SUMMARY

Day 1: Depart Entebbe/Kampala – Kibale Forest National Park

Day 2: Chimpanzee Tracking – Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Day 3: Game drive – Launch cruise

Day 4: Game drive – Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

Day 5: Gorilla trekking – Batwa Experience

Day 6: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi – Tour the Islands

Day 7: Transfer back to Kampala/Entebbe

DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1: Depart Entebbe/Kampala – Kibale Forest National Park
After breakfast, you will be picked up by one of our representatives from Great Nest Image Safaris who will brief you about this 7 days Pearl of Africa safari and thereafter you will drive heading west past Mityana and continue to Fort Portal where you will stop for lunch.  Catch a glimpse of the Toro Kingdom palace, the Royal tombs the mosque then continue to Kibale, just a few kilometers ahead.  Kibale national park has the highest concentration of primates in East Africa including chimps, blue monkeys black and white Colobus monkeys and baboons. When you reach, you will check in your lodge to freshen up then in the afternoon you will go for a primate walk to Kanyanchu river camp, the most popular walk in the park. Later return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation

• Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse
• (Mid-range guest house located just outside Kibale Forest National Park)

Meals & Drinks

• Breakfast
• Bottled Drinking water 

 Day 2: Chimpanzee Tracking – Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
After an early morning breakfast, you will go for chimpanzee tracking. This can take you half a day depending on the movements of these primates. There are other primates in the area like the golden monkeys, baboons, L’Hoest monkey, white and black Colobus monkeys, red Colobus and blue monkeys. Other animals to watch include forest elephants unique from the common type and giant forest hogs. Later after lunch, you will take a guided nature walk to Bigodi swamp sanctuary, a good site for birders and here watch out for the Great Blue Turaco, Papyrus Gonolek, herons and kingfishers among others. In the evening, you will transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park, check in direct to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation

• Engiri Game Lodge and Campsite
• (Budget lodge located just outside Queen Elizabeth National Park)

Meals & Drinks

• Breakfast
• Bottled Drinking water 

 Day 3: Game drive – Launch cruise

After an early morning breakfast you will go for the morning game drive in the Kasenyi area which is well known as the kob mating grounds; therefore, perfect to spot a lot of kobs, antelopes like the sitatunga and the hyenas. Other wildlife can also be spotted out such as lions and the elephants among others. The game drive will take 3-4 hours and later you will go to your lodge, freshen up and have lunch. In the afternoon, you will go for launch cruise on the Kazinga channel famous for its highest number of hippopotamuses, you will also see crocodiles, buffalos, elephants and other animals as they come down to drink and bathe, here watch out also for different bird species. Later return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation

• Engiri Game lodge and Campsite
• (Budget lodge located just outside Queen Elizabeth National Park)

Meals & Drinks

• Breakfast
• Bottled Drinking water 

Day 4: Game drive – Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

After your morning breakfast, you will go for a game drive through the Ishasha sector in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth national park for the tree climbing lions. After lunch enroute and proceed to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.

Accommodation

• Gorilla closeup lodge
• (Mid-range lodge outside Bwindi National Park)

Meals & Drinks

• Breakfast
• Bottled Drinking water

Day 5: Gorilla trekking – Batwa Experience

After an early morning breakfast, you will be driven to the park headquarters where you will be briefed by the park rangers about the dos and don’ts while trekking in the park, here you will also be divided in a group of 8 individuals and after you will start off your gorilla trekking guided by the park rangers. This is a memorable and an amazing experience watching the Mountain gorillas feed, play around and also do their day-to-day activities. The time taken and the terrain vary with the movements of these great primates and once you have located a gorilla group, you will be allowed an hour in their presence as you take photographs and observe their unique characters.

Later, you will return to your lodge and in the evening, you may choose to relax at the lodge or visit the Batwa community which will expose you to their culture basing on how they live, dance, and also hearing stories concerning their culture which will leave you amazed. Dinner and overnight stay at your lodge. 

Accommodation

• Gorilla closeup lodge
• (Mid-range lodge outside Bwindi National Park)

Meals & Drinks

• Breakfast
• Bottled Drinking water

Day 6: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi – Tour the Islands

You will have your breakfast and later depart for Lake Bunyonyi well known as the second deepest Lake in Africa. The word Bunyonyi means “small birds” in direct translation which means that the lake is a must stopover for committed birders and besides that; its serpentine shape and numerous islands are other highlights one must look out for. The Lake has 29 Islands and is a good stop over for relaxation from trekking Mountain Gorillas. After checking in your lodge, you will go for a Boat ride/Canoeing and here you will be able to visit most of the Islands on the Lake.

The Islands on the Lake were named according to the different bird species found on the Island and some were named for different reasons for example the Punishment Island which is the smallest and was used by the Bakiga people to drop their girls who got pregnant before marriage and here you will also learn a lot about the people that inhabit the Islands. Bwama Island is good for birders, or you could take a nature walk helping you to appreciate a variety of small birds.  Later you will return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation

• Bunyonyi Overland Resort
• (Mid-range resort located near Lake Bunyonyi)

 Meals & Drinks

• Breakfast
• Bottle Drinking water

Day 7: Transfer back to Kampala/Entebbe

Take breakfast at leisure and return to Kampala/Entebbe. You will have a stopover in town for lunch and later proceed with your journey arriving late in the evening.

END OF SAFARI TOUR

Feel free to contact us any time and book this 7 Days Pearl of Africa safari. We are here to answer any questions you may have on any of our services/tours, we are just a phone call, or few clicks away, send us an email today …we look forward to hearing from you.

ACTIVITIES

• Chimpanzee tracking
• Game drives
• Nature walk
• Gorilla trekking
• Batwa experience
• Bird watching
• Launch cruise

Number of Days

7 Days / 6 Nights

Included

• All Park entry fees
• Gorilla permits
• Chimpanzee permits
• A professional driver/guide
• All transportation including fuel
• Launch cruise on Kazinga channel and Game drives
• All activities (included in the itinerary)
• All accommodation (included in the itinerary)
• All Taxes/VAT
• Roundtrip/Airport transfer
• Drinking water

Excluded

• International flights
• Personal items
• Meals
• Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
• Tips
• Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees

Standard 4X4 Safari Vans/Land cruisers

Our standard mode of transport is by road and we use 4×4 Safari van and Land cruisers with open roof tops customized for game viewing and photography.  Each Safari van/Land cruiser comes with a professionally trained driver/guide with fuel for the whole safari. Each client is entitled to a window seat and can take up to 8-10 people. We also have very comfortable super customs which can carry up 6 people with their luggage also have small vehicles like Alphads, Harrier and much more that can carry 4-5 people.