8 Days Murchison Kibale Bwindi and Lake Bunyonyi

This 8-day safari includes many of our greatest activities. The trip starts with a visit to Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda’s largest protected area and home to a wide range of flora and fauna. Your next stop will be chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest National Park, then gorilla tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, and finally a relaxing or activity-filled stay at Lake Bunyonyi.

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park

Following breakfast, your safari guide will pick you up at your hotel and drive you to Murchison Falls National Park, a journey of approximately 310 kms that will take 5 to 6 hours. On your way, you will see the legendary Luwero Triangle with its infamous history dating from the Obote regime. Today it is a small town with a trading center. Lunch will be at the Masindi Hotel, from where you will proceed to the park, passing through the Budongo and Kaniyo Pabidi Forests. Your guide will drive you to the top of the Falls with its extraordinary visit and then you will continue to your lodge for an evening of relaxation. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.

Accommodation: Paraa Safari Lodge (luxury) / Pakuba Lodge (midrange) / Heritage Safari Lodge (budget)

Day 2: Game drive and boat cruise

Following an early breakfast, your safari guide will take you on a game drive through the Northern Nile Delta. Lions, leopards, buffalo, waterbuck, Jackson’s hartebeest, Rothschild’s giraffe, oribi and baboons giraffes are only some of the wildlife you are likely to spot.

You will return to your lodge for lunch following which, you will set out for the 2-hour boat cruise to the bottom of the Falls. Expect to see hippos and crocodiles, as well as other land species coming to enjoy the cool water. There is a rich birdlife on the papyrus banks. Keep an eye out for the shoebill stork, one of the most sought after birds in Africa. Following the cruise, you can opt to hike up to the top of the Falls from where you will be driven back to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Paraa Safari Lodge (luxury) / Pakuba Safari Lodge (midrange) / Heritage Safari Lodge (budget)

Day 3: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park

Following an early breakfast and check out, your safari guide will drive you to Kibale Forest National Park, a trip with spectactular views of the rift valley, Lake Albert, as well as sprawls of beautiful vegetation. Lunch will be en route at the Nguse River Camp. You will continue to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Turaco Treetops (luxury) / Kibale forest camp (midrange) Kibale guest cottages (budget)

Day 4: Chimp tracking

After an early breakfast at your lodge (your lodge will provide you with a packed lunch), your safari guide will drive you to the park office for registration and briefing. You will then proceed with your small group to track your assigned chimpanzee family. This can take anywhere from 2 to 5 hours during which time you will encounter other primates and a slew of birds. Once you locate the chimpanzee family, you will have 1 hour to photograph and observe them.

After tracking and relaxing at the lodge, you can opt for a 2-hour afternoon nature walk in the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary. The sanctuary is home to numerous primates including the red colobus monkey and the black & white colobus monkey, as well as many other mammals and some 130 species of birds.

 Accommodation: Turaco Treetops (luxury) / Kibale forest camp (midrange) Kibale guest cottages (budget)

Day 5: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Following an early breakfast and check out, you will be driven along the Ibanda-Mbarara Road with its views of expansive banana plantations and enjoy the famed cool mountainous terrain of the Kigezi region. A lunch stop will be made in the town of Kabale. A late-afternoon check in at your lodge is projected. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.

Accommodation: Gorilla heights lodge (luxury) Bweza Lodge (midrange) /rushaga gorilla havens lodge (budget)

Day 6: Gorilla tracking

After an early breakfast and check out (your lodge will provide you with a packed lunch), your guide will drive you to the briefing point in the park where for check in. The briefing begins at 8:30 am, however guests are requested to arrive by 8:00 am. Then, with your ranger guide, you will begin your trek into the Impenetrable Forest in search of the gorillas. Depending upon where the gorillas slept the previous night, this trek can take 4 hours or more. Once you locate the gorilla family, you will have one hour to photograph them and observe their behavior, after which you will hike back to the ranger station for your graduation ceremony and receive your gorilla tracking certificate. Your safari guide will then drive you to Lake Bunyonyi for an afternoon of relaxation. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.

Accommodation: Arcadia Lodges Bunyonyi (luxury) / Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort (midrange) / Bunyonyi Overland Resort (budget)

Day 7: Lake Bunyonyi

Wake up at a convenient time and enjoy a leisurely breakfast and then start your day’s activities with a boat or canoe trip on Uganda’s deepest lake. There are numerous ways to enjoy the lake such as ziplining, a boat ride to Kyahugye island to visit its wildlife reserve, hiking, a visit to the resident Batwa community or of course, just lazily enjoying the natural beauty.

Accommodation: Arcadia Lodges Bunyonyi (luxury) / Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort (midrange) / Bunyonyi Overland Resort (budget)

Day 8: Transfer to Entebbe/Kampala

After an early breakfast and check out, your guide will either drive you to Entebbe or to Kampala, depending upon your plans. Lunch will be at Igongo Cultural Centre. A brief stop will be made at the equator for a photo moment and souvenir shopping. A late-afternoon arrival at your destination is projected.

End of trip.

Trip includes:

• Accommodation and meals as per the itinerary

•Safari 4x4 vehicle

• Drinking water

• Airport or hotel transfer on the first and last day

• Driver/Tour guide

• Fuel for the entire trip

• All park entrance fees

• Hand sanitizer

Trip excludes:

• International and/or internal flights

• Visa

• Tips

• Food and beverages not otherwise indicated

• Laundry

• Face masks

• Gorilla and chimpanzee tracking permits (to be booked and paid for in advance; preparation upon request)