lake Mburo national park such as a walking adventure in the park to explore different parts of the park on foot while encountering plenty of wildlife. After the guided nature walk, you will go for a game drive amidst a variety of wildlife including zebras, buffaloes, giraffes, impalas, elands, topi and many other wildlife that exist in this stunning savanna park. After the game drive, return to the lodge for your lunch and later go for an afternoon boat cruise on one of the lakes in the park to view aquatic species like hippos and Nile crocodiles, other animals like buffaloes and antelopes which visit the shores of the lake to quench their thirst, different bird species among others.

• Meal plan: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 11: Game drive and transfer to Entebbe

On day 11, you will enjoy your breakfast in the morning then set out for a morning game drive in the park to view plenty of wildlife species that you might have missed during the previous game drive. After game drive, you will return to the lodge for lunch then check out to exit the park and transfer to Kampala with a stopover at the Equator to catch some of the memorial photographs before proceeding to Kampala. Upon arrival in Kampala, you will head to Entebbe for hotel check in, dinner and overnight.

• Meal plan: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 12: Visit Ngamba Island on Lake Victoria and relaxation

After breakfast at your hotel in Entebbe, you will embark on a visit to Ngamba island which is accessed by taking a boat cruise from the shores of Lake Victoria. While at the island, you will spend time viewing the orphaned chimpanzees with in a sanctuary during their feeding session and also view other species of  reptiles and birds in the sanctuary. Later return to your hotel in Entebbe for lunch and spend the rest of the day at leisure, dinner and overnight as above.

• Meal plan: Breakfast lunch and dinner

Day 13: Departures

On the last day of the safari, you will enjoy a relaxed breakfast at your lodge then depending on your departures time, you will check out and be dropped off at Entebbe international airport for your departure flight back home.

• Meal plan: Breakfast

END OF 13 DAYS UGANDA PRIMATE SAFARI AND BIG 5 TOUR